Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 1 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/394

 Rome at the time I 've always intended—at the end of June. My rooms and my mother's are taken till then; all my arrangements are made accordingly. We 'll go at our settled time—not before."

"You 're not candid," said Rowland. "Your real reason for staying has nothing to do with your rooms."

Roderick after an instant took this for what it was worth. "Well, if I 'm not candid it's for the first time in my life. Since you know so much about my real reason, let me hear it. No, stop!" he suddenly added, "I won't trouble you. You 're right—I 've an underhand motive. On the twenty-fourth of the month Christina Light 's to be married. As I take an immense interest in all that concerns her it 's an occasion on which I wish to be present."

"But you said the other day at Saint Peter's that it was by no means certain such an event would now take place."

"Apparently I was wrong. I 'm told the invitations are going out."

Rowland felt it would be vain to remonstrate and that his only resource was to make the best bargain possible. "If I offer no further opposition to your waiting for—what you want to wait for, will you promise, meanwhile and afterwards, for a certain period, to abide by my judgement, to be very quiet and very good and say and do nothing that may give alarm to Miss Garland?"

"For a certain period? For what period?" Roderick promptly demanded.

"Ah, don't screw me down so! Don't you understand that I 've taken you away from her, that I 360