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255 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 255 said nothing more about his own feelings, but returned to those more objective topics they had already touched upon. Presently he asked her when she was to leave Rome, and on her mention- ing the limit of her stay, declared he was glad it was still so distant. " Why do you say that, if you yourself -are only passing through ? " she inquired, with some anxiety. " Ah, when I said I was passing through, I didn't mean that one would treat Rome as if it were Clapliam Junction. To pass through Rome is to stop a week or two." " Say frankly that you mean to stay as long as I do ! " Lord Warburton looked at her a moment, with an uncomfort- able smile. " You won't like that. You are afraid you will see too much of me." " It doesn't matter what I like. I certainly can't expect you to leave this delightful place on my account. But I confess I am afraid of you." " Afraid I will begin again 1 I promise to be very careful." They had gradually stopped, and they stood a moment face to face. " Poor Lord Warburton ! " said Isabel, with a melancholy smile. " Poor Lord Warburton, indeed ! But I will be careful." " You may be unhappy, but you shall not make me so. That I can't allow." " If I believed I could make you unhappy, I think I should try it." At this she walked in advance, and he also proceeded. " I will never say a word to displease you," he promised, very gently. " Very good. If you do, our friendship's at an end." " Perhaps some day after a while you will give me leave," he suggested. " Give you leave to make me unhappy 1 " He hesitated. " To tell you again ;> But he checked him- self. " I will be silent," he said ; " silent always." Ralph Touchett had been joined, in his visit to the excavation, by Miss Stackpole and her attendant, and these three now emerged from among the mounds of earth and stone collected round the aperture, and came into sight of Isabel and her com- panion. Ralph Touchett gave signs of greeting to Lord War- burton, and Henrietta exclaimed in a high voice, " Gracious, there's that lord ! " Ralph and his friend met each other with undemonstrative cordiality, and Miss Stackpole rested her large intellectual gaze upon the sunburnt traveller. " I don't suppose you remember me, sir," she soon remarked.