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Should he apply directly to Mr . Brooke , and demand of that troublesome gentleman to revoke his proposal ? Or should he consult Sir James Chettam , and get him to concur in remonstrance against a step which touched the whole family ? In either case Mr . Casaubon was aware that failure was just as probable as success . It was impossible for him to mention Dorothea’s name in the matter , and without some alarming urgency Mr . Brooke was as likely as not , after meeting all representations with apparent assent , to wind up by saying , “ Never fear , Casaubon ! Depend upon it , young Ladislaw will do you credit . Depend upon it , I have put my finger on the right thing . ” And Mr . Casaubon shrank nervously from communicating on the subject with Sir James Chettam , between whom and himself there had never been any cordiality , and who would immediately think of Dorothea without any mention of her . Poor Mr . Casaubon was distrustful of everybody’s feeling towards him , especially as a husband . To let any one suppose that he was jealous would be to admit their ( suspected ) view of his disadvantages : to let them know that he did not find marriage particularly blissful would imply his conversion to their ( probably ) earlier disapproval . It would be as bad as letting Carp , and Brasenose generally , know how backward he was in organizing the matter for his “ Key to all Mythologies . ” All through his life Mr . Casaubon had been trying not to admit even to himself the inward sores of self - doubt and jealousy . And on the most delicate of all personal subjects , the habit of proud suspicious reticence told doubly . Thus Mr . Casaubon remained proudly , bitterly silent . But he had forbidden Will to come to Lowick Manor , and he was mentally preparing other measures of frustration . CHAPTER XXXVIII . “ C’est beaucoup que le jugement des hommes sur les actions humaines ; tôt ou tard il devient efficace . ” — GUIZOT . Sir James Chettam could not look with any satisfaction on Mr . Brooke’s new courses ; but it was easier to object than to hinder . Sir James accounted for his having come in alone one day to lunch with the Cadwalladers by saying — “ I can’t talk to you as I want , before Celia : it might hurt her . Indeed , it would not be right . ” “ I know what you mean — the ‘ Pioneer ’ at the Grange ! ” darted in Mrs . Cadwallader , almost before the last word was off her friend’s tongue . “ It is frightful — this taking to buying whistles and blowing them in everybody’s hearing . Lying in bed all day and playing at dominoes , like poor Lord Plessy , would be more private and bearable . ” “ I see they are beginning to attack our friend Brooke in the ‘ Trumpet , ’ ” said the Rector , lounging back and smiling easily , as he would have done if he had been attacked himself . “ There are tremendous sarcasms against a landlord not a hundred miles from Middlemarch , who receives his own rents , and makes no returns . ” “ I do wish Brooke would leave that off , ” said Sir James , with his little frown of annoyance . “ Is he really going to be put in nomination , though ? ” said Mr . Cadwallader . “ I saw Farebrother yesterday — he’s Whiggish himself , hoists Brougham and Useful Knowledge ; that’s the worst I know of him ; — and he says that Brooke is getting up a pretty strong party . Bulstrode , the banker , is his foremost man . But he thinks Brooke would come off badly at a nomination . ”
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