the chaperon-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


impression　of　the　perpendicular　shaft　was　there；　but　it　was　rather　an
abyss　of　confusion　and　disorder　than　the　large　bright　space　in　which
she　had　figured　everything　as　ranged　and　pigeon…holed；　presenting　the
appearance　of　the　labelled　shelves　and　drawers　at　a　chemist's。　　He
discussed　without　an　invitation　to　discuss；　he　appealed　without　a
right　to　appeal。　　He　was　nothing　but　a　suitor　tolerated　after
dismissal；　but　he　took　strangely　for　granted　a　participation　in　her
affairs。　　He　assumed　all　sorts　of　things　that　made　her　draw　back。　　He
implied　that　there　was　everything　now　to　assist　them　in　arriving　at
an　agreement；　since　she　had　never　informed　him　that　he　was　positively
objectionable；　but　that　this　symmetry　would　be　spoiled　if　she　should
not　be　willing　to　take　a　little　longer　to　think　of　certain
consequences。　　She　was　greatly　disconcerted　when　she　saw　what
consequences　he　meant　and　at　his　reminding　her　of　them。　　What　on
earth　was　the　use　of　a　lover　if　he　was　to　speak　only　like　one's
grandmother　and　one's　aunt？　　He　struck　her　as　much　in　love　with　her
and　as　particularly　careful　at　the　same　time　as　to　what　he　might　say。
He　never　mentioned　her　mother；　he　only　alluded；　indirectly　but
earnestly；　to　the　〃step。〃　　He　disapproved　of　it　altogether；　took　an
unexpectedly　prudent；　politic　view　of　it。　　He　evidently　also　believed
that　she　would　be　dragged　down；　in　other　words　that　she　would　not　be
asked　out。　　It　was　his　idea　that　her　mother　would　contaminate　her；　so
that　he　should　find　himself　interested　in　a　young　person　discredited
and　virtually　unmarriageable。　　All　this　was　more　obvious　to　him　than
the　consideration　that　a　daughter　should　be　merciful。　　Where　was　his
religion　if　he　understood　mercy　so　little；　and　where　were　his　talent
and　his　courage　if　he　were　so　miserably　afraid　of　trumpery　social
penalties？　　Rose's　heart　sank　when　she　reflected　that　a　man　supposed
to　be　first…rate　hadn't　guessed　that　rather　than　not　do　what　she
could　for　her　mother　she　would　give　up　all　the　Engineers　in　the
world。　　She　became　aware　that　she　probably　would　have　been　moved　to
place　her　hand　in　his　on　the　spot　if　he　had　come　to　her　saying　〃Your
idea　is　the　right　one；　put　it　through　at　every　cost。〃　　She　couldn't
discuss　this　with　him；　though　he　impressed　her　as　having　too　much　at
stake　for　her　to　treat　him　with　mere　disdain。　　She　sickened　at　the
revelation　that　a　gentleman　could　see　so　much　in　mere　vulgarities　of
opinion；　and　though　she　uttered　as　few　words　as　possible；　conversing
only　in　sad　smiles　and　headshakes　and　in　intercepted　movements　toward
the　door；　she　happened；　in　some　unguarded　lapse　from　her　reticence；
to　use　the　expression　that　she　was　disappointed　in　him。　　He　caught　at
it　and；　seeming　to　drop　his　field…glass；　pressed　upon　her　with
nearer；　tenderer　eyes。

〃Can　I　be　so　happy　as　to　believe；　then；　that　you　had　thought　of　me
with　some　confidence；　with　some　faith？〃

〃If　you　didn't　suppose　so；　what　is　the　sense　of　this　visit？〃　Rose
asked。

〃One　can　be　faithful　without　reciprocity；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃I
regard　you　in　a　light　which　makes　me　want　to　protect　you　even　if　I
have　nothing　to　gain　by　it。〃

〃Yet　you　speak　as　if　you　thought　you　might　keep　me　for　yourself。〃

〃For　YOURSELF。　　I　don't　want　you　to　suffer。〃

〃Nor　to　suffer　yourself　by　my　doing　so；〃　said　Rose；　looking　down。

〃Ah；　if　you　would　only　marry　me　next　month！〃　he　broke　out
inconsequently。

〃And　give　up　going　to　mamma？〃　Rose　waited　to　see　if　he　would　say
〃What　need　that　matter？　　Can't　your　mother　come　to　us？〃　　But　he　said
nothing　of　the　sort；　he　only　answered　…

〃She　surely　would　be　sorry　to　interfere　with　the　exercise　of　any
other　affection　which　I　might　have　the　bliss　of　believing　that　you
are　now　free；　in　however　small　a　degree；　to　entertain。〃

