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told you； and all the time we were making conversation I was
wondering what to do with them。〃 He pointed down…stream。 〃They've
gone。〃 The river swirled under the bridge； 〃I did mind them so；
and one is so foolish； it seemed better that they should go out
to the seaI don't know； I may just mean that they frightened me。
Then the boy verged into a man。 〃For something tremendous has
happened； I must face it without getting muddled。 It isn't
exactly that a man has died。〃
Something warned Lucy that she must stop him。
〃It has happened；〃 he repeated； 〃and I mean to find out what it
is。〃
〃Mr。 Emerson〃
He turned towards her frowning； as if she had disturbed him in
some abstract quest。
〃I want to ask you something before we go in。〃
They were close to their pension。 She stopped and leant her
elbows against the parapet of the embankment。 He did likewise。
There is at times a magic in identity of position； it is one of
the things that have suggested to us eternal comradeship。 She
moved her elbows before saying：
〃I have behaved ridiculously。〃
He was following his own thoughts。
〃I was never so much ashamed of myself in my life； I cannot think
what came over me。〃
〃I nearly fainted myself；〃 he said； but she felt that her
attitude repelled him。
〃Well； I owe you a thousand apologies。〃
〃Oh； all right。〃
〃Andthis is the real pointyou know how silly people are
gossipingladies especially； I am afraidyou understand what I
mean？〃
〃I'm afraid I don't。〃
〃I mean； would you not mention it to any one； my foolish
behaviour？〃
〃Your behaviour？ Oh； yes； all rightall right。〃
〃Thank you so much。 And would you〃
She could not carry her request any further。 The river was
rushing below them； almost black in the advancing night。 He had
thrown her photographs into it； and then he had told her the
reason。 It struck her that it was hopeless to look for chivalry
in such a man。 He would do her no harm by idle gossip； he was
trustworthy； intelligent； and even kind； he might even have a
high opinion of her。 But he lacked chivalry； his thoughts； like
his behaviour； would not be modified by awe。 It was useless to
say to him； 〃And would you〃 and hope that he would complete the
sentence for himself； averting his eyes from her nakedness like
the knight in that beautiful picture。 She had been in his arms；
and he remembered it； just as he remembered the blood on the
photographs that she had bought in Alinari's shop。 It was not
exactly that a man had died； something had happened to the
living： they had come to a situation where character tells； and
where childhood enters upon the branching paths of Youth。
〃Well； thank you so much；〃 she repeated； 〃How quickly these
accidents do happen； and then one returns to the old life！〃
〃I don't。〃
Anxiety moved her to question him。
His answer was puzzling： 〃I shall probably want to live。〃
〃But why； Mr。 Emerson？ What do you mean？〃
〃I shall want to live； I say。〃
Leaning her elbows on the parapet； she contemplated the River
Arno； whose roar was suggesting some unexpected melody to her
ears。
Chapter V： Possibilities of a Pleasant Outing
It was a family saying that 〃you never knew which way Charlotte
Bartlett would turn。〃 She was perfectly pleasant and sensible
over Lucy's adventure； found the abridged account of it quite
adequate； and paid suitable tribute to the courtesy of Mr。 George
Emerson。 She and Miss Lavish had had an adventure also。 They had
been stopped at the Dazio coming back； and the young officials
there； who seemed impudent and desoeuvre； had tried to search
their reticules for provisions。 It might have been most
unpleasant。 Fortunately Miss Lavish was a match for any one。
For good or for evil； Lucy was left to face her problem alone。
None of her friends had seen her； either in the Piazza or； later
on； by the embankment。 Mr。 Beebe； indeed； noticing her startled
eyes at dinner…time； had again passed to himself the remark of
〃Too much Beethoven。〃 But he only supposed that she was ready for
an adventure； not that she had encountered it。 This solitude
oppressed her； she was accustomed to have her thoughts confirmed
by others or； at all events； contradicted； it was too dreadful
not to know whether she was thinking right or wrong。
At breakfast next morning she took decisive action。 There were
