And the brougham was standing there a third time.
It was May now, the latter end of May, and the park
opposite was beautiful with green things, and the
air was soft and balmy, as it will be sometimes even
in May, and the flowers in the balcony were full of
perfume, and the charm of London,—what
London can be to the rich,—was at its height.
The Duke was sitting in Madame Goesler’s drawing-room,
at some distance from her, for she had retreated.
The Duke had a habit of taking her hand, which she
never would permit for above a few seconds. At
such times she would show no anger, but would retreat.
“Marie,” said the Duke, “you will
go abroad when the summer is over.” As
an old man he had taken the privilege of calling her
Marie, and she had not forbidden it.
Yes, probably; to Vienna. I have property in
Vienna you know, which must be looked after.
“Do not mind Vienna this year. Come to
Italy.”
“What; in summer, Duke?”
“The lakes are charming in August. I have
a villa on Como which is empty now, and I think I
shall go there. If you do not know the Italian
lakes, I shall be so happy to show them to you.”
“I know them well, my lord. When I was
young I was on the Maggiore almost alone. Some
day I will tell you a history of what I was in those
days.”
“You shall tell it me there.”
“No, my lord, I fear not. I have no villa
there.”
“Will you not accept the loan of mine?
It shall be all your own while you use it.”
“My own,—to deny the right of entrance
to its owner?”
“If it so pleases you.”
“It would not please me. It would so far
from please me that I will never put myself in a position
that might make it possible for me to require to do
so. No, Duke; it behoves me to live in houses
of my own. Women of whom more is known can afford
to be your guests.”
“Marie, I would have no other guest than you.”
“It cannot be so, Duke.”
“And why not?”
“Why not? Am I to be put to the blush by
being made to answer such a question as that?
Because the world would say that the Duke of Omnium
had a new mistress, and that Madame Goesler was the
woman. Do you think that I would be any man’s
mistress;—even yours? Or do you believe
that for the sake of the softness of a summer evening
on an Italian lake, I would give cause to the tongues
of the women here to say that I was such a thing?
You would have me lose all that I have gained by steady
years of sober work for the sake of a week or two of
dalliance such as that! No, Duke; not for your
dukedom!”
How his Grace might have got through his difficulty
had they been left alone, cannot be told. For
at this moment the door was opened, and Lady Glencora
Palliser was announced.
Rara Avis in Terris
“Come and see the country and judge for yourself,”
said Phineas.
