fore." With which, before Mrs.
Assingham could meet the appeal, she had addressed herself to the Prince
on a matter much nearer to him. "YOUR marriage is on Friday?--on
Saturday?"

"Oh, on Friday, no! For what do you take us? There's not a vulgar
omen we're neglecting. On Saturday, please, at the Oratory, at three
o'clock--before twelve assistants exactly."

"Twelve including ME?"

It struck him--he laughed. "You'll make the thirteenth. It won't do!"

"Not," said Charlotte, "if you're going in for 'omens.' Should you like
me to stay away?"

"Dear no--we'll manage. We'll make the round number--we'll have in some
old woman. They must keep them there for that, don't they?"

Mrs. Assingham's return had at last indicated for him his departure; he
had possessed himself again of his hat and approached her to take leave.
But he had another word for Charlotte. "I dine to-night with Mr. Verver.
Have you any message?"

The girl seemed to wonder a little. "For Mr. Verver?"

"For Maggie--about her seeing you early. That, I know, is what she'll
like."

"Then I'll come early--thanks."

"I daresay," he went on, "she'll send for you. I mean send a carriage."

"Oh, I don't require that, thanks. I can go, for a penny, can't I?" she
asked of Mrs. Assingham, "in an omnibus."

"Oh, I say!" said the Prince while Mrs. Assingham looked at her blandly.

"Yes, love--and I'll give you the penny. She shall get there," the good
lady added to their friend.

But Charlotte, as the latter took leave of her, thought of something
else. "There's a great favour, Prince, that I want to ask of you. I
want, between this and Saturday, to make Maggie a marriage-present."

"Oh, I say!" the young man again soothingly exclaimed.

"Ah, but I MUST," she went on. "It's really almost for that I came back.
It was impossible to get in America what I wanted."

Mrs. Assingham showed anxiety. "What is it then, dear, you want?"

But the girl looked only at their companion. "That's what the Prince, if
he'll be so good, must help me to decide."

"Can't _I_," Mrs. Assingham asked, "help you to decide?"

"Certainly, darling, we must talk it well over." And she kept her eyes
on the Prince. "But I want him, if he kindly will, to go with me to
look. I want him to judge with me and choose. That, if you can spare the
hour," she said, "is the great favour I mean."

He raised his eyebrows at her--he wonderfully smiled. "What you came
back from America to ask?