ence is, in short, as fine as you know, and I ve been
keeping it for the comfort of my declining years.
I ve watched it long; I ve been saving it up and
letting it, as you say of investments, appreciate, and
you may judge whether, now it has begun to pay
so, I'm likely to consent to treat for it with any
but a high bidder. I can do the best with her, and
I ve my idea of the best."

"Oh, I quite conceive," said Densher, " that your
idea of the best isn't me."

It was an oddity of Mrs. Lowder's that her face
in speech was like a lighted window at night, but
that silence immediately drew the curtain. The
occasion for reply allowed by her silence was never
easy to take; yet she was still less easy to inter
rupt. The great glaze of her surface, at all events,
gave her visitor no present help. " I didn't ask
you to come to hear what it isn't I asked you to
come to hear what it is"

"Of course," Densher laughed, " it's very great
indeed."

His hostess went on as if his contribution to the
subject were barely relevant. " I want to see her
high, high up high up and in the light."

"Ah, you naturally want to marry her to a duke,
and are eager to smooth away any hitch."

She gave him so, on this, the mere effect of the
drawn blind that it quite forced him, at first, into the
sense, possibly just, of having affected her as flip
pant, perhaps even as low. He had been looked

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p091 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p092w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p093

v?