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straight over our heads； and that all these views on earth are
but bungled copies of it。〃
〃I expect your father has been reading Dante；〃 said Cecil；
fingering the novel； which alone permitted him to lead the
conversation。
〃He told us another day that views are really crowdscrowds of
trees and houses and hillsand are bound to resemble each other；
like human crowdsand that the power they have over us is
sometimes supernatural； for the same reason。〃
Lucy's lips parted。
〃For a crowd is more than the people who make it up。 Something
gets added to itno one knows howjust as something has got
added to those hills。〃
He pointed with his racquet to the South Downs。
〃What a splendid idea！〃 she murmured。 〃I shall enjoy hearing your
father talk again。 I'm so sorry he's not so well。〃
〃No； he isn't well。〃
〃There's an absurd account of a view in this book；〃 said Cecil。
〃Also that men fall into two classesthose who forget views and
those who remember them； even in small rooms。〃
〃Mr。 Emerson； have you any brothers or sisters？〃
〃None。 Why？〃
〃You spoke of 'us。'〃
〃My mother； I was meaning。〃
Cecil closed the novel with a bang。
〃Oh； Cecilhow you made me jump！〃
〃I will inflict Joseph Emery Prank on you no longer。〃
〃I can just remember us all three going into the country for the
day and seeing as far as Hindhead。 It is the first thing that I
remember。〃
Cecil got up； the man was ill…bredhe hadn't put on his coat
after tennishe didn't do。 He would have strolled away if Lucy
had not stopped him。
〃Cecil； do read the thing about the view。〃
〃Not while Mr。 Emerson is here to entertain us。〃
〃Noread away。 I think nothing's funnier than to hear silly
things read out loud。 If Mr。 Emerson thinks us frivolous； he can
go。〃
This struck Cecil as subtle； and pleased him。 It put their
visitor in the position of a prig。 Somewhat mollified； he sat
down again。
〃Mr。 Emerson； go and find tennis balls。〃 She opened the book。
Cecil must have his reading and anything else that he liked。 But
her attention wandered to George's mother； whoaccording to Mr。
Eagerhad been murdered in the sight of God according to her
sonhad seen as far as Hindhead。
〃Am I really to go？〃 asked George。
〃No； of course not really；〃 she answered。
〃Chapter two；〃 said Cecil； yawning。 〃Find me chapter two； if it
isn't bothering you。〃
Chapter two was found； and she glanced at its opening sentences。
She thought she had gone mad。
〃Herehand me the book。〃
She heard her voice saying： 〃It isn't worth readingit's too
silly to readI never saw such rubbishit oughtn't to be
allowed to be printed。〃
He took the book from her。
〃'Leonora；'〃 he read； 〃'sat pensive and alone。 Before her lay the
rich champaign of Tuscany； dotted over with many a smiling
village。 The season was spring。'〃
Miss Lavish knew； somehow； and had printed the past in draggled
prose； for Cecil to read and for George to hear。
〃'A golden haze；'〃 he read。 He read： 〃'Afar off the towers of
Florence； while the bank on which she sat was carpeted with
violets。 All unobserved Antonio stole up behind her'〃
Lest Cecil should see her face she turned to George and saw his
face。
He read： 〃'There came from his lips no wordy protestation such as
formal lovers use。 No eloquence was his； nor did he suffer from
the lack of it。 He simply enfolded her in his manly arms。'〃
〃This isn't the passage I wanted；〃 he informed them。 〃there is
another much funnier； further on。〃 He turned over the leaves。
〃Should we go in to tea？〃 said Lucy； whose voice remained steady。
She led the way up the garden； Cecil following her； George last。
She thought a disaster was averted。 But when they entered the
shrubbery it came。 The book； as if it had not worked mischief
enough； had been forgotten； and Cecil must go back for it； and
George； who loved passionately； must blunder against her in the
narrow path。
〃No〃 she gasped； and； for the second time； was kissed by him。
As if no more was possible； he slipped back； Cecil rejoined her；
they reached the upper lawn alone。
Chapter XVI： Lying to George
But Lucy had developed since the spring。 That is to say； she was
now better able to stifle the emotions of which the conventions
and the world disapprove。 Though the danger was greater； she was
not shaken by deep sobs。 She said to Cecil； 〃I am not coming in
to teatell motherI must write some letters；〃 and went up to
her room。 Then she prepared for action。 Love felt and
returned； love which our bodies exact and our hearts have
transfigured； love which is the most real thing that we shall
ever meet； reappeared now as the world's enemy； and she must
stifle it。
She sent for Miss Bartlett。
The contest lay not between love and duty。 Perhaps there never is
such a contest。 It lay between the real and the pretended； and
Lucy's first aim was to defeat herself。 As her brain clouded
over； as the memory of the views grew dim and the words of the
book died away； she returned to her old shibboleth of nerves。 She
〃conquered her breakdown。〃 Tampering with the truth； she forgot
that the truth had ever been。 Remembering that she was engaged to
Cecil； she compelled herself to confused remembrances of George；
he was nothing to her； he never had been anything； he had behaved
abominably； she had never encouraged him。 The armour of falsehood
is subtly wrought out of darkness； and hides a man not only from
others； but from his own soul。 In a few moments Lucy was equipped
for battle。
〃Something too awful has happened；〃 she began； as soon as her
cousin arrived。 〃Do you know anything about Miss Lavish's novel？〃
Miss Bartlett looked surprised； and said that she had not read
the book； nor known that it was published； Eleanor was a reticent
woman at heart。
〃There is a scene in it。 The hero and heroine make love。 Do you
know about that？〃
〃Dear？〃
〃Do you know about it； please？〃 she repeated。 〃They are on a
hillside； and Florence is in the distance。〃
〃My good Lucia； I am all at sea。 I know nothing about it
whatever。〃
〃There are violets。 I cannot believe it is a coincidence。
Charlotte； Charlotte； how could you have told her？ I have thought
before speaking； it must be you。〃
〃Told her what？〃 she asked； with growing agitation。
〃About that dreadful afternoon in February。〃
Miss Bartlett was genuinely moved。 〃Oh； Lucy； dearest girlshe
hasn't put that in her book？〃
Lucy nodded。
〃Not so that one could recognize it。 Yes。〃
〃Then nevernevernever more shall Eleanor Lavish be a friend
of mine。〃
〃So you did tell？〃
〃I did just happenwhen I had tea with her at Romein the
course of conversation〃
〃But Charlottewhat about the promise you gave me when we were
packing？ Why did you tell Miss Lavish； when you wouldn't even let
m