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1、CHAPTERI.RowlandMallethadmadehisarrangementstosailforEuropeonthefirstofSeptember,andhavingintheintervalafortnighttospare,hedeterminedtospenditwithhiscousinCecilia,thewidowofanephewofhisfather.Hewasurgedbythereflectionthatanaffectionatefarewellmighthelptoexonerateh
2、imfromthechargeofneglectfrequentlypreferredbythislady.Itwasnotthattheyoungmandislikedher;onthecontrary,heregardedherwithatenderadmiration,andhehadnotforgottenhow,whenhiscousinhadbroughtherhomeonhermarriage,hehadseemedtofeeltheupwardsweepoftheemptyboughfromwhichthe
3、goldenfruithadbeenplucked,andhadthenandthereacceptedtheprospectofbachelorhood.Thetruthwas,that,asitwillbepartoftheentertainmentofthisnarrativetoexhibit,RowlandMallethadanuncomfortablysensitiveconscience,andthat,inspiteoftheseemingparadox,hisvisitstoCeciliawererare
4、becausesheandhermisfortuneswereoftenuppermostinit.Hermisfortuneswerethreeinnumber:first,shehadlostherhusband;second,shehadlosthermoney(orthegreaterpartofit);andthird,shelivedatNorthampton,Massachusetts.Mallet'scompassionwasreallywasted,becauseCeciliawasaveryclever
5、woman,andamostskillfulcounter-plottertoadversity.Shehadmadeherselfacharminghome,hereconomieswerenotobtrusive,andtherewasalwaysacheerfulflutterinthefoldsofhercrape.ItwastheconsciousnessofallthisthatpuzzledMalletwheneverhefelttemptedtoputinhisoar.Hehadmoneyandhehadt
6、ime,buthenevercoulddecidejusthowtoplacethesegiftsgracefullyatCecilia'sservice.Henolongerfeltlikemarryingher:intheseeightyearsthatfancyhaddiedanaturaldeath.Andyetherextremeclevernessseemedsomehowtomakecharitydifficultandpatronageimpossible.Hewouldratherchopoffhisha
7、ndthanofferheracheck,apieceofusefulfurniture,orablacksilkdress;andyettherewassomesadnessinseeingsuchabright,proudwomanlivinginsuchasmall,dullway.Ceciliahad,moreover,aturnforsarcasm,andhersmile,whichwasherprettyfeature,wasneversoprettyaswhenhersprightlyphrasehadalu
8、rkingscratchinit.Rowlandrememberedthat,forhim,shewasallsmiles,andsuspected,awkwardly,thatheministerednotalittletohersenseoftheironyofthings.Andintruth,w