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107 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 107 the sex, that they should discover or invent lovers foi each other), in which case he was not to be feared, and would pro- bably not accept the invitation ; or else he would accept the invitation, and in this event would prove himself a creature too irrational to demand further consideration. The latter clause of Ralph's argument might have seemed incoherent ; but it em- bodied his conviction, that if Mr. Goodwood were interested in Isabel in the serious manner described by Miss Stackpole, he would not care to present himself at Gardencourt on a summons from the latter lady. " On this supposition," said Ralph, " he must regard her as a thorn on the stem of his rose j as an inter- cessor he must find her wanting in tact." Two days after he had sent his invitation he received a very short note from Caspar Goodwood, thanking him for it, regret- ting that other engagements made a visit to Gardencourt impos- sible, and presenting many compliments to Miss Stackpole. Ralph handed the note to Henrietta, who, when she had read it, exclaimed "Well, I never have heard of anything so stiff! " " I am afraid he doesn't care so much about my cousin as you suppose," Ralph observed. " No, it's not that ; it's some deeper motive. His nature is very deep. But I am determined to fathom it, and I will write to him to know what he means." His refusal of Ralph's overtures made this yowng man vaguely uncomfortable ; from the moment he declined to come to Garden- court Ralph began to think him of importance. He asked him- self what it signified to him whether Isabel's admirers should be desperadoes or laggards ; they were not rivals of his, and were perfectly welcome to act out their genius. Nevertheless he felt much curiosity as to the result of Miss Stackpole's promised inquiry into the causes of Mr. Goodwood's stiffness a curiosity for the present ungratitied, inasmuch as when he asked her three days later whether she had written to London, she was obliged to confess that she had written in vain. Mr. Goodwood had not answered her. "I suppose he is thinking it over," she said; "he thinks everything over ; he is not at all impulsive. But I am accus- tomed to having my letters answered the same day." Whether it was to pursue her investigations, or whether it was in compliance with still larger interests, is a point which remains somewhat uncertain ; at all events, she presently proposed to Isabel that they should make an excursion to London together. " If I must tell the truth," she said, " I am not seeing much