the chaperon-第6部分

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her　parent　revealed　to　Rose　Tramore。　　She　marvelled　at　its　strength；
in　the　light　of　the　poor　lady's　history：　　there　was　comedy　enough　in
this　unquenchable　flame　on　the　part　of　a　woman　who　had　known　such
misery。　　She　had　drunk　deep　of　every　dishonour；　but　the　bitter　cup
had　left　her　with　a　taste　for　lighted　candles；　for　squeezing　up
staircases　and　hooking　herself　to　the　human　elbow。　　Rose　had　a　vision
of　the　future　years　in　which　this　taste　would　grow　with　restored
exerciseof　her　mother；　in　a　long…tailed　dress；　jogging　on　and　on
and　on；　jogging　further　and　further　from　her　sins；　through　a　century
of　the　〃Morning　Post〃　and　down　the　fashionable　avenue　of　time。　　She
herself　would　then　be　very　oldshe　herself　would　be　dead。　　Mrs。
Tramore　would　cover　a　span　of　life　for　which　such　an　allowance　of　sin
was　small。　　The　girl　could　laugh　indeed　now　at　that　theory　of　her
being　dragged　down。　　If　one　thing　were　more　present　to　her　than
another　it　was　the　very　desolation　of　their　propriety。　　As　she
glanced　at　her　companion；　it　sometimes　seemed　to　her　that　if　she　had
been　a　bad　woman　she　would　have　been　worse　than　that。　　There　were
compensations　for　being　〃cut〃　which　Mrs。　Tramore　too　much　neglected。

The　lonely　old　lady　in　Hill　StreetRose　thought　of　her　that　way　now…
…was　the　one　person　to　whom　she　was　ready　to　say　that　she　would　come
to　her　on　any　terms。　　She　wrote　this　to　her　three　times　over；　and　she
knocked　still　oftener　at　her　door。　　But　the　old　lady　answered　no
letters；　if　Rose　had　remained　in　Hill　Street　it　would　have　been　her
own　function　to　answer　them；　and　at　the　door；　the　butler；　whom　the
girl　had　known　for　ten　years；　considered　her；　when　he　told　her　his
mistress　was　not　at　home；　quite　as　he　might　have　considered　a　young
person　who　had　come　about　a　place　and　of　whose　eligibility　he　took　a
negative　view。　　That　was　Rose's　one　pang；　that　she　probably　appeared
rather　heartless。　　Her　aunt　Julia　had　gone　to　Florence　with　Edith　for
the　winter；　on　purpose　to　make　her　appear　more　so；　for　Miss　Tramore
was　still　the　person　most　scandalised　by　her　secession。　　Edith　and
she；　doubtless；　often　talked　over　in　Florence　the　destitution　of　the
aged　victim　in　Hill　Street。　　Eric　never　came　to　see　his　sister；
because；　being　full　both　of　family　and　of　personal　feeling；　he
thought　she　really　ought　to　have　stayed　with　his　grandmother。　　If　she
had　had　such　an　appurtenance　all　to　herself　she　might　have　done　what
she　liked　with　it；　but　he　couldn't　forgive　such　a　want　of
consideration　for　anything　of　his。　　There　were　moments　when　Rose
would　have　been　ready　to　take　her　hand　from　the　plough　and　insist
upon　reintegration；　if　only　the　fierce　voice　of　the　old　house　had
allowed　people　to　look　her　up。　　But　she　read；　ever　so　clearly；　that
her　grandmother　had　made　this　a　question　of　loyalty　to　seventy　years
of　virtue。　　Mrs。　Tramore's　forlornness　didn't　prevent　her　drawing…
room　from　being　a　very　public　place；　in　which　Rose　could　hear　certain
words　reverberate：　　〃Leave　her　alone；　it's　the　only　way　to　see　how
long　she'll　hold　out。〃　　The　old　woman's　visitors　were　people　who
didn't　wish　to　quarrel；　and　the　girl　was　conscious　that　if　they　had
not　let　her　alonethat　is　if　they　had　come　to　her　from　her
grandmothershe　might　perhaps　not　have　held　out。　　She　had　no　friends
quite　of　her　own；　she　had　not　been　brought　up　to　have　them；　and　it
would　not　have　been　easy　in　a　house　which　two　such　persons　as　her
father　and　his　mother　divided　between　them。　　Her　father　disapproved
of　crude　intimacies；　and　all　the　intimacies　of　youth　were　crude。　　He
had　married　at　five…and…twenty　and　could　testify　to　such　a　truth。
Rose　felt　that　she　shared　even　Captain　Jay　with　her　grandmother；　she
had　seen　what　HE　was　worth。　　Moreover；　she　had　spoken　to　him　at　that
last　moment　in　Hill　Street　in　a　way　which；　taken　with　her　former
refusal；　made　it　impossible　that　he　should　come　near　her　again。　　She
hoped　he　went　to　see　his　protectress：　　he　could　be　a　kind　of
substitute　and　administer　comfort。

