按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
fastened the coat securely； grasped the stick firmly。 The
ivy spray was still twisted about the handle； this one
sacrifice； she thought； she might make to sentimentality
and personality； and she picked two leaves from the ivy
and put them in her pocket before she disencumbered
her stick of the rest of it。 She grasped the stick in the
middle； and settled her fur cap closely upon her head； as
if she must be in trim for a long and stormy walk。 Next；
standing in the middle of the road； she took a slip of
paper from her purse； and read out loud a list of missions
entrusted to her—fruit； butter； string； and so on；
and all the time she never spoke directly to Ralph or
looked at him。
Ralph heard her giving orders to attentive； rosychecked
men in white aprons； and in spite of his own preoccupation；
he mented upon the determination with which
she made her wishes known。 Once more he began； automatically；
to take stock of her characteristics。 Standing
thus； superficially observant and stirring the sawdust on
the floor meditatively with the toe of his boot； he was
roused by a musical and familiar voice behind him； acpanied
by a light touch upon his shoulder。
“I’m not mistaken？ Surely Mr。 Denham？ I caught a
glimpse of your coat through the window； and I felt sure
that I knew your coat。 Have you seen Katharine or Will
199
Night and Day
iam？ I’m wandering about Lincoln looking for the ruins。”
It was Mrs。 Hilbery； her entrance created some stir in
the shop； many people looked at her。
“First of all； tell me where I am；” she demanded； but；
catching sight of the attentive shopman； she appealed
to him。 “The ruins—my party is waiting for me at the
ruins。 The Roman ruins—or Greek； Mr。 Denham？ Your town
has a great many beautiful things in it； but I wish it
hadn’t so many ruins。 I never saw such delightful little
pots of honey in my life—are they made by your own
bees？ Please give me one of those little pots； and tell me
how I shall find my way to the ruins。”
“And now；” she continued； having received the information
and the pot of honey； having been introduced to
Mary； and having insisted that they should acpany
her back to the ruins； since in a town with so many turnings；
such prospects； such delightful little halfnaked boys
dabbling in pools； such Veian canals； such old blue
china in the curiosity shops； it was impossible for one
person all alone to find her way to the ruins。 “Now；” she
exclaimed； “please tell me what you’re doing here； Mr。
Denham—for you ARE Mr。 Denham； aren’t you？” she inquired；
gazing at him with a sudden suspicion of her own
accuracy。 “The brilliant young man who writes for the
Review； I mean？ Only yesterday my husband was telling
me he thought you one of the cleverest young men he
knew。 Certainly； you’ve been the messenger of Providence
to me； for unless I’d seen you I’m sure I should never
have found the ruins at all。”
They had reached the Roman arch when Mrs。 Hilbery
caught sight of her own party； standing like sentinels
facing up and down the road so as to intercept her if； as
they expected； she had got lodged in some shop。
“I’ve found something much better than ruins！” she
exclaimed。 “I’ve found two friends who told me how to
find you； which I could never have done without them。
They must e and have tea with us。 What a pity that
we’ve just had luncheon。” Could they not somehow revoke
that meal？
Katharine； who had gone a few steps by herself down
the road； and was investigating the window of an
ironmonger； as if her mother might have got herself con
200
Virginia Woolf
cealed among mowingmachines and gardenshears；
turned sharply on hearing her voice； and came towards
them。 She was a great deal surprised to see Denham and
Mary Datchet。 Whether the cordiality with which she
greeted them was merely that which is natural to a surprise
meeting in the country； or whether she was really
glad to see them both； at any rate she exclaimed with
unusual pleasure as she shook hands：
“I never knew you lived here。 Why didn’t you say so；
and we could have met？ And are you staying with Mary？”
she continued； turning to Ralph。 “What a pity we didn’t
meet before。”
Thus confronted at a distance of only a few feet by the
real body of the woman about whom he had dreamt so
many million dreams； Ralph stammered； he made a clutch
at his selfcontrol； the color either came to his cheeks or
left them； he knew not which； but he was determined to
face her and track down in the cold light of day whatever
vestige of truth there might be in his persistent imaginations。
He did not succeed in saying anything。 It was Mary
who spoke for both of them。 He was struck dumb by find
ing that Katharine was quite different； in some strange
way； from his memory； so that he had to dismiss his old
view in order to accept the new one。 The wind was blowing
her crimson scarf across her face； the wind had already
loosened her hair； which looped across the corner
of one of the large； dark eyes which； so he used to think；
looked sad； now they looked bright with the brightness
of the sea struck by an unclouded ray； everything about
her seemed rapid； fragmentary； and full of a kind of racing
speed。 He realized suddenly that he had never seen
her in the daylight before。
Meanwhile； it was decided that it was too late to go in
search of ruins as they had intended； and the whole party
began to walk towards the stables where the carriage
had been put up。
“Do you know；” said Katharine； keeping slightly in advance
of the rest with Ralph； “I thought I saw you this
morning； standing at a window。 But I decided that it
couldn’t be you。 And it must have been you all the same。”
“Yes； I thought I saw you—but it wasn’t you；” he replied。
201
Night and Day
This remark； and the rough strain in his voice； recalled
to her memory so many difficult speeches and abortive
meetings that she was jerked directly back to the London
drawingroom； the family relics； and the teatable； and
at the same time recalled some halffinished or interrupted
remark which she had wanted to make herself or
to hear from him—she could not remember what it was。
“I expect it was me；” she said。 “I was looking for my
mother。 It happens every time we e to Lincoln。 In
fact； there never was a family so unable to take care of
itself as ours is。 Not that it very much matters； because
some one always turns up in the nick of time to help us
out of our scrapes。 Once I was left in a field with a bull
when I was a baby—but where did we leave the carriage？
Down that street or the next？ The next； I think。” She
glanced back and saw that the others were following obediently；
listening to certain memories of Lincoln upon
which Mrs。 Hilbery had started。 “But what are you doing
here？” she asked。
“I’m buying a cottage。 I’m going to live here—as soon
as I can find a cottage； and Mary tells me there’ll be no
difficulty about that。”
“But；” she exclaimed； almost standing still in her surprise；
“you will give up the Bar； then？” It flashed across
her mind that he must already be engaged to Mary。
“The solicitor’s office？ Yes。 I’m giving that up。”
“But why？” she asked。 She answered herself at once；
with a curious change from rapid speech to an almost
melancholy tone。 “I think you’re very wise to give it up。
You will be much happier。”
At this very moment； when her words seemed to be
striking a path into the future for him； they stepped into
the yard of an inn； and there beheld the family coach of
the Otways； to which one sleek horse was already attached；
while the second was being led out of the stable
door by the hostler。
“I don’t know what one means by happiness；” he said
briefly； having to step aside in order to avoid a groom with
a bucket。 “Why do you think I shall be happy？ I don’t
expect to be anything of the kind。 I expect to be rather
less unhappy。 I shall write a book and curse my charwoman