第 10 节
作者:博搏      更新:2024-05-19 15:43      字数:9321
  without glancing in the direction of Mrs。 Tramore。  The girl;
  however; was aware that this was not a good enough instance of their
  humiliation; inasmuch as it was rather she who; on the occasion of
  their last contact; had held off from Lady Maresfield。  She was a
  little ashamed now of not having answered the note in which this
  affable personage ignored her mother。  She couldn't help perceiving
  indeed a dim movement on the part of some of the other members of the
  group; she made out an attitude of observation in the high…plumed
  head of Mrs。 Vaughan…Vesey。  Mrs。 Vesey; perhaps; might have been
  looking at Captain Jay; for as this gentleman walked back to the
  hotel with our young lady (they were at the 〃Britannia;〃 and young
  Mangler; who clung to them; went in front with Mrs。 Tramore) he
  revealed to Rose that he had some acquaintance with Lady Maresfield's
  eldest daughter; though he didn't know and didn't particularly want
  to know; her ladyship。  He expressed himself with more acerbity than
  she had ever heard him use (Christian charity so generally governed
  his speech) about the young donkey who had been prattling to them。
  They separated at the door of the hotel。  Mrs。 Tramore had got rid of
  Mr。 Mangler; and Bertram Jay was in other quarters。
  〃If you know Mrs。 Vesey; why didn't you go and speak to her?  I'm
  sure she saw you;〃 Rose said。
  Captain Jay replied even more circumspectly than usual。  〃Because I
  didn't want to leave you。〃
  〃Well; you can go now; you're free;〃 Rose rejoined。
  〃Thank you。  I shall never go again。〃
  〃That won't be civil;〃 said Rose。
  〃I don't care to be civil。  I don't like her。〃
  〃Why don't you like her?〃
  〃You ask too many questions。〃
  〃I know I do;〃 the girl acknowledged。
  Captain Jay had already shaken hands with her; but at this he put out
  his hand again。  〃She's too worldly;〃 he murmured; while he held Rose
  Tramore's a moment。
  〃Ah; you dear!〃 Rose exclaimed almost audibly as; with her mother;
  she turned away。
  The next morning; upon the Grand Canal; the gondola of our three
  friends encountered a stately barge which; though it contained
  several persons; seemed pervaded mainly by one majestic presence。
  During the instant the gondolas were passing each other it was
  impossible either for Rose Tramore or for her companions not to
  become conscious that this distinguished identity had markedly
  inclined itselfa circumstance commemorated the next moment; almost
  within earshot of the other boat; by the most spontaneous cry that
  had issued for many a day from the lips of Mrs。 Tramore。  〃Fancy; my
  dear; Lady Maresfield has bowed to us!〃
  〃We ought to have returned it;〃 Rose answered; but she looked at
  Bertram Jay; who was opposite to her。  He blushed; and she blushed;
  and during this moment was born a deeper understanding than had yet
  existed between these associated spirits。  It had something to do
  with their going together that afternoon; without her mother; to look
  at certain out…of…the…way pictures as to which Ruskin had inspired
  her with a desire to see sincerely。  Mrs。 Tramore expressed the wish
  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