but he could not maintain himself in a continued conversation with a lady reared as Mary was
but he could not maintain himself in a continued conversation with a lady reared as Mary was

here,what does'reared' mean ?what do you think the using of this word here?

Question

but he could not maintain himself in a continued conversation with a lady reared as Mary was
but he could not maintain himself in a continued conversation with a lady reared as Mary was

here,what does'reared' mean ?what do you think the using of this word here?

Answer

The man was either very shy or very excited in Mary's presence. It implies that she was sheltered  from men  in her upbringing or  she was socially inept.

Answer

to rear = 饲

Answer

bred

Answer

We use 'rear' to mean to bring a person from child to maturity through care and education ( bring up, raise). 'They reared five children.'

'Reared' in your sentence is a past participle used as an adjective to modify 'lady' ( a lady who was brought up in the way Mary was) 
Mary was probably very well brought up and educated and he found it difficult to find things to talk to her about.

Answer

'reared' means 'being brought up' as Mary was. 
The way she was 'raised' or 'educated' as well.