218 THE POKTRAIT OF A LADY. late years he has taken up his abode in Florence ; I remember hearing him say once that Borne has grown vulgar. He has a great dread of vulgarity ; that's his special line ; he hasn't any other that I know of. He lives on his income, which I suspect of not being vulgarly large. He's a poor gentleman that's what he calls himself. He married young and lost his wife, and I believe he has a daughter. He also has a sister, who is married to some little Count or other, of these parts; I remember meeting her of old. She is nicer than he, I should think, but rather wicked. I remember there used to be some stories about her. I don't think I recommend you to know her. But why don't you ask Madame Merle about these people 1 She knows them all much better than I." " I ask you because I want your opinion as well as hers," said Isabel. " A fig for my opinion ! If you fall in love with Mr. Osmond, what will you care for that? " " Not much, probably. But meanwhile it has a certain importance. The more information one has about a person the better." " I don't agree to that. "We know too much about people in these days ; we hear too much. Our ears, our minds, our mouths, are stuffed with personalities. Don't mind anything that any one tells you about any one else. Judge every one and everything for yourself." " That's what I try to do," said Isabel ; " but when you do that people call you conceited." " You are not to mind them that's precisely my argument ; not to mind what they say about yourself any more than what they say about your friend or your enemy." Isabel was silent a moment. " I think you are right ; but there are some things I can't help minding : for instance, when my friend is attacked, or when I myself am praised." U 0f course you are always at liberty to judge the critic. Judge people as critics, however," Ralph added, "and you will condemn them all ! " " I shall see Mr. Osmond for myself," said Isabel. " I have promised to pay him a visit." " To pay him a visit ? " " To go and see his view, his pictures, his daughter I don't know exactly what. Madame Merle is to take me she tells me a great many ladies call upon him." "Ah, with Madame Merle you may go anywhere, de con- fiance" said Ealph. " She knows none but the best people."
