THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 249 " Not too much so, however," Madame Merle answered. She talked with her usual smile, leaning back in her chair, and looking round the room. " You have made a very good im- pression, and I have seen for myself that you have received one. You have not come to Mrs. Touchett's seven times to oblige me." " The girl is not disagreeable," Osmond quietly remarked. Madame Merle dropped her eye on him a moment, during which her lips closed with a certain firmness. " Is that all you can find to say about that fine creature 1 " "All? Isn't it enough? Of how many people have you heard me say more ? " She made no answer to this, but still presented her convers- ational smile to the room. " You're unfathomable," she murmured at last. " I am frightened at the abyss into which I shall have dropped her ! " Osmond gave a laugh. " You can't draw back you have gone too far." " Very good ; but you must do the rest yourself." " I shall do it," said Osmond. Madame Merle remained silent, and he changed his place again; but when she rose to go he also took leave. Mrs. Touchett's victoria was awaiting her in the court, and after he had helped Madame Merle into it he stood there detaining her. " You are very indiscreet," she said, rather wearily ; " you should not have moved when I did." He had taken off his hat; he passed his hand over his forehead. " I always forget ; I am out of the habit." " You are quite unfathomable," she .repeated, glancing up at the windows of the house ; a modern structure in the new part of the town. He paid no heed to this remark, but said to Madame Merle, with a considerable appearance of -earnestness " She is really verv charming ; I have scarcely known any one more graceful." " I like to hear you say that. The better you like her, the better for me." " I like her very much. She is all you said, and into the bargain she is capable of great devotion. She has only one fault." " What is that 1 " " She has too many ideas."
