Mrs. Tramore's behaviour at this period was a revelation of her
native understanding of delicate situations. She needed no account
of this one from her daughter--it was one of the things for which she
had a scent; and there was a kind of loyalty to the rules of a game
in the silent sweetness with which she smoothed the path of Bertram
Jay. It was clear that she was in her element in fostering the
exercise of the affections, and if she ever spoke without thinking
twice it is probable that she would have exclaimed, with some gaiety,
"Oh, I know all about LOVE!" Rose could see that she thought their
companion would be a help, in spite of his being no dispenser of
patronage. The key to the gates of fashion had not been placed in
his hand, and no one had ever heard of the ladies of his family, who
lived in some vague hollow of the Yorkshire moors; but none the less
he might administer a muscular push. Yes indeed, men in general were
broken reeds, but Captain Jay was peculiarly representative.
Respectability was the woman's maximum, as honour was the man's, but
this distinguished young soldier inspired more than one kind of
confidence. Rose had a great deal of attention for the use to which
his respectability was put; and there mingled with this attention
some amusement and much compassion.
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