CHAPTER XXII. THE VISIT

rotherwiseprevented,asshesaid,fromenjoyingthepleasureofmysociety.Itwasaquiet,tidylittlesitting-roomandIwasnotsorrytobeprovidedwithsuchaharbourofrefuge. “Andsometime,”saidshe,“Iwillshowyouthelibrary:Ineverexamineditsshelves,but,Idaresay,itisfullofwisebooksandyoumaygoandburrowamongthemwheneveryouplease.Andnowyoushallhavesometea—itwillsoonbedinner-time,butIthought,asyouwereaccustomedtodineatone,youwouldperhapslikebettertohaveacupofteaaboutthistime,andtodinewhenwelunch:andthen,youknow,youcanhaveyourteainthisroom,andthatwillsaveyoufromhavingtodinewithLadyAshbyandSirThomas:whichwouldberatherawkward—atleast,notawkward,butrather—a—youknowwhatImean.Ithoughtyoumightn’tlikeitsowell—especiallyaswemayhaveotherladiesandgentlementodinewithusoccasionally.” “Certainly,”saidI,“Iwouldmuchratherhaveitasyousay,and,ifyouhavenoobjection,Ishouldpreferhavingallmymealsinthisroom.” “Whyso?” “Because,Iimagine,itwouldbemoreagreeabletoLadyAshbyandSirThomas.” “Nothingofthekind.” “Atanyrateitwouldbemoreagreeabletome.” Shemadesomefaintobjections,butsoonconcededandIcouldseethattheproposalwasaconsiderablerelieftoher. “Now,comeintothedrawing-room,”saidshe.“There’sthedressingbellbutIwon’tgoyet:it’snousedressingwhenthere’snoonetoseeyouandIwanttohavealittlediscourse.” Thedrawing-roomwascertainlyanimposingapartment,andveryelegantlyfurnishedbutIsawitsyoungmistressglancetowardsmeasweentered,asiftonoticehowIwasimpressedbythespectacle,andaccordinglyIdeterminedtopreserveanaspectofstonyindifference,asifIsawnothingatallremarkable.Butthiswasonlyforamoment:immediatelyconsciencewhispered,“WhyshouldIdisappointhertosavemypride?No—ratherletmesacrificemypridetogiveheralittleinnocentgratification.”AndIhonestlylookedround,andtoldheritwasanobleroom,andverytastefullyfurnished.Shesaidlittle,butIsawshewaspleased. SheshowedmeherfatFrenchpoodle,thatlaycurleduponasilkcushion,andthetwofineItalianpaintings:which,however,shewouldnotgivemetimetoexamine,but,sayingImustlookatthemsomeotherday,insisteduponmyadmiringthelittlejewelledwatchshehadpurchasedinGenevaandthenshetookmeroundtheroomtopointoutsundryarticlesofvertushehadbroughtfromItaly:anelegantlittletimepiece,andseveralbusts,smallgracefulfigures,andvases,allbeautifullycarvedinwhitemarble.Shespokeofthesewithanimation,andheardmyadmiringcommentswithasmileofpleasure:thatsoon,however,vanished,andwasfollowedbyamelancholysighasifinconsiderationoftheinsufficiencyofallsuchbaublestothehappinessofthehumanheart,andtheirwoefulinabilitytosupplyitsinsatiatedemands. Then,stretchingherselfuponacouch,shemotionedmetoacapaciouseasy-chairthatstoodopposite—notbeforethefire,butbeforeawideopenwin