Touchett had undergone a perceptible change. Isabel's aunt had told
her, without circumlocution, that she had played too ingenious a part;
and Madame Merle, who never quarrelled with any one, who appeared to
think no one worth it, and who had performed the miracle of living,
more or less, for several years with Mrs. Touchett and showing no
symptom of irritation-Madame Merle now took a very high tone and
declared that this was an accusation from which she couldn't stoop
to defend herself. She added, however (without stooping), that her
behaviour had been only too simple, that she had believed only what
she saw, that she saw Isabel was not eager to marry and Osmond not
eager to please (his repeated visits had been nothing; he was boring
himself to death on his hill-top and he came merely for amusement).
Isabel had kept her sentiments to herself, and her journey to Greece
and Egypt had effectually thrown dust in her companion's eyes.
Madame Merle accepted the event-she was unprepared to think of it as a
scandal; but that she had played any part in it, double or single, was
an imputation against which she proudly protested. It was doubtless in
consequence of Mrs.
Pages:
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684