"
"It's very well to show it to her, but it's out of place to show
it to others. Her father has told her not to dance with you."
"And is that all you can do for me? I expected more from you, Mrs.
Osmond," said the young man in a tone of fine general reference.
"You know our acquaintance goes back very far-quite into the days of
our innocent childhood."
"Don't make me out too old," Isabel patiently answered. "You come
back to that very often, and I've never denied it. But I must tell you
that, old friends as we are, if you had done me the honour to ask me
to marry you I should have refused you on the spot."
"Ah, you don't esteem me then. Say at once that you think me a
mere Parisian trifler!"
"I esteem you very much, but I'm not in love with you. What I mean
by that, of course, is that I'm not in love with you for Pansy."
"Very good; I see. You pity me-that's all." And Edward Rosier looked
all round, inconsequently, with his single glass. It was a
revelation to him that people shouldn't be more pleased; but he was at
least too proud to show that the deficiency struck him as general.
Isabel for a moment said nothing.
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