I never knew a person whose life touched so many other lives." "What do you call one's life ?" asked Madame Merle.

"One's appearance, one's movements, one's engagements, one's society ?" "I call YOUR life your ambitions," said Osmond.
Madame Merle looked a moment at Pansy.

"I wonder if she understands that," she murmured.
"You see she can't stay with us!" And Pansy's father gave rather a joyless smile.

"Go into the garden, mignonne, and pluck a flower or two for Madame Merle," he went on in French.
"That's just what I wanted to do," Pansy exclaimed, rising with promptness and noiselessly departing.

Her father followed her to the open door, stood a moment watching her, and then came back, but remained standing, or rather strolling to and fro, as if to cultivate a sense of freedom which in another attitude might be wanting.
"My ambitions are principally for you," said Madame Merle, looking up at him with a certain courage.
"That comes back to what I say.