The Portrait of a Lady Lord Warburton approaches, and Isabel can
tell at once that he has come to declare his feelings for her.
She is deeply confused by this, as she has always considered men
solely for their moral qualities and never for their positions
of power and influence; she has never met a man as aristocratic
as Warburton and worries that if she decides to reject him, she
will be turning away a great social opportunity. Warburton asks
her to stroll with him, and he quickly declares that he has
fallen in love with her; he asks her to marry him. Isabel is
deeply moved by his obvious sincerity, but she asks for some
time before she gives him an answer. She feels that they do not
know each other well and tells Warburton that she has not
decided whether or not she ever wants to marry. Warburton
leaves, and Isabel swiftly realizes that she does not want to
marry him. She hopes she will be able to convince him that the
marriage would be a bad idea, because she does not want to hurt
him. She worries again th