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prose； for Cecil to read and for George to hear。
〃'A golden haze；'〃 he read。 He read： 〃'Afar off the towers of
Florence； while the bank on which she sat was carpeted with
violets。 All unobserved Antonio stole up behind her'〃
Lest Cecil should see her face she turned to George and saw his
face。
He read： 〃'There came from his lips no wordy protestation such as
formal lovers use。 No eloquence was his； nor did he suffer from
the lack of it。 He simply enfolded her in his manly arms。'〃
〃This isn't the passage I wanted；〃 he informed them。 〃there is
another much funnier； further on。〃 He turned over the leaves。
〃Should we go in to tea？〃 said Lucy； whose voice remained steady。
She led the way up the garden； Cecil following her； George last。
She thought a disaster was averted。 But when they entered the
shrubbery it came。 The book； as if it had not worked mischief
enough； had been forgotten； and Cecil must go back for it； and
George； who loved passionately； must blunder against her in the
narrow path。
〃No〃 she gasped； and； for the second time； was kissed by him。
As if no more was possible； he slipped back； Cecil rejoined her；
they reached the upper lawn alone。
Chapter XVI： Lying to George
But Lucy had developed since the spring。 That is to say； she was
now better able to stifle the emotions of which the conventions
and the world disapprove。 Though the danger was greater； she was
not shaken by deep sobs。 She said to Cecil； 〃I am not coming in
to teatell motherI must write some letters；〃 and went up to
her room。 Then she prepared for action。 Love felt and
returned； love which our bodies exact and our hearts have
transfigured； love which is the most real thing that we shall
ever meet； reappeared now as the world's enemy； and she must
stifle it。
She sent for Miss Bartlett。
The contest lay not between love and duty。 Perhaps there never is
such a contest。 It lay between the real and the pretended； and
Lucy's first aim was to defeat herself。 As her brain clouded
over； as the memory of the views grew dim and the words of the
book died away； she returned to her old shibboleth of nerves。 She
〃conquered her breakdown。〃 Tampering with the truth； she forgot
that the truth had ever been。 Remembering that she was engaged to
Cecil； she compelled herself to confused remembrances of George；
he was nothing to her； he never had been anything； he had behaved
abominably； she had never encouraged him。 The armour of falsehood
is subtly wrought out of darkness； and hides a man not only from
others； but from his own soul。 In a few moments Lucy was equipped
for battle。
〃Something too awful has happened；〃 she began； as soon as her
cousin arrived。 〃Do you know anything about Miss Lavish's novel？〃
Miss Bartlett looked surprised； and said that she had not read
the book； nor known that it was published； Eleanor was a reticent
woman at heart。
〃There is a scene in it。 The hero and heroine make love。 Do you
know about that？〃
〃Dear？〃
〃Do you know about it； please？〃 she repeated。 〃They are on a
hillside； and Florence is in the distance。〃
〃My good Lucia； I am all at sea。 I know nothing about it
whatever。〃
〃There are violets。 I cannot believe it is a coincidence。
Charlotte； Charlotte； how could you have told her？ I have thought
before speaking； it must be you。〃
〃Told her what？〃 she asked； with growing agitation。
〃About that dreadful afternoon in February。〃
Miss Bartlett was genuinely moved。 〃Oh； Lucy； dearest girlshe
hasn't put that in her book？〃
Lucy nodded。
〃Not so that one could recognize it。 Yes。〃
〃Then nevernevernever more shall Eleanor Lavish be a friend
of mine。〃
〃So you did tell？〃
〃I did just happenwhen I had tea with her at Romein the
course of conversation〃
〃But Charlottewhat about the promise you gave me when we were
packing？ Why did you tell Miss Lavish； when you wouldn't even let
me tell mother？〃
〃I will never forgive Eleanor。 She has betrayed my confidence。〃
〃Why did you tell her； though？ This is a most serious thing。〃
Why does any one tell anything？ The question is eternal； and it
was not surprising that Miss Bartlett should only sigh faintly in
response。 She had done wrongshe admitted it； she only hoped
that she had not done harm； she had told Eleanor in the strictest
confidence。
Lucy stamped with irritation。
