Her first
cry to Deronda is the piteous wail of a forsaken child; the letter with
which their relations close is the fond yearning of a child towards one
whom she looks up to as protector and saviour.
Grandcourt is portrayed before us in more massive and simple proportions
as a type of concentrated selfishness. We dare not despise him, we
cannot loathe him--we stand bowed and awe-stricken before him. He never
for a moment falls from that calm dignity of pride and
self-isolation--never for a moment softens into respect for anything
without himself. Without a moment's exception he is ever consistent,
imperturbable in his self-containedness, ruthlessly crushing all things
from dog to wife, under his calm, cold, slighting contempt. He stands up
before us, not so much indomitable as simply unassailable. We cannot
conceive the boldest approaching or encroaching on him--all equally
shiver and quail before that embodiment of the devil as represented by
human self-love.
Fain would we linger over the Jewish girl, Mirah. She has been spoken of
as characterless; to us it seems as if few characters of more exquisite
loveliness have ever been portrayed.
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