a room with a view-第44章

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supernatural　that　equips　such　crises　with　the　salvos　of　angelic

artillery。　Mr。　Beebe's　eyes　rested　on　Windy　Corner；　where　Lucy

sat；　practising　Mozart。　No　smile　came　to　his　lips；　and；　changing

the　subject　again；　he　said：　〃We　shan't　have　rain；　but　we　shall

have　darkness；　so　let　us　hurry　on。　The　darkness　last　night　was

appalling。〃



They　reached　the　Beehive　Tavern　at　about　five　o'clock。　That

amiable　hostelry　possesses　a　verandah；　in　which　the　young　and　the

unwise　do　dearly　love　to　sit；　while　guests　of　more　mature　years

seek　a　pleasant　sanded　room；　and　have　tea　at　a　table　comfortably。

Mr。　Beebe　saw　that　Miss　Bartlett　would　be　cold　if　she　sat　out；　and

that　Minnie　would　be　dull　if　she　sat　in；　so　he　proposed　a　division

of　forces。　They　would　hand　the　child　her　food　through　the　window。

Thus　he　was　incidentally　enabled　to　discuss　the　fortunes　of　Lucy。



〃I　have　been　thinking；　Miss　Bartlett；〃　he　said；　〃and；　unless　you

very　much　object；　I　would　like　to　reopen　that　discussion。〃　She

bowed。　〃Nothing　about　the　past。　I　know　little　and　care　less　about

that；　I　am　absolutely　certain　that　it　is　to　your　cousin's　credit。

She　has　acted　loftily　and　rightly；　and　it　is　like　her　gentle

modesty　to　say　that　we　think　too　highly　of　her。　But　the　future。

Seriously；　what　do　you　think　of　this　Greek　plan？〃　He　pulled　out

the　letter　again。　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　overheard；　but　she

wants　to　join　the　Miss　Alans　in　their　mad　career。　It's　allI

can't　explainit's　wrong。〃



Miss　Bartlett　read　the　letter　in　silence；　laid　it　down；　seemed　to

hesitate；　and　then　read　it　again。



〃I　can't　see　the　point　of　it　myself。〃



To　his　astonishment；　she　replied：　〃There　I　cannot　agree　with　you。

In　it　I　spy　Lucy's　salvation。〃



〃Really。　Now；　why？〃



〃She　wanted　to　leave　Windy　Corner。〃



〃I　knowbut　it　seems　so　odd；　so　unlike　her；　soI　was　going　to

sayselfish。〃



〃It　is　natural；　surelyafter　such　painful　scenesthat　she　should

desire　a　change。〃



Here；　apparently；　was　one　of　those　points　that　the　male　intellect

misses。　Mr。　Beebe　exclaimed：　〃So　she　says　herself；　and　since

another　lady　agrees　with　her；　I　must　own　that　I　am　partially

convinced。　Perhaps　she　must　have　a　change。　I　have　no　sisters　or

and　I　don't　understand　these　things。　But　why　need　she　go　as　far

as　Greece？〃



〃You　may　well　ask　that；〃　replied　Miss　Bartlett；　who　was　evidently

interested；　and　had　almost　dropped　her　evasive　manner。　〃Why

Greece？　（What　is　it；　Minnie　dearjam？）　Why　not　Tunbridge　Wells？

Oh；　Mr。　Beebe！　I　had　a　long　and　most　unsatisfactory　interview

with　dear　Lucy　this　morning。　I　cannot　help　her。　I　will　say　no

more。　Perhaps　I　have　already　said　too　much。　I　am　not　to　talk。　I

wanted　her　to　spend　six　months　with　me　at　Tunbridge　Wells；　and

she　refused。〃



Mr。　Beebe　poked　at　a　crumb　with　his　knife。



〃But　my　feelings　are　of　no　importance。　I　know　too　well　that　I　get

on　Lucy's　nerves。　Our　tour　was　a　failure。　She　wanted　to　leave

Florence；　and　when　we　got　to　Rome　she　did　not　want　to　be　in　Rome；

and　all　the　time　I　felt　that　I　was　spending　her　mother's

money。〃



〃Let　us　keep　to　the　future；　though；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Beebe。　〃I

want　your　advice。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Charlotte；　with　a　choky　abruptness　that　was

