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mean, however, to insist; it’s only for a moment. I may add
that when I came upon you a few minutes since, without the
smallest idea of seeing you, I was, upon my honour, in the
very act of wishing I knew where you were.’ He had recov-
ered his self-control, and while he spoke it became complete.
He might have been addressing a small committee—mak-
ing all quietly and clearly a statement of importance; aided
by an occasional look at a paper of notes concealed in his
hat, which he had not again put on. And the committee, as-
suredly, would have felt the point proved.
‘I’ve often thought of you, Lord Warburton,’ Isabel an-
swered. ‘You may be sure I shall always do that.’ And she
added in a tone of which she tried to keep up the kindness
and keep down the meaning: ‘There’s no harm in that on
either side.’
They walked along together, and she was prompt to ask
about his sisters and request him to let them know she had
done so. He made for the moment no further reference to
their great question, but dipped again into shallower and
safer waters. But he wished to know when she was to leave
Rome, and on her mentioning the limit of her stay declared
he was glad it was still so distant.
‘Why do you say that if you yourself are only passing
through?’ she enquired with some anxiety.
‘Ah, when I said I was passing through I didn’t mean that
one would treat Rome as if it were Clapham Junction. To
pass through Rome is to stop a week or two.’
‘Say frankly that you mean to stay as long as I do!’
His flushed smile, for a little, seemed to sound her. ‘You

412 The Portrait of a Lady