Page:The Portrait of a Lady (1882).djvu/396

388 388 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. to be satisfied. She wandered away from the ball-room with him, though she knew that her husband desired she should not lose sight of his daughter. It was with his daughter's pretendant^ however ; that would make it right for Osmond. On her way out of the ball-room she came upon Edward Hosier, who was standing in a doorway, with fo'ded arms, looking at the dance, in the attitude of a young man without illusions. She stopped a moment and asked him if he were not dancing. " Certainly not, if I can't dance with her ! " he answered. " You had better go away, then," said Isabel, with the manner of good counsel. " I shall not go till she does ! " And he let Lord Warburton pass, without giving him a look. This nobleman, however, had noticed the melancholy youth, and he asked Isabel who her dismal friend was, remarking that he had seen him somewhere before. " It's the young man I have told you about, who is in love with Pansy," said Isabel. " Ah yes, I remember. He looks rather bad." " He has reason. My husband won't listen to him." " What's the matter with him 1 " Lord Warburton inquired. " He seems very harmless." "He hasn't money enough, and he isn't very clever." Lord Warburton listened with interest ; he seemed struck with this account of Edward Rosier. "Dear me; he looked a well-set-up young fellow." " So he is, but my husband is very particular." " Oh, I see." And Lord Warburton paused a moment. " How much money has he got 1 " he then ventured to ask. " Some forty thousand francs a year." "Sixteen hundred pounds? Ah, but that's very good, you know." " So I think. But my husband has larger ideas." " Yes ; I have noticed that your husband has very large ideas. Is he really an idiot, the young man?" "An idiot 1 ? Not in the least; he's charming. When he was twelve years old I myself was in love with him. "He doesn't look much more than twelve to-day," Lord Warburton rejoined, vaguely, looking about him. Then, with more point " Don't you think we might sit here ? " he asked. " Wherever you please." The room was a sort of boudoir, pervaded by a subdued, rose-coloured light ; a lady and gentle- man moved out of it as our friends came in. " It's very kind of you to take such an interest in Mr. Rosier," Isabel said.