〃Cecil happened to read out the passage aloud to me and to Mr。
Emerson； it upset Mr。 Emerson and he insulted me again。 Behind
Cecil's back。 Ugh！ Is it possible that men are such brutes？
Behind Cecil's back as we were walking up the garden。〃
Miss Bartlett burst into self…accusations and regrets。
〃What is to be done now？ Can you tell me？〃
〃Oh； LucyI shall never forgive myself； never to my dying day。
Fancy if your prospects〃
〃I know；〃 said Lucy； wincing at the word。 〃I see now why you
wanted me to tell Cecil； and what you meant by 'some other
source。' You knew that you had told Miss Lavish； and that she was
not reliable。
It was Miss Bartlett's turn to wince。 〃However；〃 said the girl；
despising her cousin's shiftiness； 〃What's done's done。 You have
put me in a most awkward position。 How am I to get out of it？〃
Miss Bartlett could not think。 The days of her energy were over。
She was a visitor； not a chaperon； and a discredited visitor at
that。 She stood with clasped hands while the girl worked herself
into the necessary rage。
〃He mustthat man must have such a setting down that he won't
forget。 And who's to give it him？ I can't tell mother nowowing
to you。 Nor Cecil； Charlotte； owing to you。 I am caught up every
way。 I think I shall go mad。 I have no one to help me。 That's why
I've sent for you。 What's wanted is a man with a whip。〃
Miss Bartlett agreed： one wanted a man with a whip。
〃Yesbut it's no good agreeing。 What's to be DONE。 We women go
maundering on。 What DOES a girl do when she comes across a cad？〃
〃I always said he was a cad； dear。 Give me credit for that； at
all events。 From the very first momentwhen he said his father
was having a bath。〃
〃Oh； bother the credit and who's been right or wrong！ We've both
made a muddle of it。 George Emerson is still down the garden
there； and is he to be left unpunished； or isn't he？ I want to
know。〃
Miss Bartlett was absolutely helpless。 Her own exposure had
unnerved her； and thoughts were colliding painfully in her brain。
She moved feebly to the window； and tried to detect the cad's
white flannels among the laurels。
〃You were ready enough at the Bertolini when you rushed me off to
Rome。 Can't you speak again to him now？〃
〃Willingly would I move heaven and earth〃
〃I want something more definite；〃 said Lucy contemptuously。 〃Will
you speak to him？ It is the least you can do； surely； considering
it all happened because you broke your word。〃
〃Never again shall Eleanor Lavish be a friend of mine。〃
Really； Charlotte was outdoing herself。
〃Yes or no； please； yes or no。〃
〃It is the kind of thing that only a gentleman can settle。〃
George Emerson was coming up the garden with a tennis ball in his
hand。
〃Very well；〃 said Lucy； with an angry gesture。 〃No one will help
me。 I will speak to him myself。〃 And immediately she realized
that this was what her cousin had intended all along。
〃Hullo； Emerson！〃 called Freddy from below。 〃Found the lost ball？
Good man！ Want any tea？〃 And there was an irruption from the
house on to the terrace。
〃Oh； Lucy； but that is brave of you！ I admire you〃
They had gathered round George； who beckoned； she felt； over the
rubbish； the sloppy thoughts； the furtive yearnings that were
beginning to cumber her soul。 Her anger faded at the sight of
him。 Ah！ The Emersons were fine people in their way。 She had to
subdue a rush in her blood before saying：
〃Freddy has taken him into the dining…room。 The others are going
down the garden。 Come。 Let us get this over quickly。 Come。 I want
you in the room； of course。〃
〃Lucy； do you mind doing it？〃
〃How can you ask such a ridiculous question？〃
〃Poor Lucy〃 She stretched out her hand。 〃I seem to bring
nothing but misfortune wherever I go。〃 Lucy nodded。 She
remembered their last evening at Florencethe packing； the
candle； the shadow of Miss Bartlett's toque on the door。 She was
not to be trapped by pathos a second time。 Eluding her cousin's
caress； she led the way downstairs。
〃Try the jam；〃 Freddy was saying。 〃The jam's jolly good。〃
George； looking big and dishevelled； was pacing up and down the
dining…room。 As she entered he stopped； and said：
〃Nonothing to eat。〃
〃You go down to the others；〃 said Lucy； 〃Charlotte and I will
give Mr。 Emerson all he wants。 Where's mother？〃
〃She's started on her Sunday writing。 She's in the drawing…room。〃
〃Th