She looked at Will with a direct glance, full of delighted confidence."You approve of my going away for years, then, and never coming here again till I have made myself of some mark in the world?" said Will, trying hard to reconcile the utmost pride with the utmost effort to get an expression of strong feeling from Dorothea.She was not aware how long it was before she answered. She had turned her head and was looking out of the window on the rose-bushes, which seemed to have in them the summers of all the years when Will would be away.
In this passage from "Middlemarch," Dorothea engages Will in a conversation about her ambitious plans to leave and make her mark on the world. She seeks his approval for her choice to be away for an extended period, reflecting her confidence in her path. Will, meanwhile, grapples with his pride while trying to express his deep feelings for her, indicating a tension between his desires and her aspirations.
As Dorothea gazes out the window at the rose-bushes, she becomes lost in thought, contemplating the years that Will will be absent. This moment highlights her aspirations and the emotional weight of their potential separation, suggesting a blend of hope and melancholy as she prepares to embark on a journey of self-discovery and achievement.
