[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第90章

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red　jars；　together　with　the　display　of　curious　patterns　
and　fantastic　shapes；　produced　an　atmosphere　in　which　
human　beings　tended　to　look　pale　and　to　fall　silent。　

Opening　the　door　of　a　house　which　rang　with　the　mocking　
and　profoundly　unhappy　laughter　of　monkeys；　they　
discovered　William　and　Cassandra。　William　appeared　to　
be　tempting　some　small　reluctant　animal　to　descend　from　
an　upper　perch　to　partake　of　half　an　apple。　Cassandra　
was　reading　out；　in　her　highpitched　tones；　an　account　

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of　this　creature’s　secluded　disposition　and　nocturnal　habits。　
She　saw　Katharine　and　exclaimed：　

“Here　you　are！　Do　prevent　William　from　torturing　this　
unfortunate　ayeaye。”　

“We　thought　we’d　lost　you；”　said　William。　He　looked　
from　one　to　the　other；　and　seemed　to　take　stock　of　
Denham’s　unfashionable　appearance。　He　seemed　to　wish　
to　find　some　outlet　for　malevolence；　but；　failing　one；　he　
remained　silent。　The　glance；　the　slight　quiver　of　the　upper　
lip；　were　not　lost　upon　Katharine。　

“William　isn’t　kind　to　animals；”　she　remarked。　“He　doesn’t　
know　what　they　like　and　what　they　don’t　like。”　

“I　take　it　you’re　well　versed　in　these　matters；　Denham；”　
said　Rodney；　withdrawing　his　hand　with　the　apple。　

“It’s　mainly　a　question　of　knowing　how　to　stroke　them；”　
Denham　replied。　

“Which　is　the　way　to　the　Reptile　House？”　Cassandra　
asked　him；　not　from　a　genuine　desire　to　visit　the　reptiles；　
but　in　obedience　to　her　newborn　feminine　susceptibility；　
which　urged　her　to　charm　and　conciliate　the　other　
sex。　Denham　began　to　give　her　directions；　and　Katharine　

and　William　moved　on　together。　

“I　hope　you’ve　had　a　pleasant　afternoon；”　William　remarked。　


“I　like　Ralph　Denham；”　she　replied。　

“Ca　se　voit；”　William　returned；　with　superficial　urbanity。　

Many　retorts　were　obvious；　but　wishing；　on　the　whole；　
for　peace；　Katharine　merely　inquired：　

“Are　you　ing　back　to　tea？”　

“Cassandra　and　I　thought　of　having　tea　at　a　little　shop　
in　Portland　Place；”　he　replied。　“I　don’t　know　whether　you　
and　Denham　would　care　to　join　us。”　

“I’ll　ask　him；”　she　replied；　turning　her　head　to　look　for　
him。　But　he　and　Cassandra　were　absorbed　in　the　ayeaye　
once　more。　

William　and　Katharine　watched　them　for　a　moment；　and　
each　looked　curiously　at　the　object　of　the　other’s　preference。　
But　resting　his　eye　upon　Cassandra；　to　whose　elegance　
the　dressmakers　had　now　done　justice；　William　
said　sharply：　

“If　you　e；　I　hope　you　won’t　do　your　best　to　make　
me　ridiculous。”　

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“If　that’s　what　you’re　afraid　of　I　certainly　shan’t　e；”　
Katharine　replied。　

They　were　professedly　looking　into　the　enormous　central　
cage　of　monkeys；　and　being　thoroughly　annoyed　by　
William；　she　pared　him　to　a　wretched　misanthropical　
ape；　huddled　in　a　scrap　of　old　shawl　at　the　end　of　a　pole；　
darting　peevish　glances　of　suspicion　and　distrust　at　his　
panions。　Her　tolerance　was　deserting　her。　The　events　
of　the　past　week　had　worn　it　thin。　She　was　in　one　of　
those　moods；　perhaps　not　unmon　with　either　sex；　
when　the　other　bees　very　clearly　distinguished；　and　
of　contemptible　baseness；　so　that　the　necessity　of　association　
is　degrading；　and　the　tie；　which　at　such　moments　
is　always　extremely　close；　drags　like　a　halter　round　the　
neck。　William’s　exacting　demands　and　his　jealousy　had　
pulled　her　down　into　some　horrible　swamp　of　her　nature　
where　the　primeval　struggle　between　man　and　woman　
still　rages。　

“You　seem　to　delight　in　hurting　me；”　William　persisted。　
“Why　did　you　say　that　just　now　about　my　behavior　to　
animals？”　As　he　spoke　he　rattled　his　stick　against　the　

bars　of　the　cage；　which　gave　his　words　an　acpaniment　
peculiarly　exasperating　to　Katharine’s　nerves。　

“Because　it’s　true。　You　never　see　what　any　one　feels；”　
she　said。　“You　think　of　no　one　but　yourself。”　

“That　is　not　true；”　said　William。　By　his　determined　rattling　
he　had　now　collected　the　animated　attention　of　
some　halfdozen　apes。　Either　to　propitiate　them；　or　to　
show　his　consideration　for　their　feelings；　he　proceeded　
to　offer　them　the　apple　which　he　held。　

