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path with horror。 Minnie slipped to her uncle and whispered that
every one was very disagreeable to…day； and that it was not her
fault if dahlia…strings would tear longways instead of across。
〃Come for a walk with me；〃 he told her。 〃You have worried them as
much as they can stand。 Mrs。 Honeychurch； I only called in
aimlessly。 I shall take her up to tea at the Beehive Tavern； if I
may。〃
〃Oh； must you？ Yes do。Not the scissors； thank you； Charlotte；
when both my hands are full alreadyI'm perfectly certain that
the orange cactus will go before I can get to it。〃
Mr。 Beebe； who was an adept at relieving situations； invited Miss
Bartlett to accompany them to this mild festivity。
〃Yes； Charlotte； I don't want youdo go； there's nothing to stop
about for； either in the house or out of it。〃
Miss Bartlett said that her duty lay in the dahlia bed； but when
she had exasperated every one； except Minnie； by a refusal； she
turned round and exasperated Minnie by an acceptance。 As they
walked up the garden； the orange cactus fell； and Mr。 Beebe's
last vision was of the garden…child clasping it like a lover； his
dark head buried in a wealth of blossom。
〃It is terrible； this havoc among the flowers；〃 he remarked。
〃It is always terrible when the promise of months is destroyed in
a moment；〃 enunciated Miss Bartlett。
〃Perhaps we ought to send Miss Honeychurch down to her mother。 Or
will she come with us？〃
〃I think we had better leave Lucy to herself； and to her own
pursuits。〃
〃They're angry with Miss Honeychurch because she was late for
breakfast；〃 whispered Minnie； 〃and Floyd has gone； and Mr。 Vyse
has gone； and Freddy won't play with me。 In fact； Uncle Arthur；
the house is not AT ALL what it was yesterday。〃
〃Don't be a prig；〃 said her Uncle Arthur。 〃Go and put on your
boots。〃
He stepped into the drawing…room； where Lucy was still
attentively pursuing the Sonatas of Mozart。 She stopped when he
entered。
〃How do you do？ Miss Bartlett and Minnie are coming with me to
tea at the Beehive。 Would you come too？〃
〃I don't think I will； thank you。〃
〃No； I didn't suppose you would care to much。〃
Lucy turned to the piano and struck a few chords。
〃How delicate those Sonatas are！〃 said Mr。 Beebe； though at the
bottom of his heart； he thought them silly little things。
Lucy passed into Schumann。
〃Miss Honeychurch！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I met them on the hill。 Your brother told me。〃
〃Oh he did？〃 She sounded annoyed。 Mr。 Beebe felt hurt； for he had
thought that she would like him to be told。
〃I needn't say that it will go no further。〃
〃Mother； Charlotte； Cecil； Freddy； you；〃 said Lucy； playing a
note for each person who knew； and then playing a sixth note。
〃If you'll let me say so； I am very glad； and I am certain that
you have done the right thing。〃
〃So I hoped other people would think； but they don't seem to。〃
〃I could see that Miss Bartlett thought it unwise。〃
〃So does mother。 Mother minds dreadfully。〃
〃I am very sorry for that；〃 said Mr。 Beebe with feeling。
Mrs。 Honeychurch； who hated all changes； did mind； but not nearly
as much as her daughter pretended； and only for the minute。 It
was really a ruse of Lucy's to justify her despondencya ruse of
which she was not herself conscious； for she was marching in the
armies of darkness。
〃And Freddy minds。〃
〃Still； Freddy never hit it off with Vyse much； did he？ I
gathered that he disliked the engagement； and felt it might
separate him from you。〃
〃Boys are so odd。〃
Minnie could be heard arguing with Miss Bartlett through the
floor。 Tea at the Beehive apparently involved a complete change
of apparel。 Mr。 Beebe saw that Lucyvery properlydid not wish
to discuss her action； so after a sincere expression of sympathy；
he said； 〃I have had an absurd letter from Miss Alan。 That was
really what brought me over。 I thought it might amuse you all。〃
〃How delightful！〃 said Lucy； in a dull voice。
For the sake of something to do； he began to read her the letter。
After a few words her eyes grew alert； and soon she interrupted
him with 〃Going abroad？ When do they start？〃
〃Next week； I gather。〃
〃Did Freddy say whether he was driving straight back？〃
〃No； he didn't。〃
〃Because I do hope he won't go gossiping。〃
So she did want to talk about her broken engagement。 Always
