a room with a view-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



matter　of　fact　I　don't　care　for　eggs。　I　only　meant　how　jolly　kind

she　seemed。〃



Cecil　frowned　again。　Oh；　these　Honeychurches！　Eggs；　boilers；

hydrangeas；　maidsof　such　were　their　lives　compact。　〃May　me　and

Lucy　get　down　from　our　chairs？〃　he　asked；　with　scarcely　veiled

insolence。　〃We　don't　want　no　dessert。〃







Chapter　XIV　：　How　Lucy　Faced　the　External　Situation　Bravely



0f　course　Miss　Bartlett　accepted。　And；　equally　of　course；　she

felt　sure　that　she　would　prove　a　nuisance；　and　begged　to　be　given

an　inferior　spare　roomsomething　with　no　view；　anything。　Her

love　to　Lucy。　And；　equally　of　course；　George　Emerson　could　come

to　tennis　on　the　Sunday　week。



Lucy　faced　the　situation　bravely；　though；　like　most　of　us；　she

only　faced　the　situation　that　encompassed　her。　She　never　gazed

inwards。　If　at　times　strange　images　rose　from　the　depths；　she　put

them　down　to　nerves。　When　Cecil　brought　the　Emersons　to　Summer

Street；　it　had　upset　her　nerves。　Charlotte　would　burnish　up　past

foolishness；　and　this　might　upset　her　nerves。　She　was　nervous　at

night。　When　she　talked　to　Georgethey　met　again　almost

immediately　at　the　Rectoryhis　voice　moved　her　deeply；　and　she

wished　to　remain　near　him。　How　dreadful　if　she　really　wished　to

remain　near　him！　Of　course；　the　wish　was　due　to　nerves；　which

love　to　play　such　perverse　tricks　upon　us。　Once　she　had　suffered

from　〃things　that　came　out　of　nothing　and　meant　she　didn't

know　what。〃　Now　Cecil　had　explained　psychology　to　her　one　wet

afternoon；　and　all　the　troubles　of　youth　in　an　unknown　world

could　be　dismissed。



It　is　obvious　enough　for　the　reader　to　conclude；　〃She　loves　young

Emerson。〃　A　reader　in　Lucy's　place　would　not　find　it　obvious。

Life　is　easy　to　chronicle；　but　bewildering　to　practice；　and　we

welcome　〃nerves〃　or　any　other　shibboleth　that　will　cloak　our

personal　desire。　She　loved　Cecil；　George　made　her　nervous；　will

the　reader　explain　to　her　that　the　phrases　should　have　been

reversed？



But　the　external　situationshe　will　face　that　bravely。



The　meeting　at　the　Rectory　had　passed　off　well　enough。　Standing

between　Mr。　Beebe　and　Cecil；　she　had　made　a　few　temperate

allusions　to　Italy；　and　George　had　replied。　She　was　anxious　to

show　that　she　was　not　shy；　and　was　glad　that　he　did　not　seem　shy

either。



〃A　nice　fellow；〃　said　Mr。　Beebe　afterwards　〃He　will　work　off　his

crudities　in　time。　I　rather　mistrust　young　men　who　slip　into　life

gracefully。〃



Lucy　said；　〃He　seems　in　better　spirits。　He　laughs　more。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　clergyman。　〃He　is　waking　up。〃



That　was　all。　But；　as　the　week　wore　on；　more　of　her　defences

fell；　and　she　entertained　an　image　that　had　physical　beauty。

In　spite　of　the　clearest　directions；　Miss　Bartlett　contrived　to

bungle　her　arrival。　She　was　due　at　the　South…Eastern　station　at

Dorking；　whither　Mrs。　Honeychurch　drove　to　meet　her。　She　arrived

at　the　London　and　Brighton　station；　and　had　to　hire　a　cab　up。　No

one　was　at　home　except　Freddy　and　his　friend；　who　had　to　stop

their　tennis　and　to　entertain　her　for　a　solid　hour。　Cecil　and

Lucy　turned　up　at　four　o'clock；　and　these；　with　little　Minnie

Beebe；　made　a　somewhat　lugubrious　sextette　upon　the　upper

lawn　for　tea。



〃I　shall　never　forgive　myself；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；　who　kept　on

