318 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. "I don't see that I am bound to consider Mr. Osmond so much ! " he exclaimed. " No, but you should consider her. You say you are an old friend. Would you make her suffer 1 " " Not for the world." " Then be very careful, and let the matter alone until I have taken a few soundings." " Let the matter alone, dear Madame Merle ? Remember that I am in love." " Oh, you won't burn up. Why did you come to me, if you are not to heed what I say 1 " "You are very kind; I will be very good," the young man promised. " But I am afraid Mr. Osmond is rather difficult," lie added, in his mild voice, as he went to the door. Madame Merle gave a light laugh: " It has been said before. But his wife is not easy either." " Ah, she's a splendid woman ! " Ned Rosier repeated, passing out. He resolved that his conduct should be worthy of a young man who was already a model of discretion ; but he saw nothing in any pledge he had given Madame Merle that made it im- proper he should keep himself in spirits by an occasional visit to Miss Osmond's home. He reflected constantly on what Madame Merle had said to him, and turned over in his mind the impres- sion of her somewhat peculiar manner. He had gone to her de confiance, as they said in Paris ; but it was possible that 'he had been precipitate. He found difficulty in thinking of himself as rash he had incurred this reproach so rarely ; but it certainly was true that he had known Madame Merle only for the last month, and that his thinking her a delightful woman was not, when one came to look into it, a reason for assuming that she would be eager to push Pansy Osmond into his arms gracefully arranged as these members might be to receive her. Beyond this, Madame Merle had been very gracious to him, and she was a person of consideration among the girl's people, where she had a rather striking appearance (Rosier had more than once won- dered how she managed it), of being intimate without being familiar. But possibly he had exaggerated these advantages. There was no particular reason why she should take trouble for him ; a charming woman was charming to every one, and Rosier felt rather like a fool when he thought of his appealing to Madame Merle on the ground that she had distinguished him. Very likely though she had appeared to say it in joke she was re illy only thinking of his bibelots. Had it come into hei
