264 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. of the room threw thorn into relief ; the polished marble floor reflected their beauty. She had seen them all before, but her enjoyment repeated itself, and it was all the greater because she was glad, for the time, to be alone. At the last her thoughts wandered away from them, solicited by images of a vitality more complete. An occasional tourist came into the room, stopped and stared a moment at the Dying Gladiator, and then passed out of the other door, creaking over the smooth pave- ment. At the end of half-an-hour Gilbert Osmond reappeared, apparently in advance of his companions. He strolled towards her slowly, with his hands behind him, and with his usual bright, inquiring, yet not appealing smile. " I am surprised to find you alone," he said. " I thought you had company." " So I have the best." And Isabel glanced at the circle of sculpture. " Do you call this better company than an English peer ? " " Ah, my English peer left me some time ago," said Isabel, getting up. She spoke, with intention, a little dryly. Mr. Osmond noted her dryness, but it did not prevent him from giving a laugh. " I am afraid that what I heard the other evening is true ; you are rather cruel to that nobleman." Isabel looked a moment at the vanquished Gladiator. " It is not true. I am scrupulously kind." " That's exactly what I mean ! " Gilbert Osmond exclaimed, so humorously that his joke needs to be explained. We knew that he was fond of originals, of rarities, of the superior, the exquisite ; and now that he had seen Lord War- burton, whom he thought a very fine example of his race and order, he perceived a new attraction in the idea of taking to himself a young lady who had qualified herself to figure in his collection of choice objects by rejecting the splendid offer of a British aristocrat. Gilbert Osmond had a high appreciation of the British aristocracy he had never forgiven Providence for not making him an English duke and could measure the unex- pectedness of this conduct. It would be proper that the woman he should marry should have done something of that sort.
