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his unshaven chin。
That was all。 A crowd rose out of the dusk。 It hid this
extraordinary man from her； and bore him away to the fountain。
Mr。 George Emerson happened to be a few paces away； looking at
her across the spot where the man had been。 How very odd！ Across
something。 Even as she caught sight of him he grew dim； the
palace itself grew dim； swayed above her； fell on to her softly；
slowly； noiselessly； and the sky fell with it。
She thought： 〃Oh； what have I done？〃
〃Oh； what have I done？〃 she murmured； and opened her eyes。
George Emerson still looked at her； but not across anything。 She
had complained of dullness； and lo！ one man was stabbed； and
another held her in his arms。
They were sitting on some steps in the Uffizi Arcade。 He must
have carried her。 He rose when she spoke； and began to dust his
knees。 She repeated：
〃Oh； what have I done？〃
〃You fainted。〃
〃II am very sorry。〃
〃How are you now？〃
〃Perfectly wellabsolutely well。〃 And she began to nod and
smile。
〃Then let us come home。 There's no point in our stopping。〃
He held out his hand to pull her up。 She pretended not to see it。
The cries from the fountainthey had never ceasedrang emptily。
The whole world seemed pale and void of its original meaning。
〃How very kind you have been！ I might have hurt myself falling。
But now I am well。 I can go alone； thank you。〃
His hand was still extended。
〃Oh； my photographs！〃 she exclaimed suddenly。
〃What photographs？〃
〃I bought some photographs at Alinari's。 I must have dropped them
out there in the square。〃 She looked at him cautiously。 〃Would
you add to your kindness by fetching them？〃
He added to his kindness。 As soon as he had turned his back； Lucy
arose with the running of a maniac and stole down the arcade
towards the Arno。
〃Miss Honeychurch！〃
She stopped with her hand on her heart。
〃You sit still； you aren't fit to go home alone。〃
〃Yes； I am； thank you so very much。〃
〃No； you aren't。 You'd go openly if you were。〃
〃But I had rather〃
〃Then I don't fetch your photographs。〃
〃I had rather be alone。〃
He said imperiously： 〃The man is deadthe man is probably dead；
sit down till you are rested。〃 She was bewildered； and obeyed
him。 〃And don't move till I come back。〃
In the distance she saw creatures with black hoods； such as
appear in dreams。 The palace tower had lost the reflection of the
declining day； and joined itself to earth。 How should she talk to
Mr。 Emerson when he returned from the shadowy square？ Again the
thought occurred to her； 〃Oh； what have I done？〃the thought
that she； as well as the dying man； had crossed some spiritual
boundary。
He returned； and she talked of the murder。 Oddly enough； it was
an easy topic。 She spoke of the Italian character； she became
almost garrulous over the incident that had made her faint five
minutes before。 Being strong physically； she soon overcame the
horror of blood。 She rose without his assistance； and though
wings seemed to flutter inside her； she walked firmly enough
towards the Arno。 There a cabman signalled to them； they refused
him。
〃And the murderer tried to kiss him； you sayhow very odd
Italians are！and gave himself up to the police！ Mr。 Beebe was
saying that Italians know everything； but I think they are rather
childish。 When my cousin and I were at the Pitti yesterdayWhat
was that？〃
He had thrown something into the stream。
〃What did you throw in？〃
〃Things I didn't want；〃 he said crossly。
〃Mr。 Emerson！〃
〃Well？〃
〃Where are the photographs？〃
He was silent。
〃I believe it was my photographs that you threw away。〃
〃I didn't know what to do with them；〃 he cried。 and his voice was
that of an anxious boy。 Her heart warmed towards him for the
first time。 〃They were covered with blood。 There！ I'm glad I've
told you； and all the time we were making conversation I was
wondering what to do with them。〃 He pointed down…stream。 〃They've
gone。〃 The river swirled under the bridge； 〃I did mind them so；
and one is so foolish； it seemed better that they should go out
to the seaI don't know； I may just mean that they frightened me。
Then the boy verged into a man。 〃For something tremendous has
happened； I must face it without getting muddled。 It isn't
exactly that a man has died。〃
Something warned Lucy that she must stop him。
〃It has happened；〃 he repeated； 〃and I mean to find out what it
is。〃
〃Mr。 Emerson〃
He turned towards her frowning； as if she had disturbed him in
some abstract quest。
〃I want to ask you something before we go in。〃
They were close to their pension。 She stopped and leant her
elbows against the parapet of the embankment。 He did likewise。
There is at times a magic in identity of position； it is one of
the things that have suggested to us eternal comradeship。 She
moved her elbows before saying：
〃I have behaved ridiculously。〃
He was following his own thoughts。
〃I was never so much ashamed of myself in my life； I cannot think
what came over me。〃
〃I nearly fainted myself；〃 he said； but she felt that her
attitude repelled him。
〃Well； I owe you a thousand apologies。〃
〃Oh； all right。〃
〃Andthis is the real pointyou know how silly people are
gossipingladies especially； I am afraidyou understand what I
mean？〃
〃I'm afraid I don't。〃
〃I mean； would you not mention it to any one； my foolish
behaviour？〃
〃Your behaviour？ Oh； yes； all rightall right。〃
〃Thank you so much。 And would you〃
She could not carry her request any further。 The river was
rushing below them； almost black in the advancing night。 He had
thrown her photographs into it； and then he had told her the
reason。 It struck her that it was hopeless to look for chivalry
in such a man。 He would do her no harm by idle gossip； he was
trustworthy； intelligent； and even kind； he might even have a
high opinion of her。 But he lacked chivalry； his thoughts； like
his behaviour； would not be modified by awe。 It was useless to
say to him； 〃And would you〃 and hope that he would complete the
sentence for himself； averting his eyes from her nakedness like
the knight in that beautiful picture。 She had been in his arms；
and he remembered it； just as he remembered the blood on the
photographs that she had bought in Alinari's shop。 It was not
exactly that a man had died； something had happened to the
living： they had come to a situation where character tells； and
where childhood enters upon the branching paths of Youth。
〃Well； thank you so much；〃 she repeated； 〃How quickly these
accidents do happen； and then one returns to the old life！〃
〃I don't。〃
Anxiety moved her to question him。
His answer was puzzling： 〃I shall probably want to live。〃
〃But why； Mr。 Emerson？ What do you mean？〃
〃I shall want to live； I say。〃