a room with a view-第22节
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decorative。
Mr。 Flack replied that all the columns had been ordered； adding；
〃and all the capitals differentone with dragons in the foliage；
another approaching to the Ionian style； another introducing Mrs。
Flack's initialsevery one different。〃 For he had read his
Ruskin。 He built his villas according to his desire； and not until
he had inserted an immovable aunt into one of them did Sir Harry
buy。
This futile and unprofitable transaction filled the knight with
sadness as he leant on Mrs。 Honeychurch's carriage。 He had
failed in his duties to the country…side； and the country…side
was laughing at him as well。 He had spent money； and yet Summer
Street was spoilt as much as ever。 All he could do now was to
find a desirable tenant for 〃Cissie〃some one really desirable。
〃The rent is absurdly low；〃 he told them； 〃and perhaps I am an
easy landlord。 But it is such an awkward size。 It is too large
for the peasant class and too small for any one the least like
ourselves。〃
Cecil had been hesitating whether he should despise the villas or
despise Sir Harry for despising them。 The latter impulse seemed
the more fruitful。
〃You ought to find a tenant at once；〃 he said maliciously。 〃It
would be a perfect paradise for a bank clerk。〃
〃Exactly！〃 said Sir Harry excitedly。 〃That is exactly what I
fear； Mr。 Vyse。 It will attract the wrong type of people。 The
train service has improveda fatal improvement； to my mind。 And
what are five miles from a station in these days of bicycles？〃
〃Rather a strenuous clerk it would be；〃 said Lucy。
Cecil； who had his full share of mediaeval mischievousness；
replied that the physique of the lower middle classes was
improving at a most appalling rate。 She saw that he was laughing
at their harmless neighbour； and roused herself to stop him。
〃Sir Harry！〃 she exclaimed； 〃I have an idea。 How would you like
spinsters？〃
〃My dear Lucy； it would be splendid。 Do you know any such？〃
〃Yes； I met them abroad。〃
〃Gentlewomen？〃 he asked tentatively。
〃Yes； indeed； and at the present moment homeless。 I heard from
them last weekMiss Teresa and Miss Catharine Alan。 I'm really
not joking。 They are quite the right people。 Mr。 Beebe knows
them； too。 May I tell them to write to you？〃
〃Indeed you may！〃 he cried。 〃Here we are with the difficulty
solved already。 How delightful it is！ Extra facilitiesplease
tell them they shall have extra facilities； for I shall have no
agents' fees。 Oh； the agents！ The appalling people they have sent
me！ One woman； when I wrotea tactful letter； you knowasking
her to explain her social position to me； replied that she would
pay the rent in advance。 As if one cares about that！ And several
references I took up were most unsatisfactorypeople swindlers；
or not respectable。 And oh； the deceit！ I have seen a good deal
of the seamy side this last week。 The deceit of the most
promising people。 My dear Lucy； the deceit！〃
She nodded。
〃My advice；〃 put in Mrs。 Honeychurch； 〃is to have nothing to do
with Lucy and her decayed gentlewomen at all。 I know the type。
Preserve me from people who have seen better days； and bring
heirlooms with them that make the house smell stuffy。 It's a
sad thing； but I'd far rather let to some one who is going up in
the world than to some one who has come down。〃
〃I think I follow you；〃 said Sir Harry； 〃but it is； as you say； a
very sad thing。〃
〃The Misses Alan aren't that！〃 cried Lucy。
〃Yes； they are；〃 said Cecil。 〃I haven't met them but I should say
they were a highly unsuitable addition to the neighbourhood。〃
〃Don't listen to him； Sir Harryhe's tiresome。〃
〃It's I who am tiresome；〃 he replied。 〃I oughtn't to come with my
troubles to young people。 But really I am so worried； and Lady
Otway will only say that I cannot be too careful； which is quite
true； but no real help。〃
〃Then may I write to my Misses Alan？〃
〃Please！〃
But his eye wavered when Mrs。 Honeychurch exclaimed：
〃Beware！ They are certain to have canaries。 Sir Harry； beware of
canaries： they spit the seed out through the bars of the cages
and then the mice come。 Beware of women altogether。 Only let to a
man。〃
〃Really〃 he murmured gallantly； though he saw the wisdom of her
remark。
〃Men don't gossip over tea…cups。 If they get drunk； there's an
end of themthey lie down comfortably and sleep it off。 If
