"It's not that I'm afraid of your repeating what I say," her fellow visitor answered; "I'm afraid, on the contrary, of your taking it too much to yourself.You'd judge me too harshly; you're of the cruel age." She preferred for the present to talk to Isabel of Isabel, and exhibited the greatest interest in our heroine's history, sentiments, opinions, prospects.She made her chatter and listened to her chatter infinite good nature.This flattered and quickened the girl, who was struck with all the distinguished people her friend had known and with her having lived, as Mrs.Touchett said, in the best company in Europe.Isabel thought the better of herself for enjoying the favour of a person who had so large a field of comparison; and it was perhaps partly to gratify the sense of profiting by comparison that she often appealed to these stores of reminiscence.Madame Merle had been a dweller in many lands and had social ties in a dozen different countries."I don't pretend to be educated," she would say, "but I think I know my Europe"; and she spoke one day of going to Sweden to stay with an old friend, and another of proceeding to Malta to follow up a new acquaintance.With England, where she had often dwelt, she was thoroughly familiar, and for Isabel's benefit threw a great deal of light upon the customs of the country and the character of the people, who "after all," as she was fond of saying, were the most convenient in the world to live with.
"You mustn't think it strange her remaining here at such a time as this, when Mr.Touchett's passing away," that gentleman's wife remarked to her niece."She is incapable of a mistake; she's the most tactful woman I know.It's a favour to me that she stays; she's putting off a lot of visits at great houses," said Mrs.Touchett, who never forgot that when she herself was in England her social value sank two or three degrees in the scale."She has her pick of places;she's not in want of a shelter.But I've asked her to put in this time because I wish you to know her.I think it will be a good thing for you.Serena Merle hasn't a fault.""If I didn't already like her very much that description might alarm me," Isabel returned.
"She's never the least little bit 'off.' I've brought you out here and I wish to do the best for you.Your sister Lily told me she hoped I would give you plenty of opportunities.I give you one in putting you in relation with Madame Merle.She's one of the most brilliant women in Europe.""I like her better than I like your description of her," Isabel persisted in saying.
"Do you flatter yourself that you'll ever feel her open to criticism? I hope you'll let me know when you do.""That will be cruel- to you," said Isabel.
"You needn't mind me.You won't discover a fault in her.""Perhaps not.But I dare say I shan't miss it.""She knows absolutely everything on earth there is to know," said Mrs.Touchett.
Isabel after this observed to their companion that she hoped she knew Mrs.Touchett considered she hadn't a speck on her perfection.On which "I'm obliged to you," Madame Merle replied, "but I'm afraid your aunt imagines, or at least alludes to, no aberrations that the clock-face doesn't register.""So that you mean you've a wild side that's unknown to her?""Ah no, I fear my darkest sides are my tamest.I mean that having no faults, for your aunt, means that one's never late for dinner- that is for her dinner.I was not late, by the way, the other day, when you came back from London; the clock was just at eight when I came into the drawing-room; it was the rest of you that were before the time.It means that one answers a letter the day one gets it and that when one comes to stay with her one doesn't bring too much luggage and is careful not to be taken ill.For Mrs.Touchett those things constitute virtue; it's a blessing to be able to reduce it to its elements."Madame Merle's own conversation, it will be perceived, was enriched with bold, free touches of criticism, which, even when they had a restrictive effect, never struck Isabel as ill-natured.It couldn't occur to the girl for instance that Mrs.Touchett's accomplished guest was abusing her; and this for very good reasons.In the first place Isabel rose eagerly to the sense of her shades; in the second Madame Merle implied that there was a great deal more to say;and it was clear in the third that for a person to speak to one without ceremony of one's near relations was an agreeable sign of that person's intimacy with one's self.These signs of deep communion multiplied as the days elapsed, and there was none of which Isabel was more sensible than of her companion's preference for making Miss Archer herself a topic.Though she referred frequently to the incidents of her own career she never lingered upon them; she was as little of a gross egotist as she was of a flat gossip.
"I'm old and stale and faded," she said more than once; "I'm of no more interest than last week's newspaper.You're young and fresh and of to-day; you've the great thing- you've actuality.I once had it- we all have it for an hour.You, however, will have it for longer.Let us talk about you then; you can say nothing I shall not care to hear.
