Page:The Golden Bowl (Scribner, New York, 1909), Volume 1.djvu/69

THE PRINCE "I expect her at any moment. If you wait you'll see her."

"Oh," he promptly declared—"charming!" But this word came out as if a little in sudden substitution for some other. It sounded accidental, whereas he wished to be firm. That accordingly was what he next showed himself. "If it wasn't for what's going on these next days Maggie would certainly want to have her. In fact," he lucidly continued, "isn't what's happening just a reason to make her want to?" Mrs. Assingham, for answer, only looked at him, and this the next instant had apparently had more effect than if she had spoken. For he asked a question that seemed incongruous. "What has she come for?"

It made his companion laugh. "Why, for just what you say. For your marriage."

"Mine?"—He wondered.

"Maggie's—it's the same thing. It's 'for' your great event. And then," said Mrs. Assingham, "she's so lonely."

"Has she given you that as a reason?"

"I scarcely remember—she gave me so many. She abounds, poor dear, in reasons. But there's one that, whatever she does, I always remember for myself."

"And which is that?" He looked as if he ought to guess but couldn't.

"Why the fact that she has no home—absolutely none whatever. She's extraordinarily alone."

Again he took it in. "And also has no great means."

Very small ones. Which is not however, with the 39