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nothing so much as an acid whistling fountain which played ever
higher and higher； and quicker and quicker； and more and more
shrilly； till abruptly it was turned off with a click。
〃Signorina！〃 said the man to Lucy； when the display had ceased。
Why should he appeal to Lucy？
〃Signorina！〃 echoed Persephone in her glorious contralto。 She
pointed at the other carriage。 Why？
For a moment the two girls looked at each other。 Then Persephone
got down from the box。
〃Victory at last！〃 said Mr。 Eager； smiting his hands together as
the carriages started again。
〃It is not victory；〃 said Mr。 Emerson。 〃It is defeat。 You have
parted two people who were happy。〃
Mr。 Eager shut his eyes。 He was obliged to sit next to Mr。
Emerson； but he would not speak to him。 The old man was refreshed
by sleep； and took up the matter warmly。 He commanded Lucy to
agree with him； he shouted for support to his son。
〃We have tried to buy what cannot be bought with money。 He has
bargained to drive us； and he is doing it。 We have no rights over
his soul。〃
Miss Lavish frowned。 It is hard when a person you have classed as
typically British speaks out of his character。
He was not driving us well；〃 she said。 〃He jolted us。〃
〃That I deny。 It was as restful as sleeping。 Aha！ he is jolting
us now。 Can you wonder？ He would like to throw us out； and most
certainly he is justified。 And if I were superstitious I'd be
frightened of the girl； too。 It doesn't do to injure young
people。 Have you ever heard of Lorenzo de Medici？〃
Miss Lavish bristled。
〃Most certainly I have。 Do you refer to Lorenzo il Magnifico； or
to Lorenzo； Duke of Urbino； or to Lorenzo surnamed Lorenzino on
account of his diminutive stature？〃
〃The Lord knows。 Possibly he does know； for I refer to Lorenzo
the poet。 He wrote a lineso I heard yesterdaywhich runs like
this： 'Don't go fighting against the Spring。'〃
Mr。 Eager could not resist the opportunity for erudition。
〃Non fate guerra al Maggio；〃 he murmured。 〃'War not with the
May' would render a correct meaning。〃
〃The point is； we have warred with it。 Look。〃 He pointed to the
Val d'Arno； which was visible far below them； through the
budding trees。 〃Fifty miles of Spring； and we've come up to
admire them。 Do you suppose there's any difference between Spring
in nature and Spring in man？ But there we go； praising the one
and condemning the other as improper； ashamed that the same
work eternally through both。〃
No one encouraged him to talk。 Presently Mr。 Eager gave a signal
for the carriages to stop and marshalled the party for their
ramble on the hill。 A hollow like a great amphitheatre； full of
terraced steps and misty olives； now lay between them and the
heights of Fiesole； and the road； still following its curve； was
about to sweep on to a promontory which stood out in the plain。
It was this promontory； uncultivated； wet； covered with bushes
and occasional trees； which had caught the fancy of Alessio
Baldovinetti nearly five hundred years before。 He had ascended
it； that diligent and rather obscure master； possibly with an eye
to business； possibly for the joy of ascending。 Standing there；
he had seen that view of the Val d'Arno and distant Florence；
which he afterwards had introduced not very effectively into his
work。 But where exactly had he stood？ That was the question which
Mr。 Eager hoped to solve now。 And Miss Lavish； whose nature was
attracted by anything problematical； had become equally
enthusiastic。
But it is not easy to carry the pictures of Alessio Baldovinetti
in your head； even if you have remembered to look at them before
starting。 And the haze in the valley increased the difficulty of
the quest。
The party sprang about from tuft to tuft of grass； their anxiety
to keep together being only equalled by their desire to go
different directions。 Finally they split into groups。 Lucy clung
to Miss Bartlett and Miss Lavish； the Emersons returned to hold
laborious converse with the drivers； while the two clergymen； who
were expected to have topics in common； were left to each other。
The two elder ladies soon threw off the mask。 In the audible
whisper that was now so familiar to Lucy they began to discuss；
not Alessio Baldovinetti； but the drive。 Miss Bartlett had asked
Mr。 George Emerson what his profession was； and he had answered
