e."

"You don't like bringing her forward?" Isabel enquired.

"No, I think young girls should be kept out of the world."

"I was brought up on a different system."

"You? Oh, with you it succeeded, because you--you were exceptional."

"I don't see why," said Isabel, who, however, was not sure there was not
some truth in the speech.

Mr. Osmond didn't explain; he simply went on: "If I thought it would
make her resemble you to join a social group in Rome I'd take her there
to-morrow."

"Don't make her resemble me," said Isabel. "Keep her like herself."

"I might send her to my sister," Mr. Osmond observed. He had almost
the air of asking advice; he seemed to like to talk over his domestic
matters with Miss Archer.

"Yes," she concurred; "I think that wouldn't do much towards making her
resemble me!"

After she had left Florence Gilbert Osmond met Madame Merle at the
Countess Gemini's. There were other people present; the Countess's
drawing-room was usually well filled, and the talk had been general,
but after a while Osmond left his place and came and sat on an ottoman
half-behind, half-beside Madame Merle's chair. "She wants me to go to
Rome with her," he remarked in a low voice.

"To go with her?"

"To be there while she's there. She proposed it.

"I suppose you mean that you proposed it and she assented."

"Of course I gave her a chance. But she's encouraging--she's very
encouraging."

"I rejoice to hear it--but don't cry victory too soon. Of course you'll
go to Rome."

"Ah," said Osmond, "it makes one work, this idea of yours!"

"Don't pretend you don't enjoy it--you're very ungrateful. You've not
been so well occupied these many years."

"The way you take it's beautiful," said Osmond. "I ought to be grateful
for that."

"Not too much so, however," Madame Merle answered. She talked with
her usual smile, leaning back in her chair and looking round the room.
"You've made a very good impression, and I've seen for myself that
you've received one. You've not come to Mrs. Touchett's seven times to
oblige me."

"The girl's not disagreeable," Osmond quietly conceded.

Madame Merle dropped her eye on him a moment, during which her lips
closed with a certain firmness. "Is that all you can find to say about
that fine creature?"

"All? Isn't it enough? Of how many people have you heard me say more?"

She made no answer to this, but still presented her talkative grace to
the room. "You're unfathomabl