It was a Saturday afternoon, gay and brilliant after abundant rains, and the spirit of youth dwelt in it, though the season was now autumn. All that was gracious triumphed. As the motorcars passed through Summer Street they raised only a little dust, and their stench was soon dispersed1 by the wind and replaced by the scent2 of the wet birches or of the pines. Mr. Beebe, at leisure for life's amenities3, leant over his Rectory gate. Freddy leant by him, smoking a pendant pipe.
"Suppose we go and hinder those new people opposite for a little."
"M'm."
"They might amuse you."
Freddy, whom his fellow-creatures never amused, suggested that the new people might be feeling a bit busy, and so on, since they had only just moved in.
"I suggested we should hinder them," said Mr. Beebe. "They are worth it." Unlatching the gate, he sauntered over the triangular4 green to Cissie Villa5. "Hullo!" he cried, shouting in at the open door, through which much squalor was visible.
A grave voice replied, "Hullo!"
"I've brought some one to see you."
"I'll be down in a minute."
The passage was blocked by a wardrobe, which the removal men had failed to carry up the stairs. Mr. Beebe edged round it with difficulty. The sitting-room6 itself was blocked with books.
"Are these people great readers?" Freddy whispered. "Are they that sort?"
"I fancy they know how to read--a rare accomplishment7. What have they got? Byron. Exactly. A Shropshire Lad. Never heard of it. The Way of All Flesh. Never heard of it. Gibbon. Hullo! dear George reads German. Um--um--Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and so we go on. Well, I suppose your generation knows its own business, Honeychurch."
"Mr. Beebe, look at that," said Freddy in awestruck tones.
On the cornice of the wardrobe, the hand of an amateur had painted this inscription8: "Mistrust all enterprises that require new clothes."
"I know. Isn't it jolly? I like that. I'm certain that's the old man's doing."
"How very odd of him!"
"Surely you agree?"
But Freddy was his mother's son and felt that one ought not to go on spoiling the furniture.
"Pictures!" the clergyman continued, scrambling9 about the room. "Giotto--they got that at Florence, I'll be bound."
"The same as Lucy's got."
"Oh, by-the-by, did Miss Honeychurch enjoy London?"
"She came back yesterday."
"I suppose she had a good time?"
"Yes, very," said Freddy, taking up a book. "She and Cecil are thicker than ever."
"That's good hearing."
"I wish I wasn't such a fool, Mr. Beebe."
Mr. Beebe ignored the remark.
"Lucy used to be nearly as stupid as I am, but it'll be very different now, mother thinks. She will read all kinds of books."
"So will you."
"Only medical books. Not books that you can talk about afterwards. Cecil is teaching Lucy Italian, and he says her playing is wonderful. There are all kinds of things in it that we have never noticed. Cecil says--"
"What on earth are those people doing upstairs? Emerson--we think we'll come another time."
George ran down-stairs and pushed them into the room without speaking.
"Let me introduce Mr. Honeychurch, a neighbour."
Then Freddy hurled10 one of the thunderbolts of youth. Perhaps he was shy, perhaps he was friendly, or perhaps he thought that George's face wanted washing. At all events he greeted him with, "How d'ye do? Come and have a bathe."
"Oh, all right," said George, impassive.
Mr. Beebe was highly entertained.
"'How d'ye do? how d'ye do? Come and have a bathe,'" he chuckled11. "That's the best conversational12 opening I've ever heard. But I'm afraid it will only act between men. Can you picture a lady who has been introduced to another lady by a third lady opening civilities with 'How do you do? Come and have a bathe'? And yet you will tell me that the sexes are equal."
"I tell you that they shall be," said Mr. Emerson, who had been slowly descending13 the stairs. "Good afternoon, Mr. Beebe. I tell you they shall be comrades, and George thinks the same."
"We are to raise ladies to our level?" the clergyman inquired.
"The Garden of Eden," pursued Mr. Emerson, still descending, "which you place in the past, is really yet to come. We shall enter it when we no longer despise our bodies."
Mr. Beebe disclaimed14 placing the Garden of Eden anywhere.
"In this--not in other things--we men are ahead. We despise the body less than women do. But not until we are comrades shall we enter the garden."
"I say, what about this bathe?" murmured Freddy, appalled15 at the mass of philosophy that was approaching him.
"I believed in a return to Nature once. But how can we return to Nature when we have never been with her? To-day, I believe that we must discover Nature. After many conquests we shall attain16 simplicity17. It is our heritage."
