Page:The Portrait of a Lady (1882).djvu/391

383 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 383 affecting thing in the world young love struggling with adversity. ' ' Would you really be very kind to her I " she said, in a low tone. He dropped his eyes, devoutly, and raised the little flower which he held in his fingers to his lips. Then he looked at her. " You pity me ; but don't you: pity her a little 1 " " I don't know ; I am not sure. She will always enjoy life." " It will depend on what you call life ! " Rosier exclaimed. " She won't enjoy being tortured." " There will be nothing of that." " I am glad to hear it. She knows what she is about. You will see." "I think she does, and she will never disobey her father. But she is coming back to me," Isabel added, "and I must beg you to go away." Rosier lingered a moment, till Pansy came in sight, on the arm of her cavalier; he stood just long enough to look her in the face. Then he walked away, holding up his head ; and the manner in which he achieved this sacrifice to expediency con- vinced Isabel that he was very much in love. Pansy, who seldom got disarranged in dancing, and looked perfectly fresh and cool after this exercise, waited a moment and then took back her bouquet. Isabel watched her and saw that she was counting the flowers ; whereupon she said to herself that, decidedly, there were deeper forces at play than she had recognised. Pansy had seen Rosier turn away, but she said nothing to Isabel about him ; she talked only of her partner, after he had made his bow and retired ; of the music, the floor, the rare misfortune of having already torn her dress. Isabel was sure, however, that she perceived that her lover had ab- stracted a flower ; though this knowledge was not needed to account for the dutiful grace with which she responded to the appeal of her next partner. That perfect amenity under acute constraint was part of a larger system. She was again led forth by a flushed young man, this time carrying her bouquet ; and she had not been absent many minutes when Isabel saw Lord Warburton advancing through the crowd. He presently drew near and bade her good evening ; she had not seen him since the day before. He looked about him, and then " Where is the little maid?" he asked. It was in this manner that he formed the harmless habit of alluding to Miss Osmond. " She is dancing," said Isabel ; " you will see her some- where."