Page:The Portrait of a Lady (1882).djvu/28

20 20 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. complicated manoeuvres, at the word of command. Just now she had given it marching orders, and it had been trudging over the sandy plains of a history of German Thought. Suddenly she became aware of a step very different from her own intellectual pace ; she listened a little, and perceived that some one was walking about the library, which communicated with the office. It struck her first as the step of a person from whom she had reason to expect a visit ; then almo&t immediately announced itself as the tread of a woman and a stranger her possible visitor being ^ neither. It had an inquisitive, experi- mental quality, which suggested that it would riot stop short of the threshold of the office ; and, in fact, the doorway of this apartment was presently occupied by a lady who paused there and looked very hard at our heroine. She was a plain, elderly woman, dressed in a comprehensive waterproof mantle : she had a sharp, but not an unpleasant, face. " Oh," she said, " is that where you usually sit ? " And she looked about at the heterogeneous chairs and tables. " Not when I have visitors," said Isabel, getting up to receive the intruder. She directed their course back to the library, and the visitor continued to look about her. "You seem to have plenty of other rooms ; they are in rather better condition. But every- thing is immensely worn." " Have you come to look at the house ? " Isabel asked. " The servant will show it to you." " Send her away ; I don't want to buy it. She has probably gone to look for you, and is wandering about up-stairs; she didn't seem at all intelligent. You had better tell her it is no matter." And then, while the girl stood there"; hesitating and wondering, this unexpected critic said to her abruptly, " I suppose you are one of the daughters 1 " Isabel thought she had very strange manners. " It depends upon whose daughters you mean." "The late Mr. Archer's and my poor sister's." "Ah," said Isabel, slowly, "you must be our crazy Aunt Lydia!" " Is that what your father told you to call me 1 _ I am your Aunt Lydia, but I am not crazy. And which of the daughters are you ? " " I am the youngest of the three, and my name is Isabel." "Yes; the others are Lilian and Edith. And are you the prettiest ? " " I have not the least idea." said the girl.