It　so　happened；　however；　that　the　day　after　she　threw　Lady
Maresfield's　invitation　into　the　wastepaper　basket　she　received　a
visit　from　a　certain　Mrs。　Donovan；　whom　she　had　occasionally　seen　in
Hill　Street。　　She　vaguely　knew　this　lady　for　a　busybody；　but　she　was
in　a　situation　which　even　busybodies　might　alleviate。　　Mrs。　Donovan
was　poor；　but　honestso　scrupulously　honest　that　she　was　perpetually
returning　visits　she　had　never　received。　　She　was　always　clad　in
weather…beaten　sealskin；　and　had　an　odd　air　of　being　prepared　for　the
worst；　which　was　borne　out　by　her　denying　that　she　was　Irish。　　She
was　of　the　English　Donovans。

〃Dear　child；　won't　you　go　out　with　me？〃　she　asked。

Rose　looked　at　her　a　moment　and　then　rang　the　bell。　　She　spoke　of
something　else；　without　answering　the　question；　and　when　the　servant
came　she　said：　　〃Please　tell　Mrs。　Tramore　that　Mrs。　Donovan　has　come
to　see　her。〃

〃Oh；　that'll　be　delightful；　only　you　mustn't　tell　your　grandmother！〃
the　visitor　exclaimed。

〃Tell　her　what？〃

〃That　I　come　to　see　your　mamma。〃

〃You　don't；〃　said　Rose。

〃Sure　I　hoped　you'd　introduce　me！〃　cried　Mrs。　Donovan；　compromising
herself　in　her　embarrassment。

〃It's　not　necessary；　you　knew　her　once。〃

〃Indeed　and　I've　known　every　one　once；〃　the　visitor　confessed。

Mrs。　Tramore；　when　she　came　in；　was　charming　and　exactly　right；　she
greeted　Mrs。　Donovan　as　if　she　had　met　her　the　week　before　last；
giving　her　daughter　such　a　new　illustration　of　her　tact　that　Rose
again　had　the　idea　that　it　was　no　wonder　〃people〃　had　liked　her。　　The
girl　grudged　Mrs。　Donovan　so　fresh　a　morsel　as　a　description　of　her
mother　at　home；　rejoicing　that　she　would　be　inconvenienced　by　having
to　keep　the　story　out　of　Hill　Street。　　Her　mother　went　away　before
Mrs。　Donovan　departed；　and　Rose　was　touched　by　guessing　her　reason
the　thought　that　since　even　this　circuitous　personage　had　been　moved
to　come；　the　two　might；　if　left　together；　invent　some　remedy。　　Rose
waited　to　see　what　Mrs。　Donovan　had　in　fact　invented。

〃You　won't　come　out　with　me　then？〃

〃Come　out　with　you？〃

〃My　daughters　are　married。　　You　know　I'm　a　lone　woman。　　It　would　be
an　immense　pleasure　to　me　to　have　so　charming　a　creature　as　yourself
to　present　to　the　world。〃

〃I　go　out　with　my　mother；〃　said　Rose；　after　a　moment。

〃Yes；　but　sometimes　when　she's　not　inclined？〃

〃She　goes　everywhere　she　wants　to　go；〃　Rose　continued；　uttering　the
biggest　fib　of　her　life　and　only　regretting　it　should　be　wasted　on
Mrs。　Donovan。

〃Ah；　but　do　you　go　everywhere　YOU　want？〃　the　lady　asked　sociably。

〃One　goes　even　to　places　one　hates。　　Every　one　does　that。〃

〃Oh；　what　I　go　through！〃　this　social　martyr　cried。　　Then　she　laid　a
persuasive　hand　on　the　girl's　arm。　　〃Let　me　show　you　at　a　few　places
first；　and　then　we'll　see。　　I'll　bring　them　all　here。〃

