a room with a view- 第31部分

woman　at　heart。



〃There　is　a　scene　in　it。　The　hero　and　heroine　make　love。　Do　you

know　about　that？〃



〃Dear？〃



〃Do　you　know　about　it；　please？〃　she　repeated。　〃They　are　on　a

hillside；　and　Florence　is　in　the　distance。〃



〃My　good　Lucia；　I　am　all　at　sea。　I　know　nothing　about　it

whatever。〃



〃There　are　violets。　I　cannot　believe　it　is　a　coincidence。

Charlotte；　Charlotte；　how　could　you　have　told　her？　I　have　thought

before　speaking；　it　must　be　you。〃



〃Told　her　what？〃　she　asked；　with　growing　agitation。



〃About　that　dreadful　afternoon　in　February。〃



Miss　Bartlett　was　genuinely　moved。　〃Oh；　Lucy；　dearest　girlshe

hasn't　put　that　in　her　book？〃



Lucy　nodded。



〃Not　so　that　one　could　recognize　it。　Yes。〃



〃Then　nevernevernever　more　shall　Eleanor　Lavish　be　a　friend

of　mine。〃



〃So　you　did　tell？〃



〃I　did　just　happenwhen　I　had　tea　with　her　at　Romein　the

course　of　conversation〃



〃But　Charlottewhat　about　the　promise　you　gave　me　when　we　were

packing？　Why　did　you　tell　Miss　Lavish；　when　you　wouldn't　even　let

me　tell　mother？〃



〃I　will　never　forgive　Eleanor。　She　has　betrayed　my　confidence。〃



〃Why　did　you　tell　her；　though？　This　is　a　most　serious　thing。〃



Why　does　any　one　tell　anything？　The　question　is　eternal；　and　it

was　not　surprising　that　Miss　Bartlett　should　only　sigh　faintly　in

response。　She　had　done　wrongshe　admitted　it；　she　only　hoped

that　she　had　not　done　harm；　she　had　told　Eleanor　in　the　strictest

confidence。



Lucy　stamped　with　irritation。



〃Cecil　happened　to　read　out　the　passage　aloud　to　me　and　to　Mr。

Emerson；　it　upset　Mr。　Emerson　and　he　insulted　me　again。　Behind

Cecil's　back。　Ugh！　Is　it　possible　that　men　are　such　brutes？

Behind　Cecil's　back　as　we　were　walking　up　the　garden。〃



Miss　Bartlett　burst　into　self…accusations　and　regrets。



〃What　is　to　be　done　now？　Can　you　tell　me？〃



〃Oh；　LucyI　shall　never　forgive　myself；　never　to　my　dying　day。

Fancy　if　your　prospects〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Lucy；　wincing　at　the　word。　〃I　see　now　why　you

