Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’s
نادي
ClubinLondononaفبراير
Februaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,andaبائس
miserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohadcomeأسفل
downfromHampsteadtoshopandhadlunchedatherنادي
club,tookupTheTimesfromtheطاولة
tableinthesmoking-room,andrunningherlistlesseyeأسفل
downtheAgonyColumnsawهذا
this:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistariaandSunshine.
صغيرة
SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofأبريل
April.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
هذا
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthecaseof
العديد
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitattheاللحظة
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkinsthather
أبريل
Aprilforthatyearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedtheالجريدة
newspaperwithagesturethatwasbothirritatedandresigned,andwentovertotheالنافذة
windowandstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingالشارع
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
حتى
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedasصغيرة
small.Notforhertheshoresin
أبريل
ApriloftheMediterranean,andthewistariaandsunshine.Suchdelightswere
فقط
onlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersons
الذين
whoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;أكثر
morethananybodyknew;more
مما
thanshehadevertold.لكنها
Butshewaspoor.Inthewhole
العالم
worldshepossessedofherveryownonlyninetypounds,savedfromعام
yeartoyear,putbycarefullyجنيه
poundbypound,outofherdressبدل
allowance.Shehadscrapedthis
المبلغ
sumtogetheratthesuggestionofherزوجها
husbandasashieldandrefugeضد
againstarainyday.Herdress
بدل
allowance,givenherbyherfather,was£100على
ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sملابس
clotheswerewhatherhusband,urginghertosave,calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,عندما
whentheyspokeofheratall,الذي
whichwasseldomforshewasverynegligible,calledعلى
aperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
على
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatالفرع
branchofitwhichgotintohisfood.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
لكن
Butforthethriftwhich,مثل
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sملابس
clothesandspoiltthem,hehadالكثير
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“when
هناك
therewillbearainyيوم
day,andyoumaybeverygladtofindyouhaveanest-egg.الواقع
Indeedwebothmay.”Lookingoutofthe
النادي
clubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalالنادي
club,butconvenientforHampstead,حيث
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,حيث
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstood
هناك
theresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,بينما
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyالمطر
rainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasandsplashingomnibuses,فجأة
suddenlywonderedwhetherperhapsthiswasnottherainyاليوم
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,andعما إذا كان
whethertogetoutofsuchaالمناخ
climateandintothesmallmediaevalالقلعة
castlewasn’tperhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.جزء
Partofhersavings,ofcourse;ربما
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurely
رخيصة
cheap.Shewouldn’tintheleast
تمانع
mindafewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tتدفع
payfordilapidationswhichwerealreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthe
السعر
priceyouhadtopaytheyreallypaidyou.Butwhat
هراء
nonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthe
النافذة
windowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritationandresignationمع
withwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,andcrossedtheالغرفة
roomtowardsthedoorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshandumbrellaandfightingherwayintoواحدة
oneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesandgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwayالمنزل
homeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasصعبة
difficultwithfishandlikedفقط
onlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,aامرأة
womansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheالنادي
club,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.Wilkinswasdrawnintoaدائرة
circlewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoلها
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’s
ملابس
clothesandfaceandconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isthereleftofone?كما
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,هذا
thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtoit,agreatair.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’s
دائرة
circleadmiredhim.Hepronouncedadequately
ذكية
intelligentjudgmentsonartandartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
لم
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotherناحية
hand,didheeversayaكلمة
wordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghesaid;
andhewasso
الواضح
obviouslyreliablethatitoftenhappenedthatالناس
peoplewhomethimatهذه
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,andafteraفترة
periodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesandwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhissister,
مع
withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”لكن
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehisزوجته
wifeathome.Hewasafamilysolicitor,andallsuch
لديهم
havewivesandshowthem.Withhisintheweekhewenttoparties,andwithhisonSundayshewentto
الكنيسة
church.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
العمر
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnotبعد
yetacquiredinhispracticeعلى
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomissالكنيسة
church,anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecameمألوفة
familiar,thoughneverthroughwords,مع
withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
في
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
تأتي
comeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundayمدرسة
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,andupمرة أخرى
againontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestryباب
dooropened,andthechoirandclergy,bigمع
withthelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehadasad
وجه
face,yetshewasevidentlyفعالة
efficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehad
سوى
onlybeenabletogetplaice,thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,andthatifonedoesone’sjobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewasnothing
مشرق
brightandbrisk,thoughmuchinherwayمع
withtheSundaySchoolchildrenأن
thatwasautomatic;butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,
لكن
butwaslookingfixedlyatواحد
oneportionofthefirstالصفحة
pageofTheTimes,holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
فقط
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
وجه
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedat
حتى
evenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomandfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sسمك
fish,stoppedatthetableandsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadلم
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwas
واحدة
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereجدا
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
لكن
however,didnotlookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyes
التي
thatseemedtobedreaming,atواحد
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewup
الشجاعة
couragetospeaktoher.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,thesoftlappingofthesea
بين
amonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,light,sea;
insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,andthewetomnibuses,andthe
الأسماك
fishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,andtheTubetoHampstead,anddinner,andto-morrowtheنفس
sameandthedayaftertheنفس
sameandalwaysthesame...فجأة
SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacrosstheالطاولة
table.“Areyoureadingabout
في
themediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”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,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaبين
amonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyouaskmethat?”
shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingofandbythepoorhadmadehergraveandpatient.
Mrs.
Wilkinsflushedandlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.
“Oh,
فقط
onlybecauseIsawittoo,andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeingusedtogetting
الناس
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,تحت
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shecouldmostصحيح
properlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,
مثل
likealltheshy,onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftoالمزيد
moreandmorespeechbythesheerالصوت
soundofwhatshehadsaidآخر
lastinherears.“EverySunday—Iseeyou
كل
everySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthisseemssucha
رائعا
wonderfulthing—thisadvertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,who
لا بد
musthavebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofanawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonina
نوع
kindofburst,“and—itissuchaبائس
miserableday...”AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesofanimprisoneddog.
“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,
التي
whoselifewasspentinhelpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.
“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyou
تعيش
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslongthinneckdroopinga
قليلا
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,
عندما
whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyfirstproceededtoجمع
collectthefacts.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,fadedintoالصبر
patienceagain.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
لا
nousewastingone’stimethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
لكنها
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlikethe
بقية
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatو
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofشعرها
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemis
يستحق
worthwhileinitself—suchaالتغيير
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershardفيه الكفاية
enoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhat
فئة
categorywouldshe,supposingshehadإلى
to,puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaning
إلى الأمام
forwardalittle,“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
aboutitsendliketheupwardالمنحنى
curveofapugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
هناك
Therewasnodoinganythingwithit.WilkinsshewasandWilkinsshewouldremain;
و
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonكل
alloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinssheonlydidthatعندما
whenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershmadeWilkinsأسوأ
worse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedforthe
أعلاه
abovereason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttospeakexceptبعد
afterapause,duringwhichالمفترض
presumablyhewastakingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—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.Wilkinshadintendedtoتشير
suggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
عندما
whenitwasatlastover—ittookalongwhile—“thatأي شخص
anybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingعندما
whenthey’venotleftoffbeingtogetherforaواحد
singledayfortwowholeyears.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,for
المستمر
constantintercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertoقد
haveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutسؤال
question,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftمثل
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffinto
الصمت
silence.Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,anditseemed
فجأة
suddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatربما
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoaعادة
habitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,خلال
throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,إذا
ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,inالواقع
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;
forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
على
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,andهناك
thereweretwofiguresinitsittingtogetherتحت
underagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedعبر
acrossthebranchesofaشجرة
treeshedidn’tknow,anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.و
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,wereالقديمة
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theywereهناك
there...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotanddidnot
تسمع
hearawordshesaid.AndMrs.ArbuthnotstaredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,
الذي
whichwassweptbytheإثارة
excitementofwhatshesaw,andwasasluminousandtremulousunderitasالماء
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofالرياح
wind.Atthismoment,ifshehadbeenataparty,Mrs.Wilkinswould
قد
havebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeonewhohashadarevelation.
Ofcourse.
التي
Thatwashowitcouldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,andwouldn’tbeable,
حتى
evenifshecouldaffordit,toالذهاب
gothereallalone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnottogether...
Sheleaned
عبر
acrossthetable.“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?”