Mr.
Bantling, who had now returned to England, was her companion for the
first four weeks of her stay; and about Mr. Bantling there was nothing
dreamy. Isabel learned from her friend that the two had led a life
of great personal intimacy and that this had been a peculiar advantage
to Henrietta, owing to the gentleman's remarkable knowledge of
Paris. He had explained everything, shown her everything, been her
constant guide and interpreter. They had breakfasted together, dined
together, gone to the theatre together, supped together, really in a
manner quite lived together. He was a true friend, Henrietta more than
once assured our heroine; and she had never supposed that she could
like any Englishman so well. Isabel could not have told you why, but
she found something that ministered to mirth in the alliance the
correspondent of the Interviewer had struck with Lady Pensil's
brother; her amusement moreover subsisted in face of the fact that she
thought it a credit to each of them. Isabel couldn't rid herself of
a suspicion that they were playing somehow at cross-purposes- that the
simplicity of each had been entrapped. But this simplicity was on
either side none the less honourable.
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