The Portrait of a Lady

Ralph accompanies Isabel and Henrietta to London. Henrietta is annoyed that they are not meeting the “genius and renown of Great Britain” (150), whereas Isabel is very interested in sightseeing and the change of scenery. They meet Mr. Bantling, an old friend of Ralph’s, who tells Henrietta that Gardencourt is too dull and she should go visit his sister’s house in Bedfordshire. Henrietta meets friends from Delaware, with whom she makes dinner plans, and Mr. Bantling offers to escort her there.

Ralph and Isabel talk alone. He says Lord Warburton told him what transpired, and he asks Isabel why she refused him. She tells him she didn’t want to marry Lord Warburton, joking that he is too perfect. She then tells Ralph that she wants to do and experience other things than marriage. He tells her she is courageous.

Isabel returns to the hotel and is reading alone when Caspar arrives. She asks how he knew she was there, and he says that Henrietta wrote to him. Isabel feels betrayed by her friend. Caspar presses her, and she tells him she doesn’t want to marry him and will almost certainly never marry at all. In part to convince and in part to comfort the upset Caspar, she tells him about having refused