HisrefusalofRalph’sovertureswasvaguelydisconcerting。fromthemomenthedeclinedtocometoGardencourtourfriendbegantothinkhimofimportance。HeaskedhimselfwhatitsignifiedtohimwhetherIsabel’sadmirersshouldbedesperadoesorlaggards。theywerenotrivalsofhisandwereperfectlywelcometoactouttheirgenius。
NeverthelesshefeltmuchcuriosityastotheresultofMissStackpole’spromisedenquiryintothecausesofMr。Goodwood’sstiffness-acuriosityforthepresentungratified，inasmuchaswhenheaskedherthreedayslaterifshehadwrittentoLondonshewasobligedtoconfessshehadwritteninvain。Mr。Goodwoodhadnotreplied。
Isupposehe’sthinkingitover，shesaid。hethinkseverythingover。he’snotreallyatallimpetuous。ButI’maccustomedtohavingmylettersansweredthesameday。ShepresentlyproposedtoIsabel，atallevents，thattheyshouldmakeanexcursiontoLondontogether。IfImusttellthetruth，sheobserved，I’mnotseeingmuchatthisplace，andIshouldn’tthinkyouwereeither。I’venotevenseenthataristocrat-what’shisname？-LordWashburton。Heseemstoletyouseverelyalone。
LordWarburton’scomingto-morrow，Ihappentoknow，repliedherfriend，whohadreceivedanotefromthemasterofLockleighinanswertoherownletter。You’llhaveeveryopportunityofturninghiminsideout。
Well，hemaydoforoneletter，butwhat’soneletterwhenyouwanttowritefifty？I’vedescribedallthesceneryinthisvicinityandravedaboutalltheoldwomenanddonkeys。Youmaysaywhatyouplease，scenerydoesn’tmakeavitalletter。ImustgobacktoLondonandgetsomeimpressionsofreallife。IwastherebutthreedaysbeforeIcameaway，andthat’shardlytimetogetintouch。