Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohadcome
أسفل
downfromHampsteadtoshopandhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,andrunningherlistlesseyeأسفل
downtheAgonyColumnsawهذا
this:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistariaandSunshine.
صغيرة
SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
هذا
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthecaseof
العديد
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitattheاللحظة
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
السنة
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspaperwithعلى
agesturethatwasbothirritatedandresigned,andwentovertothewindowandstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingالشارع
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
حتى
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedasصغيرة
small.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,andthewistariaandsunshine.
Suchdelightswere
فقط
onlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersons
الذين
whoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;أكثر
morethananybodyknew;more
مما
thanshehadevertold.لكنها
Butshewaspoor.Inthewhole
العالم
worldshepossessedofherveryownonlyninetypounds,savedfromعام
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
هذا
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherزوجها
husbandasashieldandrefugeضد
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyherfather,was£100
على
ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhatherزوجها
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,عندما
whentheyspokeofheratall,الذي
whichwasseldomforshewasverynegligible,calledعلى
aperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
على
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitالذي
whichgotintohisfood.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
لكن
Butforthethriftwhich,مثل
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesandspoiltthem,hehadالكثير
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“when
هناك
therewillbearainyيوم
day,andyoumaybeverygladtofindyouhaveanest-egg.Indeedwebothmay.”
LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalclub,
لكنه
butconvenientforHampstead,whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,حيث
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstood
هناك
theresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,بينما
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasandsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhetherربما
perhapsthiswasnottherainyاليوم
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,andwhethertogetالخروج
outofsuchaclimateandintotheالصغيرة
smallmediaevalcastlewasn’tperhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.جزء
Partofhersavings,ofcourse;ربما
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.
Shewouldn’tintheleast
تمانع
mindafewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tتدفع
payfordilapidationswhichwerealreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadtopaytheyreallypaidyou.
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...
Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
مع
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationandresignationمع
withwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,andcrossedtheالغرفة
roomtowardsthedoorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshandumbrellaandfightingherwayintoواحدة
oneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesandgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwayالمنزل
homeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultمع
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,aامرأة
womansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleoftheالغرفة
roomonwhichthenewspapersandmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
لم
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,whobelongedtoواحدة
oneofthevariouschurchsets,andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedandregisteredtheالفقراء
poor;whereassheandMellersh,
عندما
whentheydidgoout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadهناك
thereweremany.Mellershhada
أخت
sisterwhohadmarriedoneofthemandlivedupontheHeath,andbecauseofهذا
thisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoلها
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
تقول
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tتعرف
knowwhattosay.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”andfeelthatitwasnot
كافية
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobodylistened.
أحد
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewasthe
النوع
kindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
herfacewasnon-arresting;
herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Andifone’sclothesandfaceandconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isthereleftofone?
كما
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,هذا
thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtoit,agreatair.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmiredhim.
Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonartandartists.
Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
لم
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotherناحية
hand,didheeversayaكلمة
wordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghesaid;
andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoftenhappenedthat
الناس
peoplewhomethimatهذه
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesandwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhissister,
مع
withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”لكن
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehisزوجته
wifeathome.Hewasafamilysolicitor,andallsuch
لديهم
havewivesandshowthem.Withhisintheweekhewenttoparties,andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.
Being
لا يزال
stillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofالعمر
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnotبعد
yetacquiredinhispracticeعلى
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,anditwasهناك
therethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughلم
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
في
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
تأتي
comeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundayمدرسة
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,andupمرة أخرى
againontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestryباب
dooropened,andthechoirandclergy,bigمع
withthelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehadasad
وجه
face,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehad
سوى
onlybeenabletogetplaice,thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,andthatifonedoesone’sjobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewasnothingbrightandbrisk,though
الكثير
muchinherwaywiththeSundayمدرسة
Schoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;لكن
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,لكن
butwaslookingfixedlyatواحد
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
فقط
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
وجه
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedat
حتى
evenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomandfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthetableandsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadلم
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwas
واحدة
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereجدا
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlookup.
Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyes
التي
thatseemedtobedreaming,atواحد
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktoher.
Shewantedtoaskher
إذا
ifshehadseentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
تعرف
knowwhyshewantedtoaskherthis,لكنها
butshewantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
التحدث
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirway
خلال
throughthisdustybusinessoflifebyaصغيرة
littletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheystilltriedtohope?AndshecouldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadingthatvery
نفسه
sameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
الجزء
partofthepaper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thelight,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittle
الساخنة
hotrocks?Colour,fragrance,light,sea;
insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,andtheTubetoHampstead,anddinner,andto-morrowthe
نفس
sameandthedayaftertheنفس
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacrossthetable.
