a room with a view- 第34部分

any　of　my　friends　going。　It　is　altogether　too　big　for　our　little

lot。　Don't　you　think　so？　Italy　is　just　about　as　much　as　we　can

manage。　Italy　is　heroic；　but　Greece　is　godlike　or　devilishI　am

not　sure　which；　and　in　either　case　absolutely　out　of　our　suburban

focus。　All　right；　FreddyI　am　not　being　clever；　upon　my　word　I

am　notI　took　the　idea　from　another　fellow；　and　give　me　those

matches　when　you've　done　with　them。〃　He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　went

on　talking　to　the　two　young　men。　〃I　was　saying；　if　our　poor

little　Cockney　lives　must　have　a　background；　let　it　be　Italian。

Big　enough　in　all　conscience。　The　ceiling　of　the　Sistine　Chapel

for　me。　There　the　contrast　is　just　as　much　as　I　can　realize。　But

not　the　Parthenon；　not　the　frieze　of　Phidias　at　any　price；　and

here　comes　the　victoria。〃



〃You're　quite　right；〃　said　Cecil。　〃Greece　is　not　for　our　little

lot〃；　and　he　got　in。　Freddy　followed；　nodding　to　the　clergyman；

whom　he　trusted　not　to　be　pulling　one's　leg；　really。　And　before

they　had　gone　a　dozen　yards　he　jumped　out；　and　came　running　back

for　Vyse's　match…box；　which　had　not　been　returned。　As　he　took　it；

he　said：　〃I'm　so　glad　you　only　talked　about　books。　Cecil's　hard

hit。　Lucy　won't　marry　him。　If　you'd　gone　on　about　her；　as　you　did

about　them；　he　might　have　broken　down。〃



〃But　when〃



〃Late　last　night。　I　must　go。〃



〃Perhaps　they　won't　want　me　down　there。〃



〃Nogo　on。　Good…bye。〃



〃Thank　goodness！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Beebe　to　himself；　and　struck　the

saddle　of　his　bicycle　approvingly；　〃It　was　the　one　foolish　thing

she　ever　did。　Oh；　what　a　glorious　riddance！〃　And；　after　a　little

thought；　he　negotiated　the　slope　into　Windy　Corner；　light　of

heart。　The　house　was　again　as　it　ought　to　becut　off　forever

from　Cecil's　pretentious　world。



He　would　find　Miss　Minnie　down　in　the　garden。



In　the　drawing…room　Lucy　was　tinkling　at　a　Mozart　Sonata。　He

hesitated　a　moment；　but　went　down　the　garden　as　requested。　There

he　found　a　mournful　company。　It　was　a　blustering　day；　and　the

wind　had　taken　and　broken　the　dahlias。　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　who

looked　cross；　was　tying　them　up；　while　Miss　Bartlett；　unsuitably

dressed；　impeded　her　with　offers　of　assistance。　At　a　little

distance　stood　Minnie　and　the　〃garden…child；〃　a　minute

importation；　each　holding　either　end　of　a　long　piece　of　bass。



〃Oh；　how　do　you　do；　Mr。　Beebe？　Gracious　what　a　mess　everything

is！　Look　at　my　scarlet　pompons；　and　the　wind　blowing　your　skirts

about；　and　the　ground　so　hard　that　not　a　prop　will　stick　in；　and

then　the　carriage　having　to　go　out；　when　I　had　counted　on　having

Powell；　whogive　every　one　their　duedoes　tie　up　dahlias

properly。〃



Evidently　Mrs。　Honeychurch　was　shattered。



〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；　with　a　meaning　glance；　as

though　conveying　that　more　than　dahlias　had　been　broken　off　by

the　autumn　gales。



〃Here；　Lennie；　the　bass；〃　cried　Mrs。　Honeychurch。　The

garden…child；　who　did　not　know　what　bass　was；　stood　rooted　to　the

path　with　horror。　Minnie　slipped　to　her　uncle　and　whispered　that

every　one　was　very　disagreeable　to…day；　and　that　it　was　not　her

fault　if　dahlia…strings　would　tear　longways　instead　of　across。



〃Come　for　a　walk　with　me；〃　he　told　her。　〃You　have　worried　them　as

much　as　they　can　stand。　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　I　only　called　in

