the chaperon-第10节

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without　glancing　in　the　direction　of　Mrs。　Tramore。　　The　girl；
however；　was　aware　that　this　was　not　a　good　enough　instance　of　their
humiliation；　inasmuch　as　it　was　rather　she　who；　on　the　occasion　of
their　last　contact；　had　held　off　from　Lady　Maresfield。　　She　was　a
little　ashamed　now　of　not　having　answered　the　note　in　which　this
affable　personage　ignored　her　mother。　　She　couldn't　help　perceiving
indeed　a　dim　movement　on　the　part　of　some　of　the　other　members　of　the
group；　she　made　out　an　attitude　of　observation　in　the　high…plumed
head　of　Mrs。　Vaughan…Vesey。　　Mrs。　Vesey；　perhaps；　might　have　been
looking　at　Captain　Jay；　for　as　this　gentleman　walked　back　to　the
hotel　with　our　young　lady　（they　were　at　the　〃Britannia；〃　and　young
Mangler；　who　clung　to　them；　went　in　front　with　Mrs。　Tramore）　he
revealed　to　Rose　that　he　had　some　acquaintance　with　Lady　Maresfield's
eldest　daughter；　though　he　didn't　know　and　didn't　particularly　want
to　know；　her　ladyship。　　He　expressed　himself　with　more　acerbity　than
she　had　ever　heard　him　use　（Christian　charity　so　generally　governed
his　speech）　about　the　young　donkey　who　had　been　prattling　to　them。
They　separated　at　the　door　of　the　hotel。　　Mrs。　Tramore　had　got　rid　of
Mr。　Mangler；　and　Bertram　Jay　was　in　other　quarters。

〃If　you　know　Mrs。　Vesey；　why　didn't　you　go　and　speak　to　her？　　I'm
sure　she　saw　you；〃　Rose　said。

Captain　Jay　replied　even　more　circumspectly　than　usual。　　〃Because　I
didn't　want　to　leave　you。〃

〃Well；　you　can　go　now；　you're　free；〃　Rose　rejoined。

〃Thank　you。　　I　shall　never　go　again。〃

〃That　won't　be　civil；〃　said　Rose。

〃I　don't　care　to　be　civil。　　I　don't　like　her。〃

〃Why　don't　you　like　her？〃

〃You　ask　too　many　questions。〃

〃I　know　I　do；〃　the　girl　acknowledged。

Captain　Jay　had　already　shaken　hands　with　her；　but　at　this　he　put　out
his　hand　again。　　〃She's　too　worldly；〃　he　murmured；　while　he　held　Rose
Tramore's　a　moment。

〃Ah；　you　dear！〃　Rose　exclaimed　almost　audibly　as；　with　her　mother；
she　turned　away。

The　next　morning；　upon　the　Grand　Canal；　the　gondola　of　our　three
friends　encountered　a　stately　barge　which；　though　it　contained
several　persons；　seemed　pervaded　mainly　by　one　majestic　presence。
During　the　instant　the　gondolas　were　passing　each　other　it　was
impossible　either　for　Rose　Tramore　or　for　her　companions　not　to
become　conscious　that　this　distinguished　identity　had　markedly
inclined　itselfa　circumstance　commemorated　the　next　moment；　almost
within　earshot　of　the　other　boat；　by　the　most　spontaneous　cry　that
had　issued　for　many　a　day　from　the　lips　of　Mrs。　Tramore。　　〃Fancy；　my
dear；　Lady　Maresfield　has　bowed　to　us！〃