wanted　me　to　tell　Cecil；　and　what　you　meant　by　'some　other

source。'　You　knew　that　you　had　told　Miss　Lavish；　and　that　she　was

not　reliable。



It　was　Miss　Bartlett's　turn　to　wince。　〃However；〃　said　the　girl；

despising　her　cousin's　shiftiness；　〃What's　done's　done。　You　have

put　me　in　a　most　awkward　position。　How　am　I　to　get　out　of　it？〃



Miss　Bartlett　could　not　think。　The　days　of　her　energy　were　over。

She　was　a　visitor；　not　a　chaperon；　and　a　discredited　visitor　at

that。　She　stood　with　clasped　hands　while　the　girl　worked　herself

into　the　necessary　rage。



〃He　mustthat　man　must　have　such　a　setting　down　that　he　won't

forget。　And　who's　to　give　it　him？　I　can't　tell　mother　nowowing

to　you。　Nor　Cecil；　Charlotte；　owing　to　you。　I　am　caught　up　every

way。　I　think　I　shall　go　mad。　I　have　no　one　to　help　me。　That's　why

I've　sent　for　you。　What's　wanted　is　a　man　with　a　whip。〃



Miss　Bartlett　agreed：　one　wanted　a　man　with　a　whip。



〃Yesbut　it's　no　good　agreeing。　What's　to　be　DONE。　We　women　go

maundering　on。　What　DOES　a　girl　do　when　she　comes　across　a　cad？〃



〃I　always　said　he　was　a　cad；　dear。　Give　me　credit　for　that；　at

all　events。　From　the　very　first　momentwhen　he　said　his　father

was　having　a　bath。〃



〃Oh；　bother　the　credit　and　who's　been　right　or　wrong！　We've　both

made　a　muddle　of　it。　George　Emerson　is　still　down　the　garden

there；　and　is　he　to　be　left　unpunished；　or　isn't　he？　I　want　to

know。〃



Miss　Bartlett　was　absolutely　helpless。　Her　own　exposure　had

unnerved　her；　and　thoughts　were　colliding　painfully　in　her　brain。

She　moved　feebly　to　the　window；　and　tried　to　detect　the　cad's

white　flannels　among　the　laurels。



〃You　were　ready　enough　at　the　Bertolini　when　you　rushed　me　off　to

Rome。　Can't　you　speak　again　to　him　now？〃



〃Willingly　would　I　move　heaven　and　earth〃



〃I　want　something　more　definite；〃　said　Lucy　contemptuously。　〃Will

you　speak　to　him？　It　is　the　least　you　can　do；　surely；　considering

it　all　happened　because　you　broke　your　word。〃



〃Never　again　shall　Eleanor　Lavish　be　a　friend　of　mine。〃



Really；　Charlotte　was　outdoing　herself。



〃Yes　or　no；　please；　yes　or　no。〃



〃It　is　the　kind　of　thing　that　only　a　gentleman　can　settle。〃

George　Emerson　was　coming　up　the　garden　with　a　tennis　ball　in　his

hand。



〃Very　well；〃　said　Lucy；　with　an　angry　gesture。　〃No　one　will　help

me。　I　will　speak　to　him　myself。〃　And　immediately　she　realized

that　this　was　what　her　cousin　had　intended　all　along。



〃Hullo；　Emerson！〃　called　Freddy　from　below。　〃Found　the　lost　ball？

Good　man！　Want　any　tea？〃　And　there　was　an　irruption　from　the

house　on　to　the　terrace。



〃Oh；　Lucy；　but　that　is　brave　of　you！　I　admire　you〃



They　had　gathered　round　George；　who　beckoned；　she　felt；　over　the

rubbish；　the　sloppy　thoughts；　the　furtive　yearnings　that　were

beginning　to　cumber　her　soul。　Her　anger　faded　at　the　sight　of

him。　Ah！　The　Emersons　were　fine　people　in　their　way。　She　had　to

subdue　a　rush　in　her　blood　before　saying：



〃Freddy　has　taken　him　into　the　dining…room。　The　others　are　going

down　the　garden。　Come。　Let　us　get　this　over　quickly。　Come。　I　want

you　in　the　room；　of　course。〃



〃Lucy；　do　you　mind　doing　it？〃



〃How　can　you　ask　such　a　ridiculous　question？〃



〃Poor　Lucy〃　She　stretched　out　her　hand。　〃I　seem　to　bring

nothing　but　misfortune　wherever　I　go。〃　Lucy　nodded。　She

remembered　their　last　evening　at　Florencethe　packing；　the

candle；　the　shadow　of　Miss　Bartlett's　toque　on　the　door。　She　was

not　to　be　trapped　by　pathos　a　second　time。　Eluding　her　cousin's

caress；　she　led　the　way　downstairs。



〃Try　the　jam；〃　Freddy　was　saying。　〃The　jam's　jolly　good。〃



George；　looking　big　and　dishevelled；　was　pacing　up　and　down　the

dining…room。　As　she　entered　he　stopped；　and　said：



〃Nonothing　to　eat。〃



〃You　go　down　to　the　others；〃　said　Lucy；　〃Charlotte　and　I　will

give　Mr。　Emerson　all　he　wants。　Where's　mother？〃



〃She's　started　on　her　Sunday　writing。　She's　in　the　drawing…room。〃



