more light on his character than anything that had ever passed
between them. She had always felt with him as if she were standing
on an edge, looking down into something decidedly deep. To-day the
impression of the perpendicular shaft was there, but it was rather an
abyss of confusion and disorder than the large bright space in which
she had figured everything as ranged and pigeon-holed, presenting the
appearance of the labelled shelves and drawers at a chemist's. He
discussed without an invitation to discuss, he appealed without a
right to appeal. He was nothing but a suitor tolerated after
dismissal, but he took strangely for granted a participation in her
affairs. He assumed all sorts of things that made her draw back. He
implied that there was everything now to assist them in arriving at
an agreement, since she had never informed him that he was positively
objectionable; but that this symmetry would be spoiled if she should
not be willing to take a little longer to think of certain
consequences. She was greatly disconcerted when she saw what
consequences he meant and at his reminding her of them. What on
earth was the use of a lover if he was to speak only like one's
grandmother and one's aunt? He struck her as much in love with her
and as particularly careful at the same time as to what he might say.
He never mentioned her mother; he only alluded, indirectly but
earnestly, to the "step." He disapproved of it altogether, took an
unexpectedly prudent, politic view of it. He evidently also believed
that she would be dragged down; in other words that she would not be
asked out. It was his idea that her mother would contaminate her, so
that he should find himself interested in a young person discredited
and virtually unmarriageable. All this was more obvious to him than
the consideration that a daughter should be merciful. Where was his
religion if he understood mercy so little, and where were his talent
and his courage if he were so miserably afraid of trumpery social