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as　dreadful　as　you　suppose。　She　took　to　it；　practically　in

despair；　after　her　life's　work　was　carried　away　in　a　landslip。

Surely　that　makes　it　more　excusable。〃



〃What　was　that？〃　asked　Lucy。



Mr。　Beebe　sat　back　complacently；　and　Miss　Alan　began　as　follows：

〃It　was　a　noveland　I　am　afraid；　from　what　I　can　gather；　not　a

very　nice　novel。　It　is　so　sad　when　people　who　have　abilities

misuse　them；　and　I　must　say　they　nearly　always　do。　Anyhow；　she

left　it　almost　finished　in　the　Grotto　of　the　Calvary　at　the

Capuccini　Hotel　at　Amalfi　while　she　went　for　a　little　ink。　She

said：　'Can　I　have　a　little　ink；　please？'　But　you　know　what

Italians　are；　and　meanwhile　the　Grotto　fell　roaring　on　to　the

beach；　and　the　saddest　thing　of　all　is　that　she　cannot　remember

what　she　has　written。　The　poor　thing　was　very　ill　after　it；　and

so　got　tempted　into　cigarettes。　It　is　a　great　secret；　but　I　am

glad　to　say　that　she　is　writing　another　novel。　She　told　Teresa

and　Miss　Pole　the　other　day　that　she　had　got　up　all　the　local

colourthis　novel　is　to　be　about　modern　Italy；　the　other　was

historicalbut　that　she　could　not　start　till　she　had　an　idea。

First　she　tried　Perugia　for　an　inspiration；　then　she　came　here

this　must　on　no　account　get　round。　And　so　cheerful　through　it

all！　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　there　is　something　to　admire　in

every　one；　even　if　you　do　not　approve　of　them。〃



Miss　Alan　was　always　thus　being　charitable　against　her　better

judgment。　A　delicate　pathos　perfumed　her　disconnected　remarks；

giving　them　unexpected　beauty；　just　as　in　the　decaying　autumn

woods　there　sometimes　rise　odours　reminiscent　of　spring。　She　felt

she　had　made　almost　too　many　allowances；　and　apologized　hurriedly

for　her　toleration。



〃All　the　same；　she　is　a　little　tooI　hardly　like　to　say

unwomanly；　but　she　behaved　most　strangely　when　the　Emersons

arrived。〃



Mr。　Beebe　smiled　as　Miss　Alan　plunged　into　an　anecdote　which　he

knew　she　would　be　unable　to　finish　in　the　presence　of　a

gentleman。



〃I　don't　know；　Miss　Honeychurch；　if　you　have　noticed　that　Miss

Pole；　the　lady　who　has　so　much　yellow　hair；　takes　lemonade。　That

old　Mr。　Emerson；　who　puts　things　very　strangely〃



Her　jaw　dropped。　She　was　silent。　Mr。　Beebe；　whose　social

resources　were　endless；　went　out　to　order　some　tea；　and　she

continued　to　Lucy　in　a　hasty　whisper：



〃Stomach。　He　warned　Miss　Pole　of　her　stomach…acidity；　he　called

itand　he　may　have　meant　to　be　kind。　I　must　say　I　forgot　myself

and　laughed；　it　was　so　sudden。　As　Teresa　truly　said；　it　was　no

laughing　matter。　But　the　point　is　that　Miss　Lavish　was　positively

ATTRACTED　by　his　mentioning　S。；　and　said　she　liked　plain

speaking；　and　meeting　different　grades　of　thought。　She　thought

they　were　commercial　travellers'drummers'　was　the　word　she

usedand　all　through　dinner　she　tried　to　prove　that　England；　our

great　and　beloved　country；　rests　on　nothing　but　commerce。　Teresa

was　very　much　annoyed；　and　left　the　table　before　the　cheese；

saying　as　she　did　so：　'There；　Miss　Lavish；　is　one　who　can　confute

you　better　than　I；'　and　pointed　to　that　beautiful　picture　of　Lord

Tennyson。　Then　Miss　Lavish　said：　'Tut！　The　early　Victorians。'

