ers with him; and though he had
written to Ralph more than once to ask about Mr. Touchett's health the
girl was not liable to the embarrassment of such enquiries as, had he
still been in the neighbourhood, he would probably have felt bound to
make in person. He had excellent ways, but she felt sure that if he had
come to Gardencourt he would have seen Madame Merle, and that if he had
seen her he would have liked her and betrayed to her that he was in love
with her young friend. It so happened that during this lady's previous
visits to Gardencourt--each of them much shorter than the present--he
had either not been at Lockleigh or had not called at Mr. Touchett's.
Therefore, though she knew him by name as the great man of that
county, she had no cause to suspect him as a suitor of Mrs. Touchett's
freshly-imported niece.

"You've plenty of time," she had said to Isabel in return for the
mutilated confidences which our young woman made her and which didn't
pretend to be perfect, though we have seen that at moments the girl
had compunctions at having said so much. "I'm glad you've done nothing
yet--that you have it still to do. It's a very good thing for a girl to
have refused a few good offers--so long of course as they are not the
best she's likely to have. Pardon me if my tone seems horribly corrupt;
one must take the worldly view sometimes. Only don't keep on refusing
for the sake of refusing. It's a pleasant exercise of power; but
accepting's after all an exercise of power as well. There's always the
danger of refusing once too often. It was not the one I fell into--I
didn't refuse often enough. You're an exquisite creature, and I should
like to see you married to a prime minister. But speaking strictly, you
know, you're not what is technically called a parti. You're extremely
good-looking and extremely clever; in yourself you're quite exceptional.
You appear to have the vaguest ideas about your earthly possessions; but
from what I can make out you're not embarrassed with an income. I wish
you had a little money."

"I wish I had!" said Isabel, simply, apparently forgetting for the
moment that her poverty had been a venial fault for two gallant
gentlemen.

In spite of Sir Matthew Hope's benevolent recommendation Madame Merle
did not remain to the end, as the issue of poor Mr. Touchett's malady
had now come frankly to be designated. She was under pledges to other
people which had at last to be redeemed, and she left Ga