Page 636 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

his marriage, had not scrupled to say frankly that Amy was
a fool of the worst species-a fool whose folly had the irre-
pressibility of genius. He said at another time that she had
no heart; and he added in a moment that she had given it all
away-in small pieces, like a frosted wedding-cake. The fact
of not having been asked was of course another obstacle to
the Countess’s going again to Rome; but at the period with
which this history has now to deal she was in receipt of an
invitation to spend several weeks at Palazzo Roccanera. The
proposal had come from Osmond himself, who wrote to his
sister that she must be prepared to be very quiet. Whether
or no she found in this phrase all the meaning he had put
into it I am unable to say; but she accepted the invitation on
any terms. She was curious, moreover; for one of the im-
pressions of her former visit had been that her brother had
found his match. Before the marriage she had been sorry
for Isabel, so sorry as to have had serious thoughts-if any of
the Countess’s thoughts were serious-of putting her on her
guard. But she had let that pass, and after a little she was re-
assured. Osmond was as lofty as ever, but his wife would not
be an easy victim. The Countess was not very exact at mea-
surements, but it seemed to her that if Isabel should draw
herself up she would be the taller spirit of the two. What
she wanted to learn now was whether Isabel had drawn her-
self up; it would give her immense pleasure to see Osmond
overtopped.
Several days before she was to start for Rome a servant
brought her the card of a visitor-a card with the simple su-
perscription ‘Henrietta C. Stackpole.’ The Countess pressed

636 The Portrait of a Lady