Chapter1
Itbeganin
je
aWoman’sClubinLondononje
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,i
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohadcomeniz
downfromHampsteadtoshopi
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,i
andrunningherlistlesseyeniz
downtheAgonyColumnsawovo
this:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
i
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
To
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthe
slučaju
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitattheovom trenutku
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthatyearhadthen
i
andtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspapers
withagesturethatwasbothirritatedi
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowi
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,even
oni
thosethatarespeciallydescribedasmali
small.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
i
andthewistariaandsunshine.Takva
Suchdelightswereonlyfortherich.Ipak
Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatete
thesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedih
them;morethananybodyknew;
više
morethanshehadevertold.Ali
Butshewaspoor.Inthewhole
svijetu
worldshepossessedofherveryownsamo
onlyninetypounds,savedfromgodine
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
ovu
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofhermuža
husbandasashieldandrefugeagainstje
arainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
otac
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermuž
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,kada
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasvrlo
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
je
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohishranu
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
Ali
Butforthethriftwhich,poput
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesi
andspoiltthem,hehadmnogo
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“whenthere
će
willbearainyday,i
andyoumaybeverygladtofindyouhaveje
anest-egg.Indeedwebothmay.”
Lookingoutof
na
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalclub,ali
butconvenientforHampstead,whereshelived,i
andforShoolbred’s,wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodtheresome
vrijeme
timeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,i
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,dok
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthezaista
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasi
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethermožda
perhapsthiswasnottherainydan
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,i
andwhethertogetoutoftakve
suchaclimateandintothemali
smallmediaevalcastlewasn’tperhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodos
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,of
naravno
course;perhapsquiteasmall
dio
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,might
također
alsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastmind
je
afewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationskoje
whichwerealreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadto
platiti
paytheyreallypaidyou.Ali
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
s
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationi
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,i
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthevratima
doorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshi
andumbrellaandfightingherputu
wayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesi
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherputu
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficults
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,je
awomansheknewbysightastakođer
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthesobu
roomonwhichthenewspapersi
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshadnever
još
yetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,whobelongedtooneofthevariouschurchsets,i
andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedi
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
i
andMellersh,whentheydidgoout,wenttona
thepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremnogo
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohad
udala
marriedoneofthemandlivedupontheHeath,i
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoje
acirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltojoj
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
reći
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tknowwhattoreći
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
i
andfeelthatitwasnotdovoljno
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobodylistened.
Nitko
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewasthekindof
osoba
personwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
her
lice
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
And
ako
ifone’sclothesandfaceandconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,što
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Također
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman,whogaveje
aparty,merelybycomingtoit,je
agreatair.Wilkinswas
vrlo
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmiredhim.
Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
i
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
heneversaida
riječ
wordtoomuch,nor,onthedruge
otherhand,didheeversayariječ
wordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesof
svega
everythinghesaid;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoftenhappenedthat
ljudi
peoplewhomethimatthesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,i
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesi
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhis
sestra
sister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,i
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldostati
stayathome.”ButWilkinscouldnot
ostaviti
leavehiswifeathome.Hewas
je
afamilysolicitor,andallsuchimaju
havewivesandshowthem.S
Withhisintheweekhewenttoparties,a
andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispractice
je
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,i
anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,iako
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
na
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.ShewouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchoolexactly
pet
fiveminutesbeforethechoir,andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,anddownontheirmala
littlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,andupopet
againontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestryvrata
dooropened,andthechoirandclergy,bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehad
je
asadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondays
kada
whenshehadonlybeenabletodobiti
getplaice,thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,i
andthatifonedoesone’sposao
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrighti
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
ništa
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughpuno
muchinherwaywithna
theSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;ali
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,ali
butwaslookingfixedlyatjedan
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,holdingthepapersasvim
quitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
samo
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
lice
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedat
čak
evenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyi
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomi
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthetablei
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadneverjoš
yetspokeninherlife.Itwas
jedan
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereprilično
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlook
gore
up.Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,atonespot
samo
onlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
je
aminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktoher.Shewantedto
pitati
askherifshehadseentheadvertisement.Shedidnotknow
zašto
whyshewantedtoaskherthis,ali
butshewantedto.How
glupo
stupidnottobeabletopričati
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Zašto
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirputu
waythroughthisdustybusinessoflifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheystilltriedtohope?I
Andshecouldnothelpthinkingda
thatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadingda
thatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereontheverypartofthepaper.
Was
ona
she,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thelight,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,light,sea;
insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
i
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,i
andtheTubetoHampstead,i
anddinner,andto-morrowtheisto
sameandthedayaftertheisto
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacrossthetable.
