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summer； but spoil us by not asking her to come。〃
〃Hear； hear！〃 said Cecil。
Mrs。 Honeychurch； with more gravity than usual； and with more
feeling than she usually permitted herself； replied： 〃This isn't
very kind of you two。 You have each other and all these woods to
walk in； so full of beautiful things； and poor Charlotte has only
the water turned off and plumbers。 You are young； dears； and
however clever young people are； and however many books they
read； they will never guess what it feels like to grow old。〃
Cecil crumbled his bread。
〃I must say Cousin Charlotte was very kind to me that year I
called on my bike；〃 put in Freddy。 〃She thanked me for coming
till I felt like such a fool； and fussed round no end to get an
egg boiled for my tea just right。〃
〃I know； dear。 She is kind to every one； and yet Lucy makes this
difficulty when we try to give her some little return。〃
But Lucy hardened her heart。 It was no good being kind to Miss
Bartlett。 She had tried herself too often and too recently。 One
might lay up treasure in heaven by the attempt； but one enriched
neither Miss Bartlett nor any one else upon earth。 She was
reduced to saying： 〃I can't help it； mother。 I don't like
Charlotte。 I admit it's horrid of me。〃
〃From your own account； you told her as much。〃
〃Well； she would leave Florence so stupidly。 She flurried〃
The ghosts were returning； they filled Italy； they were even
usurping the places she had known as a child。 The Sacred Lake
would never be the same again； and； on Sunday week； something
would even happen to Windy Corner。 How would she fight against
ghosts？ For a moment the visible world faded away； and memories
and emotions alone seemed real。
〃I suppose Miss Bartlett must come； since she boils eggs so
well；〃 said Cecil； who was in rather a happier frame of mind；
thanks to the admirable cooking。
〃I didn't mean the egg was WELL boiled；〃 corrected Freddy；
〃because in point of fact she forgot to take it off； and as a
matter of fact I don't care for eggs。 I only meant how jolly kind
she seemed。〃
Cecil frowned again。 Oh； these Honeychurches！ Eggs； boilers；
hydrangeas； maidsof such were their lives compact。 〃May me and
Lucy get down from our chairs？〃 he asked； with scarcely veiled
insolence。 〃We don't want no dessert。〃
Chapter XIV ： How Lucy Faced the External Situation Bravely
0f course Miss Bartlett accepted。 And； equally of course； she
felt sure that she would prove a nuisance； and begged to be given
an inferior spare roomsomething with no view； anything。 Her
love to Lucy。 And； equally of course； George Emerson could come
to tennis on the Sunday week。
Lucy faced the situation bravely； though； like most of us； she
only faced the situation that encompassed her。 She never gazed
inwards。 If at times strange images rose from the depths； she put
them down to nerves。 When Cecil brought the Emersons to Summer
Street； it had upset her nerves。 Charlotte would burnish up past
foolishness； and this might upset her nerves。 She was nervous at
night。 When she talked to Georgethey met again almost
immediately at the Rectoryhis voice moved her deeply； and she
wished to remain near him。 How dreadful if she really wished to
remain near him！ Of course； the wish was due to nerves； which
love to play such perverse tricks upon us。 Once she had suffered
from 〃things that came out of nothing and meant she didn't
know what。〃 Now Cecil had explained psychology to her one wet
afternoon； and all the troubles of youth in an unknown world
could be dismissed。
It is obvious enough for the reader to conclude； 〃She loves young
Emerson。〃 A reader in Lucy's place would not find it obvious。
Life is easy to chronicle； but bewildering to practice； and we
welcome 〃nerves〃 or any other shibboleth that will cloak our
personal desire。 She loved Cecil； George made her nervous； will
the reader explain to her that the phrases should have been
reversed？
But the external situationshe will face that bravely。
The meeting at the Rectory had passed off well enough。 Standing
between Mr。 Beebe and Cecil； she had made a few temperate
allusions to Italy； and George had replied。 She was anxious to
show that she was not shy； and was glad that he did not seem shy
either。
〃A nice fellow；〃 said Mr。 Beebe afterwards 〃He will work off his
crudities in time。 I rather mistrust young men who slip into life
gracefully。〃
Lucy said； 〃He seems in better spirits。 He laughs more。〃
〃Yes；〃 replied the clergyman。 〃He is waking up。〃
That was all。 But； as the week wore on； more of her defences
fell； and she entertained an image that had physical beauty。
In spite of the clearest directions； Miss Bartlett contrived to
bungle her arrival。 She was due at the South…Eastern station at
Dorking； whither Mrs。 Honeychurch drove to meet her。 She arrived
at the London and Brighton station； and had to hire a cab up。 No
one was at home except Freddy and his friend； who had to stop
their tennis and to entertain her for a solid hour。 Cecil and
Lucy turned up at four o'clock； and these； with little Minnie
Beebe； made a somewhat lugubrious sextette upon the upper
lawn for tea。
〃I shall never forgive myself；〃 said Miss Bartlett； who kept on
rising from her seat； and had to be begged by the united company
to remain。 〃I have upset everything。 Bursting in on young people！
But I insist on paying for my cab up。 Grant that； at any rate。〃
〃Our visitors never do such dreadful things；〃 said Lucy； while
her brother； in whose memory the boiled egg had already grown
unsubstantial； exclaimed in irritable tones： 〃Just what I've been
trying to convince Cousin Charlotte of； Lucy； for the last half
hour。〃
〃I do not feel myself an ordinary visitor；〃 said Miss Bartlett；
and looked at her frayed glove
〃All right； if you'd really rather。 Five shillings； and I gave a
bob to the driver。〃
Miss Bartlett looked in her purse。 Only sovereigns and pennies。
Could any one give her change？ Freddy had half a quid and his
friend had four half…crowns。 Miss Bartlett accepted their moneys
and then said： 〃But who am I to give the sovereign to？〃
〃Let's leave it all till mother comes back；〃 suggested Lucy。
〃No； dear； your mother may take quite a long drive now that she
is not hampered with me。 We all have our little foibles； and mine
is the prompt settling of accounts。〃
Here Freddy's friend； Mr。 Floyd； made the one remark of his that
need be quoted： he offered to toss Freddy for Miss Bartlett's
quid。 A solution seemed in sight； and even Cecil； who had been
ostentatiously drinking his tea at the view； felt the eternal
attraction of Chance； and turned round。
But this did not do； either。
〃PleasepleaseI know I am a sad spoilsport； but it would make
me wretched。 I should practically be robbing the one who lost。〃
〃Freddy owes me fifteen shillings；〃 interposed Cecil。 〃So