462 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. bellow applause, and where now the wild flowers (when they are allowed), bloom in the deep crevices ; and to-day she felt weary, and preferred to sit in the despoiled arena. It made an inter- mission, too, for the Countess often asked more from one's attention than she gave in return ; and Isabel believed that when she was alone with her niece she let the dust gather for a moment upon the ancient scandals of Florence. She remained below, therefore, while Pansy guided her undiscriminating aunt to the steep brick staircase at the foot of which the custodian unlocks the tall wooden gate. The great inclosure was half in shadow ; the western sun brought out the pale red tone of the great blocks of travertine the latent colour which is the only living element in the immense ruin. Here and there wandered a peasant or a tourist, looking up at the far sky-line where in the clear stillness a multitude of swallows kept circling and plunging. Isabel presently became aware that one of the other visitors, planted in the middle of the arena, had turned his attention to her own person, and was looking at her with a certain little poise of the head, which she had some weeks before perceived to be characteristic of baffled but indestructible purpose. . Such an attitude, to-day, could belong only to Mr. Edward Rosier ; and this gentleman proved in fact to have been considering the question of speaking to her. When he had assured himself that she was unaccompanied he drew near, remarking that though she would not answer his letters she would perhaps not wholly close her ears to his spoken eloquence. '"She replied that her step-daughter was close at hand and she could only give him five minutes ; whereupon he took out his watch and sat down upon a broken block. " It's very soon told," said Edward Eosier. " I have sold all my bibelots ! " Isabel gave, instinctively, an exclamation of horror ; it was as if he had told her he had had all his teeth drawn. " I have sold them by auction at the Hotel Drouot," he went >n. " The sale took place three days ago, and they have tele- graphed me the result. It's magnificent." " I am glad to hear it ; but I wish you had kept your pretty things." " I have the money instead forty thousand dollars. Will Mr. Osmond think me rich enough now ? " " Is it for that you did it? " Isabel asked, gently. " For what else in the world could it be 1 That is the only thing I think of. I went to Paris and made my arrangements. I couldn't stop for the sale ; I couldn't have seen them going
