a room with a view- 第22部分

Honeychurch　from　the　contemplation　of　her　own　abilities。



〃Emerson；　Freddy？　Do　you　know　what　Emersons　they　are？〃



〃I　don't　know　whether　they're　any　Emersons；〃　retorted　Freddy；　who

was　democratic。　Like　his　sister　and　like　most　young　people；　he

was　naturally　attracted　by　the　idea　of　equality；　and　the

undeniable　fact　that　there　are　different　kinds　of　Emersons

annoyed　him　beyond　measure。



〃I　trust　they　are　the　right　sort　of　person。　All　right；　Lucy〃she

was　sitting　up　again〃I　see　you　looking　down　your　nose　and

thinking　your　mother's　a　snob。　But　there　is　a　right　sort　and　a

wrong　sort；　and　it's　affectation　to　pretend　there　isn't。〃



〃Emerson's　a　common　enough　name；〃　Lucy　remarked。



She　was　gazing　sideways。　Seated　on　a　promontory　herself；　she

could　see　the　pine…clad　promontories　descending　one　beyond

another　into　the　Weald。　The　further　one　descended　the　garden；　the

more　glorious　was　this　lateral　view。



〃I　was　merely　going　to　remark；　Freddy；　that　I　trusted　they　were

no　relations　of　Emerson　the　philosopher；　a　most　trying　man。　Pray；

does　that　satisfy　you？〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　grumbled。　〃And　you　will　be　satisfied；　too；　for

they're　friends　of　Cecil；　soelaborate　irony〃you　and　the　other

country　families　will　be　able　to　call　in　perfect　safety。〃



〃CECIL？〃　exclaimed　Lucy。



〃Don't　be　rude；　dear；〃　said　his　mother　placidly。　〃Lucy；　don't

screech。　It's　a　new　bad　habit　you're　getting　into。〃



〃But　has　Cecil〃



〃Friends　of　Cecil's；〃　he　repeated；　〃'and　so　really　dee…sire…

rebel。　Ahem！　Honeychurch；　I　have　just　telegraphed　to　them。'〃



She　got　up　from　the　grass。



It　was　hard　on　Lucy。　Mr。　Beebe　sympathized　with　her　very　much。

While　she　believed　that　her　snub　about　the　Miss　Alans　came　from

Sir　Harry　Otway；　she　had　borne　it　like　a　good　girl。　She　might

well　〃screech〃　when　she　heard　that　it　came　partly　from　her　lover。

Mr。　Vyse　was　a　teasesomething　worse　than　a　tease：　he　took　a

malicious　pleasure　in　thwarting　people。　The　clergyman；　knowing

this；　looked　at　Miss　Honeychurch　with　more　than　his　usual

kindness。



When　she　exclaimed；　〃But　Cecil's　Emersonsthey　can't　possibly　be

the　same　onesthere　is　that〃　he　did　not　consider　that　the

exclamation　was　strange；　but　saw　in　it　an　opportunity　of

diverting　the　conversation　while　she　recovered　her　composure。　He

diverted　it　as　follows：



〃The　Emersons　who　were　at　Florence；　do　you　mean？　No；　I　don't

suppose　it　will　prove　to　be　them。　It　is　probably　a　long　cry　from

them　to　friends　of　Mr。　Vyse's。　Oh；　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　the　oddest

