THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 483 even a little miserable. It may be good for a young girl ; I know so little about young girls, I can't tell. At any rate it's a little dismal. Therefore I came on the chance. I knew of course that you would come, and her father as well ; still, I had not been told that other visitors were forbidden. The good woman what's her name 1 Madame Catherine made no objec- tion whatever. I stayed twenty minutes with Pansy ; she has a charming little room, not in the least conventual, with a- piano and flowers. She has arranged it delightfully ; she has so much taste. Of course it's all none of my business, but I feel happier since I have seen her. She may even have a maid if she likes ; but of course she has no occasion to dress. She wears a little black dress ; she looks so charming. I went afterwards to see Mother Catherine, who has a very good room too ; I assure you I don't find the poor sisters at all monastic. Mother Catherine has a most coquettish little toilet-table, with something that looked uncommonly like a bottle of eau-de-Cologne. She speaks delightfully of Pansy ; says it's a great happiness for them to have her. She is a little saint of heaven, and a model to 'the oldest of them. Just as I was leaving Madame Catherine, the portress came to say to her that there was a lady for the Signorina. Of course I knew it must be you, and I asked her to let me go and receive you in her place. She demurred greatly I must tell you thatand said it was her duty to notify the Superior ; it was of such high importance that you should be treated with respect. I requested her to let the poor Superior alone, and asked her how she supposed I would treat you ! " So Madame Merle went on, with much of the brilliancy of a woman who had long been a mistress of the art of conversation. But there were phases and gradations in her speech, not one of which was lost upon Isabel's ear, though her eyes were absent from her companion's face. She had not proceeded far before Isabel noted a sudden rupture in her voice, which was in itself a complete drama. This subtle modulation marked a momentous discovery the perception of an entirely new attitude on the part of her listener. Madame Merle had guessed in the space of an instant that everything was at end between them, and in the space of another instant she had guessed the reason why. The person who stood there was not the same one she had seen hitherto ; it was a very different person a person who knew her secret. This discovery was tremendous, and for the moment she made it the most accomplished of women faltered and lost her courage. But only f or that moment. Then the conscious stream of her perfect manner gathered itself again and flowed on as 112
