Мідлмарч

           Bulstrodeshouldbecalledupon—andIdonowcalluponhim—toresignpublicpositionswhichheholdsnotsimplyasatax-payer,butasagentlemanamonggentlemen.Therearepracticesandthereareactswhich,owingtocircumstances,thelawcannotvisit,thoughtheymaybeworsethanmanythingswhicharelegallypunishable.Honestmenandgentlemen,iftheydon’twantthecompanyofpeoplewhoperpetratesuchacts,havegottodefendthemselvesastheybestcan,andthatiswhatIandthefriendswhomImaycallmyclientsinthisaffairaredeterminedtodo.Idon’tsaythatMr.Bulstrodehasbeenguiltyofshamefulacts,butIcalluponhimeitherpubliclytodenyandconfutethescandalousstatementsmadeagainsthimbyamannowdead,andwhodiedinhishouse—thestatementthathewasformanyyearsengagedinnefariouspractices,andthathewonhisfortunebydishonestprocedures—orelsetowithdrawfrompositionswhichcouldonlyhavebeenallowedhimasagentlemanamonggentlemen."

           AlleyesintheroomwereturnedonMr.Bulstrode,who,sincethefirstmentionofhisname,hadbeengoingthroughacrisisoffeelingalmosttooviolentforhisdelicateframetosupport.Lydgate,whohimselfwasundergoingashockasfromtheterriblepracticalinterpretationofsomefaintaugury,felt,nevertheless,thathisownmovementofresentfulhatredwascheckedbythatinstinctoftheHealerwhichthinksfirstofbringingrescueorrelieftothesufferer,whenhelookedattheshrunkenmiseryofBulstrode’slividface.