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intention； by a kind of fatality； a perversity that had already made
me address her overmuch on that question of her husband's powers； I
alluded to the precious proof…sheets with which Ambient had entrusted
me and which I nursed there under my arm。 〃They're the opening
chapters of his new book；〃 I said。 〃Fancy my satisfaction at being
allowed to carry them to my room！〃
She turned away； leaving me to take my candlestick from the table in
the hall； but before we separated； thinking it apparently a good
occasion to let me know once for all since I was beginning； it would
seem； to be quite 〃thick〃 with my hostthat there was no fitness in
my appealing to her for sympathy in such a case； before we separated；
I say； she remarked to me with her quick fine well…bred inveterate
curtness： 〃I daresay you attribute to me ideas I haven't got。 I
don't take that sort of interest in my husband's proof…sheets。 I
consider his writings most objectionable！〃
CHAPTER III
I had an odd colloquy the next morning with Miss Ambient； whom I
found strolling in the garden before breakfast。 The whole place
looked as fresh and trim； amid the twitter of the birds； as if； an
hour before； the housemaids had been turned into it with their dust…
pans and feather…brushes。 I almost hesitated to light a cigarette
and was doubly startled when； in the act of doing so； I suddenly saw
the sister of my host； who had； at the best； something of the
weirdness of an apparition； stand before me。 She might have been
posing for her photograph。 Her sad…coloured robe arranged itself in
serpentine folds at her feet； her hands locked themselves listlessly
together in front； her chin rested on a cinque…cento ruff。 The first
thing I did after bidding her good…morning was to ask her for news of
her little nephewto express the hope she had heard he was better。
She was able to gratify this trustshe spoke as if we might expect
to see him during the day。 We walked through the shrubberies
together and she gave me further light on her brother's household；
which offered me an opportunity to repeat to her what his wife had so
startled and distressed me with the night before。 WAS it the sorry
truth that she thought his productions objectionable？
〃She doesn't usually come out with that so soon！〃 Miss Ambient
returned in answer to my breathlessness。
〃Poor lady；〃 I pleaded； 〃she saw I'm a fanatic。〃
〃Yes； she won't like you for that。 But you mustn't mind； if the rest
of us like you！ Beatrice thinks a work of art ought to have a
'purpose。' But she's a charming womandon't you think her charming？
I find in her quite the grand air。〃
〃She's very beautiful；〃 I produced with an effort； while I reflected
that though it was apparently true that Mark Ambient was mismated it
was also perceptible that his sister was perfidious。 She assured me
her brother and his wife had no other difference but thisone that
she thought his writings immoral and his influence pernicious。 It
was a fixed idea； she was afraid of these things for the child。 I
answered that it was in all conscience enough； the trifle of a
woman's regarding her husband's mind as a well of corruption； and she
seemed much struck with the novelty of my remark。 〃But there hasn't
been any of the sort of trouble that there so often is among married
people；〃 she said。 〃I suppose you can judge for yourself that
Beatrice isn't at allwell； whatever they call it when a woman kicks
over！ And poor Mark doesn't make love to other people either。 You
might think he would； but I assure you he doesn't。 All the same of
course； from her point of view； you know； she has a dread of my
brother's influence on the child on the formation of his character；
his 'ideals；' poor little brat； his principles。 It's as if it were a
subtle poison or a contagionsomething that would rub off on his
tender sensibility when his father kisses him or holds him on his
knee。 If she could she'd prevent Mark from even so much as touching
him。 Every one knows itvisitors see it for themselves； so there's
no harm in my telling you。 Isn't it excessively odd？ It comes from
Beatrice's being so religious and so tremendously moralso a cheval
on fifty thousand riguardi。 And then of course we mustn't forget；〃
my companion added； a little unexpectedly； to this polyglot
proposition； 〃that some of Mark's ideas arewell； reallyrather
impossible； don't you know？〃
I reflected as we went into the house； where we found Ambient
unfolding The Observer at the breakfast…table； that none of them were
probably quite so 〃impossible； don't you know？〃 as his sister。 Mrs。
Ambient； a little 〃the worse；〃 as was mentioned； for her
ministrations； during the night； to Dolcino； didn't appear at
breakfast。 Her husband described her； however； as hoping to go to
church。 I afterwards learnt that she did go； but nothing naturally
was less on the cards than that we should accompany her。 It was
while the church…bell droned near at hand that the author of
〃Beltraffio〃 led me forth for the ramble he had spoken of in his
note。 I shall attempt here no record of where we went or of what we
saw。 We kept to the fields and copses and commons； and breathed the
same sweet air as the nibbling donkeys and the browsing sheep； whose
woolliness seemed to me； in those early days of acquaintance with
English objects； but part of the general texture of the small dense
landscape； which looked as if the harvest were gathered by the shears
and with all nature bleating and braying for the violence。
Everything was full of expression for Mark Ambient's visitorfrom
the big bandy…legged geese whose whiteness was a 〃note〃 amid all the
tones of green as they wandered beside a neat little oval pool； the
foreground of a thatched and whitewashed inn； with a grassy approach
and a pictorial signfrom these humble wayside animals to the crests
of high woods which let a gable or a pinnacle peep here and there and
looked even at a distance like trees of good company； conscious of an
individual profile。 I admired the hedge…rows； I plucked the faint…
hued heather； and I was for ever stopping to say how charming I
thought the thread…like footpaths across the fields； which wandered
in a diagonal of finer grain from one smooth stile to another。 Mark
Ambient was abundantly good…natured and was as much struck； dear man；
with some of my observations as I was with the literary allusions of
the landscape。 We sat and smoked on stiles； broaching paradoxes in
the decent English air； we took short cuts across a park or two where
the bracken was deep and my companion nodded to the old woman at the
gate； we skirted rank coverts which rustled here and there as we
passed； and we stretched ourselves at last on a heathery hillside
where if the sun wasn't too hot neither was the earth too cold； and
where the country lay beneath us in a rich blue mist。 Of course I
had already told him what I thought of his new novel； having the
previous night read every word of the opening chapters before I went
to bed。
〃I'm not without hope of being able to make it decent enough；〃 he
said as I went back to the subject while we turned up our hee