might be, the character and office of one of those revolving
subordinate presences that float in the wake of greatness.

The precedent was therefore established and the group normally
constituted. Mrs. Assingham, meanwhile, at table, on the stairs, in
the carriage or the opera-box, might--with her constant overflow of
expression, for that matter, and its singularly resident character where
men in especial were concerned--look across at Amerigo in whatever sense
she liked: it was not of that Maggie proposed to be afraid. She might
warn him, she might rebuke him, she might reassure him, she might--if it
were impossible not to--absolutely make love to him; even this was open
to her, as a matter simply between them, if it would help her to answer
for the impeccability he had guaranteed. And Maggie desired in fact
only to strike her as acknowledging the efficacy of her aid when she
mentioned to her one evening a small project for the morrow, privately
entertained--the idea, irresistible, intense, of going to pay, at the
Museum, a visit to Mr. Crichton. Mr. Crichton, as Mrs. Assingham could
easily remember, was the most accomplished and obliging of public
functionaries, whom every one knew and who knew every one--who had from
the first, in particular, lent himself freely, and for the love of art
and history, to becoming one of the steadier lights of Mr. Verver's
adventurous path. The custodian of one of the richest departments of
the great national collection of precious things, he could feel for the
sincere private collector and urge him on his way even when condemned
to be present at his capture of trophies sacrificed by the country to
parliamentary thrift. He carried his amiability to the point of saying
that, since London, under pettifogging views, had to miss, from time to
time, its rarest opportunities, he was almost consoled to see such lost
causes invariably wander at last, one by one, with the tormenting tinkle
of their silver bells, into the wondrous, the already famous fold beyond
the Mississippi. There was a charm in his "almosts" that was not to
be resisted, especially after Mr. Verver and Maggie had grown sure--or
almost, again--of enjoying the monopoly of them; and on this basis of
envy changed to sympathy by the more familiar view of the father and the
daughter, Mr. Crichton had at both houses, though especially in Eaton
Square, learned to fill out the responsive and suggestive character. It
was at his invitat