new　to　him；　though　familiar　to　Lucy。　〃I　for　one　will　help　her　to

go　to　Greece。　Will　you？〃



Mr。　Beebe　considered。



〃It　is　absolutely　necessary；〃　she　continued；　lowering　her　veil

and　whispering　through　it　with　a　passion；　an　intensity；　that

surprised　him。　〃I　knowI　know。〃　The　darkness　was　coming　on；　and

he　felt　that　this　odd　woman　really　did　know。　〃She　must　not　stop

here　a　moment；　and　we　must　keep　quiet　till　she　goes。　I　trust　that

the　servants　know　nothing。　Afterwardsbut　I　may　have　said　too

much　already。　Only；　Lucy　and　I　are　helpless　against　Mrs。

Honeychurch　alone。　If　you　help　we　may　succeed。　Otherwise〃



〃Otherwise？〃



〃Otherwise；〃　she　repeated　as　if　the　word　held　finality。



〃Yes；　I　will　help　her；〃　said　the　clergyman；　setting　his　jaw　firm。

〃Come；　let　us　go　back　now；　and　settle　the　whole　thing　up。〃



Miss　Bartlett　burst　into　florid　gratitude。　The　tavern　signa

beehive　trimmed　evenly　with　beescreaked　in　the　wind　outside　as

she　thanked　him。　Mr。　Beebe　did　not　quite　understand　the

situation；　but　then；　he　did　not　desire　to　understand　it；　nor　to

jump　to　the　conclusion　of　〃another　man〃　that　would　have　attracted

a　grosser　mind。　He　only　felt　that　Miss　Bartlett　knew　of　some

vague　influence　from　which　the　girl　desired　to　be　delivered；　and

which　might　well　be　clothed　in　the　fleshly　form。　Its　very

vagueness　spurred　him　into　knight…errantry。　His　belief　in

celibacy；　so　reticent；　so　carefully　concealed　beneath　his

tolerance　and　culture；　now　came　to　the　surface　and　expanded　like

some　delicate　flower。　〃They　that　marry　do　well；　but　they　that

refrain　do　better。〃　So　ran　his　belief；　and　he　never　heard　that　an

engagement　was　broken　off　but　with　a　slight　feeling　of　pleasure。

In　the　case　of　Lucy；　the　feeling　was　intensified　through　dislike

of　Cecil；　and　he　was　willing　to　go　furtherto　place　her　out　of

danger　until　she　could　confirm　her　resolution　of　virginity。　The

feeling　was　very　subtle　and　quite　undogmatic；　and　he　never

imparted　it　to　any　other　of　the　characters　in　this　entanglement。

Yet　it　existed；　and　it　alone　explains　his　action　subsequently；

and　his　influence　on　the　action　of　others。　The　compact　that　he

made　with　Miss　Bartlett　in　the　tavern；　was　to　help　not　only　Lucy；

but　religion　also。



They　hurried　home　through　a　world　of　black　and　grey。　He　conversed

on　indifferent　topics：　the　Emersons'　need　of　a　housekeeper；

servants；　Italian　servants；　novels　about　Italy；　novels　with　a

purpose；　could　literature　influence　life？　Windy　Corner　glimmered。

In　the　garden；　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　now　helped　by　Freddy；　still

wrestled　with　the　lives　of　her　flowers。



〃It　gets　too　dark；〃　she　said　hopelesly。　〃This　comes　of　putting

off。　We　might　have　known　the　weather　would　break　up　soon；　and　now

Lucy　wants　to　go　to　Greece。　I　don't　know　what　the　world's　coming

to。〃



〃Mrs。　Honeychurch；〃　he　said；　〃go　to　Greece　she　must。　Come　up　to

the　house　and　let's　talk　it　over。　Do　you；　in　the　first　place；

mind　her　breaking　with　Vyse？〃



〃Mr。　Beebe；　I'm　thankfulsimply　thankful。〃



〃So　am　I；〃　said　Freddy。



〃Good。　Now　come　up　to　the　house。〃



They　conferred　in　the　dining…room　for　half　an　hour。



Lucy　would　never　have　carried　the　Greek　scheme　alone。　It　was

expensive　and　dramaticboth　qualities　that　her　mother　loathed。

Nor　would　Charlotte　have　succeeded。　The　honours　of　the　day　rested

with　Mr。　Beebe。　By　his　tact　and　common　sense；　and　by　his

influence　as　a　clergymanfor　a　clergyman　who　was　not　a　fool

influenced　Mrs。　Honeychurch　greatlyhe　bent　her　to　their

purpose；　〃I　don't　see　why　Greece　is　necessary；〃　she　said；　〃but　as

you　do；　I　suppose　it　is　all　right。　It　must　be　something　I　can't

understand。　Lucy！　Let's　tell　her。　Lucy！〃



〃She　is　playing　the　piano；〃　Mr。　Beebe　said。　He　opened　the　door；

and　heard　the　words　of　a　song：



　　　　　〃Look　not　thou　on　beauty's　charming。〃



〃I　didn't　know　that　Miss　Honeychurch　sang；　too。〃



　　〃Sit　thou　still　when　kings　are　arming；

　　　Taste　not　when　the　wine…cup　glistens〃



〃It's　a　song　that　Cecil　gave　her。　How　odd　girls　are！〃



〃What's　that？〃　called　Lucy；　stopping　short。



〃All　right；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Honeychurch　kindly。　She　went　into

the　drawing…room；　and　Mr。　Beebe　heard　her　kiss　Lucy　and　say：　〃I

am　sorry　I　was　so　cross　about　Greece；　but　it　came　on　the　top　of

the　dahlias。〃



Rather　a　hard　voice　said：　〃Thank　you；　mother；　that　doesn't　matter

a　bit。〃



〃And　you　are　right；　tooGreece　will　be　all　right；　you　can　go　if

the　Miss　Alans　will　have　you。〃



〃Oh；　splendid！　Oh；　thank　you！〃



Mr。　Beebe　followed。　Lucy　still　sat　at　the　piano　with　her　hands

over　the　keys。　She　was　glad；　but　he　had　expected　greater　gladness。

Her　mother　bent　over　her。　Freddy；　to　whom　she　had　been　singing；

reclined　on　the　floor　with　his