Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 2 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/256

THE AMERICAN never make them yourself. We prefer to assume that the person accepted as the possible husband of my sister is one of ourselves, and that he should feel no explanations necessary. With a little tact on both sides everything ought to be easy. That's exactly what I wished to say—that we quite understand what we've undertaken and that you may depend on our not breaking down."

Valentin shook his hands in the air and then buried his face in them. "I don't quite steer clear myself, no doubt, but oh, my brother, if you knew what you are saying!" And he went off into a sound that combined a long laugh with a long wail.

M. de Bellegarde's face flushed a little, but he held his head higher, as if to repudiate this concession to vulgar perturbability. "I'm sure you quite know what I mean," he said to Newman.

"Oh no, not quite—or perhaps not at all," Newman answered. "But you need n't mind that. I don't care whether I know—or even, really, care, I think, what you say; for if I did there might be things I should n't like, should in fact, quite dislike, and that would n't suit me at all, you know. I want, very originally, no doubt, but very obstinately, to marry your sister and nobody other whomsoever—that's all; to do it as quickly as possible and to do as little else among you besides. I don't care therefore how I do it—as regards the rest of you! And that's all I have to say."

"You had better, nevertheless, receive the last word from my mother," said the Marquis, who had n't blanched. 226