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was in his own parish。 Then his voice changed as if every
pine…tree was a Rural Dean。 〃Hi！ Steady on！ I see people coming
you fellows！〃
Yells； and widening circles over the dappled earth。
〃Hi！ hi！ LADIES！〃
Neither George nor Freddy was truly refined。 Still； they did not
hear Mr。 Beebe's last warning or they would have avoided Mrs。
Honeychurch； Cecil； and Lucy； who were walking down to call on
old Mrs。 Butterworth。 Freddy dropped the waistcoat at their feet；
and dashed into some bracken。 George whooped in their faces；
turned and scudded away down the path to the pond； still
clad in Mr。 Beebe's hat。
〃Gracious alive！〃 cried Mrs。 Honeychurch。 〃Whoever were those
unfortunate people？ Oh； dears； look away！ And poor Mr。 Beebe；
too！ Whatever has happened？〃
〃Come this way immediately；〃 commanded Cecil； who always felt
that he must lead women； though knew not whither； and protect
them； though he knew not against what。 He led them now towards
the bracken where Freddy sat concealed。
〃Oh； poor Mr。 Beebe！ Was that his waistcoat we left in the path？
Cecil； Mr。 Beebe's waistcoat〃
No business of ours； said Cecil； glancing at Lucy； who was all
parasol and evidently 〃minded。〃
〃I fancy Mr。 Beebe jumped back into the pond。〃
〃This way； please； Mrs。 Honeychurch； this way。〃
They followed him up the bank attempting the tense yet nonchalant
expression that is suitable for ladies on such occasions。
〃Well； I can't help it；〃 said a voice close ahead； and Freddy
reared a freckled face and a pair of snowy shoulders out of the
fronds。 〃I can't be trodden on； can I？〃
〃Good gracious me； dear； so it's you！ What miserable management！
Why not have a comfortable bath at home； with hot and cold laid
on？〃
〃Look here； mother； a fellow must wash； and a fellow's got to
dry； and if another fellow〃
〃Dear； no doubt you're right as usual； but you are in no position
to argue。 Come； Lucy。〃 They turned。 〃Oh； lookdon't look！ Oh；
poor Mr。 Beebe！ How unfortunate again〃
For Mr。 Beebe was just crawling out of the pond； On whose surface
garments of an intimate nature did float； while George； the
world…weary George； shouted to Freddy that he had hooked a fish。
〃And me； I've swallowed one；〃 answered he of the bracken。 〃I've
swallowed a pollywog。 It wriggleth in my tummy。 I shall die
Emerson you beast； you've got on my bags。〃
〃Hush； dears；〃 said Mrs。 Honeychurch； who found it impossible to
remain shocked。 〃And do be sure you dry yourselves thoroughly
first。 All these colds come of not drying thoroughly。〃
〃Mother； do come away；〃 said Lucy。 〃Oh for goodness' sake； do
come。〃
〃Hullo！〃 cried George； so that again the ladies stopped。
He regarded himself as dressed。 Barefoot； bare…chested； radiant
and personable against the shadowy woods； he called：
〃Hullo； Miss Honeychurch！ Hullo！〃
〃Bow； Lucy； better bow。 Whoever is it？ I shall bow。〃
Miss Honeychurch bowed。
That evening and all that night the water ran away。 On the morrow
the pool had shrunk to its old size and lost its glory。 It had
been a call to the blood and to the relaxed will； a passing
benediction whose influence did not pass； a holiness； a spell； a
momentary chalice for youth。
Chapter XIII： How Miss Bartlett's Boiler Was So Tiresome
How often had Lucy rehearsed this bow； this interview！ But she
had always rehearsed them indoors； and with certain accessories；
which surely we have a right to assume。 Who could foretell that
she and George would meet in the rout of a civilization； amidst
an army of coats and collars and boots that lay wounded over the
sunlit earth？ She had imagined a young Mr。 Emerson； who might be
shy or morbid or indifferent or furtively impudent。 She was
prepared for all of these。 But she had never imagined one who
would be happy and greet her with the shout of the morning star。
Indoors herself； partaking of tea with old Mrs。 Butterworth； she
reflected that it is impossible to foretell the future with any
degree of accuracy； that it is impossible to rehearse life。 A
fault in the scenery； a face in the audience； an irruption of the
audience on to the stage； and all our carefully planned gestures
mean nothing； or mean too much。 〃I will bow；〃 she had thought。 〃I
will not shake hands with him。 That will be just the proper
thing。〃 She had bowedbut to whom？ To gods； to heroes； to the
