a room with a view- 第15部分

do？〃



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

sooner　and　made　it　part　of　her；　might　have　proved　victorious。



〃I　propose　to　speak　to　him；〃　said　she。



Miss　Bartlett　uttered　a　cry　of　genuine　alarm。



〃You　see；　Charlotte；　your　kindnessI　shall　never　forget　it。

Butas　you　saidit　is　my　affair。　Mine　and　his。〃



〃And　you　are　going　to　IMPLORE　him；　to　BEG　him　to　keep　silence？〃



〃Certainly　not。　There　would　be　no　difficulty。　Whatever　you　ask

him　he　answers；　yes　or　no；　then　it　is　over。　I　have　been

frightened　of　him。　But　now　I　am　not　one　little　bit。〃



〃But　we　fear　him　for　you；　dear。　You　are　so　young　and

inexperienced；　you　have　lived　among　such　nice　people；　that　you

cannot　realize　what　men　can　behow　they　can　take　a　brutal

pleasure　in　insulting　a　woman　whom　her　sex　does　not　protect　and

rally　round。　This　afternoon；　for　example；　if　I　had　not　arrived；

what　would　have　happened？〃



〃I　can't　think；〃　said　Lucy　gravely。



Something　in　her　voice　made　Miss　Bartlett　repeat　her　question；

intoning　it　more　vigorously。



〃What　would　have　happened　if　I　hadn't　arrived？〃



〃I　can't　think；〃　said　Lucy　again。



〃When　he　insulted　you；　how　would　you　have　replied？〃



〃I　hadn't　time　to　think。　You　came。〃



〃Yes；　but　won't　you　tell　me　now　what　you　would　have　done？〃



〃I　should　have〃　She　checked　herself；　and　broke　the　sentence

off。　She　went　up　to　the　dripping　window　and　strained　her　eyes

into　the　darkness。　She　could　not　think　what　she　would　have　done。



〃Come　away　from　the　window；　dear；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett。　〃You　will

be　seen　from　the　road。〃



Lucy　obeyed。　She　was　in　her　cousin's　power。　She　could　not

modulate　out　the　key　of　self…abasement　in　which　she　had　started。

Neither　of　them　referred　again　to　her　suggestion　that　she　should

speak　to　George　and　settle　the　matter；　whatever　it　was；　with　him。



Miss　Bartlett　became　plaintive。



〃Oh；　for　a　real　man！　We　are　only　two　women；　you　and　I。　Mr。　Beebe

is　hopeless。　There　is　Mr。　Eager；　but　you　do　not　trust　him。　Oh；

for　your　brother！　He　is　young；　but　I　know　that　his　sister's

insult　would　rouse　in　him　a　very　lion。　Thank　God；　chivalry　is　not

yet　dead。　There　are　still　left　some　men　who　can　reverence　woman。〃



As　she　spoke；　she　pulled　off　her　rings；　of　which　she　wore

several；　and　ranged　them　upon　the　pin　cushion。　Then　she　blew　into

her　gloves　and　said：



〃It　will　be　a　push　to　catch　the　morning　train；　but　we　must　try。〃



〃What　train？〃



〃The　train　to　Rome。〃　She　looked　at　her　gloves　critically。



The　girl　received　the　announcement　as　easily　as　it　had　been

given。



〃When　does　the　train　to　Rome　go？〃



〃At　eight。〃



〃Signora　Bertolini　would　be　upset。〃



〃We　must　face　that；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；　not　liking　to　say　that

