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there was a force in you that I hadn't known of up till now。〃
〃All right； Cecil； that will do。 Don't apologize to me。 It was my
mistake。〃
〃It is a question between ideals； yours and minepure abstract
ideals； and yours are the nobler。 I was bound up in the old
vicious notions； and all the time you were splendid and new。〃 His
voice broke。 〃I must actually thank you for what you have done
for showing me what I really am。 Solemnly； I thank you for
showing me a true woman。 Will you shake hands？〃
〃Of course I will；〃 said Lucy； twisting up her other hand in the
curtains。 〃Good…night； Cecil。 Good…bye。 That's all right。 I'm
sorry about it。 Thank you very much for your gentleness。〃
〃Let me light your candle； shall I？〃
They went into the hall。
〃Thank you。 Good…night again。 God bless you； Lucy！〃
〃Good…bye； Cecil。〃
She watched him steal up…stairs； while the shadows from three
banisters passed over her face like the beat of wings。 On the
landing he paused strong in his renunciation； and gave her a
look of memorable beauty。 For all his culture； Cecil was an
ascetic at heart； and nothing in his love became him like the
leaving of it。
She could never marry。 In the tumult of her soul； that stood
firm。 Cecil believed in her； she must some day believe in
herself。 She must be one of the women whom she had praised so
eloquently； who care for liberty and not for men； she must forget
that George loved her； that George had been thinking through her
and gained her this honourable release； that George had gone
away intowhat was it？the darkness。
She put out the lamp。
It did not do to think； nor； for the matter of that to feel。 She
gave up trying to understand herself； and the vast armies of the
benighted； who follow neither the heart nor the brain； and
march to their destiny by catch…words。 The armies are full of
pleasant and pious folk。 But they have yielded to the only enemy
that mattersthe enemy within。 They have sinned against passion
and truth； and vain will be their strife after virtue。 As the
years pass； they are censured。 Their pleasantry and their piety
show cracks； their wit becomes cynicism； their unselfishness
hypocrisy； they feel and produce discomfort wherever they go。
They have sinned against Eros and against Pallas Athene； and not
by any heavenly intervention； but by the ordinary course of
nature； those allied deities will be avenged。
Lucy entered this army when she pretended to George that she did
not love him； and pretended to Cecil that she loved no one。 The
night received her； as it had received Miss Bartlett thirty years
before。
Chapter XVIII： Lying to Mr。 Beebe； Mrs。 Honeychurch； Freddy； and
The Servants
Windy Corner lay； not on the summit of the ridge； but a few
hundred feet down the southern slope； at the springing of one of
the great buttresses that supported the hill。 On either side of
it was a shallow ravine； filled with ferns and pine…trees； and
down the ravine on the left ran the highway into the Weald。
Whenever Mr。 Beebe crossed the ridge and caught sight of these
noble dispositions of the earth； and； poised in the middle of
them； Windy Corner；he laughed。 The situation was so glorious；
the house so commonplace； not to say impertinent。 The late Mr。
Honeychurch had affected the cube； because it gave him the most
accommodation for his money； and the only addition made by his
widow had been a small turret； shaped like a rhinoceros' horn；
where she could sit in wet weather and watch the carts going up
and down the road。 So impertinentand yet the house 〃did；〃 for
it was the home of people who loved their surroundings honestly。
Other houses in the neighborhood had been built by expensive
architects； over others their inmates had fidgeted sedulously；
yet all these suggested the accidental； the temporary； while
Windy Corner seemed as inevitable as an ugliness of Nature's own
creation。 One might laugh at the house； but one never shuddered。
Mr。 Beebe was bicycling over this Monday afternoon with a piece
of gossip。 He had heard from the Miss Alans。 These admirable
ladies； since they could not go to Cissie Villa； had changed
their plans。 They were going to Greece instead。
〃Since Florence did my poor sister so much good；〃 wrote Miss
Catharine； 〃we do not see why we should not try Athens this
winter。 Of course； Athens is a plunge； and the doctor has ordered
her special digestive bread； but； after all； we can take that
with us； and it is only getting first into a steamer and then
into a train。 But is there an English Church？〃 And the letter
went on to say： 〃I do not expect we shall go any further than
Athens； but if you knew of a really comfortable pension at
Constantinople； we should be so grateful。〃
Lucy would enjoy this letter； and the smile with which Mr。 Beebe
greeted Windy Corner was partly for her。 She would see the fun of
it； and some of its beauty； for she must see some beauty。 Though
she was hopeless about pictures； and though she dressed so
unevenlyoh； that cerise frock yesterday at church！she must
see some beauty in life； or she could not play the piano as she
did。 He had a theory that musicians are incredibly complex； and
know far less than other artists what they want and what they
are； that they puzzle themselves as well as their friends； that
their psychology is a modern development； and has not yet been
understood。 This theory； had he known it； had possibly just been
illustrated by facts。 Ignorant of the events of yesterday he was
only riding over to get some tea； to see his niece； and to
observe whether Miss Honeychurch saw anything beautiful in the
desire of two old ladies to visit Athens。
A carriage was drawn up outside Windy Corner； and just as he
caught sight of the house it started； bowled up the drive； and
stopped abruptly when it reached the main road。 Therefore it must
be the horse； who always expected people to walk up the hill in
case they tired him。 The door opened obediently； and two men
emerged； whom Mr。 Beebe recognized as Cecil and Freddy。 They were
an odd couple to go driving； but he saw a trunk beside the
coachman's legs。 Cecil； who wore a bowler； must be going away；
while Freddy （a cap）was seeing him to the station。 They walked
rapidly； taking the short cuts； and reached the summit while the
carriage was still pursuing the windings of the road。
They shook hands with the clergyman； but did not speak。
〃So you're off for a minute； Mr。 Vyse？〃 he asked。
Cecil said； 〃Yes；〃 while Freddy edged away。
〃I was coming to show you this delightful letter from those
friends of Miss Honeychurch。 He quoted from it。 〃Isn't it
wonderful？ Isn't it romance？ most certainly they will go to
Constantinople。 They are taken in a snare that cannot fail。 They
will end by going round the world。〃
Cecil listened civilly； and said he was sure that Lucy would be
amused and interested。
〃Isn't