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〃No！〃 cried a voice from the top of the table。 〃Mr。 Beebe； you
are wrong。 The first fine afternoon your ladies must go to
Prato。〃
〃That lady looks so clever；〃 whispered Miss Bartlett to her
cousin。 〃We are in luck。〃
And； indeed； a perfect torrent of information burst on them。
People told them what to see； when to see it； how to stop the
electric trams； how to get rid of the beggars； how much to give
for a vellum blotter； how much the place would grow upon them。
The Pension Bertolini had decided； almost enthusiastically； that
they would do。 Whichever way they looked； kind ladies smiled and
shouted at them。 And above all rose the voice of the clever lady；
crying： 〃Prato！ They must go to Prato。 That place is too sweetly
squalid for words。 I love it； I revel in shaking off the trammels
of respectability； as you know。〃
The young man named George glanced at the clever lady； and then
returned moodily to his plate。 Obviously he and his father did
not do。 Lucy； in the midst of her success； found time to wish
they did。 It gave her no extra pleasure that any one should be
left in the cold； and when she rose to go； she turned back and
gave the two outsiders a nervous little bow。
The father did not see it； the son acknowledged it； not by
another bow； but by raising his eyebrows and smiling； he seemed
to be smiling across something。
She hastened after her cousin； who had already disappeared
through the curtainscurtains which smote one in the face； and
seemed heavy with more than cloth。 Beyond them stood the
unreliable Signora； bowing good…evening to her guests； and
supported by 'Enery； her little boy； and Victorier； her
daughter。 It made a curious little scene； this attempt of the
Cockney to convey the grace and geniality of the South。 And even
more curious was the drawing…room； which attempted to rival the
solid comfort of a Bloomsbury boarding…house。 Was this really
Italy？
Miss Bartlett was already seated on a tightly stuffed arm…chair；
which had the colour and the contours of a tomato。 She was
talking to Mr。 Beebe； and as she spoke； her long narrow head
drove backwards and forwards； slowly； regularly； as though she
were demolishing some invisible obstacle。 〃We are most grateful
to you；〃 she was saying。 〃The first evening means so much。 When
you arrived we were in for a peculiarly mauvais quart d'heure。〃
He expressed his regret。
〃Do you； by any chance； know the name of an old man who sat
opposite us at dinner？〃
〃Emerson。〃
〃Is he a friend of yours？〃
〃We are friendlyas one is in pensions。〃
〃Then I will say no more。〃
He pressed her very slightly； and she said more。
〃I am； as it were；〃 she concluded； 〃the chaperon of my young
cousin； Lucy； and it would be a serious thing if I put her under
an obligation to people of whom we know nothing。 His manner was
somewhat unfortunate。 I hope I acted for the best。〃
〃You acted very naturally；〃 said he。 He seemed thoughtful； and
after a few moments added： 〃All the same； I don't think much harm
would have come of accepting。〃
〃No harm； of course。 But we could not be under an obligation。〃
〃He is rather a peculiar man。〃 Again he hesitated； and then said
gently： 〃I think he would not take advantage of your acceptance；
nor expect you to show gratitude。 He has the meritif it is one
of saying exactly what he means。 He has rooms he does not
value； and he thinks you would value them。 He no more thought of
putting you under an obligation than he thought of being polite。
It is so difficultat least； I find it difficultto understand
people who speak the truth。〃
Lucy was pleased； and said： 〃I was hoping that he was nice； I do
so always hope that people will be nice。〃
〃I think he is； nice and tiresome。 I differ from him on almost
every point of any importance； and so； I expectI may say I
hopeyou will differ。 But his is a type one disagrees with
rather than deplores。 When he first came here he not unnaturally
put people's backs up。 He has no tact and no mannersI don't
mean by that that he has bad mannersand he will not keep his
opinions to himself。 We nearly complained about him to our
depressing Signora； but I am glad to say we thought better of
it。〃
〃Am I to conclude；〃 said Miss Bartlett； 〃that he is a Socialist？〃
Mr。 Beebe accepted the convenient word； not without a slight
twitching of the lips。