she　had　given　notice　already。



〃She　will　make　us　pay　for　a　whole　week's　pension。〃



〃I　expect　she　will。　However；　we　shall　be　much　more　comfortable　at

the　Vyses'　hotel。　Isn't　afternoon　tea　given　there　for　nothing？〃



〃Yes；　but　they　pay　extra　for　wine。〃　After　this　remark　she

remained　motionless　and　silent。　To　her　tired　eyes　Charlotte

throbbed　and　swelled　like　a　ghostly　figure　in　a　dream。



They　began　to　sort　their　clothes　for　packing；　for　there　was　no

time　to　lose；　if　they　were　to　catch　the　train　to　Rome。　Lucy；　when

admonished；　began　to　move　to　and　fro　between　the　rooms；　more

conscious　of　the　discomforts　of　packing　by　candlelight　than　of　a

subtler　ill。　Charlotte；　who　was　practical　without　ability；　knelt

by　the　side　of　an　empty　trunk；　vainly　endeavouring　to　pave　it

with　books　of　varying　thickness　and　size。　She　gave　two　or　three

sighs；　for　the　stooping　posture　hurt　her　back；　and；　for　all　her

diplomacy；　she　felt　that　she　was　growing　old。　The　girl　heard　her

as　she　entered　the　room；　and　was　seized　with　one　of　those

emotional　impulses　to　which　she　could　never　attribute　a　cause。

She　only　felt　that　the　candle　would　burn　better；　the　packing　go

easier；　the　world　be　happier；　if　she　could　give　and　receive　some

human　love。　The　impulse　had　come　before　to…day；　but　never　so

strongly。　She　knelt　down　by　her　cousin's　side　and　took　her　in　her

arms。



Miss　Bartlett　returned　the　embrace　with　tenderness　and　warmth。

But　she　was　not　a　stupid　woman；　and　she　knew　perfectly　well　that

Lucy　did　not　love　her；　but　needed　her　to　love。　For　it　was　in

ominous　tones　that　she　said；　after　a　long　pause：



〃Dearest　Lucy；　how　will　you　ever　forgive　me？〃



Lucy　was　on　her　guard　at　once；　knowing　by　bitter　experience　what

forgiving　Miss　Bartlett　meant。　Her　emotion　relaxed；　she　modified

her　embrace　a　little；　and　she　said：



〃Charlotte　dear；　what　do　you　mean？　As　if　I　have　anything　to

forgive！〃



〃You　have　a　great　deal；　and　I　have　a　very　great　deal　to　forgive

myself；　too。　I　know　well　how　much　I　vex　you　at　every　turn。〃



〃But　no〃



Miss　Bartlett　assumed　her　favourite　role；　that　of　the　prematurely

aged　martyr。



〃Ah；　but　yes！　I　feel　that　our　tour　together　is　hardly　the　success

I　had　hoped。　I　might　have　known　it　would　not　do。　You　want　some

one　　younger　and　stronger　and　more　in　sympathy　with　you。　I　am　too

uninteresting　and　old…fashionedonly　fit　to　pack　and　unpack　your

things。〃



〃Please〃



〃My　only　consolation　was　that　you　found　people　more　to　your

taste；　and　were　often　able　to　leave　me　at　home。　I　had　my　own　poor

ideas　of　what　a　lady　ought　to　do；　but　I　hope　I　did　not　inflict

them　on　you　more　than　was　necessary。　You　had　your　own　way　about

these　rooms；　at　all　events。〃



〃You　mustn't　say　these　things；〃　said　Lucy　softly。



She　still　clung　to　the　hope　that　she　and　Charlotte　loved　each

other；　heart　and　soul。　They　continued　to　pack　in　silence。



〃I　have　been　a　failure；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；　as　she　struggled

