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〃But why； Mr。 Emerson？ What do you mean？〃
〃I shall want to live； I say。〃
Leaning her elbows on the parapet； she contemplated the River
Arno； whose roar was suggesting some unexpected melody to her
ears。
Chapter V： Possibilities of a Pleasant Outing
It was a family saying that 〃you never knew which way Charlotte
Bartlett would turn。〃 She was perfectly pleasant and sensible
over Lucy's adventure； found the abridged account of it quite
adequate； and paid suitable tribute to the courtesy of Mr。 George
Emerson。 She and Miss Lavish had had an adventure also。 They had
been stopped at the Dazio coming back； and the young officials
there； who seemed impudent and desoeuvre； had tried to search
their reticules for provisions。 It might have been most
unpleasant。 Fortunately Miss Lavish was a match for any one。
For good or for evil； Lucy was left to face her problem alone。
None of her friends had seen her； either in the Piazza or； later
on； by the embankment。 Mr。 Beebe； indeed； noticing her startled
eyes at dinner…time； had again passed to himself the remark of
〃Too much Beethoven。〃 But he only supposed that she was ready for
an adventure； not that she had encountered it。 This solitude
oppressed her； she was accustomed to have her thoughts confirmed
by others or； at all events； contradicted； it was too dreadful
not to know whether she was thinking right or wrong。
At breakfast next morning she took decisive action。 There were
two plans between which she had to choose。 Mr。 Beebe was walking
up to the Torre del Gallo with the Emersons and some American
ladies。 Would Miss Bartlett and Miss Honeychurch join the party？
Charlotte declined for herself； she had been there in the rain
the previous afternoon。 But she thought it an admirable idea for
Lucy； who hated shopping； changing money； fetching letters； and
other irksome dutiesall of which Miss Bartlett must accomplish
this morning and could easily accomplish alone。
〃No； Charlotte！〃 cried the girl； with real warmth。 〃It's very
kind of Mr。 Beebe； but I am certainly coming with you。 I had much
rather。〃
〃Very well； dear；〃 said Miss Bartlett； with a faint flush of
pleasure that called forth a deep flush of shame on the cheeks of
Lucy。 How abominably she behaved to Charlotte； now as always！ But
now she should alter。 All morning she would be really nice to
her。
She slipped her arm into her cousin's； and they started off along
the Lung' Arno。 The river was a lion that morning in strength；
voice； and colour。 Miss Bartlett insisted on leaning over the
parapet to look at it。 She then made her usual remark； which was
〃How I do wish Freddy and your mother could see this； too！〃
Lucy fidgeted； it was tiresome of Charlotte to have stopped
exactly where she did。
〃Look； Lucia！ Oh； you are watching for the Torre del Gallo party。
I feared you would repent you of your choice。〃
Serious as the choice had been； Lucy did not repent。 Yesterday
had been a muddlequeer and odd； the kind of thing one could not
write down easily on paperbut she had a feeling that Charlotte
and her shopping were preferable to George Emerson and the summit
of the Torre del Gallo。 Since she could not unravel the tangle；
she must take care not to re…enter it。 She could protest
sincerely against Miss Bartlett's insinuations。
But though she had avoided the chief actor； the scenery
unfortunately remained。 Charlotte； with the complacency of fate；
led her from the river to the Piazza Signoria。 She could not have
believed that stones； a Loggia； a fountain； a palace tower；
would have such significance。 For a moment she understood the
nature of ghosts。
The exact site of the murder was occupied； not by a ghost； but by
Miss Lavish； who had the morning newspaper in her hand。 She
hailed them briskly。 The dreadful catastrophe of the previous day
had given her an idea which she thought would work up into a
book。
〃Oh； let me congratulate you！〃 said Miss Bartlett。 〃After your
despair of yesterday！ What a fortunate thing！〃
〃Aha！ Miss Honeychurch； come you here I am in luck。 Now； you are
to tell me absolutely everything that you saw from the
beginning。〃 Lucy poked at the ground with her parasol。
〃But perhaps you would rather not？〃
〃I'm sorryif you could manage without it； I think I would
rather not。〃
The elder ladies exchanged glances； not of disapproval； it is
suitable that a girl should feel deeply。
〃It is I who am sorry；〃 said Miss Lavish。 〃literary hacks are
shameless creatures。 I believe there's no secret of the human
heart into which we wouldn't pry。〃
She marched cheerfully to the fountain and back； and did a few
calculations in realism。 Then she said that she had been in the
Piazza since eight o'clock collecting material。 A good deal of it
was unsuitable； but of course one always had to adapt。 The two
men had quarrelled over a five…franc note。 For the five…franc
note she should substitute a young lady； which would raise the
tone of the tragedy； and at the same time furnish an excellent
plot。
〃What is the heroine's name？〃 asked Miss Bartlett。
〃Leonora；〃 said Miss Lavish； her own name was Eleanor。
〃I do hope she's nice。〃
That desideratum would not be omitted。
〃And what is the plot？〃
Love； murder； abduction； revenge； was the plot。 But it all came
while the fountain plashed to the satyrs in the morning sun。
〃I hope you will excuse me for boring on like this；〃 Miss Lavish
concluded。 〃It is so tempting to talk to really sympathetic
people。 Of course； this is the barest outline。 There will be a
deal of local colouring； descriptions of Florence and the
neighbourhood； and I shall also introduce some humorous
characters。 And let me give you all fair warning： I intend to be
unmerciful to the British tourist。〃
〃Oh； you wicked woman；〃 cried Miss Bartlett。 〃I am sure you are
thinking of the Emersons。〃
Miss Lavish gave a Machiavellian smile。
〃I confess that in Italy my sympathies are not with my own
countrymen。 It is the neglected Italians who attract me； and
whose lives I am going to paint so far as I can。 For I repeat and
I insist； and I have always held most strongly； that a tragedy
such as yesterday's is not the less tragic because it happened in
humble life。〃
There was a fitting silence when Miss Lavish had concluded。 Then
the cousins wished success to her labours； and walked slowly away
across the square。
〃She is my idea of a really clever woman；〃 said Miss Bartlett。
〃That last remark struck me as so particularly true。 It should be
a most pathetic novel。〃
Lucy assented。 At present her great aim was not to get put into
it。 Her perceptions this morning were curiously keen； and she
believed that Miss Lavish had her on trial for an ingenue。
〃She is emancipated； but only in the very best sense of the
word；〃 continued Miss Bartlett slowly。 〃None but the superficial