ThemiddaysunwhichHirsthadforetoldwasbeginningtobeatdownhotly。Thehighertheygotthemoreoftheskyappeared，untilthemountainwasonlyasmalltentofearthagainstanenormousbluebackground。TheEnglishfellsilent；thenativeswhowalkedbesidethedonkeysbrokeintoqueerwaveringsongsandtossedjokesfromonetotheother。Thewaygrewverysteep，andeachriderkepthiseyesfixedonthehobblingcurvedformoftherideranddonkeydirectlyinfrontofhim。Rathermorestrainwasbeingputupontheirbodiesthanisquitelegitimateinapartyofpleasure，andHewetoverheardoneortwoslightlygrumblingremarks。
　　“Expeditionsinsuchheatareperhapsalittleunwise，“Mrs。ElliotmurmuredtoMissAllan。
　　ButMissAllanreturned，“Ialwaysliketogettothetop“；
　　anditwastrue，althoughshewasabigwoman，stiffinthejoints，andunusedtodonkey-riding，butasherholidayswerefewshemadethemostofthem。
　　Thevivaciouswhitefigurerodewellinfront；shehadsomehowpossessedherselfofaleafybranchandworeitroundherhatlikeagarland。
　　Theywentonforafewminutesinsilence。
　　“Theviewwillbewonderful，“Hewetassuredthem，turningroundinhissaddleandsmilingencouragement。Rachelcaughthiseyeandsmiledtoo。Theystruggledonforsometimelonger，nothingbeingheardbuttheclatterofhoovesstrivingontheloosestones。
　　ThentheysawthatEvelynwasoffherass，andthatMr。PerrottwasstandingintheattitudeofastatesmaninParliamentSquare，stretchinganarmofstonetowardstheview。Alittletotheleftofthemwasalowruinedwall，thestumpofanElizabethanwatch-tower。
　　“Icouldn’thavestooditmuchlonger，“Mrs。ElliotconfidedtoMrs。Thornbury，buttheexcitementofbeingatthetopinanothermomentandseeingtheviewpreventedanyonefromansweringher。
　　Oneafteranothertheycameoutontheflatspaceatthetopandstoodovercomewithwonder。Beforethemtheybeheldanimmensespace——
　　greysandsrunningintoforest，andforestmerginginmountains，andmountainswashedbyair，theinfinitedistancesofSouthAmerica。
　　Ariverranacrosstheplain，asflatastheland，andappearingquiteasstationary。Theeffectofsomuchspacewasatfirstratherchilling。Theyfeltthemselvesverysmall，andforsometimenoonesaidanything。ThenEvelynexclaimed，“Splendid！“
　　Shetookholdofthehandthatwasnexther；itchancedtobeMissAllan’shand。
　　“North——South——East——West，“saidMissAllan，jerkingherheadslightlytowardsthepointsofthecompass。
　　Hewet，whohadgonealittleinfront，lookedupathisguestsasiftojustifyhimselfforhavingbroughtthem。Heobservedhowstrangelythepeoplestandinginarowwiththeirfiguresbentslightlyforwardandtheirclothesplasteredbythewindtotheshapeoftheirbodiesresemblednakedstatues。Ontheirpedestalofearththeylookedunfamiliarandnoble，butinanothermomenttheyhadbrokentheirrank，andhehadtoseetothelayingoutoffood。
　　Hirstcametohishelp，andtheyhandedpacketsofchickenandbreadfromonetoanother。
　　AsSt。JohngaveHelenherpacketshelookedhimfullinthefaceandsaid:
　　“Doyouremember——twowomen？“
　　Helookedathersharply。
　　“Ido，“heanswered。
　　“Soyou’rethetwowomen！“Hewetexclaimed，lookingfromHelentoRachel。
　　“Yourlightstemptedus，“saidHelen。“Wewatchedyouplayingcards，butweneverknewthatwewerebeingwatched。“
　　“Itwaslikeathinginaplay，“Racheladded。
　　“AndHirstcouldn’tdescribeyou，“saidHewet。
　　ItwascertainlyoddtohaveseenHelenandtofindnothingtosayabouther。
　　HughlingElliotputuphiseyeglassandgraspedthesituation。
　　“Idon’tknowofanythingmoredreadful，“hesaid，pullingatthejointofachicken’sleg，“thanbeingseenwhenoneisn’tconsciousofit。
　　Onefeelssureonehasbeencaughtdoingsomethingridiculous——
　　lookingatone’stongueinahansom，forinstance。“
　　Nowtheothersceasedtolookattheview，anddrawingtogethersatdowninacircleroundthebaskets。