rising　from　her　seat；　and　had　to　be　begged　by　the　united　company

to　remain。　〃I　have　upset　everything。　Bursting　in　on　young　people！

But　I　insist　on　paying　for　my　cab　up。　Grant　that；　at　any　rate。〃



〃Our　visitors　never　do　such　dreadful　things；〃　said　Lucy；　while

her　brother；　in　whose　memory　the　boiled　egg　had　already　grown

unsubstantial；　exclaimed　in　irritable　tones：　〃Just　what　I've　been

trying　to　convince　Cousin　Charlotte　of；　Lucy；　for　the　last　half

hour。〃



〃I　do　not　feel　myself　an　ordinary　visitor；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；

and　looked　at　her　frayed　glove



〃All　right；　if　you'd　really　rather。　Five　shillings；　and　I　gave　a

bob　to　the　driver。〃



Miss　Bartlett　looked　in　her　purse。　Only　sovereigns　and　pennies。

Could　any　one　give　her　change？　　Freddy　had　half　a　quid　and　his

friend　had　four　half…crowns。　Miss　Bartlett　accepted　their　moneys

and　then　said：　〃But　who　am　I　to　give　the　sovereign　to？〃



〃Let's　leave　it　all　till　mother　comes　back；〃　suggested　Lucy。



〃No；　dear；　your　mother　may　take　quite　a　long　drive　now　that　she

is　not　hampered　with　me。　We　all　have　our　little　foibles；　and　mine

is　the　prompt　settling　of　accounts。〃



Here　Freddy's　friend；　Mr。　Floyd；　made　the　one　remark　of　his　that

need　be　quoted：　he　offered　to　toss　Freddy　for　Miss　Bartlett's

quid。　A　solution　seemed　in　sight；　and　even　Cecil；　who　had　been

ostentatiously　drinking　his　tea　at　the　view；　felt　　the　eternal

attraction　of　Chance；　and　turned　round。



But　this　did　not　do；　either。



〃PleasepleaseI　know　I　am　a　sad　spoilsport；　but　it　would　make

me　wretched。　I　should　practically　be　robbing　the　one　who　lost。〃



〃Freddy　owes　me　fifteen　shillings；〃　interposed　Cecil。　〃So　it　will

work　out　right　if　you　give　the　pound　to　me。〃



〃Fifteen　shillings；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett　dubiously。　〃How　is　that；

Mr。　Vyse？〃



〃Because；　don't　you　see；　Freddy　paid　your　cab。　Give　me　the　pound；

and　we　shall　avoid　this　deplorable　gambling。〃



Miss　Bartlett；　who　was　poor　at　figures；　became　bewildered　and

rendered　up　the　sovereign；　amidst　the　suppressed　gurgles　of　the

other　youths。　For　a　moment　Cecil　was　happy。　He　was　playing　at

nonsense　among　his　peers。　Then　he　glanced　at　Lucy；　in　whose　face

petty　anxieties　had　marred　the　smiles。　In　January　he　would　rescue

his　Leonardo　from　this　stupefying　twaddle。



〃But　I　don't　see　that！〃　exclaimed　Minnie　Beebe　who　had　narrowly

watched　the　iniquitous　transaction。　〃I　don't　see　why　Mr。　Vyse　is　to

have　the　quid。〃



〃Because　of　the　fifteen　shillings　and　the　five；〃　they　said

solemnly。　〃Fifteen　shillings　and　five　shillings　make　one　pound；

you　see。〃



〃But　I　don't　see〃



They　tried　to　stifle　her　with　cake。



〃No；　thank　you。　I'm　done。　I　don't　see　whyFreddy；　don't　poke　me。

Miss　Honeychurch；　your　brother's　hurting　me。　Ow！　What　about　Mr。

Floyd's　ten　shillings？　Ow！　No；　I　don't　see　and　I　never　shall　see

why　Miss　What's…her…name　shouldn't　pay　that　bob　for　the　driver。〃'



