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the season； Mrs。 Vyse managed to scrape together a dinner…party
consisting entirely of the grandchildren of famous people。 The
food was poor； but the talk had a witty weariness that impressed
the girl。 One was tired of everything； it seemed。 One launched
into enthusiasms only to collapse gracefully； and pick oneself up
amid sympathetic laughter。 In this atmosphere the Pension
Bertolini and Windy Corner appeared equally crude； and Lucy saw
that her London career would estrange her a little from all that
she had loved in the past。
The grandchildren asked her to play the piano。
She played Schumann。 〃Now some Beethoven〃 called Cecil； when the
querulous beauty of the music had died。 She shook her head and
played Schumann again。 The melody rose； unprofitably magical。 It
broke； it was resumed broken； not marching once from the cradle
to the grave。 The sadness of the incompletethe sadness that is
often Life； but should never be Artthrobbed in its disjected
phrases； and made the nerves of the audience throb。 Not thus had
she played on the little draped piano at the Bertolini； and 〃Too
much Schumann〃 was not the remark that Mr。 Beebe had passed to
himself when she returned。
When the guests were gone； and Lucy had gone to bed； Mrs。 Vyse
paced up and down the drawing…room； discussing her little party
with her son。 Mrs。 Vyse was a nice woman； but her personality；
like many another's； had been swamped by London； for it needs a
strong head to live among many people。 The too vast orb of her
fate had crushed her； and she had seen too many seasons； too many
cities； too many men； for her abilities； and even with Cecil she
was mechanical； and behaved as if he was not one son； but； so to
speak； a filial crowd。
〃Make Lucy one of us；〃 she said； looking round intelligently at
the end of each sentence； and straining her lips apart until she
spoke again。 〃Lucy is becoming wonderfulwonderful。〃
〃Her music always was wonderful。〃
〃Yes； but she is purging off the Honeychurch taint； most
excellent Honeychurches； but you know what I mean。 She is not
always quoting servants； or asking one how the pudding is made。〃
〃Italy has done it。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 she murmured； thinking of the museum that represented
Italy to her。 〃It is just possible。 Cecil； mind you marry her
next January。 She is one of us already。〃
〃But her music！〃 he exclaimed。 〃The style of her！ How she kept to
Schumann when； like an idiot； I wanted Beethoven。 Schumann was
right for this evening。 Schumann was the thing。 Do you know；
mother； I shall have our children educated just like Lucy。 Bring
them up among honest country folks for freshness； send them to
Italy for subtlety； and thennot till thenlet them come to
London。 I don't believe in these London educations〃 He broke
off； remembering that he had had one himself； and concluded； 〃At
all events； not for women。〃
〃Make her one of us；〃 repeated Mrs。 Vyse； and processed to bed。
As she was dozing off； a crythe cry of nightmarerang from
Lucy's room。 Lucy could ring for the maid if she liked but Mrs。
Vyse thought it kind to go herself。 She found the girl sitting
upright with her hand on her cheek。
〃I am so sorry； Mrs。 Vyseit is these dreams。〃
〃Bad dreams？〃
〃Just dreams。〃
The elder lady smiled and kissed her； saying very distinctly：
〃You should have heard us talking about you； dear。 He admires you
more than ever。 Dream of that。〃
Lucy returned the kiss； still covering one cheek with her hand。
Mrs。 Vyse recessed to bed。 Cecil； whom the cry had not awoke；
snored。 Darkness enveloped the flat。
Chapter XII： Twelfth Chapter
It was a Saturday afternoon； gay and brilliant after abundant
rains； and the spirit of youth dwelt in it； though the season was
now autumn。 All that was gracious triumphed。 As the motorcars
passed through Summer Street they raised only a little dust； and
their stench was soon dispersed by the wind and replaced by the
scent of the wet birches or of the pines。 Mr。 Beebe； at leisure
for life's amenities； leant over his Rectory gate。 Freddy leant
by him； smoking a pendant pipe。
〃Suppose we go and hinder those new people opposite for a
little。〃
〃M'm。〃
〃They might amuse you。〃
Freddy； whom his fellow…creatures never amused； suggested that
the new people might be feeling a bit busy； and so on； since they
