"Yes," said the countess, quietly. "It is not such a long journey, after all."
So she would not oppose him, she would not argue with him, but left him to take his own way. The handsome face grew shadowed, the frank eyes troubled. It is very hard when a man cannot force any one to contradict him. He rose from his chair, he walked uneasily up and down the room; he spoke almost nervously on one or two points and then he said:
"Mother, I suppose you know what I intend doing."
She looked up at him with the blandest smile and the sweetest air.
"Doing, Lance—about the boat to-night, do you mean?"
She purposely affected to misunderstand him.
"The boat?" he repeated. "No, I mean about—my—my—future—my marriage."
"I cannot say that I know what you intend doing, Lance, but I am quite sure you will never again have the bad taste to offend your father and me. I can trust you so far."
He looked still more uncomfortable; he could always manage the countess better when she was angry than when she was amiable. He stopped abruptly before her, and looking at her said:
"I must marry Leone, mother, I must."