　　“Andyetthoselittlelooking-glassesinhansomshaveafascinationoftheirown，“saidMrs。Thornbury。“One’sfeatureslooksodifferentwhenonecanonlyseeabitofthem。“
　　“Therewillsoonbeveryfewhansomcabsleft，“saidMrs。Elliot。
　　“Andfour-wheeledcabs——IassureyouevenatOxfordit’salmostimpossibletogetafour-wheeledcab。“
　　“Iwonderwhathappenstothehorses，“saidSusan。
　　“Vealpie，“saidArthur。
　　“It’shightimethathorsesshouldbecomeextinctanyhow，“saidHirst。
　　“They’redistressinglyugly，besidesbeingvicious。“
　　ButSusan，whohadbeenbroughtuptounderstandthatthehorseisthenoblestofGod’screatures，couldnotagree，andVenningthoughtHirstanunspeakableass，butwastoopolitenottocontinuetheconversation。
　　“Whentheyseeusfallingoutofaeroplanestheygetsomeoftheirownback，Iexpect，“heremarked。
　　“Youfly？“saidoldMr。Thornbury，puttingonhisspectaclestolookathim。
　　“Ihopeto，someday，“saidArthur。
　　Hereflyingwasdiscussedatlength，andMrs。Thornburydeliveredanopinionwhichwasalmostaspeechtotheeffectthatitwouldbequitenecessaryintimeofwar，andinEnglandwewereterriblybehind-hand。“IfIwereayoungfellow，“sheconcluded，“Ishouldcertainlyqualify。“Itwasoddtolookatthelittleelderlylady，inhergreycoatandskirt，withasandwichinherhand，hereyeslightingupwithzealassheimaginedherselfayoungmaninanaeroplane。
　　Forsomereason，however，thetalkdidnotruneasilyafterthis，andalltheysaidwasaboutdrinkandsaltandtheview。
　　SuddenlyMissAllan，whowasseatedwithherbacktotheruinedwall，putdownhersandwich，pickedsomethingoffherneck，andremarked，“I’mcoveredwithlittlecreatures。“Itwastrue，andthediscoverywasverywelcome。Theantswerepouringdownaglacieroflooseearthheapedbetweenthestonesoftheruin——largebrownantswithpolishedbodies。SheheldoutoneonthebackofherhandforHelentolookat。
　　“Supposetheysting？“saidHelen。
　　“Theywillnotsting，buttheymayinfestthevictuals，“saidMissAllan，andmeasuresweretakenatoncetodiverttheantsfromtheircourse。
　　AtHewet’ssuggestionitwasdecidedtoadoptthemethodsofmodernwarfareagainstaninvadingarmy。Thetable-clothrepresentedtheinvadedcountry，androundittheybuiltbarricadesofbaskets，setupthewinebottlesinarampart，madefortificationsofbreadanddugfossesofsalt。Whenanantgotthroughitwasexposedtoafireofbread-crumbs，untilSusanpronouncedthatthatwascruel，andrewardedthosebravespiritswithspoilintheshapeoftongue。
　　Playingthisgametheylosttheirstiffness，andevenbecameunusuallydaring，forMr。Perrott，whowasveryshy，said，“Permitme，“
　　andremovedanantfromEvelyn’sneck。
　　“Itwouldbenolaughingmatterreally，“saidMrs。ElliotconfidentiallytoMrs。Thornbury，“ifanantdidgetbetweenthevestandtheskin。“
　　Thenoisegrewsuddenlymoreclamorous，foritwasdiscoveredthatalonglineofantshadfoundtheirwayontothetable-clothbyabackentrance，andifsuccesscouldbegaugedbynoise，Hewethadeveryreasontothinkhispartyasuccess。Neverthelesshebecame，fornoreasonatall，profoundlydepressed。
　　“Theyarenotsatisfactory；theyareignoble，“hethought，surveyinghisguestsfromalittledistance，wherehewasgatheringtogethertheplates。
　　Heglancedatthemall，stoopingandswayingandgesticulatingroundthetable-cloth。Amiableandmodest，respectableinmanyways，lovableevenintheircontentmentanddesiretobekind，howmediocretheyallwere，andcapableofwhatinsipidcrueltytooneanother！
　　TherewasMrs。Thornbury，sweetbuttrivialinhermaternalegoism；
　　Mrs。Elliot，perpetuallycomplainingofherlot；herhusbandamerepeainapod；andSusan——shehadnoself，andcountedneitheronewaynortheother；Venningwasashonestandasbrutalasaschoolboy；
　　pooroldThornburymerelytrodhisroundlikeahorseinamill；
　　andthelessoneexaminedintoEvelyn’scharacterthebetter，hesuspected。Yetthesewerethepeoplewithmoney，andtothemratherthantootherswasgiventhemanagementoftheworld。
