Page 514 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

it was possible he had been precipitate. He found difficulty
in thinking of himself as rash-he had incurred this reproach
so rarely; but it certainly was true that he had known Ma-
dame Merle only for the last month, and that his thinking
her a delightful woman was not, when one came to look into
it, a reason for assuming that she would be eager to push
Pansy Osmond into his arms, gracefully arranged as these
members might be to receive her. She had indeed shown him
benevolence, and she was a person of consideration among
the girl’s people, where she had a rather striking appearance
(Rosier had more than once wondered how she managed it)
of being intimate without being familiar. But possibly he
had exaggerated these advantages. There was no particu-
lar reason why she should take trouble for him; a charming
woman was charming to every one, and Rosier felt rather a
fool when he thought of his having appealed to her on the
ground that she had distinguished him. Very likely-though
she had appeared to say it in joke-she was really only think-
ing of his bibelots. Had it come into her head that he might
offer her two or three of the gems of his collection? If she
would only help him to marry Miss Osmond he would pres-
ent her with his whole museum. He could hardly say so to
her outright; it would seem too gross a bribe. But he should
like her to believe it.
It was with these thoughts that he went again to Mrs.
Osmond’s, Mrs. Osmond having an ‘evening’-she had taken
the Thursday of each week when his presence could be ac-
counted for on general principles of civility. The object of
Mr. Rosier’s well-regulated affection dwelt in a high house

514 The Portrait of a Lady