e all right! He's awfully, awfully fond
of me; but his family have influenced him against me--"

"I know what THAT is!" Mrs. Rolliver interjected.

"But perhaps," Undine continued, "it would be better if I could meet him
first without his knowing beforehand--without your telling him ... I
love him too much to reproach him!" she added nobly.

Indiana pondered: it was clear that, though the nobility of the
sentiment impressed her, she was disinclined to renounce the idea of
taking a more active part in her friend's rehabilitation. But Undine
went on: "Of course you've found out by this time that he's just a big
spoiled baby. Afterward--when I've seen him--if you'd talk to him; or it
you'd only just let him BE with you, and see how perfectly happy you and
Mr. Rolliver are!"

Indiana seized on this at once. "You mean that what he wants is the
influence of a home like ours? Yes, yes, I understand. I tell you what
I'll do: I'll just ask him round to dine, and let you know the day,
without telling him beforehand that you're coming."

"Oh, Indiana!" Undine held her in a close embrace, and then drew away
to say: "I'm so glad I found you. You must go round with me everywhere.
There are lots of people here I want you to know."

Mrs. Rolliver's expression changed from vague sympathy to concentrated
interest. "I suppose it's awfully gay here? Do you go round a great deal
with the American set?"

Undine hesitated for a fraction of a moment. "There are a few of them
who are rather jolly. But I particularly want you to meet my friend the
Marquis Roviano--he's from Rome; and a lovely Austrian woman, Baroness
Adelschein."

Her friend's face was brushed by a shade of distrust. "I don't know as I
care much about meeting foreigners," she said indifferently.

Undine smiled: it was agreeable at last to be able to give Indiana a
"point" as valuable as any of hers on divorce.

"Oh, some of them are awfully attractive; and THEY'LL make you meet the
Americans."

Indiana caught this on the bound: one began to see why she had got on in
spite of everything.

"Of course I'd love to know your friends," she said, kissing Undine; who
answered, giving back the kiss:

"You know there's nothing on earth I wouldn't do for you."

Indiana drew back to look at her with a comic grimace under which a
shade of anxiety was visible. "Well, that's a pretty large order. But
there's just one thing you CAN do, dearest: please to let Mr. Rolliver
alone