THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 325 " It's not for winter evenings ; it's more for summer," she said. " It's papa's taste ; he has so much." He had a good deal, Rosier thought ; but some of it was bad. He looked about him ; he hardly knew what to say in such a situation. " Doesn't Mrs. Osmond care how her rooms are done ] Has she no ta4e ? " he asked. "Oh yes, a great deal; but it's more for literature," said Pansy " and for conversation. But papa cares also for those things : I think he knows everything." Eosier was silent a moment. " There is one thing I am sure he knows ! " he broke out presently. " He knows that when I come here it is, with all respect to him, with all respect to Mrs. Osmond, who is so charming it is really," said the young man, " to see you ! " "To see me?" asked Pansy, raising her vaguely-troubled "To see you; that's what I come for," Rosier repeated, feeling the intoxication of a rupture with authority. Pansy stood looking at him, simply, intently, openly; a blush was not needed to make her face more modest. " I thought it was for that," she said. " And it was not disagreeable to you ? " "I couldn't tell; I didn't know. You never told me," said Pansy. "I was afraid of offending you." " You don't offend me," the young girl murmured, smiling as if an angel had kissed her. "You like me then, Pansy V Rosier asked, very gently, feeling very happy. - Yes I like you." They had walked to the chimney-piece, where the big cold Empire clock was perched ; they were well within the room, and beyond observation from without. The tone in which she had said these four words seemed to him the very breath of nature, and his only answer could be to take her hand and hold it a moment. Then he raised it to his lips. She submitted, still with her pure, trusting smile, in which there was some- thing ineffably passive. She liked him she had liked him all the while ; now anything might happen ! She was ready she had been ready always, waiting for him to speak. If he had not spoken she would have waited for ever ; but when the word came she dropped like the peach from the shaken tree. Rosier felt that if he should draw her towards him and hold her to his heart, she would submit without a murmur, she would rest there