〃We　ought　to　have　returned　it；〃　Rose　answered；　but　she　looked　at
Bertram　Jay；　who　was　opposite　to　her。　　He　blushed；　and　she　blushed；
and　during　this　moment　was　born　a　deeper　understanding　than　had　yet
existed　between　these　associated　spirits。　　It　had　something　to　do
with　their　going　together　that　afternoon；　without　her　mother；　to　look
at　certain　out…of…the…way　pictures　as　to　which　Ruskin　had　inspired
her　with　a　desire　to　see　sincerely。　　Mrs。　Tramore　expressed　the　wish
to　stay　at　home；　and　the　motive　of　this　wisha　finer　shade　than　any
that　even　Ruskin　had　ever　found　a　phrase　forwas　not　translated　into
misrepresenting　words　by　either　the　mother　or　the　daughter。　　At　San
Giovanni　in　Bragora　the　girl　and　her　companion　came　upon　Mrs。
Vaughan…Vesey；　who；　with　one　of　her　sisters；　was　also　endeavouring　to
do　the　earnest　thing。　　She　did　it　to　Rose；　she　did　it　to　Captain　Jay；
as　well　as　to　Gianbellini；　she　was　a　handsome；　long…necked；　aquiline
person；　of　a　different　type　from　the　rest　of　her　family；　and　she　did
it　remarkably　well。　　She　secured　our　friendsit　was　her　own
expressionfor　luncheon；　on　the　morrow；　on　the　yacht；　and　she　made
it　public　to　Rose　that　she　would　come　that　afternoon　to　invite　her
mother。　　When　the　girl　returned　to　the　hotel；　Mrs。　Tramore　mentioned；
before　Captain　Jay；　who　had　come　up　to　their　sitting…room；　that　Lady
Maresfield　had　called。　　〃She　stayed　a　long　timeat　least　it　seemed
long！〃　laughed　Mrs。　Tramore。

The　poor　lady　could　laugh　freely　now；　yet　there　was　some　grimness　in
a　colloquy　that　she　had　with　her　daughter　after　Bertram　Jay　had
departed。　　Before　this　happened　Mrs。　Vesey's　card；　scrawled　over　in
pencil　and　referring　to　the　morrow's　luncheon；　was　brought　up　to　Mrs。
Tramore。

〃They　mean　it　all　as　a　bribe；〃　said　the　principal　recipient　of　these
civilities。

〃As　a　bribe？〃　Rose　repeated。

〃She　wants　to　marry　you　to　that　boy；　they've　seen　Captain　Jay　and
they're　frightened。〃

〃Well；　dear　mamma；　I　can't　take　Mr。　Mangler　for　a　husband。〃

〃Of　course　not。　　But　oughtn't　we　to　go　to　the　luncheon？〃

〃Certainly　we'll　go　to　the　luncheon；〃　Rose　said；　and　when　the　affair
took　place；　on　the　morrow；　she　could　feel　for　the　first　time　that　she
was　taking　her　mother　out。　　This　appearance　was　somehow　brought　home
to　every　one　else；　and　it　was　really　the　agent　of　her　success。　　For
it　is　of　the　essence　of　this　simple　history　that；　in　the　first　place；
that　success　dated　from　Mrs。　Vesey's　Venetian　dejeuner；　and　in　the
second　reposed；　by　a　subtle　social　logic；　on　the　very　anomaly　that
had　made　it　dubious。　　There　is　always　a　chance　in　things；　and　Rose
Tramore's　chance　was　in　the　fact　that　Gwendolen　Vesey　was；　as　some
one　had　said；　awfully　modern；　an　immense　improvement　on　the　exploded
science　of　her　mother；　and　capable　of　seeing　what　a　〃draw〃　there
would　be　in　the　comedy；　if　properly　brought　out；　of　the　reversed
positions　of　Mrs。　Tramore　and　Mrs。　Tramore's　diplomatic　daughter。
With　a　first…rate　managerial　eye　she　perceived　that　people　would
flock　into　any　roomand　all　the　more　into　one　of　hersto　see　Rose
bring　in　her　dreadful　mother。　　She　treated　the　cream　of　English
society　to　this　thrilling　spectacle　later　in　the　autumn；　when　she
once　more　〃secured〃　both　the　performers　for　a　week　at　Brimble。　　It
made　a　hit　on　the　spot；　the　very　first　eveningthe　girl　was　felt　to
play　her　part　so　well。　　The　rumour　of　the　performance　spread；　every
one　wanted　to　see　it。　　It　was　an　entertainment　of　which；　that　winter
in　the　country；　and　the　next　season　in　town；　persons　of　taste　desired
to　give　their　friends　the　freshness。　　The　thing　was　to　make　the
Tramores　come　late；　after　every　one　had　arrived。　　They　were　engaged
for　a　fixed　hour；　like　the　American　imitator　and　the　Patagonian
contralto。　　Mrs。　Vesey　had　been　the　first　to　say　the　girl　was　awfully
original；　but　that　became　the　general　view。