had only just moved in。
〃I suggested we should hinder them；〃 said Mr。 Beebe。 〃They are
worth it。〃 Unlatching the gate； he sauntered over the triangular
green to Cissie Villa。 〃Hullo！〃 he cried； shouting in at the open
door； through which much squalor was visible。
A grave voice replied； 〃Hullo！〃
〃I've brought some one to see you。〃
〃I'll be down in a minute。〃
The passage was blocked by a wardrobe； which the removal men had
failed to carry up the stairs。 Mr。 Beebe edged round it with
difficulty。 The sitting…room itself was blocked with books。
〃Are these people great readers？〃 Freddy whispered。 〃Are they
that sort？〃
〃I fancy they know how to reada rare accomplishment。 What have
they got？ Byron。 Exactly。 A Shropshire Lad。 Never heard of it。
The Way of All Flesh。 Never heard of it。 Gibbon。 Hullo！ dear
George reads German。 UmumSchopenhauer； Nietzsche； and so we
go on。 Well； I suppose your generation knows its own business；
Honeychurch。〃
〃Mr。 Beebe； look at that；〃 said Freddy in awestruck tones。
On the cornice of the wardrobe； the hand of an amateur had
painted this inscription： 〃Mistrust all enterprises that require
new clothes。〃
〃I know。 Isn't it jolly？ I like that。 I'm certain that's the old
man's doing。〃
〃How very odd of him！〃
〃Surely you agree？〃
But Freddy was his mother's son and felt that one ought not to go
on spoiling the furniture。
〃Pictures！〃 the clergyman continued； scrambling about the room。
〃Giottothey got that at Florence； I'll be bound。〃
〃The same as Lucy's got。〃
〃Oh； by…the…by； did Miss Honeychurch enjoy London？〃
〃She came back yesterday。〃
〃I suppose she had a good time？〃
〃Yes； very；〃 said Freddy； taking up a book。 〃She and Cecil are
thicker than ever。〃
〃That's good hearing。〃
〃I wish I wasn't such a fool； Mr。 Beebe。〃
Mr。 Beebe ignored the remark。
〃Lucy used to be nearly as stupid as I am； but it'll be very
different now； mother thinks。 She will read all kinds of books。〃
〃So will you。〃
〃Only medical books。 Not books that you can talk about
afterwards。 Cecil is teaching Lucy Italian； and he says her
playing is wonderful。 There are all kinds of things in it that we
have never noticed。 Cecil says〃
〃What on earth are those people doing upstairs？ Emersonwe think
we'll come another time。〃
George ran down…stairs and pushed them into the room without
speaking。
〃Let me introduce Mr。 Honeychurch； a neighbour。〃
Then Freddy hurled one of the thunderbolts of youth。 Perhaps he
was shy； perhaps he was friendly； or perhaps he thought that
George's face wanted washing。 At all events he greeted him with；
〃How d'ye do？ Come and have a bathe。〃
〃Oh； all right；〃 said George； impassive。
Mr。 Beebe was highly entertained。
〃'How d'ye do？ how d'ye do？ Come and have a bathe；'〃 he chuckled。
〃That's the best conversational opening I've ever heard。 But I'm
afraid it will only act between men。 Can you picture a lady who
has been introduced to another lady by a third lady opening
civilities with 'How do you do？ Come and have a bathe'？ And yet
you will tell me that the sexes are equal。〃
〃I tell you that they shall be；〃 said Mr。 Emerson； who had been
slowly descending the stairs。 〃Good afternoon； Mr。 Beebe。 I tell
you they shall be comrades； and George thinks the same。〃
〃We are to raise ladies to our level？〃 the clergyman inquired。
〃The Garden of Eden；〃 pursued Mr。 Emerson； still descending；
〃which you place in the past； is really yet to come。 We shall
enter it when we no longer despise our bodies。〃
Mr。 Beebe disclaimed placing the Garden of Eden anywhere。
〃In thisnot in other thingswe men are ahead。 We despise the
body less than women do。 But not until we are comrades shall we
enter the garden。〃
〃I say； what about this bathe？〃 murmured Freddy； appalled at the
mass of philosophy that was approaching him。
〃I believed in a return to Nature once。 But how can we return to
Nature when we have never been with her？ To…day； I believe that
we must discover Nature。 After many conquests we shall attain
simplicity。 It is our heritage。〃
〃Let me introduce Mr。 Honeychurch； whose sister you will remember
at Florence。〃
〃How do you do？ Very glad to see you； and that you are taking
George for a bathe。 Very glad to hear that your sister is going
to marry。 Marriage is a duty。 I am sure that she will be happy；
for we know Mr。 Vyse； too。 He has been most kind。 He met us by