The　sight；　unfortunately；　was　so　ically　apt　in　its　
illustration　of　the　picture　in　her　mind；　the　ruse　was　so　
transparent；　that　Katharine　was　seized　with　laughter。　She　
laughed　uncontrollably。　William　flushed　red。　No　display　
of　anger　could　have　hurt　his　feelings　more　profoundly。　It　
was　not　only　that　she　was　laughing　at　him；　the　detachment　
of　the　sound　was　horrible。　

“I　don’t　know　what　you’re　laughing　at；”　he　muttered；　
and；　turning；　found　that　the　other　couple　had　rejoined　
them。　As　if　the　matter　had　been　privately　agreed　upon；　
the　couples　separated　once　more；　Katharine　and　Denham　
passing　out　of　the　house　without　more　than　a　perfunc


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tory　glance　round　them。　Denham　obeyed　what　seemed　to　
be　Katharine’s　wish　in　thus　making　haste。　Some　change　
had　e　over　her。　He　connected　it　with　her　laughter；　
and　her　few　words　in　private　with　Rodney；　he　felt　that　
she　had　bee　unfriendly　to　him。　She　talked；　but　her　
remarks　were　indifferent；　and　when　he　spoke　her　attention　
seemed　to　wander。　This　change　of　mood　was　at　first　
extremely　disagreeable　to　him；　but　soon　he　found　it　salutary。　
The　pale　drizzling　atmosphere　of　the　day　affected　
him；　also。　The　charm；　the　insidious　magic　in　which　he　
had　luxuriated；　were　suddenly　gone；　his　feeling　had　bee　
one　of　friendly　respect；　and　to　his　great　pleasure　
he　found　himself　thinking　spontaneously　of　the　relief　of　
finding　himself　alone　in　his　room　that　night。　In　his　surprise　
at　the　suddenness　of　the　change；　and　at　the　extent　
of　his　freedom；　he　bethought　him　of　a　daring　plan；　by　
which　the　ghost　of　Katharine　could　be　more　effectually　
exorcised　than　by　mere　abstinence。　He　would　ask　her　to　
e　home　with　him　to　tea。　He　would　force　her　through　
the　mill　of　family　life；　he　would　place　her　in　a　light　unsparing　
and　revealing。　His　family　would　find　nothing　to　

admire　in　her；　and　she；　he　felt　certain；　would　despise　
them　all；　and　this；　too；　would　help　him。　He　felt　himself　
being　more　and　more　merciless　towards　her。　By　such　
courageous　measures　any　one；　he　thought；　could　end　the　
absurd　passions　which　were　the　cause　of　so　much　pain　
and　waste。　He　could　foresee　a　time　when　his　experiences；　
his　discovery；　and　his　triumph　were　made　available　for　
younger　brothers　who　found　themselves　in　the　same　predicament。　
He　looked　at　his　watch；　and　remarked　that　the　
gardens　would　soon　be　closed。　

“Anyhow；”　he　added；　“I　think　we’ve　seen　enough　for　
one　afternoon。　Where　have　the　others　got　to？”　He　looked　
over　his　shoulder；　and；　seeing　no　trace　of　them；　remarked　
at　once：　

“We’d　better　be　independent　of　them。　The　best　plan　
will　be　for　you　to　e　back　to　tea　with　me。”　

“Why　shouldn’t　you　e　with　me？”　she　asked。　

“Because　we’re　next　door　to　Highgate　here；”　he　replied　
promptly。　

She　assented；　having　very　little　notion　whether　Highgate　
was　next　door　to　Regent’s　Park　or　not。　She　was　only　glad　

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to　put　off　her　return　to　the　family　teatable　in　Chelsea　for　
an　hour　or　two。　They　proceeded　with　dogged　determination　
through　the　winding　roads　of　Regent’s　Park；　and　the　
Sundaystricken　streets　of　the　neighborhood；　in　the　direction　
of　the　Tube　station。　Ignorant　of　the　way；　she　resigned　
herself　entirely　to　him；　and　found　his　silence　a　
convenient　cover　beneath　which　to　continue　her　anger　
with　Rodney。　

When　they　stepped　out　of　the　train　into　the　still　grayer　
gloom　of　Highgate；　she　wondered；　for　the　first　time；　where　
he　was　taking　her。　Had　he　a　family；　or　did　he　live　alone　in　
rooms？　On　the　whole　she　was　inclined　to　believe　that　he　
was　the　only　son　of　an　aged；　and　possibly　invalid；　mother。　
She　sketched　lightly；　upon　the　blank　vista　down　which　
they　walked；　the　little　white　house　and　the　tremulous　old　
lady　rising　from　behind　her　teatable　to　greet　her　with　
faltering　words　about　“my　son’s　friends；”　and　was　on　the　
point　of　asking　Ralph　to　tell　her　what　she　might　expect；　
when　he　jerked　open　one　of　the