a room with a view-第37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！



and　truth；　and　vain　will　be　their　strife　after　virtue。　As　the

years　pass；　they　are　censured。　Their　pleasantry　and　their　piety

show　cracks；　their　wit　becomes　cynicism；　their　unselfishness

hypocrisy；　they　feel　and　produce　discomfort　wherever　they　go。

They　have　sinned　against　Eros　and　against　Pallas　Athene；　and　not

by　any　heavenly　intervention；　but　by　the　ordinary　course　of

nature；　those　allied　deities　will　be　avenged。



Lucy　entered　this　army　when　she　pretended　to　George　that　she　did

not　love　him；　and　pretended　to　Cecil　that　she　loved　no　one。　The

night　received　her；　as　it　had　received　Miss　Bartlett　thirty　years

before。







Chapter　XVIII：　Lying　to　Mr。　Beebe；　Mrs。　Honeychurch；　Freddy；　and

The　Servants



Windy　Corner　lay；　not　on　the　summit　of　the　ridge；　but　a　few

hundred　feet　down　the　southern　slope；　at　the　springing　of　one　of

the　great　buttresses　that　supported　the　hill。　On　either　side　of

it　was　a　shallow　ravine；　filled　with　ferns　and　pine…trees；　and

down　the　ravine　on　the　left　ran　the　highway　into　the　Weald。



Whenever　Mr。　Beebe　crossed　the　ridge　and　caught　sight　of　these

noble　dispositions　of　the　earth；　and；　poised　in　the　middle　of

them；　Windy　Corner；he　laughed。　The　situation　was　so　glorious；

the　house　so　commonplace；　not　to　say　impertinent。　The　late　Mr。

Honeychurch　had　affected　the　cube；　because　it　gave　him　the　most

accommodation　for　his　money；　and　the　only　addition　made　by　his

widow　had　been　a　small　turret；　shaped　like　a　rhinoceros'　horn；

where　she　could　sit　in　wet　weather　and　watch　the　carts　going　up

and　down　the　road。　So　impertinentand　yet　the　house　〃did；〃　for

it　was　the　home　of　people　who　loved　their　surroundings　honestly。

Other　houses　in　the　neighborhood　had　been　built　by　expensive

architects；　over　others　their　inmates　had　fidgeted　sedulously；

yet　all　these　suggested　the　accidental；　the　temporary；　while

Windy　Corner　seemed　as　inevitable　as　an　ugliness　of　Nature's　own

creation。　One　might　laugh　at　the　house；　but　one　never　shuddered。

Mr。　Beebe　was　bicycling　over　this　Monday　afternoon　with　a　piece

of　gossip。　He　had　heard　from　the　Miss　Alans。　These　admirable

ladies；　since　they　could　not　go　to　Cissie　Villa；　had　changed

their　plans。　They　were　going　to　Greece　instead。



〃Since　Florence　did　my　poor　sister　so　much　good；〃　wrote　Miss

Catharine；　〃we　do　not　see　why　we　should　not　try　Athens　this

winter。　Of　course；　Athens　is　a　plunge；　and　the　doctor　has　ordered

her　special　digestive　bread；　but；　after　all；　we　can　take　that

with　us；　and　it　is　only　getting　first　into　a　steamer　and　then

into　a　train。　But　is　there　an　English　Church？〃　And　the　letter

went　on　to　say：　〃I　do　not　expect　we　shall　go　any　further　than

Athens；　but　if　you　knew　of　a　really　comfortable　pension　at

Constantinople；　we　should　be　so　grateful。〃



Lucy　would　enjoy　this　letter；　and　the　smile　with　which　Mr。　Beebe

greeted　Windy　Corner　was　partly　for　her。　She　would　see　the　fun　of

it；　and　some　of　its　beauty；　for　she　must　see　some　beauty。　Though

she　was　hopeless　about　pictures；　and　though　she　dressed　so

unevenlyoh；　that　cerise　frock　yesterday　at　church！she　must

see　some　beauty　in　life；　or　she　could　not　play　the　piano　as　she

did。　He　had　a　theory　that　musicians　are　incredibly　complex；　and

know　far　less　than　other　artists　what　they　want　and　what　they

are；　that　they　puzzle　themselves　as　well　as　their　friends；　that

their　psychology　is　a　modern　development；　and　has　not　yet　been

understood。　This　theory；　had　he　known　it；　had　possibly　just　been

illustrated　by　facts。　Ignorant　of　the　events　of　yesterday　he　was

only　riding　over　to　get　some　tea；　to　see　his　niece；　and　to

observe　whether　Miss　Honeychurch　saw　anything　beautiful　in　the

desire　of　two　old　ladies　to　visit　Athens。



A　carriage　was　drawn　up　outside　Windy　Corner；　and　just　as　he

caught　sight　of　the　house　it　started；　bowled　up　the　drive；　and

stopped　abruptly　when　it　reached　the　main　road。　Therefore　it　must

be　the　horse；　who　always　expected　people　to　walk　up　the　hill　in

case　they　tired　him。　The　door　opened　obediently；　and　two　men

emerged；　whom　Mr。　Beebe　recognized　as　Cecil　and　Freddy。　They　were

an　odd　couple　to　go　driving；　but　he　saw　a　trunk　beside　the

coachman's　legs。　Cecil；　who　wore　a　bowler；　must　be　going　away；

while　Freddy　（a　cap）was　seeing　him　to　the　station。　They　walked

rapidly；　taking　the　short　cuts；　and　reached　the　summit　while　the

carriage　was　still　pursuing　the　windings　of　the　road。



They　shook　hands　with　the　clergyman；　but　did　not　speak。



〃So　you're　off　for　a　minute；　Mr。　Vyse？〃　he　asked。



Cecil　said；　〃Yes；〃　while　Freddy　edged　away。



〃I　was　coming　to　show　you　this　delightful　letter　from　those

friends　of　Miss　Honeychurch。　He　quoted　from　it。　〃Isn't　it

wonderful？　Isn't　it　romance？　most　certainly　they　will　go　to

Constantinople。　They　are　taken　in　a　snare　that　cannot　fail。　They

will　end　by　going　round　the　world。〃



Cecil　listened　civilly；　and　said　he　was　sure　that　Lucy　would　be

amused　and　interested。



〃Isn't　Romance　capricious！　I　never　notice　it　in　you　young　people；

you　do　nothing　but　play　lawn　tennis；　and　say　that　romance　is

dead；　while　the　Miss　Alans　are　struggling　with　all　the　weapons　of

propriety　against　the　terrible　thing。　'A　really　comfortable

pension　at　Constantinople！'　So　they　call　it　out　of　decency；　but

in　their　hearts　they　want　a　pension　with　magic　windows　opening　on

the　foam　of　perilous　seas　in　fairyland　forlorn！　No　ordinary　view

will　content　the　Miss　Alans。　They　want　the　Pension　Keats。〃



〃I'm　awfully　sorry　to　interrupt；　Mr。　Beebe；〃　said　Freddy；　〃but

have　you　any　matches？〃



〃I　have；〃　said　Cecil；　and　it　did　not　escape　Mr。　Beebe's　notice

that　he　spoke　to　the　boy　more　kindly。



〃You　have　never　met　these　Miss　Alans；　have　you；　Mr。　Vyse？〃



〃Never。〃



〃Then　you　don't　see　the　wonder　of　this　Greek　visit。　I　haven't

been　to　Greece　myself；　and　don't　mean　to　go；　and　I　can't　imagine

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　disag