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aggressive ones are still smaller Osmond may after all not
think me worth his gunpowder. At any rate,’ he added,
‘there are things I’m curious to see.’
‘You’re sacrificing your health to your curiosity then?’
‘I’m not much interested in my health, and I’m deeply in-
terested in Mrs. Osmond.’
‘So am I. But not as I once was,’ Lord Warburton added
quickly. This was one of the allusions he had not hitherto
found occasion to make.
‘Does she strike you as very happy?’ Ralph enquired, em-
boldened by this confidence.
‘Well, I don’t know; I’ve hardly thought. She told me the
other night she was happy.’
‘Ah, she told you, of course,’ Ralph exclaimed, smiling.
‘I don’t know that. It seems to me I was rather the sort of
person she might have complained to.’
‘Complained? She’ll never complain. She has done it-
what she has done-and she knows it. She’ll complain to you
least of all. She’s very careful.’
‘She needn’t be. I don’t mean to make love to her again.’
‘I’m delighted to hear it. There can be no doubt at least
of your duty.’
‘Ah no,’ said Lord Warburton gravely; ‘none!’
‘Permit me to ask,’ Ralph went on, ‘whether it’s to bring
out the fact that you don’t mean to make love to her that
you’re so very civil to the little girl?’
Lord Warburton gave a slight start; he got up and stood
before the fire, looking at it hard. ‘Does that strike you as
very ridiculous?’

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