Chapter 1

ndpatriotic,andagreatmoralassetforthehouse,shelackedthatpliancyandtactwhichhermothersomuchvalued,andhadexpectedhertopickupforherself.Harriet,ifshehadbeenallowed,wouldhavedrivenLiliatoanopenrupture,and,whatwasworse,shewouldhavedonethesametoPhiliptwoyearsbefore,whenhereturnedfullofpassionforItaly,andridiculingSawstonanditsways. “It’sashame,Mother!”shehadcried.“Philiplaughsateverything—theBookClub,theDebatingSociety,theProgressiveWhist,thebazaars.Peoplewon’tlikeit.Wehaveourreputation.Ahousedividedagainstitselfcannotstand.” Mrs.Herritonrepliedinthememorablewords,“LetPhilipsaywhathelikes,andhewillletusdowhatwelike.”AndHarriethadacquiesced. Theysowedthedullervegetablesfirst,andapleasantfeelingofrighteousfatiguestoleoverthemastheyaddressedthemselvestothepeas.Harrietstretchedastringtoguidetherowstraight,andMrs.Herritonscratchedafurrowwithapointedstick.Attheendofitshelookedatherwatch. “It’stwelve!Thesecondpost’sin.Runandseeifthereareanyletters.” Harrietdidnotwanttogo.“Let’sfinishthepeas.Therewon’tbeanyletters.” “No,dearpleasego.I’llsowthepeas,butyoushallcoverthemup—andmindthebirdsdon’tsee‘em!” Mrs.Herritonwasverycarefultoletthosepeastrickleevenlyfromherhand,andattheendoftherowshewasconsciousthatshehadneversownbetter.Theywereexpensivetoo. “ActuallyoldMrs.Theobald!”saidHarriet,returning. “Readmetheletter.Myhandsaredirty.Howintolerablethecrestedpaperis.” Harrietopenedtheenvelope. “Idon’tunderstand,”shesaid“itdoesn’tmakesense.” “Herlettersneverdid.” “Butitmustbesillierthanusual,”saidHarriet,andhervoicebegantoquaver.“Lookhere,readit,MotherIcan’tmakeheadortail.” Mrs.Herritontooktheletterindulgently.“Whatisthedifficulty?”shesaidafteralongpause.“Whatisitthatpuzzlesyouinthisletter?” “Themeaning—”falteredHarriet.Thesparrowshoppednearerandbegantoeyethepeas. “Themeaningisquiteclear—Liliaisengagedtobemarried.Don’tcry,dearpleasemebynotcrying—don’ttalkatall.It’smorethanIcouldbear.Sheisgoingtomarrysomeoneshehasmetinahotel.Taketheletterandreadforyourself.”Suddenlyshebrokedownoverwhatmightseemasmallpoint.“Howdareshenottellmedirect!HowdareshewritefirsttoYorkshire!Pray,amItohearthroughMrs.Theobald—apatronizing,insolentletterlikethis?HaveInoclaimatall?Bearwitness,dear”—shechokedwithpassion—“bearwitnessthatforthisI’llneverforgiveher!” “Oh,whatistobedone?”moanedHarriet.“Whatistobedone?” “Thisfirst!”Shetoretheletterintolittlepiecesandscattereditoverthemould.“Next,atelegramforLilia!No!atelegramforMissCarolineAbbott.She,too,hassomethingtoexplain.” “Oh,whatistobedone?”repeatedHarriet,asshefollowedhermothertothehouse.Shewashelplessbeforesucheffrontery.Whatawfulthing—whatawfulpersonhadcometoLilia?“Someoneinthehotel.”Theletteronlysaidthat.Whatkindofperson?Agentleman?AnEnglishman?Theletterdidnotsay. “WirereasonofstayatMonteriano.Strangerumours,”readMrs.Herriton,andaddressedthetelegramtoAbbott,Stellad’Italia,Monteriano,Italy.“Ifthereisanofficethere,”sheadded,“wemightgetananswerthisevening.SincePhilipisbackatseven,andtheeight-fifteencatchesthemidnightboatatDover—Harriet,whenyougowiththis,get100poundsin5poundnotesatthebank.” “Go,dear,atoncedonottalk.IseeIrmacomingbackgoquickly....Well,Irmadear,andwhoseteamareyouinthisafternoon—MissEdith’sorMissMay’s?” Butassoonasshehadbehavedasusualtohergrand-daughter,shewenttothelibraryandtookoutthelargeatlas,forshewantedtoknowaboutMonteriano.Thenamewasinthesmallestprint,inthemidstofawoolly-browntangleofhillswhichwerecalledthe“Sub-Apennines.”ItwasnotsoveryfarfromSiena,whichshehadlearntatschool.Pastittherewanderedathinblackline,notchedatintervalslikeasaw,andsheknewthatthiswasarailway.Butthemapleftagooddealtoimagination,andshehadnotgotany.Shelookeduptheplacein“ChildeHarold,”butByronhadnotbeenthere.NordidMarkTwainvisititinthe“TrampAbroad.”Theresourcesofliteraturewereexhausted:shemustwaittillPhilipcamehome.AndthethoughtofPhilipmadehertryPhilip’sroom,andthereshefound“CentralItaly,”byBaedeker,andopeneditforthefirsttimeinherlifeandreadinitasfollows:— MONTERIANO(pop.4800).Hotels:Stellad’Italia,moderateonlyGlobo,dirty.*CaffeGaribaldi.PostandTelegraphofficeinCorsoVittorioEmmanuele,nexttotheatre.PhotographsatSeghena’s(cheaperinFlorence).Diligence(1lira)meetsprincipaltrains. Chiefattractions(2-3hours):SantaDeodata,PalazzoPubblico,Sant’Agostino,SantaCaterina,Sant’Ambrogio,PalazzoCapocchi.Guide(2lire)unnecessary.AwalkroundtheWallsshouldonnoaccountbeomitted.TheviewfromtheRocca(smallgratuity)isfinestatsunset. History:Monteriano,theMonsRianusofAntiquity,whoseGhibellinetendenciesarenotedbyDante(Purg.xx.),definitelyemancipateditselffromP