“Areyoureading
عن
aboutthemediaevalcastleandفي
thewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
لكنها
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,withitssmallfreckled
الوجه
faceandbiggreyeyesalmostdisappearingتحت
underasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,andshegazedatheramomentدون
withoutanswering.Shewasreading
عن
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,أو
orratherhadreadaboutitعشر
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—ofالضوء
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittleالساخنة
hotrocks...“Whydoyouaskmethat?”
shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingofandbythepoorhadmadehergraveandpatient.
Mrs.
Wilkinsflushedandlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.
“Oh,
فقط
onlybecauseIsawittoo,andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeingusedtogetting
الناس
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,تحت
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shecouldmostproperlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,
مثل
likealltheshy,onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftoالمزيد
moreandmorespeechbythesheerالصوت
soundofwhatshehadsaidآخر
lastinherears.“EverySunday—Iseeyou
كل
everySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisement
عن
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,who
لا بد
musthavebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofanawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonina
نوع
kindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserableيوم
day...”AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesofanimprisoneddog.
“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewasspentinhelpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”
Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.
“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyou
تعيش
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslongthinneckdroopinga
قليلا
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,
عندما
whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyfirstproceededtocollectفي
thefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherhandsoftlyandcaressinglyonthe
الجزء
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,فقط
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhyهذا
thisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
أعتقد
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
مرة أخرى
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Herface,
الذي
whichhadlitup,fadedintopatienceمرة أخرى
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
لا
nousewastingone’stimethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
لكنها
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlikethe
بقية
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatو
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofشعرها
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—such
على
achangefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershardفيه الكفاية
enoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshehad
إلى
to,puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforwardalittle,“youwilltellmeyourname.
إذا
Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asIhopeweare,wehadالأفضل
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.
بعض الأحيان
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyأي شيء
anythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”
Shedidnotlikehername.
Itwasamean,smallname,
مع
withakindoffacetioustwist,shethought,حول
aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
هناك
Therewasnodoinganythingwithit.WilkinsshewasandWilkinsshewouldremain;
و
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonكل
alloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinssheonlydidthatعندما
whenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabove
السبب
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttospeakexceptبعد
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingعلى
acarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesaid,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotعلى
avilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhohopes,forربما
perhapsthehundredthtime,thathemaynothavemarriedعلى
afool.Ofcoursehewasnotavilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;
shehad
لم
neversupposedhewas;shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjustthinking...
في
Themoresheexplainedtheأكثر
moreearnestbecameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbythisالوقت
time,forhehadthenbeenahusbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyأي
anychancehavemarriedafool;andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,ifthat
يمكن
canbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedمع
withdignifiedsilenceononesideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
عندما
whenitwasatlastover—ittookalongwhile—“thatأي شخص
anybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingعندما
whenthey’venotleftoffbeingtogetherforasingledayfortwowholeyears.Whatwebothneedisaholiday.”
“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrow
بعض
somelightonherself,“isasolicitor.He—”
Shecast
عن
aboutforsomethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatmustbea
كبيرة
greatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
askedMrs.Wilkins.
“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,alittletakenaback,forconstantintercourse
مع
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertoقد
haveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutسؤال
question,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftمثل
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthat
ربما
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,خلال
throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,إذا
ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,inالواقع
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;
forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
على
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,andهناك
thereweretwofiguresinitsittingtogetherتحت
underagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofعلى
atreeshedidn’tknow,anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.و
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,wereالقديمة
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theywereهناك
there...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotanddidnot
تسمع
hearawordshesaid.AndMrs.ArbuthnotstaredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,
الذي
whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesaw,andwasasluminousandtremulousunderitasالماء
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofwind.At
هذه
thismoment,ifshehadbeenataparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldقد
havebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeonewhohashadarevelation.
Ofcourse.
التي
Thatwashowitcouldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,andwouldn’tbeable,
حتى
evenifshecouldaffordit,toالذهاب
gothereallalone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnottogether...
Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twetryand
الحصول
getit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
أكثر
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
لا تزال
stillasthoughshewereخائفة
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Notjust
تجلس
sithereandsayHowwonderful,andthengohometoHampsteadدون
withouthavingputoutafinger—gohomejustasusualandseeعن
aboutthedinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearsandyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsandyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
شعرها
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedher,andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Iأرى
seenoendtoit.هناك
Thereisnoendtoit.Sothat
هناك
thereoughttobeabreak,هناك
thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwouldreallybebeingunselfishto
نذهب
goawayandbehappyforalittle,becausewewouldcomebacksomuchnicer.Yousee,
بعد
afterabiteverybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyoumean,
الحصول
getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”