the chaperon-第7节

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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　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　ho