A Room with a View

This is not what we were led to expect.

We were to see the Arno.

The signora wrote

"South rooms with a view, close together".

Instead of which, we have north rooms

without a view and far apart.

Hurry and get dressed or we'll miss

our dinner on top of everything else.

She had no business doing it.

No business at all!

Any nook does for me,

but it is hard that you have no view.

No, you must have a view, too.

- Buonasera.

- Buonasera.

Miss Lavish,

what a recommendation for a place!

Indeed, Miss Alan, it is.

Between the squalor of London and the squalor

of Prato, there is a great gulf fixed.

By going off the track,

you get to know the country,

see the little towns,

Gubbio, Settignano, Galuzzo,

San Gimignano, Monteriggioni.

Their mixture of the primitive

with the classical is irresistible.

- Miss Pole?

- Yes, Mr. Emerson.

What is that you are taking?

It's not lemonade, is it?

- Yes, it is.

- Put it right away, Miss Pole.

Lemonade is very bad for the stomach.

Oh!

I shall tell the signora to give

the next south view available to you.

- Why not to you?

- No, I insist.

This meat has surely been boiled.

For stock. It's lost all its flavor.

Monteriggioni is not only quaint,

but one meets the Italians

in all their simplicity and charm.

Wasn't Monteriggioni

where we saw the cornflowers, Teresa?

An entire carpet of them. It was delightful!

I find the cornflower

the most delightful of flowers.

I prefer something bolder -

the reckless rose, the tempestuous tulip.

- Your mother would never forgive me.

- She'd want you to have it.

On no account. The view of the Arno is yours.

I don't know why we're arguing,

because we have no view.

I have a view. And so does George.

My son George here.

You can have our rooms.

We'll have yours. We can change.

- Why not?

- Thank you very much.

- We could not impose on your kindness.

- Why?

- You see...

- Hush, Lucy.

Women like looking at a view.

Men don't. George, persuade them.

It's obvious they should have the rooms.

- Signora?

- No, thank you.

We could clear out in fifteen minutes.

These niceties go against common sense!

Every kind of sense. I don't care

what I see outside. My vision is within.

Here is where the birds sing

and where the sky is blue.

Come, Lucy.

Let them have the view if they want it.

Why not? George, go after them.

What an impossible person!

- He meant to be kind.

- I know how to deal with these people.

Charlotte, you dealed rudely.

You dealed wrongly.

This pensione is a failure.

Tomorrow we'll change.

- It's Mr. Beebe.

- Who?

Charlotte, we can't change now.

- Mr. Beebe.

- Don't you remember us?

Miss Bartlett and Miss Honeychurch.

- We met at Tunbridge Wells.

- That very cold Easter.

How do you do?

- I heard you are to be our vicar.

- Yes, I move into the rectory in June.

We did feel so sorry for you

in the dining room.

- Mr. Emerson is so tactless.

- But he meant to be kind.

This old gentleman and his son

offered us their rooms with a view.

It was most indelicate!

But things that are indelicate

can sometimes be beautiful.

- Yes!

- I am the chaperone to my young cousin Lucy.

It would be serious if I put her under an

obligation to people of whom I know nothing.

- I wouldn't think much harm could have come.

- There.

You think I ought to have accepted?

You think I have been narrow-minded.

I never suggested that.

If you would allow me, I would be happy

to act as intermediary with Mr. Emerson.

He would not take advantage

nor expect gratitude.

He has rooms he does not value

and thinks you would.

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