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last few days； which was an accident； perhaps。
〃Which way shall we go？〃 she asked him。
Naturesimplest of topics； she thoughtwas around them。 Summer
Street lay deep in the woods； and she had stopped where a
footpath diverged from the highroad。
〃Are there two ways？〃
〃Perhaps the road is more sensible； as we're got up smart。〃
〃I'd rather go through the wood；〃 said Cecil； With that subdued
irritation that she had noticed in him all the afternoon。 〃Why is
it； Lucy； that you always say the road？ Do you know that you have
never once been with me in the fields or the wood since we were
engaged？〃
〃Haven't I？ The wood； then；〃 said Lucy； startled at his
queerness； but pretty sure that he would explain later； it was
not his habit to leave her in doubt as to his meaning。
She led the way into the whispering pines； and sure enough he
did explain before they had gone a dozen yards。
〃I had got an ideaI dare say wronglythat you feel more at
home with me in a room。〃
〃A room？〃 she echoed； hopelessly bewildered。
〃Yes。 Or； at the most； in a garden； or on a road。 Never in the
real country like this。〃
〃Oh； Cecil； whatever do you mean？ I have never felt anything of
the sort。 You talk as if I was a kind of poetess sort of person。〃
〃I don't know that you aren't。 I connect you with a viewa
certain type of view。 Why shouldn't you connect me with a room？〃
She reflected a moment； and then said； laughing：
〃Do you know that you're right？ I do。 I must be a poetess after
all。 When I think of you it's always as in a room。 How funny！〃
To her surprise； he seemed annoyed。
〃A drawing…room； pray？ With no view？〃
〃Yes； with no view； I fancy。 Why not？〃
〃I'd rather；〃 he said reproachfully； 〃that connected me with the
open air。〃
She said again； 〃Oh； Cecil； whatever do you mean？〃
As no explanation was forthcoming； she shook off the subject as
too difficult for a girl； and led him further into the wood；
pausing every now and then at some particularly beautiful or
familiar combination of the trees。 She had known the wood between
Summer Street and Windy Corner ever since she could walk alone；
she had played at losing Freddy in it； when Freddy was a
purple…faced baby； and though she had been to Italy； it had lost
none of its charm。
Presently they came to a little clearing among the pinesanother
tiny green alp； solitary this time； and holding in its bosom a
shallow pool。
She exclamed； 〃The Sacred Lake！〃
〃Why do you call it that？〃
〃I can't remember why。 I suppose it comes out of some book。 It's
only a puddle now； but you see that stream going through it？
Well； a good deal of water comes down after heavy rains； and
can't get away at once； and the pool becomes quite large and
beautiful。 Then Freddy used to bathe there。 He is very fond of
it。〃
〃And you？〃
He meant； 〃Are you fond of it？〃 But she answered dreamily； 〃I
bathed here； too； till I was found out。 Then there was a row。〃
At another time he might have been shocked； for he had depths of
prudishness within him。 But now？ with his momentary cult of the
fresh air； he was delighted at her admirable simplicity。 He
looked at her as she stood by the pool's edge。 She was got up
smart； as she phrased it； and she reminded him of some brilliant
flower that has no leaves of its own； but blooms abruptly out of
a world of green。
〃Who found you out？〃
〃Charlotte；〃 she murmured。 〃She was stopping with us。 Charlotte
Charlotte。〃
〃Poor girl！〃
She smiled gravely。 A certain scheme； from which hitherto he had
shrank； now appeared practical。
〃Lucy！〃
〃Yes； I suppose we ought to be going；〃 was her reply。
〃Lucy； I want to ask something of you that I have never asked
before。〃
At the serious note in his voice she stepped frankly and kindly
towards him。
〃What； Cecil？〃
〃Hitherto nevernot even that day on the lawn when you agreed to
marry me〃
He became self…conscious and kept glancing round to see if they
were observed。 His courage had gone。
〃Yes？〃
〃Up to now I have never kissed you。〃
She was as scarlet as if he had put the thing most indelicately。
〃Nomore you have；〃 she stammered。
〃Then I ask youmay I now？〃
〃Of course； you may； Cecil。 You might before。 I can't run at you；
you know。〃
At that supreme moment he was conscious of nothing but
absurdities。 Her reply was inadequate。 She gave such a
business…like lift to her veil。 As he approached her he found
time to wish that he could recoil。 As he touched her； his gold
pince…nez became dislodged and was flattened between them。
Such was the embrace。 He considered； with truth； that it had been
a failure。 Passion should believe itself irresistible。 It should
forget civility and consideration and all the other curses of a
refined nature。 Above all； it should never ask for leave where
there is a right of way。 Why could he not do as any labourer or
navvynay； as any young man behind the counter would have
done？ He recast the scene。 Lucy was standing flowerlike by the
water； he rushed up and took her in his arms； she rebuked him；
permitted him and revered him ever after for his manliness。 For
he believed that women revere men for their manliness。
They left the pool in silence； after this one salutation。 He
waited for her to make some remark which should show him her
inmost thoughts。 At last she spoke； and with fitting gravity。
〃Emerson was the name； not Harris。〃
〃What name？〃
〃The old man's。〃
〃What old man？〃
〃That old man I told you about。 The one Mr。 Eager was so unkind
to。〃
He could not know that this was the most intimate conversation
they had ever had。
Chapter X： Cecil as a Humourist
The society out of which Cecil proposed to rescue Lucy was
perhaps no very splendid affair； yet it was more splendid than
her antecedents entitled her to。 Her father； a prosperous local
solicitor； had built Windy Corner； as a speculation at the time
the district was opening up； and； falling in love with his own
creation； had ended by living there himself。 Soon after his
marriage the social atmosphere began to alter。 Other houses were
built on the brow of that steep southern slope and others； again；
among the pine…trees behind； and northward on the chalk barrier
of the downs。 Most of these houses were larger than Windy Corner；
and were filled by people who came； not from the district； but
from London； and who mistook the Honeychurches for the remnants
of an indigenous aristocracy。 He was inclined to be frightened；
but his wife accepted the situation without either pride or
humility。 〃I cannot think what people are doing；〃 she would say；
〃but it is extremely fortunate for the children。〃 She called
everywhere； her calls were returned with enthusiasm； and by the
time people found out that she was not exactly of their milieu；
they l