a room with a view- 第14部分

the　face；　perhaps　defeat　was　particularly　mortifying　for　him。　He

alone　had　played　skilfully；　using　the　whole　of　his　instinct；

while　the　others　had　used　scraps　of　their　intelligence。　He　alone

had　divined　what　things　were；　and　what　he　wished　them　to　be。　He

alone　had　interpreted　the　message　that　Lucy　had　received　five

days　before　from　the　lips　of　a　dying　man。　Persephone；　who　spends

half　her　life　in　the　graveshe　could　interpret　it　also。　Not　so

these　English。　They　gain　knowledge　slowly；　and　perhaps　too　late。



The　thoughts　of　a　cab…driver；　however　just；　seldom　affect　the

lives　of　his　employers。　He　was　the　most　competent　of　Miss

Bartlett's　opponents；　but　infinitely　the　least　dangerous。　Once

back　in　the　town；　he　and　his　insight　and　his　knowledge　would

trouble　English　ladies　no　more。　Of　course；　it　was　most

unpleasant；　she　had　seen　his　black　head　in　the　bushes；　he　might

make　a　tavern　story　out　of　it。　But　after　all；　what　have　we　to　do

with　taverns？　Real　menace　belongs　to　the　drawing…room。　It　was　of

drawing…room　people　that　Miss　Bartlett　thought　as　she　journeyed

downwards　towards　the　fading　sun。　Lucy　sat　beside　her；　Mr。　Eager

sat　opposite；　trying　to　catch　her　eye；　he　was　vaguely　suspicious。

They　spoke　of　Alessio　Baldovinetti。



Rain　and　darkness　came　on　together。　The　two　ladies　huddled

together　under　an　inadequate　parasol。　There　was　a　lightning

flash；　and　Miss　Lavish　who　was　nervous；　screamed　from　the

carriage　in　front。　At　the　next　flash；　Lucy　screamed　also。　Mr。

Eager　addressed　her　professionally：



〃Courage；　Miss　Honeychurch；　courage　and　faith。　If　I　might　say　so；

there　is　something　almost　blasphemous　in　this　horror　of　the

elements。　Are　we　seriously　to　suppose　that　all　these　clouds；　all

this　immense　electrical　display；　is　simply　called　into　existence

to　extinguish　you　or　me？〃



〃Noof　course〃



〃Even　from　the　scientific　standpoint　the　chances　against　our

being　struck　are　enormous。　The　steel　knives；　the　only　articles

which　might　attract　the　current；　are　in　the　other　carriage。　And；

in　any　case；　we　are　infinitely　safer　than　if　we　were　walking。

Couragecourage　and　faith。〃



Under　the　rug；　Lucy　felt　the　kindly　pressure　of　her　cousin's

hand。　At　times　our　need　for　a　sympathetic　gesture　is　so　great

that　we　care　not　what　exactly　it　signifies　or　how　much　we　may

have　to　pay　for　it　afterwards。　Miss　Bartlett；　by　this　timely

exercise　of　her　muscles；　gained　more　than　she　would　have　got　in

hours　of　preaching　or　cross　examination。



She　renewed　it　when　the　two　carriages　stopped；　half　into

Florence。



〃Mr。　Eager！〃　called　Mr。　Beebe。　〃We　want　your　assistance。　Will　you

interpret　for　us？〃



〃George！〃　cried　Mr。　Emerson。　〃Ask　your　driver　which　way　George

went。　The　boy　may　lose　his　way。　He　may　be　killed。〃



〃Go；　Mr。　Eager；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett。　don't　ask　our　driver；　our