people！　The　queerest　people！　For　our　part　we　liked　them；　didn't

we？〃　He　appealed　to　Lucy。　〃There　was　a　great　scene　over　some

violets。　They　picked　violets　and　filled　all　the　vases　in　the　room

of　these　very　Miss　Alans　who　have　failed　to　come　to　Cissie　Villa。

Poor　little　ladies！　So　shocked　and　so　pleased。　It　used　to　be　one

of　Miss　Catharine's　great　stories。　'My　dear　sister　loves

flowers；'　it　began。　They　found　the　whole　room　a　mass　of　blue

vases　and　jugsand　the　story　ends　with　'So　ungentlemanly　and

yet　so　beautiful。'　It　is　all　very　difficult。　Yes；　I　always　connect

those　Florentine　Emersons　with　violets。〃



〃Fiasco's　done　you　this　time；〃　remarked　Freddy；　not　seeing　that

his　sister's　face　was　very　red。　She　could　not　recover　herself。

Mr。　Beebe　saw　it；　and　continued　to　divert　the　conversation。



〃These　particular　Emersons　consisted　of　a　father　and　a　sonthe

son　a　goodly；　if　not　a　good　young　man；　not　a　fool；　I　fancy；　but

very　immaturepessimism；　et　cetera。　Our　special　joy　was　the

fathersuch　a　sentimental　darling；　and　people　declared　he　had

murdered　his　wife。〃



In　his　normal　state　Mr。　Beebe　would　never　have　repeated　such

gossip；　but　he　was　trying　to　shelter　Lucy　in　her　little　trouble。

He　repeated　any　rubbish　that　came　into　his　head。



〃Murdered　his　wife？〃　said　Mrs。　Honeychurch。　〃Lucy；　don't　desert

usgo　on　playing　bumble…puppy。　Really；　the　Pension　Bertolini

must　have　been　the　oddest　place。　That's　the　second　murderer　I've

heard　of　as　being　there。　Whatever　was　Charlotte　doing　to　stop？

By…the…by；　we　really　must　ask　Charlotte　here　some　time。〃



Mr。　Beebe　could　recall　no　second　murderer。　He　suggested　that　his

hostess　was　mistaken。　At　the　hint　of　opposition　she　warmed。　She

was　perfectly　sure　that　there　had　been　a　second　tourist　of　whom

the　same　story　had　been　told。　The　name　escaped　her。　What　was　the

name？　Oh；　what　was　the　name？　She　clasped　her　knees　for　the　name。

Something　in　Thackeray。　She　struck　her　matronly　forehead。



Lucy　asked　her　brother　whether　Cecil　was　in。



〃Oh；　don't　go！〃　he　cried；　and　tried　to　catch　her　by　the　ankles。



〃I　must　go；〃　she　said　gravely。　〃Don't　be　silly。　You　always　overdo

it　when　you　play。〃



As　she　left　them　her　mother's　shout　of　〃Harris！〃　shivered　the

tranquil　air；　and　reminded　her　that　she　had　told　a　lie　and　had

never　put　it　right。　Such　a　senseless　lie；　too；　yet　it　shattered

her　nerves　and　made　her　connect　these　Emersons；　friends　of

Cecil's；　with　a　pair　of　nondescript　tourists。　Hitherto　truth　had

come　to　her　naturally。　She　saw　that　for　the　future　she　must　be

more　vigilant；　and　beabsolutely　truthful？　Well；　at　all　events；

she　must　not　tell　lies。　She　hurried　up　the　garden；　still　flushed

with　shame。　A　word　from　Cecil　would　soothe　her；　she　was　sure。



〃Cecil！〃



〃Hullo！〃　he　called；　and　leant　out　of　the　smoking…room　window。　He

seemed　in　high　spirits。　〃I　was　hoping　you'd　come。　I　heard　you　all

bear…gardening；　but　there's　better　fun　up　here。　I；　even　I；　have

won　a　great　victory　for　the　Comic　Muse。　George　Meredith's　right

the　cause　of　Comedy　and　the　cause　of　Truth　are　really　the　same；

and　I；　even　I；　have　found　tenants　for　the　distressful　Cissie

Villa。　Don't　be　angry！　Don't　be　angry！　You'll　forgive　me　when　you

hear　it　all。〃



He　looked　very　attractive　when　his　face　was　bright；　and　he

dispelled　her　ridiculous　forebodings　at　once。



〃I　have　heard；〃　she　said。　〃Freddy　has　told　us。　Naughty　Cecil！　I

suppose　I　must　forgive　you。　Just　think　of　all　the　trouble　I　took

for　nothing！　Certainly　the　Miss　Alans　are　a　little　tiresome；　and

I'd　rather　have　nice　friends　of　yours。　But　you　oughtn't　to　tease

one　so。〃



〃Friends　of　mine？〃　he　laughed。　〃But；　Lucy；　the　whole　joke　is　to

