A Room with a View

第十九章

In this chapter, Lucy and her mother visit the Miss Alans at their Bloomsbury temperance hotel before Lucy’s trip abroad, where the subject of Mr. Vyse arises but Lucy deflects questions about her engagement. After shopping at Mudie’s and riding home through Surrey, Lucy notices that the Emersons have vacated Cissie Villa, rendering her elaborate plans to avoid George unnecessary. The chapter reaches its climax when Lucy encounters old Mr. Emerson in Mr. Beebe’s study, where he reveals George’s despair and challenges Lucy to acknowledge her true feelings, ultimately giving her the courage to confront the muddle she has made of her life by kissing her forehead before she must face her family.

Encounter With the Miss Alans in Bloomsbury

Lucy and her mother encounter the two elderly Miss Alans at their temperance hotel near Bloomsbury. The sisters are preparing for a trip abroad and quiz Lucy about her plans, asking about Mr. Vyse and suggesting he might join her later. Lucy and her mother evade their questions about Lucy’s engagement, which they have chosen not to announce until Lucy leaves England. Mrs. Honeychurch is uncomfortable with the deception, but Lucy justifies it by noting the sisters’ tendency to gossip. The encounter leaves Lucy feeling depressed about her upcoming travels.

Mother-Daughter Dispute Over Hidden Engagement and Independence

After escaping the Miss Alans, Lucy and her mother argue as they shop. Mrs. Honeychurch questions why Lucy is keeping her broken engagement secret and behaving so secretively. Lucy reveals she wants more independence—perhaps sharing a flat in London with another girl. Her mother reacts strongly, imagining Lucy among “typewriters and latch-keys,” agitating and screaming. Lucy finds herself drifting from her mother, comparing Charlotte Bartlett to herself, which strikes a painful chord. The conversation deteriorates into a wrangle, with Lucy resenting her mother’s inability to understand her need for autonomy.