The Portrait of A Lady by Henry James Read Free Book Online

are a great many others.’’
    â€˜â€˜There are many much better ones.’’
    â€˜â€˜Don’t say that, my son!’’ the old man protested. ‘‘There is nothing better than this.’’
    â€˜â€˜I have got a very good one; I think in some respects it’s rather better,’’ said Lord Warburton, who as yet had not spoken but who had kept an attentive eye upon Miss Archer. He bent towards her a little, smiling; he had an excellent manner with women. The girl appreciated it in an instant; she had not forgotten that this was Lord Warburton. ‘‘I should like very much to show it to you,’’ he added.
    â€˜â€˜Don’t believe him,’’ cried the old man; ‘‘don’t look at it! It’s a wretched old barrack—not to be compared with this.’’
    â€˜â€˜I don’t know—I can’t judge,’’ said the girl, smiling at Lord Warburton.
    In this discussion, Ralph Touchett took no interest whatever; he stood with his hands in his pockets, looking greatly as if he should like to renew his conversation with his newfound cousin.
    â€˜â€˜Are you very fond of dogs?’’ he inquired, by way of beginning; and it was an awkward beginning for a clever man.
    â€˜â€˜Very fond of them indeed.’’
    â€˜â€˜You must keep the terrier, you know,’’ he went on, still awkwardly.
    â€˜â€˜I will keep him while I am here, with pleasure.’’
    â€˜â€˜That will be for a long time, I hope.’’
    â€˜â€˜You are very kind. I hardly know. My aunt must settle that.’’
    â€˜â€˜I will settle it with her—at a quarter to seven.’’ And Ralph looked at his watch again.
    â€˜â€˜I am glad to be here at all,’’ said the girl.
    â€˜â€˜I don’t believe you allow things to be settled for you.’’
    â€˜â€˜Oh yes; if they are settled as I like them.’’
    â€˜â€˜I shall settle this as I like it,’’ said Ralph. ‘‘It’s most unaccountable that we should never have known you.’’
    â€˜â€˜I was there—you had only to come and see me.’’
    â€˜â€˜There? Where do you mean?’’
    â€˜â€˜In the United States: in New York, and Albany, and other places.’’
    â€˜â€˜I have been there—all over, but I never saw you. I can’t make it out.’’
    Miss Archer hesitated a moment.
    â€˜â€˜It was because there had been some disagreement between your mother and my father, after my mother’s death, which took place when I was a child. In consequence of it, we never expected to see you.’’
    â€˜â€˜Ah, but I don’t embrace all my mother’s quarrels— Heaven forbid!’’ the young man cried. ‘‘You have lately lost your father?’’ he went on, more gravely.
    â€˜â€˜Yes; more than a year ago. After that my aunt was very kind to me; she came to see me, and proposed that I should come to Europe.’’
    â€˜â€˜I see,’’ said Ralph. ‘‘She has adopted you.’’
    â€˜â€˜Adopted me?’’ The girl stared, and her blush came back to her, together with a momentary look of pain, which gave her interlocutor some alarm. He had underestimated the effect of his words. Lord Warburton, who appeared constantly desirous of a nearer view of Miss Archer, strolled toward the two cousins at the moment, and as he did so, she rested her startled eyes upon him. ‘‘Oh, no; she has not adopted me,’’ she said. ‘‘I am not a candidate for adoption.’’
    â€˜â€˜I beg a thousand pardons,’’ Ralph murmured. ‘‘I meant—I meant—’’ He hardly knew what he meant.
    â€˜â€˜You meant she has taken me up. Yes; she likes to take people up. She has been very kind to me; but,’’ she