"You say I am ignorant. But what is the good of trying to know more, unless life were worth more?"
"This good," said Deronda promptly, with a touch of indignant severity, which he was inclined to encourage as his own safeguard; "life _would_ be worth more to you: some real knowledge would give you an interest in the world beyond the small drama of personal desires. It is the curse of your life--forgive me--of so many lives, that all passion is spent in that narrow round, for want of ideas and sympathies to make a larger home for it. Is there any single occupation of mind that you care about with passionate delight or even independent interest?"
Deronda paused, but Gwendolen, looking startled and thrilled as by an electric shock, said nothing, and he went on more insistently,

"You say I am ignorant. But what is the good of trying to know more, unless life were worth more?"
"Life would be worth more to you," said Deronda with indignant severity, which he encouraged as his own safeguard, "if some real knowledge were to give you an interest in the world beyond the small drama of personal desires. It is the curse of your life - forgive me - of so many lives, that all passion is spent in that narrow round, for want of ideas to make a larger home for it. Is there any occupation of mind that you care about with delight or interest?"
Deronda paused, but Gwendolen, looking startled and thrilled as by an electric shock, said nothing, and he went on-
