Part 22 (1/2)

George told him that he was mistaken; they had no money to throw away on driving.

And the people who had not meant to help-the Miss Lavishes, the Cecils, the Miss Bartletts! Ever p.r.o.ne to magnify Fate, George counted up the forces that had swept him into this contentment.

”Anything good in Freddy's letter?”

”Not yet.”

His own content was absolute, but hers held bitterness: the Honeychurcheshad not forgiven them; they were disgusted at her past hypocrisy; she had alienated Windy Corner, perhaps for ever.

”What does he say?”

”Silly boy! He thinks he's being dignified. He knew we should go off in the spring-he has known it for six months-that if mother wouldn't give her consent we should take the thing into our own hands. They had fair warning, and now he calls it an elopement. Ridiculous boy-”

”Signorino, domani faremo uno giro-”

”But it will all come right in the end. He has to build us both up from the beginning again. I wish, though, that Cecil had not turned so cynical about women. He has, for the second time, quite altered. Why will men have theories about women? I haven't any about men. I wish, too, that Mr. Beebe-”

”You may well wish that.”

”He will never forgive us-I mean, he will never be interested in us again. I wish that he did not influence them so much at Windy Corner. I wish he hadn't-But if we act the truth, the people who really love us are sure to come back to us in the long-run.”

”Perhaps.” Then he said more gently: ”Well, I acted the truth-the only thing I did do-and you came back to me. So possibly you know.” He turned back into the room. ”Nonsense with that sock.” He carried her to the window, so that she, too, saw all the view. They sank upon their knees, invisible from the road, they hoped, and began to whisper one another's names. Ah! it was worth while; it was the great joy that they had expected, and countless little joys of which they had never dreamt. They were silent.

”Signorino, domani faremo-”

”Oh, bother that man!”

But Lucy remembered the vendor of photographs and said, ”No, don't be rude to him.” Then with a catching of her breath, she murmured: ”Mr. Eager and Charlotte, dreadful frozen Charlotte! How cruel she would be to a man like that!”

”Look at the lights going over the bridge.”

”But this room reminds me of Charlotte. How horrible to grow old in Charlotte's way! To think that evening at the Rectory that she shouldn't have heard your father was in the house. For she would have stopped me going in, and he was the only person alive who could have made me see sense. You couldn't have made me. When I am very happy”-she kissed him-”I remember on how little it all hangs. If Charlotte had only known, she would have stopped me going in, and I should have gone to silly Greece, and become different for ever.”

”But she did know,” said George; ”she did see my father, surely. He said so.”

”Oh, no, she didn't see him. She was up-stairs with old Mrs. Beebe, don't you remember, and then went straight to the church. She said so.”

George was obstinate again. ”My father,” said he, ”saw her, and I prefer his word. He was dozing by the study fire, and he opened his eyes, and there was Miss Bartlett. A few minutes before you came in. She was turning to go as he woke up. He didn't speak to her.”

Then they spoke of other things-the desultory talk of those who have been fighting to reach one another, and whose reward is to rest quietly in each other's arms. It was long ere they returned to Miss Bartlett, but when they did her behaviour seemed more interesting. George, who disliked any darkness, said: ”It's clear that she knew. Then, why did she risk the meeting? She knew he was there, and yet she went to church.”

They tried to piece the thing together.

As they talked, an incredible solution came into Lucy's mind. She rejected it, and said: ”How like Charlotte to undo her work by a feeble muddle at the last moment.” But something in the dying evening, in the roar of the river, in their very embrace warned them that her words fell short of life, and George whispered: ”Or did she mean it?”

”Mean what?”

”Signorino, domani faremo uno giro-”

Lucy bent forward and said with gentleness: ”Lascia, prego, lascia. Siamo sposati.” af af ”Scusi tanto,ag signora,” he replied in tones as gentle and whipped up his horse. signora,” he replied in tones as gentle and whipped up his horse.

”Buona sera-e grazie.”ah ”Niente.”

The cabman drove away singing.

”Mean what, George?”

He whispered: ”Is it this? Is this possible? I'll put a marvel to you. That your cousin has always hoped. That from the very first moment we met, she hoped, far down in her mind, that we should be like this-of course, very far down. That she fought us on the surface, and yet she hoped. I can't explain her any other way. Can you? Look how she kept me alive in you all the summer; how she gave you no peace; how month after month she became more eccentric and unreliable. The sight of us haunted her-or she couldn't have described us as she did to her friend. There are details-it burnt. I read the book afterwards. She is not frozen, Lucy, she is not withered up all through. She tore us apart twice, but in the Rectory that evening she was given one more chance to make us happy. We can never make friends with her or thank her. But I do believe that, far down in her heart, far below all speech and behaviour, she is glad.”

”It is impossible,” murmured Lucy, and then, remembering the experiences of her own heart, she said: ”No-it is just possible.”

