Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
a
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopa
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,a
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnsawtoto
this:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
a
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
přesto
yet,asinthecaseofmnoha
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthechvíli
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
rok
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspapers
withagesturethatwasbothirritateda
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowa
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingulici
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,even
ty
thosethatarespeciallydescribedasmalé
small.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
a
andthewistariaandsunshine.Takové
Suchdelightswereonlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciate
těchto
thesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;více
morethananybodyknew;more
než
thanshehadevertold.Ale
Butshewaspoor.Inthewhole
světě
worldshepossessedofherveryvlastní
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromyeartoyear,dal
putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
tuto
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherhusbandasashielda
andrefugeagainstarainydni
day.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
otec
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermanžel
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodesta
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,když
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasvelmi
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohisfood.
Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalledit
špatné
badhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
která
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesa
andspoiltthem,hehadmnoho
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“whentherewillbearainy
den
day,andyoumaybevelmi
verygladtofindyouhaveanest-egg.Indeedwe
oba
bothmay.”Lookingoutof
na
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalclub,ale
butconvenientforHampstead,whereshelived,a
andforShoolbred’s,wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstood
tam
theresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,a
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,zatímco
whileherbodilyeyewatchedtheopravdu
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasa
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethermožná
perhapsthiswasnottherainyden
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,a
andwhethertogetoutofsuchaclimatea
andintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tmožná
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodos
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,of
samozřejmě
course;perhapsquiteasmall
část
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,might
také
alsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastminda
několik
fewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationskterá
whichwerealreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadtopaythey
opravdu
reallypaidyou.Butwhatnonsenseto
myslet
thinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
s
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationa
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,a
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthedoors
withtheintentionofgettinghermackintosha
andumbrellaandfightingherwayintojednoho
oneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesa
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwaydomů
homeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficults
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteada
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleoftheroomonwhichthenewspapersa
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
nikdy
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,whobelongedtojedné
oneofthevariouschurchsets,a
andwhoanalysed,classified,divideda
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
a
andMellersh,whentheydidgoven
out,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremnoho
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohadmarried
jednoho
oneofthemandlivedupontheHeath,a
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,a
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
říct
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tknowwhattoříct
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
a
andfeelthatitwasnotenough.Ale
Butnobodyminded.Nobodylistened.
Nikdo
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewasthekindof
osoba
personwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
her
tvář
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
A
Andifone’sclothesandtvář
faceandconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,co
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Také
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingmuž
man,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtoto
it,agreatair.Wilkinswas
velmi
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
ho
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
a
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
nikdy
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotherhand,didheeversayaslovo
wordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghesaid;
a
andhewassoobviouslyreliableže
thatitoftenhappenedthatlidé
peoplewhomethimattěchto
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,a
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesa
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhis
sestra
sister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,a
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldzůstat
stayathome.”ButWilkinscouldnot
nechat
leavehiswifeathome.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
a
andallsuchhavewivesa
andshowthem.Withhisinthe
týdnu
weekhewenttoparties,a
andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
staré
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeasufficientpočet
number,hecouldnotaffordtochybět
misschurch,anditwastam
therethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,i když
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshallingthe
děti
childrenofthepoorintopews.Shewouldcomeinatthe
čele
headoftheprocessionfromtheSundayŠkoly
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,a
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,a
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,a
andupagainontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestrydveře
dooropened,andthechoira
andclergy,bigwiththelitaniesa
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehadasad
tvář
face,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondays
kdy
whenshehadonlybeenabletodostat
getplaice,thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,a
andthatifonedoesone’spráci
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrighta
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
nic
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughhodně
muchinherwaywiththeSundayŠkoly
Schoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;ale
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,ale
butwaslookingfixedlyatjednu
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,holdingthepaperdocela
quitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
jen
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
obličej
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshy
a
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakrooma
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthetablea
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadnikdy
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwas
jeden
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sože
thattheywerequiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlook
nahoru
up.Shecontinuedtogaze,
s
witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,atonespotjen
onlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedhera
chvíli
minute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktoher.Shewantedto
zeptat
askherifshehadseentheadvertisement.Shedidnotknow
proč
whyshewantedtoaskherthis,ale
butshewantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
mluvit
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Proč
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheircestě
waythroughthisdustybusinessoflifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheystále
stilltriedtohope?Andshecouldnothelpthinking
že
thatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadingže
thatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
části
partofthepaper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,the
světlo
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
světlo
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
a
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,a
andtheTubetoHampstead,a
anddinner,andto-morrowthesamea
andthedayafterthesamea
andalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacrossthetable.
