Certainly, Mr. Rawlinson was an extremely annoying, disagreeable sort of husband. Such was Rosina's decided, and perhaps justifiable opinion at that moment.
Meanwhile, with regard to the writing of the proposed letter of dismissal, Mrs. Rawlinson was perfectly correct in her surmises. It was--though often enough commenced--never accomplished. Day after day Mrs. Nugent would make up her mind to put an end to the existing state of things, and day after day matters remained exactly as they were. At last the time approached for the return of her future husband, and still the letter was unwritten. Pearl adopted the habit of indulging in long, solitary walks, and dejected rows on the lake, every day finding her more care-worn, paler and thinner, and Count Carlitti, who paid her many visits at this time, became more and more concerned about her state of health and loss of animation and good looks.
"I must tell you, mon ami," he said to Ralph in a moment of confidence, "I intended a week or two ago to declare myself. Because you know she is une ravissante et charmante femme. My heart did beat each time I did see her. Yes, I would have made her la Comtesse Carlitti. She was worthy of my name and title, and leetle fortune. But now, que voulez vous? her beauty fades. Every day it does vanish a leetle more, and perhaps--qui sait? one day she will become only a savage flower--no longer une rose, la reine des fleurs. So I have decided now, mon cher Nicholson, not to tell her of my honourable intentions. Do you not give me right?"
"Quite right," replied Ralph, "but I am sorry for her, poor thing. It will, you know, be a cruel disappointment."
Monsieur Carlitti, who was by no means the fool that some people gave him the credit for being, looked up sharply.
"Ah! farceur! now you do mock," he said. "I will no longer hesitate, but will ask her to-day. And to-morrow I will announce to you my wedding. Elle est adorable!"
"I do lofe you," he said to Pearl that afternoon, having to his great satisfaction found her alone in her little white drawing room. "I do lofe you excessivement. I have lofed you from the first day that I met you at la fête de la Légation de France. It will give me a happiness immense to make you la Comtesse Carlitti. I know that you are une divorcée. Mais n'importe, vous êtes si belle et si séduisante. And I do lofe you. That is enough. We shall make trés bon ménage. You will share with me my leetle fortune, and I likewise your fortune will participate with you. Un arrangement bien commode."
Pearl never for an instant doubted but that the arrangement would indeed be extremely convenient, especially for the male participator thereof, her fortune being at least ten times larger than that of her admirer.
"I will suicide myself," he said mournfully, after she in all gentleness, but with a smile in her eyes which she vainly tried to suppress, had refused the honour of this noble alliance; "I will burn myself the brain. Je suis trop malheureux. For I had said to myself, 'cette belle Madame Nugent is worthy of the ancient name of Carlitti, and of my leetle fortune.' And now you do me decline. You do say 'No.' So I will suicide myself. Yes, I will go on the lake, ce beau lac de Chuzenji, and you--cruel one--will never, never see me more."
Not much anxiety was experienced by Mrs. Nugent at these threats of her volatile and flighty adorer. To no one did she mention the details of this interview, or the melancholy result of Count Carlitti's matrimonial attempt. As for Ralph, he was by far too kind-hearted to think of putting his sanguine friend to the torture of answering painful questions.