第15章

Thenextfewmonthspassedaway，asmanyyearscanpassaway，withoutdefiniteevents，andyet，ifsuddenlydisturbed，itwouldbeseenthatsuchmonthsoryearshadacharacterunlikeothers。

ThethreemonthswhichhadpassedhadbroughtthemtothebeginningofMarch。Theclimatehadkeptitspromise，andthechangeofseasonfromwintertospringhadmadeverylittledifference，sothatHelen，whowassittinginthedrawing-roomwithapeninherhand，couldkeepthewindowsopenthoughagreatfireoflogsburntononesideofher。Below，theseawasstillblueandtheroofsstillbrownandwhite，thoughthedaywasfadingrapidly。

Itwasduskintheroom，which，largeandemptyatalltimes，nowappearedlargerandemptierthanusual。Herownfigure，asshesatwritingwithapadonherknee，sharedthegeneraleffectofsizeandlackofdetail，fortheflameswhichranalongthebranches，suddenlydevouringlittlegreentufts，burntintermittentlyandsentirregularilluminationsacrossherfaceandtheplasterwalls。

Therewerenopicturesonthewallsbuthereandthereboughsladenwithheavy-petalledflowersspreadwidelyagainstthem。

Ofthebooksfallenonthebarefloorandheapeduponthelargetable，itwasonlypossibleinthislighttotracetheoutline。

Mrs。Ambrosewaswritingaverylongletter。Beginning“DearBernard，“

itwentontodescribewhathadbeenhappeningintheVillaSanGervasioduringthepastthreemonths，as，forinstance，thattheyhadhadtheBritishConsultodinner，andhadbeentakenoveraSpanishman-of-war，andhadseenagreatmanyprocessionsandreligiousfestivals，whichweresobeautifulthatMrs。Ambrosecouldn’tconceivewhy，ifpeoplemusthaveareligion，theydidn’tallbecomeRomanCatholics。

Theyhadmadeseveralexpeditionsthoughnoneofanylength。Itwasworthcomingifonlyforthesakeofthefloweringtreeswhichgrewwildquitenearthehouse，andtheamazingcoloursofseaandearth。

Theearth，insteadofbeingbrown，wasred，purple，green。“Youwon’tbelieveme，“sheadded，“thereisnocolourlikeitinEngland。“

Sheadopted，indeed，acondescendingtonetowardsthatpoorisland，whichwasnowadvancingchillycrocusesandnippedvioletsinnooks，incopses，incosycorners，tendedbyrosyoldgardenersinmufflers，whowerealwaystouchingtheirhatsandbobbingobsequiously。

Shewentontoderidetheislandersthemselves。RumoursofLondonallinafermentoveraGeneralElectionhadreachedthemevenouthere。

“Itseemsincredible，“shewenton，“thatpeopleshouldcarewhetherAsquithisinorAustenChamberlinout，andwhileyouscreamyourselveshoarseaboutpoliticsyoulettheonlypeoplewhoaretryingforsomethinggoodstarveorsimplylaughatthem。Whenhaveyoueverencouragedalivingartist？Orboughthisbestwork？Whyareyouallsouglyandsoservile？Heretheservantsarehumanbeings。

Theytalktooneasiftheywereequals。AsfarasIcantelltherearenoaristocrats。“

PerhapsitwasthementionofaristocratsthatremindedherofRichardDallowayandRachel，forsheranonwiththesamepenfultodescribeherniece。

“It’sanoddfatethathasputmeinchargeofagirl，“shewrote，“consideringthatIhavenevergotonwellwithwomen，orhadmuchtodowiththem。However，ImustretractsomeofthethingsthatI

havesaidagainstthem。IftheywereproperlyeducatedIdon’tseewhytheyshouldn’tbemuchthesameasmen——assatisfactoryImean；

though，ofcourse，verydifferent。Thequestionis，howshouldoneeducatethem。Thepresentmethodseemstomeabominable。

Thisgirl，thoughtwenty-four，hadneverheardthatmendesiredwomen，and，untilIexplainedit，didnotknowhowchildrenwereborn。

Herignoranceuponothermattersasimportant“(hereMrs。Ambrose’slettermaynotbequoted)……“wascomplete。Itseemstomenotmerelyfoolishbutcriminaltobringpeopleuplikethat。Letalonethesufferingtothem，itexplainswhywomenarewhattheyare——

thewonderisthey’renoworse。Ihavetakenituponmyselftoenlightenher，andnow，thoughstillagooddealprejudicedandliabletoexaggerate，sheismoreorlessareasonablehumanbeing。

