Chapter 1

oggibonsiin1261.Hencethedistich,“POGGIBONIZZI,FAUIINLA,CHEMONTERIANOSIFACITTA!”tillrecentlyenscribedovertheSienagate.Itremainedindependenttill1530,whenitwassackedbythePapaltroopsandbecamepartoftheGrandDuchyofTuscany.Itisnowofsmallimportance,andseatofthedistrictprison.Theinhabitantsarestillnotedfortheiragreeablemanners. ThetravellerwillproceeddirectfromtheSienagatetotheCollegiateChurchofSantaDeodata,andinspect(5thchapelonright)thecharmingFrescoes.... Mrs.Herritondidnotproceed.ShewasnotonetodetectthehiddencharmsofBaedeker.Someoftheinformationseemedtoherunnecessary,allofitwasdull.WhereasPhilipcouldneverread“TheviewfromtheRocca(smallgratuity)isfinestatsunset”withoutacatchingattheheart.Restoringthebooktoitsplace,shewentdownstairs,andlookedupanddowntheasphaltpathsforherdaughter.Shesawheratlast,twoturningsaway,vainlytryingtoshakeoffMr.Abbott,MissCarolineAbbott’sfather.Harrietwasalwaysunfortunate.Atlastshereturned,hot,agitated,cracklingwithbank-notes,andIrmabouncedtogreether,andtrodheavilyonhercorn. “Yourfeetgrowlargereveryday,”saidtheagonizedHarriet,andgavehernieceaviolentpush.ThenIrmacried,andMrs.HerritonwasannoyedwithHarrietforbetrayingirritation.Lunchwasnastyandduringpuddingnewsarrivedthatthecook,bysheerdexterity,hadbrokenaveryvitalknoboffthekitchen-range.“Itistoobad,”saidMrs.Herriton.Irmasaiditwasthreebad,andwastoldnottoberude.AfterlunchHarrietwouldgetoutBaedeker,andreadininjuredtonesaboutMonteriano,theMonsRianusofAntiquity,tillhermotherstoppedher. “It’sridiculoustoread,dear.She’snottryingtomarryanyoneintheplace.Sometourist,obviously,who’sstoppinginthehotel.Theplacehasnothingtodowithitatall.” “Butwhataplacetogoto!Whatniceperson,too,doyoumeetinahotel?” “Niceornasty,asIhavetoldyouseveraltimesbefore,isnotthepoint.Liliahasinsultedourfamily,andsheshallsufferforit.Andwhenyouspeakagainsthotels,IthinkyouforgetthatImetyourfatheratChamounix.Youcancontributenothing,dear,atpresent,andIthinkyouhadbetterholdyourtongue.Iamgoingtothekitchen,tospeakabouttherange.” Shespokejusttoomuch,andthecooksaidthatifshecouldnotgivesatisfaction—shehadbetterleave.Asmallthingathandisgreaterthanagreatthingremote,andLilia,misconductingherselfuponamountaininCentralItaly,wasimmediatelyhidden.Mrs.Herritonflewtoaregistryoffice,failedflewtoanother,failedagaincamehome,wastoldbythehousemaidthatthingsseemedsounsettledthatshehadbetterleaveaswellhadtea,wrotesixletters,wasinterruptedbycookandhousemaid,bothweeping,askingherpardon,andimploringtobetakenback.Intheflushofvictorythedoor-bellrang,andtherewasthetelegram:“LiliaengagedtoItaliannobility.Writing.Abbott.” “Noanswer,”saidMrs.Herriton.“GetdownMr.Philip’sGladstonefromtheattic.” Shewouldnotallowherselftobefrightenedbytheunknown.Indeedsheknewalittlenow.ThemanwasnotanItaliannoble,otherwisethetelegramwouldhavesaidso.ItmusthavebeenwrittenbyLilia.Nonebutshewouldhavebeenguiltyofthefatuousvulgarityof“Italiannobility.”Sherecalledphrasesofthismorning’sletter:“Welovethisplace—Carolineissweeterthanever,andbusysketching—Italiansfullofsimplicityandcharm.”AndtheremarkofBaedeker,“Theinhabitantsarestillnotedfortheiragreeablemanners,”hadabalefulmeaningnow.IfMrs.Herritonhadnoimagination,shehadintuition,amoreusefulquality,andthepictureshemadetoherselfofLilia’sFIANCEdidnotprovealtogetherwrong. SoPhilipwasreceivedwiththenewsthathemuststartinhalfanhourforMonteriano.Hewasinapainfulposition.ForthreeyearshehadsungthepraisesoftheItalians,buthehadnevercontemplatedhavingoneasarelative.Hetriedtosoftenthethingdowntohismother,butinhisheartofheartsheagreedwithherwhenshesaid,“Themanmaybeadukeorhemaybeanorgan-grinder.Thatisnotthepoint.IfLiliamarrieshimsheinsultsthememoryofCharles,sheinsultsIrma,sheinsultsus.ThereforeIforbidher,andifshedisobeyswehavedonewithherforever.” “IwilldoallIcan,”saidPhilipinalowvoice.Itwasthefirsttimehehadhadanythingtodo.HekissedhismotherandsisterandpuzzledIrma.ThehallwaswarmandattractiveashelookedbackintoitfromthecoldMarchnight,andhedepartedforItalyreluctantly,asforsomethingcommonplaceanddull. BeforeMrs.HerritonwenttobedshewrotetoMrs.Theobald,usingplainlanguageaboutLilia’sconduct,andhintingthatitwasaquestiononwhicheveryonemustdefinitelychoosesides.Sheadded,asifitwasanafterthought,thatMrs.Theobald’sletterhadarrivedthatmorning. Justasshewasgoingupstairssherememberedthatshenevercoveredupthosepeas.Itupsethermorethananything,andagainandagainshestruckthebanisterswithvexation.Lateasitwas,shegotalanternfromthetool-shedandwentdownthegardentoraketheearthoverthem.Thesparrowshadtakeneveryone.Butcountlessfragmentsoftheletterremained,disfiguringthetidyground.