Rose　knew　that　her　mother　wouldn't　be　sorry　at　all；　but　she　contented
herself　with　rejoining；　her　hand　on　the　door：　　〃Good…bye。　　I　sha'n't
suffer。　　I'm　not　afraid。〃

〃You　don't　know　how　terrible；　how　cruel；　the　world　can　be。〃

〃Yes；　I　do　know。　　I　know　everything！〃

The　declaration　sprang　from　her　lips　in　a　tone　which　made　him　look　at
her　as　he　had　never　looked　before；　as　if　he　saw　something　new　in　her
face；　as　if　he　had　never　yet　known　her。　　He　hadn't　displeased　her　so
much　but　that　she　would　like　to　give　him　that　impression；　and　since
she　felt　that　she　was　doing　so　she　lingered　an　instant　for　the
purpose。　　It　enabled　her　to　see；　further；　that　he　turned　red；　then　to
become　aware　that　a　carriage　had　stopped　at　the　door。　　Captain　Jay's
eyes；　from　where　he　stood；　fell　upon　this　arrival；　and　the　nature　of
their　glance　made　Rose　step　forward　to　look。　　Her　mother　sat　there；
brilliant；　conspicuous；　in　the　eternal　victoria；　and　the　footman　was
already　sounding　the　knocker。　　It　had　been　no　part　of　the　arrangement
that　she　should　come　to　fetch　her；　it　had　been　out　of　the　questiona
stroke　in　such　bad　taste　as　would　have　put　Rose　in　the　wrong。　　The
girl　had　never　dreamed　of　it；　but　somehow；　suddenly；　perversely；　she
was　glad　of　it　now；　she　even　hoped　that　her　grandmother　and　her　aunt
were　looking　out　upstairs。

〃My　mother　has　come　for　me。　　Good…bye；〃　she　repeated；　but　this　time
her　visitor　had　got　between　her　and　the　door。

〃Listen　to　me　before　you　go。　　I　will　give　you　a　life's　devotion；〃　the
young　man　pleaded。　　He　really　barred　the　way。

She　wondered　whether　her　grandmother　had　told　him　that　if　her　flight
were　not　prevented　she　would　forfeit　money。　　Then；　vividly；　it　came
over　her　that　this　would　be　what　he　was　occupied　with。　　〃I　shall
never　think　of　youlet　me　go！〃　she　cried；　with　passion。

Captain　Jay　opened　the　door；　but　Rose　didn't　see　his　face；　and　in　a
moment　she　was　out　of　the　house。　　Aunt　Julia；　who　was　sure　to　have
been　hovering；　had　taken　flight　before　the　profanity　of　the　knock。

〃Heavens；　dear；　where　did　you　get　your　mourning？〃　the　lady　in　the
victoria　asked　of　her　daughter　as　they　drove　away。



CHAPTER　II。



Lady　Maresfield　had　given　her　boy　a　push　in　his　plump　back　and　had
said　to　him；　〃Go　and　speak　to　her　now；　it's　your　chance。〃　　She　had
for　a　long　time　wanted　this　scion　to　make　himself　audible　to　Rose
Tramore；　but　the　opportunity　was　not　easy　to　come　by。　　The　case　was
complicated。　　Lady　Maresfield　had　four　daughters；　of　whom　only　one
was　married。　　It　so　happened　moreover　that　this　one；　Mrs。　Vaughan…
Vesey；　the　only　person　in　the　world　her　mother　was　afraid　of；　was　the
most　to　be　reckoned　with。　　The　Honourable　Guy　was　in　appearance　all
his　mother's　child；　though　he　was　really　a　simpler　soul。　　He　was
large　and　pink；　large；　that　is；　as　to　everything　but　the　eyes；　which
were　diminishing　points；　and　pink　as　to　everything　but　the　hair；
which　was　comparable；　faintly；　to　the　hue　of　the　richer　rose。　　He　had
also；　it　must　be　conceded；　very　small　neat　teeth；　which　made　his
smile　look　like　a　young　lady's。　　He　had　no　wish　to　resemble　any　such
person；　but　he　was　perpetually　smiling；　and　he　smiled　more　than　ever
as　he　approached　Rose　Tramore；　who；　looking　altogether；　to　his　mind；
as　a　pretty　girl　should；　and　wearing　a　soft　white　opera…cloak　over　a
softer　black　dress；　leaned　alone　against　the　wall　of　the　vestibule　at
Covent　Garden　while；　a　few　paces　off；　an　old　gentleman　engaged　her
mother　in　conversation。　　Madame　Patti　had　been　singing；　and　they　were
all　waiting　for　their　carriages。　　To　their　ears　at　present　came　a
vociferation　of　names　and　a　rattle　of　wheels。　　The　air；　through
banging　doors；　entered　in　damp；　warm　gusts；　heavy　with　the　stale；
slightly　sweet　taste　of　the　London　season　when　the　London　season　is
overripe　and　spoiling。

