her seat and stood still.

"But if you don't feel able to decide?" said Mrs. Davilow,
sympathizingly.

"I _must_ decide," said Gwendolen, walking to the writing-table and
seating herself. All the while there was a busy undercurrent in her,
like the thought of a man who keeps up a dialogue while he is
considering how he can slip away. Why should she not let him come? It
bound her to nothing. He had been to Leubronn after her: of course he
meant a direct unmistakable renewal of the suit which before had been
only implied. What then? She could reject him. Why was she to deny
herself the freedom of doing this--which she would like to do?

"If Mr. Grandcourt has only just returned from Leubronn," said Mrs.
Davilow, observing that Gwendolen leaned back in her chair after taking
the pen in her hand--"I wonder whether he has heard of our misfortunes?"

"That could make no difference to a man in his position," said
Gwendolen, rather contemptuously,

"It would to some men," said Mrs. Davilow. "They would not like to take
a wife from a family in a state of beggary almost, as we are. Here we
are at Offendene with a great shell over us, as usual. But just imagine
his finding us at Sawyer's Cottage. Most men are afraid of being bored
or taxed by a wife's family. If Mr. Grandcourt did know, I think it a
strong proof of his attachment to you."

Mrs. Davilow spoke with unusual emphasis: it was the first time she had
ventured to say anything about Grandcourt which would necessarily seem
intended as an argument in favor of him, her habitual impression being
that such arguments would certainly be useless and might be worse. The
effect of her words now was stronger than she could imagine. They
raised a new set of possibilities in Gwendolen's mind--a vision of what
Grandcourt might do for her mother if she, Gwendolen, did--what she was
not going to do. She was so moved by a new rush of ideas that, like one
conscious of being urgently called away, she felt that the immediate
task must be hastened: the letter must be written, else it might be
endlessly deferred. After all, she acted in a hurry, as she had wished
to do. To act in a hurry was to have a reason for keeping away from an
absolute decision, and to leave open as many issues as possible.

She wrote: "Miss Harleth presents her compliments to Mr. Grandcourt.
She will be at home after two o'clock to-morrow."

Before addressing the note she said, "Pray ring the bell, mamma, if
th