suddenly deserted her. "In explanation? Do you think
I'm bound to explain?"

He gave her one of his long dumb looks. "You were very positive. I did
believe it."

"So did I. Do you think I could explain if I would?"

"No, I suppose not. Well," he added, "I've done what I wished. I've seen
you."

"How little you make of these terrible journeys," she felt the poverty
of her presently replying.

"If you're afraid I'm knocked up--in any such way as that--you may he
at your ease about it." He turned away, this time in earnest, and no
hand-shake, no sign of parting, was exchanged between them.

At the door he stopped with his hand on the knob. "I shall leave
Florence to-morrow," he said without a quaver.

"I'm delighted to hear it!" she answered passionately. Five minutes
after he had gone out she burst into tears.

CHAPTER XXXIII

Her fit of weeping, however, was soon smothered, and the signs of it had
vanished when, an hour later, she broke the news to her aunt. I use this
expression because she had been sure Mrs. Touchett would not be pleased;
Isabel had only waited to tell her till she had seen Mr. Goodwood. She
had an odd impression that it would not be honourable to make the fact
public before she should have heard what Mr. Goodwood would say about
it. He had said rather less than she expected, and she now had a
somewhat angry sense of having lost time. But she would lose no more;
she waited till Mrs. Touchett came into the drawing-room before the
mid-day breakfast, and then she began. "Aunt Lydia, I've something to
tell you."

Mrs. Touchett gave a little jump and looked at her almost fiercely. "You
needn't tell me; I know what it is."

"I don't know how you know."

"The same way that I know when the window's open--by feeling a draught.
You're going to marry that man."

"What man do you mean?" Isabel enquired with great dignity.

"Madame Merle's friend--Mr. Osmond."

"I don't know why you call him Madame Merle's friend. Is that the
principal thing he's known by?"

"If he's not her friend he ought to be--after what she has done for
him!" cried Mrs. Touchett. "I shouldn't have expected it of her; I'm
disappointed."

"If you mean that Madame Merle has had anything to do with my engagement
you're greatly mistaken," Isabel declared with a sort of ardent
coldness.

"You mean that your attractions were sufficient, without the gentleman's
having had to be lashed up? You're quite right. They're immen