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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 in the midst of another emotion she was amused at the air of
audacity accompanying this declaration。 Poor Captain Jay might have
been on the point of marching up to a battery。 She looked at him a
moment； then she said： 〃You'll be disappointed！〃
〃Disappointed？〃
〃She's much more proper than grandmamma； because she's much more
amiable。〃
〃Dear Miss Tramoredear Miss Tramore！〃 the young man murmured
helplessly。
〃You'll see for yourself。 Only there's another condition；〃 Rose went
on。
〃Another？〃 he cried； with discouragement and alarm。
〃You must understand thoroughly； before you throw in your lot with us
even for a few days； what our position really is。〃
〃Is it very bad？〃 asked Bertram Jay artlessly。
〃No one has anything to do with us； no one speaks to us； no one looks
at us。〃
〃Really？〃 stared the young man。
〃We've no social existence； we're utterly despised。〃
〃Oh； Miss Tramore！〃 Captain Jay interposed。 He added quickly；
vaguely； and with a want of presence of mind of which he as quickly
felt ashamed： 〃Do none of your family？〃 The question collapsed；
the brilliant girl was looking at him。
〃We're extraordinarily happy；〃 she threw out。
〃Now that's all I wanted to know！〃 he exclaimed； with a kind of
exaggerated cheery reproach； walking on with her briskly to overtake
her mother。
He was not dining at their inn； but he insisted on coming that
evening to their table d'hote。 He sat next Mrs。 Tramore； and in the
evening he accompanied them gallantly to the opera； at a third…rate
theatre where they were almost the only ladies in the boxes。 The
next day they went together by rail to the Charterhouse of Pavia； and
while he strolled with the girl； as they waited for the homeward
train； he said to her candidly： 〃Your mother's remarkably pretty。〃
She remembered the words and the feeling they gave her： they were
the first note of new era。 The feeling was somewhat that of an
anxious； gratified matron who has 〃presented〃 her child and is
thinking of the matrimonial market。 Men might be of no use； as Mrs。
Tramore said； yet it was from this moment Rose dated the rosy dawn of
her confidence that her protegee would go off； and when later； in
crowded assemblies； the phrase； or something like it behind a hat or
a fan； fell repeatedly on her anxious ear； 〃Your mother IS in
beauty！〃 or 〃I've never seen her look better！〃 she had a faint vision
of the yellow sunshine and the afternoon shadows on the dusty Italian
platform。
Mrs。 Tramore's behaviour at this period was a revelation of her
native understanding of delicate situations。 She needed no account
of this one from her daughterit was one of the things for which she
had a scent； and there was a kind of loyalty to the rules of a game
in the silent sweetness with which she smoothed the path of Bertram
Jay。 It was clear that she was in her element in fostering the
exercise of the affections； and if she ever spoke without thinking
twice it is probable that she would have exclaimed； with some gaiety；
〃Oh； I know all about LOVE！〃 Rose could see that she thought their
companion would be a help； in spite of his being no dispenser of
patronage。 The key to the gates of fashion had not been placed in
his hand； and no one had ever heard of the ladies of his family； who
lived in some vague hollow of the Yorkshire moors； but none the less
he might administer a muscular push。 Yes indeed； men in general were
broken reeds； but Captain Jay was peculiarly representative。
Respectability was the woman's maximum； as honour was the man's； but
this distinguished young soldier inspired more than one kind of
confidence。 Rose had a great deal of attention for the use to which
his respectability was put； and there mingled with this attention
some amusement and much compassion。 She saw that after a couple of
days he decidedly liked her mother； and that he was yet not in the
least aware of it。 He took for granted that he believed in her but
little； notwithstanding which he would have trusted her with anything
except Rose herself。 His trusting her with Rose would come very
soon。 He never spoke to her daughter about her qualities of
character； but two or three of them （and indeed these were all the
poor lady had； and they made the best show） were what he had in mind
in praising her appearance。 When he remarked： 〃What attention Mrs。
Tramore seems to attract everywhere！〃 he meant： 〃What a beautifully
simple nature it is！〃 and when he said： 〃There's something
extraordinarily harmonious in the colours she wears；〃 it signified：
〃Upon my word； I never saw such a sweet temper in my life！〃 She lost
one of her boxes at Verona； and made the prettiest joke of it to
Captain Jay。 When Rose saw this she said to herself； 〃Next season we
shall have only to choose。〃 Rose knew what was in the box。
By the time they reached Venice （they had stopped at half a dozen
little old romantic cities in the most frolicsome aesthetic way） she
liked their companion better than she had ever liked him before。 She
did him the justice to r