with Miss Hack； doing conscientious justice to the conception that
there could be troubles in the world worse than her own； and when she
came back her mother was alone； but with a story to tell of a long
visit from Mr。 Guy Mangler； who had waited and waited for her return。
〃He's in love with you； he's coming again on Tuesday；〃 Mrs。 Tramore
announced。
〃Did he say so？〃
〃That he's coming back on Tuesday？〃
〃No； that he's in love with me。〃
〃He didn't need； when he stayed two hours。〃
〃With you？ It's you he's in love with； mamma！〃
〃That will do as well；〃 laughed Mrs。 Tramore。 〃For all the use we
shall make of him！〃 she added in a moment。
〃We shall make great use of him。 His mother sent him。〃
〃Oh； she'll never come！〃
〃Then HE sha'n't；〃 said Rose。 Yet he was admitted on the Tuesday；
and after she had given him his tea Mrs。 Tramore left the young
people alone。 Rose wished she hadn'tshe herself had another view。
At any rate she disliked her mother's view； which she had easily
guessed。 Mr。 Mangler did nothing but say how charming he thought his
hostess of the Sunday； and what a tremendously jolly visit he had
had。 He didn't remark in so many words 〃I had no idea your mother
was such a good sort〃； but this was the spirit of his simple
discourse。 Rose liked it at firsta little of it gratified her；
then she thought there was too much of it for good taste。 She had to
reflect that one does what one can and that Mr。 Mangler probably
thought he was delicate。 He wished to convey that he desired to make
up to her for the injustice of society。 Why shouldn't her mother
receive gracefully； she asked （not audibly） and who had ever said she
didn't？ Mr。 Mangler had a great deal to say about the disappointment
of his own parent over Miss Tramore's not having come to dine with
them the night of his aunt's ball。
〃Lady Maresfield knows why I didn't come；〃 Rose answered at last。
〃Ah； now； but _I_ don't； you know； can't you tell ME？〃 asked the
young man。
〃It doesn't matter； if your mother's clear about it。〃
〃Oh； but why make such an awful mystery of it； when I'm dying to
know？〃
He talked about this； he chaffed her about it for the rest of his
visit： he had at last found a topic after his own heart。 If her
mother considered that he might be the emblem of their redemption he
was an engine of the most primitive construction。 He stayed and
stayed； he struck Rose as on the point of bringing out something for
which he had not quite； as he would have said； the cheek。 Sometimes
she thought he was going to begin： 〃By the way； my mother told me to
propose to you。〃 At other moments he seemed charged with the
admission： 〃I say； of course I really know what you're trying to do
for her；〃 nodding at the door： 〃therefore hadn't we better speak of
it frankly； so that I can help you with my mother； and more
particularly with my sister Gwendolen； who's the difficult one？ The
fact is； you see； they won't do anything for nothing。 If you'll
accept me they'll call； but they won't call without something
'down。'〃 Mr。 Mangler departed without their speaking frankly； and
Rose Tramore had a hot hour during which she almost entertained；
vindictively； the project of 〃accepting〃 the limpid youth until after
she should have got her mother into circulation。 The cream of the
vision was that she might break with him later。 She could read that
this was what her mother would have liked； but the next time he came
the door was closed to him； and the next and the next。
In August there was nothing to do but to go abroad； with the sense on
Rose's part that the battle was still all to fight； for a round of
country visits was not in prospect； and English watering…places
constituted one of the few subjects on which the girl had heard her
mother express herself with disgust。 Continental autumns had been
indeed for years； one of the various forms of Mrs。 Tramore's
atonement； but Rose could only infer that such fruit as they had
borne was bitter。 The stony stare of Belgravia could be practised at
Homburg； and somehow it was inveterately only gentlemen who sat next
to her at the table d'hote at Cadenabbia。 Gentlemen had never been
of any use to Mrs。 Tramore for getting back into society； they had
only helped her effectually to get out of it。 She once dropped； to
her daughter； in a moralising mood； the remark that it was
astonishing how many of them one could know without its doing one any
good。 Fifty of themeven very clever onesrepresented a value
inferior to that of one stupid woman。 Rose wondered at the offhand
way in which her mother could talk of fifty clever men； it seemed to
her that the whole world couldn't contain such a number。 She had a
sombre sense that mankind must be dull and mean。 These cogitations
took place in a cold hotel； in an eternal Swiss rain； and they had a
flat echo in the transalpine valleys； as the lonely ladies went
vaguely down to the Italian lakes and cities。 Rose guided their
course； at moments； with a kind of aimless ferocity； she moved
abruptly； feeling vulgar and hating their life； though destitute of
