CHAPTER IX. ISIDORE.

ngland.Well,then,ifIgoout,Imustdress.Mrs.Cholmondeleyisturnedshabby,andwillgivenothingmoreitwouldbetooharduponuncletomakehimpayforallthethingsIneed:thatyoucan’tdeny—thatagreeswithyourownpreachments.Well,butSOMEBODYwhoheardme(quitebychance,Iassureyou)complainingtoMrs.Cholmondeleyofmydistressedcircumstances,andwhatstraitsIwasputtoforanornamentortwo—somebody,farfromgrudgingoneapresent,wasquitedelightedattheideaofbeingpermittedtooffersometrifle.Youshouldhaveseenwhatablanc-bechelookedwhenhefirstspokeofit:howhehesitatedandblushed,andpositivelytrembledfromfearofarepulse.” “Thatwilldo,MissFanshawe.IsupposeIamtounderstandthatM.Isidoreisthebenefactor:thatitisfromhimyouhaveacceptedthatcostlyparurethathesuppliesyourbouquetsandyourgloves?” “Youexpressyourselfsodisagreeably,”saidshe,“onehardlyknowshowtoanswerwhatImeantosayis,thatIoccasionallyallowIsidorethepleasureandhonourofexpressinghishomagebytheofferofatrifle.” “Itcomestothesamething….Now,Ginevra,tospeaktheplaintruth,Idon’tverywellunderstandthesemattersbutIbelieveyouaredoingverywrong—seriouslywrong.Perhaps,however,younowfeelcertainthatyouwillbeabletomarryM.Isidoreyourparentsandunclehavegiventheirconsent,and,foryourpart,youlovehimentirely?” “Maispasdutout!”(shealwayshadrecoursetoFrenchwhenabouttosaysomethingspeciallyheartlessandperverse).“Jesuissareine,maisiln’estpasmonroi.” “Excuseme,Imustbelievethislanguageismerenonsenseandcoquetry.Thereisnothinggreataboutyou,yetyouareaboveprofitingbythegoodnatureandpurseofamantowhomyoufeelabsoluteindifference.YouloveM.Isidorefarmorethanyouthink,orwillavow.” “No.Idancedwithayoungofficertheothernight,whomIloveathousandtimesmorethanhe.IoftenwonderwhyIfeelsoverycoldtoIsidore,foreverybodysaysheishandsome,andotherladiesadmirehimbut,somehow,heboresme:letmeseenowhowitis….” Andsheseemedtomakeanefforttoreflect.InthisIencouragedher. “Yes!”Isaid,“trytogetaclearideaofthestateofyourmind.Tomeitseemsinagreatmess—chaoticasarag-bag.” “Itissomethinginthisfashion,”shecriedouterelong:“themanistooromanticanddevoted,andheexpectssomethingmoreofmethanIfinditconvenienttobe.HethinksIamperfect:furnishedwithallsortsofsterlingqualitiesandsolidvirtues,suchasIneverhad,norintendtohave.Now,onecan’thelp,inhispresence,rathertryingtojustifyhisgoodopinionanditdoessotireonetobegoody,andtotalksense,—forhereallythinksIamsensible.Iamfarmoreatmyeasewithyou,oldlady—you,youdearcrosspatch—whotakemeatmylowest,andknowmetobecoquettish,andignorant,andflirting,andfickle,andsilly,andselfish,andalltheothersweetthingsyouandIhaveagreedtobeapartofmycharacter.” “Thisisallverywell,”Isaid,makingastrenuousefforttopreservethatgravityandseveritywhichranriskofbeingshakenbythiswhimsicalcandour,“butitdoesnotalterthatwretchedbusinessofthepresents.Packthemup,Ginevra,likeagood,honestgirl,andsendthemback.” “Indeed,Iwon’t,”saidshe,stoutly. “ThenyouaredeceivingM.Isidore.Itstandstoreasonthatbyacceptinghispresentsyougivehimtounderstandhewillonedayreceiveanequivalent,inyourregard…” “Buthewon’t,”sheinterrupted:“hehashisequivalentnow,inthepleasureofseeingmewearthem—quiteenoughforhim:heisonlybourgeois.” Thisphrase,initssenselessarrogance,quitecuredmeofthetemporaryweaknesswhichhadmademerelaxmytoneandaspect.Sherattledon: “Mypresentbusinessistoenjoyyouth,andnottothinkoffetteringmyself,bypromiseorvow,tothismanorthat.WhenfirstIsawIsidore,IbelievedhewouldhelpmetoenjoyitIbelievedhewouldbecontentwithmybeingaprettygirlandthatweshouldmeetandpartandflutteraboutliketwobutterflies,andbehappy.Lo,andbehold!Ifindhimattimesasgraveasajudge,anddeep-feelingandthoughtful.Bah!Lespenseurs,leshommesprofondsetpassionnésnesontpasàmongo?t.LeColonelAlfreddeHamalsuitsmefarbetter.Vapourlesbeauxfatsetlesjolisfripons!Vivelesjoiesetlesplaisirs!Abaslesgrandespassionsetlessévèresvertus!” Shelookedforananswertothistirade.Igavenone. “J’aimemonbeauColonel,”shewenton:“jen’aimeraijamaissonrival.Jeneseraijamaisfemmedebourgeois,moi!” Inowsignifiedthatitwasimperativelynecessarymyapartmentshouldberelievedofthehonourofherpresence:shewentawaylaughing.