Just　imagine！　'Tut！　The　early　Victorians。'　My　sister　had　gone；

and　I　felt　bound　to　speak。　I　said：　'Miss　Lavish；　I　am　an　early

Victorian；　at　least；　that　is　to　say；　I　will　hear　no　breath　of

censure　against　our　dear　Queen。'　It　was　horrible　speaking。　I

reminded　her　how　the　Queen　had　been　to　Ireland　when　she　did　not

want　to　go；　and　I　must　say　she　was　dumbfounded；　and　made　no

reply。　But；　unluckily；　Mr。　Emerson　overheard　this　part；　and

called　in　his　deep　voice：　'Quite　so；　quite　so！　I　honour　the　woman

for　her　Irish　visit。'　The　woman！　I　tell　things　so　badly；　but　you

see　what　a　tangle　we　were　in　by　this　time；　all　on　account　of　S。

having　been　mentioned　in　the　first　place。　But　that　was　not　all。

After　dinner　Miss　Lavish　actually　came　up　and　said：　'Miss　Alan；　I

am　going　into　the　smoking…room　to　talk　to　those　two　nice　men。

Come；　too。'　Needless　to　say；　I　refused　such　an　unsuitable

invitation；　and　she　had　the　impertinence　to　tell　me　that　it　would

broaden　my　ideas；　and　said　that　she　had　four　brothers；　all

University　men；　except　one　who　was　in　the　army；　who　always　made　a

point　of　talking　to　commercial　travellers。〃



〃Let　me　finish　the　story；〃　said　Mr。　Beebe；　who　had　returned。



〃Miss　Lavish　tried　Miss　Pole；　myself；　every　one；　and　finally

said：　'I　shall　go　alone。'　She　went。　At　the　end　of　five　minutes

she　returned　unobtrusively　with　a　green　baize　board；　and　began

playing　patience。〃



〃Whatever　happened？〃　cried　Lucy。



〃No　one　knows。　No　one　will　ever　know。　Miss　Lavish　will　never　dare

to　tell；　and　Mr。　Emerson　does　not　think　it　worth　telling。〃



〃Mr。　Beebeold　Mr。　Emerson；　is　he　nice　or　not　nice？　I　do　so　want

to　know。〃



Mr。　Beebe　laughed　and　suggested　that　she　should　settle　the

question　for　herself。



〃No；　but　it　is　so　difficult。　Sometimes　he　is　so　silly；　and　then　I

do　not　mind　him。　Miss　Alan；　what　do　you　think？　Is　he　nice？〃



The　little　old　lady　shook　her　head；　and　sighed　disapprovingly。

Mr。　Beebe；　whom　the　conversation　amused；　stirred　her　up　by

saying：



〃I　consider　that　you　are　bound　to　class　him　as　nice；　Miss　Alan；

after　that　business　of　the　violets。〃



〃Violets？　Oh；　dear！　Who　told　you　about　the　violets？　How　do　things

get　round？　A　pension　is　a　bad　place　for　gossips。　No；　I　cannot

forget　how　they　behaved　at　Mr。　Eager's　lecture　at　Santa　Croce。

Oh；　poor　Miss　Honeychurch！　It　really　was　too　bad。　No；　I　have　quite

changed。　I　do　NOT　like　the　Emersons。　They　are　not　nice。〃



Mr。　Beebe　smiled　nonchalantly。　He　had　made　a　gentle　effort　to

introduce　the　Emersons　into　Bertolini　society；　and　the　effort　had

failed。　He　was　almost　the　only　person　who　remained　friendly　to

them。　Miss　Lavish；　who　represented　intellect；　was　avowedly

hostile；　and　now　the　Miss　Alans；　who　stood　for　good　breeding；

were　following　her。　Miss　Bartlett；　smarting　under　an　obligation；

would　scarcely　be　civil。　The　case　of　Lucy　was　different。　She　had