any definite vision of another life that would have been open to her。
She had set herself a task and she clung to it； but she appeared to
herself despicably idle。 She had succeeded in not going to Homburg
waters； where London was trying to wash away some of its stains； that
would be too staring an advertisement of their situation。 The main
difference in situations to her now was the difference of being more
or less pitied； at the best an intolerable danger； so that the places
she preferred were the unsuspicious ones。 She wanted to triumph with
contempt； not with submission。
One morning in September； coming with her mother out of the marble
church at Milan； she perceived that a gentleman who had just passed
her on his way into the cathedral and whose face she had not noticed；
had quickly raised his hat； with a suppressed ejaculation。 She
involuntarily glanced back； the gentleman had paused； again
uncovering； and Captain Jay stood saluting her in the Italian
sunshine。 〃Oh； good…morning！〃 she said； and walked on； pursuing her
course； her mother was a little in front。 She overtook her in a
moment； with an unreasonable sense； like a gust of cold air； that men
were worse than ever； for Captain Jay had apparently moved into the
church。 Her mother turned as they met； and suddenly； as she looked
back； an expression of peculiar sweetness came into this lady's eyes。
It made Rose's take the same direction and rest a second time on
Captain Jay； who was planted just where he had stood a minute before。
He immediately came forward； asking Rose with great gravity if he
might speak to her a moment； while Mrs。 Tramore went her way again。
He had the expression of a man who wished to say something very
important； yet his next words were simple enough and consisted of the
remark that he had not seen her for a year。
〃Is it really so much as that？〃 asked Rose。
〃Very nearly。 I would have looked you up； but in the first place I
have been very little in London； and in the second I believed it
wouldn't have done any good。〃
〃You should have put that first；〃 said the girl。 〃It wouldn't have
done any good。〃
He was silent over this a moment； in his customary deciphering way；
but the view he took of it did not prevent him from inquiring； as she
slowly followed her mother； if he mightn't walk with her now。 She
answered with a laugh that it wouldn't do any good but that he might
do as he liked。 He replied without the slightest manifestation of
levity that it would do more good than if he didn't； and they
strolled together； with Mrs。 Tramore well before them； across the
big； amusing piazza； where the front of the cathedral makes a sort of
builded light。 He asked a question or two and he explained his own
presence： having a month's holiday； the first clear time for several
years； he had just popped over the Alps。 He inquired if Rose had
recent news of the old lady in Hill Street； and it was the only
tortuous thing she had ever heard him say。
〃I have had no communication of any kind from her since I parted with
you under her roof。 Hasn't she mentioned that？〃 said Rose。
〃I haven't seen her。〃
〃I thought you were such great friends。〃
Bertram Jay hesitated a moment。 〃Well； not so much now。〃
〃What has she done to you？〃 Rose demanded。
He fidgeted a little； as if he were thinking of something that made
him unconscious of her question； then； with mild violence； he brought
out the inquiry： 〃Miss Tramore； are you happy？〃
She was startled by the words； for she on her side had been
reflectingreflecting that he had broken with her grandmother and
that this pointed to a reason。 It suggested at least that he
wouldn't now be so much like a mouthpiece for that cold ancestral
tone。 She turned off his questionsaid it never was a fair one； as
you gave yourself away however you answered it。 When he repeated
〃You give yourself away？〃 as if he didn't understand； she remembered
that he had not read the funny American books。 This brought them to
a silence； for she had enlightened him only by another laugh； and he
was evidently preparing another question； which he wished carefully
to disconnect from the former。 Presently； just as they were coming
near Mrs。 Tramore； it arrived in the words 〃Is this lady your
mother？〃 On Rose's assenting； with the addition that she was
travelling with her； he said： 〃Will you be so kind as to introduce
me to her？〃 They were so close to Mrs。 Tramore that she probably
heard； but she floated away with a single stroke of her paddle and an
inattentive poise of her head。 It was a striking exhibition of the
famous tact； for Rose delayed to answer； which was exactly what might
have made her mother wish to turn； and indeed when at last the girl
spoke she only said to her companion： 〃Why do you ask me that？〃
〃Because I desire the pleasure of making her acquaintance。〃
Rose had stopped； and in the middle of the square they stood looking
at each other。 〃Do you remember what you said to me the last time I
saw you？〃
〃Oh； don't speak of that！〃
〃It's better to