the chaperon-第7部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


with　Miss　Hack；　doing　conscientious　justice　to　the　conception　that
there　could　be　troubles　in　the　world　worse　than　her　own；　and　when　she
came　back　her　mother　was　alone；　but　with　a　story　to　tell　of　a　long
visit　from　Mr。　Guy　Mangler；　who　had　waited　and　waited　for　her　return。
〃He's　in　love　with　you；　he's　coming　again　on　Tuesday；〃　Mrs。　Tramore
announced。

〃Did　he　say　so？〃

〃That　he's　coming　back　on　Tuesday？〃

〃No；　that　he's　in　love　with　me。〃

〃He　didn't　need；　when　he　stayed　two　hours。〃

〃With　you？　　It's　you　he's　in　love　with；　mamma！〃

〃That　will　do　as　well；〃　laughed　Mrs。　Tramore。　　〃For　all　the　use　we
shall　make　of　him！〃　she　added　in　a　moment。

〃We　shall　make　great　use　of　him。　　His　mother　sent　him。〃

〃Oh；　she'll　never　come！〃

〃Then　HE　sha'n't；〃　said　Rose。　　Yet　he　was　admitted　on　the　Tuesday；
and　after　she　had　given　him　his　tea　Mrs。　Tramore　left　the　young
people　alone。　　Rose　wished　she　hadn'tshe　herself　had　another　view。
At　any　rate　she　disliked　her　mother's　view；　which　she　had　easily
guessed。　　Mr。　Mangler　did　nothing　but　say　how　charming　he　thought　his
hostess　of　the　Sunday；　and　what　a　tremendously　jolly　visit　he　had
had。　　He　didn't　remark　in　so　many　words　〃I　had　no　idea　your　mother
was　such　a　good　sort〃；　but　this　was　the　spirit　of　his　simple
discourse。　　Rose　liked　it　at　firsta　little　of　it　gratified　her；
then　she　thought　there　was　too　much　of　it　for　good　taste。　　She　had　to
reflect　that　one　does　what　one　can　and　that　Mr。　Mangler　probably
thought　he　was　delicate。　　He　wished　to　convey　that　he　desired　to　make
up　to　her　for　the　injustice　of　society。　　Why　shouldn't　her　mother
receive　gracefully；　she　asked　（not　audibly）　and　who　had　ever　said　she
didn't？　　Mr。　Mangler　had　a　great　deal　to　say　about　the　disappointment
of　his　own　parent　over　Miss　Tramore's　not　having　come　to　dine　with
them　the　night　of　his　aunt's　ball。

〃Lady　Maresfield　knows　why　I　didn't　come；〃　Rose　answered　at　last。

〃Ah；　now；　but　_I_　don't；　you　know；　can't　you　tell　ME？〃　asked　the
young　man。

〃It　doesn't　matter；　if　your　mother's　clear　about　it。〃

〃Oh；　but　why　make　such　an　awful　mystery　of　it；　when　I'm　dying　to
know？〃

He　talked　about　this；　he　chaffed　her　about　it　for　the　rest　of　his
visit：　　he　had　at　last　found　a　topic　after　his　own　heart。　　If　her
mother　considered　that　he　might　be　the　emblem　of　their　redemption　he
was　an　engine　of　the　most　primitive　construction。　　He　stayed　and
stayed；　he　struck　Rose　as　on　the　point　of　bringing　out　something　for
which　he　had　not　quite；　as　he　would　have　said；　the　cheek。　　Sometimes
she　thought　he　was　going　to　begin：　　〃By　the　way；　my　mother　told　me　to
propose　to　you。〃　　At　other　moments　he　seemed　charged　with　the
admission：　　〃I　say；　of　course　I　really　know　what　you're　trying　to　do
for　her；〃　nodding　at　the　door：　　〃therefore　hadn't　we　better　speak　of
it　frankly；　so　that　I　can　help　you　with　my　mother；　and　more
particularly　with　my　sister　Gwendolen；　who's　the　difficult　one？　　The
fact　is；　you　see；　they　won't　do　anything　for　nothing。　　If　you'll
accept　me　they'll　call；　but　they　won't　call　without　something
'down。'〃　　Mr。　Mangler　departed　without　their　speaking　frankly；　and
Rose　Tramore　had　a　hot　hour　during　which　she　almost　entertained；
vindictively；　the　project　of　〃accepting〃　the　limpid　youth　until　after
she　should　have　got　her　mother　into　circulation。　　The　cream　of　the
vision　was　that　she　might　break　with　him　later。　　She　could　read　that
this　was　what　her　mother　would　have　liked；　but　the　next　time　he　came
the　door　was　closed　to　him；　and　the　next　and　the　next。

