Page 382 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

‘So it seems to me, Madame Merle!’ Pansy cried. ‘You
shall see how well I’ll make it. A spoonful for each.’ And she
began to busy herself at the table.
‘Two spoonfuls for me,’ said the Countess, who, with
Madame Merle, remained for some moments watching her.
‘Listen to me, Pansy,’ the Countess resumed at last. ‘I should
like to know what you think of your visitor.’
‘Ah, she’s not mine—she’s papa’s,’ Pansy objected.
‘Miss Archer came to see you as well,’ said Madame Mer-
le.
‘I’m very happy to hear that. She has been very polite to
me.’
‘Do you like her then?’ the Countess asked.
‘She’s charming—charming,’ Pansy repeated in her little
neat conversational tone. ‘She pleases me thoroughly.’
‘And how do you think she pleases your father?’
‘Ah really, Countess!’ murmured Madame Merle dissua-
sively. ‘Go and call them to tea,’ she went on to the child.
‘You’ll see if they don’t like it!’ Pansy declared; and de-
parted to summon the others, who had still lingered at the
end of the terrace.
‘If Miss Archer’s to become her mother it’s surely inter-
esting to know if the child likes her,’ said the Countess.
‘If your brother marries again it won’t be for Pansy’s
sake,’ Madame Merle replied. ‘She’ll soon be sixteen, and
after that she’ll begin to need a husband rather than a step-
mother.’
‘And will you provide the husband as well?’
‘I shall certainly take an interest in her marrying fortu-

382 The Portrait of a Lady