"Let me introduce Mr. Honeychurch, whose sister you will remember at Florence."
"How do you do? Very glad to see you, and that you are taking George for a bathe. Very glad to hear that your sister is going to marry. Marriage is a duty. I am sure that she will be happy, for we know Mr. Vyse, too. He has been most kind. He met us by chance in the National Gallery, and arranged everything about this delightful18 house. Though I hope I have not vexed19 Sir Harry20 Otway. I have met so few Liberal landowners, and I was anxious to compare his attitude towards the game laws with the Conservative attitude. Ah, this wind! You do well to bathe. Yours is a glorious country, Honeychurch!"
"Not a bit!" mumbled21 Freddy. "I must--that is to say, I have to-- have the pleasure of calling on you later on, my mother says, I hope."
"CALL, my lad? Who taught us that drawing-room twaddle? Call on your grandmother! Listen to the wind among the pines! Yours is a glorious country."
Mr. Beebe came to the rescue.
"Mr. Emerson, he will call, I shall call; you or your son will return our calls before ten days have elapsed. I trust that you have realized about the ten days' interval22. It does not count that I helped you with the stair-eyes yesterday. It does not count that they are going to bathe this afternoon."
"Yes, go and bathe, George. Why do you dawdle23 talking? Bring them back to tea. Bring back some milk, cakes, honey. The change will do you good. George has been working very hard at his office. I can't believe he's well."
George bowed his head, dusty and sombre, exhaling24 the peculiar25 smell of one who has handled furniture.
"Do you really want this bathe?" Freddy asked him. "It is only a pond, don't you know. I dare say you are used to something better."
"Yes--I have said 'Yes' already."
Mr. Beebe felt bound to assist his young friend, and led the way out of the house and into the pine-woods. How glorious it was! For a little time the voice of old Mr. Emerson pursued them dispensing26 good wishes and philosophy. It ceased, and they only heard the fair wind blowing the bracken and the trees. Mr. Beebe, who could be silent, but who could not bear silence, was compelled to chatter27, since the expedition looked like a failure, and neither of his companions would utter a word. He spoke28 of Florence. George attended gravely, assenting29 or dissenting30 with slight but determined31 gestures that were as inexplicable32 as the motions of the tree-tops above their heads.
And what a coincidence that you should meet Mr. Vyse! Did you realize that you would find all the Pension Bertolini down here?"
"I did not. Miss Lavish33 told me."
"When I was a young man, I always meant to write a 'History of Coincidence.'"
No enthusiasm.
"Though, as a matter of fact, coincidences are much rarer than we suppose. For example, it isn't purely34 coincidentally that you are here now, when one comes to reflect."
To his relief, George began to talk.
"It is. I have reflected. It is Fate. Everything is Fate. We are flung together by Fate, drawn35 apart by Fate--flung together, drawn apart. The twelve winds blow us--we settle nothing--"
"You have not reflected at all," rapped the clergyman. "Let me give you a useful tip, Emerson: attribute nothing to Fate. Don't say, 'I didn't do this,' for you did it, ten to one. Now I'll cross-question you. Where did you first meet Miss Honeychurch and myself?"
"Italy."
"And where did you meet Mr. Vyse, who is going to marry Miss Honeychurch?"
"National Gallery."
"Looking at Italian art. There you are, and yet you talk of coincidence and Fate. You naturally seek out things Italian, and so do we and our friends. This narrows the field immeasurably we meet again in it."
"It is Fate that I am here," persisted George. "But you can call it Italy if it makes you less unhappy."
Mr. Beebe slid away from such heavy treatment of the subject. But he was infinitely36 tolerant of the young, and had no desire to snub George.
"And so for this and for other reasons my "'History of Coincidence' is still to write."
Silence.
Wishing to round off the episode, he added; "We are all so glad that you have come."
Silence.
"Here we are!" called Freddy.
"Oh, good!" exclaimed Mr. Beebe, mopping his brow.
"In there's the pond. I wish it was bigger," he added apologetically.
They climbed down a slippery bank of pine-needles. There lay the pond, set in its little alp of green--only a pond, but large enough to contain the human body, and pure enough to reflect the sky. On account of the rains, the waters had flooded the surrounding grass, which showed like a beautiful emerald path, tempting37 these feet towards the central pool.
"It's distinctly successful, as ponds go," said Mr. Beebe. "No apologies are necessary for the pond."
George sat down where the ground was dry, and drearily38 unlaced his boots.
"Aren't those masses of willow-herb splendid? I love willow-herb in seed. What's the name of this aromatic39 plant?"
