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I want them all their lives to be supremely good and supremely
happy as husband and wife； as father and mother。 And now I want
my tea。〃
〃You only asked for it just in time；〃 the lady retorted。 〃How
dare you be serious at Windy Corner？〃
He took his tone from her。 There was no more heavy beneficence；
no more attempts to dignify the situation with poetry or the
Scriptures。 None of them dared or was able to be serious any
more。
An engagement is so potent a thing that sooner or later it
reduces all who speak of it to this state of cheerful awe。 Away
from it； in the solitude of their rooms； Mr。 Beebe； and even
Freddy； might again be critical。 But in its presence and in the
presence of each other they were sincerely hilarious。 It has a
strange power； for it compels not only the lips； but the very
heart。 The chief parallel to compare one great thing with
anotheris the power over us of a temple of some alien creed。
Standing outside； we deride or oppose it； or at the most feel
sentimental。 Inside； though the saints and gods are not ours； we
become true believers； in case any true believer should be
present。
So it was that after the gropings and the misgivings of the
afternoon they pulled themselves together and settled down to a
very pleasant tea…party。 If they were hypocrites they did not
know it； and their hypocrisy had every chance of setting and of
becoming true。 Anne； putting down each plate as if it were a
wedding present； stimulated them greatly。 They could not lag
behind that smile of hers which she gave them ere she kicked the
drawing…room door。 Mr。 Beebe chirruped。 Freddy was at his
wittiest； referring to Cecil as the 〃Fiasco〃family honoured pun
on fiance。 Mrs。 Honeychurch； amusing and portly； promised well as
a mother…in…law。 As for Lucy and Cecil； for whom the temple had
been built； they also joined in the merry ritual； but waited； as
earnest worshippers should； for the disclosure of some holier
shrine of joy。
Chapter IX： Lucy As a Work of Art
A few days after the engagement was announced Mrs。 Honeychurch
made Lucy and her Fiasco come to a little garden…party in the
neighbourhood； for naturally she wanted to show people that her
daughter was marrying a presentable man。
Cecil was more than presentable； he looked distinguished； and it
was very pleasant to see his slim figure keeping step with Lucy；
and his long； fair face responding when Lucy spoke to him。 People
congratulated Mrs。 Honeychurch； which is； I believe； a social
blunder； but it pleased her； and she introduced Cecil rather
indiscriminately to some stuffy dowagers。
At tea a misfortune took place： a cup of coffee was upset over
Lucy's figured silk； and though Lucy feigned indifference； her
mother feigned nothing of the sort but dragged her indoors to
have the frock treated by a sympathetic maid。 They were gone some
time； and Cecil was left with the dowagers。 When they returned he
was not as pleasant as he had been。
〃Do you go to much of this sort of thing？〃 he asked when they
were driving home。
〃Oh； now and then；〃 said Lucy； who had rather enjoyed herself。
〃Is it typical of country society？〃
〃I suppose so。 Mother； would it be？〃
〃Plenty of society；〃 said Mrs。 Honeychurch； who was trying to
remember the hang of one of the dresses。
Seeing that her thoughts were elsewhere； Cecil bent towards Lucy
and said：
〃To me it seemed perfectly appalling； disastrous； portentous。〃
〃I am so sorry that you were stranded。〃
〃Not that； but the congratulations。 It is so disgusting； the way
an engagement is regarded as public propertya kind of waste
place where every outsider may shoot his vulgar sentiment。 All
those old women smirking！〃
〃One has to go through it； I suppose。 They won't notice us so
much next time。〃
〃But my point is that their whole attitude is wrong。 An
engagementhorrid word in the first placeis a private matter；
and should be treated as such。〃
Yet the smirking old women； however wrong individually； were
racially correct。 The spirit of the generations had smiled
through them； rejoicing in the engagement of Cecil and Lucy
because it promised the continuance of life on earth。 To Cecil
and Lucy it promised something quite differentpersonal love。
Hence Cecil's irritation and Lucy's belief that his irritation
was just。
〃How tiresome！〃 she said。 〃Couldn't you have escaped to tennis？〃
〃I don't play tennisat least； not in public。 The neighbourhood
is deprived of the romance of me being athletic。 Such romance as
I have is that of the Inglese Italianato。〃
〃Inglese Italianato？〃
〃E un diavolo incarnato！ You know the proverb？〃
She did not。 Nor did it seem applicable to a young man who had
spent a quiet winter in Rome with his mother。 But Cecil； since
his engagement； had taken to affect a cosmopolitan naughtiness
which he was far from possessing。
〃Well；〃 said he； 〃I cannot help it if they do disapprove of me。
There are certain irremovable barriers between myself and them；
and I must accept them。〃
〃We all have our limitations； I suppose；〃 said wise Lucy。
〃Sometimes they are forced on us； though；〃 said Cecil； who saw
from her remark that she did not quite understand his position。
〃How？〃
〃It makes a difference doesn't it； whether we fully fence
ourselves in； or whether we are fenced out by the barriers of
others？〃
She thought a moment； and agreed that it did make a difference。
〃Difference？〃 cried Mrs。 Honeychurch； suddenly alert。 〃I don't
see any difference。 Fences are fences； especially when they are
in the same place。〃
〃We were speaking of motives；〃 said Cecil； on whom the
interruption jarred。
〃My dear Cecil； look here。〃 She spread out her knees and perched
her card…case on her lap。 〃This is me。 That's Windy Corner。 The
rest of the pattern is the other people。 Motives are all very
well； but the fence comes here。〃
〃We weren't talking of real fences；〃 said Lucy； laughing。
〃Oh； I see； dearpoetry。〃
She leant placidly back。 Cecil wondered why Lucy had been amused。
〃I tell you who has no 'fences；' as you call them；〃 she said；
〃and that's Mr。 Beebe。〃
〃A parson fenceless would mean a parson defenceless。〃
Lucy was slow to follow what people said； but quick enough to
detect what they meant。 She missed Cecil's epigram； but grasped
the feeling that prompted it。
〃Don't you like Mr。 Beebe？〃 she asked thoughtfully。
〃I never said so！〃 he cried。 〃I consider him far above the
average。 I only denied〃 And he swept off on the subject of
fences again； and was brilliant。
〃Now； a clergyman that I do hate；〃 said she wanting to say
something sympathetic； 〃a clergyman that does have fences； and
the most dreadful ones； is Mr。 Eager； the English chaplain at
Florence。 He was truly insincerenot merely the manner
unfortunate。 He was a snob； and so conceited； and he did say su