“Areyoureading
o
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
ali
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
još
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositenju
her,withitssmallfreckledfaceandbiggreyeyesgotovo
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,andshegazedatherje
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
o
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,ili
orratherhadreadaboutitdeset
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—oflight,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyouaskmethat?”
shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
i
andbythepoorhadmadehergravei
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
i
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
samo
onlybecauseIsawitpreviše
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
um
mindbeingusedtogettingpeopleintolistsi
anddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,pod
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shecouldmostproperlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,
kao
likealltheshy,onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftoviše
moreandmorespeechbythesheerzvukom
soundofwhatshehadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—Iseeyou
svake
everySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
ovo
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisemento
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,whomust
imati
havebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffi
andwriggledinherchairs
withthemovementofanawkwardi
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserableday...”
A
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnots
withtheeyesofanimprisonedpsa
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
život
lifewasspentinhelpingi
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogive
ga
it.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindly
i
andattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
I
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslongthinneckdroopingje
alittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,
koji
who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyprvi
firstproceededtocollectthefacts.Ali
ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherruku
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthedio
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,samo
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhyovo
thisseemssowonderful.”“No—Ithinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfacts
i
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
opet
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Her
lice
face,whichhadlitup,fadedintopatienceopet
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
nema
nousewastingone’stimethinkingoftakvim
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;
surprising
jer
becauseitwassomuchunliketherestofher—thecharacterlesscoati
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofkose
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworth
dok
whileinitself—suchachangefromHampstead—andponekad
sometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifjedan
oneconsidershardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywould
ona
she,supposingshehadto,staviti
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
je
alittle,“youwilltellmeyourname.Ako
Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asIhopewese
are,wehadbetterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.
Ponekad
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyništa
anythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedround
s
withamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
ime
name.Itwasamean,small
ime
name,withakindoffacetioustwist,shethought,o
aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofje
apugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasnodoing
ništa
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
i
andWilkinsshewouldremain;i
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshesamo
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthenačin
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofje
avillaemphasisesthevilla.Kad
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovereason,andnakon
afterapause—Mellershwasmuchpreviše
tooprudenttospeakexceptnakon
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingje
acarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesaid,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotje
avilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhohopes,forperhapsthehundredthput
time,thathemaynothaveoženio
marriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnot
je
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredga
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjustthinking...
The
više
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’snada
hope,familiartohimbythistime,forhehadthenbeenje
ahusbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyanychancehaveoženio
marriedafool;andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,
ako
ifthatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconducteds
withdignifiedsilenceononesidei
andearnestapologyonthedruge
other,astowhetherornoMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
kad
whenitwasatlastover—ittookje
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarreloko
aboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingzajedno
togetherforasingledayfordvije
twowholeyears.Whatwe
oboje
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isasolicitor.
He—”
Shecast
oko
aboutforsomethingshecouldreći
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andfound:“He’s
vrlo
veryhandsome.”“Well,”saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“that
mora
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
askedMrs.Wilkins.
“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,a
malo
littletakenaback,forconstantintercourses
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedbez
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftkao
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
nju
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatmožda
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoje
ahabitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbebojala
afraid,ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,instvari
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;
for
upravo
justthen,absurdasitseemed,apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,andthereweredvije
twofiguresinitsittingzajedno
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’tknow,anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.A
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,werestari
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theyweretamo
there...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
i
anddidnothearariječ
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
također
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesaw,i
andwasasluminousandtremulouspod
underitaswaterinsunlightkada
whenitisruffledbyagustofwind.At
ovom
thismoment,ifshehadbeenatje
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedats
withinterest.Theystaredat
jedni
eachother;Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeone
tko
whohashadarevelation.Of
naravno
course.Thatwashowitcouldbedone.
Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’tafford
to
it,andwouldn’tbeable,evenifshecouldaffordto
it,togothereallsama
alone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnot
zajedno
together...Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twetry
i
andgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
još
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughshewere
boji
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Notjust
sjediti
sithereandsayHowwonderful,andthenići
gohometoHampsteadwithouthavingputoutafinger—gokući
homejustasusualandvidjeti
seeaboutthedinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearsandyearsandće
willgoondoingforyearsandyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
kose
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedju
her,andyetshecouldn’tprestati
stop,“Iseenoendtoit.Thereis
nema
noendtoit.Sothatthereoughttobea
pauze
break,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwould
zaista
reallybebeingunselfishtootići
goawayandbehappyforamalo
little,becausewewouldcomebacksomnogo
muchnicer.Yousee,afterabit
svima
everybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyoumean,getit?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”