with　the　straps　of　Lucy's　trunk　instead　of　strapping　her　own。

〃Failed　to　make　you　happy；　failed　in　my　duty　to　your　mother。　She

has　been　so　generous　to　me；　I　shall　never　face　her　again　after

this　disaster。〃



〃But　mother　will　understand。　It　is　not　your　fault；　this　trouble；

and　it　isn't　a　disaster　either。〃



〃It　is　my　fault；　it　is　a　disaster。　She　will　never　forgive　me；　and

rightly。　Fur　instance；　what　right　had　I　to　make　friends　with　Miss

Lavish？〃



〃Every　right。〃



〃When　I　was　here　for　your　sake？　If　I　have　vexed　you　it　is　equally

true　that　I　have　neglected　you。　Your　mother　will　see　this　as

clearly　as　I　do；　when　you　tell　her。〃



Lucy；　from　a　cowardly　wish　to　improve　the　situation；　said：



〃Why　need　mother　hear　of　it？〃



〃But　you　tell　her　everything？〃



〃I　suppose　I　do　generally。〃



〃I　dare　not　break　your　confidence。　There　is　something　sacred　in

it。　Unless　you　feel　that　it　is　a　thing　you　could　not　tell　her。〃



The　girl　would　not　be　degraded　to　this。



〃Naturally　I　should　have　told　her。　But　in　case　she　should　blame

you　in　any　way；　I　promise　I　will　not；　I　am　very　willing　not　to。　I

will　never　speak　of　it　either　to　her　or　to　any　one。〃



Her　promise　brought　the　long…drawn　interview　to　a　sudden　close。

Miss　Bartlett　pecked　her　smartly　on　both　cheeks；　wished　her

good…night；　and　sent　her　to　her　own　room。



For　a　moment　the　original　trouble　was　in　the　background。　George

would　seem　to　have　behaved　like　a　cad　throughout；　perhaps　that

was　the　view　which　one　would　take　eventually。　At　present　she

neither　acquitted　nor　condemned　him；　she　did　not　pass　judgment。

At　the　moment　when　she　was　about　to　judge　him　her　cousin's　voice

had　intervened；　and；　ever　since；　it　was　Miss　Bartlett　who　had

dominated；　Miss　Bartlett　who；　even　now；　could　be　heard　sighing

into　a　crack　in　the　partition　wall；　Miss　Bartlett；　who　had　really

been　neither　pliable　nor　humble　nor　inconsistent。　She　had　worked

like　a　great　artist；　for　a　timeindeed；　for　yearsshe　had　been

meaningless；　but　at　the　end　there　was　presented　to　the　girl　the

complete　picture　of　a　cheerless；　loveless　world　in　which　the

young　rush　to　destruction　until　they　learn　bettera　shamefaced

world　of　precautions　and　barriers　which　may　avert　evil；　but　which

do　not　seem　to　bring　good；　if　we　may　judge　from　those　who　have

used　them　most。



Lucy　was　suffering　from　the　most　grievous　wrong　which　this　world

has　yet　discovered：　diplomatic　advantage　had　been　taken　of　her

sincerity；　of　her　craving　for　sympathy　and　love。　Such　a　wrong　is

not　easily　forgotten。　Never　again　did　she　expose　herself　without

due　consideration　and　precaution　against　rebuff。　And　such　a　wrong

may　react　disastrously　upon　the　soul。



The　door…bell　rang；　and　she　started　to　the　shutters。　Before　she

reached　them　she　hesitated；　turned；　and　blew　out　the　candle。　Thus

it　was　that；　though　she　saw　some　one　standing　in　the　wet　below；

he；　though　he　looked　up；　did　not　see　her。



To　reach　his　room　he　had　to　go　by　hers。　She　was　still　dressed。　It

struck　her　that　she　might　slip　into　the　passage　and　just　say　that

she　would　be　gone　before　he　was　up；　and　that　their　extraordinary

intercourse　was　over。



Whether　she　would　have　dared　to　do　this　was　never　proved。　At　the

critical　moment　Miss　Bartlett　opened　her　own　door；　and　her　voice

said：



〃I　wish　one　word　with　you　in　the　drawing…room；　Mr。　Emerson；

please。〃



Soon　their　footsteps　returned；　and　Miss　Bartlett　said：

〃Good…night；　Mr。　Emerson。〃



His　heavy；　tired　breathing　was　the　only　reply；　the　chaperon　had

done　her　work。



Lucy　cried　aloud：　〃It　isn't　true。　It　can't　all　be　true。　I　want

not　to　be　muddled。　I　want　to　grow　older　quickly。〃



Miss　Bartlett　tapped　on　the　wall。



〃Go　to　bed　at　once；　dear。　You　need　all　the　rest　you　can　get。〃



In　the　morning　they　left　for　Rome。









Part　Two





Chapter　VIII：　Medieval



The　drawing…room　curtains　at　Windy　Corner　had　been　pulled　to

meet；　for　the　carpet　was　new　and　deserved　protection

from　the　August　sun。　They　were　heavy　curtains；　reaching　almost　to

the　ground；　and　the　light　that　filtered　through　them　was　subdued

and　varied。　A　poetnone　was　presentmight　have　qu