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in one inextricable whirl。 You know the American girl in Punch
who says： 'Say； poppa； what did we see at Rome？' And the father
replies： 'Why； guess Rome was the place where we saw the yaller
dog。' There's travelling for you。 Ha！ ha！ ha！〃
〃I quite agree；〃 said Miss Lavish； who had several times tried to
interrupt his mordant wit。 〃The narrowness and superficiality of
the Anglo…Saxon tourist is nothing less than a menace。〃
〃Quite so。 Now； the English colony at Florence； Miss Honeychurch
and it is of considerable size； though； of course； not all
equallya few are here for trade； for example。 But the greater
part are students。 Lady Helen Laverstock is at present busy over
Fra Angelico。 I mention her name because we are passing her villa
on the left。 No； you can only see it if you standno； do not
stand； you will fall。 She is very proud of that thick hedge。
Inside； perfect seclusion。 One might have gone back six hundred
years。 Some critics believe that her garden was the scene of The
Decameron； which lends it an additional interest； does it not？〃
〃It does indeed！〃 cried Miss Lavish。 〃Tell me； where do they
place the scene of that wonderful seventh day？〃
But Mr。 Eager proceeded to tell Miss Honeychurch that on the
right lived Mr。 Someone Something； an American of the best type
so rare！and that the Somebody Elses were farther down the
hill。 〃Doubtless you know her monographs in the series of
'Mediaeval Byways'？ He is working at Gemistus Pletho。 Sometimes
as I take tea in their beautiful grounds I hear； over the wall；
the electric tram squealing up the new road with its loads of hot；
dusty； unintelligent tourists who are going to 'do' Fiesole in an
hour in order that they may say they have been there； and I
thinkthinkI think how little they think what lies so near
them。〃
During this speech the two figures on the box were sporting with
each other disgracefully。 Lucy had a spasm of envy。 Granted that
they wished to misbehave； it was pleasant for them to be able to
do so。 They were probably the only people enjoying the
expedition。 The carriage swept with agonizing jolts up through
the Piazza of Fiesole and into the Settignano road。
〃Piano！ piano！〃 said Mr。 Eager； elegantly waving his hand over
his head。
〃Va bene； signore； va bene； va bene；〃 crooned the driver； and
whipped his horses up again。
Now Mr。 Eager and Miss Lavish began to talk against each other on
the subject of Alessio Baldovinetti。 Was he a cause of the
Renaissance； or was he one of its manifestations？ The other
carriage was left behind。 As the pace increased to a gallop the
large； slumbering form of Mr。 Emerson was thrown against the
chaplain with the regularity of a machine。
〃Piano！ piano！〃 said he； with a martyred look at Lucy。
An extra lurch made him turn angrily in his seat。 Phaethon； who
for some time had been endeavouring to kiss Persephone； had just
succeeded。
A little scene ensued； which； as Miss Bartlett said afterwards；
was most unpleasant。 The horses were stopped； the lovers were
ordered to disentangle themselves； the boy was to lose his
pourboire； the girl was immediately to get down。
〃She is my sister；〃 said he； turning round on them with piteous
eyes。
Mr。 Eager took the trouble to tell him that he was a liar。
Phaethon hung down his head； not at the matter of the accusation；
but at its manner。 At this point Mr。 Emerson； whom the shock of
stopping had awoke； declared that the lovers must on no account
be separated； and patted them on the back to signify his
approval。 And Miss Lavish； though unwilling to ally him； felt
bound to support the cause of Bohemianism。
〃Most certainly I would let them be；〃 she cried。 〃But I dare say
I shall receive scant support。 I have always flown in the face of
the conventions all my life。 This is what I call an adventure。〃
〃We must not submit；〃 said Mr。 Eager。 〃I knew he was trying it
on。 He is treating us as if we were a party of Cook's tourists。〃
〃Surely no！〃 said Miss Lavish； her ardour visibly decreasing。
The other carriage had drawn up behind； and sensible Mr。 Beebe
called out that after this warning the couple would be sure to
behave themselves properly。
〃Leave them alone；〃 Mr。 Emerson begged the chaplain； of whom he
stood in no awe。 〃Do we find happiness so often that we should
turn it off the box when it happens to sit there？ To be driven by
lovers A king might envy us； and if we part them it's more
like sacrilege than anything I know。〃
Here the voice of Miss Bartlett was heard saying that a crowd
had begun to collect。
Mr。 Eager； who suffered from an over…fluent tongue rather than a
resolute will； was determined to make himself heard。 He addressed
the driver again。 Italian in the mouth of Italians is a
deep…voiced stream； with unexpected cataracts and boulders to
preserve it from monotony。 In Mr。 Eager's mouth it resembled
nothing so much as an acid whistling fountain which played ever
higher and higher； and quicker and quicker； and more and more
shrilly； till abruptly it was turned off with a click。
〃Signorina！〃 said the man to Lucy； when the display had ceased。
Why should he appeal to Lucy？
〃Signorina！〃 echoed Persephone in her glorious contralto。 She
pointed at the other carriage。 Why？
For a moment the two girls looked at each other。 Then Persephone
got down from the box。
〃Victory at last！〃 said Mr。 Eager； smiting his hands together as
the carriages started again。
〃It is not victory；〃 said Mr。 Emerson。 〃It is defeat。 You have
parted two people who were happy。〃
Mr。 Eager shut his eyes。 He was obliged to sit next to Mr。
Emerson； but he would not speak to him。 The old man was refreshed
by sleep； and took up the matter warmly。 He commanded Lucy to
agree with him； he shouted for support to his son。
〃We have tried to buy what cannot be bought with money。 He has
bargained to drive us； and he is doing it。 We have no rights over
his soul。〃
Miss Lavish frowned。 It is hard when a person you have classed as
typically British speaks out of his character。
He was not driving us well；〃 she said。 〃He jolted us。〃
〃That I deny。 It was as restful as sleeping。 Aha！ he is jolting
us now。 Can you wonder？ He would like to throw us out； and most
certainly he is justified。 And if I were superstitious I'd be
frightened of the girl； too。 It doesn't do to injure young
people。 Have you ever heard of Lorenzo de Medici？〃
Miss Lavish bristled。
〃Most certainly I have。 Do you refer to Lorenzo il Magnifico； or
to Lorenzo； Duke of Urbino； or to Lorenzo surnamed Lorenzino on
account of his diminutive stature？〃
〃The Lord knows。 Possibly he does know； for I refer to Lorenzo
the poet。 He wrote a lineso I heard yesterdaywhich runs like
this： 'Don't go fighting against the Spring。'〃
Mr。 Eager could not resist the opportunity for erudition。
〃Non fate guerra al Maggio；〃 he murm