Part 1, Chapter 5 Summary

Possibilities of a Pleasant Outing-- Narration recounts how Miss Bartlett, perhaps surprisingly, was calm and understanding when Lucy told her story of what happened in the Piazza Signoria, how the other guests at the Pension Bertolini left her alone with her feelings and how Lucy longed to talk with someone about what happened. The following morning she chooses to accompany Miss Bartlett on a tiresome shopping expedition, rather than go out for a drive with Mr. Beebe and the Emersons. Her belief is that time with Miss Bartlett will help her clear the muddle in her mind. It will also free her from having to face George, and the possibility that they have both been changed by their experiences of the previous day.

As she and Miss Bartlett stroll through the city, Lucy becomes uncomfortable when their route takes them...