Hence, when she found that Dorothea was making arrangements for her

final departure to Lowick, Celia raised her eyebrows with

disappointment, and in her quiet unemphatic way shot a needle-arrow of

sarcasm.

"What will you do at Lowick, Dodo? You say yourself there is nothing

to be done there: everybody is so clean and well off, it makes you

quite melancholy. And here you have been so happy going all about

Tipton with Mr. Garth into the worst backyards. And now uncle is

abroad, you and Mr. Garth can have it all your own way; and I am sure

James does everything you tell him."

"I shall often come here, and I shall see how baby grows all the

better," said Dorothea.

"But you will never see him washed," said Celia; "and that is quite the

best part of the day." She was almost pouting: it did seem to her very

hard in Dodo to go away from the baby when she might stay.

"Dear Kitty, I will come and stay all night on purpose," said Dorothea;

"but I want to be alone now, and in my own home. I wish to know the

Farebrothers better, and to talk to Mr. Farebrother about what there is

to be done in Middlemarch."

Dorothea's native strength of will was no longer all converted into

resolute submission. She had a great yearning to be at Lowick, and was

simply determined to go, not feeling bound to tell all her reasons.

But every one around her disapproved. Sir James was much pained, and

offered that they should all migrate to Cheltenham for a few months

with the sacred ark, otherwise called a cradle: at that period a man

could hardly know what to propose if Cheltenham were rejected.

The Dowager Lady Chettam, just returned from a visit to her daughter in

town, wished, at least, that Mrs. Vigo should be written to, and

invited to accept the office of companion to Mrs. Casaubon: it was not

credible that Dorothea as a young widow would think of living alone in

the house at Lowick. Mrs. Vigo had been reader and secretary to royal

personages, and in point of knowledge and sentiments even Dorothea

could have nothing to object to her.

Mrs. Cadwallader said, privately, "You will certainly go mad in that

house alone, my dear. You will see visions. We have all got to exert

ourselves a little to keep sane, and call things by the same names as

other people call them by. To be sure, for younger sons and women who

have no money, it is a sort of provision to go mad: they are taken care

of then. But you must not run into that. I dare say you are a little

bored here with our good dowager; but think what a bore you might

become yourself to your fellow-creatures if you were always playing

tragedy queen and taking things sublimely. Sitting alone in that

library at Lowick you may fancy yourself ruling the weather; you must

get a few people round you who wouldn't believe you if you told them.

That is a good lowering medicine."




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