Gwendolen　Vesey　had　with　her　mother　one　of　the　few　quarrels　in　which
Lady　Maresfield　had　really　stood　up　to　such　an　antagonist　（the　elder
woman　had　to　recognise　in　general　in　whose　veins　it　was　that　the
blood　of　the　Manglers　flowed）　on　account　of　this　very　circumstance　of
her　attaching　more　importance　to　Miss　Tramore's　originality　（〃Her
originality　be　hanged！〃　her　ladyship　had　gone　so　far　as
unintelligently　to　exclaim）　than　to　the　prospects　of　the　unfortunate
Guy。　　Mrs。　Vesey　actually　lost　sight　of　these　pressing　problems　in
her　admiration　of　the　way　the　mother　and　the　daughter；　or　rather　the
daughter　and　the　mother　（it　was　slightly　confusing）　〃drew。〃　　It　was
Lady　Maresfield's　version　of　the　case　that　the　brazen　girl　（she　was
shockingly　coarse）　had　treated　poor　Guy　abominably。　　At　any　rate　it
was　made　known；　just　after　Easter；　that　Miss　Tramore　was　to　be
married　to　Captain　Jay。　　The　marriage　was　not　to　take　place　till　the
summer；　but　Rose　felt　that　before　this　the　field　would　practically　be
won。　　There　had　been　some　bad　moments；　there　had　been　several　warm
corners　and　a　certain　number　of　cold　shoulders　and　closed　doors　and
stony　stares；　but　the　breach　was　effectually　madethe　rest　was　only
a　question　of　time。　　Mrs。　Tramore　could　be　trusted　to　keep　what　she
had　gained；　and　it　was　the　dowagers；　the　old　dragons　with　prominent
fangs　and　glittering　scales；　whom　the　trick　had　already　mainly
caught。　　By　this　time　there　were　several　houses　into　which　the
liberated　lady　had　crept　alone。　　Her　daughter　had　been　expected　with
her；　but　they　couldn't　turn　her　out　because　the　girl　had　stayed
behind；　and　she　was　fast　acquiring　a　new　identity；　that　of　a　parental
connection　with　the　heroine　of　such　a　romantic　story。　　She　was　at
least　the　next　best　thing　to　her　daughter；　and　Rose　foresaw　the　day
when　she　would　be　valued　principally　as　a　memento　of　one　of　the
prettiest　episodes　in　the　annals　of　London。　　At　a　big　official　party；
in　June；　Rose　had　the　joy　of　introducing　Eric　to　his　mother。　　She　was
a　little　sorry　it　was　an　official　partythere　were　some　other　such
queer　people　there；　but　Eric　called；　observing　the　shade；　the　next
day　but　one。

No　observer；　probably；　would　have　been　acute　enough　to　fix　exactly
the　moment　at　which　the　girl　ceased　to　take　out　her　mother　and　began
to　be　taken　out　by　her。　　A　later　phase　was　more　distinguishablethat
at　which　Rose　forbore　to　inflict　on　her　companion　a　duality　that
might　become　oppressive。　　She　began　to　economise　her　force；　she　went
only　when　the　particular　effect　was　required。　　Her　marriage　was
delayed　by　the　period　of　mourning　consequent　upon　the　death　of　her
grandmother；　who；　the　younger　Mrs。　Tramore　averred；　was　killed　by　the
rumour　of　her　own