第9章

Suddenly she became aware of a step very different from her own intellectual pace; she listened a little and perceived that some one was moving in the library, which communicated with the office.It struck her first as the step of a person from whom she was looking for a visit, then almost immediately announced itself as the tread of a woman and a stranger- her possible visitor being neither.It had an inquisitive, experimental quality which suggested that it would not stop short of the threshold of the office; and in fact the doorway of this apartment was presently occupied by a lady who paused there and looked very hard at our heroine.She was a plain, elderly woman, dressed in a comprehensive waterproof mantle; she had a face with a good deal of rather violent point.

"Oh," she began, "is that where you usually sit?" She looked about at the heterogeneous chairs and tables.

"Not when I have visitors," said Isabel, getting up to receive the intruder.

She directed their course back to the library while the visitor continued to look about her."You seem to have plenty of other rooms; they're in rather better condition.But everything's immensely worn.""Have you come to look at the house?" Isabel asked."The servant will show it to you.""Send her away; I don't want to buy it.She has probably gone to look for you and is wandering about upstairs; she didn't seem at all intelligent.You had better tell her it's no matter." And then, since the girl stood there hesitating and wondering, this unexpected critic said to her abruptly: "I suppose you're one of the daughters?"Isabel thought she had very strange manners."It depends upon whose daughters you mean.""The late Mr.Archer's- and my poor sister's.""Ah," said Isabel slowly, "you must be our crazy Aunt Lydia!""Is that what your father told you to call me? I'm your Aunt Lydia, but I'm not at all crazy: I haven't a delusion! And which of the daughters are you?""I'm the youngest of the three, and my name's Isabel.""Yes; the others are Lilian and Edith.And are you the prettiest?""I haven't the least idea," said the girl.

"I think you must be." And in this way the aunt and the niece made friends.The aunt had quarrelled years before with her brother-in-law, after the death of her sister, taking him to task for the manner in which he brought up his three girls.Being a high-tempered man he had requested her to mind her own business, and she had taken him at his word.For many years she held no communication with him and after his death had addressed not a word to his daughters, who had been bred in that disrespectful view of her which we have just seen Isabel betray.Mrs.Touchett's behaviour was, as usual, perfectly deliberate.She intended to go to America to look after her investments (with which her husband, in spite of his great financial position, had nothing to do) and would take advantage of this opportunity to enquire into the condition of her nieces.There was no need of writing, for she should attach no importance to any account of them she should elicit by letter; she believed, always, in seeing for one's self.Isabel found, however, that she knew a good deal about them, and knew about the marriage of the two elder girls; knew that their poor father had left very little money, but that the house in Albany, which had passed into his hands, was to be sold for their benefit; knew, finally, that Edmund Ludlow, Lilian's husband, had taken upon himself to attend to this matter, in consideration of which the young couple, who had come to Albany during Mr.Archer's illness, were remaining there for the present and, as well as Isabel herself, occupying the old place.

"How much money do you expect for it?" Mrs.Touchett asked of her companion, who had brought her to sit in the front parlour, which she had inspected without enthusiasm.

"I haven't the least idea," said the girl.