No one knew, or seemed to care.
"These abrupt40 changes of vegetation--this little spongeous tract41 of water plants, and on either side of it all the growths are tough or brittle--heather, bracken, hurts, pines. Very charming, very charming.
"Mr. Beebe, aren't you bathing?" called Freddy, as he stripped himself.
Mr. Beebe thought he was not.
"Water's wonderful!" cried Freddy, prancing42 in.
"Water's water," murmured George. Wetting his hair first--a sure sign of apathy--he followed Freddy into the divine, as indifferent as if he were a statue and the pond a pail of soapsuds. It was necessary to use his muscles. It was necessary to keep clean. Mr. Beebe watched them, and watched the seeds of the willow-herb dance chorically above their heads.
"Apooshoo, apooshoo, apooshoo," went Freddy, swimming for two strokes in either direction, and then becoming involved in reeds or mud.
"Is it worth it?" asked the other, Michelangelesque on the flooded margin43.
The bank broke away, and he fell into the pool before he had weighed the question properly.
"Hee-poof--I've swallowed a pollywog, Mr. Beebe, water's wonderful, water's simply ripping."
"Water's not so bad," said George, reappearing from his plunge44, and sputtering45 at the sun.
"Water's wonderful. Mr. Beebe, do."
"Apooshoo, kouf."
Mr. Beebe, who was hot, and who always acquiesced46 where possible, looked around him. He could detect no parishioners except the pine-trees, rising up steeply on all sides, and gesturing to each other against the blue. How glorious it was! The world of motor-cars and rural Deans receded47 inimitably. Water, sky, evergreens48, a wind--these things not even the seasons can touch, and surely they lie beyond the intrusion of man?
"I may as well wash too"; and soon his garments made a third little pile on the sward, and he too asserted the wonder of the water.
It was ordinary water, nor was there very much of it, and, as Freddy said, it reminded one of swimming in a salad. The three gentlemen rotated in the pool breast high, after the fashion of the nymphs in Gotterdammerung. But either because the rains had given a freshness or because the sun was shedding a most glorious heat, or because two of the gentlemen were young in years and the third young in spirit--for some reason or other a change came over them, and they forgot Italy and Botany and Fate. They began to play. Mr. Beebe and Freddy splashed each other. A little deferentially49, they splashed George. He was quiet: they feared they had offended him. Then all the forces of youth burst out. He smiled, flung himself at them, splashed them, ducked them, kicked them, muddied them, and drove them out of the pool.
"Race you round it, then," cried Freddy, and they raced in the sunshine, and George took a short cut and dirtied his shins, and had to bathe a second time. Then Mr. Beebe consented to run--a memorable50 sight.
They ran to get dry, they bathed to get cool, they played at being Indians in the willow-herbs and in the bracken, they bathed to get clean. And all the time three little bundles lay discreetly51 on the sward, proclaiming:
"No. We are what matters. Without us shall no enterprise begin. To us shall all flesh turn in the end."
"A try! A try!" yelled Freddy, snatching up George's bundle and placing it beside an imaginary goal-post.
"Socker rules," George retorted, scattering52 Freddy's bundle with a kick.
"Goal!"
"Goal!"
"Pass!"
"Take care my watch!" cried Mr. Beebe.
Clothes flew in all directions.
"Take care my hat! No, that's enough, Freddy. Dress now. No, I say!"
But the two young men were delirious53. Away they twinkled into the trees, Freddy with a clerical waistcoat under his arm, George with a wide-awake hat on his dripping hair.
"That'll do!" shouted Mr. Beebe, remembering that after all he was in his own parish. Then his voice changed as if every pine-tree was a Rural Dean. "Hi! Steady on! I see people coming you fellows!"
Yells, and widening circles over the dappled earth.
"Hi! hi! LADIES!"
Neither George nor Freddy was truly refined. Still, they did not hear Mr. Beebe's last warning or they would have avoided Mrs. Honeychurch, Cecil, and Lucy, who were walking down to call on old Mrs. Butterworth. Freddy dropped the waistcoat at their feet, and dashed into some bracken. George whooped54 in their faces, turned and scudded55 away down the path to the pond, still clad in Mr. Beebe's hat.
"Gracious alive!" cried Mrs. Honeychurch. "Whoever were those unfortunate people? Oh, dears, look away! And poor Mr. Beebe, too! Whatever has happened?"
"Come this way immediately," commanded Cecil, who always felt that he must lead women, though knew not whither, and protect them, though he knew not against what. He led them now towards the bracken where Freddy sat concealed56.
