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press this idea. ‘Thank you extremely,’ she contented herself
with saying; ‘I’m afraid I hardly know about Whitsuntide.’
‘But I have your promise-haven’t I?-for some other
time.’
There was an interrogation in this; but Isabel let it pass.
She looked at her interlocutor a moment, and the result of
her observation was that-M had happened before she felt
sorry for him. ‘Take care you don’t miss your train,’ she
said. And then she added: ‘I wish you every happiness.’
He blushed again, more than before, and he looked at
his watch. ‘Ah yes, 6.40; I haven’t much time, but I’ve a fly
at the door. Thank you very much.’ It was not apparent
whether the thanks applied to her having reminded him
of his train or to the more sentimental remark. ‘Good-bye,
Mrs. Osmond; good-bye.’ He shook hands with her, with-
out meeting her eyes, and then he turned to Mrs. Touchett,
who had wandered back to them. With her his parting was
equally brief; and in a moment the two ladies saw him move
with long steps across the lawn.
‘Are you very sure he’s to be married?’ Isabel asked of
her aunt.
‘I can’t be surer than he; but he seems sure. I congratu-
lated him, and he accepted it.’
‘Ah,’ said Isabel, ‘I give it up!’-while her aunt returned
to the house and to those avocations which the visitor had
interrupted.
She gave it up, but she still thought of it-thought of it
while she strolled again under the great oaks whose shad-
ows were long upon the acres of turf. At the end of a few

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