[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第119章

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of　her　eyes；　and　I　always　feel　that　our　physical　ailments　
are　so　apt　to　turn　into　mental　ailments。　I　think　Matthew　
Arnold　says　something　of　the　same　kind　about　Lord　Byron。）　
But　that’s　neither　here　nor　there。”　

The　effect　of　these　parentheses；　whether　they　were　introduced　
for　that　purpose　or　represented　a　natural　instinct　
on　Mrs。　Hilbery’s　part　to　embellish　the　bareness　of　
her　discourse；　gave　Ralph　time　to　perceive　that　she　possessed　
all　the　facts　of　their　situation　and　was　e；　somehow；　
in　the　capacity　of　ambassador。　

“I　didn’t　e　here　to　talk　about　Lord　Byron；”　Mrs。　
Hilbery　continued；　with　a　little　laugh；　“though　I　know　
that　both　you　and　Katharine；　unlike　other　young　people　

of　your　generation；　still　find　him　worth　reading。”　She　
paused。　“I’m　so　glad　you’ve　made　Katharine　read　poetry；　
Mr。　Denham！”　she　exclaimed；　“and　feel　poetry；　and　look　
poetry！　She　can’t　talk　it　yet；　but　she　will—oh；　she　will！”　

Ralph；　whose　hand　was　grasped　and　whose　tongue　almost　
refused　to　articulate；　somehow　contrived　to　say　that　there　
were　moments　when　he　felt　hopeless；　utterly　hopeless；　though　
he　gave　no　reason　for　this　statement　on　his　part。　

“But　you　care　for　her？”　Mrs。　Hilbery　inquired。　

“Good　God！”　he　exclaimed；　with　a　vehemence　which　
admitted　of　no　question。　

“It’s　the　Church　of　England　service　you　both　object　to？”　
Mrs。　Hilbery　inquired　innocently。　

“I　don’t　care　a　damn　what　service　it　is；”　Ralph　replied。　

“You　would　marry　her　in　Westminster　Abbey　if　the　worst　
came　to　the　worst？”　Mrs。　Hilbery　inquired。　

“I　would　marry　her　in　St。　Paul’s　Cathedral；”　Ralph　replied。　
His　doubts　upon　this　point；　which　were　always　
roused　by　Katharine’s　presence；　had　vanished　pletely；　
and　his　strongest　wish　in　the　world　was　to　be　with　her　
immediately；　since　every　second　he　was　away　from　her　he　

425　



Night　and　Day　

imagined　her　slipping　farther　and　farther　from　him　into　
one　of　those　states　of　mind　in　which　he　was　unrepresented。　
He　wished　to　dominate　her；　to　possess　her。　

“Thank　God！”　exclaimed　Mrs。　Hilbery。　She　thanked　Him　
for　a　variety　of　blessings：　for　the　conviction　with　which　
the　young　man　spoke；　and　not　least　for　the　prospect　that　
on　her　daughter’s　weddingday　the　noble　cadences；　the　
stately　periods；　the　ancient　eloquence　of　the　marriage　
service　would　resound　over　the　heads　of　a　distinguished　
congregation　gathered　together　near　the　very　spot　where　
her　father　lay　quiescent　with　the　other　poets　of　England。　
The　tears　filled　her　eyes；　but　she　remembered　simultaneously　
that　her　carriage　was　waiting；　and　with　dim　eyes　
she　walked　to　the　door。　Denham　followed　her　downstairs。　

It　was　a　strange　drive。　For　Denham　it　was　without　exception　
the　most　unpleasant　he　had　ever　taken。　His　only　
wish　was　to　go　as　straightly　and　quickly　as　possible　to　
Cheyne　Walk；　but　it　soon　appeared　that　Mrs。　Hilbery　either　
ignored　or　thought　fit　to　baffle　this　desire　by　interposing　
various　errands　of　her　own。　She　stopped　the　carriage　
at　postoffices；　and　coffeeshops；　and　shops　of　in


scrutable　dignity　where　the　aged　attendants　had　to　be　
greeted　as　old　friends；　and；　catching　sight　of　the　dome　of　
St。　Paul’s　above　the　irregular　spires　of　Ludgate　Hill；　she　
pulled　the　cord　impulsively；　and　gave　directions　that　
Anderson　should　drive　them　there。　But　Anderson　had　reasons　
of　his　own　for　discouraging　afternoon　worship；　and　
kept　his　horse’s　nose　obstinately　towards　the　west。　After　
some　minutes；　Mrs。　Hilbery　realized　the　situation；　and　
accepted　it　goodhumoredly；　apologizing　to　Ralph　for　his　
disappointment。　

“Never　mind；”　she　said；　“we’ll　go　to　St。　Paul’s　another　
day；　and　it　may　turn　out；　though　I　can’t　promise　that　it　
will；　that　he’ll　take　us　past　Westminster　Abbey；　which　
would　be　even　better。”　

Ralph　was　scarcely　aware　of　what　she　went　on　to　say。　Her　
mind　and　body　both　seemed　to　have　floated　into　another　
region　of　quicksailing　clouds　rapidly　passing　across　each　
other　and　enveloping　everything　in　a　vaporous　indistinctness。　
Meanwhile　he　remained　conscious　of　his　own　concentrated　
desire；　his　impotence　to　bring　about　anything　
he　wished；　and　his　increasing　agony　of　impatience。　

