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第44节

a room with a view-第44节

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wouldn't give her consent we should take the thing into our own

hands。 They had fair warning; and now he calls it an elopement。

Ridiculous boy〃



〃Signorino; domani faremo uno giro〃



〃But it will all come right in the end。 He has to build us both

up from the beginning again。 I wish; though; that Cecil had not

turned so cynical about women。 He has; for the second time; quite

altered。 Why will men have theories about women? I haven't any

about men。 I wish; too; that Mr。 Beebe〃



〃You may well wish that。〃



〃He will never forgive usI mean; he will never be interested in

us again。 I wish that he did not influence them so much at Windy

Corner。 I wish he hadn't But if we act the truth; the people

who really love us are sure to come back to us in the long run。〃



〃Perhaps。〃 Then he said more gently: 〃Well; I acted the truth

the only thing I did doand you came back to me。 So possibly you

know。〃 He turned back into the room。 〃Nonsense with that sock。〃

He carried her to the window; so that she; too; saw all the view。

They sank upon their knees; invisible from the road; they hoped;

and began to whisper one another's names。 Ah! it was worth while;

it was the great joy that they had expected; and countless little

joys of which they had never dreamt。 They were silent。



〃Signorino; domani faremo〃



〃Oh; bother that man!〃



But Lucy remembered the vendor of photographs and said; 〃No;

don't be rude to him。〃 Then with a catching of her breath; she

murmured: 〃Mr。 Eager and Charlotte; dreadful frozen Charlotte。

How cruel she would be to a man like that!〃



〃Look at the lights going over the bridge。〃



〃But this room reminds me of Charlotte。 How horrible to grow old

in Charlotte's way! To think that evening at the rectory that she

shouldn't have heard your father was in the house。 For she would

have stopped me going in; and he was the only person alive who

could have made me see sense。 You couldn't have made me。 When I

am very happy〃she kissed him〃I remember on how little it all

hangs。 If Charlotte had only known; she would have stopped me

going in; and I should have gone to silly Greece; and become

different for ever。〃



〃But she did know;〃 said George; 〃she did see my father; surely。

He said so。〃



〃Oh; no; she didn't see him。 She was upstairs with old Mrs。

Beebe; don't you remember; and then went straight to the church。

She said so。〃



George was obstinate again。 〃My father;〃 said he; 〃saw her; and I

prefer his word。 He was dozing by the study fire; and he opened

his eyes; and there was Miss Bartlett。 A few minutes before you

came in。 She was turning to go as he woke up。 He didn't speak to

her。〃



Then they spoke of other thingsthe desultory talk of those who

have been fighting to reach one another; and whose reward is to

rest quietly in each other's arms。 It was long ere they returned

to Miss Bartlett; but when they did her behaviour seemed more

interesting。 George; who disliked any darkness; said: 〃It's clear

that she knew。 Then; why did she risk the meeting? She knew he

was there; and yet she went to church。〃



They tried to piece the thing together。



As they talked; an incredible solution came into Lucy's mind。 She

rejected it; and said: 〃How like Charlotte to undo her work by a

feeble muddle at the last moment。〃 But something in the dying

evening; in the roar of the river; in their very embrace warned

them that her words fell short of life; and George whispered: 〃Or

did she mean it?〃



〃Mean what?〃



〃Signorino; domani faremo uno giro〃



Lucy bent forward and said with gentleness: 〃Lascia; prego;

lascia。 Siamo sposati。〃



〃Scusi tanto; signora;〃 he replied in tones as gentle and

whipped up his horse。



〃Buona serae grazie。〃



〃Niente。〃



The cabman drove away singing。



〃Mean what; George?〃



He whispered: 〃Is it this? Is this possible? I'll put a marvel to

you。 That your cousin has always hoped。 That from the very first

moment we met; she hoped; far down in her mind; that we should be

like thisof course; very far down。 That she fought us on the

surface; and yet she hoped。 I can't explain her any other way。

Can you? Look how she kept me alive in you all the summer; how

she gave you no peace; how month after month she became more

eccentric and unreliable。 The sight of us haunted heror she

couldn't have described us as she did to her friend。 There are

detailsit burnt。 I read the book afterwards。 She is not frozen;

Lucy; she is not withered up all through。 She tore us apart

twice; but in the rectory that evening she was given one more

chance to make us happy。 We can never make friends with her or

thank her。 But I do believe that; far down in her heart; far

below all speech and behaviour; she is glad。〃



〃It is impossible;〃 murmured Lucy; and then; remembering the

experiences of her own heart; she said: 〃Noit is just

possible。〃



Youth enwrapped them; the song of Phaethon announced passion

requited; love attained。 But they were conscious of a love more

mysterious than this。 The song died away; they heard the river;

bearing down the snows of winter into the Mediterranean。











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