Then her impressions were still so fresh and so quickly renewed that there was as yet hardly a hint of vacancy in the view.

But Isabel had need to remind herself that she was interested in human nature and that her foremost hope in coming abroad had been that she should see a great many people.
When Ralph said to her, as he had done several times, "I wonder you find this endurable; you ought to see some of the neighbours and some of our friends, because we have really got a few, though you would never suppose it"-- when he offered to invite what he called a "lot of people" and make her acquainted with English society, she encouraged the hospitable impulse and promised in advance to hurl herself into the fray.

Little, however, for the present, had come of his offers, and it may be confided to the reader that if the young man delayed to carry them out it was because he found the labour of providing for his companion by no means so severe as to require extraneous help.

Isabel had spoken to him very often about "specimens;" it was a word that played a considerable part in her vocabulary; she had given him to understand that she wished to see English society illustrated by eminent cases.
"Well now, there's a specimen," he said to her as they walked up from the riverside and he recognised Lord Warburton.
"A specimen of what ?" asked the girl.
"A specimen of an English gentleman." "Do you mean they're all like him ?" "Oh no; they're not all like him." "He's a favourable specimen then," said Isabel; "because I'm sure he's nice." "Yes, he's very nice.

And he's very fortunate." The fortunate Lord Warburton exchanged a handshake with our heroine and hoped she was very well.