It's very odd Pansy's
admirers should all be your old friends."
"It's natural that they should come to see me. In coming to see me
they see Pansy. Seeing her it's natural they should fall in love
with her."
"So I think. But you're not bound to do so."
"If she should marry Lord Warburton I should be very glad," Isabel
went on frankly. "He's an excellent man. You say, however, that she
has only to sit perfectly still. Perhaps she won't sit perfectly
still. If she loses Mr. Rosier she may jump up!"
Osmond appeared to give no heed to this; he sat gazing at the fire.
"Pansy would like to be a great lady," he remarked in a moment
with a certain tenderness of tone. "She wishes above all to please,"
he added.
"To please Mr. Rosier, perhaps."
"No, to please me."
"Me too a little, I think," said Isabel.
"Yes, she has a great opinion of you. But she'll do what I like."
"If you're sure of that, it's very well," she went on.
"Meantime," said Osmond, "I should like our distinguished visitor to
speak."
"He has spoken-to me. He has told me it would be a great pleasure to
him to believe she could care for him."
Osmond turned his head quickly, but at first he said nothing.
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