Guy　Mangler　had　only　three　minutes　to　reestablish　an　interrupted
acquaintance　with　our　young　lady。　　He　reminded　her　that　he　had　danced
with　her　the　year　before；　and　he　mentioned　that　he　knew　her　brother。
His　mother　had　lately　been　to　see　old　Mrs。　Tramore；　but　this　he　did
not　mention；　not　being　aware　of　it。　　That　visit　had　produced；　on　Lady
Maresfield's　part；　a　private　crisis；　engendered　ideas。　　One　of　them
was　that　the　grandmother　in　Hill　Street　had　really　forgiven　the
wilful　girl　much　more　than　she　admitted。　　Another　was　that　there
would　still　be　some　money　for　Rose　when　the　others　should　come　into
theirs。　　Still　another　was　that　the　others　would　come　into　theirs　at
no　distant　date；　the　old　lady　was　so　visibly　going　to　pieces。　　There
were　several　more　besides；　as　for　instance　that　Rose　had　already
fifteen　hundred　a　year　from　her　father。　　The　figure　had　been　betrayed
in　Hill　Street；　it　was　part　of　the　proof　of　Mrs。　Tramore's
decrepitude。　　Then　there　was　an　equal　amount　that　her　mother　had　to
dispose　of　and　on　which　the　girl　could　absolutely　count；　though　of
course　it　might　involve　much　waiting；　as　the　mother；　a　person　of
gross　insensibility；　evidently　wouldn't　die　of　cold…shouldering。
Equally　definite；　to　do　it　justice；　was　the　conception　that　Rose　was
in　truth　remarkably　good　looking；　and　that　what　she　had　undertaken　to
do　showed；　and　would　show　even　should　it　fail；　cleverness　of　the
right　sort。　　Cleverness　of　the　right　sort　was　exactly　the　quality
that　Lady　Maresfield　prefigured　as　indispensable　in　a　young　lady　to
whom　she　should　marry　her　second　son；　over　whose　own　deficiencies　she
flung　the　veil　of　a　maternal　theory　that　HIS　cleverness　was　of　a　sort
that　was　wrong。　　Those　who　knew　him　less　well　were　content　to　wish
that　he　might　not　conceal　it　for　such　a　scruple。　　This　enumeration　of
his　mother's　views　does　not　exhaust　the　list；　and　it　was　in　obedience
to　one　too　profound　to　be　uttered　even　by　the　historian　that；　after　a
very　brief　delay；　she　decided　to　move　across　the　crowded　lobby。　　Her
daughter　Bessie　was　the　only　one　with　her；　Maggie　was　dining　with　the
Vaughan…Veseys；　and　Fanny　was　not　of　an　age。　　Mrs。　Tramore　the
younger　showed　only　an　admirable　backher　face　was　to　her　old
gentlemanand　Bessie　had　drifted　to　some　other　people；　so　that　it
was　comparatively　easy　for　Lady　Maresfield　to　say　to　Rose；　in　a
moment：　　〃My　dear　child；　are　you　never　coming　to　see　us？〃

〃We　shall　be　delighted　to　come　if　you'll　ask　us；〃　Rose　smiled。

Lady　Maresfield　had　been　prepared　for　the　plural　number；　and　she　was
a　woman　whom　it　took　many　plurals　to　disconcert。　　〃I'm　sure　Guy　is
longing　for　another　dance　with　you；〃　she　rejoined；　with　the　most
unblinking　irrelevance。

〃I'm　afraid　we're　not　dancing　again　quite　yet；〃　said　Rose；　glancing
at　her　mother's　exposed　shoulders；　but　speaking　as　if　they　were
muffled　in　crape。

Lady　Maresfield　leaned　her　head　on　one　side　and　seemed　almost
wistful。　　〃Not　even　at　my　sister's　ball？　　She's　to　have　something
next　week。　　She'll　write　to　you。〃

Rose　Tramore；　on　the　spot；　looking　bright　but　vague；　turned　three　or
four　things　over　in　her　mind。　　She　remembered　that　the　sister　of　her
interlocutress　was　the　proverbially　rich　Mrs。　Bray；　a　bankeress　or　a
breweress　or　a　builderess；　who　had　so　big　a　house　that　she　couldn't
fill　it　unless　she　opened　her　doors；　or　her　mouth；　very　wide。　　Rose
had　learnt　more　about　London　society　during　these　lonely　months　with
her　mother　than　she　had　ever　picked　up　in　Hill　Street。　　The　younger
Mrs。　Tramore　was　a　mine　of　commerages；　and　she　had　no　need　to　go　out
to　bring　home　the　latest　intelligence。　　At　any