“Areyoureading
o
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
ale
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
ještě
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositení
her,withitssmallfreckledtváří
faceandbiggreyeyestéměř
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,a
andshegazedatherachvíli
momentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
o
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,nebo
orratherhadreadaboutitpřed deseti
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—ofsvětle
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyouaskmethat?”
shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
a
andbythepoorhadmadehergravea
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
a
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
jen
onlybecauseIsawittaky
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeingusedtogettingpeopleintolists
a
anddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,pod
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shecouldmostproperlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,
jako
likealltheshy,onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftovíce
moreandmorespeechbythesheersoundofwhatshehadsaidnaposledy
lastinherears.“EverySunday—Iseeyou
každou
everySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisement
o
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,whomusthavebeenat
nejméně
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairs
withthemovementofanawkwarda
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserable
den
day...”AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesofanimprisoned
psa
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
život
lifewasspentinhelpinga
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.
“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindly
a
andattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
A
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslongthinneckdroopingalittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,
když
whenadvicewasneeded,naturallynejprve
firstproceededtocollectthefacts.Ale
ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherruku
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthečást
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,jen
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—Ithinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfacts
a
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
opět
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Her
tvář
face,whichhadlitup,fadedintopatienceopět
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’snousewastingone’stimethinkingofsuchthings.”
“Oh,
ale
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
protože
becauseitwassomuchunliketherestofher—thecharacterlesscoata
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhairstragglingout.“And
jen
justtheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchazměna
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Iopravdu
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidersharddost
enoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshehadto,put
ji
her?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforwardalittle,“youwilltellmeyour
jméno
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
doufám
hopeweare,wehadbetterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.
Někdy
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveynic
anythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedround
s
withamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
jméno
name.Itwasamean,
malé
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shethought,o
aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Tam
Thereitwas,however.Therewasnodoing
nic
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
a
andWilkinsshewouldremain;a
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshejen
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.Když
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovereason,a
andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchpříliš
tooprudenttospeakexceptpo
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesaid,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”a
andlookedatherashelookskdo
whohopes,forperhapsthehundredthtime,thathemaynothavemarriedafool.Of
samozřejmě
coursehewasnotavilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredho
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjustthinking...
The
víc
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’snaděje
hope,familiartohimbythisdobě
time,forhehadthenbeenahusbandfordva
twoyears,thathemightnotbyanychancehavemarriedafool;a
andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,pokud
ifthatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconducteds
withdignifiedsilenceononestraně
sideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
když
whenitwasatlastover—ittookadlouho
longwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelo
aboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingtogetherforasingleden
dayfortwowholeyears.Whatwe
oba
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isasolicitor.
He—”
Shecastaboutfor
něco
somethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,a
andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“that
musí
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
askedMrs.Wilkins.
“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,alittletakenaback,forconstantintercourse
s
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedbez
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftjako
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’s
velké
greatgreyeyeswerefixedonjejí
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotže
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,a
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudienceže
thatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,pokud
ifitwished,tointerrupt,že
thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Ale
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;for
právě
justthen,absurdasitseemed,apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,a
andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingspolečně
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’tknow,a
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawje
them.Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,were
staré
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theyweretam
there...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
a
anddidnothearaslovo
wordshesaid.AndMrs.ArbuthnotstaredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,
který
whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesaw,a
andwasasluminousandtremulouspod
underitaswaterinsunlightkdyž
whenitisruffledbyagustofwind.At
tuto
thismoment,ifshehadbeenataparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedats
withinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeone
kdo
whohashadarevelation.Of
samozřejmě
course.Thatwashowitcouldbedone.
Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’tafford
to
it,andwouldn’tbeable,i
evenifshecouldaffordto
it,togothereallsama
alone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnottogether...
Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twetryand
získat
getit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecame
ještě
evenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
stále
stillasthoughshewereafraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
jen
justsithereandsayHowwonderful,a
andthengohometoHampsteadwithouthavingputoutafinger—godomů
homejustasusualandseeaboutthevečeři
dinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearsa
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsa
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofherhair,forthe
zvuk
soundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedji
her,andyetshecouldn’tpřestat
stop,“Iseenoendtoit.Thereisno
konec
endtoit.Sothatthereoughttobeabreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.
Why,itwould
opravdu
reallybebeingunselfishtogopryč
awayandbehappyforalittle,protože
becausewewouldcomebacksomnohem
muchnicer.Yousee,afterabit
každý
everybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyoumean,
dostat
getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”