〃That's　all　right。　You　go　away。〃



He　went　off　singing。



Lucy　sat　down　at　the　table。　Miss　Bartlett；　who　was　thoroughly

frightened；　took　up　a　book　and　pretended　to　read。



She　would　not　be　drawn　into　an　elaborate　speech。　She　just　said：

〃I　can't　have　it；　Mr。　Emerson。　I　cannot　even　talk　to　you。　Go　out

of　this　house；　and　never　come　into　it　again　as　long　as　I　live

here〃　flushing　as　she　spoke　and　pointing　to　the　door。　〃I　hate　a

row。　Go　please。〃



〃What〃



〃No　discussion。〃



〃But　I　can't〃



She　shook　her　head。　〃Go；　please。　I　do　not　want　to　call　in　Mr。

Vyse。〃



〃You　don't　mean；〃　he　said；　absolutely　ignoring　Miss　Bartlett

〃you　don't　mean　that　you　are　going　to　marry　that　man？〃



The　line　was　unexpected。



She　shrugged　her　shoulders；　as　if　his　vulgarity　wearied　her。　〃You

are　merely　ridiculous；〃　she　said　quietly。



Then　his　words　rose　gravely　over　hers：　〃You　cannot　live　with

Vyse。　He's　only　for　an　acquaintance。　He　is　for　society　and

cultivated　talk。　He　should　know　no　one　intimately；　least　of　all　a

woman。〃



It　was　a　new　light　on　Cecil's　character。



〃Have　you　ever　talked　to　Vyse　without　feeling　tired？〃



〃I　can　scarcely　discuss〃



〃No；　but　have　you　ever？　He　is　the　sort　who　are　all　right　so　long

as　they　keep　to　thingsbooks；　picturesbut　kill　when　they　come

to　people。　That's　why　I'll　speak　out　through　all　this　muddle　even

now。　It's　shocking　enough　to　lose　you　in　any　case；　but　generally

a　man　must　deny　himself　joy；　and　I　would　have　held　back　if　your

Cecil　had　been　a　different　person。　I　would　never　have　let　myself

go。　But　I　saw　him　first　in　the　National　Gallery；　when　he　winced

because　my　father　mispronounced　the　names　of　great　painters。　Then

he　brings　us　here；　and　we　find　it　is　to　play　some　silly　trick　on

a　kind　neighbour。　That　is　the　man　all　overplaying　tricks　on

people；　on　the　most　sacred　form　of　life　that　he　can　find。　Next；　I

meet　you　together；　and　find　him　protecting　and　teaching　you　and

your　mother　to　be　shocked；　when　it　was　for　YOU　to　settle　whether

you　were　shocked　or　no。　Cecil　all　over　again。　He　daren't　let　a

woman　decide。　He's　the　type　who's　kept　Europe　back　for　a　thousand

years。　Every　moment　of　his　life　he's　forming　you；　telling　you

what's　charming　or　amusing　or　ladylike；　telling　you　what　a　man

thinks　womanly；　and　you；　you　of　all　women；　listen　to　his　voice

instead　of　to　your　own。　So　it　was　at　the　Rectory；　when　I　met　you

both　again；　so　it　has　been　the　whole　of　this　afternoon。　Therefore

not　'therefore　I　kissed　you；'　because　the　book　made　me　do　that；

and　I　wish　to　goodness　I　had　more　self…control。　I'm　not　ashamed。

I　don't　apologize。　But　it　has　frightened　you；　and　you　may　not

have　noticed　that　I　love　you。　Or　would　you　have　told　me　to　go；

and　dealt　with　a　tremendous　thing　so　lightly？　But　therefore

therefore　I　settled　to　fight　him。〃



Lucy　thought　of　a　very　good　remark。



〃You　say　Mr。　Vyse　wants　me　to　listen　to　him；　Mr。　Emerson。　Pardon

me　for　suggesting　that　you　have　caught　the　habit。〃



And　he　took　the　shoddy　reproof　and　touched　it　into　immortality。

He　said：



〃Yes；　I　have；〃　and　sank　down　as　if　suddenly　weary。　〃I'm　the　same

kind　of　brute　at　bottom。　This　desire　to　govern　a　womanit　lies

very　deep；　and　men　and　women　must　fight　it　together　before　they

shall　enter　the　garden。　But　I　do　love　you　surely　in　a　better　way

than　he　does。〃　He　thought。　〃Yesreally　in　a　better　way。　I　want

you　to　have　your　own　thoughts　even　when　I　hold　you　in　my　arms；〃

He　stretched　them　towards　her。　〃Lucy；　be　quickthere's　no　time

for　us　to　talk　nowcome　to　me　as　you　came　in　the　spring；　and

afterwards　I　will　be　gentle　and　explain。　I　have　cared　for　you

since　that　man　died。　I　cannot　live　without　you；　'No　good；'　I

thought；　'she　is　marrying　some　one　else'；　but　I　meet　you　again

when　all　the　world　is　glorious　water　and　sun。　As　you　came　through

the　wood　I　saw　that　nothing　else　mattered。　I　called。　I　wanted　to

li