Page 529 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

girl advanced a few steps and then stopped and stood look-
ing at Madame Merle and at her father.
‘He has spoken to her,’ Madame Merle went on to Os-
mond.
Her companion never turned his head. ‘So much for your
belief in his promises. He ought to be horse-whipped.’
‘He intends to confess, poor little man!’
Osmond got up; he had now taken a sharp look at his
daughter. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ he murmured, turning away.
Pansy after a moment came up to Madame Merle with
her little manner of unfamiliar politeness. This lady’s recep-
tion of her was not more intimate; she simply, as she rose
from the sofa, gave her a friendly smile.
‘You’re very late,’ the young creature gently said.
‘My dear child, I’m never later than I intend to be.’
Madame Merle had not got up to be gracious to Pansy;
she moved toward Edward Rosier. He came to meet her and,
very quickly, as if to get it off his mind, ‘I’ve spoken to her!’
he whispered.
‘I know it, Mr. Rosier.’
‘Did she tell you?’
‘Yes, she told me. Behave properly for the rest of the eve-
ning, and come and see me to-morrow at a quarter past five.’
She was severe, and in the manner in which she turned her
back to him there was a degree of contempt which caused
him to mutter a decent imprecation.
He had no intention of speaking to Osmond; it was nei-
ther the time nor the place. But he instinctively wandered
toward Isabel, who sat talking with an old lady. He sat down

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