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〃Giottothey got that at Florence； I'll be bound。〃
〃The same as Lucy's got。〃
〃Oh； by…the…by； did Miss Honeychurch enjoy London？〃
〃She came back yesterday。〃
〃I suppose she had a good time？〃
〃Yes； very；〃 said Freddy； taking up a book。 〃She and Cecil are
thicker than ever。〃
〃That's good hearing。〃
〃I wish I wasn't such a fool； Mr。 Beebe。〃
Mr。 Beebe ignored the remark。
〃Lucy used to be nearly as stupid as I am； but it'll be very
different now； mother thinks。 She will read all kinds of books。〃
〃So will you。〃
〃Only medical books。 Not books that you can talk about
afterwards。 Cecil is teaching Lucy Italian； and he says her
playing is wonderful。 There are all kinds of things in it that we
have never noticed。 Cecil says〃
〃What on earth are those people doing upstairs？ Emersonwe think
we'll come another time。〃
George ran down…stairs and pushed them into the room without
speaking。
〃Let me introduce Mr。 Honeychurch； a neighbour。〃
Then Freddy hurled one of the thunderbolts of youth。 Perhaps he
was shy； perhaps he was friendly； or perhaps he thought that
George's face wanted washing。 At all events he greeted him with；
〃How d'ye do？ Come and have a bathe。〃
〃Oh； all right；〃 said George； impassive。
Mr。 Beebe was highly entertained。
〃'How d'ye do？ how d'ye do？ Come and have a bathe；'〃 he chuckled。
〃That's the best conversational opening I've ever heard。 But I'm
afraid it will only act between men。 Can you picture a lady who
has been introduced to another lady by a third lady opening
civilities with 'How do you do？ Come and have a bathe'？ And yet
you will tell me that the sexes are equal。〃
〃I tell you that they shall be；〃 said Mr。 Emerson； who had been
slowly descending the stairs。 〃Good afternoon； Mr。 Beebe。 I tell
you they shall be comrades； and George thinks the same。〃
〃We are to raise ladies to our level？〃 the clergyman inquired。
〃The Garden of Eden；〃 pursued Mr。 Emerson； still descending；
〃which you place in the past； is really yet to come。 We shall
enter it when we no longer despise our bodies。〃
Mr。 Beebe disclaimed placing the Garden of Eden anywhere。
〃In thisnot in other thingswe men are ahead。 We despise the
body less than women do。 But not until we are comrades shall we
enter the garden。〃
〃I say； what about this bathe？〃 murmured Freddy； appalled at the
mass of philosophy that was approaching him。
〃I believed in a return to Nature once。 But how can we return to
Nature when we have never been with her？ To…day； I believe that
we must discover Nature。 After many conquests we shall attain
simplicity。 It is our heritage。〃
〃Let me introduce Mr。 Honeychurch； whose sister you will remember
at Florence。〃
〃How do you do？ Very glad to see you； and that you are taking
George for a bathe。 Very glad to hear that your sister is going
to marry。 Marriage is a duty。 I am sure that she will be happy；
for we know Mr。 Vyse； too。 He has been most kind。 He met us by
chance in the National Gallery； and arranged everything about
this delightful house。 Though I hope I have not vexed Sir Harry
Otway。 I have met so few Liberal landowners； and I was anxious to
compare his attitude towards the game laws with the Conservative
attitude。 Ah； this wind！ You do well to bathe。 Yours is a
glorious country； Honeychurch！〃
〃Not a bit！〃 mumbled Freddy。 〃I mustthat is to say； I have to
have the pleasure of calling on you later on； my mother says； I
hope。〃
〃CALL； my lad？ Who taught us that drawing…room twaddle？ Call on
your grandmother！ Listen to the wind among the pines！ Yours is a
glorious country。〃
Mr。 Beebe came to the rescue。
〃Mr。 Emerson； he will call； I shall call； you or your son will
return our calls before ten days have elapsed。 I trust that you
have realized about the ten days' interval。 It does not count
that I helped you with the stair…eyes yesterday。 It does not
count that they are going to bathe this afternoon。〃
〃Yes； go and bathe； George。 Why do you dawdle talking？ Bring them
back to tea。 Bring back some milk； cakes； honey。 The change will
do you good。 George has been working very hard at his office。 I
can't believe he's well。〃
George bowed his head； dusty and sombre； exhaling the peculiar
smell of one who has handled furniture。
〃Do you really want this bathe？〃 Freddy asked him。 〃It is only a
pond； don't you know。 I dare say you are used to something
better。〃
〃YesI have said 'Yes' already。〃
Mr。 Beebe felt bound to assist his young friend； and led the way
out of the house and into the pine…woods。 How glorious it was！ For
a little time the voice of old Mr。 Emerson pursued them
dispensing good wishes and philosophy。 It ceased； and they only
heard the fair wind blowing the bracken and the trees。 Mr。 Beebe；
who could be silent； but who could not bear silence； was
compelled to chatter； since the expedition looked like a failure；
and neither of his companions would utter a word。 He spoke of
Florence。 George attended gravely； assenting or dissenting with
slight but determined gestures that were as inexplicable as the
motions of the tree…tops above their heads。
And what a coincidence that you should meet Mr。 Vyse！ Did you
realize that you would find all the Pension Bertolini down here？〃
〃I did not。 Miss Lavish told me。〃
〃When I was a young man； I always meant to write a 'History of
Coincidence。'〃
No enthusiasm。
〃Though； as a matter of fact； coincidences are much rarer than we
suppose。 For example； it isn't purely coincidentally that you are
here now； when one comes to reflect。〃
To his relief； George began to talk。
〃It is。 I have reflected。 It is Fate。 Everything is Fate。 We are
flung together by Fate； drawn apart by Fateflung together；
drawn apart。 The twelve winds blow uswe settle nothing〃
〃You have not reflected at all；〃 rapped the clergyman。 〃Let me
give you a useful tip； Emerson： attribute nothing to Fate。 Don't
say； 'I didn't do this；' for you did it； ten to one。 Now I'll
cross…question you。 Where did you first meet Miss Honeychurch and
myself？〃
〃Italy。〃
〃And where did you meet Mr。 Vyse； who is going to marry Miss
Honeychurch？〃
〃National Gallery。〃
〃Looking at Italian art。 There you are； and yet you talk of
coincidence and Fate。 You naturally seek out things Italian； and
so do we and our friends。 This narrows the field immeasurably
we meet again in it。〃
〃It is Fate that I am here；〃 persisted George。 〃But you can call
it Italy if it makes you less unhappy。〃
Mr。 Beebe slid away from such heavy treatment of the subject。
But he was infinitely tolerant of the young； and had no desire
to snub George。
〃And so for this and for other reasons my 〃'History of
Coincidence' is still to write。〃
Silence。
Wishing to round off the episode； he added； 〃We are all so glad
that you have come。〃