Keepingthemignorant，ofcourse，defeatsitsownobject，andwhentheybegintounderstandtheytakeitallmuchtooseriously。

Mybrother-in-lawreallydeservedacatastrophe——whichhewon’tget。

Inowprayforayoungmantocometomyhelp；someone，Imean，whowouldtalktoheropenly，andprovehowabsurdmostofherideasaboutlifeare。Unluckilysuchmenseemalmostasrareasthewomen。

TheEnglishcolonycertainlydoesn’tprovideone；artists，merchants，cultivatedpeople——theyarestupid，conventional，andflirtatious……“Sheceased，andwithherpeninherhandsatlookingintothefire，makingthelogsintocavesandmountains，forithadgrowntoodarktogoonwriting。Moreover，thehousebegantostirasthehourofdinnerapproached；shecouldheartheplatesbeingchinkedinthedining-roomnextdoor，andChaileyinstructingtheSpanishgirlwheretoputthingsdowninvigorousEnglish。Thebellrang；

sherose，metRidleyandRacheloutside，andtheyallwentintodinner。

ThreemonthshadmadebutlittledifferenceintheappearanceeitherofRidleyorRachel；yetakeenobservermighthavethoughtthatthegirlwasmoredefiniteandself-confidentinhermannerthanbefore。

Herskinwasbrown，hereyescertainlybrighter，andsheattendedtowhatwassaidasthoughshemightbegoingtocontradictit。

Themealbeganwiththecomfortablesilenceofpeoplewhoarequiteattheireasetogether。ThenRidley，leaningonhiselbowandlookingoutofthewindow，observedthatitwasalovelynight。

“Yes，“saidHelen。Sheadded，“Theseason’sbegun，“lookingatthelightsbeneaththem。SheaskedMariainSpanishwhetherthehotelwasnotfillingupwithvisitors。Mariainformedherwithpridethattherewouldcomeatimewhenitwaspositivelydifficulttobuyeggs——theshopkeeperswouldnotmindwhatpricestheyasked；

theywouldgetthem，atanyrate，fromtheEnglish。

“That’sanEnglishsteamerinthebay，“saidRachel，lookingatatriangleoflightsbelow。“Shecameinearlythismorning。“

“Thenwemayhopeforsomelettersandsendoursback，“saidHelen。

ForsomereasonthementionoflettersalwaysmadeRidleygroan，andtherestofthemealpassedinabriskargumentbetweenhusbandandwifeastowhetherhewasorwasnotwhollyignoredbytheentirecivilisedworld。

“Consideringthelastbatch，“saidHelen，“youdeservebeating。

Youwereaskedtolecture，youwereofferedadegree，andsomesillywomanpraisednotonlyyourbooksbutyourbeauty——shesaidhewaswhatShelleywouldhavebeenifShelleyhadlivedtofifty-fiveandgrownabeard。Really，Ridley，Ithinkyou’rethevainestmanIknow，“

sheended，risingfromthetable，“whichImaytellyouissayingagooddeal。“

Findingherletterlyingbeforethefiresheaddedafewlinestoit，andthenannouncedthatshewasgoingtotakethelettersnow——

Ridleymustbringhis——andRachel？

“Ihopeyou’vewrittentoyourAunts？It’shightime。“

Thewomenputoncloaksandhats，andafterinvitingRidleytocomewiththem，whichheemphaticallyrefusedtodo，exclaimingthatRachelheexpectedtobeafool，butHelensurelyknewbetter，theyturnedtogo。Hestoodoverthefiregazingintothedepthsofthelooking-glass，andcompressinghisfaceintothelikenessofacommandersurveyingafieldofbattle，oramartyrwatchingtheflameslickhistoes，ratherthanthatofasecludedProfessor。

Helenlaidholdofhisbeard。

“AmIafool？“shesaid。

“Letmego，Helen。“

“AmIafool？“sherepeated。

“Vilewoman！“heexclaimed，andkissedher。

“We’llleaveyoutoyourvanities，“shecalledbackastheywentoutofthedoor。

Itwasabeautifulevening，stilllightenoughtoseealongwaydowntheroad，thoughthestarswerecomingout。Thepillar-boxwasletintoahighyellowwallwherethelanemettheroad，andhavingdroppedthelettersintoit，Helenwasforturningback。

