the chaperon-第8节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


'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　speak　of　it　now　than　to　speak　of　it　later。〃

Bertram　Jay　looked　round　him；　as　if　to　see　whether　any　one　would
hear；　but　the　bright　foreignness　gave　him　a　sense　of　safety；　and　he
unexpectedly　exclaimed：　　〃Miss　Tramore；　I　love　you　more　than　ever！〃

〃Then　you　ought　to　have　come　to　see　us；〃　declared　the　girl；　quickly
walking　on。

〃You　treated　me　the　last　time　as　if　I　were　positively　offensive　to
you。〃

〃So　I　did；　but　you　know　my　reason。〃

〃Because　I　protested　against　the　course　you　were　taking？　　I　did；　I
did！〃　the　young　man　rang　out；　as　if　he　still；　a　little；　stuck　to
that。

His　tone　made　Rose　say　gaily：　　〃Perhaps　you　do　so　yet？〃

〃I　can't　tell　till　I've　seen　more　of　your　circumstances；〃　he　replied
with　eminent　honesty。

The　girl　stared；　her　light　laugh　filled　the　air。　　〃And　it's　in　order
to　see　more　of　them　and　judge　that　you　wish　to　make　my　mother's
acquaintance？〃

He　coloured　at　this　and　he　evaded；　then　he　broke　out　with　a　confused
〃Miss　Tramore；　let　me　stay　with　you　a　little！〃　which　made　her　stop
again。

〃Your　company　will　do　us　great　honour；　but　there　must　be　a　rigid
condition　attached　to　our　acceptance　of　it。〃

〃Kindly　mention　it；〃　said　Captain　Jay；　staring　at　the　facade　of　the
cathedral。

〃You　don't　take　us　on　trial。〃

〃On　trial？〃

〃You　don't　make　an　observation　to　menot　a　single　one；　ever；　ever！
on　the　matter　that；　in　Hill　Street；　we　had　our　last　words　about。〃

Captain　Jay　appeared　to　be　counting　the　thousand　pinnacles　of　the
church。　　〃I　think　you　really　must　be　right；〃　he　remarked　at　last。

〃There　you　are！〃　cried　Rose　Tramore；　and　walked　rapidly　away。

He　caught　up　with　her；　he　laid　his　hand　upon　her　arm　to　stay　her。
〃If　you're　going　to　Venice；　let　me　go　to　Venice　with　you！〃

〃You　don't　even　understand　my　condition。〃

〃I'm　sure　you're　right；　then：　　you　must　be　right　about　everything。〃

〃That's　not　in　the　least　true；　and　I　don't　care　a　fig　whether　you're
sure　or　not。　　Please　let　me　go。〃

He　had　barred　her　way；　he　kept　her　longer。　　〃I'll　go　and　speak　to
your　mother　myself！〃

Even