a room with a view-第20章

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〃Just　listen　to　what　I　have　written　to　Mrs。　Vyse。　I　said：　'Dear

Mrs。　Vyse。'〃



〃Yes；　mother；　you　told　me。　A　jolly　good　letter。〃



〃I　said：　'Dear　Mrs。　Vyse；　Cecil　has　just　asked　my　permission

about　it；　and　I　should　be　delighted；　if　Lucy　wishes　it。　But'〃

She　stopped　reading；　〃I　was　rather　amused　at　Cecil　asking　my

permission　at　all。　He　has　always　gone　in　for　unconventionality；

and　parents　nowhere；　and　so　forth。　When　it　comes　to　the　point；　he

can't　get　on　without　me。〃



〃Nor　me。〃



〃You？〃



Freddy　nodded。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃He　asked　me　for　my　permission　also。〃



She　exclaimed：　〃How　very　odd　of　him！〃



〃Why　so？〃　asked　the　son　and　heir。　〃Why　shouldn't　my　permission　be

asked？〃



〃What　do　you　know　about　Lucy　or　girls　or　anything？　What　ever　did

you　say？〃



〃I　said　to　Cecil；　'Take　her　or　leave　her；　it's　no　business　of

mine！'〃



〃What　a　helpful　answer！〃　But　her　own　answer；　though　more　normal

in　its　wording；　had　been　to　the　same　effect。



〃The　bother　is　this；〃　began　Freddy。



Then　he　took　up　his　work　again；　too　shy　to　say　what　the　bother

was。　Mrs。　Honeychurch　went　back　to　the　window。



〃Freddy；　you　must　come。　There　they　still　are！〃



〃I　don't　see　you　ought　to　go　peeping　like　that。〃



〃Peeping　like　that！　Can't　I　look　out　of　my　own　window？〃



But　she　returned　to　the　writing…table；　observing；　as　she　passed

her　son；　〃Still　page　322？〃　Freddy　snorted；　and　turned　over　two

leaves。　For　a　brief　space　they　were　silent。　Close　by；　beyond　the

curtains；　the　gentle　murmur　of　a　long　conversation　had　never

ceased。



〃The　bother　is　this：　I　have　put　my　foot　in　it　with　Cecil　most

awfully。〃　He　gave　a　nervous　gulp。　〃Not　content　with　'permission'；

which　I　did　givethat　is　to　say；　I　said；　'I　don't　mind'well；

not　content　with　that；　he　wanted　to　know　whether　I　wasn't　off　my

head　with　joy。　He　practically　put　it　like　this：　Wasn't　it　a

splendid　thing　for　Lucy　and　for　Windy　Corner　generally　if　he

married　her？　And　he　would　have　an　answerhe　said　it　would

strengthen　his　hand。〃



〃I　hope　you　gave　a　careful　answer；　dear。〃



〃I　answered　'No'〃　said　the　boy；　grinding　his　teeth。　〃There！　Fly

into　a　stew！　I　can't　help　ithad　to　say　it。　I　had　to　say　no。　He

ought　never　to　have　asked　me。〃



〃Ridiculous　child！〃　cried　his　mother。　〃You　think　you're　so　holy

and　truthful；　but　really　it's　only　abominable　conceit。　Do　you

suppose　that　a　man　like　Cecil　would　take　the　slightest　notice　of

anything　you　say？　I　hope　he　boxed　your　ears。　How　dare　you　say

no？〃



〃Oh；　do　keep　quiet；　mother！　I　had　to　say　no　when　I　couldn't　say

yes。　I　tried　to　laugh　as　if　I　didn't　mean　what　I　said；　and；　as

Cecil　laughed　too；　and　went　away；　it　may　be　all　right。　But　I　feel

my　foot's　in　it。　Oh；　do　keep　quiet；　though；　and　let　a　man　do　some

work。〃



〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　with　the　air　of　one　who　has

considered　the　subject；　〃I　shall　not　keep　quiet。　You　know　all

that　has　passed　between　them　in　Rome；　you　know　why　he　is　down

here；　and　yet　you　deliberately　insult　him；　and　try　to　turn　him

out　of　my　house。〃



〃Not　a　bit！〃　he　pleaded。　〃I　only　let　out　I　didn't　like　him。　I

don't　hate　him；　but　I　don't　like　him。　What　I　mind　is　that　he'll

tell　Lucy。〃



He　glanced　at　the　curtains　dismally。



〃Well；　I　like　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Honeychurch。　〃I　know　his　mother；

