THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 415 " I have no objection whatever." " You expect too much of me." " Ah yes, I expect a great deal of you." " I am afraid I shall disappoint you," said Isabel. " My expectations have survived a good deal of disappoint- ment," " Of course I know that. Think how I must have disappointed myself ! If you really wish to capture Lord Warburton, you must do it yourself." For a couple of minutes Osmond answered nothing ; then he gaid "That won't be easy, with you working against me." Isabel started ; she felt herself beginning to tremble. He had a way of looking at her through half-closed eyelids, as if he were thinking of her but scarcely saw her, which seemed to her to have a wonderfully cruel intention. It appeared to recognise her as a disagreeable necessity of thought, but to ignore her, for the time, as a presence. That was the expression of his eyes now. " I think you accuse me of something very base," she said. " I accuse you of not being trustworthy. If he doesn't come up to the mark 'it will be because you have kept him off. I don't know that it's base ; it is the kind of thing a woman always thinks she may do. I have no doubt you have the finest ideas about it." " I told you I would do what I could," said Isabel. "Yes, that gained you time." It came over Isabel, after he had said this, that she had once thought him beautiful. " How much you must wish to capture him ! " she exclaimed, in a moment. She had no sooner spoken than she perceived the full reach of her words, of which she had not been conscious in uttering them. They made a comparison between Osmond and herself, recalled the fact that she had once held this coveted treasure in her hand and felt herself rich enough to let it fall. A moment- ary exultation took possession of her a horrible delight in having wounded him ; for his face instantly told her that none of the force of her exclamation was lost. Osmond expressed nothing otherwise, however; he only said, quickly, "Yes, I wish it very much." At this moment a servant .came in, a,s if to usher a visitor, and he was followed the next by Lord Warburton, who received a visible check on seeing Osmond. He looked rapidly from the master of the house to the mistress ; a movement that seemed to denote a reluctance to interrupt or even a perception of ominous
