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〃Is that house to let again； Powell？〃 she called。
〃Yes； miss；〃 he replied。
〃Have they gone？〃
〃It is too far out of town for the young gentleman； and his
father's rheumatism has come on； so he can't stop on alone； so
they are trying to let furnished；〃 was the answer。
〃They have gone； then？〃
〃Yes； miss； they have gone。〃
Lucy sank back。 The carriage stopped at the Rectory。 She got out
to call for Miss Bartlett。 So the Emersons had gone； and all this
bother about Greece had been unnecessary。 Waste！ That word seemed
to sum up the whole of life。 Wasted plans； wasted money； wasted
love； and she had wounded her mother。 Was it possible that she
had muddled things away？ Quite possible。 Other people had。 When
the maid opened the door； she was unable to speak； and stared
stupidly into the hall。
Miss Bartlett at once came forward； and after a long preamble
asked a great favour： might she go to church？ Mr。 Beebe and his
mother had already gone； but she had refused to start until she
obtained her hostess's full sanction； for it would mean keeping
the horse waiting a good ten minutes more。
〃Certainly；〃 said the hostess wearily。 〃I forgot it was Friday。
Let's all go。 Powell can go round to the stables。〃
〃Lucy dearest〃
〃No church for me； thank you。〃
A sigh； and they departed。 The church was invisible； but up in
the darkness to the left there was a hint of colour。 This was a
stained window； through which some feeble light was shining； and
when the door opened Lucy heard Mr。 Beebe's voice running through
the litany to a minute congregation。 Even their church； built
upon the slope of the hill so artfully； with its beautiful raised
transept and its spire of silvery shingleeven their church had
lost its charm； and the thing one never talked aboutreligion
was fading like all the other things。
She followed the maid into the Rectory。
Would she object to sitting in Mr。 Beebe's study？ There was only
that one fire。
She would not object。
Some one was there already； for Lucy heard the words： 〃A lady to
wait； sir。〃
Old Mr。 Emerson was sitting by the fire； with his foot upon a
gout…stool。
〃Oh； Miss Honeychurch； that you should come！〃 he quavered； and
Lucy saw an alteration in him since last Sunday。
Not a word would come to her lips。 George she had faced； and
could have faced again； but she had forgotten how to treat his
father。
〃Miss Honeychurch； dear； we are so sorry！ George is so sorry！ He
thought he had a right to try。 I cannot blame my boy； and yet I
wish he had told me first。 He ought not to have tried。 I knew
nothing about it at all。〃
If only she could remember how to behave！
He held up his hand。 〃But you must not scold him。〃
Lucy turned her back； and began to look at Mr。 Beebe's books。
〃I taught him；〃 he quavered； 〃to trust in love。 I said： 'When
love comes； that is reality。' I said： 'Passion does not blind。
No。 Passion is sanity； and the woman you love； she is the only
person you will ever really understand。'〃 He sighed： 〃True；
everlastingly true； though my day is over； and though there is
the result。 Poor boy！ He is so sorry！ He said he knew it was
madness when you brought your cousin in； that whatever you felt
you did not mean。 Yet〃his voice gathered strength： he spoke
out to make certain〃Miss Honeychurch； do you remember Italy？〃
Lucy selected a booka volume of Old Testament commentaries。
Holding it up to her eyes； she said： 〃I have no wish to discuss
Italy or any subject connected with your son。〃
〃But you do remember it？〃
〃He has misbehaved himself from the first。〃
〃I only was told that he loved you last Sunday。 I never could
judge behaviour。 IIsuppose he has。〃
Feeling a little steadier； she put the book back and turned round
to him。 His face was drooping and swollen； but his eyes； though
they were sunken deep； gleamed with a child's courage。
〃Why； he has behaved abominably；〃 she said。 〃I am glad he is
sorry。 Do you know what he did？〃
〃Not 'abominably；'〃 was the gentle correction。 〃He only tried
when he should not have tried。 You have all you want； Miss
Honeychurch： you are going to marry the man you love。 Do not go
out of George's life saying he is abominable。〃
〃No； of course；〃 said Lucy； ashamed at the reference to Cecil。
〃'Abominable' is much too strong。 I am sorry I used it about your
son。 I think I will go to church； after all。 My mother and my
cousin have gone。 I shall not be so very late〃
〃Especially as he has gone under；〃 he said quietly。
〃What was that？〃
〃Gone under naturally。〃 He beat his palms together in silence；
his head fell on his chest。
〃I don't understand。〃
〃As his mother did。〃
〃But； Mr。 EmersonMR。 EMERSONwhat are you talking about？〃
〃When I wouldn't have George baptized；〃 said he。
Lucy was frightened。
〃And she agreed that baptism was nothing； but he caught that
fever when he was twelve and she turned round。 She thought it a
judgment。〃 He shuddered。 〃Oh； horrible； when we had given up that
sort of thing and broken away from her parents。 Oh； horrible
worst of allworse than death； when you have made a little
clearing in the wilderness； planted your little garden； let in
your sunlight； and then the weeds creep in again！ A judgment！ And
our boy had typhoid because no clergyman had dropped water on him
in church！ Is it possible； Miss Honeychurch？ Shall we slip back
into the darkness for ever？〃
〃I don't know；〃 gasped Lucy。 〃I don't understand this sort of
thing。 I was not meant to understand it。〃
〃But Mr。 Eagerhe came when I was out； and acted according to
his principles。 I don't blame him or any one。。。 but by the time
George was well she was ill。 He made her think about sin； and she
went under thinking about it。〃
It was thus that Mr。 Emerson had murdered his wife in the sight
of God。
〃Oh； how terrible！〃 said Lucy； forgetting her own affairs at
last。
〃He was not baptized；〃 said the old man。 〃I did hold firm。〃 And
he looked with unwavering eyes at the rows of books； as ifat
what cost！he had won a victory over them。 〃My boy shall go back
to the earth untouched。〃
She asked whether young Mr。 Emerson was ill。
〃Ohlast Sunday。〃 He started into the present。 〃George last
Sundayno； not ill： just gone under。 He is never ill。 But he is
his mother's son。 Her eyes were his； and she had that forehead
that I think so beautiful； and he will not think it worth while
to live。 It was always touch and go。 He will live； but he will
not think it worth while to live。 He will never think anything
worth while。 You remember that church at Florence？〃
Lucy did remember； and how she had suggested that George should
collect postage stamps。
〃After you left Florencehorrible。 Then we took the house here；
and he goes bathing with your brother； and became better。 You saw
him bathing？〃
〃I am so s