〃the railway。〃 She was very sorry that she had asked him。 She had
no idea that it would be such a dreadful answer； or she would not
have asked him。 Mr。 Beebe had turned the conversation so
cleverly； and she hoped that the young man was not very much hurt
at her asking him
〃The railway！〃 gasped Miss Lavish。 〃Oh； but I shall die！ Of
course it was the railway！〃 She could not control her mirth。 〃He
is the image of a porteron； on the South…Eastern。〃
〃Eleanor； be quiet；〃 plucking at her vivacious companion。 〃Hush！
They'll hearthe Emersons〃
〃I can't stop。 Let me go my wicked way。 A porter〃
〃Eleanor！〃
〃I'm sure it's all right；〃 put in Lucy。 〃The Emersons won't hear；
and they wouldn't mind if they did。〃
Miss Lavish did not seem pleased at this。
〃Miss Honeychurch listening！〃 she said rather crossly。 〃Pouf！
Wouf！ You naughty girl！ Go away！〃
〃Oh； Lucy； you ought to be with Mr。 Eager； I'm sure。〃
〃I can't find them now； and I don't want to either。〃
〃Mr。 Eager will be offended。 It is your party。〃
〃Please； I'd rather stop here with you。〃
〃No； I agree；〃 said Miss Lavish。 〃It's like a school feast； the
boys have got separated from the girls。 Miss Lucy； you are to go。
We wish to converse on high topics unsuited for your ear。〃
The girl was stubborn。 As her time at Florence drew to its close
she was only at ease amongst those to whom she felt indifferent。
Such a one was Miss Lavish； and such for the moment was
Charlotte。 She wished she had not called attention to herself；
they were both annoyed at her remark and seemed determined to get
rid of her。
〃How tired one gets；〃 said Miss Bartlett。 〃Oh； I do wish Freddy
and your mother could be here。〃
Unselfishness with Miss Bartlett had entirely usurped the
functions of enthusiasm。 Lucy did not look at the view either。
She would not enjoy anything till she was safe at Rome。
〃Then sit you down；〃 said Miss Lavish。 〃Observe my foresight。〃
With many a smile she produced two of those mackintosh squares
that protect the frame of the tourist from damp grass or cold
marble steps。 She sat on one； who was to sit on the other？
〃Lucy； without a moment's doubt； Lucy。 The ground will do for me。
Really I have not had rheumatism for years。 If I do feel it
coming on I shall stand。 Imagine your mother's feelings if I let
you sit in the wet in your white linen。〃 She sat down heavily
where the ground looked particularly moist。 〃Here we are； all
settled delightfully。 Even if my dress is thinner it will not
show so much； being brown。 Sit down； dear； you are too unselfish；
you don't assert yourself enough。〃 She cleared her throat。 〃Now
don't be alarmed； this isn't a cold。 It's the tiniest cough； and
I have had it three days。 It's nothing to do with sitting here at
all。〃
There was only one way of treating the situation。 At the end of
five minutes Lucy departed in search of Mr。 Beebe and Mr。 Eager；
vanquished by the mackintosh square。
She addressed herself to the drivers； who were sprawling in the
carriages； perfuming the cushions with cigars。 The miscreant； a
bony young man scorched black by the sun； rose to greet her with
the courtesy of a host and the assurance of a relative。
〃Dove？〃 said Lucy； after much anxious thought。
His face lit up。 Of course he knew where； Not so far either。 His
arm swept three…fourths of the horizon。 He should just think he
did know where。 He pressed his finger…tips to his forehead and
then pushed them towards her； as if oozing with visible extract
of knowledge。
More seemed necessary。 What was the Italian for 〃clergyman〃？
〃Dove buoni uomini？〃 said she at last。
Good？ Scarcely the adjective for those noble beings！ He showed
her his cigar。
〃Unopiupiccolo；〃 was her next remark； implying 〃Has the
cigar been given to you by Mr。 Beebe； the smaller of the two good
men？〃
She was correct as usual。 He tied the horse to a tree； kicked it
to make it stay quiet； dusted the carriage； arranged his hair；
remoulded his hat； encouraged his moustache； and in rather less
than a quarter of a minute was ready to conduct her。 Italians are
born knowing the way。 It would seem that the whole earth lay
before them； not as a map； but as a chess…board； whereon they
continually behold the changing pieces as well as the squares。
Any one can find places； but the finding of people is a gift from
God。
He only stopped once； to pick her some great blue violets。 She
thanked him with real pleasure。 In th