given　him　a　hazy　account　of　her　adventures　in　Santa　Croce；　and　he

gathered　that　the　two　men　had　made　a　curious　and　possibly

concerted　attempt　to　annex　her；　to　show　her　the　world　from　their

own　strange　standpoint；　to　interest　her　in　their　private　sorrows

and　joys。　This　was　impertinent；　he　did　not　wish　their　cause　to　be

championed　by　a　young　girl：　he　would　rather　it　should　fail。　After

all；　he　knew　nothing　about　them；　and　pension　joys；　pension

sorrows；　are　flimsy　things；　whereas　Lucy　would　be　his

parishioner。



Lucy；　with　one　eye　upon　the　weather；　finally　said　that　she

thought　the　Emersons　were　nice；　not　that　she　saw　anything　of　them

now。　Even　their　seats　at　dinner　had　been　moved。



〃But　aren't　they　always　waylaying　you　to　go　out　with　them；　dear？〃

said　the　little　lady　inquisitively。



〃Only　once。　Charlotte　didn't　like　it；　and　said　somethingquite

politely；　of　course。〃



〃Most　right　of　her。　They　don't　understand　our　ways。　They　must

find　their　level。〃



Mr。　Beebe　rather　felt　that　they　had　gone　under。　They　had　given　up

their　attemptif　it　was　oneto　conquer　society；　and　now　the

father　was　almost　as　silent　as　the　son。　He　wondered　whether　he

would　not　plan　a　pleasant　day　for　these　folk　before　they　left

some　expedition；　perhaps；　with　Lucy　well　chaperoned　to　be　nice　to

them。　It　was　one　of　Mr。　Beebe's　chief　pleasures　to　provide　people

with　happy　memories。



Evening　approached　while　they　chatted；　the　air　became　brighter；

the　colours　on　the　trees　and　hills　were　purified；　and　the　Arno

lost　its　muddy　solidity　and　began　to　twinkle。　There　were　a　few

streaks　of　bluish…green　among　the　clouds；　a　few　patches　of　watery

light　upon　the　earth；　and　then　the　dripping　facade　of　San　Miniato

shone　brilliantly　in　the　declining　sun。



〃Too　late　to　go　out；〃　said　Miss　Alan　in　a　voice　of　relief。　〃All

the　galleries　are　shut。〃



〃I　think　I　shall　go　out；〃　said　Lucy。　〃I　want　to　go　round　the　town

in　the　circular　tramon　the　platform　by　the　driver。〃



Her　two　companions　looked　grave。　Mr。　Beebe；　who　felt　responsible

for　her　in　the　absence　of　Miss　Bartlett；　ventured　to　say：



〃I　wish　we　could。　Unluckily　I　have　letters。　If　you　do　want　to　go

out　alone；　won't　you　be　better　on　your　feet？〃



〃Italians；　dear；　you　know；〃　said　Miss　Alan。



〃Perhaps　I　shall　meet　some　one　who　reads　me　through　and

through！〃



But　they　still　looked　disapproval；　and　she　so　far　conceded　to　Mr。

Beebe　as　to　say　that　she　would　only　go　for　a　little　walk；　and

keep　to　the　street　frequented　by　tourists。



〃She　oughtn't　really　to　go　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Beebe；　as　they

watched　her　from　the　window；　〃and　she　knows　it。　I　put　it　down　to

too　much　Beethoven。〃







Chapter　IV：　Fourth　Chapter



Mr。　Beebe　was　right。　Lucy　never　knew　her　desires　so　clearly　as

after　music。　She　had　not　really　appreciated　the　clergyman's　wit；

nor　the　suggestive　twitterings　of　Miss　Alan。　Conversa