complaisant； he put the letter away。 But she； at once exclaimed
in a high voice； 〃Oh； do tell me more about the Miss Alans！ How
perfectly splendid of them to go abroad！〃
〃I want them to start from Venice； and go in a cargo steamer down
the Illyrian coast！〃
She laughed heartily。 〃Oh； delightful！ I wish they'd take me。〃
〃Has Italy filled you with the fever of travel？ Perhaps George
Emerson is right。 He says that 'Italy is only an euphuism for
Fate。'〃
〃Oh； not Italy； but Constantinople。 I have always longed to go to
Constantinople。 Constantinople is practically Asia； isn't it？〃
Mr。 Beebe reminded her that Constantinople was still unlikely；
and that the Miss Alans only aimed at Athens； 〃with Delphi；
perhaps； if the roads are safe。〃 But this made no difference to
her enthusiasm。 She had always longed to go to Greece even more；
it seemed。 He saw； to his surprise； that she was apparently
serious。
〃I didn't realize that you and the Miss Alans were still such
friends； after Cissie Villa。〃
〃Oh； that's nothing； I assure you Cissie Villa's nothing to me； I
would give anything to go with them。〃
〃Would your mother spare you again so soon？ You have scarcely
been home three months。〃
〃She MUST spare me！〃 cried Lucy； in growing excitement。 〃I simply
MUST go away。 I have to。〃 She ran her fingers hysterically
through her hair。 〃Don't you see that I HAVE to go away？ I didn't
realize at the timeand of course I want to see Constantinople
so particularly。〃
〃You mean that since you have broken off your engagement you
feel〃
〃Yes； yes。 I knew you'd understand。〃
Mr。 Beebe did not quite understand。 Why could not Miss
Honeychurch repose in the bosom of her family？ Cecil had evidently
taken up the dignified line； and was not going to annoy her。 Then
it struck him that her family itself might be annoying。 He hinted
this to her； and she accepted the hint eagerly。
〃Yes； of course； to go to Constantinople until they are used to
the idea and everything has calmed down。〃
〃I am afraid it has been a bothersome business；〃 he said gently。
〃No； not at all。 Cecil was very kind indeed； onlyI had better
tell you the whole truth； since you have heard a littleit was
that he is so masterful。 I found that he wouldn't let me go my
own way。 He would improve me in places where I can't be improved。
Cecil won't let a woman decide for herselfin fact； he daren't。
What nonsense I do talk！ but that is the kind of thing。〃
〃It is what I gathered from my own observation of Mr。 Vyse； it is
what I gather from all that I have known of you。 I do sympathize
and agree most profoundly。 I agree so much that you must let me
make one little criticism： Is it worth while rushing off to
Greece？〃
〃But I must go somewhere！〃 she cried。 〃I have been worrying all
the morning； and here comes the very thing。〃 She struck her knees
with clenched fists； and repeated： 〃I must！ And the time I shall
have with mother； and all the money she spent on me last spring。
You all think much too highly of me。 I wish you weren't so kind。〃
At this moment Miss Bartlett entered； and her nervousness
increased。 〃I must get away； ever so far。 I must know my own mind
and where I want to go。〃
〃Come along； tea； tea； tea；〃 said Mr。 Beebe； and bustled his
guests out of the front…door。 He hustled them so quickly that he
forgot his hat。 When he returned for it he heard； to his relief
and surprise； the tinkling of a Mozart Sonata。
〃She is playing again；〃 he said to Miss Bartlett。
〃Lucy can always play；〃 was the acid reply。
〃One is very thankful that she has such a resource。 She is
evidently much worried； as； of course； she ought to be。 I know
all about it。 The marriage was so near that it must have been a
hard struggle before she could wind herself up to speak。〃
Miss Bartlett gave a kind of wriggle； and he prepared for a
discussion。 He had never fathomed Miss Bartlett。 As he had put it
to himself at Florence； 〃she might yet reveal depths of
strangeness； if not of meaning。〃 But she was so unsympathetic
that she must be reliable。 He assumed that much； and he had no
hesitation in discussing Lucy with her。 Minnie was fortunately
collecting ferns。
She opened the discussion with： 〃We had much better let the
matter drop。〃
〃I wonder。〃
〃It is of the highest importance that there should be no gossip
in Summer Street。 It would be DEATH to gossip about Mr。 Vyse's
dismissal at the pre