Мідлмарч

           Casaubon’sear,Dorothea’svoicegaveloudemphaticiterationtothosemuffledsuggestionsofconsciousnesswhichitwaspossibletoexplainasmerefancy,theillusionofexaggeratedsensitiveness:alwayswhensuchsuggestionsareunmistakablyrepeatedfromwithout,theyareresistedascruelandunjust.Weareangeredevenbythefullacceptanceofourhumiliatingconfessions—howmuchmorebyhearinginharddistinctsyllablesfromthelipsofanearobserver,thoseconfusedmurmurswhichwetrytocallmorbid,andstriveagainstasiftheyweretheoncomingofnumbness!Andthiscrueloutwardaccuserwasthereintheshapeofawife—nay,ofayoungbride,who,insteadofobservinghisabundantpen-scratchesandamplitudeofpaperwiththeuncriticalaweofanelegant-mindedcanary-bird,seemedtopresentherselfasaspywatchingeverythingwithamalignpowerofinference.Here,towardsthisparticularpointofthecompass,Mr.CasaubonhadasensitivenesstomatchDorothea’s,andanequalquicknesstoimaginemorethanthefact.Hehadformerlyobservedwithapprobationhercapacityforworshippingtherightobject;henowforesawwithsuddenterrorthatthiscapacitymightbereplacedbypresumption,thisworshipbythemostexasperatingofallcriticism—thatwhichseesvaguelyagreatmanyfineends,andhasnottheleastnotionwhatitcoststoreachthem.

           ForthefirsttimesinceDorotheahadknownhim,Mr.Casaubon’sfacehadaquickangryflushuponit.