　　Putamongthemsomeonemorevital，whocaredforlifeorforbeauty，andwhatanagony，whatawastewouldtheyinflictonhimifhetriedtosharewiththemandnottoscourge！
　　“There’sHirst，“heconcluded，comingtothefigureofhisfriend；
　　withhisusuallittlefrownofconcentrationuponhisforeheadhewaspeelingtheskinoffabanana。“Andhe’sasuglyassin。“
　　FortheuglinessofSt。JohnHirst，andthelimitationsthatwentwithit，hemadetherestinsomewayresponsible。Itwastheirfaultthathehadtolivealone。ThenhecametoHelen，attractedtoherbythesoundofherlaugh。ShewaslaughingatMissAllan。
　　“Youwearcombinationsinthisheat？“shesaidinavoicewhichwasmeanttobeprivate。Helikedthelookofherimmensely，notsomuchherbeauty，butherlargenessandsimplicity，whichmadeherstandoutfromtherestlikeagreatstonewoman，andhepassedoninagentlermood。HiseyefelluponRachel。
　　Shewaslyingbackratherbehindtheothersrestingononeelbow；
　　shemighthavebeenthinkingpreciselythesamethoughtsasHewethimself。
　　Hereyeswerefixedrathersadlybutnotintentlyupontherowofpeopleoppositeher。Hewetcrawleduptoheronhisknees，withapieceofbreadinhishand。
　　“Whatareyoulookingat？“heasked。
　　Shewasalittlestartled，butanswereddirectly，“Humanbeings。“
　　ChapterXI
　　Oneafteranothertheyroseandstretchedthemselves，andinafewminutesdividedmoreorlessintotwoseparateparties。OneofthesepartieswasdominatedbyHughlingElliotandMrs。Thornbury，who，havingbothreadthesamebooksandconsideredthesamequestions，werenowanxioustonametheplacesbeneaththemandtohanguponthemstoresofinformationaboutnaviesandarmies，politicalparties，nativesandmineralproducts——allofwhichcombined，theysaid，toprovethatSouthAmericawasthecountryofthefuture。
　　EvelynM。listenedwithherbrightblueeyesfixedupontheoracles。
　　“Howitmakesonelongtobeaman！“sheexclaimed。
　　Mr。Perrottanswered，surveyingtheplain，thatacountrywithafuturewasaveryfinething。
　　“IfIwereyou，“saidEvelyn，turningtohimanddrawingherglovevehementlythroughherfingers，“I’draiseatroopandconquersomegreatterritoryandmakeitsplendid。You’dwantwomenforthat。
　　I’dlovetostartlifefromtheverybeginningasitoughttobe——
　　nothingsqualid——butgreathallsandgardensandsplendidmenandwomen。
　　Butyou——youonlylikeLawCourts！“
　　“Andwouldyoureallybecontentwithoutprettyfrocksandsweetsandallthethingsyoungladieslike？“askedMr。Perrott，concealingacertainamountofpainbeneathhisironicalmanner。
　　“I’mnotayounglady，“Evelynflashed；shebitherunderlip。
　　“JustbecauseIlikesplendidthingsyoulaughatme。WhyaretherenomenlikeGaribaldinow？“shedemanded。
　　“Lookhere，“saidMr。Perrott，“youdon’tgivemeachance。
　　Youthinkweoughttobeginthingsfresh。Good。ButIdon’tseeprecisely——conqueraterritory？They’reallconqueredalready，aren’tthey？“
　　“It’snotanyterritoryinparticular，“Evelynexplained。
　　“It’stheidea，don’tyousee？Weleadsuchtamelives。AndI
　　feelsureyou’vegotsplendidthingsinyou。“
　　HewetsawthescarsandhollowsinMr。Perrott’ssagaciousfacerelaxpathetically。Hecouldimaginethecalculationswhicheventhenwentonwithinhismind，astowhetherhewouldbejustifiedinaskingawomantomarryhim，consideringthathemadenomorethanfivehundredayearattheBar，ownednoprivatemeans，andhadaninvalidsistertosupport。Mr。Perrottagainknewthathewasnot“quite，“asSusanstatedinherdiary；notquiteagentlemanshemeant，forhewasthesonofagrocerinLeeds，hadstartedlifewithabasketonhisback，andnow，thoughpracticallyindistinguishablefromaborngentleman，showedhisorigintokeeneyesinanimpeccableneatnessofdress，lackoffreedominmanner，extremecleanlinessofperson，andacertainindescribabletimidityandprecisionwithhisknifeandforkwhichmightbetherelicofdayswhenmeatwasrare，andthewayofhandlingitbynomeansgingerly。