two plans between which she had to choose。 Mr。 Beebe was walking
up to the Torre del Gallo with the Emersons and some American
ladies。 Would Miss Bartlett and Miss Honeychurch join the party？
Charlotte declined for herself； she had been there in the rain
the previous afternoon。 But she thought it an admirable idea for
Lucy； who hated shopping； changing money； fetching letters； and
other irksome dutiesall of which Miss Bartlett must accomplish
this morning and could easily accomplish alone。
〃No； Charlotte！〃 cried the girl； with real warmth。 〃It's very
kind of Mr。 Beebe； but I am certainly coming with you。 I had much
rather。〃
〃Very well； dear；〃 said Miss Bartlett； with a faint flush of
pleasure that called forth a deep flush of shame on the cheeks of
Lucy。 How abominably she behaved to Charlotte； now as always！ But
now she should alter。 All morning she would be really nice to
her。
She slipped her arm into her cousin's； and they started off along
the Lung' Arno。 The river was a lion that morning in strength；
voice； and colour。 Miss Bartlett insisted on leaning over the
parapet to look at it。 She then made her usual remark； which was
〃How I do wish Freddy and your mother could see this； too！〃
Lucy fidgeted； it was tiresome of Charlotte to have stopped
exactly where she did。
〃Look； Lucia！ Oh； you are watching for the Torre del Gallo party。
I feared you would repent you of your choice。〃
Serious as the choice had been； Lucy did not repent。 Yesterday
had been a muddlequeer and odd； the kind of thing one could not
write down easily on paperbut she had a feeling that Charlotte
and her shopping were preferable to George Emerson and the summit
of the Torre del Gallo。 Since she could not unravel the tangle；
she must take care not to re…enter it。 She could protest
sincerely against Miss Bartlett's insinuations。
But though she had avoided the chief actor； the scenery
unfortunately remained。 Charlotte； with the complacency of fate；
led her from the river to the Piazza Signoria。 She could not have
believed that stones； a Loggia； a fountain； a palace tower；
would have such significance。 For a moment she understood the
nature of ghosts。
The exact site of the murder was occupied； not by a ghost； but by
Miss Lavish； who had the morning newspaper in her hand。 She
hailed them briskly。 The dreadful catastrophe of the previous day
had given her an idea which she thought would work up into a
book。
〃Oh； let me congratulate you！〃 said Miss Bartlett。 〃After your
despair of yesterday！ What a fortunate thing！〃
〃Aha！ Miss Honeychurch； come you here I am in luck。 Now； you are
to tell me absolutely everything that you saw from the
beginning。〃 Lucy poked at the ground with her parasol。
〃But perhaps you would rather not？〃
〃I'm sorryif you could manage without it； I think I would
rather not。〃
The elder ladies exchanged glances； not of disapproval； it is
suitable that a girl should feel deeply。
〃It is I who am sorry；〃 said Miss Lavish。 〃literary hacks are
shameless creatures。 I believe there's no secret of the human
heart into which we wouldn't pry。〃
She marched cheerfully to the fountain and back； and did a few
calculations in realism。 Then she said that she had been in the
Piazza since eight o'clock collecting material。 A good deal of it
was unsuitable； but of course one always had to adapt。 The two
men had quarrelled over a five…franc note。 For the five…franc
note she should substitute a young lady； which would raise the
tone of the tragedy； and at the same time furnish an excellent
plot。
〃What is the heroine's name？〃 asked Miss Bartlett。
〃Leonora；〃 said Miss Lavish； her own name was Eleanor。
〃I do hope she's nice。〃
That desideratum would not be omitted。
〃And what is the plot？〃
Love； murder； abduction； revenge； was the plot。 But it all came
while the fountain plashed to the satyrs in the morning sun。
〃I hope you will excuse me for boring on like this；〃 Miss Lavish
concluded。 〃It is so tempting to talk to really sympathetic
people。 Of course； this is the barest outline。 There will be a
deal of local colouring； descriptions of Florence and the
neighbourhood； and I shall also introduce some humorous
characters。 And let me give you all fair warning： I intend to be
unmerciful to the British tourist。〃
〃Oh； you wicked woman；〃 cried Miss Bartlett。 〃I am sure you are
thinking of the Emersons。〃
Miss Lavish gave a Mach