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Matthäus Tina/German Hussar/Soldier
Humphrey Gould is a bachelor from a local family, unremarkable in both appearance and personality, who becomes engaged to Phyllis Grove. He is considered an unusually good match for her due to his slightly higher social status, though in reality he is no better off financially than Phyllis and her father. Shortly after proposing to Phyllis, Humphrey leaves for Bath, and though he promises to return to her, he stays away for a whole year. He sends letters to Phyllis, but they contain no more than formalities. He doesn’t display any great affection towards her, and his absence and lack of obvious emotional attachment strengthen the rumor that he no longer considers their engagement to be a sure thing. Humphrey returns to see Phyllis, bringing a gift—an ornate mirror—but instead of restating his intention to marry her, he reveals that he has secretly married another woman. He needs Phyllis to explain to his father, who would otherwise oppose this secret marriage, that she could never have married Humphrey. Humphrey seems to have his selfishness rewarded, receiving what he desires before vanishing from the story.
Humphrey Gould Quotes in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion
The The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion quotes below are all either spoken by Humphrey Gould or refer to Humphrey Gould. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 3
Quotes
This account—though only a piece of hearsay, and as such entitled to no absolute credit—tallied so well with the infrequency of his letters and their lack of warmth, that Phyllis did not doubt its truth for one moment; and from that hour she felt herself free to bestow her heart as she should choose. Not so her father; he declared the whole story to be a fabrication.
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Part 4
Quotes
Without him her life seemed a dreary prospect, yet the more she looked at his proposal the more she feared to accept it—so wild as it was, so vague, so venturesome. She had promised Humphrey Gould, and it was only his assumed faithlessness which had led her to treat that promise as nought. His solicitude in bringing her these gifts touched her; her promise must be kept, and esteem must take the place of love. She would preserve her self-respect. She would stay at home, and marry him, and suffer.
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She looked into it, saw how heavy her eyes were, and endeavoured to brighten them. She was in that wretched state of mind which leads a woman to move mechanically onward in what she conceives to be her allotted path. Mr Humphrey had, in his undemonstrative way, been adhering all along to the old understanding; it was for her to do the same, and to say not a word of her own lapse.
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Humphrey Gould Quotes in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion
The The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion quotes below are all either spoken by Humphrey Gould or refer to Humphrey Gould. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 3
Quotes
This account—though only a piece of hearsay, and as such entitled to no absolute credit—tallied so well with the infrequency of his letters and their lack of warmth, that Phyllis did not doubt its truth for one moment; and from that hour she felt herself free to bestow her heart as she should choose. Not so her father; he declared the whole story to be a fabrication.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4
Quotes
Without him her life seemed a dreary prospect, yet the more she looked at his proposal the more she feared to accept it—so wild as it was, so vague, so venturesome. She had promised Humphrey Gould, and it was only his assumed faithlessness which had led her to treat that promise as nought. His solicitude in bringing her these gifts touched her; her promise must be kept, and esteem must take the place of love. She would preserve her self-respect. She would stay at home, and marry him, and suffer.
Related Characters:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
She looked into it, saw how heavy her eyes were, and endeavoured to brighten them. She was in that wretched state of mind which leads a woman to move mechanically onward in what she conceives to be her allotted path. Mr Humphrey had, in his undemonstrative way, been adhering all along to the old understanding; it was for her to do the same, and to say not a word of her own lapse.
