Page 286 (1/2)

"I have had the gratification of , to-day, and of being praised by one who is himself a worthy

recipient of praise He spoke very handso, in fact, ter the last clause, Mr Casaubon leaned

over the elbow of his chair, and swayed his head up and down,

apparently as a muscular outlet instead of that recapitulation which

would not have been beco

"I ahted

to see her husband less weary than usual at this hour "Before you

ca that you happened to be out to-day"

"Why so, ain

"Because Mr Ladislaw has been here; and he has mentioned a proposal of

my uncle's which I should like to know your opinion of" Her husband

she felt was really concerned in this question Even with her

ignorance of the world she had a vague impression that the position

offered to Will was out of keeping with his family connections, and

certainly Mr Casaubon had a claim to be consulted He did not speak,

but merely bowed

"Dear uncle, you know, has ht one of the Middlemarch newspapers, and he has asked Mr Ladislaw