Page:The Golden Bowl (Scribner, New York, 1909), Volume 1.djvu/78

THE GOLDEN BOWL this young lady how long she was likely to be with them. For a matter of the mere domestic order had quickly determined on Mrs. Assingham's part a withdrawal, of a few moments, which had the effect of leaving her visitors free. "Mrs. Betterman's there?" she had said to Charlotte in allusion to some member of the household who was to have received her and seen her belongings settled; to which Charlotte had replied that she had encountered only the butler, who had been quite charming. She had deprecated any action taken on behalf of her effects; but her hostess, rebounding from accumulated cushions, evidently saw more in Mrs. Betterman's non-appearance than could meet the casual eye. What she saw in short demanded her intervention, in spite of an earnest "Let me go!" from the girl, and a prolonged smiling wail over the trouble she was giving. The Prince was quite aware at this moment that departure, for himself, was indicated; the question of Miss Stant's installation didn't demand his presence; it was a case for one to go away—if one hadn't a reason for staying. He had a reason, however—of that he was equally aware; and he hadn't for a good while done anything more conscious and intentional than not quickly to take leave. His visible insistence—for it came to that—even demanded of him a certain disagreeable effort, the sort of effort he had mostly associated with acting for an idea. His idea was there, his idea was to find out something, something he wanted much to know, and to find it out not to-morrow, not at some future time, not in short with waiting and wondering, but if possible before quitting the place. 48