a room with a view-第42章

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be　the　horse；　who　always　expected　people　to　walk　up　the　hill　in

case　they　tired　him。　The　door　opened　obediently；　and　two　men

emerged；　whom　Mr。　Beebe　recognized　as　Cecil　and　Freddy。　They　were

an　odd　couple　to　go　driving；　but　he　saw　a　trunk　beside　the

coachman's　legs。　Cecil；　who　wore　a　bowler；　must　be　going　away；

while　Freddy　（a　cap）was　seeing　him　to　the　station。　They　walked

rapidly；　taking　the　short　cuts；　and　reached　the　summit　while　the

carriage　was　still　pursuing　the　windings　of　the　road。



They　shook　hands　with　the　clergyman；　but　did　not　speak。



〃So　you're　off　for　a　minute；　Mr。　Vyse？〃　he　asked。



Cecil　said；　〃Yes；〃　while　Freddy　edged　away。



〃I　was　coming　to　show　you　this　delightful　letter　from　those

friends　of　Miss　Honeychurch。　He　quoted　from　it。　〃Isn't　it

wonderful？　Isn't　it　romance？　most　certainly　they　will　go　to

Constantinople。　They　are　taken　in　a　snare　that　cannot　fail。　They

will　end　by　going　round　the　world。〃



Cecil　listened　civilly；　and　said　he　was　sure　that　Lucy　would　be

amused　and　interested。



〃Isn't　Romance　capricious！　I　never　notice　it　in　you　young　people；

you　do　nothing　but　play　lawn　tennis；　and　say　that　romance　is

dead；　while　the　Miss　Alans　are　struggling　with　all　the　weapons　of

propriety　against　the　terrible　thing。　'A　really　comfortable

pension　at　Constantinople！'　So　they　call　it　out　of　decency；　but

in　their　hearts　they　want　a　pension　with　magic　windows　opening　on

the　foam　of　perilous　seas　in　fairyland　forlorn！　No　ordinary　view

will　content　the　Miss　Alans。　They　want　the　Pension　Keats。〃



〃I'm　awfully　sorry　to　interrupt；　Mr。　Beebe；〃　said　Freddy；　〃but

have　you　any　matches？〃



〃I　have；〃　said　Cecil；　and　it　did　not　escape　Mr。　Beebe's　notice

that　he　spoke　to　the　boy　more　kindly。



〃You　have　never　met　these　Miss　Alans；　have　you；　Mr。　Vyse？〃



〃Never。〃



〃Then　you　don't　see　the　wonder　of　this　Greek　visit。　I　haven't

been　to　Greece　myself；　and　don't　mean　to　go；　and　I　can't　imagine

any　of　my　friends　going。　It　is　altogether　too　big　for　our　little

lot。　Don't　you　think　so？　Italy　is　just　about　as　much　as　we　can

manage。　Italy　is　heroic；　but　Greece　is　godlike　or　devilishI　am

not　sure　which；　and　in　either　case　absolutely　out　of　our　suburban

focus。　All　right；　FreddyI　am　not　being　clever；　upon　my　word　I

am　notI　took　the　idea　from　another　fellow；　and　give　me　those

matches　when　you've　done　with　them。〃　He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　went

on　talking　to　the　two　young　men。　〃I　was　saying；　if　our　poor

little　Cockney　lives　must　have　a　background；　let　it　be　Italian。

Big　enough　in　all　conscience。　The　ceiling　of　the　Sistine　Chapel

for　me。　There　the　contrast　is　just　as　much　as　I　can　realize。　But

not　the　Parthenon；　not　the　frieze　of　Phidias　at　any　price；　and

here　comes　the　victoria。〃



〃You're　quite　right；〃　said　Cecil。　〃Greece　is　not　for　our　little

lot〃；　and　he　got　in。　Freddy　followed；　nodding　to　the　clergyman；

whom　he　trusted　not　to　be　pulling　one's　leg；　really。　And　before

they　had　gone　a　dozen　yards　he　jumped　out；　and　came　running　back

for　Vyse's　match…box；　which　had　not　been　returned。　As　he　took　it；

he　said：　〃I'm　so　glad　you　only　talked　about　books。　Cecil's　hard

hit。　Lucy　won't　marry　him。　If　you'd　gone　on　about　her；　as　you　did

about　them；　he　might　have　broken　down。〃



〃But　when〃



〃Late　last　night。　I　must　go。〃



〃Perhaps　they　won't　want　me　down　there。〃



〃Nogo　on。　Good…bye。〃



〃Thank　goodness！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Beebe　to　himself；　and　struck　the

saddle　of　his　bicycle　approvingly；　〃It　was　the　one　foolish　thing

she　ever　did。　Oh；　what　a　glorious　riddance！〃　And；　after　a　little

thought；　he　negotiated　the　slope　into　Windy　Corner；　light　of

heart。　The　house　was　again　as　it　ought　to　becut　off　forever

from　Cecil's　pretentious　world。



He　would　find　Miss　Minnie　down　in　the　garden。



In　the　drawing…room　Lucy　was　tinkling　at　a　Mozart　Sonata。　He

hesitated　a　moment；　but　went　down　the　garden　as　requested。　There

he　found　a　mournful　company。　It　was　a　blustering　day；　and　the

wind　had　taken　and　broken　the　dahlias。　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　who