aimlessly。　I　shall　take　her　up　to　tea　at　the　Beehive　Tavern；　if　I

may。〃



〃Oh；　must　you？　Yes　do。Not　the　scissors；　thank　you；　Charlotte；

when　both　my　hands　are　full　alreadyI'm　perfectly　certain　that

the　orange　cactus　will　go　before　I　can　get　to　it。〃



Mr。　Beebe；　who　was　an　adept　at　relieving　situations；　invited　Miss

Bartlett　to　accompany　them　to　this　mild　festivity。



〃Yes；　Charlotte；　I　don't　want　youdo　go；　there's　nothing　to　stop

about　for；　either　in　the　house　or　out　of　it。〃



Miss　Bartlett　said　that　her　duty　lay　in　the　dahlia　bed；　but　when

she　had　exasperated　every　one；　except　Minnie；　by　a　refusal；　she

turned　round　and　exasperated　Minnie　by　an　acceptance。　As　they

walked　up　the　garden；　the　orange　cactus　fell；　and　Mr。　Beebe's

last　vision　was　of　the　garden…child　clasping　it　like　a　lover；　his

dark　head　buried　in　a　wealth　of　blossom。



〃It　is　terrible；　this　havoc　among　the　flowers；〃　he　remarked。



〃It　is　always　terrible　when　the　promise　of　months　is　destroyed　in

a　moment；〃　enunciated　Miss　Bartlett。



〃Perhaps　we　ought　to　send　Miss　Honeychurch　down　to　her　mother。　Or

will　she　come　with　us？〃



〃I　think　we　had　better　leave　Lucy　to　herself；　and　to　her　own

pursuits。〃



〃They're　angry　with　Miss　Honeychurch　because　she　was　late　for

breakfast；〃　whispered　Minnie；　〃and　Floyd　has　gone；　and　Mr。　Vyse

has　gone；　and　Freddy　won't　play　with　me。　In　fact；　Uncle　Arthur；

the　house　is　not　AT　ALL　what　it　was　yesterday。〃



〃Don't　be　a　prig；〃　said　her　Uncle　Arthur。　〃Go　and　put　on　your

boots。〃



He　stepped　into　the　drawing…room；　where　Lucy　was　still

attentively　pursuing　the　Sonatas　of　Mozart。　She　stopped　when　he

entered。



〃How　do　you　do？　Miss　Bartlett　and　Minnie　are　coming　with　me　to

tea　at　the　Beehive。　Would　you　come　too？〃



〃I　don't　think　I　will；　thank　you。〃



〃No；　I　didn't　suppose　you　would　care　to　much。〃



Lucy　turned　to　the　piano　and　struck　a　few　chords。



〃How　delicate　those　Sonatas　are！〃　said　Mr。　Beebe；　though　at　the

bottom　of　his　heart；　he　thought　them　silly　little　things。



Lucy　passed　into　Schumann。



〃Miss　Honeychurch！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　met　them　on　the　hill。　Your　brother　told　me。〃