he's　good；　he's　clever；　he's　rich；　he's　well　connectedOh；　you

needn't　kick　the　piano！　He's　well　connectedI'll　say　it　again　if

you　like：　he's　well　connected。〃　She　paused；　as　if　rehearsing　her

eulogy；　but　her　face　remained　dissatisfied。　She　added：　〃And　he

has　beautiful　manners。〃



〃I　liked　him　till　just　now。　I　suppose　it's　having　him　spoiling

Lucy's　first　week　at　home；　and　it's　also　something　that　Mr。　Beebe

said；　not　knowing。〃



〃Mr。　Beebe？〃　said　his　mother；　trying　to　conceal　her　interest。　〃I

don't　see　how　Mr。　Beebe　comes　in。〃



〃You　know　Mr。　Beebe's　funny　way；　when　you　never　quite　know　what

he　means。　He　said：　'Mr。　Vyse　is　an　ideal　bachelor。'　I　was　very

cute；　I　asked　him　what　he　meant。　He　said　'Oh；　he's　like　me

better　detached。'　I　couldn't　make　him　say　any　more；　but　it　set　me

thinking。　Since　Cecil　has　come　after　Lucy　he　hasn't　been　so

pleasant；　at　leastI　can't　explain。〃



〃You　never　can；　dear。　But　I　can。　You　are　jealous　of　Cecil　because

he　may　stop　Lucy　knitting　you　silk　ties。〃



The　explanation　seemed　plausible；　and　Freddy　tried　to　accept　it。

But　at　the　back　of　his　brain　there　lurked　a　dim　mistrust。　Cecil

praised　one　too　much　for　being　athletic。　Was　that　it？　Cecil　made

one　talk　in　one's　own　way。　This　tired　one。　Was　that　it？　And　Cecil

was　the　kind　of　fellow　who　would　never　wear　another　fellow's　cap。

Unaware　of　his　own　profundity；　Freddy　checked　himself。　He　must　be

jealous；　or　he　would　not　dislike　a　man　for　such　foolish　reasons。



〃Will　this　do？〃　called　his　mother。　〃'Dear　Mrs。　Vyse；Cecil　has

just　asked　my　permission　about　it；　and　I　should　be　delighted　if

Lucy　wishes　it。'　Then　I　put　in　at　the　top；　'and　I　have　told　Lucy

so。'　I　must　write　the　letter　out　again'and　I　have　told　Lucy　so。

But　Lucy　seems　very　uncertain；　and　in　these　days　young　people

must　decide　for　themselves。'　I　said　that　because　I　didn't　want

Mrs。　Vyse　to　think　us　old…fashioned。　She　goes　in　for　lectures

and　improving　her　mind；　and　all　the　time　a　thick　layer　of　flue

under　the　beds；　and　the　maid's　dirty　thumb…marks　where　you　turn

on　the　electric　light。　She　keeps　that　flat　abominably〃



〃Suppose　Lucy　marries　Cecil；　would　she　live　in　a　flat；　or　in　the

country？〃



〃Don't　interrupt　so　foolishly。　Where　was　I？　Oh　yes'Young　people

must　decide　for　themselves。　I　know　that　Lucy　likes　your　son；

because　she　tells　me　everything；　and　she　wrote　to　me　from　Rome

when　he　asked　her　first。'　No；　I'll　cross　that　last　bit　outit

looks　patronizing。　I'll　stop　at　'because　she　tells　me

everything。'　Or　shall　I　cross　that　out；　too？〃



〃Cross　it　out；　too；〃　said　Freddy。



Mrs。　Honeychurch　left　it　in。



〃Then　the　whole　thing　runs：　'Dear　Mrs。　Vyse。Cecil　has　just

asked　my　permission　about　it；　and　I　should　be　delighted　if　Lucy

wishes　it；　and　I　have　told　Lucy　so。　But　Lucy　seems　very

uncertain；　and　in　these　days　young　people　must　decide　for

themselves。　I　know　that　Lucy　likes　your　son；　because　she　tells　me

everything。　But　I　do　not　know'〃



〃Look　out！〃　cried　Freddy。



The　curtains　parted。



Cecil's　first　movement　was　one　of　irritation。　He　couldn't　bear

the　Honeychurch　habit　of　sitting　in　the　dark　to　save　the

furniture。　Instinctively　he　give　the　curtains　a　twitch；　and　sent

them　swinging　down　their　poles。　Light　entered。　There　was　revealed

a　terrace；　such　as　is　owned　by　many　villas　with　trees　each　side

of　it；　and　on　it　a　little　rustic　seat；　and　two　flower…beds。　But

it　was　transfigured　by　the　view　beyond；　for　Windy　Corner　was

built　on　the　range　that　overlooks　the　Sussex　Weald。　Lucy；　who　was

in　the　little　seat；　seemed　on　the　edge　of　a　green　magic　carpet

which　hovered　in　the　air　above　the　tremulous　world。



Cecil　entered。



Appearing　thus　late　in　the　story；　Cecil　must　be　at　once

described。　He　was　medieval。　Like　a　Gothic　statue。　Tall　and

refined；　with　shoulders　that　seemed　braced　square　by　an　effort　of

the　will；　and　a　head　that　was　tilted　a　little　higher　than　the

usual　level　of　vision；　he　resembled　those　fastidious　saints　who

guard　the　portals　of　a　French　cathedral。　Well　educated；　well

endowed；　and　not　deficient　physically；　he　remained　in　the　grip　of

a　certain　devil　whom　the　modern　world　knows　as　self…consciousness；

and　whom　the　medieval；　with　dimmer　vision；　worshipped　as　asceticism。

A　Gothic　statue　implies　celibacy；　just　as　a　Greek　statue　implies

fruition；　and　perhaps　this　was　what　Mr。　Beebe　meant。　And　Freddy；

who　ignored　history　and　art；　perhaps　meant　the　same　when　he　failed

to　imagine　Cecil　wearing　another　fellow's　cap。



Mrs。　Honeychurch　left　her　letter　on　the　writing　table　and　moved

towards　her　young　acquaintance。



〃Oh；　Cecil！〃　she　exclaimed〃oh；　Cec