"Oh, poor Mr. Beebe! Was that his waistcoat we left in the path? Cecil, Mr. Beebe's waistcoat--"
No business of ours, said Cecil, glancing at Lucy, who was all parasol and evidently "minded."
"I fancy Mr. Beebe jumped back into the pond."
"This way, please, Mrs. Honeychurch, this way."
They followed him up the bank attempting the tense yet nonchalant expression that is suitable for ladies on such occasions.
"Well, I can't help it," said a voice close ahead, and Freddy reared a freckled57 face and a pair of snowy shoulders out of the fronds58. "I can't be trodden on, can I?"
"Good gracious me, dear; so it's you! What miserable59 management! Why not have a comfortable bath at home, with hot and cold laid on?"
"Look here, mother, a fellow must wash, and a fellow's got to dry, and if another fellow--"
"Dear, no doubt you're right as usual, but you are in no position to argue. Come, Lucy." They turned. "Oh, look--don't look! Oh, poor Mr. Beebe! How unfortunate again--"
For Mr. Beebe was just crawling out of the pond, On whose surface garments of an intimate nature did float; while George, the world-weary George, shouted to Freddy that he had hooked a fish.
"And me, I've swallowed one," answered he of the bracken. "I've swallowed a pollywog. It wriggleth in my tummy. I shall die-- Emerson you beast, you've got on my bags."
"Hush60, dears," said Mrs. Honeychurch, who found it impossible to remain shocked. "And do be sure you dry yourselves thoroughly61 first. All these colds come of not drying thoroughly."
"Mother, do come away," said Lucy. "Oh for goodness' sake, do come."
"Hullo!" cried George, so that again the ladies stopped.
He regarded himself as dressed. Barefoot, bare-chested, radiant and personable against the shadowy woods, he called:
"Hullo, Miss Honeychurch! Hullo!"
"Bow, Lucy; better bow. Whoever is it? I shall bow."
Miss Honeychurch bowed.
That evening and all that night the water ran away. On the morrow the pool had shrunk to its old size and lost its glory. It had been a call to the blood and to the relaxed will, a passing benediction62 whose influence did not pass, a holiness, a spell, a momentary63 chalice64 for youth.
那是个星期六的下午，大雨方过，显得生机盎然，阳光灿烂，虽然已是秋天季节，却蕴藏着青春气息。一切优雅的东西都取得了胜利。汽车驶过夏街时，只扬起少量尘土，难闻的汽油味也立刻被风吹散，代之以湿漉漉的桦树和松树的清香。毕比先生探身靠在教区长住宅的院门上，悠闲地享受着生活的乐趣。弗雷迪靠在他身旁，抽着一支朝下弯的烟斗。
“我们到对面新搬来的房客那里去打扰一会儿吧。”
“嗯。”
“他们可能会使你感到有趣。”
弗雷迪的同类从来也没有使他感到有趣过，于是他提出新房客刚搬进来，可能很忙等等。
“我刚才建议去打扰他们一下，”毕比先生说。“他们是值得打扰的。”他拔去院门的插栓，漫步穿过三角形草地，向希西别墅走去。
