the chaperon-第2章

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eagerly　of　the　license；　and　in　course　of　the　period　that　elapsed
before　her　father's　death　she　spent　with　Mrs。　Tramore　exactly　eight
hours　by　the　watch。　　Her　father；　who　was　as　inconsistent　and
disappointing　as　he　was　amiable；　spoke　to　her　of　her　mother　only　once
afterwards。　　This　occasion　had　been　the　sequel　of　her　first　visit；
and　he　had　made　no　use　of　it　to　ask　what　she　thought　of　the
personality　in　Chester　Square　or　how　she　liked　it。　　He　had　only　said
〃Did　she　take　you　out？〃　and　when　Rose　answered　〃Yes；　she　put　me
straight　into　a　carriage　and　drove　me　up　and　down　Bond　Street；〃　had
rejoined　sharply　〃See　that　that　never　occurs　again。〃　　It　never　did；
but　once　was　enough；　every　one　they　knew　having　happened　to　be　in
Bond　Street　at　that　particular　hour。

After　this　the　periodical　interview　took　place　in　private；　in　Mrs。
Tramore's　beautiful　little　wasted　drawing…room。　　Rose　knew　that；　rare
as　these　occasions　were；　her　mother　would　not　have　kept　her　〃all　to
herself〃　had　there　been　anybody　she　could　have　shown　her　to。　　But　in
the　poor　lady's　social　void　there　was　no　one；　she　had　after　all　her
own　correctness　and　she　consistently　preferred　isolation　to　inferior
contacts。　　So　her　daughter　was　subjected　only　to　the　maternal；　it　was
not　necessary　to　be　definite　in　qualifying　that。　　The　girl　had　by
this　time　a　collection　of　ideas；　gathered　by　impenetrable　processes；
she　had　tasted；　in　the　ostracism　of　her　ambiguous　parent；　of　the
acrid　fruit　of　the　tree　of　knowledge。　　She　not　only　had　an
approximate　vision　of　what　every　one　had　done；　but　she　had　a　private
judgment　for　each　case。　　She　had　a　particular　vision　of　her　father；
which　did　not　interfere　with　his　being　dear　to　her；　but　which　was
directly　concerned　in　her　resolution；　after　his　death；　to　do　the
special　thing　he　had　expressed　the　wish　she　should　not　do。　　In　the
general　estimate　her　grandmother　and　her　grandmother's　money　had
their　place；　and　the　strong　probability　that　any　enjoyment　of　the
latter　commodity　would　now　be　withheld　from　her。　　It　included　Edith's
marked　inclination　to　receive　the　law；　and　doubtless　eventually　a
more　substantial　memento；　from　Miss　Tramore；　and　opened　the　question
whether　her　own　course　might　not　contribute　to　make　her　sister's
appear　heartless。　　The　answer　to　this　question　however　would　depend
on　the　success　that　might　attend　her　own；　which　would　very　possibly
be　small。　　Eric's　attitude　was　eminently　simple；　he　didn't　care　to
know　people　who　didn't　know　HIS　people。　　If　his　mother　should　ever
get　back　into　society　perhaps　he　would　take　her　up。　　Rose　Tramore　had
decided　to　do　what　she　could　to　bring　this　consummation　about；　and
strangely　enoughso　mixed　were　her　superstitions　and　her　heresiesa
large　part　of　her　motive　lay　in　the　value　she　attached　to　such　a
consecration。

