Chapter 1

urposeofwakingtheplaceup,andcoasteddowntheHighStreetoneSundayevening,fallingoffattheturnbythechurch.Ifshehadnotbeenarelative,itwouldhavebeenentertaining.ButevenPhilip,whointheorylovedoutragingEnglishconventions,rosetotheoccasion,andgaveheratalkingwhichsherememberedtoherdyingday.Itwasjustthen,too,thattheydiscoveredthatshestillallowedMr.Kingcrofttowritetoher“asagentlemanfriend,”andtosendpresentstoIrma. PhilipthoughtofItaly,andthesituationwassaved.Caroline,charming,sober,CarolineAbbott,wholivedtwoturningsaway,wasseekingacompanionforayear’stravel.Liliagaveupherhouse,soldhalfherfurniture,lefttheotherhalfandIrmawithMrs.Herriton,andhadnowdeparted,amiduniversalapproval,forachangeofscene. Shewrotetothemfrequentlyduringthewinter—morefrequentlythanshewrotetohermother.Herletterswerealwaysprosperous.Florenceshefoundperfectlysweet,Naplesadream,butverywhiffy.InRomeonehadsimplytositstillandfeel.Philip,however,declaredthatshewasimproving.Hewasparticularlygratifiedwhenintheearlyspringshebegantovisitthesmallertownsthathehadrecommended.“Inaplacelikethis,”shewrote,“onereallydoesfeelintheheartofthings,andoffthebeatentrack.LookingoutofaGothicwindoweverymorning,itseemsimpossiblethatthemiddleageshavepassedaway.”TheletterwasfromMonteriano,andconcludedwithanotunsuccessfuldescriptionofthewonderfullittletown. “Itissomethingthatsheiscontented,”saidMrs.Herriton.“ButnoonecouldlivethreemonthswithCarolineAbbottandnotbethebetterforit.” JustthenIrmacameinfromschool,andshereadhermother’slettertoher,carefullycorrectinganygrammaticalerrors,forshewasaloyalsupporterofparentalauthority—Irmalistenedpolitely,butsoonchangedthesubjecttohockey,inwhichherwholebeingwasabsorbed.Theyweretovoteforcoloursthatafternoon—yellowandwhiteoryellowandgreen.Whatdidhergrandmotherthink? OfcourseMrs.Herritonhadanopinion,whichshesedatelyexpounded,inspiteofHarriet,whosaidthatcolourswereunnecessaryforchildren,andofPhilip,whosaidthattheywereugly.ShewasgettingproudofIrma,whohadcertainlygreatlyimproved,andcouldnolongerbecalledthatmostappallingofthings—avulgarchild.Shewasanxioustoformherbeforehermotherreturned.Soshehadnoobjectiontotheleisurelymovementsofthetravellers,andevensuggestedthattheyshouldoverstaytheiryearifitsuitedthem. Lilia’snextletterwasalsofromMonteriano,andPhilipgrewquiteenthusiastic. “They’vestoppedthereoveraweek!”hecried.“Why!Ishouldn’thavedoneasmuchmyself.Theymustbereallykeen,forthehotel’snonetoocomfortable.” “Icannotunderstandpeople,”saidHarriet.“Whatcantheybedoingallday?Andthereisnochurchthere,Isuppose.” “ThereisSantaDeodata,oneofthemostbeautifulchurchesinItaly.” “OfcourseImeananEnglishchurch,”saidHarrietstiffly.“LiliapromisedmethatshewouldalwaysbeinalargetownonSundays.” “IfshegoestoaserviceatSantaDeodata’s,shewillfindmorebeautyandsinceritythanthereisinalltheBackKitchensofEurope.” TheBackKitchenwashisnicknameforSt.James’s,asmalldepressingedificemuchpatronizedbyhissister.Shealwaysresentedanyslightonit,andMrs.Herritonhadtointervene. “Now,dears,don’t.ListentoLilia’sletter.‘Welovethisplace,andIdonotknowhowIshalleverthankPhilipfortellingmeit.Itisnotonlysoquaint,butoneseestheItaliansunspoiledinalltheirsimplicityandcharmhere.Thefrescoesarewonderful.Caroline,whogrowssweetereveryday,isverybusysketching.’” “Everyonetohistaste!”saidHarriet,whoalwaysdeliveredaplatitudeasifitwasanepigram.ShewascuriouslyvirulentaboutItaly,whichshehadnevervisited,heronlyexperienceoftheContinentbeinganoccasionalsixweeksintheProtestantpartsofSwitzerland. “Oh,Harrietisabadlot!”saidPhilipassoonasshelefttheroom.Hismotherlaughed,andtoldhimnottobenaughtyandtheappearanceofIrma,justofftoschool,preventedfurtherdiscussion.NotonlyinTractsisachildapeacemaker. “Onemoment,Irma,”saidheruncle.“I’mgoingtothestation.I’llgiveyouthepleasureofmycompany.” Theystartedtogether.Irmawasgratifiedbutconversationflagged,forPhiliphadnottheartoftalkingtotheyoung.Mrs.Herritonsatalittlelongeratthebreakfasttable,re-readingLilia’sletter.Thenshehelpedthecooktoclear,ordereddinner,andstartedthehousemaidturningoutthedrawing-room,Tuesdaybeingitsday.Theweatherwaslovely,andshethoughtshewoulddoalittlegardening,asitwasquiteearly.ShecalledHarriet,whohadrecoveredfromtheinsulttoSt.James’s,andtogethertheywenttothekitchengardenandbegantosowsomeearlyvegetables. “Wewillsavethepeastothelasttheyarethegreatestfun,”saidMrs.Herriton,whohadthegiftofmakingworkatreat.Sheandherelderlydaughteralwaysgotonverywell,thoughtheyhadnotagreatdealincommon.Harriet’seducationhadbeenalmosttoosuccessful.AsPhiliponcesaid,shehad“boltedallthecardinalvirtuesandcouldn’tdigestthem.”Thoughpiousa