they're vulgar； they somehow keep it to themselves。 It doesn't
spread so。 Give me a manof course； provided he's clean。〃
Sir Harry blushed。 Neither he nor Cecil enjoyed these open
compliments to their sex。 Even the exclusion of the dirty did not
leave them much distinction。 He suggested that Mrs。 Honeychurch；
if she had time； should descend from the carriage and inspect
〃Cissie〃 for herself。 She was delighted。 Nature had intended her
to be poor and to live in such a house。 Domestic arrangements
always attracted her； especially when they were on a small
scale。
Cecil pulled Lucy back as she followed her mother。
〃Mrs。 Honeychurch；〃 he said； 〃what if we two walk home and leave
you？〃
〃Certainly！〃 was her cordial reply。
Sir Harry likewise seemed almost too glad to get rid of them。 He
beamed at them knowingly； said； 〃Aha！ young people； young people！〃
and then hastened to unlock the house。
〃Hopeless vulgarian！〃 exclaimed Cecil； almost before they were
out of earshot；
〃Oh； Cecil！〃
〃I can't help it。 It would be wrong not to loathe that man。〃
〃He isn't clever； but really he is nice。〃
〃No； Lucy； he stands for all that is bad in country life。 In
London he would keep his place。 He would belong to a brainless
club； and his wife would give brainless dinner parties。 But down
here he acts the little god with his gentility； and his
patronage； and his sham aesthetics； and every oneeven your
motheris taken in。〃
〃All that you say is quite true；〃 said Lucy； though she felt
discouraged。 〃I wonder whetherwhether it matters so very much。〃
〃It matters supremely。 Sir Harry is the essence of that
garden…party。 Oh； goodness； how cross I feel！ How I do hope he'll
get some vulgar tenant in that villasome woman so really vulgar
that he'll notice it。 GENTLEFOLKS！ Ugh！ with his bald head and
retreating chin！ But let's forget him。〃
This Lucy was glad enough to do。 If Cecil disliked Sir Harry
Otway and Mr。 Beebe； what guarantee was there that the people
who really mattered to her would escape？ For instance； Freddy。
Freddy was neither clever； nor subtle； nor beautiful； and what
prevented Cecil from saying； any minute； 〃It would be wrong not
to loathe Freddy〃？ And what would she reply？ Further than Freddy
she did not go； but he gave her anxiety enough。 She could only
assure herself that Cecil had known Freddy some time； and that
they had always got on pleasantly； except； perhaps； during the
last few days； which was an accident； perhaps。
〃Which way shall we go？〃 she asked him。
Naturesimplest of topics； she thoughtwas around them。 Summer
Street lay deep in the woods； and she had stopped where a
footpath diverged from the highroad。
〃Are there two ways？〃
〃Perhaps the road is more sensible； as we're got up smart。〃
〃I'd rather go through the wood；〃 said Cecil； With that subdued
irritation that she had noticed in him all the afternoon。 〃Why is
it； Lucy； that you always say the road？ Do you know that you have
never once been with me in the fields or the wood since we were
engaged？〃
〃Haven't I？ The wood； then；〃 said Lucy； startled at his
queerness； but pretty sure that he would explain later； it was
not his habit to leave her in doubt as to his meaning。
She led the way into the whispering pines； and sure enough he
did explain before they had gone a dozen yards。
〃I had got an ideaI dare say wronglythat you feel more at
home with me in a room。〃
〃A room？〃 she echoed； hopelessly bewildered。
〃Yes。 Or； at the most； in a garden； or on a road。 Never in the
real country like this。〃
〃Oh； Cecil； whatever do you mean？ I have never felt anything of
the sort。 You talk as if I was a kind of poetess sort of person。〃
〃I don't know that you aren't。 I connect you with a viewa
certain type of view。 Why shouldn't you connect me with a room？〃
She reflected a moment； and then said； laughing：
〃Do you know that you're right？ I do。 I must be a poetess after
all。 When I think of you it's always as in a room。 How funny！〃
To her surprise； he seemed annoyed。
〃A drawing…room； pray？ With no view？〃
〃Yes； with no view； I fancy。 Why not？〃
〃I'd rather；〃 he said reproachfully； 〃that connected me with the
open air。〃
She said again； 〃Oh； Cecil； whatever do you mean？〃
As no explanation was forthcoming； she shook off the subject as
too difficult for a girl； and led him further into the wood；
pausing every now and then at some par