nonsense of school…girls！ She had bowed across the rubbish that
cumbers the world。
So ran her thoughts； while her faculties were busy with Cecil。 It
was another of those dreadful engagement calls。 Mrs。 Butterworth
had wanted to see him； and he did not want to be seen。 He did not
want to hear about hydrangeas； why they change their colour at
the seaside。 He did not want to join the C。 O。 S。 When cross he
was always elaborate； and made long； clever answers where 〃Yes〃
or 〃No〃 would have done。 Lucy soothed him and tinkered at the
conversation in a way that promised well for their married peace。
No one is perfect； and surely it is wiser to discover the
imperfections before wedlock。 Miss Bartlett； indeed； though not
in word； had taught the girl that this our life contains nothing
satisfactory。 Lucy； though she disliked the teacher； regarded the
teaching as profound； and applied it to her lover。
〃Lucy；〃 said her mother； when they got home； 〃is anything the
matter with Cecil？〃
The question was ominous； up till now Mrs。 Honeychurch had
behaved with charity and restraint。
〃No； I don't think so； mother； Cecil's all right。〃
〃Perhaps he's tired。〃
Lucy compromised： perhaps Cecil was a little tired。
〃Because otherwise〃she pulled out her bonnet…pins with gathering
displeasure〃because otherwise I cannot account for him。〃
〃I do think Mrs。 Butterworth is rather tiresome； if you mean
that。〃
〃Cecil has told you to think so。 You were devoted to her as a
little girl； and nothing will describe her goodness to you
through the typhoid fever。 Noit is just the same thing
everywhere。〃
〃Let me just put your bonnet away； may I？〃
〃Surely he could answer her civilly for one half…hour？〃
〃Cecil has a very high standard for people；〃 faltered Lucy；
seeing trouble ahead。 〃It's part of his idealsit is really that
that makes him sometimes seem〃
〃Oh； rubbish！ If high ideals make a young man rude； the sooner he
gets rid of them the better；〃 said Mrs。 Honeychurch； handing her
the bonnet。
〃Now； mother！ I've seen you cross with Mrs。 Butterworth yourself！〃
〃Not in that way。 At times I could wring her neck。 But not in
that way。 No。 It is the same with Cecil all over。〃
〃By…the…byI never told you。 I had a letter from Charlotte while
I was away in London。〃
This attempt to divert the conversation was too puerile； and Mrs。
Honeychurch resented it。
〃Since Cecil came back from London； nothing appears to please
him。 Whenever I speak he winces；I see him； Lucy； it is useless
to contradict me。 No doubt I am neither artistic nor literary nor
intellectual nor musical； but I cannot help the drawing…room
furniture； your father bought it and we must put up with it； will
Cecil kindly remember。〃
〃II see what you mean； and certainly Cecil oughtn't to。 But he
does not mean to be uncivilhe once explainedit is the things
that upset himhe is easily upset by ugly thingshe is not
uncivil to PEOPLE。〃
〃Is it a thing or a person when Freddy sings？〃
〃You can't expect a really musical person to enjoy comic songs as
we do。〃
〃Then why didn't he leave the room？ Why sit wriggling and
sneering and spoiling everyone's pleasure？〃
〃We mustn't be unjust to people；〃 faltered Lucy。 Something had
enfeebled her； and the case for Cecil； which she had mastered so
perfectly in London； would not come forth in an effective form。
The two civilizations had clashedCecil hinted that they might
and she was dazzled and bewildered； as though the radiance that
lies behind all civilization had blinded her eyes。 Good taste and
bad taste were only catchwords； garments of diverse cut； and
music itself dissolved to a whisper through pine…trees； where the
song is not distinguishable from the comic song。
She remained in much embarrassment； while Mrs。 Honeychurch
changed her frock for dinner； and every now and then she said a
word； and made things no better。 There was no concealing the
fact； Cecil had meant to be supercilious； and he had succeeded。
And Lucyshe knew not whywished that the trouble could have
come at any other time。
〃Go and dress； dear； you'll be late。〃
〃All right； mother〃
〃Don't say 'All right' and stop。 Go。〃
She obeyed； but loitered disconsolately at the landing window。 It
faced north； so there was little view； and no view of the sky。
Now； as in the winter； the pine…trees hung close to her eyes。 One
connected the landing window with depression。 No definit