〃I　don't　think　I　understand　you；〃　replied　Rose；　though　in　Mrs。
Donovan's　words　she　perfectly　saw　her　own　theory　of　the　case
reflected。　　For　a　quarter　of　a　minute　she　asked　herself　whether　she
might　not；　after　all；　do　so　much　evil　that　good　might　come。　　Mrs。
Donovan　would　take　her　out　the　next　day；　and　be　thankful　enough　to
annex　such　an　attraction　as　a　pretty　girl。　　Various　consequences
would　ensue　and　the　long　delay　would　be　shortened；　her　mother's
drawing…room　would　resound　with　the　clatter　of　teacups。

〃Mrs。　Bray's　having　some　big　thing　next　week；　come　with　me　there　and
I'll　show　you　what　I　mane；〃　Mrs。　Donovan　pleaded。

〃I　see　what　you　mane；〃　Rose　answered；　brushing　away　her　temptation
and　getting　up。　　〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you。〃

〃You　know　you're　wrong；　my　dear；〃　said　her　interlocutress；　with　angry
little　eyes。

〃I'm　not　going　to　Mrs。　Bray's。〃

〃I'll　get　you　a　kyard；　it'll　only　cost　me　a　penny　stamp。〃

〃I've　got　one；〃　said　the　girl；　smiling。

〃Do　you　mean　a　penny　stamp？〃　　Mrs。　Donovan；　especially　at　departure；
always　observed　all　the　forms　of　amity。　　〃You　can't　do　it　alone；　my
darling；〃　she　declared。

〃Shall　they　call　you　a　cab？〃　Rose　asked。

〃I'll　pick　one　up。　　I　choose　my　horse。　　You　know　you　require　your
start；〃　her　visitor　went　on。

〃Excuse　my　mother；〃　was　Rose's　only　reply。

〃Don't　mention　it。　　Come　to　me　when　you　need　me。　　You'll　find　me　in
the　Red　Book。〃

〃It's　awfully　kind　of　you。〃

Mrs。　Donovan　lingered　a　moment　on　the　threshold。　　〃Who　will　you　HAVE
now；　my　child？〃　she　appealed。

〃I　won't　have　any　one！〃　　Rose　turned　away；　blushing　for　her。　　〃She
came　on　speculation；〃　she　said　afterwards　to　Mrs。　Tramore。

Her　mother　looked　at　her　a　moment　in　silence。　　〃You　can　do　it　if　you
like；　you　know。〃

Rose　made　no　direct　answer　to　this　observation；　she　remarked　instead：
〃See　what　our　quiet　life　allows　us　to　escape。〃

〃We　don't　escape　it。　　She　has　been　here　an　hour。〃

〃Once　in　twenty　years！　　We　might　meet　her　three　times　a　day。〃

〃Oh；　I'd　take　her　with　the　rest！〃　sighed　Mrs。　Tramore；　while　her
daughter　recognised　that　what　her　companion　wanted　to　do　was　just
what　Mrs。　Donovan　was　doing。　　Mrs。　Donovan's　life　was　her　ideal。

On　a　Sunday；　ten　days　later；　Rose　went　to　see　one　of　her　old
governesses；　of　whom　she　had　lost　sight　for　some　time　and　who　had
written　to　her　that　she　was　in　London；　unoccupied　and　ill。　　This　was
just　the　sort　of　relation　into　which　she　could　throw　herself　now　with
inordinate　zeal；　the　idea　of　it；　however；　not　preventing　a　foretaste
of　the　queer　expression　in　the　excellent　lady's　face　when　she　should
mention　with　whom　she　was　living。　　While　she　smiled　at　this　picture
she　threw　in　another　joke；　asking　herself　if　Miss　Hack　could　be　held
in　any　degree　to　constitute　the　nucleus　of　a　circle。　　She　would　come
to　see　her；　in　any　eventcome　the　more　the　further　she　was　dragged
down。　　Sunday　was　always　a　difficult　day　with　the　two　ladiesthe
afternoons　made　it　so　apparent　that　they　were　not　frequented。　　Her
mother；　it　is　true；　was　comprised　in　the　habits　of　two　or　three　old
gentlemenshe　had　for　a　long　time　avoided　male　friends　of　less　than
seventywho　disliked　each　other　enough　to　make　the　room；　when　they
were　there　at　once；　crack　with　pressure。　　Rose　sat　for　a　long　time
with　Miss　Hack；　doing　conscientious　justice　to　the　conception　that
there　could　be　troubles　in　the　world　worse　t