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understand。 Lucy！ Let's tell her。 Lucy！〃
〃She is playing the piano；〃 Mr。 Beebe said。 He opened the door；
and heard the words of a song：
〃Look not thou on beauty's charming。〃
〃I didn't know that Miss Honeychurch sang； too。〃
〃Sit thou still when kings are arming；
Taste not when the wine…cup glistens〃
〃It's a song that Cecil gave her。 How odd girls are！〃
〃What's that？〃 called Lucy； stopping short。
〃All right； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Honeychurch kindly。 She went into
the drawing…room； and Mr。 Beebe heard her kiss Lucy and say： 〃I
am sorry I was so cross about Greece； but it came on the top of
the dahlias。〃
Rather a hard voice said： 〃Thank you； mother； that doesn't matter
a bit。〃
〃And you are right； tooGreece will be all right； you can go if
the Miss Alans will have you。〃
〃Oh； splendid！ Oh； thank you！〃
Mr。 Beebe followed。 Lucy still sat at the piano with her hands
over the keys。 She was glad； but he had expected greater gladness。
Her mother bent over her。 Freddy； to whom she had been singing；
reclined on the floor with his head against her； and an unlit pipe
between his lips。 Oddly enough； the group was beautiful。 Mr。 Beebe；
who loved the art of the past； was reminded of a favourite theme；
the Santa Conversazione； in which people who care for one another
are painted chatting together about noble thingsa theme neither
sensual nor sensational； and therefore ignored by the art of
to…day。 Why should Lucy want either to marry or to travel when she
had such friends at home？
〃Taste not when the wine…cup glistens；
Speak not when the people listens；〃
she continued。
〃Here's Mr。 Beebe。〃
〃Mr。 Beebe knows my rude ways。〃
〃It's a beautiful song and a wise one；〃 said he。 〃Go on。〃
〃It isn't very good；〃 she said listlessly。 〃I forget whyharmony
or something。〃
〃I suspected it was unscholarly。 It's so beautiful。〃
〃The tune's right enough；〃 said Freddy； 〃but the words are rotten。
Why throw up the sponge？〃
〃How stupidly you talk！〃 said his sister。 The Santa Conversazione
was broken up。 After all； there was no reason that Lucy should
talk about Greece or thank him for persuading her mother； so he
said good…bye。
Freddy lit his bicycle lamp for him in the porch； and with his
usual felicity of phrase； said： 〃This has been a day and a half。〃
〃Stop thine ear against the singer〃
〃Wait a minute； she is finishing。〃
〃From the red gold keep thy finger；
Vacant heart and hand and eye
Easy live and quiet die。〃
〃I love weather like this；〃 said Freddy。
Mr。 Beebe passed into it。
The two main facts were clear。 She had behaved splendidly； and he
had helped her。 He could not expect to master the details of so
big a change in a girl's life。 If here and there he was
dissatisfied or puzzled； he must acquiesce； she was choosing the
better part。
〃Vacant heart and hand and eye〃
Perhaps the song stated 〃the better part〃 rather too strongly。 He
half fancied that the soaring accompanimentwhich he did not lose
in the shout of the galereally agreed with Freddy； and was
gently criticizing the words that it adorned：
〃Vacant heart and hand and eye
Easy live and quiet die。〃
However； for the fourth time Windy Corner lay poised below him
now as a beacon in the roaring tides of darkness。
Chapter XIX： Lying to Mr。 Emerson
The Miss Alans were found in their beloved temperance hotel near
Bloomsburya clean； airless establishment much patronized by
provincial England。 They always perched there before crossing the
great seas； and for a week or two would fidget gently over
clothes； guide…books； mackintosh squares； digestive bread； and
other Continental necessaries。 That there are shops abroad； even
in Athens； never occurred to them； for they regarded travel as a
species of warfare； only to be undertaken by those who have been
fully armed at the Haymarket Stores。 Miss Honeychurch； they
trusted； would take care to equip herself duly。 Quinine could now
be obtained in tabloids； paper soap was a great help towards
freshening up one's face in the train。 Lucy promised； a little
depressed。
〃But； of course； you know all about these things； and you have
Mr。 Vyse to help you。 A gentleman is such a stand…by。〃
Mrs。 Honeychurch； who had come up to town with her daughter；
began to drum nervously upon her card…case。
