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to stay at home； and the motive of this wisha finer shade than any
that even Ruskin had ever found a phrase forwas not translated into
misrepresenting words by either the mother or the daughter。 At San
Giovanni in Bragora the girl and her companion came upon Mrs。
Vaughan…Vesey； who； with one of her sisters； was also endeavouring to
do the earnest thing。 She did it to Rose； she did it to Captain Jay；
as well as to Gianbellini； she was a handsome； long…necked； aquiline
person； of a different type from the rest of her family； and she did
it remarkably well。 She secured our friendsit was her own
expressionfor luncheon； on the morrow； on the yacht； and she made
it public to Rose that she would come that afternoon to invite her
mother。 When the girl returned to the hotel； Mrs。 Tramore mentioned；
before Captain Jay； who had come up to their sitting…room； that Lady
Maresfield had called。 〃She stayed a long timeat least it seemed
long！〃 laughed Mrs。 Tramore。
The poor lady could laugh freely now； yet there was some grimness in
a colloquy that she had with her daughter after Bertram Jay had
departed。 Before this happened Mrs。 Vesey's card； scrawled over in
pencil and referring to the morrow's luncheon； was brought up to Mrs。
Tramore。
〃They mean it all as a bribe；〃 said the principal recipient of these
civilities。
〃As a bribe？〃 Rose repeated。
〃She wants to marry you to that boy； they've seen Captain Jay and
they're frightened。〃
〃Well； dear mamma； I can't take Mr。 Mangler for a husband。〃
〃Of course not。 But oughtn't we to go to the luncheon？〃
〃Certainly we'll go to the luncheon；〃 Rose said； and when the affair
took place； on the morrow； she could feel for the first time that she
was taking her mother out。 This appearance was somehow brought home
to every one else； and it was really the agent of her success。 For
it is of the essence of this simple history that； in the first place；
that success dated from Mrs。 Vesey's Venetian dejeuner； and in the
second reposed； by a subtle social logic； on the very anomaly that
had made it dubious。 There is always a chance in things； and Rose
Tramore's chance was in the fact that Gwendolen Vesey was； as some
one had said； awfully modern； an immense improvement on the exploded
science of her mother； and capable of seeing what a 〃draw〃 there
would be in the comedy； if properly brought out； of the reversed
positions of Mrs。 Tramore and Mrs。 Tramore's diplomatic daughter。
With a first…rate managerial eye she perceived that people would
flock into any roomand all the more into one of hersto see Rose
bring in her dreadful mother。 She treated the cream of English
society to this thrilling spectacle later in the autumn； when she
once more 〃secured〃 both the performers for a week at Brimble。 It
made a hit on the spot； the very first eveningthe girl was felt to
play her part so well。 The rumour of the performance spread； every
one wanted to see it。 It was an entertainment of which； that winter
in the country； and the next season in town； persons of taste desired
to give their friends the freshness。 The thing was to make the
Tramores come late； after every one had arrived。 They were engaged
for a fixed hour； like the American imitator and the Patagonian
contralto。 Mrs。 Vesey had been the first to say the girl was awfully
original； but that became the general view。
Gwendolen Vesey had with her mother one of the few quarrels in which
Lady Maresfield had really stood up to such an antagonist （the elder
woman had to recognise in general in whose veins it was that the
blood of the Manglers flowed） on account of this very circumstance of
her attaching more importance to Miss Tramore's originality （〃Her
originality be hanged！〃 her ladyship had gone so far as
unintelligently to exclaim） than to the prospects of the unfortunate
Guy。 Mrs。 Vesey actually lost sight of these pressing problems in
her admiration of the way the mother and the daughter； or rather the
daughter and the mother （it was slightly confusing） 〃drew。〃 It was
Lady Maresfield's version of the case that the brazen girl （she was
shockingly coarse） had treated poor Guy abominably。 At any rate it
was made known； just after Easter； that Miss Tramore was to be
married to Captain Jay。 The marriage was not to take place till the
summer； but Rose felt that before this the field would practically be
won。 There had been some bad moments； there had been several warm
corners and a certain number of cold shoulders and closed doors and
stony stares； but the breach was effectually madethe rest was only
a question of time。 Mrs。 Tramore could be trusted to keep what she
had gained； and it was the dowagers； the old dragons with prominent
fangs and glittering scales； whom the trick had already mainly
caught。 By this time there were several houses into which the
liberated lady had crept alone。 Her daughter had been expected with
her； but they couldn't turn her out because the girl had stayed
behind； and she was fast acquiring a new identity； that of a parental
connection with the heroine of such a romantic story。 She was at
least the next best thing to her daughter； and Rose foresaw the day
when she would be valued principally as a memento of one of the
prettiest episodes in the annals of London。 At a big official party；
in June； Rose had the joy of introducing Eric to his mother。 She was
a little sorry it was an official partythere were some other such
queer people there； but Eric called； observing the shade； the next
day but one。
No observer； probably； would have been acute enough to fix exactly
the moment at which the girl ceased to take out her mother and began
to be taken out by her。 A later phase was more distinguishablethat
at which Rose forbore to inflict on her companion a duality that
might become oppressive。 She began to economise her force； she went
only when the particular effect was required。 Her marriage was
delayed by the period of mourning consequent upon the death of her
grandmother； who； the younger Mrs。 Tramore averred； was killed by the
rumour of her own new birth。 She was the only one of the dragons who
had not been tamed。 Julia Tramore knew the truth about thisshe was
determined such things should not kill HER。 She would live to do
somethingshe hardly knew what。 The provisions of her mother's will
were published in the 〃Illustrated News〃； from which it appeared that
everything that was not to go to Eric and to Julia was to go to the
fortunate Edith。 Miss Tramore makes no secret of her own intentions
as regards this favourite。
Edith is not pretty； but Lady Maresfield is waiting for her； she is
determined Gwendolen Vesey shall not get hold of her。 Mrs。 Vesey
however takes no interest in her at all。 She is whimsical； as befits
a woman of her fashion； but there are two persons she is still very
fond of； the delightful Bertram Jays。 The fondness of this pair； it
must be added； is not wholly expended in return。 They are extremely
united； but their life is more domestic than might have been expected
from the preliminary signs。 It owes a portion of its concentration
to the fact that Mrs。 Tramore has n