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and truth； and vain will be their strife after virtue。 As the
years pass； they are censured。 Their pleasantry and their piety
show cracks； their wit becomes cynicism； their unselfishness
hypocrisy； they feel and produce discomfort wherever they go。
They have sinned against Eros and against Pallas Athene； and not
by any heavenly intervention； but by the ordinary course of
nature； those allied deities will be avenged。
Lucy entered this army when she pretended to George that she did
not love him； and pretended to Cecil that she loved no one。 The
night received her； as it had received Miss Bartlett thirty years
before。
Chapter XVIII： Lying to Mr。 Beebe； Mrs。 Honeychurch； Freddy； and
The Servants
Windy Corner lay； not on the summit of the ridge； but a few
hundred feet down the southern slope； at the springing of one of
the great buttresses that supported the hill。 On either side of
it was a shallow ravine； filled with ferns and pine…trees； and
down the ravine on the left ran the highway into the Weald。
Whenever Mr。 Beebe crossed the ridge and caught sight of these
noble dispositions of the earth； and； poised in the middle of
them； Windy Corner；he laughed。 The situation was so glorious；
the house so commonplace； not to say impertinent。 The late Mr。
Honeychurch had affected the cube； because it gave him the most
accommodation for his money； and the only addition made by his
widow had been a small turret； shaped like a rhinoceros' horn；
where she could sit in wet weather and watch the carts going up
and down the road。 So impertinentand yet the house 〃did；〃 for
it was the home of people who loved their surroundings honestly。
Other houses in the neighborhood had been built by expensive
architects； over others their inmates had fidgeted sedulously；
yet all these suggested the accidental； the temporary； while
Windy Corner seemed as inevitable as an ugliness of Nature's own
creation。 One might laugh at the house； but one never shuddered。
Mr。 Beebe was bicycling over this Monday afternoon with a piece
of gossip。 He had heard from the Miss Alans。 These admirable
ladies； since they could not go to Cissie Villa； had changed
their plans。 They were going to Greece instead。
〃Since Florence did my poor sister so much good；〃 wrote Miss
Catharine； 〃we do not see why we should not try Athens this
winter。 Of course； Athens is a plunge； and the doctor has ordered
her special digestive bread； but； after all； we can take that
with us； and it is only getting first into a steamer and then
into a train。 But is there an English Church？〃 And the letter
went on to say： 〃I do not expect we shall go any further than
Athens； but if you knew of a really comfortable pension at
Constantinople； we should be so grateful。〃
Lucy would enjoy this letter； and the smile with which Mr。 Beebe
greeted Windy Corner was partly for her。 She would see the fun of
it； and some of its beauty； for she must see some beauty。 Though
she was hopeless about pictures； and though she dressed so
unevenlyoh； that cerise frock yesterday at church！she must
see some beauty in life； or she could not play the piano as she
did。 He had a theory that musicians are incredibly complex； and
know far less than other artists what they want and what they
are； that they puzzle themselves as well as their friends； that
their psychology is a modern development； and has not yet been
understood。 This theory； had he known it； had possibly just been
illustrated by facts。 Ignorant of the events of yesterday he was
only riding over to get some tea； to see his niece； and to
observe whether Miss Honeychurch saw anything beautiful in the
desire of two old ladies to visit Athens。
A carriage was drawn up outside Windy Corner； and just as he
caught sight of the house it started； bowled up the drive； and
stopped abruptly when it reached the main road。 Therefore it must
be the horse； who always expected people to walk up the hill in
case they tired him。 The door opened obediently； and two men
emerged； whom Mr。 Beebe recognized as Cecil and Freddy。 They were
an odd couple to go driving； but he saw a trunk beside the
coachman's legs。 Cecil； who wore a bowler； must be going away；
while Freddy （a cap）was seeing him to the station。 They walked
rapidly； taking the short cuts； and reached the summit while the
carriage was still pursuing the windings of the road。
They shook hands with the clergyman； but did not speak。