〃We think it so good of Mr。 Vyse to spare you；〃 Miss Catharine
continued。 〃It is not every young man who would be so unselfish。
But perhaps he will come out and join you later on。〃
〃Or does his work keep him in London？〃 said Miss Teresa； the more
acute and less kindly of the two sisters。
〃However； we shall see him when he sees you off。 I do so long to
see him。〃
〃No one will see Lucy off；〃 interposed Mrs。 Honeychurch。 〃She
doesn't like it。〃
〃No； I hate seeings…off；〃 said Lucy。
〃Really？ How funny！ I should have thought that in this case〃
〃Oh； Mrs。 Honeychurch； you aren't going？ It is such a pleasure to
have met you！〃
They escaped； and Lucy said with relief： 〃That's all right。 We
just got through that time。〃
But her mother was annoyed。 〃I should be told； dear； that I am
unsympathetic。 But I cannot see why you didn't tell your friends
about Cecil and be done with it。 There all the time we had to sit
fencing； and almost telling lies； and be seen through； too； I
dare say； which is most unpleasant。〃
Lucy had plenty to say in reply。 She described the Miss Alans'
character： they were such gossips； and if one told them； the news
would be everywhere in no time。
〃But why shouldn't it be everywhere in no time？〃
〃Because I settled with Cecil not to announce it until I left
England。 I shall tell them then。 It's much pleasanter。 How wet it
is！ Let's turn in here。〃
〃Here〃 was the British Museum。 Mrs。 Honeychurch refused。 If they
must take shelter； let it be in a shop。 Lucy felt contemptuous；
for she was on the tack of caring for Greek sculpture； and had
already borrowed a mythical dictionary from Mr。 Beebe to get up
the names of the goddesses and gods。
〃Oh； well； let it be shop； then。 Let's go to Mudie's。 I'll buy a
guide…book。〃
〃You know； Lucy； you and Charlotte and Mr。 Beebe all tell me I'm
so stupid； so I suppose I am； but I shall never understand this
hole…and…corner work。 You've got rid of Cecilwell and good； and
I'm thankful he's gone； though I did feel angry for the minute。
But why not announce it？ Why this hushing up and tip…toeing？〃
〃It's only for a few days。〃
〃But why at all？〃
Lucy was silent。 She was drifting away from her mother。 It was
quite easy to say； 〃Because George Emerson has been bothering me；
and if he hears I've given up Cecil may begin again〃quite easy；
and it had the incidental advantage of being true。 But she could
not say it。 She disliked confidences； for they might lead to
self…knowledge and to that king of terrorsLight。 Ever since
that last evening at Florence she had deemed it unwise to reveal
her soul。
Mrs。 Honeychurch； too； was silent。 She was thinking； 〃My daughter
won't answer me； she would rather be with those inquisitive old
maids than with Freddy and me。 Any rag； tag； and bobtail
apparently does if she can leave her home。〃 And as in her case
thoughts never remained unspoken long； she burst out with：
〃You're tired of Windy Corner。〃
This was perfectly true。 Lucy had hoped to return to Windy Corner
when she escaped from Cecil； but she discovered that her home
existed no longer。 It might exist for Freddy； who still lived and
thought straight； but not for one who had deliberately warped the
brain。 She did not acknowledge that her brain was warped； for the
brain itself must assist in that acknowledgment； and she was
disordering the very instruments of life。 She only felt； 〃I do
not love George； I broke off my engagement because I did not love
George； I must go to Greece because I do not love George； it is
more important that I should look up gods in the dictionary than
that I should help my mother； every one else is behaving very
badly。〃 She only felt irritable and petulant； and anxious to do
what she was not expected to do； and in this spirit she proceeded
with the conversation。
〃Oh； mother； what rubbish you talk！ Of course I'm not tired of
Windy Corner。〃
〃Then why not say so at once； instead of considering half an
hour？〃
She laughed faintly； 〃Half a minute would be nearer。〃
〃Perhaps you would like to stay away from your home altogether？〃
〃Hush； mother！ People will hear you〃； for they had entered
Mudie's。 She bought Baedeker； and then continued： 〃Of course I
want to live at home； but as we are talking about it； I may as
well say that I shall want to be away in the future more than I
have been。 You see； I come into my money next year。〃