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A Room With A View
by E。 M。 Forster
CONTENTS：
PART ONE
I。 The Bertolini
II。 In Santa Croce with No Baedeker
III。 Music； Violets； and the Letter 〃S〃
IV。 Fourth Chapter
V。 Possibilities of a Pleasant Outing
VI。 The Reverend Arthur Beebe； the Reverend Cuthbert Eager；
Mr。 Emerson； Mr。 George Emerson； Miss Eleanor Lavish；
Miss Charlotte Bartlett； and Miss Lucy Honeychurch Drive
Out in Carriages to See a View； Italians Drive Them
VII。 They Return
PART TWO
VIII。 Medieval
IX。 Lucy as a Work of Art
X。 Cecil as a Humourist
XI。 In Mrs。 Vyse's Well…Appointed Flat
XII。 Twelfth Chapter
XIII。 How Miss Bartlett's Boiler Was So Tiresome
XIV。 How Lucy Faced the External Situation Bravely
XV。 The Disaster Within
XVI。 Lying to George
XVII。 Lying to Cecil
XVIII。 Lying to Mr。 Beebe； Mrs。 Honeychurch； Freddy； and the Servants
XIX。 Lying to Mr。 Emerson
XX。 The End of the Middle Ages
Chapter I： The Bertolini
The Signora had no business to do it；〃 said Miss Bartlett； 〃no
business at all。 She promised us south rooms with a view close
together； instead of which here are north rooms； looking into a
courtyard； and a long way apart。 Oh； Lucy！〃
〃And a Cockney； besides！〃 said Lucy； who had been further
saddened by the Signora's unexpected accent。 〃It might be
London。〃 She looked at the two rows of English people who were
sitting at the table； at the row of white bottles of water and
red bottles of wine that ran between the English people； at the
portraits of the late Queen and the late Poet Laureate that hung
behind the English people； heavily framed； at the notice of the
English church （Rev。 Cuthbert Eager； M。 A。 Oxon。）； that was the
only other decoration of the wall。 〃Charlotte； don't you feel；
too； that we might be in London？ I can hardly believe that all
kinds of other things are just outside。 I suppose it is one's
being so tired。〃
〃This meat has surely been used for soup；〃 said Miss Bartlett；
laying down her fork。
〃I want so to see the Arno。 The rooms the Signora promised us in
her letter would have looked over the Arno。 The Signora had no
business to do it at all。 Oh； it is a shame！〃
〃Any nook does for me；〃 Miss Bartlett continued； 〃but it does
seem hard that you shouldn't have a view。〃
Lucy felt that she had been selfish。 〃Charlotte； you mustn't
spoil me： of course； you must look over the Arno； too。 I meant
that。 The first vacant room in the front〃
〃You must have it；〃 said Miss Bartlett； part of whose
travelling expenses were paid by Lucy's mothera piece of
generosity to which she made many a tactful allusion。
〃No； no。 You must have it。〃
〃I insist on it。 Your mother would never forgive me； Lucy。〃
〃She would never forgive me。〃
The ladies' voices grew animated； andif the sad truth be
owneda little peevish。 They were tired； and under the guise of
unselfishness they wrangled。 Some of their neighbours
interchanged glances； and one of themone of the ill…bred people
whom one does meet abroadleant forward over the table and
actually intruded into their argument。 He said：
〃I have a view； I have a view。〃
Miss Bartlett was startled。 Generally at a pension people
looked them over for a day or two before speaking； and often did
not find out that they would 〃do〃 till they had gone。 She knew
that the intruder was ill…bred； even before she glanced at him。
He was an old man； of heavy build； with a fair； shaven face and
large eyes。 There was something childish in those eyes； though it
was not the childishness of senility。 What exactly it was
Miss Bartlett did not stop to consider； for her glance
passed on to his clothes。 These did not attract her。 He was
probably trying to become acquainted with them before they got
into the swim。 So she assumed a dazed expression when he spoke to
her； and then said： 〃A view？ Oh； a view！ How delightful a view
is！〃
〃This is my son；〃 said the old man； 〃his name's George。 He has a
view too。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Miss Bartlett； repressing Lucy； who was about to
speak。
〃What I mean；〃 he continued； 〃is that you can have our rooms； and
we'll have yours。 We'll change。〃
The better class of tourist was shocked at this； and sympathized
with the new…comers。 Miss Bartlett； in reply； opened her mouth as
