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。