226 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. you like them they are off again ! I have been deceived too often ; I have ceased to form attachments ; to permit myself to feel attractions. You mean to stay to settle 1 That would be really comfortable. Ah yes, your aunt is a sort of guarantee ; I believe she may be depended upon. Oh, she's an old Florentine ; I mean literally an old one ; not a modern outsider. She is a contemporary of the Medici ; she must have been present at the burning of Savonarola, and I am not sure she didn't throw a handful of chips into the flame. Her face is very much like some faces in the early pictures ; little, dry, definite faces, that must have had a good deal of expression, but almost always the same one. Indeed, I can show you her portrait in a fresco of Ghirlandaio's. I hope you don't object to my speaking that way of your aunt, eh 1 ? I have an idea you don't. Perhaps you think that's even worse. I assure you there is no want of respect in it, to either of you. You know I'm a particular admirer of Mrs. Touchett." While Isabel's host exerted himself to entertain her in this somewhat confidential fashion, she looked occasionally at Madame Merle, who met her eyes with an inattentive smile in which, on this occasion, there was no infelicitous intimation that our heroine appeared to advantage. Madame Merle event- ually proposed to the Countess Gemini that they should go into the garden, and the Countess, rising and shaking out her soft plumage, began to rustle toward the door. " Poor Miss Archer ! " she exclaimed, surveying the other group with expressive compassion. " She has been brought quite into the family." " Miss Archer can certainly have nothing but sympathy for a family to which you belong," Mr. Osmond answered, with a laugh which, though it had something of a mocking ring, was not ill-natured. " I don't know what you mean by that ! I am sure she will see no harm in me but what you tell her. I am better than he says, Miss Archer," the Countess went on. "I am only rather light. Is that all he has said 1 Ah then, you keep him in good humour. Has he opened on one of his favourite subjects ? I give you notice that there are two or three that he treats a fond. In that case you had better take off your bonnet." " I don't think I know what Mr. Osmond's favourite subjects are," said Isabel, who had risen to her feet. The Countess assumed, for an instant, an attitude of intense meditation ; pressing one of her hands, with the finger-tips gathered together, to her forehead.
