CHAPTER IX. ISIDORE.

rlsreposingonherwhiteshoulders.Sundaywasaholidaywhichshealwayspassedwithfriendsresidentintownandamongstthesefriendsshespeedilygavemetounderstandwasonewhowouldfainbecomesomethingmore.Byglimpsesandhintsitwasshownme,andbythegeneralbuoyancyofherlookandmanneritwaserelongproved,thatardentadmiration—perhapsgenuinelove—wasathercommand.Shecalledhersuitor“Isidore:”this,however,sheintimatedwasnothisrealname,butonebywhichitpleasedhertobaptizehim—hisown,shehinted,notbeing“verypretty.”Once,whenshehadbeenbraggingaboutthevehemenceof“Isidore’s”attachment,Iaskedifshelovedhiminreturn. “Commecela,”saidshe:“heishandsome,andhelovesmetodistraction,sothatIamwellamused.Casuffit.” Findingthatshecarriedthethingonlongerthan,fromherveryfickletastes,Ihadanticipated,Ionedaytookituponmetomakeseriousinquiriesastowhetherthegentlemanwassuchasherparents,andespeciallyheruncle—onwhom,itappeared,shewasdependent—wouldbelikelytoapprove.Sheallowedthatthiswasverydoubtful,asshedidnotbelieve“Isidore”hadmuchmoney. “Doyouencouragehim?”Iasked. “Furieusementsometimes,”saidshe. “Withoutbeingcertainthatyouwillbepermittedtomarryhim?” “Oh,howdowdyishyouare!Idon’twanttobemarried.Iamtooyoung.” “Butifhelovesyouasmuchasyousay,andyetitcomestonothingintheend,hewillbemademiserable.” “Ofcoursehewillbreakhisheart.Ishouldbeshockedand,disappointedifhedidn’t.” “IwonderwhetherthisM.Isidoreisafool?”saidI. “Heis,aboutmebutheiswiseinotherthings,àcequ’ondit.Mrs.Cholmondeleyconsidershimextremelyclever:shesayshewillpushhiswaybyhistalentsallIknowis,thathedoeslittlemorethansighinmypresence,andthatIcanwindhimroundmylittlefinger.” Wishingtogetamoredefiniteideaofthislove-strickenM.Isidorewhosepositionseemedtomeoftheleastsecure,Irequestedhertofavourmewithapersonaldescriptionbutshecouldnotdescribe:shehadneitherwordsnorthepowerofputtingthemtogethersoastomakegraphicphrases.Sheevenseemednotproperlytohavenoticedhim:nothingofhislooks,ofthechangesinhiscountenance,hadtouchedherheartordweltinhermemory—thathewas“beau,maisplut?tbelhommequejoligar?on,”wasallshecouldassert.Mypatiencewouldoftenhavefailed,andmyinterestflagged,inlisteningtoher,butforonething.Allthehintsshedropped,allthedetailsshegave,wentunconsciouslytoprove,tomythinking,thatM.Isidore’shomagewasofferedwithgreatdelicacyandrespect.IinformedherveryplainlythatIbelievedhimmuchtoogoodforher,andintimatedwithequalplainnessmyimpressionthatshewasbutavaincoquette.Shelaughed,shookhercurlsfromhereyes,anddancedawayasifIhadpaidheracompliment. MissGinevra’sschool-studieswerelittlebetterthannominaltherewerebutthreethingsshepractisedinearnest,viz.music,singing,anddancingalsoembroideringthefinecambrichandkerchiefswhichshecouldnotaffordtobuyreadyworked:suchmeretriflesaslessonsinhistory,geography,grammar,andarithmetic,sheleftundone,orgototherstodoforher.Verymuchofhertimewasspentinvisiting.Madame,awarethatherstayatschoolwasnowlimitedtoacertainperiod,whichwouldnotbeextendedwhethershemadeprogressornot,allowedhergreatlicenceinthisparticular.Mrs.Cholmondeley—herchaperon—agay,fashionablelady,invitedherwhenevershehadcompanyatherownhouse,andsometimestookhertoevening-partiesatthehousesofheracquaintance.Ginevraperfectlyapprovedthismodeofprocedure:ithadbutoneinconvenienceshewasobligedtobewelldressed,andshehadnotmoneytobuyvarietyofdresses.Allherthoughtsturnedonthisdifficultyherwholesoulwasoccupiedwithexpedientsforeffectingitssolution.Itwaswonderfultowitnesstheactivityofherotherwiseindolentmindonthispoint,andtoseethemuch-daringintrepiditytowhichshewasspurredbyasenseofnecessity,andthewishtoshine. ShebeggedboldlyofMrs.Cholmondeley—boldly,Isay:notwithanairofreluctantshame,butinthisstrain:— “MydarlingMrs.C.,Ihavenothingintheworldfittowearforyourpartynextweekyoumustgivemeabook-muslindress,andthenaceinturebleuceleste:do—there’sanangel!willyou?” The“darlingMrs.C.”yieldedatfirstbutfindingthatapplicationsincreasedastheywerecompliedwith,shewassoonobliged,likeallMissFanshawe’sfriends,toopposeresistancetoencroachment.AfterawhileIheardnomoreofMrs.Cholmondeley’spresentsbutstill,visitingwenton,andtheabsolutelynecessa