〃I　had　forgotten　the　driver；〃　said　Miss　Bartlett；　reddening。

〃Thank　you；　dear；　for　reminding　me。　A　shilling　was　it？　Can　any

one　give　me　change　for　half　a　crown？〃



〃I'll　get　it；〃　said　the　young　hostess；　rising　with　decision。



〃Cecil；　give　me　that　sovereign。　No；　give　me　up　that　sovereign。

I'll　get　Euphemia　to　change　it；　and　we'll　start　the　whole　thing

again　from　the　beginning。〃



〃LucyLucywhat　a　nuisance　I　am！〃　protested　Miss　Bartlett；　and

followed　her　across　the　lawn。　Lucy　tripped　ahead；　simulating

hilarity。　When　they　were　out　of　earshot　Miss　Bartlett　stopped　her

wails　and　said　quite　briskly：　〃Have　you　told　him　about　him　yet？〃



〃No；　I　haven't；〃　replied　Lucy；　and　then　could　have　bitten　her

tongue　for　understanding　so　quickly　what　her　cousin　meant。　〃Let

me　seea　sovereign's　worth　of　silver。〃



She　escaped　into　the　kitchen。　Miss　Bartlett's　sudden　transitions

were　too　uncanny。　It　sometimes　seemed　as　if　she　planned　every

word　she　spoke　or　caused　to　be　spoken；　as　if　all　this　worry　about

cabs　and　change　had　been　a　ruse　to　surprise　the　soul。



〃No；　I　haven't　told　Cecil　or　any　one；〃　she　remarked；　when　she

returned。　〃I　promised　you　I　shouldn't。　Here　is　your　moneyall

shillings；　except　two　half…crowns。　Would　you　count　it？　You　can

settle　your　debt　nicely　now。〃



Miss　Bartlett　was　in　the　drawing…room；　gazing　at　the　photograph

of　St。　John　ascending；　which　had　been　framed。



〃How　dreadful！〃　she　murmured；　〃how　more　than　dreadful；　if　Mr。

Vyse　should　come　to　hear　of　it　from　some　other　source。〃



〃Oh；　no；　Charlotte；〃　said　the　girl；　entering　the　battle。　〃George

Emerson　is　all　right；　and　what　other　source　is　there？〃



Miss　Bartlett　considered。　〃For　instance；　the　driver。　I　saw　him

looking　through　the　bushes　at　you；　remember　he　had　a　violet

between　his　teeth。〃



Lucy　shuddered　a　little。　〃We　shall　get　the　silly　affair　on　our

nerves　if　we　aren't　careful。　How　could　a　Florentine　cab…driver

ever　get　hold　of　Cecil？〃



〃We　must　think　of　every　possibility。〃



〃Oh；　it's　all　right。〃



〃Or　perhaps　old　Mr。　Emerson　knows。　In　fact；　he　is　certain　to

know。〃



〃I　don't　care　if　he　does。　I　was　grateful　to　you　for　your　letter；

but　even　if　the　news　does　get　round；　I　think　I　can　trust　Cecil　to

laugh　at　it。〃



〃To　contradict　it？〃



〃No；　to　laugh　at　it。〃　But　she　knew　in　her　heart　that　she　could

not　trust　him；　for　he　desired　her　untouched。



〃Very　well；　dear；　you　know　best。　Perhaps　gentlemen　are　different

to　what　they　were　when　I　was　young。　Ladies　are　certainly

different。〃



〃Now；　Charlotte！〃　　She　struck　at　her　playfully。　〃You　kind；

anxious　thing。　　What　WOULD　you　have　me　do？　First　you　say　'Don't

tell'；　and　then　you　say；　'Tell'。　Which　is　it　to　be？　Quick！〃



Mi