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her than because her heart was wrung by this sufferer。 Her heart had
not been wrung at all； though she had quite held it out for the
experience。 Her purpose was a pious game； but it was still
essentially a game。 Among the ideas I have mentioned she had her
idea of triumph。 She had caught the inevitable note； the pitch； on
her very first visit to Chester Square。 She had arrived there in
intense excitement； and her excitement was left on her hands in a
manner that reminded her of a difficult air she had once heard sung
at the opera when no one applauded the performer。 That flatness had
made her sick； and so did this； in another way。 A part of her
agitation proceeded from the fact that her aunt Julia had told her；
in the manner of a burst of confidence； something she was not to
repeat； that she was in appearance the very image of the lady in
Chester Square。 The motive that prompted this declaration was
between aunt Julia and her conscience； but it was a great emotion to
the girl to find her entertainer so beautiful。 She was tall and
exquisitely slim； she had hair more exactly to Rose Tramore's taste
than any other she had ever seen； even to every detail in the way it
was dressed； and a complexion and a figure of the kind that are
always spoken of as 〃lovely。〃 Her eyes were irresistible； and so
were her clothes； though the clothes were perhaps a little more
precisely the right thing than the eyes。 Her appearance was marked
to her daughter's sense by the highest distinction； though it may be
mentioned that this had never been the opinion of all the world。 It
was a revelation to Rose that she herself might look a little like
that。 She knew however that aunt Julia had not seen her deposed
sister…in…law for a long time； and she had a general impression that
Mrs。 Tramore was to…day a more complete productionfor instance as
regarded her air of youththan she had ever been。 There was no
excitement on her sidethat was all her visitor's； there was no
emotionthat was excluded by the plan； to say nothing of conditions
more primal。 Rose had from the first a glimpse of her mother's plan。
It was to mention nothing and imply nothing； neither to acknowledge；
to explain nor to extenuate。 She would leave everything to her
child； with her child she was secure。 She only wanted to get back
into society； she would leave even that to her child； whom she
treated not as a high…strung and heroic daughter； a creature of
exaltation； of devotion； but as a new； charming； clever； useful
friend； a little younger than herself。 Already on that first day she
had talked about dressmakers。 Of course； poor thing； it was to be
remembered that in her circumstances there were not many things she
COULD talk about。 〃She wants to go out again； that's the only thing
in the wide world she wants；〃 Rose had promptly； compendiously said
to herself。 There had been a sequel to this observation； uttered； in
intense engrossment； in her own room half an hour before she had； on
the important evening； made known her decision to her grandmother：
〃Then I'll TAKE her out！〃
〃She'll drag you down； she'll drag you down！〃 Julia Tramore permitted
herself to remark to her niece； the next day； in a tone of feverish
prophecy。
As the girl's own theory was that all the dragging there might be
would be upward； and moreover administered by herself； she could look
at her aunt with a cold and inscrutable eye。
〃Very well； then； I shall be out of your sight； from the pinnacle you
occupy； and I sha'n't trouble you。〃
〃Do you reproach me for my disinterested exertions； for the way I've
toiled over you； the way I've lived for you？〃 Miss Tramore demanded。
〃Don't reproach ME for being kind to my mother and I won't reproach
you for anything。〃
〃She'll keep you out of everythingshe'll make you miss everything；〃
Miss Tramore continued。
〃Then she'll make me miss a great deal that's odious；〃 said the girl。
〃You're too young for such extravagances；〃 her aunt declared。
〃And yet Edith； who is younger than I； seems to be too old for them：
how do you arrange that？ My mother's society will make me older；〃
Rose replied。
〃Don't speak to me of your mother； you HAVE no mother。〃
〃Then if I'm an orphan I must settle things for myself。〃
〃Do you justify her； do you approve of her？〃 cried Miss Tramore； who
was inferior to her niece in capacity for retort and whose
limitations made the girl appear pert。
Rose looked at her a moment in silence； then she said； turning away：
〃I think she's charming。〃
〃And do you propose to become charming in the same manner？〃
〃Her manner is perfect； it would be an excellent model。 But I can't
discuss my mother with you。〃
〃You'll have to discuss her with some other people！〃 Miss Tramore
proclaimed； going out of the room。
Rose wondered whether this were a general or a particular
vaticination。 There was something her aunt might have meant by it；
but her aunt rarely meant the best thing she might have meant。 Miss
Tramore had come up from St。 Leonard's in response to a telegram from
her own parent； for an occasion like the present brought with it； for
a few hours； a certain relaxation of their dissent。 〃Do what you can
to stop her；〃 the old lady had said； but her daughter found that the
most she could do was not much。 They both had a baffled sense that
Rose had thought the question out a good deal further than they； and
this was particularly irritating to Mrs。 Tramore； as consciously the
cleverer of the two。 A question thought out as far as SHE could
think it had always appeared to her to have performed its human uses；
she had never encountered a ghost emerging from that extinction。
Their great contention was that Rose would cut herself off； and
certainly if she wasn't afraid of that she wasn't afraid of anything。
Julia Tramore could only tell her mother how little the girl was
afraid。 She was already prepared to leave the house； taking with her
the possessions； or her share of them； that had accumulated there
during her father's illness。 There had been a going and coming of
her maid； a thumping about of boxes； an ordering of four…wheelers； it
appeared to old Mrs。 Tramore that something of the objectionableness；
the indecency； of her granddaughter's prospective connection had
already gathered about the place。 It was a violation of the decorum
of bereavement which was still fresh there； and from the indignant
gloom of the mistress of the house you might have inferred not so
much that the daughter was about to depart as that the mother was
about to arrive。 There had been no conversation on the dreadful
subject at luncheon； for at luncheon at Mrs。 Tramore's （her son never
came to it） there were always； even after funerals and other
miseries； stray guests of both sexes whose policy it was to be
cheerful and superficial。 Rose had sat down as if nothing had
happenednothing worse； that is； than her father's death； but no one
had spoken of anything that any one else was thinking of。
Before she left the house a servant brought her a message from her
grandmotherthe old lady desired to see her in the drawing…room。
She had on her bonnet； and she