第64章

"You may perhaps even believe you're safe- from wishing to be.But you're not," the young man went on as if preparing himself for the worst.

"Very well then.We'll put it that I'm not safe.Have it as you please.""I don't know, however," said Caspar Goodwood, "that my keeping you in sight would prevent it.""Don't you indeed? I'm after all very much afraid of you.Do you think I'm so very easily pleased?" she asked suddenly, changing her tone.

"No- I don't; I shall try to console myself with that.But there are a certain number of very dazzling men in the world, no doubt; and if there were only one it would be enough.The most dazzling of all will make straight for you.You'll be sure to take no one who isn't dazzling.""If you mean by dazzling brilliantly clever," Isabel said- "and Ican't imagine what else you mean- I don't need the aid of a clever man to teach me how to live.I can find it out for myself.""Find out how to live alone? I wish that, when you have, you'd teach me!"She looked at him a moment; then with a quick smile, "Oh, you ought to marry!" she said.

He might be pardoned if for an instant this exclamation seemed to him to sound the infernal note, and it is not on record that her motive for discharging such a shaft had been of the clearest.He oughtn't to stride about lean and hungry, however- she certainly felt that for him."God forgive you!" he murmured between his teeth as he turned away.

Her accent had put her slightly in the wrong, and after a moment she felt the need to right herself.The easiest way to do it was to place him where she had been."You do me great injustice- you say what you don't know!" she broke out."I shouldn't be an easy victim- I've proved it.""Oh, to me, perfectly."

"I've proved it to others as well." And she paused a moment."Irefused a proposal of marriage last week; what they call- no doubt-a dazzling one."

"I'm very glad to hear it," said the young man gravely.

"It was a proposal many girls would have accepted; it had everything to recommend it." Isabel had not proposed to herself to tell this story, but, now she had begun, the satisfaction of speaking it out and doing herself justice took possession of her."I was offered a great position and a great fortune- by a person whom I like extremely."Caspar watched her with intense interest."Is he an Englishman?""He's an English nobleman," said Isabel.

Her visitor received this announcement at first in silence, but at last said: "I'm glad he's disappointed.""Well then, as you have companions in misfortune, make the best of it.""I don't call him a companion," said Caspar grimly.

"Why not- since I declined his offer absolutely?""That doesn't make him my companion.Besides, he's an Englishman.""And pray isn't an Englishman a human being?" Isabel asked.

"Oh, those people? They're not of my humanity, and I don't care what becomes of them.""You're very angry," said the girl."We've discussed this matter quite enough.""Oh yes, I'm very angry.I plead guilty to that!"She turned away from him, walked to the open window and stood a moment looking into the dusky void of the street, where a turbid gaslight alone represented social animation.For some time neither of these young persons spoke; Caspar lingered near the chimney-piece with eyes gloomily attached.She had virtually requested him to go- he knew that; but at the risk of making himself odious he kept his ground.She was too nursed a need to be easily renounced, and he had crossed the sea all to wring from her some scrap of a vow.Presently she left the window and stood again before him."You do me very little justice- after my telling you what I told you just now.I'm sorry Itold you- since it matters so little to you.""Ah," cried the young man, "if you were thinking of me when you did it!" And then he paused with the fear that she might contradict so happy a thought.

"I was thinking of you a little," said Isabel.

"A little? I don't understand.If the knowledge of what I feel for you had any weight with you at all, calling it a 'little' is a poor account of it."Isabel shook her head as if to carry off a blunder."I've refused a most kind, noble gentleman.Make the most of that.""I thank you then," said Caspar Goodwood gravely."I thank you immensely.""And now you had better go home."

"May I not see you again?" he asked.

"I think it's better not.You'll be sure to talk of this, and you see it leads to nothing.""I promise you not to say a word that will annoy you."Isabel reflected and then answered: "I return in a day or two to my uncle's, and I can't propose to you to come there.It would be too inconsistent."Caspar Goodwood, on his side, considered."You must do me justice too.I received an invitation to your uncle's more than a week ago, and I declined it."She betrayed surprise."From whom was your invitation?""From Mr.Ralph Touchett, whom I suppose to be your cousin.Ideclined it because I had not your authorization to accept it.The suggestion that Mr.Touchett should invite me appeared to have come from Miss Stackpole.""It certainly never did from me.Henrietta really goes very far,"Isabel added.

"Don't be too hard on her- that touches me.""No; if you declined you did quite right, and I thank you for it."And she gave a little shudder of dismay at the thought that Lord Warburton and Mr.Goodwood might have met at Gardencourt: it would have been so awkward for Lord Warburton.

"When you leave your uncle where do you go?" her companion asked.