come！　Come　here。〃　But　she　remained　standing　where　she　was。　〃Do

you　know　where　I　met　these　desirable　tenants？　In　the　National

Gallery；　when　I　was　up　to　see　my　mother　last　week。〃



〃What　an　odd　place　to　meet　people！〃　she　said　nervously。　〃I　don't

quite　understand。〃



〃In　the　Umbrian　Room。　Absolute　strangers。　They　were　admiring　Luca

Signorelliof　course；　quite　stupidly。　However；　we　got　talking；

and　they　refreshed　me　nota　little。　They　had　been　to　Italy。〃



〃But；　Cecil〃　proceeded　hilariously。



〃In　the　course　of　conversation　they　said　that　they　wanted　a

country　cottagethe　father　to　live　there；　the　son　to　run　down

for　week…ends。　I　thought；　'What　a　chance　of　scoring　off　Sir

Harry！'　and　I　took　their　address　and　a　London　reference；　found

they　weren't　actual　blackguardsit　was　great　sportand　wrote　to

him；　making　out〃



〃Cecil！　No；　it's　not　fair。　I've　probably　met　them　before〃



He　bore　her　down。



〃Perfectly　fair。　Anything　is　fair　that　punishes　a　snob。　That　old

man　will　do　the　neighbourhood　a　world　of　good。　Sir　Harry　is　too

disgusting　with　his　'decayed　gentlewomen。'　I　meant　to　read　him　a

lesson　some　time。　No；　Lucy；　the　classes　ought　to　mix；　and　before

long　you'll　agree　with　me。　There　ought　to　be　intermarriageall

sorts　of　things。　I　believe　in　democracy〃



〃No；　you　don't；〃　she　snapped。　〃You　don't　know　what　the　word

means。〃



He　stared　at　her；　and　felt　again　that　she　had　failed　to　be

Leonardesque。　〃No；　you　don't！〃



Her　face　was　inartisticthat　of　a　peevish　virago。



〃It　isn't　fair；　Cecil。　I　blame　youI　blame　you　very　much　indeed。

You　had　no　business　to　undo　my　work　about　the　Miss　Alans；　and

make　me　look　ridiculous。　You　call　it　scoring　off　Sir　Harry；　but

do　you　realize　that　it　is　all　at　my　expense？　I　consider　it　most

disloyal　of　you。〃



She　left　him。



〃Temper！〃　he　thought；　raising　his　eyebrows。



No；　it　was　worse　than　tempersnobbishness。　As　long　as　Lucy

thought　that　his　own　smart　friends　were　supplanting　the　Miss

Alans；　she　had　not　minded。　He　perceived　that　these　new　tenants

might　be　of　value　educationally。　He　would　tolerate　the　father　and

draw　out　the　son；　who　was　silent。　In　the　interests　of　the　Comic

Muse　and　of　Truth；　he　would　bring　them　to　Windy　Corner。







Chapter　XI：　In　Mrs。　Vyse's　Well…Appointed　Flat



The　Comic　Muse；　though　able　to　look　after　her　own　interests；　did

not　disdain　the　assistance　of　Mr。　Vyse。　His　idea　of　bringing　the

Emersons　to　Windy　Corner　struck　her　as　decidedly　good；　and　she

carried　through　the　negotiations　without　a　hitch。　Sir　Harry　Otway

signed　the　agreement；　met　Mr。　Emerson；　who　was　duly

disillusioned。　The　Miss　Alans　were　duly　offended；　and　wrote　a

dignified　letter　to　Lucy；　whom　they　held　responsible　for　the

failure。　Mr。　Beebe　planned　pleasant　moments　for　the　new…comers；

and　told　Mrs。　Honeychurch　that　Freddy　must　call　on　them　as　soon

as　they　arrived。　Indeed；　so　ample　was　the　Muse's　equipment　that

she　permitted　Mr。　Harris；　never　a　very　robust　criminal；　to　droop

his　head；　to　be　forgotten；　and　to　die。



Lucyto　descend　from　bright　heaven　to　earth；　whereon　there　are

shadows　because　there　are　hillsLucy　was　at　first　plunged　into

despair；　but　settled　after　a　little　thought　that　it　did　not

matter　the　very　least。　Now　that　she　was　engaged；　the　Emersons

would　scarcely　insult　her　and　were　welcome　into　the

neighbourhood。　And　Cecil　was　welcome　to　bring　whom　he　would　into

the　neighbourhood。　Therefore　Cecil　was　welcome　to　bring　the

Emersons　into　the　neighbourhood。　But；　as　I　say；　this　took　a

little　thinking；　andso　illogical　are　girlsthe　event　remained

rather　greater　and　rather　more　dreadful　than　it　should　have　done。

She　was　glad　that　a　visit　to　Mrs。　Vyse　now　fell　due；　the