In　August　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　go　abroad；　with　the　sense　on
Rose's　part　that　the　battle　was　still　all　to　fight；　for　a　round　of
country　visits　was　not　in　prospect；　and　English　watering…places
constituted　one　of　the　few　subjects　on　which　the　girl　had　heard　her
mother　express　herself　with　disgust。　　Continental　autumns　had　been
indeed　for　years；　one　of　the　various　forms　of　Mrs。　Tramore's
atonement；　but　Rose　could　only　infer　that　such　fruit　as　they　had
borne　was　bitter。　　The　stony　stare　of　Belgravia　could　be　practised　at
Homburg；　and　somehow　it　was　inveterately　only　gentlemen　who　sat　next
to　her　at　the　table　d'hote　at　Cadenabbia。　　Gentlemen　had　never　been
of　any　use　to　Mrs。　Tramore　for　getting　back　into　society；　they　had
only　helped　her　effectually　to　get　out　of　it。　　She　once　dropped；　to
her　daughter；　in　a　moralising　mood；　the　remark　that　it　was
astonishing　how　many　of　them　one　could　know　without　its　doing　one　any
good。　　Fifty　of　themeven　very　clever　onesrepresented　a　value
inferior　to　that　of　one　stupid　woman。　　Rose　wondered　at　the　offhand
way　in　which　her　mother　could　talk　of　fifty　clever　men；　it　seemed　to
her　that　the　whole　world　couldn't　contain　such　a　number。　　She　had　a
sombre　sense　that　mankind　must　be　dull　and　mean。　　These　cogitations
took　place　in　a　cold　hotel；　in　an　eternal　Swiss　rain；　and　they　had　a
flat　echo　in　the　transalpine　valleys；　as　the　lonely　ladies　went
vaguely　down　to　the　Italian　lakes　and　cities。　　Rose　guided　their
course；　at　moments；　with　a　kind　of　aimless　ferocity；　she　moved
abruptly；　feeling　vulgar　and　hating　their　life；　though　destitute　of
any　definite　vision　of　another　life　that　would　have　been　open　to　her。
She　had　set　herself　a　task　and　she　clung　to　it；　but　she　appeared　to
herself　despicably　idle。　　She　had　succeeded　in　not　going　to　Homburg
waters；　where　London　was　trying　to　wash　away　some　of　its　stains；　that
would　be　too　staring　an　advertisement　of　their　situation。　　The　main
difference　in　situations　to　her　now　was　the　difference　of　being　more
or　less　pitied；　at　the　best　an　intolerable　danger；　so　that　the　places
she　preferred　were　the　unsuspicious　ones。　　She　wanted　to　triumph　with
contempt；　not　with　submission。

One　morning　in　September；　coming　with　her　mother　out　of　the　marble
church　at　Milan；　she　perceived　that　a　gentleman　who　had　just　passed
her　on　his　way　into　the　cathedral　and　whose　face　she　had　not　noticed；
had　quickly　raised　his　hat；　with　a　suppressed　ejaculation。　　She
involuntarily　glanced　back；　the　gentleman　had　paused；　again
uncovering；　and　Captain　Jay　stood　saluting　her　in　the　Italian
sunshine。　　〃Oh；　good…morning！〃　she　said；　and　walked　on；　pursuing　her
course；　her　mother　was　a　little　in　front。　　She　overtook　her　in　a
moment；　with　an　unreasonable　sense；　like　a　gust　of　cold　air；　that　men
were　worse　than　ever；　for　Captain　Jay　had　apparently　moved　into　the
church。　　Her　mother　turned　as　they　met；　and　suddenly；　as　she　looked
back；　an　expression　of　peculiar　sweetness　came　into　this　lady's　eyes。
It　made　Rose's　take　the　same　direction　and　rest　a　second　time　on
Captain　Jay；　who　was　planted　just　where　he　had　stood　a　minute　before。
He　immediately　came　forward；　asking　Rose　with　great　gravity　if　he
might　speak　to　her　a　moment；　while　Mrs。　Tramore　went　her　way　again。
He　had　the　expression　of　a　man　who　wished　to　say　something　very
important；　yet　his　next　words　were　simple　enough　and　consisted　of　the
remark　that　he　had　not　seen　her　for　a　year。

