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back to them； that William； even now； was plunging deeper
and deeper into the delight of unexpected understanding
with Cassandra。 He had almost told her that he was finding
it infinitely better than he could have believed。 She
looked out of the window； sternly determined to forget
private misfortunes； to forget herself； to forget individual
lives。 With her eyes upon the dark sky； voices reached her
from the room in which she was standing。 She heard them
as if they came from people in another world； a world
antecedent to her world； a world that was the prelude；
the antechamber to reality； it was as if； lately dead； she
heard the living talking。 The dream nature of our life had
never been more apparent to her； never had life been
more certainly an affair of four walls； whose objects existed
only within the range of lights and fires； beyond
which lay nothing； or nothing more than darkness。 She
seemed physically to have stepped beyond the region
where the light of illusion still makes it desirable to possess；
to love； to struggle。 And yet her melancholy brought
her no serenity。 She still heard the voices within the room。
She was still tormented by desires。 She wished to be beyond
their range。 She wished inconsistently enough that
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Virginia Woolf
she could find herself driving rapidly through the streets；
she was even anxious to be with some one who； after a
moment’s groping； took a definite shape and solidified
into the person of Mary Datchet。 She drew the curtains so
that the draperies met in deep folds in the middle of the
window。
“Ah； there she is；” said Mr。 Hilbery； who was standing
swaying affably from side to side； with his back to the
fire。 “e here； Katharine。 I couldn’t see where you’d
got to—our children；” he observed parenthetically； “have
their uses—I want you to go to my study； Katharine； go
to the third shelf on the righthand side of the door； take
down ‘Trelawny’s Recollections of Shelley’； bring it to me。
Then； Peyton； you will have to admit to the assembled
pany that you have been mistaken。”
“‘Trelawny’s Recollections of Shelley。’ The third shelf on
the right of the door；” Katharine repeated。 After all； one
does not check children in their play； or rouse sleepers
from their dreams。 She passed William and Cassandra on
her way to the door。
“Stop； Katharine；” said William； speaking almost as if he
were conscious of her against his will。 “Let me go。” He rose；
after a second’s hesitation； and she understood that it cost
him an effort。 She knelt one knee upon the sofa where
Cassandra sat； looking down at her cousin’s face； which still
moved with the speed of what she had been saying。
“Are you—happy？” she asked。
“Oh； my dear！” Cassandra exclaimed； as if no further
words were needed。 “Of course； we disagree about every
subject under the sun；” she exclaimed； “but I think he’s
the cleverest man I’ve ever met—and you’re the most
beautiful woman；” she added； looking at Katharine； and
as she looked her face lost its animation and became
almost melancholy in sympathy with Katharine’s melancholy；
which seemed to Cassandra the last refinement of
her distinction。
“Ah； but it’s only ten o’clock；” said Katharine darkly。
“As late as that！ Well—？” She did not understand。
“At twelve my horses turn into rats and off I go。 The
illusion fades。 But I accept my fate。 I make hay while the
sun shines。” Cassandra looked at her with a puzzled expression。
307
Night and Day
“Here’s Katharine talking about rats； and hay； and all
sorts of odd things；” she said； as William returned to
them。 He had been quick。 “Can you make her out？”
Katharine perceived from his little frown and hesitation
that he did not find that particular problem to his
taste at present。 She stood upright at once and said in a
different tone：
“I really am off； though。 I wish you’d explain if they
say anything； William。 I shan’t be late； but I’ve got to see
some one。”
“At this time of night？” Cassandra exclaimed。
“Whom have you got to see？” William demanded。
“A friend；” she remarked； half turning her head towards
him。 She knew that he wished her to stay； not； indeed；
with them； but in their neighborhood； in case of need。
“Katharine has a great many friends；” said William rather
lamely； sitting down once more； as Katharine left the room。
She was soon driving quickly； as she had wished to
drive； through the lamplit streets。 She liked both light
and speed； and the sense of being out of doors alone；
and the knowledge that she would reach Mary in her high；
lonely room at the end of the drive。 She climbed the
stone steps quickly； remarking the queer look of her blue
silk skirt and blue shoes upon the stone； dusty with the
boots of the day； under the light of an occasional jet of
flickering gas。
The door was opened in a second by Mary herself； whose
face showed not only surprise at the sight of her visitor；
but some degree of embarrassment。 She greeted her cordially；
and； as there was no time for explanations；
Katharine walked straight into the sittingroom； and found
herself in the presence of a young man who was lying
back in a chair and holding a sheet of paper in his hand；
at which he was looking as if he expected to go on immediately
with what he was in the middle of saying to Mary
Datchet。 The apparition of an unknown lady in full evening
dress seemed to disturb him。 He took his pipe from his
mouth； rose stiffly； and sat down again with a jerk。
“Have you been dining out？” Mary asked。
“Are you working？” Katharine inquired simultaneously。
The young man shook his head； as if he disowned his
share in the question with some irritation。
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Virginia Woolf
“Well； not exactly；” Mary replied。 “Mr。 Bast had
brought some papers to show me。 We were going through
them； but we’d almost done… 。 Tell us about your party。”
Mary had a ruffled appearance； as if she had been running
her fingers through her hair in the course of her
conversation； she was dressed more or less like a Russian
peasant girl。 She sat down again in a chair which looked
as if it had been her seat for some hours； the saucer
which stood upon the arm contained the ashes of many
cigarettes。 Mr。 Bast； a very young man with a fresh
plexion and a high forehead from which the hair was
bed straight back； was one of that group of “very
able young men” suspected by Mr。 Clacton； justly as it
turned out； of an influence upon Mary Datchet。 He had
e down from one of the Universities not long ago；
and was now charged with the reformation of society。 In
connection with the rest of the group of very able young
men he had drawn up a scheme for the education of labor；
for the amalgamation of the middle class and the
working class； and for a joint assault of the two bodies；
bined in the Society for the Education of Democracy；
upon Capital。 The scheme had already reached the stage
in which it was permissible to hire an office and engage
a secretary； and he had been deputed to expound the
scheme to Mary； and make her an offer of the Secretaryship；
to which； as a matter of principle； a small salary
was attached。 Since seven o’clock that evening he had
been reading out loud the document in which the faith of
the new reformers was expounded； but the reading was
so frequently interrupted by discussion； and it was so
often necessary to inform Mary “in strictest confidence”
of the private characters and evil designs of certain individuals
and societies that they were still only halfway
through the manuscript。 Neither of them realized that
the talk had already lasted three hours。 In their absorption
they had forgotten even to feed the fire； and yet
both Mr。 Bast in his exposition； and Mary in her interrogation；
carefully preserved a kind of formality calculated
to check the desire of the human mind for irrelevant
discussion。 Her questions frequently began； “Am I
to understand—” and his replies invariabl