Chapter 2

Ralph Touchett wanders away from his father and Lord Warburton as they chat. Suddenly his dog begins to bark excitedly at a young woman who has just stepped out of the door of the house. The dog is more welcoming than threatening in its bark and the woman immediately picks the dog up. Ralph is struck by the young womanÂ’s prettiness. While he is meeting her, Mr. Touchett and Lord Warburton are also wondering who she is. Meanwhile, the woman asks Ralph if this is his dog. He says it seems to have transferred its loyalty to her and gives her the dog. The young woman clearly has a great sense of confidence in herself and in others, but she blushes at RalphÂ’s generous offer. She tells him they must be cousins. She tells him she just arrived with his mother, who has gone straight to her room and has requested that he come see her before seven in the evening. While they talk, the woman looks around her with great interest. She says she has never seen anything so lovely and that the house is also "enchanting." She asks which of the two men on the lawn is his father. When he tells her which is his father and which is Lord Warburton, she exclaims that she was hoping there would be a lord because "itÂ’s just like a novel!" Ralph asks her to come meet his father. She is surprised that Mr. Touchett is an invalid since Mrs. Touchett has given her the impression that he is "intensely active."

When she meets Mr. Touchett, he kisses her on the head and apologizes that they didnÂ’t receive her properly. He wonders where Mrs. Touchett is. Isabel says she has gone straight to her room. Mr. Touchett says he will probably not see her till next week. Isabel corrects him and says Mrs. Touchett plans to come down to dinner. As they talk, Isabel looks around with "a comprehensiveness of observation." It is clear that she is experiencing numerous impressions of the scene. She says again that she hasnÂ’t ever seen anything so beautiful. Mr. Touchett tells her she too is very beautiful. Isabel rises immediately and says she knows sheÂ’s lovely and then asks how old his house is. He says itÂ’s early Tudor and at this point Lord Warburton comes into the conversation and says he too has a Tudor house and would like to show it to her. He and Mr. Touchett get into a joking conversation about whose house is the best.

At this point, Mr. Touchett calls to them asking if theyÂ’re talking about Mrs. Touchett. He calls Isabel to his side to tell him all about his wife whom he hasnÂ’t seen in a year. She tells him Mrs. Touchett is very benevolent. As they talk, Ralph and Lord Warburton step aside. Lord Warburton tells Ralph this is his idea of an interesting woman.

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