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299 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 299 Isabel said nothing; when people were embarrassed she was usually sorry for them ; but she was determined not to help Ralph to utter a word that should not be to the honour of her ingenious purpose. " I think I have hardly got over my surprise," he said at last. " You were the last person I expected to see caught." " I don't know why you call it caught." " Because you are going to be put into a cage." " If I like my cage, that needn't trouble you," said Isabel. "That's what I wonder at; that's what I have been thinking of." " If you have been thinking, you may imagine how I have thought ! I am satisfied that I am doing well." " You must have changed immensely. A year ago you valued your liberty beyond everything. You wanted only to eee life." " I have seen it," said Isabel. " It doesn't seem to me so charming." " I don't pretend it is ; only I had an idea that you took a genial view of it and wanted to survey the whole field." " I have seen that one can't do that. One must choose a corner and cultivate that." " That's what I think. And one must choose a good corner. I had no idea, all winter, while I read your delightful letters, that you were choosing. You said nothing about it, and your silence put me off my guard." "It was not a matter I was likely to write to you about. Besides, I knew nothing of the future. It has all come lately. If you had been on your guard, however," Isabel asked, " what would you have done 1 " " I should have said ' Wait a little longer.' " " Wait for what 1 " "Well, for a little more light," said Ealph, with a rather absurd smile, while his hands found their way into his pockets. " Where should my light have come from 1 From you *? " " I might have struck a spark or two ! " Isabel had drawn off her gloves ; she smoothed them out as they lay upon her knee. -The gentleness of this movement was accidental, for/ her expression was not conciliatory. " You are beating about the bush, Ealph. You wish to say that you don't like Mr. Osmond, and yet you are afraid." " I am afraid of you, not of him. If you marry him it won't be a nice thing to have said." " If I marry him ! Have you had any expectation of dissuad- ing me 1 "