426　



Virginia　Woolf　

Suddenly　Mrs。　Hilbery　pulled　the　cord　with　such　decision　
that　even　Anderson　had　to　listen　to　the　order　which　she　
leant　out　of　the　window　to　give　him。　The　carriage　pulled　
up　abruptly　in　the　middle　of　Whitehall　before　a　large　building　
dedicated　to　one　of　our　Government　offices。　In　a　second　
Mrs。　Hilbery　was　mounting　the　steps；　and　Ralph　was　left　in　
too　acute　an　irritation　by　this　further　delay　even　to　speculate　
what　errand　took　her　now　to　the　Board　of　Education。　
He　was　about　to　jump　from　the　carriage　and　take　a　cab；　
when　Mrs。　Hilbery　reappeared　talking　genially　to　a　figure　
who　remained　hidden　behind　her。　

“There’s　plenty　of　room　for　us　all；”　she　was　saying。　“Plenty　
of　room。　We　could　find　space　for　four　of　you；　William；”　she　
added；　opening　the　door；　and　Ralph　found　that　Rodney　
had　now　joined　their　pany。　The　two　men　glanced　at　
each　other。　If　distress；　shame；　disfort　in　its　most　acute　
form　were　ever　visible　upon　a　human　face；　Ralph　could　
read　them　all　expressed　beyond　the　eloquence　of　words　
upon　the　face　of　his　unfortunate　panion。　But　Mrs。　
Hilbery　was　either　pletely　unseeing　or　determined　to　
appear　so。　She　went　on　talking；　she　talked；　it　seemed　to　

both　the　young　men；　to　some　one　outside；　up　in　the　air。　
She　talked　about　Shakespeare；　she　apostrophized　the　human　
race；　she　proclaimed　the　virtues　of　divine　poetry；　she　
began　to　recite　verses　which　broke　down　in　the　middle。　
The　great　advantage　of　her　discourse　was　that　it　was　self
supporting。　It　nourished　itself　until　Cheyne　Walk　was　
reached　upon　half　a　dozen　grunts　and　murmurs。　

“Now；”　she　said；　alighting　briskly　at　her　door；　“here　we　
are！”　

There　was　something　airy　and　ironical　in　her　voice　and　
expression　as　she　turned　upon　the　doorstep　and　looked　
at　them；　which　filled　both　Rodney　and　Denham　with　the　
same　misgivings　at　having　trusted　their　fortunes　to　such　
an　ambassador；　and　Rodney　actually　hesitated　upon　the　
threshold　and　murmured　to　Denham：　

“You　go　in；　Denham。　I　…”　He　was　turning　tail；　but　the　
door　opening　and　the　familiar　look　of　the　house　asserting　
its　charm；　he　bolted　in　on　the　wake　of　the　others；　
and　the　door　shut　upon　his　escape。　Mrs。　Hilbery　led　the　
way　upstairs。　She　took　them　to　the　drawingroom。　The　
fire　burnt　as　usual；　the　little　tables　were　laid　with　china　

427　



Night　and　Day　

and　silver。　There　was　nobody　there。　

“Ah；”　she　said；　“Katharine’s　not　here。　She　must　be　upstairs　
in　her　room。　You　have　something　to　say　to　her；　I　
know；　Mr。　Denham。　You　can　find　your　way？”　she　vaguely　
indicated　the　ceiling　with　a　gesture　of　her　hand。　She　had　
bee　suddenly　serious　and　posed；　mistress　in　her　
own　house。　The　gesture　with　which　she　dismissed　him　
had　a　dignity　that　Ralph　never　forgot。　She　seemed　to　
make　him　free　with　a　wave　of　her　hand　to　all　that　she　
possessed。　He　left　the　room。　

The　Hilberys’　house　was　tall；　possessing　many　stories　
and　passages　with　closed　doors；　all；　once　he　had　passed　
the　drawingroom　floor；　unknown　to　Ralph。　He　mounted　as　
high　as　he　could　and　knocked　at　the　first　door　he　came　to。　

“May　I　e　in？”　he　asked。　

A　voice　from　within　answered　“Yes。”　

He　was　conscious　of　a　large　window；　full　of　light；　of　a　
bare　table；　and　of　a　long　lookingglass。　Katharine　had　
risen；　and　was　standing　with　some　white　papers　in　her　
hand；　which　slowly　fluttered　to　the　ground　as　she　saw　
her　visitor。　The　explanation　was　a　short　one。　The　sounds　

were　inarticulate；　no　one　could　have　understood　the　meaning　
save　themselves。　As　if　the　forces　of　the　world　were　all　
at　work　to　tear　them　asunder　they　sat；　clasping　hands；　
near　enough　to　be　taken　even　by　the　malicious　eye　of　
Time　himself　for　a　united　couple；　an　indivisible　unit。　

“Don’t　move；　don’t　go；”　she　begged　of　him；　when　he　
stooped　to　gather　the　papers　she　had　let　fall。　But　he　took　
them　in　his　hands　and；　giving　her　by　a　sudden　impulse　
his　own　unfinishe