〃And presumably he has brought up his son to be a Socialist；
too？〃
〃I hardly know George； for he hasn't learnt to talk yet。 He
seems a nice creature； and I think he has brains。 Of course； he
has all his father's mannerisms； and it is quite possible that
he； too； may be a Socialist。〃
〃Oh； you relieve me；〃 said Miss Bartlett。 〃So you think I ought
to have accepted their offer？ You feel I have been narrow…minded
and suspicious？〃
〃Not at all；〃 he answered； 〃I never suggested that。〃
〃But ought I not to apologize； at all events； for my apparent
rudeness？〃
He replied； with some irritation； that it would be quite
unnecessary； and got up from his seat to go to the
smoking…room。
〃Was I a bore？〃 said Miss Bartlett； as soon as he had
disappeared。 〃Why didn't you talk； Lucy？ He prefers young people；
I'm sure。 I do hope I haven't monopolized him。 I hoped you would
have him all the evening； as well as all dinner…time。〃
〃He is nice；〃 exclaimed Lucy。 〃Just what I remember。 He seems to
see good in every one。 No one would take him for a clergyman。〃
〃My dear Lucia〃
〃Well； you know what I mean。 And you know how clergymen generally
laugh； Mr。 Beebe laughs just like an ordinary man。〃
〃Funny girl！ How you do remind me of your mother。 I wonder if she
will approve of Mr。 Beebe。〃
〃I'm sure she will； and so will Freddy。〃
〃I think every one at Windy Corner will approve； it is the
fashionable world。 I am used to Tunbridge Wells； where we are all
hopelessly behind the times。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lucy despondently。
There was a haze of disapproval in the air； but whether the
disapproval was of herself； or of Mr。 Beebe； or of the
fashionable world at Windy Corner； or of the narrow world at
Tunbridge Wells； she could not determine。 She tried to locate it；
but as usual she blundered。 Miss Bartlett sedulously denied
disapproving of any one； and added 〃I am afraid you are finding
me a very depressing companion。〃
And the girl again thought： 〃I must have been selfish or unkind；
I must be more careful。 It is so dreadful for Charlotte； being
poor。〃
Fortunately one of the little old ladies； who for some time had
been smiling very benignly； now approached and asked if she might
be allowed to sit where Mr。 Beebe had sat。 Permission granted；
she began to chatter gently about Italy； the plunge it had been
to come there； the gratifying success of the plunge； the
improvement in her sister's health； the necessity of closing the
bed…room windows at night； and of thoroughly emptying the
water…bottles in the morning。 She handled her subjects agreeably；
and they were； perhaps； more worthy of attention than the high
discourse upon Guelfs and Ghibellines which was proceeding
tempestuously at the other end of the room。 It was a real
catastrophe； not a mere episode； that evening of hers at Venice；
when she had found in her bedroom something that is one worse
than a flea； though one better than something else。
〃But here you are as safe as in England。 Signora Bertolini is so
English。〃
〃Yet our rooms smell；〃 said poor Lucy。 〃We dread going to bed。〃
〃Ah； then you look into the court。〃 She sighed。 〃If only Mr。
Emerson was more tactful！ We were so sorry for you at dinner。〃
〃I think he was meaning to be kind。〃
〃Undoubtedly he was；〃 said Miss Bartlett。
〃Mr。 Beebe has just been scolding me for my suspicious nature。 Of
course； I was holding back on my cousin's account。〃
〃Of course；〃 said the little old lady； and they murmured that one
could not be too careful with a young girl。
Lucy tried to look demure； but could not help feeling a great
fool。 No one was careful with her at home； or； at all events； she
had not noticed it。
〃About old Mr。 EmersonI hardly know。 No； he is not tactful；
yet； have you ever noticed that there are people who do things
which are most indelicate； and yet at the same timebeautiful？〃
〃Beautiful？〃 said Miss Bartlett； puzzled at the word。 〃Are not
beauty and delicacy the same？〃
〃So one would have thought；〃 said the other helplessly。 〃But
things are so difficult； I sometimes think。〃
She proceeded no further into things； for Mr。 Beebe reappeared；
looking extremely pleasant。
〃Miss Bartlett；〃 he cried； 〃it's all right about the rooms。 I'm
so glad。 Mr。 Emerson was talking about it in the smoking…room；
and knowing what I did； I encouraged him to make the offer again。
He has let me come and ask you。 He would be so pleased。〃