oftheEnglishcountryanditpleasedhimtothinkthathisfuturewascomfortablysettled.Theengagementwasasortofballast,andhefeltthathecouldcompasshisjourneywithoutfearandwithoutdisturbance.Jamesdidnotaskhimselfwhetherhispassionwasveryardent,forhiswholeeducationhadledhimtobelievethatpassionwashardlymoral.Theproperanddecentbasisofmarriagewassimilarityofstation,andthegood,solidqualitieswhichmightbesupposedendurable.Fromhisyouth,thewisdomoftheworldhadbeeninstilledintohimthroughmanyproverbs,showingtheadvisabilityofcaution,thetransitorinessofbeautyanddesireand,ontheotherhand,thelastingmeritofhonesty,virtue,domesticity,andgoodtemper....
ButweallknowthatNatureisagoddesswithnosenseofdecency,forwhomtheproprietiesaresimplynon-existentmenandwomeninhereyeshavebutonepointofinterest,andshewalksabroad,withherfashioningfingers,settinginordertheonlyworkshecaresfor.Alltherestissubsidiary,andsheiscalloustosufferingandtodeath,indifferenttotheTenCommandmentsandeventothecodeofGoodSociety.
JamesatlastmadetheacquaintanceofacertainMrs.Pritchard-Wallace,thewifeofamaninanativeregiment,alittle,dark-hatredperson,withanoliveskinandbigbrowneyes—rathercommon,butexcessivelypretty.Shewasthedaughterofariding-masterbyaPortuguesewomanfromGoa,andithadbeensomethingofascandalwhenPritchard-Wallace,whowasanexcellentfellow,hadmarriedheragainsttheadviceofalltheregimentalladies.Butifthosecharitablepersonshadnotceasedtolookuponherwithdoubtfuleyes,herwitandhergoodlooksforotherscounterbalancedeverydisadvantageandshedidnotfailtohavealittlecourtofsubalternsandthelikehangingperpetuallyaboutherskirts.AtfirstMrs.WallacemerelyamusedJames.Herabsolutefrivolity,hercynicaltongue,herlight-heartedness,wereareliefaftertheratherpuritanicalatmosphereinwhichhehadpassedhisyouthhewasastonishedtohearthegaycontemptwhichshepoureduponallthethingsthathehadheldmostsacred—thingsliketheTowerofLondonandtheBritishConstitution.Prejudicesandcherishedbeliefsweredissipated