driver　is　no　help。　Go　and　support　poor　Mr。　Beebe；　he　is　nearly

demented。〃



〃He　may　be　killed！〃　cried　the　old　man。　〃He　may　be　killed！〃



〃Typical　behaviour；〃　said　the　chaplain；　as　he　quitted　the

carriage。　〃In　the　presence　of　reality　that　kind　of　person

invariably　breaks　down。〃



〃What　does　he　know？〃　whispered　Lucy　as　soon　as　they　were　alone。

〃Charlotte；　how　much　does　Mr。　Eager　know？〃



〃Nothing；　dearest；　he　knows　nothing。　But〃　she　pointed　at　the

driver…〃HE　knows　everything。　Dearest；　had　we　better？　Shall　I？〃

She　took　out　her　purse。　〃It　is　dreadful　to　be　entangled　with

low…class　people。　He　saw　it　all。〃　Tapping　Phaethon's　back　with　her

guide…book；　she　said；　〃Silenzio！〃　and　offered　him　a　franc。



〃Va　bene；〃　he　replied；　and　accepted　it。　As　well　this　ending　to

his　day　as　any。　But　Lucy；　a　mortal　maid；　was　disappointed　in　him。



There　was　an　explosion　up　the　road。　The　storm　had　struck　the

overhead　wire　of　the　tramline；　and　one　of　the　great　supports　had

fallen。　If　they　had　not　stopped　perhaps　they　might　have　been

hurt。　They　chose　to　regard　it　as　a　miraculous　preservation；　and

the　floods　of　love　and　sincerity；　which　fructify　every　hour　of

life；　burst　forth　in　tumult。　They　descended　from　the　carriages；

they　embraced　each　other。　It　was　as　joyful　to　be　forgiven　past

unworthinesses　as　to　forgive　them。　For　a　moment　they　realized

vast　possibilities　of　good。



The　older　people　recovered　quickly。　In　the　very　height　of　their

emotion　they　knew　it　to　be　unmanly　or　unladylike。　Miss　Lavish

calculated　that；　even　if　they　had　continued；　they　would　not　have

been　caught　in　the　accident。　Mr。　Eager　mumbled　a　temperate

prayer。　But　the　drivers；　through　miles　of　dark　squalid　road；

poured　out　their　souls　to　the　dryads　and　the　saints；　and　Lucy

poured　out　hers　to　her　cousin。



〃Charlotte；　dear　Charlotte；　kiss　me。　Kiss　me　again。　Only　you　can

understand　me。　You　warned　me　to　be　careful。　And　II　thought　I

was　developing。〃



〃Do　not　cry；　dearest。　Take　your　time。〃



〃I　have　been　obstinate　and　sillyworse　than　you　know；　far　worse。

Once　by　the　riverOh；　but　he　isn't　killedhe　wouldn't　be

killed；　would　he？〃



The　thought　disturbed　her　repentance。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the

