Deeming
herself born for dominion over every male heart, in her utter childish
ignorance of human character, she deems that Grandcourt also shall be her
slave.
But through all her relations with that magnificent incarnation of self-
isolation and self-love, she is compelled to cower before him. Again and
again she attempts to turn, only to be crushed under his heel as
ruthlessly as a worm. During the yachting voyage it is the same; intense
inward revulsion on the one side--cold, inexorable despotism on the
other.
The drowning scene first begins to stir the better nature within her. The
intensity of terror with which she regards the involuntary murderous
thought, and which prompted her leap into the water, the fervour of
remorse which followed, all begin to indicate a nature which may yet be
attuned to the highest qualities. On the other hand, the sweet clinging
trust with which she hangs on Deronda, looks up to him, feels that for
her every possibility of good lies in association with him, are those of
a guileless, artless child. She has been called a hard-hearted, callous
woman of the world: her worldliness is on the surface alone.
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