Of　her　mother　intrinsically　she　thought　very　little　now；　and　if　her
eyes　were　fixed　on　a　special　achievement　it　was　much　more　for　the
sake　of　that　achievement　and　to　satisfy　a　latent　energy　that　was　in
her　than　because　her　heart　was　wrung　by　this　sufferer。　　Her　heart　had
not　been　wrung　at　all；　though　she　had　quite　held　it　out　for　the
experience。　　Her　purpose　was　a　pious　game；　but　it　was　still
essentially　a　game。　　Among　the　ideas　I　have　mentioned　she　had　her
idea　of　triumph。　　She　had　caught　the　inevitable　note；　the　pitch；　on
her　very　first　visit　to　Chester　Square。　　She　had　arrived　there　in
intense　excitement；　and　her　excitement　was　left　on　her　hands　in　a
manner　that　reminded　her　of　a　difficult　air　she　had　once　heard　sung
at　the　opera　when　no　one　applauded　the　performer。　　That　flatness　had
made　her　sick；　and　so　did　this；　in　another　way。　　A　part　of　her
agitation　proceeded　from　the　fact　that　her　aunt　Julia　had　told　her；
in　the　manner　of　a　burst　of　confidence；　something　she　was　not　to
repeat；　that　she　was　in　appearance　the　very　image　of　the　lady　in
Chester　Square。　　The　motive　that　prompted　this　declaration　was
between　aunt　Julia　and　her　conscience；　but　it　was　a　great　emotion　to
the　girl　to　find　her　entertainer　so　beautiful。　　She　was　tall　and
exquisitely　slim；　she　had　hair　more　exactly　to　Rose　Tramore's　taste
than　any　other　she　had　ever　seen；　even　to　every　detail　in　the　way　it
was　dressed；　and　a　complexion　and　a　figure　of　the　kind　that　are
always　spoken　of　as　〃lovely。〃　　Her　eyes　were　irresistible；　and　so
were　her　clothes；　though　the　clothes　were　perhaps　a　little　more
precisely　the　right　thing　than　the　eyes。　　Her　appearance　was　marked
to　her　daughter's　sense　by　the　highest　distinction；　though　it　may　be
mentioned　that　this　had　never　been　the　opinion　of　all　the　world。　　It
was　a　revelation　to　Rose　that　she　herself　might　look　a　little　like
that。　　She　knew　however　that　aunt　Julia　had　not　seen　her　deposed
sister…in…law　for　a　long　time；　and　she　had　a　general　impression　that
Mrs。　Tramore　was　to…day　a　more　complete　productionfor　instance　as
regarded　her　air　of　youththan　she　had　ever　been。　　There　was　no
excitement　on　her　sidethat　was　all　her　visitor's；　there　was　no
emotionthat　was　excluded　by　the　plan；　to　say　nothing　of　conditions
more　primal。　　Rose　had　from　the　first　a　glimpse　of　her　mother's　plan。
It　was　to　mention　nothing　and　imply　nothing；　neither　to　acknowledge；
to　explain　nor　to　extenuate。　　She　would　leave　everything　to　her
child；　with　her　child　she　was　secure。　　She　only　wanted　to　get　back
into　society；　she　would　leave　even　that　to　her　child；　whom　she
treated　not　as　a　high…strung　and　heroic　daughter；　a　creature　of
exaltation；　of　devotion；　but　as　a　new；　charming；　clever；　useful
friend；　a　little　younger　than　herself。　　Already　on　that　first　day　she
had　talked　about　dressmakers。　　Of　course；　poor　thing；　it　was　to　be
remembered　that　in　her　circumstances　there　were　not　many　things　she
COULD　talk　about。　　〃She　wants　to　go　out　again；　that's　the　only　thing
in　the　wide　world　she　wants；〃　Rose　had　promptly；　compendiously　said
to　herself。　　There　had　been　a　sequel　to　this　observation；　uttered；　in
intense　engrossment；　in　her　own　room　half　an　hour　before　she　had；　on
the　important　evening；　made　known　her　decision　to　her　grandmother：
〃Then　I'll　TAKE　her　out！〃

〃She'll　drag　you　down；　she'll　drag　you　down！〃　Julia　Tramore　permitted
herself　to　remark　to　her　niece；　the　next　day；　in　a　tone　of　feverish
prophecy。

As　the　girl's　own　theory　was　that　all　the　dragging　there　might　be
would　be　upward；　and　moreover　administered　by　herself；　she　could　look
at　her　aunt　with　a　cold　and　inscrutable　eye。

〃Very　well；　then；　I　shall　be　out　of　your　sight；　from　the　pinnacle　you
occupy；　and　I　sha'n't　trouble　you。〃

〃Do　you　reproach　me　for　my　disinterested　exertions；　for　the　way　I've
toiled　over　you；　the　way　I've　lived　for　you？〃　Miss　Tramore　demanded。

〃Don't　reproach　ME　for　being　kind　to　my　mother　and　I　won't　reproach
you　for　anything。〃

〃She'll　keep　you　out　of　everythingshe'll　make　you　miss　everything；〃
Miss　Tramore　continued。

〃Then　she'll　make　me　miss　a　great　deal　that's　odious；〃　said　the　girl。

〃You're　too　young　for　such　extravagances；〃　her　aunt　declared。

〃And　yet　Edith；　who　is　younger　than　I；　seems　to　be　too　old　for　them：
how　do　you　arrange　that？　　My　mother's　society　will　make　me　older；〃
Rose　replied。

〃Don't　speak　to　me　of　your　mother；　you　HAVE　no　mother。〃

〃Then　if　I'm　an　orphan　I　must　settle　things　for　myself。〃

〃Do　you　justify　her；　do　you　approve　of　her？〃　cried　Miss　Tramore；　who
was　inferior　to　her　niece　in　capacity　for　retort　and　whose
limitations　made　the　girl　appear　pert。