〃Oh　he　did？〃　She　sounded　annoyed。　Mr。　Beebe　felt　hurt；　for　he　had

thought　that　she　would　like　him　to　be　told。



〃I　needn't　say　that　it　will　go　no　further。〃



〃Mother；　Charlotte；　Cecil；　Freddy；　you；〃　said　Lucy；　playing　a

note　for　each　person　who　knew；　and　then　playing　a　sixth　note。



〃If　you'll　let　me　say　so；　I　am　very　glad；　and　I　am　certain　that

you　have　done　the　right　thing。〃



〃So　I　hoped　other　people　would　think；　but　they　don't　seem　to。〃



〃I　could　see　that　Miss　Bartlett　thought　it　unwise。〃



〃So　does　mother。　Mother　minds　dreadfully。〃



〃I　am　very　sorry　for　that；〃　said　Mr。　Beebe　with　feeling。



Mrs。　Honeychurch；　who　hated　all　changes；　did　mind；　but　not　nearly

as　much　as　her　daughter　pretended；　and　only　for　the　minute。　It

was　really　a　ruse　of　Lucy's　to　justify　her　despondencya　ruse　of

which　she　was　not　herself　conscious；　for　she　was　marching　in　the

armies　of　darkness。



〃And　Freddy　minds。〃



〃Still；　Freddy　never　hit　it　off　with　Vyse　much；　did　he？　I

gathered　that　he　disliked　the　engagement；　and　felt　it　might

separate　him　from　you。〃



〃Boys　are　so　odd。〃



Minnie　could　be　heard　arguing　with　Miss　Bartlett　through　the

floor。　Tea　at　the　Beehive　apparently　involved　a　complete　change

of　apparel。　Mr。　Beebe　saw　that　Lucyvery　properlydid　not　wish

to　discuss　her　action；　so　after　a　sincere　expression　of　sympathy；

he　said；　〃I　have　had　an　absurd　letter　from　Miss　Alan。　That　was

really　what　brought　me　over。　I　thought　it　might　amuse　you　all。〃



〃How　delightful！〃　said　Lucy；　in　a　dull　voice。



For　the　sake　of　something　to　do；　he　began　to　read　her　the　letter。

After　a　few　words　her　eyes　grew　alert；　and　soon　she　interrupted

him　with　〃Going　abroad？　When　do　they　start？〃



〃Next　week；　I　gather。〃



〃Did　Freddy　say　whether　he　was　driving　straight　back？〃



〃No；　he　didn't。〃



〃Because　I　do　hope　he　won't　go　gossiping。〃



So　she　did　want　to　talk　about　her　broken　engagement。　Always

complaisant；　he　put　the　letter　away。　But　she；　at　once　exclaimed

in　a　high　voice；　〃Oh；　do　tell　me　more　about　the　Miss　Alans！　How

perfectly　splendid　of　them　to　go　abroad！〃



〃I　want　them　to　start　from　Venice；　and　go　in　a　cargo　steamer　down

the　Illyrian　coast！〃



She　laughed　heartily。　〃Oh；　delightful！　I　wish　they'd　take　me。〃



〃Has　Italy　filled　you　with　the　fever　of　travel？　Perhaps　George

Emerson　is　right。　He　says　that　'Italy　is　only　an　euphuism　for

Fate。'〃



〃Oh；　not　Italy；　but　Constantinople。　I　have　always　longed　to　go　to

Constantinople。　Constantinople　is　practically　Asia；　isn't　it？〃



Mr。　Beebe　reminded　her　that　Constantinople　was　still　unlikely；

and　that　the　Miss　Alans　only　aimed　at　Athens；　〃with　Delphi；

perhaps；　if　the　roads　are　safe。〃　But　this　made　no　difference　to

her　enthusiasm。　She　had　always　longed　to　go　to　Greece　even　more；

it　seemed。　He　saw；　to　his　surprise；　that　she　was　apparently

serious。



〃I　didn't　realize　that　you　and　the　Miss　Alans　were　still　such

friends；　after　Cissie　Villa。〃



〃Oh；　that's　nothing；　I　assure　you　Cissie　Villa's　nothing　to　me；　I

would　give　anything　to　go　with　them。〃



〃Would　your　mother　spare　you　again　so　soon？　You　have　scarcely

been　home　three　months。〃



〃She　MUST　spare　me！〃　cried　Lucy；　in　growing　excitement。　〃I　simply

MUST　go　away。　I　have　to。〃　She　ran　her　fingers　hysterically

through　her　hair。　〃Don't　you　see　that　I　HAVE　to　go　away？　I　didn't

realize　at　the　timeand　of　course　I　want　to　see　Constantinople

so　particularly。〃



〃You　mean　that　since　you　have　broken　off　your　engagement　you

feel〃



〃Yes；　yes。　I　knew　you'd　understand。〃



Mr。　Beebe　did　not　quite　understand。　Why　could　not　Miss

Honeychurch　repose　in　the　bosom　of　her　family？　Cecil　had　evidently

taken　up　the　dignified　line；　and　was　not　going　to　annoy　her。　Then

it　struck　him　that　her　family　itself　might　be　annoying。　He　hinted

this　to　her；　and　she　accepted　the　hint　eagerly。



〃Yes；　of　course；　to　go　to　Constantinople　until　they　are　used　to

the　idea　and　everything　has　calmed　down。〃



〃I　am　afraid　it　has　been　a　bothersome　business；〃　he　said　gently。



〃No；　not　at　all。　Cecil　was　very　kind　indeed；　onlyI　had　better

tell　you　the　whole　truth；　since　you　have　heard　a　littleit　was

that　he　is　so　masterful。　I　found　that　he　wouldn't　let　me　go　my

own　way。　He　would　improve　me　in　places　where　I　can't　be　improved。

Cecil　won't　let　a　woman　decide　for　herselfin　fact；　he　daren't。

What　nonsense　I　do　talk！　but　that　is　the　kind　of　thing。〃