looked　cross；　was　tying　them　up；　while　Miss　Bartlett；　unsuitably

dressed；　impeded　her　with　offers　of　assistance。　At　a　little

distance　stood　Minnie　and　the　〃garden…child；〃　a　minute

importation；　each　holding　either　end　of　a　long　piece　of　bass。



〃Oh；　how　do　you　do；　Mr。　Beebe？　Gracious　what　a　mess　everything

is！　Look　at　my　scarlet　pompons；　and　the　wind　blowing　your　skirts

about；　and　the　ground　so　hard　that　not　a　prop　will　stick　in；　and

then　the　carriage　having　to　go　out；　when　I　had　counted　on　having

Powell；　whogive　every　one　their　duedoes　tie　up　dahlias

properly。〃



Evidently　Mrs。　Honeychurch　was　shattered。



〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；　with　a　meaning　glance；　as

though　conveying　that　more　than　dahlias　had　been　broken　off　by

the　autumn　gales。



〃Here；　Lennie；　the　bass；〃　cried　Mrs。　Honeychurch。　The

garden…child；　who　did　not　know　what　bass　was；　stood　rooted　to　the

path　with　horror。　Minnie　slipped　to　her　uncle　and　whispered　that

every　one　was　very　disagreeable　to…day；　and　that　it　was　not　her

fault　if　dahlia…strings　would　tear　longways　instead　of　across。



〃Come　for　a　walk　with　me；〃　he　told　her。　〃You　have　worried　them　as

much　as　they　can　stand。　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　I　only　called　in

aimlessly。　I　shall　take　her　up　to　tea　at　the　Beehive　Tavern；　if　I

may。〃



〃Oh；　must　you？　Yes　do。Not　the　scissors；　thank　you；　Charlotte；

when　both　my　hands　are　full　alreadyI'm　perfectly　certain　that

the　orange　cactus　will　go　before　I　can　get　to　it。〃



Mr。　Beebe；　who　was　an　adept　at　relieving　situations；　invited　Miss

Bartlett　to　accompany　them　to　this　mild　festivity。



〃Yes；　Charlotte；　I　don't　want　youdo　go；　there's　nothing　to　stop

about　for；　either　in　the　house　or　out　of　it。〃



Miss　Bartlett　said　that　her　duty　lay　in　the　dahlia　bed；　but　when

she　had　exasperated　every　one；　except　Minnie；　by　a　refusal；　she

turned　round　and　exasperated　Minnie　by　an　acceptance。　As　they

walked　up　the　garden；　the　orange　cactus　fell；　and　Mr。　Beebe's

last　vision　was　of　the　garden…child　clasping　it　like　a　lover；　his

dark　head　buried　in　a　wealth　of　blossom。



〃It　is　terrible；　this　havoc　among　the　flowers；〃　he　remarked。



〃It　is　always　terrible　when　the　promise　of　months　is　destroyed　in

a　moment；〃　enunciated　Miss　Bartlett。



〃Perhaps　we　ought　to　send　Miss　Honeychurch　down　to　her　mother。　Or

will　she　come　with　us？〃



〃I　think　we　had　better　leave　Lucy　to　herself；　and　to　her　own

pursuits。〃



〃They're　angry　with　Miss　Honeychurch　because　she　was　late　for

breakfast；〃　whispered　Minnie；　〃and　Floyd　has　gone；　and　Mr。　Vyse

has　gone；　and　Freddy　won't　play　with　me。　In　fact；　Uncle　Arthur；

the　house　is　not　AT　ALL　what　it　was　yesterday。〃



〃Don't　be　a　prig；〃　said　her　Uncle　Arthur。　〃Go　and　put　on　your

boots。〃



He　stepped　into　the　drawing…room；　where　Lucy　was　still

attentively　pursuing　the　Sonatas　of　Mozart。　She　stopped　when　he

entered。



〃How　do　you　do？　Miss　Bartlett　and　Minnie　are　coming　with　me　to

tea　at　the　Beehive。　Would　you　come　too？〃



〃I　don't　think　I　will；　thank　you。〃



〃No；　I　didn't　suppose　you　would　care　to　much。〃



Lucy　turned　to　the　piano　and　struck　a　few　chords。



〃How　delicate　those　Sonatas　are！〃　said　Mr。　Beebe；　though　at　the

bottom　of　his　heart；　he　thought　them　silly　little　things。



Lucy　passed　into　Schumann。



〃Miss　Honeychurch！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　met　them　on　the　hill。　Your　brother　told　me。〃



〃Oh　he　did？〃　She　sounded　annoyed。　Mr。　Beebe　felt　hurt；　for　he　had

thought　that　she　would　like　him　to　be　told。



〃I　needn't　say　that　it　will　go　no　further。〃



〃Mother；　Charlotte；　Cecil；　Freddy；　you；〃　said　Lucy；　playing　a

note　for　each　person　who　knew；　and　then　playing　a　sixth　note。



〃If　you'll　let　me　say　so；　I　am　very　glad；　and　I　am　certain　that

you　have　done　the　right　thing。〃



〃So　I　hoped　other　people　would　think；　but　they　don't　seem　to。〃



〃I　could　see　that　Miss　Bartlett　thought　it　unwise。〃