“你好！”他向开着的门里面叫，通过开着的大门可以看到里面很不干净。
一个沉着的声音回答，“你好！”
“我带了一个人来看你们。”
“我马上下来。”
通道被一口大橱阻挡着；搬运工没能将它搬上楼去。毕比先生艰难地绕着大橱，从边上挤过去。客厅本身堆满了书籍。
“这两个人非常喜欢读书吧？”弗雷迪轻声说。“他们是读书人？”
“我想他们是懂得怎样读书的——这是难得的造诣。让我看看他们有些什么书？拜伦。果然不出所料。《西罗普郡少年》。没听说过。《众生之路》（译注：《众生之路》为英国作家塞缪尔·巴特勒（1835-1902）的自传体小说）。没听说过。吉本（译注：吉本（1737-1794），英国历史学家，其代表作为6卷本《罗马帝国衰亡史》）。您好！亲爱的乔治还能读懂德文呢！嗯——嗯——叔本华、尼采等等。唔，霍尼彻奇，我看你们这一代对自己所干的一行一定都很精通吧。”
“毕比先生，来看看这个，”弗雷迪用惊讶的声音说。
大橱的上檐涂着这些字：…规定要穿新衣服的企业不可信。’（译注：引自美国作家亨利．戴维.梭罗（1817-1862）的代表作《瓦尔登湖》第一章“经济篇”中谈到人的衣着的段落。和原文略有出入。原文为：“我说你得提防那些规定要穿新衣服的企业，尽可不必提防一个穿新衣服的人。”）一看就知道不是油漆工刷的。”
“我知道。这不是顶有意思吗？我喜欢这个。我肯定这是那老头儿的杰作。”
“他真古怪！”
“你一定同意吧？”
然而弗雷迪毕竟是他母亲的儿子，觉得不应该糟蹋家具。
“看这些画片！”教区长仓促地在房间里走动着，继续说。“乔托一他们在佛罗伦萨买的，我敢肯定。”
“与露西买的一样。”
“哦，顺便问一下，霍尼彻奇小姐在伦敦过得愉快吗？”
“她昨天回来了。”
“我想她玩得很痛快吧？”
“是的，非常痛快，”弗雷迪说，随手拿起一本书。“她和塞西尔好得如胶似漆。”
“这是好消息。”
“毕比先生，我倒希望我不是个大傻瓜。”
毕比先生没有理睬他这句话。
“露西以前几乎和我一样傻，不过现在就会大大地不同了，妈妈这样认为。她将要读各种各样的书。”
“你也一样。”
“只读医学书。不是那些读后可以谈论的书。塞西尔在教露西意大利语，他说她钢琴弹得美妙极了。这里面有许多我们从来也没有发觉的东西。塞西尔说一”
“那些人究竟在楼上千什么呀？艾默森——我看我们还是下次再来吧。”
乔治冲下楼来，一句话也不说，把他们推进了房间。
“请允许我介绍霍尼彻奇先生，一位邻居。”
此时弗雷迪作出了青年人常有的惊人之举。也许因为他有点害臊，也许是作为友好的表示，还也许他认为乔治的脸需要洗一洗。不管是哪一种情况，他竟向他招呼说，“你好？去游水吧。”
“噢，好吧，”乔治冷淡地说。
毕比先生却觉得十分有趣。
“你好？你好？去游水吧，”他吃吃地笑着说。“这是我听到的所有交谈中最精彩的开场白了。不过我怕只是在男人之间才行得通。你能想象一位女士由另一位女士把她介绍给第三位女士时，用‘你好？去游水吧’作为客套话的开场白吗？然而你却要对我说男女是平等的。”
“我说男女将会是平等的，”艾默森先生说，他正从楼梯上慢慢地走下来。“下午好，毕比先生。我说他们将成为同志，而乔治也这样看。”
“难道我们要把女士们提高到我们的水平？”教区长问。
“伊甸园，”艾默森继续说，一面仍旧在往下走，“你把它看作过去的事，实际上却还没来临呢。当我们不再鄙视我们的肉体时，我们将进入伊甸园。”
毕比先生否认曾把伊甸园划归任何时代。
“在这方面——而不是在其他方面——我们男人走在前面了。我们不像女人那样鄙视自己的肉体。但只有在我们成为同志时，我们才能进入伊甸园。”
“我说，到底去不去游水？”弗雷迪低声说，对大量哲学性的谈话扑向他来感到惊慌失措。
“我一度相信回归自然。可是我们从来也没有和自然在一起过，又怎么能回归自然呢？我现在相信我们必须发现自然。取得多次胜利后，我们就能返璞归真。这是我们的传统。”
“我来介绍霍尼彻奇先生，你一定会记得在佛罗伦萨见过他的姐姐。”
“你好？非常高兴看到你，非常高兴你要带乔治去游水。非常高兴听到你姐姐就要结婚。结婚是一种责任。我相信她将会很幸福，因为我们也认识维斯先生。他非常和善。他和我们在国家美术馆不期而遇，为这所可爱的房屋作出了一切安排。不过，我希望我并没有使哈里·奥特韦爵士感到烦恼。我见到过的自由党的地主很少，热切盼望把他对狩猎法规的态度与保守党人的态度比较一下。啊，这风！你们去游水很合适。霍尼彻奇，你们这里乡下真是个好地方！”
“一点儿也不好！”弗雷迪咕哝道。“我必须—一那就是说，我不得不——我希望照我妈妈的吩咐，以后有幸来拜访你们。”
“拜访，小伙子？是谁教会我们这一套社交废话的？还是拜访你的老祖母去吧！你听这松林里的风声！你们的乡下真是个好地方。”
毕比先生来解围了。
“艾默森先生，他要来拜访你们，我也要来拜访你们；不出十天，你或者你的儿子将对我们回访。我相信你一定注意到这十天的间隔。我昨天帮你修楼梯不算在内。今天下午他们要去游水也不算在内。”
“对了，乔治，去游水吧！你们为什么还在这里磨嘴皮子浪费时间？把他们带回来喝茶。带一些牛奶、蛋糕、蜂蜜回来。变换一下环境对你有好处。乔治这一阵在办公室内干得非常卖力。我认为他的健康不会好。”
乔治低下了头，神情抑郁，身上都是灰，散发出一个刚才在搬动家具的人身上才有的怪味道。
“你真想去游水？”弗雷迪问他。“你知道，仅仅是个小水塘罢r。我敢说你平时游水肯定比这条件好得多。”
“真的——我已经说过‘真的’了。”
毕比先生觉得他有义务助他这年轻朋友一臂之力，便率先走出这幢房屋，走进松林。真是个好地方！有那么一会儿，他们还听到后面老艾默森先生的声音在向他们表示良好的祝愿，并谈论哲学。随即话音停止了，他们只听到相当大的风吹动蕨丛和树木的声音。
毕比先生能够不开口，但是大伙儿不声不响，他就受不了，既然这次游水活动看来要告吹，而这两个同伴都闷声不响，便觉得不得不唠叨一番。他谈到佛罗伦萨。乔治一本正经地听着，时而作出一些轻微但又坚决的手势，表示赞同或不赞同，这些手势就像他们头顶上的树顶的摆动那样费解。
