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。