“No，no，“saidRachel，takingherbythewrist。“We’regoingtoseelife。Youpromised。“

“Seeinglife“wasthephrasetheyusedfortheirhabitofstrollingthroughthetownafterdark。ThesociallifeofSantaMarinawascarriedonalmostentirelybylamp-light，whichthewarmthofthenightsandthescentsculledfromflowersmadepleasantenough。

Theyoungwomen，withtheirhairmagnificentlysweptincoils，aredflowerbehindtheear，satonthedoorsteps，orissuedoutontobalconies，whiletheyoungmenrangedupanddownbeneath，shoutingupagreetingfromtimetotimeandstoppinghereandtheretoenterintoamoroustalk。Attheopenwindowsmerchantscouldbeseenmakinguptheday’saccount，andolderwomenliftingjarsfromshelftoshelf。Thestreetswerefullofpeople，menforthemostpart，whointerchangedtheirviewsoftheworldastheywalked，orgatheredroundthewine-tablesatthestreetcorner，whereanoldcripplewastwanginghisguitarstrings，whileapoorgirlcriedherpassionatesonginthegutter。ThetwoEnglishwomenexcitedsomefriendlycuriosity，butnoonemolestedthem。

Helensaunteredon，observingthedifferentpeopleintheirshabbyclothes，whoseemedsocarelessandsonatural，withsatisfaction。

“JustthinkoftheMallto-night！“sheexclaimedatlength。

“It’sthefifteenthofMarch。Perhapsthere’saCourt。“

Shethoughtofthecrowdwaitinginthecoldspringairtoseethegrandcarriagesgoby。“It’sverycold，ifit’snotraining，“

shesaid。“Firsttherearemensellingpicturepostcards；thentherearewretchedlittleshop-girlswithroundbandboxes；thentherearebankclerksintailcoats；andthen——anynumberofdressmakers。

PeoplefromSouthKensingtondriveupinahiredfly；officialshaveapairofbays；earls，ontheotherhand，areallowedonefootmantostandupbehind；dukeshavetwo，royaldukes——soIwastold——

havethree；theking，Isuppose，canhaveasmanyashelikes。

Andthepeoplebelieveinit！“

OuthereitseemedasthoughthepeopleofEnglandmustbeshapedinthebodylikethekingsandqueens，knightsandpawnsofthechessboard，sostrangeweretheirdifferences，somarkedandsoimplicitlybelievedin。

Theyhadtopartinordertocircumventacrowd。

“TheybelieveinGod，“saidRachelastheyregainedeachother。

ShemeantthatthepeopleinthecrowdbelievedinHim；forsherememberedthecrosseswithbleedingplasterfiguresthatstoodwherefoot-pathsjoined，andtheinexplicablemysteryofaserviceinaRomanCatholicchurch。

“Weshallneverunderstand！“shesighed。

Theyhadwalkedsomewayanditwasnownight，buttheycouldseealargeirongatealittlewayfartherdowntheroadontheirleft。

“Doyoumeantogorightuptothehotel？“Helenasked。

Rachelgavethegateapush；itswungopen，and，seeingnooneaboutandjudgingthatnothingwasprivateinthiscountry，theywalkedstraighton。Anavenueoftreesranalongtheroad，whichwascompletelystraight。Thetreessuddenlycametoanend；

theroadturnedacorner，andtheyfoundthemselvesconfrontedbyalargesquarebuilding。Theyhadcomeoutuponthebroadterracewhichranroundthehotelandwereonlyafewfeetdistantfromthewindows。Arowoflongwindowsopenedalmosttotheground。

Theywereallofthemuncurtained，andallbrilliantlylighted，sothattheycouldseeeverythinginside。Eachwindowrevealedadifferentsectionofthelifeofthehotel。Theydrewintooneofthebroadcolumnsofshadowwhichseparatedthewindowsandgazedin。Theyfoundthemselvesjustoutsidethedining-room。Itwasbeingswept；awaiterwaseatingabunchofgrapeswithhislegacrossthecornerofatable。Nextdoorwasthekitchen，wheretheywerewashingup；whitecooksweredippingtheirarmsintocauldrons，whilethewaitersmadetheirmealvoraciouslyoffbrokenmeats，soppingupthegravywithbitsofcrumb。Movingon，theybecamelostinaplantationofbushes，andthensuddenlyfoundthemselvesoutsidethedrawing-room，wheretheladiesandgentlemen，havingdinedwell，laybackindeeparm-chairs，occasionallyspeakingorturningoverthepagesofmagazines。Athinwomanwasflourishingupanddownthepiano。