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Tramores。 They knew about their mother； as the phrase was； but they
didn't know her； which was naturally deemed more pathetic for them
than for her。 She had a house in Chester Square and an income and a
victoriait served all purposes； as she never went out in the
eveningand flowers on her window…sills； and a remarkable appearance
of youth。 The income was supposed to be in part the result of a
bequest from the man for whose sake she had committed the error of
her life； and in the appearance of youth there was a slightly
impertinent implication that it was a sort of afterglow of the same
connection。
Her children； as they grew older； fortunately showed signs of some
individuality of disposition。 Edith； the second girl； clung to her
aunt Julia； Eric； the son； clung frantically to polo； while Rose； the
elder daughter； appeared to cling mainly to herself。 Collectively；
of course； they clung to their father； whose attitude in the family
group； however； was casual and intermittent。 He was charming and
vague； he was like a clever actor who often didn't come to rehearsal。
Fortune； which but for that one stroke had been generous to him； had
provided him with deputies and trouble…takers； as well as with
whimsical opinions； and a reputation for excellent taste； and whist
at his club； and perpetual cigars on morocco sofas； and a beautiful
absence of purpose。 Nature had thrown in a remarkably fine hand；
which he sometimes passed over his children's heads when they were
glossy from the nursery brush。 On Rose's eighteenth birthday he said
to her that she might go to see her mother； on condition that her
visits should be limited to an hour each time and to four in the
year。 She was to go alone； the other children were not included in
the arrangement。 This was the result of a visit that he himself had
paid his repudiated wife at her urgent request； their only encounter
during the fifteen years。 The girl knew as much as this from her
aunt Julia； who was full of tell…tale secrecies。 She availed herself
eagerly of the license； and in course of the period that elapsed
before her father's death she spent with Mrs。 Tramore exactly eight
hours by the watch。 Her father； who was as inconsistent and
disappointing as he was amiable； spoke to her of her mother only once
afterwards。 This occasion had been the sequel of her first visit；
and he had made no use of it to ask what she thought of the
personality in Chester Square or how she liked it。 He had only said
〃Did she take you out？〃 and when Rose answered 〃Yes； she put me
straight into a carriage and drove me up and down Bond Street；〃 had
rejoined sharply 〃See that that never occurs again。〃 It never did；
but once was enough； every one they knew having happened to be in
Bond Street at that particular hour。
After this the periodical interview took place in private； in Mrs。
Tramore's beautiful little wasted drawing…room。 Rose knew that； rare
as these occasions were； her mother would not have kept her 〃all to
herself〃 had there been anybody she could have shown her to。 But in
the poor lady's social void there was no one； she had after all her
own correctness and she consistently preferred isolation to inferior
contacts。 So her daughter was subjected only to the maternal； it was
not necessary to be definite in qualifying that。 The girl had by
this time a collection of ideas； gathered by impenetrable processes；
she had tasted； in the ostracism of her ambiguous parent； of the
acrid fruit of the tree of knowledge。 She not only had an
approximate vision of what every one had done； but she had a private
judgment for each case。 She had a particular vision of her father；
which did not interfere with his being dear to her； but which was
directly concerned in her resolution； after his death； to do the
special thing he had expressed the wish she should not do。 In the
general estimate her grandmother and her grandmother's money had
their place； and the strong probability that any enjoyment of the
latter commodity would now be withheld from her。 It included Edith's
marked inclination to receive the law； and doubtless eventually a
more substantial memento； from Miss Tramore； and opened the question
whether her own course might not contribute to make her sister's
appear heartless。 The answer to this question however would depend
on the success that might attend her own； which would very possibly
be small。 Eric's attitude was eminently simple； he didn't care to
know people who didn't know HIS people。 If his mother should ever
get back into society perhaps he would take her up。 Rose Tramore had
decided to do what she could to bring this consummation about； and
strangely enoughso mixed were her superstitions and her heresiesa
large part of her motive lay in the value she attached to such a
consecration。
Of her mother intrinsically she thought very little now； and if her
eyes were fixed on a special achievement it was much more for the
sake of that achievement and to satisfy a latent energy that was in
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