‘What would it matter?’

‘And it would be wholly useless to me, as I would not wear it.’

‘Of course it would be too big,’ said he, replacing the ring on his own finger.  ’But when I talk of anyone being in my good books, I don’t mean a thing like that.  Don’t you know there is nobody on earth I—­’ there he paused and blushed, and she sat motionless, looking at him, expecting, with her colour too somewhat raised,—­ ‘whom I like so well as I do you?’ It was a lame conclusion.  She felt it to be lame.  But as regarded him, the lameness of the moment had come from a timidity which forbade him to say the word ‘love’ even though he had meant to say it.

She recovered herself instantly.  ‘I do believe it,’ she said.  ’I do think that we are real friends.’

’Not that ring;—­nor a ring at all after I had asked for it in joke.  You understand it all.  But to go back to what we were talking about,—­if you can do anything for Frank, pray do.  You know it will break his heart.  A man of course bears it better, but he does not perhaps suffer the less.  It is all his life to him.  He can do nothing while this is going on.  Are you not true enough to your friendship to exert yourself for him?’ Silverbridge put his hand up and rubbed his head as though he were vexed.  ’Your aid would turn everything in his favour.’

‘You do not know my father.’

‘Is he so inexorable?’
’It is not that, Mabel.  But he is so unhappy.  I cannot add to his
unhappiness by taking part against him.’

In another part of the room Lady Cantrip was busy with Lord Popplecourt.  She had talked about pheasants, and had talked about grouse, had talked about moving the address in the House of Lords in some coming session, and the great value of political alliances early in life, till the young Peer began to think that Lady Cantrip was the nicest of women.  Then after a short pause she changed the subject.  ‘Don’t you think Lady Mary very beautiful?’

‘Uncommon,’ said his lordship.

’And her manners so perfect.  She has all her mother’s ease without any of that—­You know what I mean.’

‘Quite so,’ said his lordship.

‘And then she has got so much in her.’

‘Has she though?’

’I don’t know of any girl her age so thoroughly well educated.  The Duke seems to take to you.’

‘Well yes;—­the Duke is very kind.’

‘Don’t you think-?’

‘Eh!’

‘You have heard of her mother’s fortune?’

‘Tremendous!’

’She will have, I take it, quite a third of it.  Whatever I say I’m sure you will take in confidence; but she is a dear girl; and I am anxious for her happiness almost as though she belonged to me.’