Elizabeth glanced at Mrs Wythe, who nodded approval. “She said she was ‘not supposed to know about such things,’ but that her wool income doubled under your stewardship.”
“She would say that.” He chuckled. “Did she mention that I followher ordersto the letter?”
“She did not seem compelled to disclose that to a complete stranger.”
“From that, what would you conclude about the earl?”
“He is either a lazy or sensible man; most likely the latter.”
“Why?”
“Because he has enough sense to stay out of her way.”
Everyone laughed, and Mr Wythe said, “That is funny, but very close to the truth.”
“I do not doubt it for a moment.”
“I believe you understand you can trust us not to disparage you if you know more than I?”
“I do not know more than you; that much is obvious. I may know a few things you do not, but never would I compete.”
“Of course not, dear,” Mrs Wythe said. “We do not believe you to be in any way deficient, nor do you have excess pride or humility; at least no more nor less than the rest of us. We just wanted to be explicit.”
Elizabeth smiled and thought she would be very sad when she parted company with the Wythes.
“Now that we are all on equal footing,” Mr Wythe said, “tell me about the ancients.”
“Truly?”
“We are interested.”
“It goes back to Plato and Aristotle, though many others held similar views that have been lost to time. He spoke of the Babylonians and Buddhists and said many others studied similar lines of thought, but written records did not survive.”
“Educated man, your father.”
“Yes sir. Plato believed the mind consisted of three parts.Logistikonis the intellect, the seat of reasoning and logic;Thumosdictates emotions and feelings;Epithumetikongovernsdesires and appetites. What we term thinking, reasoning, feelings, and actions are all different parts of the mind alternately competing for dominance or cooperating.”
“I am familiar with the concept, though his pupil Aristotle favoured the idea of only two.”
“He believed the latter two were essentially the same, thus breaking thinking into sense and sensibility, more or less. My father imagines learned men will still be arguing about it centuries hence, with each generation picking a number either greater or lesser than their immediate predecessors simply because they can.”
Laughter circled the table.
“It came up when Margie and I discussed fear. Standing on the cliff face feels terrifying, withThumosin control; but rationally it is less dangerous than riding a horse, or even travelling in a carriage, according toLogistikon.In this case, logic can override emotion, but often it is the other way, with emotions deciding our actions and logic selectively examining the facts to formulate a justification.”
The entire idea lit a fire of conversation around the table, and Lizzy might have been in the midst of a debate in Plato’s Academy. A spirited discussion lasted through the desserts and into teatime.
With the topic nearly exhausted and the company exhilarated, the conversation wound down.
“Miss Bennet,” Mr Wythe said, “we have canvassed fear, greed, desire, and other emotions. What about the most misunderstood of all? What of Love?”
Elizabeth sat still, her companions allowing her time to think.
“Well, that one is definitely the most misunderstood, perhaps because it is the most powerful. What will a parent not do for love of a child, or a man or wife for a beloved spouse? Whydo some experience a feeling so powerful it would be crippling to be denied its expression, while another never feels any more affection for any living person than a hound? I cannot pretend to compete with the poets for an explanation.”
“Of course you cannot,” Mrs Wythe said. “None of us can. We wonder, however, if you see any connection between rationality and love?”
Elizabeth thought about it for some time and finally replied.
