any trouble.

Clearly, there would be no interference with Miss Brooke's marriage
through Mr. Cadwallader; and Sir James felt with some sadness that she
was to have perfect liberty of misjudgment. It was a sign of his good
disposition that he did not slacken at all in his intention of carrying
out Dorothea's design of the cottages. Doubtless this persistence was
the best course for his own dignity: but pride only helps us to be
generous; it never makes us so, any more than vanity makes us witty.
She was now enough aware of Sir James's position with regard to her, to
appreciate the rectitude of his perseverance in a landlord's duty, to
which he had at first been urged by a lover's complaisance, and her
pleasure in it was great enough to count for something even in her
present happiness. Perhaps she gave to Sir James Chettam's cottages all
the interest she could spare from Mr. Casaubon, or rather from the
symphony of hopeful dreams, admiring trust, and passionate self devotion
which that learned gentleman had set playing in her soul. Hence it
happened that in the good baronet's succeeding visits, while he was
beginning to pay small attentions to Celia, he found himself talking
with more and more pleasure to Dorothea. She was perfectly unconstrained
and without irritation towards him now, and he was gradually discovering
the delight there is in frank kindness and companionship between a man
and a woman who have no passion to hide or confess.



CHAPTER IX.

1st Gent. An ancient land in ancient oracles
Is called "law-thirsty": all the struggle there