Lord Warburton was not seen in Mrs.Osmond's drawing-room for several days, and Isabel couldn't fail to observe that her husband said nothing to her about having received a letter from him.She couldn't fail to observe, either, that Osmond was in a state of expectancy and that, though it was not agreeable to him to betray it, he thought their distinguished friend kept him waiting quite too long.At the end of four days he alluded to his absence.
"What has become of Warburton? What does he mean by treating one like a tradesman with a bill?""I know nothing about him," Isabel said."I saw him last Friday at the German ball.He told me then that he meant to write to you.""He has never written to me."
"So I supposed, from your not having told me.""He's an odd fish," said Osmond comprehensively.And on Isabel's making no rejoinder he went on to enquire whether it took his lordship five days to indite a letter."Does he form his words with such difficulty?""I don't know," Isabel was reduced to replying."I've never had a letter from him.""Never had a letter? I had an idea that you were at one time in intimate correspondence."She answered that this had not been the case, and let the conversation drop.On the morrow, however, coming into the drawing-room late in the afternoon, her husband took it up again.
"When Lord Warburton told you of his intention of writing what did you say to him?" he asked.
She just faltered."I think I told him not to forget it.""Did you believe there was a danger of that?""As you say, he's an odd fish."
"Apparently he has forgotten it," said Osmond."Be so good as to remind "Should you like me to write to him?" she demanded.
"I've no objection whatever."
"You expect too much of me."
"Ah yes, I expect a great deal of you."
"I'm afraid I shall disappoint you," said Isabel.
"My expectations have survived a good deal of disappointment.""Of course I know that.Think how I must have disappointed myself!
If you really wish hands laid on Lord Warburton you must lay them yourself."For a couple of minutes Osmond answered nothing; then he said: "That won't be easy, with you working against me."Isabel started; she felt herself beginning to tremble.He had a way of looking at her through half-closed eyelids, as if he were thinking of her but scarcely saw her, which seemed to her to have a wonderfully cruel intention.It appeared to recognize her as a disagreeable necessity of thought, but to ignore her for the time as a presence.That effect had never been so marked as now."I think you accuse me of something very base," she returned.
"I accuse you of not being trustworthy.If he doesn't after all come forward it will be because you've kept him off.I don't know that it's base: it is the kind of thing a woman always thinks she may do.I've no doubt you've the finest ideas about it.""I told you I would do what I could," she went on.
"Yes, that gained you time."
It came over her, after he had said this, that she had once thought him beautiful."How much you must want to make sure of him!"she exclaimed in a moment.
She had no sooner spoken than she perceived the full reach of her words, of which she had not been conscious in uttering them.They made a comparison between Osmond and herself, recalled the fact that she had once held this coveted treasure in her hand and felt herself rich enough to let it fall.A momentary exultation took possession of her-a horrible delight in having wounded him; for his face instantly told her that none of the force of her exclamation was lost.
He expressed nothing otherwise, however; he only said quickly: "Yes, Iwant it immensely."
At this moment a servant came in to usher a visitor, and he was followed the next by Lord Warburton, who received a visible check on seeing Osmond.He looked rapidly from the master of the house to the mistress; a movement that seemed to denote a reluctance to interrupt or even a perception of ominous conditions.Then he advanced, with his English address, in which a vague shyness seemed to offer itself as an element of good breeding; in which the only defect was a difficulty in achieving transitions.Osmond was embarrassed; he found nothing to say; but Isabel remarked, promptly enough, that they had been in the act of talking about their visitor.Upon this her husband added that they hadn't known what was become of him-they had been afraid he had gone away."No," he explained, smiling and looking at Osmond; "I'm only on the point of going." And then he mentioned that he found himself suddenly recalled to England: he should start on the morrow or the day after."I'm awfully sorry to leave poor Touchett!" he ended by exclaiming.
For a moment neither of his companions spoke; Osmond only leaned back in his chair, listening.Isabel didn't look at him; she could only fancy how he looked.Her eyes were on their visitor's face, where they were the more free to rest that those of his lordship carefully avoided them.Yet Isabel was sure that had she met his glance she would have found it expressive."You had better take poor Touchett with you," she heard her husband say, lightly enough, in a moment.
"He had better wait for warmer weather," Lord Warburton answered."Ishouldn't advise him to travel just now."He sat there a quarter of an hour, talking as if he might not soon see them again-unless indeed they should come to England, a course he strongly recommended.Why shouldn't they come to England in the autumn?-that struck him as a very happy thought.It would give him such pleasure to do what he could for them-to have them come and spend a month with him.Osmond, by his own admission, had been to England but once; which was an absurd state of things for a man of his leisure and intelligence.It was just the country for him-he would be sure to get on well there.Then Lord Warburton asked Isabel if she remembered what a good time she had had there and if she didn't want to try it again.Didn't she want to see Gardencourt once more?
