And he waited, though it took a long time yet.There were several people, at the end, who seemed tethered to the carpet.The Countess Gemini, who was never herself till midnight, as she said, displayed no consciousness that the entertainment was over; she had still a little circle of gentlemen in front of the fire, who every now and then broke into a united laugh.Osmond had disappeared- he never bade good-bye to people; and as the Countess was extending her range, according to her custom at this period of the evening, Isabel sent Pansy to bed.Isabel sat a little apart; she too appeared to wish her sister-in-law would sound a lower note and let the last loiterers depart in peace.
"May I not say a word to you now?" Goodwood presently asked her.
She got up immediately, smiling."Certainly, we'll go somewhere else if you like." They went together, leaving the Countess with her little circle, and for a moment after they had crossed the threshold neither of them spoke.Isabel would not sit down; she stood in the middle of the room slowly fanning herself; she had for him the same familiar grace.She seemed to wait for him to speak.Now that he was alone with her all the passion he had never stifled surged into his senses; it hummed in his eyes and made things swim round him.The bright, empty room grew dim and blurred, and through the heaving veil he felt her hover before him with gleaming eyes and parted lips.If he had seen more distinctly he would have perceived her smile was fixed and a trifle forced-that she was frightened at what she saw in his own face."I suppose you wish to bid me good-bye?" she said.
"Yes- but I don't like it.I don't want to leave Rome," he answered with almost plaintive honesty.
"I can well imagine.It's wonderfully good of you.I can't tell you how kind I think you."For a moment more he said nothing."With a few words like that you make me go.""You must come back some day," she brightly returned."Some day? You mean as long a time hence as possible." "Oh no; I don't mean all that.""What do you mean? I don't understand! But I said I'd go, and I'll go,"Goodwood added.
"Come back whenever you like," said Isabel with attempted lightness.
"I don't care a straw for your cousin!" Caspar broke out.
"Is that what you wished to tell me?"
"No, no; I didn't want to tell you anything.I wanted to ask you-"he paused a moment, and then-"what have you really made of your life?"he said, in a low, quick tone.He paused again, as if for an answer;but she said nothing, and he went on: "I can't understand, I can't penetrate you! What am I to believe-what do you want me to think?"Still she said nothing; she only stood looking at him, now quite without pretending to ease."I'm told you're unhappy, and if you are Ishould like to know it.That would be something for me.But you yourself say you're happy, and you're somehow so still, so smooth, so hard.You're completely changed.You conceal everything; Ihaven't really come near you."
"You come very near," Isabel said gently, but in a tone of warning.
"And yet I don't touch you! I want to know the truth.Have you done well?""You ask a great deal."
