Page:Eliot - Daniel Deronda, vol. II, 1876.djvu/336

 you would not get it. This desponding view of probability the hopeful entirely reject, taking their wishes as good and sufficient security for all kinds of fulfilment. Who is absolutely neutral? Deronda happening one morning to turn into a little side street out of the noise and obstructions of Holborn, felt the scale dip on the desponding side.

He was rather tired of the streets and had paused to hail a hansom cab which he saw coming, when his attention was caught by some fine old clasps in chased silver displayed in the window at his right hand. His first thought was that Lady Mallinger, who had a strictly Protestant taste for such Catholic spoils, might like to have these missal-clasps turned into a bracelet; then his eyes travelled over the other contents of the window, and he saw that the shop was that kind of pawn-broker's where the lead is given to jewellery, lace, and all equivocal objects introduced as bric-a-brac. A placard in one corner announced—Watches and Jewellery exchanged and repaired. But his survey had been noticed from within, and a figure appeared at the door, looking round at him and saying, in a tone of cordial encouragement, "Good day, sir." The instant was enough for Deronda to see that the face, unmistakably Jewish, belonged to a young man about thirty; and wincing from the shop-