the chaperon-第4节

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This　afternoon　however　she　foresaw　complications。　　At　the　very　outset
for　instance　she　was　not　pleased　with　his　having　arranged　such　a
surprise　for　her　with　her　grandmother　and　her　aunt。　　It　was　probably
aunt　Julia　who　had　sent　for　him；　her　grandmother　wouldn't　have　done
it。　　It　placed　him　immediately　on　their　side；　and　Rose　was　almost　as
disappointed　at　this　as　if　she　had　not　known　it　was　quite　where　he
would　naturally　be。　　He　had　never　paid　her　a　special　visit；　but　if
that　was　what　he　wished　to　do　why　shouldn't　he　have　waited　till　she
should　be　under　her　mother's　roof？　　She　knew　the　reason；　but　she　had
an　angry　prospect　of　enjoyment　in　making　him　express　it。　　She　liked
him　enough；　after　all；　if　it　were　measured　by　the　idea　of　what　she
could　make　him　do。

In　Bertram　Jay　the　elements　were　surprisingly　mingled；　you　would　have
gone　astray；　in　reading　him；　if　you　had　counted　on　finding　the
complements　of　some　of　his　qualities。　　He　would　not　however　have
struck　you　in　the　least　as　incomplete；　for　in　every　case　in　which　you
didn't　find　the　complement　you　would　have　found　the　contradiction。
He　was　in　the　Royal　Engineers；　and　was　tall；　lean　and　high…
shouldered。　　He　looked　every　inch　a　soldier；　yet　there　were　people
who　considered　that　he　had　missed　his　vocation　in　not　becoming　a
parson。　　He　took　a　public　interest　in　the　spiritual　life　of　the　army。
Other　persons　still；　on　closer　observation；　would　have　felt　that　his
most　appropriate　field　was　neither　the　army　nor　the　church；　but
simply　the　worldthe　social；　successful；　worldly　world。　　If　he　had　a
sword　in　one　hand　and　a　Bible　in　the　other　he　had　a　Court　Guide
concealed　somewhere　about　his　person。　　His　profile　was　hard　and
handsome；　his　eyes　were　both　cold　and　kind；　his　dark　straight　hair
was　imperturbably　smooth　and　prematurely　streaked　with　grey。　　There
was　nothing　in　existence　that　he　didn't　take　seriously。　　He　had　a
first…rate　power　of　work　and　an　ambition　as　minutely　organised　as　a
German　plan　of　invasion。　　His　only　real　recreation　was　to　go　to
church；　but　he　went　to　parties　when　he　had　time。　　If　he　was　in　love
with　Rose　Tramore　this　was　distracting　to　him　only　in　the　same　sense
as　his　religion；　and　it　was　included　in　that　department　of　his
extremely　sub…divided　life。　　His　religion　indeed　was　of　an
encroaching；　annexing　sort。　　Seen　from　in　front　he　looked　diffident
and　blank；　but　he　was　capable　of　exposing　himself　in　a　way　（to　speak
only　of　the　paths　of　peace）　wholly　inconsistent　with　shyness。　　He　had
a　passion　for　instance　for　open…air　speaking；　but　was　not　thought　on
the　whole　to　excel　in　it　unless　he　could　help　himself　out　with　a
hymn。　　In　conversation　he　kept　his　eyes　on　you　with　a　kind　of
colourless　candour；　as　if　he　had　not　understood　what　you　were　saying
and；　in　a　fashion　that　made　many　people　turn　red；　waited　before
answering。　　This　was　only　because　he　was　considering　their　remarks　in
more　relations　than　they　had　intended。　　He　had　in　his　face　no
expression　whatever　save　the　one　just　mentioned；　and　was；　in　his
profession；　already　very　distinguished。

He　had　seen　Rose　Tramore　for　the　first　time　on　a　Sunday　of　the
previous　March；　at　a　house　in　the　country　at　which　she　was　staying
with　her　father；　and　five　weeks　later　he　had　made　her；　by　letter；　an
offer　of　marriage。　　She　showed　her　father　the　letter　of　course；　and
he　told　her　that　it　would　give　him　great　pleasure　that　she　should
send　Captain　Jay　about　his　business。　　〃My　dear　child；〃　he　said；　〃we
must　really　have　some　one　who　will　be　better　fun　than　that。〃　　Rose
had　declined　the　honour；　very　considerately　and　kindly；　but　not
simply　because　her　father　wished　it。　　She　didn't　herself　wish　to
detach　this　flower　from　the　stem；　though　when　the　young　man　wrote
again；　to　express　the　hope　that　he　MIGHT　hopeso　long　was　he　willing
to　waitand　ask　if　he　might　not　still　sometimes　see　her；　she
answered　even　more　indulgently　than　at　first。　　She　had　shown　her
father　her　former　letter；　but　she　didn't　show　him　this　one；　she　only
told　him　what　it　contained；　submitting　to　him　also　that　of　her
correspondent。　　Captain　Jay　moreover　wrote　to　Mr。　Tramore；　who
replied　sociably；　but　so　vaguely　that　he　almost　neglected　the　subject
under　discussiona　communication　that　made　poor　Bertram　ponder　long。
He　could　never　get　to　the　bottom　of　the　superficial；　and　all　the
proprieties　and　conventions　of　life　were　profound　to　him。
Fortunately　for　him　old　Mrs。　Tramore　liked　him；　he　was　satisfactory
to　her　long…sightedness；　so　that　a　relation　was　established　under
cover　of　which　he　still　occasionally　presented　himself　in　Hill
Streetpresented　himself　nominally　to　the　mistress　of　the　house。　　He
had　had　scruples　about　the　veracity　of　his　visits；　but　he　had
disposed　of　them；　he　had　scruples　about　so　many　things　that　he　had
had　to　invent　a　general　way；　to　dig　a　central　drain。　　Julia　Tramore
happened　to　meet　him　when　she　came　up　to　town；　and　she　took　a　view　of
him　more　benevolent　than　her　usual　estimate　of　people　encouraged　by
her　mother。　　The　fear　of　agreeing　with　that　lady　was　a　motive；　but
there　was　a　stronger　one；　in　this　particular　case；　in　the　fear　of
agreeing　with　her　niece；　who　had　rejected　him。　　His　situation　might
be　held　to　have　improved　when　Mr。　Tramore　was　taken　so　gravely　ill
that　with　regard　to　his　recovery　those　about　him　left　their　eyes　to
speak　for　their　lips；　and　in　the　light　of　the　poor　gentleman's　recent
death　it　was　doubtless　better　than　it　had　ever　been。

He　was　only　a　quarter　of　an　hour　with　the　girl；　but　this　gave　him
time　to　take　the　measure　of　it。　　After　he　had　spoken　to　her　about　her
bereavement；　very　much　as　an　especially　mild　missionary　might　have
spoken　to　a　beautiful　Polynesian；　he　let　her　know　that　he　had　learned
from　her　companions　the　very　strong　step　she　was　about　to　take。　　This
led　to　their　spending　together　ten　minutes　which；　to　her　mind；　threw
more　light　on　his　character　than　anything　that　had　ever　passed
between　them。　　She　had　always　felt　with　him　as　if　she　were　standing
on　an　edge；　looking　down　into　something　decidedly　deep。　　To…day　the
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