Page 402 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

exceptional.’
‘I don’t see why,’ said Isabel, who, however, was not sure
there was not some truth in the speech.
Mr. Osmond didn’t explain; he simply went on: ‘If I
thought it would make her resemble you to join a social
group in Rome I’d take her there tomorrow.’
‘Don’t make her resemble me,’ said Isabel. ‘Keep her like
herself.’
‘I might send her to my sister,’ Mr. Osmond observed. He
had almost the air of asking advice; he seemed to like to talk
over his domestic matters with Miss Archer.
‘Yes,’ she concurred; ‘I think that wouldn’t do much to-
wards making her resemble me!’
After she had left Florence Gilbert Osmond met Ma-
dame Merle at the Countess Gemini’s. There were other
people present; the Countess’s drawing-room was usually
well filled, and the talk had been general, but after a while
Osmond left his place and came and sat on an ottoman half-
behind, half-beside Madame Merle’s chair: ‘She wants me to
go to Rome with her,’ he remarked in a low voice.
‘To go with her?’
‘To be there while she’s there. She proposed it.’
‘I suppose you mean that you proposed it and she assent-
ed.’
‘Of course I gave her a chance. But she’s encouraging—
she’s very encouraging.’
‘I rejoice to hear it—but don’t cry victory too soon. Of
course you’ll go to Rome.’
‘Ah,’ said Osmond, ‘it makes one work, this idea of

402 The Portrait of a Lady