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Updated: June 23, 2025
For in the morning he had known that he should see Felicita again, and there was expectation and a gleam of gladness in that; but to-night his eyes had looked upon her for the last time. Phebe found herself alone, with the burden of Jean Merle's secret resting on her unshared.
"But it's not to talk about Pansy." Isabel wondered what it could be to talk about, and in spite of Madame Merle's declaration she answered after a moment: "Madame Catherine says it's enough." "Yes; it also seems to me enough. I wanted to ask you another word about poor Mr. Touchett," Madame Merle added. "Have you reason to believe that he's really at his last?"
It will perhaps seem to the reader that Isabel went fast in casting doubt, on mere suspicion, on a sincerity proved by several years of good offices. She moved quickly indeed, and with reason, for a strange truth was filtering into her soul. Madame Merle's interest was identical with Osmond's: that was enough.
And what a view out over the lake and the country far around! The two stood for a moment at the gate, looking back. Merle's aunt her father's sister was a widow, rich and a notable manager, but capricious to a degree, capable of being generous one day and grasping the next. It was the sorrow of her life that she had no children of her own, but she had not yet decided who was to be her heir.
She seemed to have mysteriously disappeared, and only walked in, from no one knew where, just in time to take the register. The Fifth form marched away to its classroom, and Merle's offering, for the present, was obliged to be consigned to the recesses of her desk. Latin was the first lesson, and as far as she was concerned it was a dismal failure.
They paid visits, too, stopping a few minutes at Judge Merle's or Mr Greenleaf's, or at some other friendly home in the village; and if their friends' eyes grew grave and very tender at the sight of them, it did not for a long time come into Graeme's mind that it was because they saw something that was invisible as yet to hers.
Moreover, she was very modern and unsentimental, and disliked what she called 'schoolgirl gush. She had been the subject of violent admirations before, and knew how soon they were apt to cool down. She was perfectly nice to Merle, but a little off-hand, and never showed her any preference. This line of treatment rather aggravated Merle's symptoms instead of curbing the tendency.
He listened, standing in the doorway to turn a puzzled face to the group about the table. "Hello! Who who?" His bewilderment was apparent. "But it's Pat talking," he said, "over long distance." "Calling from her room upstairs to fool you," warned Sharon. "Don't I know her flummididdles?" But the look of bewilderment on Merle's face had become a look of pure fright.
Kitty Trefyre looks as if she might be useful." "I shall propose that you take the chair," said Iva. "Oughtn't that to be a question of age?" interrupted Muriel quickly. "It's a question of who is competent to do it. Merle's the only one of us who knows how," returned Nesta, looking Muriel squarely in the face. "Oh, all right!"
"Aunt Lydia, I've something to tell you." Mrs. Touchett gave a little jump and looked at her almost fiercely. "You needn't tell me; I know what it is." "I don't know how you know." "The same way that I know when the window's open by feeling a draught. You're going to marry that man." "What man do you mean?" Isabel enquired with great dignity. "Madame Merle's friend Mr. Osmond."
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