Page 788 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

‘Good-bye, my child.’
Then they held each other a moment in a silent embrace,
like two sisters; and afterwards Pansy walked along the cor-
ridor with her visitor to the top of the staircase. ‘Madame
Merle has been here,’ she remarked as they went; and as
Isabel answered nothing she added abruptly: ‘I don’t like
Madame Merle!’
Isabel hesitated, then stopped. ‘You must never say that-
that you don’t like Madame Merle.’
Pansy looked at her in wonder; but wonder with Pansy
had never been a reason for non-compliance. ‘I never will
again,’ she said with exquisite gentleness. At the top of the
staircase they had to separate, as it appeared to be part of
the mild but very definite discipline under which Pansy
lived that she should not go down. Isabel descended, and
when she reached the bottom the girl was standing above.
‘You’ll come back?’ she called out in a voice that Isabel re-
membered afterwards.
‘Yes-I’ll come back.’
Madame Catherine met Mrs. Osmond below and con-
ducted her to the door of the parlour, outside of which the
two stood talking a minute. ‘I won’t go in,’ said the good sis-
ter. ‘Madame Merle’s waiting for you.’
At this announcement Isabel stiffened; she was on the
point of asking if there were no other egress from the con-
vent. But a moment’s reflexion assured her that she would
do well not to betray to the worthy nun her desire to avoid
Pansy’s other friend. Her companion grasped her arm very
gently and, fixing her a moment with wise, benevolent eyes,

788 The Portrait of a Lady