Page:The Portrait of a Lady (1882).djvu/104

96 96 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. of course, was a possible confidant; but it would have been disagreeable to her to confide this particular matter to Ealph. So, the next day, after breakfast, she sought her occasion. Her uncle never left his apartment till the afternoon ; but he received his cronies, as he said, in his dressing-room. Isabel had quite taken her place in the class so designated, which, for the rest, included the old man's son, his physician, his personal servant, and even Miss Stackpole. Mrs. Touchett did not figure in the list, and this was an obstacle the less to Isabel's finding her uncle alone. He sat in a complicated mechanical chair, at the open window of his room, looking westward over the park and the river, with his newspapers and letters piled up beside him, his toilet freshly and minutely made, and his smooth, speculative face composed to benevolent expectation. Isabel approached her point very directly. " I think I ought to let you know that Lord Warburton has asked me to marry him. I suppose I ought to tell my aunt ; but it seems best to tell you first." The old man expressed no surprise, but thanked ner for the confidence she showed him. " Do you mind telling me whether you accepted him ? " he added. "I have not answered him definitely yet; I have taken a little time to think of it, because that seems more respectful. But I shall not accept him." Mr. Touchett made no comment upon this ; he had the air of thinking that whatever interest he might take in the matter from the point of view of sociability, he had no active voice in it. "Well, I told you you would be a success over here. Americans are highly appreciated." "Very highly indeed," said Isabel. "But at the cost of seeming ungrateful, I don't think I can marry Lord Warburton." " Well," her uncle went on. " of course an old man can't judge for a young lady. I am glad ^ou didn't ask me before you made up your mind. I suppose I ought to tell you," he added slowly, but as if it were not of much consequence, " that I have known all about it these three days." " About Lord Warburton's state of mind ] " "About his intentions, as they say here. He wrote me a very pleasant letter, telling me all about them. Should you like to see it 1 " the old man asked, obligingly. "Thank you; I don't think I care about that. But I am glad he wrote to you ; it was right that he should, and he would be certain to do what was right."