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What do you mean by that? Well, that weve come to an understanding. Shes all wrong, said Isabel. It wont do. Poor Rosier gazed at her half-pleadingly, half-angrily; a sudden flush testified to his sense of injury. Ive never been treated so, he said. What is there against me, after all? Thats not the way Im usually considered. I could have married twenty times. Its a pity you didnt. I dont mean twenty times, but once, comfortably, Isabel added, smiling kindly. Youre not rich enough for Pansy. She doesnt care a straw for ones money. No, but her father does. Ah yes, he has proved that! cried the young man. Isabel got up, turning away from him, leaving her old lady without ceremony; and he occupied himself for the next ten minutes in pretending to look at Gilbert Osmonds collection of miniatures, which were neatly arranged on a series of small velvet screens. But he looked without seeing; his cheek burned; he was too full of his sense of injury. It was certain that he had never been treated that way before; he was not used to being thought not good enough. He knew how good he was, and if such a fallacy had not been so pernicious he could have laughed at it. He searched again for Pansy, but she had disappeared, and his main desire was now to get out of the house. Before doing so he spoke once more to Isabel; it was not agreeable to him to reflect that he had just said a rude thing to herthe only point that would now justify a low view of him. I referred to Mr Osmond as I shouldnt have done, a while ago, he began. But you must remember my situation. I dont remember what you said, she answered coldly. Ah, youre offended, and now youll never help me. She was silent an instant, and then with a change of tone: Its not that I wont; I simply cant! Her manner was almost passionate. If you could, just a little, Id never again speak of your husband save as an angel. The inducements great, said Isabel gravelyinscrutably, as he afterwards, to himself, called it; and she gave him, straight in the eyes, a look which was also inscrutable. It made him remember somehow that he had known her as a child; and yet it was keener than he liked, and he took himself off. |
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