〃So you're off for a minute； Mr。 Vyse？〃 he asked。
Cecil said； 〃Yes；〃 while Freddy edged away。
〃I was coming to show you this delightful letter from those
friends of Miss Honeychurch。 He quoted from it。 〃Isn't it
wonderful？ Isn't it romance？ most certainly they will go to
Constantinople。 They are taken in a snare that cannot fail。 They
will end by going round the world。〃
Cecil listened civilly； and said he was sure that Lucy would be
amused and interested。
〃Isn't Romance capricious！ I never notice it in you young people；
you do nothing but play lawn tennis； and say that romance is
dead； while the Miss Alans are struggling with all the weapons of
propriety against the terrible thing。 'A really comfortable
pension at Constantinople！' So they call it out of decency； but
in their hearts they want a pension with magic windows opening on
the foam of perilous seas in fairyland forlorn！ No ordinary view
will content the Miss Alans。 They want the Pension Keats。〃
〃I'm awfully sorry to interrupt； Mr。 Beebe；〃 said Freddy； 〃but
have you any matches？〃
〃I have；〃 said Cecil； and it did not escape Mr。 Beebe's notice
that he spoke to the boy more kindly。
〃You have never met these Miss Alans； have you； Mr。 Vyse？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Then you don't see the wonder of this Greek visit。 I haven't
been to Greece myself； and don't mean to go； and I can't imagine
any of my friends going。 It is altogether too big for our little
lot。 Don't you think so？ Italy is just about as much as we can
manage。 Italy is heroic； but Greece is godlike or devilishI am
not sure which； and in either case absolutely out of our suburban
focus。 All right； FreddyI am not being clever； upon my word I
am notI took the idea from another fellow； and give me those
matches when you've done with them。〃 He lit a cigarette； and went
on talking to the two young men。 〃I was saying； if our poor
little Cockney lives must have a background； let it be Italian。
Big enough in all conscience。 The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
for me。 There the contrast is just as much as I can realize。 But
not the Parthenon； not the frieze of Phidias at any price； and
here comes the victoria。〃
〃You're quite right；〃 said Cecil。 〃Greece is not for our little
lot〃； and he got in。 Freddy followed； nodding to the clergyman；
whom he trusted not to be pulling one's leg； really。 And before
they had gone a dozen yards he jumped out； and came running back
for Vyse's match…box； which had not been returned。 As he took it；
he said： 〃I'm so glad you only talked about books。 Cecil's hard
hit。 Lucy won't marry him。 If you'd gone on about her； as you did
about them； he might have broken down。〃
〃But when〃
〃Late last night。 I must go。〃
〃Perhaps they won't want me down there。〃
〃Nogo on。 Good…bye。〃
〃Thank goodness！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Beebe to himself； and struck the
saddle of his bicycle approvingly； 〃It was the one foolish thing
she ever did。 Oh； what a glorious riddance！〃 And； after a little
thought； he negotiated the slope into Windy Corner； light of
heart。 The house was again as it ought to becut off forever
from Cecil's pretentious world。
He would find Miss Minnie down in the garden。
In the drawing…room Lucy was tinkling at a Mozart Sonata。 He
hesitated a moment； but went down the garden as requested。 There
he found a mournful company。 It was a blustering day； and the
wind had taken and broken the dahlias。 Mrs。 Honeychurch； who
looked cross； was tying them up； while Miss Bartlett； unsuitably
dressed； impeded her with offers of assistance。 At a little
distance stood Minnie and the 〃garden…child；〃 a minute
importation； each holding either end of a long piece of bass。
〃Oh； how do you do； Mr。 Beebe？ Gracious what a mess everything
is！ Look at my scarlet pompons； and the wind blowing your skirts
about； and the ground so hard that not a prop will stick in； and
then the carriage having to go out； when I had counted on having
Powell； whogive every one their duedoes tie up dahlias
properly。〃
Evidently Mrs。 Honeychurch was shattered。
〃How do you do？〃 said Miss Bartlett； with a meaning glance； as
though conveying that more than dahlias had been broken off by
the autumn gales。
〃Here； Lennie； the bass；〃 cried Mrs。 Honeychurch。 The
garden…child； who did not know what bass was； stood rooted to the
path with horror。 Minnie slipped to her uncle and whispered that
every one was very disag