little as possible； and said 〃Thank you very much indeed； that is
out of the question。〃
〃Why？〃 said the old man； with both fists on the table。
〃Because it is quite out of the question； thank you。〃
〃You see； we don't like to take〃 began Lucy。 Her cousin again
repressed her。
〃But why？〃 he persisted。 〃Women like looking at a view； men
don't。〃 And he thumped with his fists like a naughty child；
and turned to his son； saying； 〃George； persuade them！〃
〃It's so obvious they should have the rooms；〃 said the son。
〃There's nothing else to say。〃
He did not look at the ladies as he spoke； but his voice was
perplexed and sorrowful。 Lucy； too； was perplexed； but she saw
that they were in for what is known as 〃quite a scene；〃 and she
had an odd feeling that whenever these ill…bred tourists spoke
the contest widened and deepened till it dealt； not with rooms
and views； but withwell； with something quite different； whose
existence she had not realized before。 Now the old man attacked
Miss Bartlett almost violently： Why should she not change？ What
possible objection had she？ They would clear out in half an hour。
Miss Bartlett； though skilled in the delicacies of conversation；
was powerless in the presence of brutality。 It was impossible to
snub any one so gross。 Her face reddened with displeasure。 She
looked around as much as to say； 〃Are you all like this？〃 And two
little old ladies； who were sitting further up the table； with
shawls hanging over the backs of the chairs； looked back； clearly
indicating 〃We are not； we are genteel。〃
〃Eat your dinner； dear；〃 she said to Lucy； and began to toy again
with the meat that she had once censured。
Lucy mumbled that those seemed very odd people opposite。
〃Eat your dinner； dear。 This pension is a failure。 To…morrow we
will make a change。〃
Hardly had she announced this fell decision when she reversed it。
The curtains at the end of the room parted； and revealed a
clergyman； stout but attractive； who hurried forward to take his
place at the table； cheerfully apologizing for his lateness。
Lucy； who had not yet acquired decency； at once rose to her feet；
exclaiming： 〃Oh； oh！ Why； it's Mr。 Beebe！ Oh； how perfectly
lovely！ Oh； Charlotte； we must stop now； however bad the rooms
are。 Oh！〃
Miss Bartlett said； with more restraint：
〃How do you do； Mr。 Beebe？ I expect that you have forgotten
us： Miss Bartlett and Miss Honeychurch； who were at Tunbridge
Wells when you helped the Vicar of St。 Peter's that very cold
Easter。〃
The clergyman； who had the air of one on a holiday； did not
remember the ladies quite as clearly as they remembered him。 But
he came forward pleasantly enough and accepted the chair into
which he was beckoned by Lucy。
〃I AM so glad to see you；〃 said the girl； who was in a state of
spiritual starvation； and would have been glad to see the waiter
if her cousin had permitted it。 〃Just fancy how small the world
is。 Summer Street； too； makes it so specially funny。〃
〃Miss Honeychurch lives in the parish of Summer Street；〃 said
Miss Bartlett； filling up the gap； 〃and she happened to tell me
in the course of conversation that you have just accepted the
living〃
〃Yes； I heard from mother so last week。 She didn't know that I
knew you at Tunbridge Wells； but I wrote back at once； and I
said： 'Mr。 Beebe is'〃
〃Quite right；〃 said the clergyman。 〃I move into the Rectory at
Summer Street next June。 I am lucky to be appointed to such a
charming neighbourhood。〃
〃Oh； how glad I am！ The name of our house is Windy Corner。〃 Mr。
Beebe bowed。
〃There is mother and me generally； and my brother； though it's
not often we get him to ch The church is rather far
off； I mean。〃
〃Lucy； dearest； let Mr。 Beebe eat his dinner。〃
〃I am eating it； thank you； and enjoying it。〃
He preferred to talk to Lucy； whose playing he remembered； rather
than to Miss Bartlett； who probably remembered his sermons。 He
asked the girl whether she knew Florence well； and was informed
at some length that she had never been there before。 It is
delightful to advise a newcomer； and he was first in the field。
〃Don't neglect the country round；〃 his advice concluded。 〃The
first fine afternoon drive up to Fiesole； and round by
Settignano； or something of that sort。〃
〃No！〃 cried a voice from the top of the table。 〃Mr。 Beebe； you
are wrong。 The first fine after