storm　was　worst　along　the　road；　but　she　had　been　near　danger；　and

so　she　thought　it　must　be　near　to　every　one。



〃I　trust　not。　One　would　always　pray　against　that。〃



〃He　is　reallyI　think　he　was　taken　by　surprise；　just　as　I　was

before。　But　this　time　I'm　not　to　blame；　I　want　you　to　believe

that。　I　simply　slipped　into　those　violets。　No；　I　want　to　be

really　truthful。　I　am　a　little　to　blame。　I　had　silly　thoughts。

The　sky；　you　know；　was　gold；　and　the　ground　all　blue；　and　for

a　moment　he　looked　like　some　one　in　a　book。〃



〃In　a　book？〃



〃Heroesgodsthe　nonsense　of　schoolgirls。〃



〃And　then？〃



〃But；　Charlotte；　you　know　what　happened　then。〃



Miss　Bartlett　was　silent。　Indeed；　she　had　little　more　to　learn。

With　a　certain　amount　of　insight　she　drew　her　young　cousin

affectionately　to　her。　All　the　way　back　Lucy's　body　was　shaken　by

deep　sighs；　which　nothing　could　repress。



〃I　want　to　be　truthful；〃　she　whispered。　〃It　is　so　hard　to　be

absolutely　truthful。〃



〃Don't　be　troubled；　dearest。　Wait　till　you　are　calmer。　We　will

talk　it　over　before　bed…time　in　my　room。〃



So　they　re…entered　the　city　with　hands　clasped。　It　was　a　shock　to

the　girl　to　find　how　far　emotion　had　ebbed　in　others。　The　storm

had　ceased；　and　Mr。　Emerson　was　easier　about　his　son。　Mr。　Beebe

had　regained　good　humour；　and　Mr。　Eager　was　already　snubbing　Miss

Lavish。　Charlotte　alone　she　was　sure　ofCharlotte；　whose

exterior　concealed　so　much　insight　and　love。



The　luxury　of　self…exposure　kept　her　almost　happy　through　the

long　evening。　She　thought　not　so　much　of　what　had　happened　as　of

how　she　should　describe　it。　All　her　sensations；　her　spasms　of

courage；　her　moments　of　unreasonable　joy；　her　mysterious

discontent；　should　be　carefully　laid　before　her　cousin。　And

together　in　divine　confidence　they　would　disentangle　and

interpret　them　all。



〃At　last；〃　thought　she；　〃I　shall　understand　myself。　I　shan't

again　be　troubled　by　things　that　come　out　of　nothing；　and　mean　I

don't　know　what。〃



Miss　Alan　asked　her　to　play。　She　refused　vehemently。　Music　seemed

to　her　the　employment　of　a　child。　She　sat　close　to　her　cousin；

who；　with　commendable　patience；　was　listening　to　a　long　story

about　lost　luggage。　When　it　was　over　she　capped　it　by　a　story　of

her　own。　Lucy　became　rather　hysterical　with　the　delay。　In　vain

she　tried　to　check；　or　at　all　events　to　accelerate；　the　tale。　It

was　not　till　a　late　hour　that　Miss　Bartlett　had　recovered　her

luggage　and　could　say　in　her　usual　tone　of　gentle　reproach：



〃Well；　dear；　I　at　all　events　am　ready　for　Bedfordshire。　Come　into

my　room；　and　I　will　give　a　good　brush　to　your　hair。〃



With　some　solemnity　the　door　was　shut；　and　a　cane　chair　placed

for　the　girl。　Then　Miss　Bartlett　said　〃So　what　is　to　be　done？〃



She　was　unprepared　for　the　question。　It　had　not　occurred　to　her

that　she　would　have　to　do　anything。　A　detailed　exhibition　of　her

emotions　was　all　that　she　had　counted　upon。



〃What　is　to　be　done？　A　point；　dearest；　which　you　alone　can

settle。〃



The　rain　was　streaming　down　the　black　windows；　and　the　great　room

felt　damp　and　chilly；　One　candle　burnt　trembling　on　the　chest　of

drawers　close　to　Miss　Bartlett's　toque；　which　cast　monstrous　and

fantastic　shadows　on　the　bolted　door。　A　tram　roared　by　in　the

dark；　and　Lucy　felt　unaccountably　sad；　though　she　had　long　since

dried　her　eyes。　She　lifted　them　to　the　ceiling；　where　the　griffins

and　bassoons　were　colourless　and　vague；　the　very　ghosts　of　joy。



〃It　has　been　raining　for　nearly　four　hours；〃　she　said　at　last。



Miss　Bartlett　ignored　the　remark。



〃How　do　you　propose　to　silence　him？〃



〃The　driver？〃



〃My　dear　girl；　no；　Mr。　George　Emerson。〃



Lucy　began　to　pace　up　and　down　the　room。



〃I　don't　understand；〃　she　said　at　last。



She　understood　very　well；　but　she　no　longer　wished　to　be

absolutely　truthful。



〃How　are　you　going　to　stop　him　talking　about　it？〃



〃I　have　a　feeling　that　talk　is　a　thing　he　will　never　do。〃



〃I；　too；　intend　to　judge　him　charitably。　But　unfortunately　I　have

met　the　type　before。　They　seldom　keep　their　exploits　to

themselves。〃



〃Exploits？〃　cried　Lucy；　wincing　under　the　horrible　plural。



〃My　poor　dear；　did　you　suppose　that　this　was　his　first？　Come　here

and　listen　to　me。　I　am　only　gathering　it　from　his　own　remarks。　Do

you　remember　that　day　at　lunch　when　he　argued　with　Miss　Alan　that

liking　one　person　is　an　extra　reason　for　liking　another？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Lucy；　whom　at　the　time　the　argument　had　pleased。



〃Well；　I　am　no　prude。　There　is　no　need　to　call　him　a　wicked　young

man；　but　obviously　he　is　thoroughly　unrefined。　Let　us　put　it　down

to　his　deplorable　antecedents　and　education；　if　you　wish。　But

we　are　no　farther　on　with　our　question。　What　do　you　propose　to

do？〃



An　idea　rushed　across　Lucy's　brain；　which；　had　she　thought　of　it

sooner　and　made　it