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480 480 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. could never give her a portion. Osmond was really extremely poor; but of course you know all about that. Ah, my dear," cried the Countess, " why did you ever inherit money?" She stopped a moment, as if she saw something singular in Isabel's face. " Don't tell me now that you will give her a dowry. You are capable of that, but I shouldn't believe it. Don't try to be too good. Be a little wicked, feel a little wicked, for once in your life ! " "It's very strange. I suppose I ought to know, but I am sorry," Isabel said. " I am much obliged to you." " Yes, you seem to be ! " cried the Countess, with a mocking laugh. " Perhaps you are perhaps you are not. You don't take it as I should have thought." " How should I take iU " Isabel asked. " Well, I should say as a woman who has been made use of." Isabel made no answer to this ; she only listened, and the Countess went on. " They have always been bound to each other ; they remained so even after she became proper. But he has always been more for her than she has been for him. When their little carnival was over they made a bargain that each should give the other complete liberty, but that each should also do everything possible to help the other on. You may ask me how I know such a thing as that. I know it by the way they have behaved. Now see how much better women are than men ! She has found a wife for Osmond, but Osmond has never lifted a little finger for her. She has worked for him, plotted for him, suffered for him ; she has even more than once found money for him ; and the end of it is that he is tired of her. She is an old habit ; there are moments when he needs her ; but on the whole he wouldn't miss her if she were removed. And, what's more, to-day she knows it. " So you needn't be jealous ! " the Countess added, humorously. Isabel rose from her sofa again ; she felt bruised and short of breath ; her head was humming with new knowledge. " I am much obliged to you," she repeated. And then she added, abruptly, in quite a different tone " How do you know aii this r This inquiry appeared to ruffle the Countess more than Isabel's expression of gratitude pleased her. She gave her companion a bold stare, with which " Let us assume that I have invented it! " she cried. She too, however, suddenly changed her tone, md, laying her hand on Isabel's arm, said softly, with her sharp, bright smile " Now will you give up your journey?" Isabel started a little ; she turned away. But she felt weak