Youth enwrapped them; the song of Phaethon announced pa.s.sion requited, love attained. But they were conscious of a love more mysterious than this. The song died away; they heard the river, bearing down the snows of winter into the Mediterranean.

Endnotes

1 (p. 16) (p. 16) Taking up Baedeker's Taking up Baedeker's Handbook to Northern Italy, Handbook to Northern Italy, she committed to memory the most important dates of Florentine History: she committed to memory the most important dates of Florentine History: German publisher Karl Baedeker printed his first travel book, a guide to the Rhine Valley, in 1829. In the next thirty years, the Baedeker series expanded to cover most of Europe, and it is still in print today. With their formula of practical advice for travelers, including detailed maps and a star-rating system for hotels, restaurants, and cultural sights, Baedeker's handbooks enabled travelers to visit foreign countries without employing personal guides. Like their compet.i.tor, Murray's Handbooks for Travellers, Baedeker's handbooks became indispensable companions in print form and coincided with the rise of middle-cla.s.s tourism in the nineteenth century. German publisher Karl Baedeker printed his first travel book, a guide to the Rhine Valley, in 1829. In the next thirty years, the Baedeker series expanded to cover most of Europe, and it is still in print today. With their formula of practical advice for travelers, including detailed maps and a star-rating system for hotels, restaurants, and cultural sights, Baedeker's handbooks enabled travelers to visit foreign countries without employing personal guides. Like their compet.i.tor, Murray's Handbooks for Travellers, Baedeker's handbooks became indispensable companions in print form and coincided with the rise of middle-cla.s.s tourism in the nineteenth century.

2 (p. 19) ” (p. 19) ”If it is Mrs. Grundy who is troubling you, I do a.s.sure you that you can neglect the good person. Miss Honeychurch will be perfectly safe”: Mrs. Grundy is an imaginary watchdog of conventional opinion. In Thomas Morton's play Mrs. Grundy is an imaginary watchdog of conventional opinion. In Thomas Morton's play Speed the Plough Speed the Plough (1798), Dame Ash-field continually invokes the name of her neighbor, Mrs. Grundy, as an unseen but feared arbiter of respectability: ”What would Mrs. Grundy say?” is her anxious refrain. (1798), Dame Ash-field continually invokes the name of her neighbor, Mrs. Grundy, as an unseen but feared arbiter of respectability: ”What would Mrs. Grundy say?” is her anxious refrain.

3 (p. 20) (p. 20) San Miniato-beautiful as well as interesting; the crucifix that kissed a murderer-Miss Honeychurch would remember the story: San Miniato-beautiful as well as interesting; the crucifix that kissed a murderer-Miss Honeychurch would remember the story: Baedeker tells the story to which Miss Lavish alludes: Above the altar in the church of San Miniato ”is the small crucifix which is said to have nodded approvingly to San Giovanni Gualberto when he forgave the murderer of his brother” Baedeker tells the story to which Miss Lavish alludes: Above the altar in the church of San Miniato ”is the small crucifix which is said to have nodded approvingly to San Giovanni Gualberto when he forgave the murderer of his brother” (Italy: Handbook for Travellers (Italy: Handbook for Travellers, p. 522; see ”For Further Reading”). The guidebook explains that in showing mercy to his brother's a.s.sa.s.sin, this son of a powerful eleventh-century Florentine family chose peace over a blood feud.

4 (p. 20) (p. 20) ”My father always voted for Mr. Gladstone ”My father always voted for Mr. Gladstone, until he was so dreadful about Ireland until he was so dreadful about Ireland”: William Gladstone (1809-1898) served four terms as prime minister of Britain and was known for his policies of social reform. His persistent support of Irish nationalism, however, alienated many of his supporters in the Liberal Party (of whom Lucy's father was apparently one).

5 (p. 23) (p. 23) There was no one even to tell her which There was no one even to tell her which . . . . . . was the one that was really beautiful, the one that had been most praised by Mr. Ruskin was the one that was really beautiful, the one that had been most praised by Mr. Ruskin: John Ruskin (1819-1900), essayist and art critic, was the author of Modern Painters Modern Painters, a five-volume series completed in 1860 that played a major role in shaping the aesthetic sensibilities of Victorian England, particularly of its rising professional cla.s.s. His Stones of Venice Stones of Venice (1851-1853) celebrated the Italian city's Gothic architecture, influencing the Gothic revival in Victorian architecture. Baedeker quotes liberally from Ruskin's writings on Italy, including his essay ”Mornings in Florence” (1875), in which, to answer Lucy's question, Ruskin identifies the sepulchral slab of Galileo Galilei (an ancestor of the astronomer) in Santa Croce as ”one of the most beautiful pieces of fourteenth century sculpture in this world.” (1851-1853) celebrated the Italian city's Gothic architecture, influencing the Gothic revival in Victorian architecture. Baedeker quotes liberally from Ruskin's writings on Italy, including his essay ”Mornings in Florence” (1875), in which, to answer Lucy's question, Ruskin identifies the sepulchral slab of Galileo Galilei (an ancestor of the astronomer) in Santa Croce as ”one of the most beautiful pieces of fourteenth century sculpture in this world.”

