"Hire facounde eke full womanly and plain,

No contrefeted termes had she

To semen wise."

--CHAUCER.

It was in that way Dorothea came to be sobbing as soon as she was

securely alone. But she was presently roused by a knock at the door,

which made her hastily dry her eyes before saying, "Come in." Tantripp

had brought a card, and said that there was a gentleman waiting in the

lobby. The courier had told him that only Mrs. Casaubon was at home,

but he said he was a relation of Mr. Casaubon's: would she see him?

"Yes," said Dorothea, without pause; "show him into the salon." Her

chief impressions about young Ladislaw were that when she had seen him

at Lowick she had been made aware of Mr. Casaubon's generosity towards

him, and also that she had been interested in his own hesitation about

his career. She was alive to anything that gave her an opportunity for

active sympathy, and at this moment it seemed as if the visit had come

to shake her out of her self-absorbed discontent--to remind her of her

husband's goodness, and make her feel that she had now the right to be

his helpmate in all kind deeds. She waited a minute or two, but when

she passed into the next room there were just signs enough that she had

been crying to make her open face look more youthful and appealing than

usual. She met Ladislaw with that exquisite smile of good-will which

is unmixed with vanity, and held out her hand to him. He was the elder

by several years, but at that moment he looked much the younger, for

his transparent complexion flushed suddenly, and he spoke with a

shyness extremely unlike the ready indifference of his manner with his

male companion, while Dorothea became all the calmer with a wondering

desire to put him at ease.

"I was not aware that you and Mr. Casaubon were in Rome, until this

morning, when I saw you in the Vatican Museum," he said. "I knew you

at once--but--I mean, that I concluded Mr. Casaubon's address would be

found at the Poste Restante, and I was anxious to pay my respects to

him and you as early as possible."

"Pray sit down. He is not here now, but he will be glad to hear of

you, I am sure," said Dorothea, seating herself unthinkingly between

the fire and the light of the tall window, and pointing to a chair

opposite, with the quietude of a benignant matron. The signs of

girlish sorrow in her face were only the more striking. "Mr. Casaubon

is much engaged; but you will leave your address--will you not?--and

he will write to you."




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