That of course was not the best
taste; that was rather violent. She remembered too much that Isabel
was married; that she had now other interests; that though she, Madame
Merle, had known Gilbert Osmond and his little Pansy very well, better
almost than any one, she was not after all of the inner circle. She
was on her guard; she never spoke of their affairs till she was asked,
even pressed when her opinion was wanted; she had a dread of seeming
to meddle. Madame Merle was as candid as we know, and one day she
candidly expressed this dread to Isabel.
"I must be on my guard," she said; "I might so easily, without
suspecting it, offend you. You would be right to be offended, even
if my intention should have been of the purest. I must not forget that
I knew your husband long before you did; I must not let that betray
me. If you were a silly woman you might be jealous. You're not a silly
woman; I know that perfectly. But neither am I; therefore I'm
determined not to get into trouble. A little harm's very soon done;
a mistake's made before one knows it. Of course if I had wished to
make love to your husband I had ten years to do it in, and nothing
to prevent; so it isn't likely I shall begin to-day, when I'm so
much less attractive than I was.
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