“你们会遇见维斯先生，真是巧事！你在这里可以看到贝尔托利尼公寓的所有旅客，你想到过没有？”
“没有。拉维希小姐对我讲过。”
“我年轻时老是想写一部《巧事史》。”
反应并不热烈。
“话得说回来，事实上巧事要比我们想象的少得多。譬如说，你们如今在这里，可并不完全是巧合，如果你好好想一想的话。”
使他宽慰的是乔治开始讲话了。
“是巧合。我想过了。这是命运。一切都是命运。命运把我们联在一起，命运把我们拆开——联在一起，拆开。四面八方吹来的风吹得我们——我们什么也定不下来——”
“你根本没有好好想过，”教区长斥责他。“艾耿森．我来给你提出一个有益的劝告吧：什么都不要归诸命运。不要说，‘我没有做过这一个，'因为十有八九你是做过的。现在我要盘问你。你第一次遇到霍尼彻奇小姐和我在什么地方？”
“在意大利。”
“维斯先生将要同霍尼彻奇小姐结婚，那么你又是在什么地方遇到维斯先生的？”
“在国家美术馆。”
“在欣赏意大利艺术。问题就出在这里，而你还要说什么巧合和命运！你很自然地去寻找属于意大利的东西，我们和我们的朋友们也是这样。这就把范围缩得极小极小了，我们就又在其间相会。”
“我到这里来是命运安排的，”乔治坚持说。“不过你可以把它叫做意大利，如果这样可以使你减少一些不快活的情绪的话。”
毕比先生看到讨论这一话题如此严肃，便悄悄从中脱身。然而他对青年人是非常宽容的，他不想冷落乔治。
“所以为了这个以及其他原因，我那部《巧事史》还是要写的。”
沉默。
他希望把这件事圆满地结束掉，便加上一句，“我们都非常高兴你们搬来了。”
沉默。
“到了！”弗雷迪叫道。
“好啊！”毕比先生高声说，一面擦抹前额上的汗水。
“里面就是水塘。但愿它大一点就好了，”他抱歉地说。
他们爬下一道滑溜溜的铺满松针的坡堤。水塘就在那里，镶嵌在一小片绿色的草坡中——不过是个水塘而已，可是大得足够容纳人的躯体，塘水清得可以照得见天空。由于最近雨水多，四周的草地都浸在水里，看上去像是一条艳丽的翡翠通道，引诱人朝中央的水塘走去。
“就水塘来说，它非常管用，”毕比先生说。“不需要为它进行辩护。”
乔治拣了一块干的地方坐下来，无精打采地解皮靴上的带子。
“那一簇簇柳叶菜不是挺美吗？我最喜爱在结籽的柳叶菜。这一种芳香扑鼻的植物叫什么名字？”
没有人知道，看来也没有人对它感兴趣。
“这里生长的植物突然改变了——这一小片是海绵样的水生植物，而两边长的都是坚韧或发脆的树丛——石楠、羊齿、越橘、松树。太迷人了，太迷人了。”
“毕比先生，你不来游水吗？”弗雷迪一面脱衣服，一面叫他。
毕比先生不打算游水。
“水太好了！”弗雷迪大叫一声，跳了进去。
“水就是水嘛，”乔治自言自语道。他先把头发弄湿——这明确地表明他无动于衷——便跟随着弗雷迪跳入这片神圣世界，一副满不在意的样子，似乎他是一尊雕像，而水塘则是一桶肥皂泡沫。舒展肌肉是必要的。保持清洁也是必要的。毕比先生注视着他们，注视着柳叶菜的种子成群结队地在他们头上跃动。
“推进，推进，推进，”弗雷迪开始游水，向两边各划了两下，然后就被芦苇和泥浆缠住了。
“值得下水吗？”另一个问，站在被水淹没的塘边，活像一座米开朗琪罗式的雕像。
土堤压垮了，他还没来得及好好考虑这一问题，就跌进了水塘。
“嘻——噗——我吞下了一只蝌蚪。毕比先生，这水实在妙极了，真是呱呱叫。”
“水是不错，”乔治说，从扎下水去的地方探出头来，把水泼溅剑阳光中。
“水妙极了。毕比先生，下来吧。”
“推进，哼。”
毕比先生这时热得不得了，而且他这个人，只要可能的话，总会表示同意的，便向周围看了看。只见四面都是拔地而起的苍松，在蓝天的衬托下相互摆手示意，不见一个教区居民。真是美呀！汽车与乡区主管牧师的世界无限地退到远方了。有的是水、天、常青树，还有风——这些东西不受四季的影响，肯定也不是人所能强行介入的？
“我还是也来洗个澡吧，”说罢他的衣服很快就成为草地上的第三小堆，他也对水的美妙赞叹不已。
这不过是普普通通的水，水量也不多，并且正像弗雷迪所说，使人想起在一盘色拉里游泳。三位男士露出了上身，在水塘里旋转，仿效《众神的黄昏》（译注：《众神的黄昏》为德国作曲家瓦格纳（1813-1883）所作的歌剧四部曲《尼伯龙根的指环》的第四部，三仙女为莱茵河的水仙）里的三个仙女那样。也许是雨水使他们变得清新活泼，也许由于太阳散发出炽热的光辉，还也许由于两位男士正当青春，而第三位也是人老心不老——不知怎的，他们身上起了一种变化，都忘却了意大利、植物学与命运。他们开始戏水。毕比先生与弗雷迪相互泼水。然后他们带着几分恭敬用水泼起乔治来。乔治没有出声；他们害怕自己已冒犯了他。接着他身上所有的青春活力都迸发出来了。他笑着向他们扑过去，用水泼溅他们，然后闪身躲开，用脚踢他们，向他们投掷污泥，把他们赶出水塘。
“好吧，跟你们绕着水塘跑，看谁跑得快，”弗雷迪叫道。于是他们在阳光下赛跑起来，乔治抄了一条近路，把两条小腿都弄脏了，不得不重新洗一遍。这时，毕比先生也同意跑了——这真是难忘的一幕。
他们奔跑是为了能干得快一些，他们泡在水里是图凉快，他们装作印第安人在柳叶菜和羊齿丛里玩，然后跳入水塘，把身子洗干净。在这段时间里，那三小堆衣服慎重其事地躺在草地上，宣布道：
“不。我们才是最重要的。没有我们什么事情都没法做。最后所有的肉体都得来求我们。”
“射门！射门！”弗雷迪喊道，一把抓起乔治的那堆衣服，把它放在一根假想中的球门柱边。
“足球规则，”乔治回敬了一句，他一脚踢去，把弗雷迪的那堆衣服踢得七零八落。
“进了！”
“进了！”
“传给我！”
“当心我的表！”毕比先生叫道。
衣服向四面八方飞去。
“当心我的帽子！好了，弗雷迪，差不多了。穿好衣服吧！得，听我的话！”
但是两个年轻人兴奋得发狂似的。他们轻快地进入树林，弗雷迪腋下挟了一件牧师穿的背心，乔治的湿淋淋的头发上戴了一顶牧师戴的宽边软毡帽。
