"He needn't be afraid; I shall never refer to him," said Miss Stackpole with bland dryness."That's another reason," she added, "why I wanted to come to see you.You know Mr.Osmond married my dearest friend.""Ah, yes; you were a friend of Isabel's.I was trying to think what I knew about you."quite willing to be known by that," Henrietta declared."But that isn't what your brother likes to know me by.He has tried to break up my relations with Isabel.""Don't permit it," said the Countess.
"That's what I want to talk about.I'm going to Rome.""So am I!" the Countess cried."We'll go together.""With great pleasure.And when I write about my journey I'll mention you by name as my companion."The Countess sprang from her chair and came and sat on the sofa beside her visitor."Ah, you must send me the paper! My husband won't like it, but he need never see it.Besides, he doesn't know how to read."Henrietta's large eyes became immense."Doesn't know how to read?
May I put that into my letter?
"Into your letter?"
"In the Interviewer.That's my paper."
"Oh yes, if you like; with his name.Are you going to stay with Isabel?"Henrietta held up her head, gazing a little in silence at her hostess."She has not asked me.I wrote to her I was coming, and she answered that she would engage a room for me at a pension.She gave no reason."The Countess listened with extreme interest."The reason's Osmond," she pregnantly remarked.
"Isabel ought to make a stand," said Miss Stackpole."I'm afraid she has changed a great deal.I told her she would.""I'm sorry to hear it; I hoped she would have her own way.Why doesn't my brother like you?" the Countess ingenuously added.
"I don't know and I don't care.He's perfectly welcome not to like me; I don't want every one to like me; I should think less of myself if some people did.A journalist can't hope to do much good unless he gets a good deal hated; that's the way he knows how his work goes on.And it's just the same for a lady.But I didn't expect it of Isabel.""Do you mean that she hates you?" the Countess enquired.
"I don't know; I want to see.That's what I'm going to Rome for.""Dear me, what a tiresome errand!" the Countess exclaimed.
"She doesn't write to me in the same way; it's easy to see there's a difference.If you know anything," Miss Stackpole went on, "I should like to hear it beforehand, so as to decide on the line I shall take."The Countess thrust out her under lip and gave a gradual shrug."Iknow very little; I see and hear very little of Osmond.He doesn't like me any better than he appears to like you.""Yet you're not a lady correspondent," said Henrietta pensively.
"Oh, he has plenty of reasons.Nevertheless they've invited me-I'm to stay in the house!" And the Countess smiled almost fiercely; her exultation, for the moment, took little account of Miss Stackpole's disappointment.
This lady, however, regarded it very placidly."I shouldn't have gone if she had asked me.That is I think I shouldn't; and I'm glad I hadn't to make up my mind.It would have been a very difficult question.I shouldn't have liked to turn away from her, and yet Ishouldn't have been happy under her roof.A pension will suit me very well.But that's not all.""Rome's very good just now," said the Countess; "there are all sorts of brilliant people.Did you ever hear of Lord Warburton?""Hear of him? I know him very well.Do you consider him very brilliant?" Henrietta enquired.
"I don't know him, but I'm told he's extremely grand seigneur.
He's making love to Isabel."
"Making love to her?"
"So I'm told; I don't know the details," said the Countess lightly."But Isabel's pretty safe."Henrietta gazed earnestly at her companion; for a moment she said nothing."When do you go to Rome?" she enquired abruptly.
"Not for a week, I'm afraid."
"I shall go to-morrow," Henrietta said."I think I had better not wait.""Dear me, I'm sorry; I'm having some dresses made.I'm told Isabel receives immensely.But I shall see you there; I shall call on you at your pension." Henrietta sat still-she was lost in thought; and suddenly the Countess cried: "Ah, but if you don't go with me you can't describe our journey!"Miss Stackpole seemed unmoved by this consideration; she was thinking of something else and presently expressed it."I'm not sure that I understand you about Lord Warburton.""Understand me? I mean he's very nice, that's all.""Do you consider it nice to make love to married women?" Henrietta enquired with unprecedented distinctness.
The Countess stared, and then with a little violent laugh: "It's certain all the nice men do it.Get married and you'll see!" she added.
"That idea would be enough to prevent me," said Miss Stackpole."Ishould want my own husband; I shouldn't want any one else's.Do you mean that Isabel's guilty-guilty-?" And she paused a little, choosing her expression.
"Do I mean she's guilty? Oh dear no, not yet, I hope.I only mean that Osmond's very tiresome and that Lord Warburton, as I hear, is a great deal at the house.I'm afraid you're scandalized.""No, I'm just anxious," Henrietta said.
"Ah, you're not very complimentary to Isabel! You should have more confidence.I'll tell you," the Countess added quickly: "if it will be a comfort to you I engage to draw him off."Miss Stackpole answered at first only with the deeper solemnity of her gaze."You don't understand me," she said after a while."Ihaven't the idea you seem to suppose.I'm not afraid for Isabel-in that way.I'm only afraid she's unhappy-that's what I want to get at."The Countess gave a dozen turns of the head; she looked impatient and sarcastic."That may very well be; for my part I should like to know whether Osmond is." Miss Stackpole had begun a little to bore her.
"If she's really changed that must be at the bottom of it,"Henrietta went on.
"You'll see; she'll tell you," said the Countess.
"Ah, she may not tell me-that's what I'm afraid of!" "Well, if Osmond isn't amusing himself-in his own old way-I flatter myself Ishall discover it," the Countess rejoined.
