al. In that splendid
immensity individual indiscretion carries but a short distance. Isabel
and her companions, however, were guilty of none; for though Henrietta
was obliged in candour to declare that Michael Angelo's dome suffered
by comparison with that of the Capitol at Washington, she addressed
her protest chiefly to Mr. Bantling's ear and reserved it in its more
accentuated form for the columns of the Interviewer. Isabel made the
circuit of the church with his lordship, and as they drew near the choir
on the left of the entrance the voices of the Pope's singers were borne
to them over the heads of the large number of persons clustered outside
the doors. They paused a while on the skirts of this crowd, composed
in equal measure of Roman cockneys and inquisitive strangers, and while
they stood there the sacred concert went forward. Ralph, with Henrietta
and Mr. Bantling, was apparently within, where Isabel, looking beyond
the dense group in front of her, saw the afternoon light, silvered by
clouds of incense that seemed to mingle with the splendid chant, slope
through the embossed recesses of high windows. After a while the singing
stopped and then Lord Warburton seemed disposed to move off with her.
Isabel could only accompany him; whereupon she found herself confronted
with Gilbert Osmond, who appeared to have been standing at a short
distance behind her. He now approached with all the forms--he appeared
to have multiplied them on this occasion to suit the place.

"So you decided to come?" she said as she put out her hand.

"Yes, I came last night and called this afternoon at your hotel. They
told me you had come here, and I looked about for you."

"The others are inside," she decided to say.

"I didn't come for the others," he promptly returned.

She looked away; Lord Warburton was watching them; perhaps he had heard
this. Suddenly she remembered it to be just what he had said to her the
morning he came to Gardencourt to ask her to marry him. Mr. Osmond's
words had brought the colour to her cheek, and this reminiscence had not
the effect of dispelling it. She repaired any betrayal by mentioning to
each companion the name of the other, and fortunately at this moment Mr.
Bantling emerged from the choir, cleaving the crowd with British valour
and followed by Miss Stackpole and Ralph Touchett. I say fortunately,
but this is perhaps a superficial view of the matter; since on
perceiving the gentleman from Florence