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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 went down as if she were about to step
into her cab。 Mrs。 Tramore sat there with her eternal knitting； from
which she forebore even to raise her eyes as； after a silence that
seemed to express the fulness of her reprobation； while Rose stood
motionless； she began： 〃I wonder if you really understand what
you're doing。〃
〃I think so。 I'm not so stupid。〃
〃I never thought you were； but I don't know what to make of you now。
You're giving up everything。〃
The girl was tempted to inquire whether her grandmother called
herself 〃everything〃； but she checked this question； answering
instead that she knew she was giving up much。
〃You're taking a step of which you will feel the effect to the end of
your days；〃 Mrs。 Tramore went on。
〃In a good conscience； I heartily hope；〃 said Rose。
〃Your father's conscience was good enough for his mother； it ought to
be good enough for his daughter。〃
Rose sat downshe could afford toas if she wished to be very
attentive and were still accessible to argument。 But this
demonstration only ushered in； after a moment； the surprising words
〃I don't think papa had any conscience。〃
〃What in the name of all that's unnatural do you mean？〃 Mrs。 Tramore
cried； over her glasses。 〃The dearest and best creature that ever
lived！〃
〃He was kind； he had charming impulses； he was delightful。 But he
never reflected。〃
Mrs。 Tramore stared； as if at a language she had never heard； a
farrago； a galimatias。 Her life was made up of items； but she had
never had to deal； intellectually； with a fine shade。 Then while her
needles； which had paused an instant； began to fly again； she
rejoined： 〃Do you know what you are； my dear？ You're a dreadful
little prig。 Where do you pick up such talk？〃
〃Of course I don't mean to judge between them；〃 Rose pursued。 〃I can
only judge between my mother and myself。 Papa couldn't judge for
me。〃 And with this she got up。
〃One would think you were horrid。 I never thought so before。〃
〃Thank you for that。〃
〃You're embarking on a struggle with society；〃 continued Mrs。
Tramore； indulging in an unusual flight of oratory。 〃Society will
put you in your place。〃
〃Hasn't it too many other things to do？〃 asked the girl。
This question had an ingenuity which led her grandmother to meet it
with a merely provisional and somewhat sketchy answer。 〃Your
ignorance would be melancholy if your behaviour were not so insane。〃
〃Oh； no； I know perfectly what she'll do！〃 Rose replied； almost
gaily。 〃She'll drag me down。〃
〃She won't even do that；〃 the old lady declared contradictiously。
〃She'll keep you forever in the same dull hole。〃
〃I shall come and see YOU； granny； when I want something more
lively。〃
〃You may come if you like； but you'll come no further than the door。
If you leave this house now you don't enter it again。〃
Rose hesitated a moment。 〃Do you really mean that？〃
〃You may judge whether I choose such a time to joke。〃
〃Good…bye； then；〃 said the girl。
〃Good…by