Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[imchongjun]

Hello, teachers.
Would you explain in plain words what "the conscious forbearance of replying at all" at the end of the following quotation?

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�Dear me, sir,� she said, �I did not know you were in! I only came to see your fire was burning. Are you ready for your tea? Would you like anything special to-night? You do look so very tired. I am sure you are working too hard; all the running about on ladders and scaffolds must be very trying. I think indeed, sir, if I may make so bold, that you should take a holiday; you have not had a holiday since you came to live with us.�

�It is not impossible, Miss Joliffe, that I may take your advice before very long. It is not impossible that I may before long go for a holiday.�

He spoke with that preternatural gravity which people are accustomed to throw into their reply, if asked a trivial question when their own thoughts are secretly occupied with some matter that they consider of deep importance. How could this commonplace woman guess that he was thinking of death and love? He must be gentle with her and forgive her interruption....

�Yes, indeed, I may ere long have to go away for a holiday.�

The conscious forbearance of replying at all gave a quiet dignity to his tone...
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I understand that "he" feels disturbed by the woman and does not want to make a reply. So does the last sentence mean "he intentionally delayed his answer, which happened to give his speech a quiet dignity"? This is a tough sentence for me to understand. I appreciate you help very much.

[peterteacher]

Hi there,

It doesn't mean he delayed his reply. It means he was showing patience and making an effort to be (at least a little) polite. If he wasn't polite, he wouldn't have replied at all, but his effort to be patient "gave a quite dignity to his tone..."


The man in this story is extremely condescending no matter how much "forbearance" he shows to the "commonplace people" though!!
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[imchongjun]

Thank you, peter, for your comment. It is very clear.