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第79章

[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第79章


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and gifts were returned; after years of distance the severed 
couple met; perhaps at an evening party; and touched 
hands unfortably with an indifferent word or two。 He 
would be cast off pletely; he would have to trust to 
his own resources。 He could never mention Cassandra to 
Katharine again; for months; and doubtless years; he would 
never see Katharine again; anything might happen to her 
in his absence。 

Katharine was almost as well aware of his perplexities 
as he was。 She knew in what direction plete generosity 
pointed the way; but pride —for to remain engaged 
to Rodney and to cover his experiments hurt what was 
nobler in her than mere vanity—fought for its life。 

“I’m to give up my freedom for an indefinite time;” she 
thought; “in order that William may see Cassandra here 
at his ease。 He’s not the courage to manage it without 
my help—he’s too much of a coward to tell me openly 
what he wants。 He hates the notion of a public breach。 
He wants to keep us both。” 

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Night and Day 

When she reached this point; Rodney pocketed the letter 
and elaborately looked at his watch。 Although the 
action meant that he resigned Cassandra; for he knew his 
own inpetence and distrusted himself entirely; and 
lost Katharine; for whom his feeling was profound though 
unsatisfactory; still it appeared to him that there was 
nothing else left for him to do。 He was forced to go; 
leaving Katharine free; as he had said; to tell her mother 
that the engagement was at an end。 But to do what plain 
duty required of an honorable man; cost an effort which 
only a day or two ago would have been inconceivable to 
him。 That a relationship such as he had glanced at with 
desire could be possible between him and Katharine; he 
would have been the first; two days ago; to deny with 
indignation。 But now his life had changed; his attitude 
had changed; his feelings were different; new aims and 
possibilities had been shown him; and they had an almost 
irresistible fascination and force。 The training of a 
life of thirtyfive years had not left him defenceless; he 
was still master of his dignity; he rose; with a mind made 
up to an irrevocable farewell。 

“I leave you; then;” he said; standing up and holding 
out his hand with an effort that left him pale; but lent 
him dignity; “to tell your mother that our engagement is 
ended by your desire。” 

She took his hand and held it。 

“You don’t trust me?” she said。 

“I do; absolutely;” he replied。 

“No。 You don’t trust me to help you… 。 I could help 
you?” 

“I’m hopeless without your help!” he exclaimed passionately; 
but withdrew his hand and turned his back。 
When he faced her; she thought that she saw him for the 
first time without disguise。 

“It’s useless to pretend that I don’t understand what 
you’re offering; Katharine。 I admit what you say。 Speaking 
to you perfectly frankly; I believe at this moment 
that I do love your cousin; there is a chance that; with 
your help; I might—but no;” he broke off; “it’s impossible; 
it’s wrong—I’m infinitely to blame for having allowed 
this situation to arise。” 

“Sit beside me。 Let’s consider sensibly—” 

282 



Virginia Woolf 

“Your sense has been our undoing—” he groaned。 

“I accept the responsibility。” 

“Ah; but can I allow that?” he exclaimed。 “It would 
mean—for we must face it; Katharine—that we let our 
engagement stand for the time nominally; in fact; of 
course; your freedom would be absolute。” 

“And yours too。” 

“Yes; we should both be free。 Let us say that I saw 
Cassandra once; twice; perhaps; under these conditions; 
and then if; as I think certain; the whole thing proves a 
dream; we tell your mother instantly。 Why not tell her 
now; indeed; under pledge of secrecy?” 

“Why not? It would be over London in ten minutes; 
besides; she would never even remotely understand。” 

“Your father; then? This secrecy is detestable—it’s dishonorable。” 


“My father would understand even less than my mother。” 

“Ah; who could be expected to understand?” Rodney 
groaned; “but it’s from your point of view that we must 
look at it。 It’s not only asking too much; it’s putting you 
into a position—a position in which I could not endure 

to see my own sister。” 

“We’re not brothers and sisters;” she said impatiently; 
“and if we can’t decide; who can? I’m not talking nonsense;” 
she proceeded。 “I’ve done my best to think this 
out from every point of view; and I’ve e to the conclusion 
that there are risks which have to be taken;— 
though I don’t deny that they hurt horribly。” 

“Katharine; you mind? You’ll mind too much。” 

“No I shan’t;” she said stoutly。 “I shall mind a good deal; 
but I’m prepared for that; I shall get through it; because 
you will help me。 You’ll both help me。 In fact; we’ll help 
each other。 That’s a Christian doctrine; isn’t it?” 

“It sounds more like Paganism to me;” Rodney groaned; 
as he reviewed the situation into which her Christian 
doctrine was plunging them。 

And yet he could not deny that a divine relief possessed 
him; and that the future; instead of wearing a 
leadcolored mask; now blossomed with a thousand varied 
gaieties and excitements。 He was actually to see 
Cassandra within a week or perhaps less; and he was more 
anxious to know the date of her arrival than he could 

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Night and Day 

own even to himself。 It seemed base to be so anxious to 
pluck this fruit of Katharine’s unexampled generosity and 
of his own contemptible baseness。 And yet; though he 
used these words automatically; they had now no meaning。 
He was not debased in his own eyes by what he had 
done; and as for praising Katharine; were they not partners; 
conspirators; people bent upon the same quest together; 
so that to praise the pursuit of a mon end as 
an act of generosity was meaningless。 He took her hand 
and pressed it; not in thanks so much as in an ecstasy of 
radeship。 

“We will help each other;” he said; repeating her words; 
seeking her eyes in an enthusiasm of friendship。 

Her eyes were grave but dark with sadness as they rested 
on him。 “He’s already gone;” she thought; “far away—he 
thinks of me no more。” And the fancy came to her that; 
as they sat side by side; hand in hand; she could hear the 
earth pouring from above to make a barrier between them; 
so that; as they sat; they were separated second by second 
by an imperable wall。 The process; which affected 
her as that of being sealed away and for ever from all 

panionship with the person she cared for most; came 
to an end at last; and by mon consent they unclasped 
their fingers; Rodney touching hers with his lips; as the 
curtain parted; and Mrs。 Hilbery peered through the opening 
with her benevolent and sarcastic expression to ask 
whether Katharine could remember was it Tuesday or 
Wednesday; and did she dine in Westminster? 

“Dearest William;” she said; pausing; as if she could 
not resist the pleasure of encroaching for a second upon 
this wonderful world of love and confidence and romance。 
“Dearest children;” she added; disappearing with an impulsive 
gesture; as if she forced herself to draw the curtain 
upon a scene which she refused all temptation to 
interrupt。 

284 



Virginia Woolf 

CHAPTER XXV 


At a quarterpast three in the afternoon of the following 
Saturday Ralph Denham sat on the bank of the lake in 
Kew Gardens; dividing the dialplate of his watch into 
sections with his forefinger。 The just and inexorable nature 
of time itself was reflected in his face。 He might 
have been posing a hymn to the unhasting and 
unresting march of that divinity。 He seemed to greet the 
lapse of minute after minute with stern acquiescence in 
the inevitable order。 His expression was so severe; so 
serene; so immobile; that it seemed obvious that for him 
at least there was a grandeur in the departing hour which 
no petty irritation on his part was to mar; although the 
wasting time wasted also high private hopes of his own。 

His fa

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