Page 724 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

coherently; ‘I don’t understand him; he tells me you adore
each other. Why does he tell me that? What business is it of
mine? When I say that to you, you look strange. But you al-
ways look strange. Yes, you’ve something to hide. It’s none
of my business-very true. But I love you,’ said Caspar Good-
wood.
As he said, she looked strange. She turned her eyes to
the door by which they had entered and raised her fan as if
in warning. ‘You’ve behaved so well; don’t spoil it,’ she ut-
tered softly.
‘No one hears me. It’s wonderful what you tried to put
me off with. I love you as I’ve never loved you.’
‘I know it. I knew it as soon as you consented to go.’
‘You can’t help it-of course not. You would if you could,
but you can’t, unfortunately. Unfortunately for me, I mean.
I ask nothing-nothing, that is, I shouldn’t. But I do ask one
sole satisfaction: that you tell me-that you tell me-!’
‘That I tell you what?’
‘Whether I may pity you.’
‘Should you like that?’ Isabel asked, trying to smile
again.
‘To pity you? Most assuredly! That at least would be do-
ing something.
I’d give my life to it.’
She raised her fan to her face, which it covered all except
her eyes. They rested a moment on his. ‘Don’t give your life
to it; but give a thought to it every now and then.’ And with
that she went back to the Countess Gemini.

724 The Portrait of a Lady