Italy,Philiphadalwaysmaintained,isonlyhertrueselfintheheightofthesummer,whenthetouristshavelefther,andhersoulawakesunderthebeamsofaverticalsun.Henowhadeveryopportunityofseeingheratherbest,foritwasnearlythemiddleofAugustbeforehewentouttomeetHarrietintheTirol.
Hefoundhissisterinadensecloudfivethousandfeetabovethesea,chilledtothebone,overfed,bored,andnotatallunwillingtobefetchedaway.
“Itupsetsone’splansterribly,”sheremarked,asshesqueezedouthersponges,“butobviouslyitismyduty.”
“Didmotherexplainitalltoyou?”askedPhilip.
“Yes,indeed!Motherhaswrittenmeareallybeautifulletter.Shedescribeshowitwasthatshegraduallygottofeelthatwemustrescuethepoorbabyfromitsterriblesurroundings,howshehastriedbyletter,anditisnogood—nothingbutinsincerecomplimentsandhypocrisycameback.Thenshesays,‘ThereisnothinglikepersonalinfluenceyouandPhilipwillsucceedwhereIhavefailed.’Shesays,too,thatCarolineAbbotthasbeenwonderful.”
Philipassented.
“Carolinefeelsitaskeenlyalmostasus.Thatisbecausesheknowstheman.Oh,hemustbeloathsome!Goodnessme!I’veforgottentopacktheammonia!...IthasbeenaterriblelessonforCaroline,butIfancyitisherturning-point.Ican’thelplikingtothinkthatoutofallthisevilgoodwillcome.”
Philipsawnoprospectofgood,norofbeautyeither.Buttheexpeditionpromisedtobehighlycomic.Hewasnotaversetoitanylongerhewassimplyindifferenttoallinitexceptthehumours.Thesewouldbewonderful.Harriet,workedbyhermotherMrs.Herriton,workedbyMissAbbottGino,workedbyacheque—whatbetterentertainmentcouldhedesire?Therewasnothingtodistracthimthistimehissentimentalityhaddied,sohadhisanxietyforthefamilyhonour.Hemightbeapuppet’spuppet,butheknewexactlythedispositionofthestrings.
Theytravelledforthirteenhoursdown-hill,whilstthestreamsbroadenedandthemountainsshrank,andthevegetationchanged,andthepeopleceasedbeinguglyanddrinkingbeer,andbeganinsteadtodrinkwineandtobebeautiful.AndthetrainwhichhadpickedthematsunriseoutofawasteofglaciersandhotelswaswaltzingatsunsetroundthewallsofVerona.
“Absurdnonsensetheytalkabouttheheat,”saidPhilip,astheydrovefromthestation.“Supposingwewerehereforpleasure,whatcouldbemorepleasurablethanthis?”
“Didyouhear,though,theyareremarkingonthecold?”saidHarrietnervously.“Ishouldneverhavethoughtitcold.”
Andontheseconddaytheheatstruckthem,likeahandlaidoverthemouth,justastheywerewalkingtoseethetombofJuliet.Fromthatmomenteverythingwentwrong.TheyfledfromVerona.Harriet’ssketch-bookwasstolen,andthebottleofammoniainhertrunkburstoverherprayer-book,sothatpurplepatchesappearedonallherclothes.Then,asshewasgoingthroughMantuaatfourinthemorning,PhilipmadeherlookoutofthewindowbecauseitwasVirgil’sbirthplace,andasmutflewinhereye,andHarrietwithasmutinhereyewasnotorious.AtBolognatheystoppedtwenty-fourhourstorest.ItwasaFESTA,andchildrenblewbladderwhistlesnightandday.“Whatareligion!”saidHarriet.Thehotelsmelt,twopuppieswereasleeponherbed,andherbedroomwindowlookedintoabelfry,whichsalutedherslumberingformeveryquarterofanhour.Philiplefthiswalking-stick,hissocks,andtheBaedekeratBolognasheonlylefthersponge-bag.NextdaytheycrossedtheApennineswithatrain-sickchildandahotlady,whotoldthemthatnever,neverbeforehadshesweatedsoprofusely.“Foreignersareafilthynation,”saidHarriet.“Idon’tcareiftherearetunnelsopenthewindows.”Heobeyed,andshegotanothersmutinhereye.NordidFlorenceimprovematters.Eating,walking,evenacrosswordwouldbathethembothinboilingwater.Philip,whowasslighterofbuild,andlessconscientious,sufferedless.ButHarriethadneverbeentoFlorence,andbetweenthehoursofeightandelevenshecrawledlikeawoundedcreaturethroughthestreets,andswoonedbeforevariousmasterpiecesofart.ItwasanirritablecouplewhotookticketstoMonteriano.
“Singlesorreturns?”saidhe.
“Asingleforme,”saidHarrietpeevishly“Ishallnevergetbackalive.”
“Sweetcreature!”saidherbrother,suddenlybreakingdown.“HowhelpfulyouwillbewhenwecometoSignorCarella!”
“Doyousuppose,”saidHarriet,standingstillamongawhirlofporters—“doyousupposeIamgoingtoenterthatman’shouse?”
“Thenwhathaveyoucomefor,pray?Forornament?”
“Toseethatyoudoyourduty.”
“Oh,thanks!”
“Somothertoldme.Forgoodnesssakegettheticketsherecome