the chaperon-第5章

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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　by　it。〃

〃Yet　you　speak　as　if　you　thought　you　might　keep　me　for　yourself。〃

〃For　YOURSELF。　　I　don't　want　you　to　suffer。〃

〃Nor　to　suffer　yourself　by　my　doing　so；〃　said　Rose；　looking　down。

〃Ah；　if　you　would　only　marry　me　next　month！〃　he　broke　out
inconsequently。

〃And　give　up　going　to　mamma？〃　Rose　waited　to　see　if　he　would　say
〃What　need　that　matter？　　Can't　your　mother　come　to　us？〃　　But　he　said
nothing　of　the　sort；　he　only　answered　…

〃She　surely　would　be　sorry　to　interfere　with　the　exercise　of　any
other　affection　which　I　might　have　the　bliss　of　believing　that　you
are　now　free；　in　however　small　a　degree；　to　entertain。〃

Rose　knew　that　her　mother　wouldn't　be　sorry　at　all；　but　she　contented
herself　with　rejoining；　her　hand　on　the　door：　　〃Good…bye。　　I　sha'n't
suffer。　　I'm　not　afraid。〃

〃You　don't　know　how　terrible；　how　cruel；　the　world　can　be。〃

〃Yes；　I　do　know。　　I　know　everything！〃

The　declaration　sprang　from　her　lips　in　a　tone　which　made　him　look　at
her　as　he　had　never　looked　before；　as　if　he　saw　something　new　in　her
face；　as　if　he　had　never　yet　known　her。　　He　hadn't　displeased　her　so
much　but　that　she　would　like　to　give　him　that　impression；　and　since
she　felt　that　she　was　doing　so　she　lingered　an　instant　for　the
purpose。　　It　enabled　her　to　see；　further；　that　he　turned　red；　then　to
become　aware　that　a　carriage　had　stopped　at　the　door。　　Captain　Jay's
eyes；　from　where　he　stood；　fell　upon　this　arrival；　and　the　nature　of
their　glance　made　Rose　step　forward　to　look。　　Her　mother　sat　there；
brilliant；　conspicuous；　in　the　eternal　victoria；　and　the　footman　was
already　sounding　the　knocker。　　It　had　been　no　part　of　the　arrangement
that　she　should　come　to　fetch　her；　it　had　been　out　of　the　questiona
stroke　in　such　bad　taste　as　would　have　put　Rose　in　the　wrong。　　The
girl　had　never　dreamed　of　it；　but　somehow；　suddenly；　perversely；　she
was　glad　of　it　now；　she　even　hoped　that　her　grandmother　and　her　aunt
were　looking　out　upstairs。

〃My　mother　has　come　for　me。　　Good…bye；〃　she　repeated；　but　this　time
her　visitor　had　got　between　her　and　the　door。

〃Listen　to　me　before　you　go。　　I　will　give　you　a　life's　devotion；〃　the
young　man　pleaded。　　He　really　barred　the　way。

She　wondered　whether　her　grandmother　had　told　him　that　if　her　flight
were　not　prevented　she　would　forfeit　money。　　Then；　vividly；　it　came
over　her　that　this　would　be　what　he　was　occupied　with。　　〃I　shall
never　think　of　youlet　me　go！〃　she　cried；　with　passion。

Captain　Jay　opened　the　door；　but　Rose　didn't　see　his　face；　and　in　a
moment　she　was　out　of　the　house。　　Aunt　Julia；　who　was　sure　to　have
been　hovering；　had　taken　flight　before　the　profanity　of　the　knock。

〃Heavens；　dear；　where　did　you　get　your　mourning？〃　the　lady　in　the
victoria　asked　of　her　daughter　as　they　drove　away。



CHAPTER　II。



Lady　Maresfield　had　given　her　boy　a　push　in　his　plump　back　and　had
said　to　him；　〃Go　and　speak　to　her　now；　it's　your　chance。〃　　She　had
for　a　long　time　wanted　this　scion　to　make　himself　audible　to　Rose
Tramore；　but　the　opportunity　was　not　easy　to　come　by。　　The　case　was
complicated。　　Lady　Maresfield　had　four　daughters；　of　whom　only　one
was　married。　　It　so　happened　moreover　that　this　one；　Mrs。　Vaughan…
Vesey；　the　only　person　in　the　world　her　mother　was　afraid　of；　was　the
most　to　be　reckoned　with。　　The　Honourable　Guy　was　in　appearance　all
his　mother's　child；　though　he　was　really　a　simpler　soul。　　He　was
large　and　pink；　large；　that　is；　as　to　everything　but　the　eyes；　which
were　diminishing　points；　and　pink　as　to　everything　but　the　hair；
which　was　comparable；　faintly；　to　the　hue　of　the　richer　rose。　　He　had
also；　it　must　be　conceded；　very　small　neat　teeth；　which　made　his
smile　look　like　a　young　lady's。　　He　had　no　wish　to　resemble　any　such
person；　but　he　was　perpetually　smiling；　and　he　smiled　more　than　ever
as　he　approached　Rose　Tramore；　who；　looking　altogether；　to　his　mind；
as　a　pretty　girl　should；　and　wearing　a　soft　white　opera…cloak　over　a
softer　black　dress；　leaned　alone　against　the　wall　of　the　vestibule　at
Covent　Gar