The Portrait of a Lady: Chapter 43 Summary & Analysis

Three nights later, Isabel takes Pansy to a party. She has been holding Pansy’s flowers for some time while her stepdaughter dances, when Edward Rosier approaches her. Pansy has denied him a dance, and, realizing that Isabel is holding Pansy’ bouquet, he asks if he may hold the flowers or take one. However, Pansy is on her way back to Isabel’s side and Isabel tells Rosier to leave. Pansy counts her flowers when Isabel hands the bouquet back.

Pansy returns to dancing and Lord Warburton comes to talk with Isabel. He asks after Pansy and then requests a dance with Isabel. She replies that she prefers he dance with Pansy, her concern growing that he still shows some interest in Isabel. Warburton states that he will talk with Isabel even though he’d prefer to dance with her.

Pansy returns to Isabel, and Lord Warburton engages the young woman in conversation. Isabel notices that he presents “a smile of chastened devotion” to her stepdaughter.

Pansy returns to dancing, having promised Lord Warburton a dance later. Isabel reminds Lord Warburton that he had previously indicated he would like to marry Pansy. He has not been in communication with Gilbert Osmond as promised on this count. Warburton admits that he wrote a letter to Osmond this morning, but has not yet sent it.

As Isabel and Lord Warburton walk together at the party, they pass a wholly dejected Edward Rosier who is watching Pansy from a doorway. Warburton comments on the other man’s miserable demeanor, with Isabel revealing that Rosier is deeply in love with Pansy. In fact, Isabel suggests that Pansy would marry Rosier if not for Osmond’s preference of Warburton as her suitor. Isabel is suspicious of her companion’s lack of jealousy toward Rosier as his rival; he seems to pity the man. When she calls out Warburton on his unconvincing feelings for Pansy, the nobleman claims that he has strong reasons to be in love with Isabel’s stepdaughter and wonders at her doubt.

Isabel and Lord Warburton exchange a short but intense look, which contains many enigmatic feelings. Isabel is concerned by the kernel of desire for her own self that she sees in Warburton’s eyes. Isabel takes her leave from Lord Warburton after their strange moment of studying one another. She finds Rosier still staged miserably in the doorway. She gives him hope for a union with Pansy.

Half an hour later, Isabel is leaving the party with Pansy. Lord Warburton assists them both to their carriage, where Isabel reminds him to send his letter to Osmond.