Chapter 8

“Mad!”screamedHarriet,—“absolutelystark,staring,ravingmad!” Philipjudgeditbetternottocontradicther. “What’ssheherefor?Answermethat.What’sshedoinginMonterianoinAugust?Whyisn’tsheinNormandy?Answerthat.Shewon’t.Ican:she’scometothwartusshe’sbetrayedus—gotholdofmother’splans.Oh,goodness,myhead!” Hewasunwiseenoughtoreply,“Youmustn’taccuseherofthat.Thoughsheisexasperating,shehasn’tcomeheretobetrayus.” “Thenwhyhasshecomehere?Answermethat.” Hemadenoanswer.Butfortunatelyhissisterwastoomuchagitatedtowaitforone.“Burstinginonme—cryingandlookingadisgustingsight—andsaysshehasbeentoseetheItalian.Couldn’teventalkproperlypretendedshehadchangedheropinions.Whatareheropinionstous?Iwasverycalm.Isaid:‘MissAbbott,Ithinkthereisalittlemisapprehensioninthismatter.Mymother,Mrs.Herriton—’Oh,goodness,myhead!Ofcourseyou’vefailed—don’ttroubletoanswer—Iknowyou’vefailed.Where’sthebaby,pray?Ofcourseyouhaven’tgotit.DearsweetCarolinewon’tletyou.Oh,yes,andwe’retogoawayatonceandtroublethefathernomore.Thosearehercommands.Commands!COMMANDS!”AndHarrietalsoburstintotears. Philipgovernedhistemper.Hissisterwasannoying,butquitereasonableinherindignation.Moreover,MissAbbotthadbehavedevenworsethanshesupposed. “I’venotgotthebaby,Harriet,butatthesametimeIhaven’texactlyfailed.IandSignorCarellaaretohaveanotherinterviewthisafternoon,attheCaffeGaribaldi.Heisperfectlyreasonableandpleasant.Shouldyoubedisposedtocomewithme,youwouldfindhimquitewillingtodiscussthings.Heisdesperatelyinwantofmoney,andhasnoprospectofgettingany.Idiscoveredthat.Atthesametime,hehasacertainaffectionforthechild.”ForPhilip’sinsight,orperhapshisopportunities,hadnotbeenequaltoMissAbbott’s. Harrietwouldonlysob,andaccuseherbrotherofinsultingherhowcouldaladyspeaktosuchahorribleman?That,andnothingelse,wasenoughtostampCaroline.Oh,poorLilia! Philipdrummedonthebedroomwindow-sill.Hesawnoescapefromthedeadlock.ForthoughhespokecheerfullyabouthissecondinterviewwithGino,hefeltatthebottomofhisheartthatitwouldfail.Ginowastoocourteous:hewouldnotbreakoffnegotiationsbysharpdenialhelovedthiscivil,half-humorousbargaining.Andhelovedfoolinghisopponent,anddiditsonicelythathisopponentdidnotmindbeingfooled. “MissAbbotthasbehavedextraordinarily,”hesaidatlast“butatthesametime—” Hissisterwouldnothearhim.Sheburstforthagainonthemadness,theinterference,theintolerableduplicityofCaroline. “Harriet,youmustlisten.Mydear,youmuststopcrying.Ihavesomethingquiteimportanttosay.” “Ishallnotstopcrying,”saidshe.Butintime,findingthathewouldnotspeaktoher,shedidstop. “RememberthatMissAbbotthasdoneusnoharm.Shesaidnothingtohimaboutthematter.Heassumesthatsheisworkingwithus:Igatheredthat.” “Well,sheisn’t.” “Yesbutifyou’recarefulshemaybe.Iinterpretherbehaviourthus:Shewenttoseehim,honestlyintendingtogetthechildaway.Inthenotesheleftmeshesaysso,andIdon’tbelieveshe’dlie.” “Ido.” “Whenshegotthere,therewassomeprettydomesticscenebetweenhimandthebaby,andshehasgotsweptoffinagushofsentimentalism.Beforeverylong,ifIknowanythingaboutpsychology,therewillbeareaction.She’llbesweptback.” “Idon’tunderstandyourlongwords.Sayplainly—” “Whenshe’ssweptback,she’llbeinvaluable.Forshehasmadequiteanimpressiononhim.Hethinkshersonicewiththebaby.Youknow,shewasheditforhim.” “Disgusting!” Harriet’sejaculationsweremoreaggravatingthantherestofher.ButPhilipwasaversetolosinghistemper.Theaccessofjoythathadcometohimyesterdayinthetheatrepromisedtobepermanent.Hewasmoreanxiousthanheretoforetobecharitabletowardstheworld. “Ifyouwanttocarryoffthebaby,keepyourpeacewithMissAbbott.Forifshechooses,shecanhelpyoubetterthanIcan.” “Therecanbenopeacebetweenmeandher,”saidHarrietgloomily. “Didyou—” “Oh,notallIwanted.ShewentawaybeforeIhadfinishedspeaking—justlikethosecowardlypeople!—intothechurch.” “IntoSantaDeodata’s?” “YesI’msuresheneedsit.Anythingmoreunchristian—” IntimePhilipwenttothechurchalso,leavinghissisteralittlecalmerandalittledisposedtothinkoverhisadvice.WhathadcomeoverMissAbbott?Hehadalwaysthoughtherbothstableandsincere.ThatconversationhehadhadwithherlastChristmasinthetraintoCharingCross—thatalonefurnishedhimwithaparallel.Forthesecondtime,Monterianomusthaveturnedherhead.Hewasnotangrywithher,forhewasquiteindifferenttotheoutcomeoftheirexpedition.Hewasonlyextremelyinterested. Itwasnownearlymidday,andthestreetswereclearing.Buttheintenseheathadbroken,andtherewasapleasantsuggestionofrain.ThePiazza,withitsthreegreatattractions—thePalazzoPubblico,theCollegiateChurch,andtheCaffeGaribaldi:theintellect,thesoul,andthebody—hadneverlookedmorecharming.ForamomentPhilipstoodinitscentre,muchinclinedtobedreamy,andthinkinghowwonderfulitmustfeeltobelongtoacity,howevermean.Hewashere,however,asanemissaryofcivilizationandasastudentofcharacter,and,afterasigh,heenteredSantaDeodata’stocontinuehismission. TherehadbeenaFESTAtwodaysbefore,andthechurchstillsmeltofincenseandofgarlic.Thelittlesonofthesacristanwassweepingthenave,moreforamusementthanforcleanliness,sendinggreatcloudsofdustoverthefrescoesandthescatteredworshippers.ThesacristanhimselfhadproppedaladderinthecentreoftheDeluge—whichfillsoneofthenavespandrels—andwasfreeingacolumnfromitswealthofscarletcalico.Muchscarletcalicoalsolayuponthefloor—forthechurchcanlookasfineasanytheatre—andthesacristan’slittledaughterwastryingtofolditup.Shewaswearingatinselcrown.ThecrownreallybelongedtoSt.Augustine.Butithadbeencuttoobig:itfelldownoverhischeekslikeacollar:youneversawanythingsoabsurd.OneofthecanonshadunhookeditjustbeforetheFIESTAbegan,andhadgivenittothesacristan’sdaughter. “Please,”criedPhilip,“isthereanEnglishladyhere?” Theman’smouthwasfulloftin-tacks,buthenoddedcheerfullytowardsakneelingfigure.InthemidstofthisconfusionMissAbbottwaspraying. Hewasnotmuchsurprised:aspiritualbreakdownwasquitetobeexpecte