Rose　looked　at　her　a　moment　in　silence；　then　she　said；　turning　away：
〃I　think　she's　charming。〃

〃And　do　you　propose　to　become　charming　in　the　same　manner？〃

〃Her　manner　is　perfect；　it　would　be　an　excellent　model。　　But　I　can't
discuss　my　mother　with　you。〃

〃You'll　have　to　discuss　her　with　some　other　people！〃　Miss　Tramore
proclaimed；　going　out　of　the　room。

Rose　wondered　whether　this　were　a　general　or　a　particular
vaticination。　　There　was　something　her　aunt　might　have　meant　by　it；
but　her　aunt　rarely　meant　the　best　thing　she　might　have　meant。　　Miss
Tramore　had　come　up　from　St。　Leonard's　in　response　to　a　telegram　from
her　own　parent；　for　an　occasion　like　the　present　brought　with　it；　for
a　few　hours；　a　certain　relaxation　of　their　dissent。　　〃Do　what　you　can
to　stop　her；〃　the　old　lady　had　said；　but　her　daughter　found　that　the
most　she　could　do　was　not　much。　　They　both　had　a　baffled　sense　that
Rose　had　thought　the　question　out　a　good　deal　further　than　they；　and
this　was　particularly　irritating　to　Mrs。　Tramore；　as　consciously　the
cleverer　of　the　two。　　A　question　thought　out　as　far　as　SHE　could
think　it　had　always　appeared　to　her　to　have　performed　its　human　uses；
she　had　never　encountered　a　ghost　emerging　from　that　extinction。
Their　great　contention　was　that　Rose　would　cut　herself　off；　and
certainly　if　she　wasn't　afraid　of　that　she　wasn't　afraid　of　anything。
Julia　Tramore　could　only　tell　her　mother　how　little　the　girl　was
afraid。　　She　was　already　prepared　to　leave　the　house；　taking　with　her
the　possessions；　or　her　share　of　them；　that　had　accumulated　there
during　her　father's　illness。　　There　had　been　a　going　and　coming　of
her　maid；　a　thumping　about　of　boxes；　an　ordering　of　four…wheelers；　it
appeared　to　old　Mrs。　Tramore　that　something　of　the　objectionableness；
the　indecency；　of　her　granddaughter's　prospective　connection　had
already　gathered　about　the　place。　　It　was　a　violation　of　the　decorum
of　bereavement　which　was　still　fresh　there；　and　from　the　indignant
gloom　of　the　mistress　of　the　house　you　might　have　inferred　not　so
much　that　the　daughter　was　about　to　depart　as　that　the　mother　was
about　to　arrive。　　There　had　been　no　conversation　on　the　dreadful
subject　at　luncheon；　for　at　luncheon　at　Mrs。　Tramore's　（her　son　never
came　to　it）　there　were　always；　even　after　funerals　and　other
miseries；　stray　guests　of　both　sexes　whose　policy　it　was　to　be
cheerful　and　superficial。　　Rose　had　sat　down　as　if　nothing　had
happenednothing　worse；　that　is；　than　her　father's　death；　but　no　one
had　spoken　of　anything　that　any　one　else　was　thinking　of。

Before　she　left　the　house　a　servant　brought　her　a　message　from　her
grandmotherthe　old　lady　desired　to　see　her　in　the　drawing…room。
She　had　on　her　bonnet；　and　she　went　down　as　if　she　were　about　to　step
into　her　cab。　　Mrs。　Tramore　sat　there　with　her　eternal　knitting；　from
which　she　forebore　even　to　raise　her　eyes　as；　after　a　silence　that
seemed　to　express　the　fulness　of　her　reprobation；　while　Rose　stood
motionless；　she　began：　　〃I　wonder　if　you　really　understand　what
you're　doing。〃

〃I　think　so。　　I'm　not　so　stupid。〃

〃I　never　thought　you　were；　but　I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　you　now。
You're　giving　up　everything。〃

The　girl　was　tempted　to　inquire　whether　her　grandmother　called
herself　〃everything〃；　but　she　checked　this　question；　answering
instead　that　she　knew　she　was　giving　up　much。

〃You're　taking　a　step　of　which　you　will　feel　the　effect　to　the　end　of
your　days；〃　Mrs。　Tramore　went　on。

〃In　a　good　conscience；　I　heartily　hope；〃　said　Rose。

〃Your　father's　conscience　was　good　enough　for　his　mother；　it　ought　to
be　good　enough　for　his　daughter。〃

Rose　sat　downshe　could　afford　toas　if　she　wished　to　be　very
attentive　and　were　still　accessible　to　argument。　　But　this
demonstration