A Room with a View

The Meeting at the Rectory

The meeting at the Rectory passes off adequately enough for Lucy’s purposes. She stands between Mr. Beebe and Cecil, making a few temperate allusions to Italy during conversation, and George responds in kind. She is determined to demonstrate that she is not shy, and finds relief in the fact that George does not appear shy either. Afterward, Mr. Beebe offers his assessment of the young man: “A nice fellow. He will work off his crudities in time. I rather mistrust young men who slip into life gracefully.” When Lucy observes that George seems in better spirits and laughs more than before, the clergyman agrees, noting simply: “Yes. He is waking up.” This unremarkable exchange constitutes the entirety of their direct interaction, yet as the week progresses, more of Lucy’s defensive barriers gradually fall away, and she begins to entertain an image that carries physical beauty—though what precisely this means remains unspoken between them.

Miss Bartlett’s Arrival

In spite of receiving the clearest possible directions, Miss Bartlett somehow manages to bungle her arrival spectacularly. She is due at the South-Eastern station at Dorking, where Mrs. Honeychurch has arranged to meet her, but instead she arrives at the London and Brighton station and must hire a cab up at considerable expense. No one is at home when she arrives except Freddy and his friend, who must abandon their tennis to entertain her for a solid hour. When Cecil and Lucy return at four o’clock, they join Miss Bartlett and little Minnie Beebe to form a somewhat lugubrious sextette upon the upper lawn for tea. Miss Bartlett immediately begins expressing her regret: “I shall never forgive myself. I have upset everything. Bursting in on young people! But I insist on paying for my cab up. Grant that, at any rate.” Lucy points out that their visitors never do such dreadful things, while Freddy irritably reminds his cousin that he has spent the last half hour trying to convince Cousin Charlotte of this very point. Miss Bartlett insists she does not feel herself an ordinary visitor, and gazes at her frayed glove with evident discomfort. When informed the cab cost five shillings plus a shilling for the driver, she begins fumbling in her purse.

The Sovereign Exchange

Miss Bartlett discovers that she has only sovereigns and pennies in her purse, and asks if anyone can give her change. Freddy produces half a quid and his friend has four half-crowns, but the complication arises: who should receive the sovereign? Lucy suggests waiting until her mother returns to handle the matter, but Miss Bartlett refuses, insisting on the prompt settling of accounts. At this point, Mr. Floyd makes the one remark of his that deserves quoting: he offers to toss Freddy for Miss Bartlett’s pound. Even Cecil, who has been ostentatiously drinking his tea while admiring the view, feels the eternal attraction of Chance and turns round with interest. Yet this solution falls through. Miss Bartlett cannot bear the thought of gambling: “Please—please—I know I am a sad spoil-sport, but it would make me wretched. I should practically be robbing the one who lost.” Freddy mentions that he owes Cecil fifteen shillings, offering what seems like an elegant solution: give the pound to Cecil, and the accounts will all work out properly. Cecil frames it neatly: “Give me the pound, and we shall avoid this deplorable gambling.” Miss Bartlett, who is poor at figures, becomes bewildered by the arithmetic and renders up the sovereign while the other young people suppress their gurgles of laughter. For a moment Cecil feels genuinely happy, playing at nonsense among his peers, though he glances at Lucy and sees petty anxieties that have marred her smiles. He reflects that in January he will rescue his Leonardo from this stupefying twaddle.

Minnie Beebe’s Objections

Minnie Beebe has watched the transaction narrowly, and her young mind cannot follow the logic: “I don’t see that! I don’t see why Mr. Vyse is to have the quid.” The others explain solemnly that fifteen shillings plus five shillings equals one pound, but Minnie remains unconvinced. “But I don’t see—” They attempt to stifle her objections with cake. She refuses, still protesting: “No, thank you. I’m done. I don’t see why—Freddy, don’t poke me. Miss Honeychurch, your brother’s hurting me. Ow! What about Mr. Floyd’s ten shillings? Ow! No, I don’t see and I never shall see why Miss What’s-her-name shouldn’t pay that bob for the driver.” Miss Bartlett, blushing, admits she had forgotten the driver entirely. Lucy rises with decision to fetch change, and requests that Cecil surrender the sovereign so they can start the entire process properly. Miss Bartlett follows her across the lawn, protesting her nuisance status, while inside the house Minnie’s protests continue and the other young men continue their games.