〃Is　it　really　so　much　as　that？〃　asked　Rose。

〃Very　nearly。　　I　would　have　looked　you　up；　but　in　the　first　place　I
have　been　very　little　in　London；　and　in　the　second　I　believed　it
wouldn't　have　done　any　good。〃

〃You　should　have　put　that　first；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃It　wouldn't　have
done　any　good。〃

He　was　silent　over　this　a　moment；　in　his　customary　deciphering　way；
but　the　view　he　took　of　it　did　not　prevent　him　from　inquiring；　as　she
slowly　followed　her　mother；　if　he　mightn't　walk　with　her　now。　　She
answered　with　a　laugh　that　it　wouldn't　do　any　good　but　that　he　might
do　as　he　liked。　　He　replied　without　the　slightest　manifestation　of
levity　that　it　would　do　more　good　than　if　he　didn't；　and　they
strolled　together；　with　Mrs。　Tramore　well　before　them；　across　the
big；　amusing　piazza；　where　the　front　of　the　cathedral　makes　a　sort　of
builded　light。　　He　asked　a　question　or　two　and　he　explained　his　own
presence：　　having　a　month's　holiday；　the　first　clear　time　for　several
years；　he　had　just　popped　over　the　Alps。　　He　inquired　if　Rose　had
recent　news　of　the　old　lady　in　Hill　Street；　and　it　was　the　only
tortuous　thing　she　had　ever　heard　him　say。

〃I　have　had　no　communication　of　any　kind　from　her　since　I　parted　with
you　under　her　roof。　　Hasn't　she　mentioned　that？〃　said　Rose。

〃I　haven't　seen　her。〃

〃I　thought　you　were　such　great　friends。〃

Bertram　Jay　hesitated　a　moment。　　〃Well；　not　so　much　now。〃

〃What　has　she　done　to　you？〃　Rose　demanded。

He　fidgeted　a　little；　as　if　he　were　thinking　of　something　that　made
him　unconscious　of　her　question；　then；　with　mild　violence；　he　brought
out　the　inquiry：　　〃Miss　Tramore；　are　you　happy？〃

She　was　startled　by　the　words；　for　she　on　her　side　had　been
reflectingreflecting　that　he　had　broken　with　her　grandmother　and
that　this　pointed　to　a　reason。　　It　suggested　at　least　that　he
wouldn't　now　be　so　much　like　a　mouthpiece　for　that　cold　ancestral
tone。　　She　turned　off　his　questionsaid　it　never　was　a　fair　one；　as
you　gave　yourself　away　however　you　answered　it。　　When　he　repeated
〃You　give　yourself　away？〃　as　if　he　didn't　understand；　she　remembered
that　he　had　not　read　the　funny　American　books。　　This　brought　them　to
a　silence；　for　she　had　enlightened　him　only　by　another　laugh；　and　he
was　evidently　preparing　another　question；　which　he　wished　carefully
to　disconnect　from　the　former。　　Presently；　just　as　they　were　coming
near　Mrs。　Tramore；　it　arrived　in　the　words　〃Is　this　lady　your
mother？〃　　On　Rose's　assenting；　with　the　addition　that　she　was
travelling　with　her；　he　said：　　〃Will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　introduce
me　to　her？〃　　They　were　so　close　to　Mrs。　Tramore　that　she　probably
heard；　but　she　floated　away　with　a　single　stroke　of　her　paddle　and　an
inattentive　poise　of　her　head。　　It　was　a　striking　exhibition　of　the
famous　tact；　for　Rose　delayed　to　answer；　which　was　exactly　what　might
have　made　her　mother　wish　to　turn；　and　indeed　when　at　last　the　girl
spoke　she　only　said　to　her　companion：　　〃Why　do　you　ask　me　that？〃

〃Because　I　desire　the　pleasure　of　making　her　acquaintance。〃

Rose　had　stopped；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　square　they　stood　looking
at　each　other。　　〃Do　you　remember　what　you　said　to　me　the　last　time　I
saw　you？〃

〃Oh；　don't　speak　of　that！〃

〃It's　better　to