6 (p. 30) (p. 30) ”I don't believe in this world sorrow.... Make him realize that by the side of the everlasting Why there is a Yes ”I don't believe in this world sorrow.... Make him realize that by the side of the everlasting Why there is a Yes-a transitory Yes if you like, but a Yes”: An article in the An article in the Sunday Magazine Sunday Magazine (London) in 1896 took ”The World-Sorrow” as its subject, suggesting that the idea (and the phrase) was gaining currency as the new century dawned. Mr. Emerson's ”everlasting Why” evokes two chapter t.i.tles in (London) in 1896 took ”The World-Sorrow” as its subject, suggesting that the idea (and the phrase) was gaining currency as the new century dawned. Mr. Emerson's ”everlasting Why” evokes two chapter t.i.tles in Sartor Resartus, Sartor Resartus, Thomas Carlyle's treatise on revolution, human will, and belief: ”The Everlasting No” and ”The Everlasting Yea.” Carlyle's book bears a connection to a more famous Emerson as well: Soon after its serialization in Thomas Carlyle's treatise on revolution, human will, and belief: ”The Everlasting No” and ”The Everlasting Yea.” Carlyle's book bears a connection to a more famous Emerson as well: Soon after its serialization in Frasier's Magazine Frasier's Magazine in 1833 and 1834, it was championed in the United States by Ralph Waldo Emerson and proved influential, along with other works by Carlyle, in shaping the American Transcendental movement. in 1833 and 1834, it was championed in the United States by Ralph Waldo Emerson and proved influential, along with other works by Carlyle, in shaping the American Transcendental movement.

7 (p. 49) (p. 49) she had been in the Piazza since eight o'clock collecting material.... The two men had quarreled over a five-franc note: she had been in the Piazza since eight o'clock collecting material.... The two men had quarreled over a five-franc note: As Baedeker notes, the French monetary system was widely used in Italy, with a franc equivalent to the Italian lira. At the time, 5 francs were equal to 4 s.h.i.+llings, or 1 dollar (about 12 dollars in today's currency). As Baedeker notes, the French monetary system was widely used in Italy, with a franc equivalent to the Italian lira. At the time, 5 francs were equal to 4 s.h.i.+llings, or 1 dollar (about 12 dollars in today's currency).

8 (p. 51) (p. 51) that intimate knowledge, or rather perception, of Florence which is denied to all who carry in their pockets the coupons of Cook: that intimate knowledge, or rather perception, of Florence which is denied to all who carry in their pockets the coupons of Cook: Thomas Cook (1808-1892), a pioneer of modern tourism who developed and led group excursions within England and abroad, inst.i.tuted a coupon system for the convenience of travelers. Cook negotiated fair prices with preferred hotels, whose proprietors would then accept his coupons in lieu of cash as payment for meals and accommodations. Thomas Cook (1808-1892), a pioneer of modern tourism who developed and led group excursions within England and abroad, inst.i.tuted a coupon system for the convenience of travelers. Cook negotiated fair prices with preferred hotels, whose proprietors would then accept his coupons in lieu of cash as payment for meals and accommodations.

9 (p. 51) (p. 51) ”This very square ... witnessed yesterday the most sordid of tragedies. To one who loves the Florence of Dante and Savonarola there is something ... portentous and humiliating”: ”This very square ... witnessed yesterday the most sordid of tragedies. To one who loves the Florence of Dante and Savonarola there is something ... portentous and humiliating”: Mr. Eager's two examples, on closer inspection, cast Florentine history in perhaps a more volatile, less hospitable light than he intends. Dante Alighieri, the great Florentine poet, was banished from his native city in 1302 and died nineteen years later, still in exile. The Christian preacher Girolamo Savonarola rose to power in fifteenth-century Florence, but his thirst for control of the city's spiritual and political destiny alienated first the Medicis, then the Pope, and ultimately the people. He was executed in the same square where, centuries later, Lucy Honeychurch witnesses a murder. Mr. Eager's two examples, on closer inspection, cast Florentine history in perhaps a more volatile, less hospitable light than he intends. Dante Alighieri, the great Florentine poet, was banished from his native city in 1302 and died nineteen years later, still in exile. The Christian preacher Girolamo Savonarola rose to power in fifteenth-century Florence, but his thirst for control of the city's spiritual and political destiny alienated first the Medicis, then the Pope, and ultimately the people. He was executed in the same square where, centuries later, Lucy Honeychurch witnesses a murder.