“够了！”毕比先生大吼一声，想起他毕竟是在自己的教区里。接着他的嗓音起了变化，似乎把每一棵松树都当作一位乡区主管牧师。“嗨！冷静一点！你们两个，我看到有人来了！”
一声声叫喊，声浪在斑斑点点的泥地上向四面八方传开去。
“嗨，嗨，是女士们！”
乔治与弗雷迪都不是真正讲究文雅举止的人。再说，毕比先生最后的警告他们没有听见，不然的话，他们会避开霍尼彻奇太太、塞西尔与露西的，这些人正在走来，要去探望年迈的巴特沃思太太。弗雷迪把背心撂在他们脚边，一头扎进羊齿丛中。乔治迎着来人大叫一声，转身就逃，沿着通向水塘的小径飞奔而去，头上仍旧戴着毕比先生的帽子。
“我的天哪！”霍尼彻奇太太惊叫起来。“这些不幸的人是些什么人啊？喔唷，亲爱的，快别看！还有可怜的毕比先生呢！到底出了什么事啊？”
“快走这边，”塞西尔下达命令，他一向以为女人应该受他领导，虽然并不知道把她们领到哪里去；还有，女人应该受他保护，虽然也不知道要保护她们免遭什么伤害。他当即带领她们朝羊齿丛走去，弗雷迪正好藏身其中，坐在那里。
“哦，可怜的毕比先生！那件掉在小路上的背心是他的吧？塞西尔，毕比先生的背心——”
“这不是我们要操心的事，”塞西尔说，望望露西，只见她全给阳伞遮住了，显然在“操心”。
“我好像看到毕比先生跳回水塘里去了。”
“请走这边，霍尼彻奇太太，这边走。”
她们跟着他走上土堤，装出紧张而又若无其事的样子，这是女士们在这类场合适宜采取的表情。
“唔，我实在没有办法，”前面不远处有个声音说，接着弗雷迪的长着雀斑的面孔和两只雪白的肩膀从羊齿丛中伸了出来。“我总不能让人踩在我的身上吧，是不是？”
“我的天哪，亲爱的！原来是你！这样的安排实在太糟糕了！为什么不在家里舒舒服服地洗个澡？家里要冷水有冷水，要热水有热水。”
“妈妈，听我说：人总是要洗澡的，总得把身体弄干吧，如果另外有人——”
“亲爱的，毫无疑问，你像往常一样都是对的，不过你现在不适宜于辩论。露西，来吧。”她们转过身去。“哦，你看——快别看！哦，可怜的毕比先生！又一次多么不幸——”
因为毕比先生正好在爬出水塘，水面上漂浮着一些贴身穿的内衣；而乔治，那个厌世的乔治，正向弗雷迪大声叫喊，说他钓到了一条鱼。
“我呢，已经吞了一条下去，”羊齿丛中的那人回答。“我吞下了一条蝌蚪。它在我肚子里扭来扭去。我要死了——艾默森，你这畜生，你穿上了我的裤子啦。”
“别说话，亲爱的，”霍尼彻奇太太说，发现要保持万分震惊的状态已不可能。“首先，你们一定要把身体完全擦干。得各种各样的感冒都是因为没有完全擦干的缘故。”
“妈妈，快走吧，”露西说。“看在老天分上，快走吧！”
“喂！”，乔治大声叫喊，于是女士们又一次停下来。
他自以为已穿好衣服了。他实际上还赤着脚，袒着胸，在幽暗的林子的衬托下，显得容光焕发，分外潇洒。他叫道：
“你好，霍尼彻奇小姐！你好！”
“鞠躬，露西；你最好鞠躬。他究竟是谁啊？我也要鞠躬。”
霍尼彻奇小姐鞠了个躬。
那天黄昏和整个夜晚，塘水流失了。第二天，水塘缩小到原来的面积，失去了前一天的光辉。那是一次对热血和放松了的意志的召唤，是一次转瞬即逝而影响却没有消逝的祝福，是一股神圣的力量，是一道具有魔力的符咒，是一次青春的短暂的圣餐。
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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amenities
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| n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快 | |
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triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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dawdle
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| vi.浪费时间；闲荡 | |
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exhaling
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的现在分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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dispensing
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| v.分配( dispense的现在分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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assenting
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| 同意，赞成( assent的现在分词 ) | |
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dissenting
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| adj.不同意的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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drearily
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| 沉寂地，厌倦地，可怕地 | |
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aromatic
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| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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42
prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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sputtering
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| n.反应溅射法；飞溅；阴极真空喷镀；喷射v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的现在分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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46
acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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48
evergreens
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| n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 ) | |
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deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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50
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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51
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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52
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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53
delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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54
whooped
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| 叫喊( whoop的过去式和过去分词 )； 高声说； 唤起 | |
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55
scudded
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| v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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57
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fronds
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| n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 ) | |
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59
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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62
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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chalice
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| n.圣餐杯；金杯毒酒 | |
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