Chapter1
Itbeganin
een
aWoman’sClubinLondononeen
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,en
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,die
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtowinkelen
shopandhadlunchedatherclub
club,tookupTheTimesfromthetafel
tableinthesmoking-room,andliep
runningherlistlesseyedowntheAgony
AgonyColumnsawthis:.ToThosewho
Waarderen
AppreciateWistariaandSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalian
Kasteel
Castleontheshoresofde
theMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforde
themonthofApril.Necessaryservants
blijven
remain.Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Dat
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthe
geval
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwashoogte
unawareofitatthemoment
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkins
dat
thatherAprilforthatjaar
yearhadthenandtherebeengeregeld
settledforherthatshevallen
droppedthenewspaperwithagebaar
gesturethatwasbothirritateden
andresigned,andwentovertotheraam
windowandstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstraat
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
zelfs
eventhosethatarespeciallyomschreven
describedassmall.Notforher
de
theshoresinAprilofde
theMediterranean,andthewistariaen
andsunshine.Suchdelightswere
alleen
onlyfortherich.Yetthe
advertentie
advertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootohaar
her,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;meer
morethananybodyknew;more
dan
thanshehadevertold.Maar
Butshewaspoor.In
de
thewholeworldshepossessedofherveryeigen
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromjaar
yeartoyear,putbyzorgvuldig
carefullypoundbypound,outofherkleding
dressallowance.Shehadscraped
dit
thissumtogetheratthevoorstel
suggestionofherhusbandaseen
ashieldandrefugeagainsteen
arainyday.Herdressallowance,
gaf
givenherbyherfather,was£100een
ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhatherman
husband,urginghertosave,noemde
calledmodestandbecoming,andherkennis
acquaintancetoeachother,whentheyspraken
spokeofheratall,whichwaszelden
seldomforshewasverynegligible,noemde
calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
een
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthattak
branchofitwhichgotintohiseten
food.Hedidnotcall
dat
thatthrift,hecalleditslecht
badhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
die
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’skleren
clothesandspoiltthem,hehad
hadmuchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
zei
said,“whentherewillbeeen
arainyday,andyoumaybeerg
verygladtofindyouhebt
haveanest-egg.Indeedwe
allebei
bothmay.”Lookingoutof
het
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswaseen
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,waar
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,waar
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,having
gestaan
stoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’soog
eyeontheMediterraneaninApril
April,andthewistaria,andde
theenviableopportunitiesoftherich,whileherlichamelijke
bodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyregen
rainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasen
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedof
whetherperhapsthiswasnotde
therainydayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,en
andwhethertogetoutofsucheen
aclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tmisschien
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Deel
Partofhersavings,ofnatuurlijk
course;perhapsquiteasmall
deel
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
kan
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationswerezeker
surelycheap.Shewouldn’tin
het
theleastmindafewofthem,omdat
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationsdie
whichwerealreadythere;on
de
thecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadtobetalen
paytheyreallypaidyou.Maar
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...She
draaide
turnedawayfromthewindowmet
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationen
andresignationwithwhichshehad
hadlaiddownTheTimes,en
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthedeur
doorwiththeintentionofhalen
gettinghermackintoshandumbrellaen
andfightingherwayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesen
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwayhuis
homeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultmet
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteaden
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthekamer
roomonwhichthenewspapersen
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherdraaide
turn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
had
hadneveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,die
whobelongedtooneofde
thevariouschurchsets,anddie
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregistreerde
registeredthepoor;whereasshe
en
andMellersh,whentheydidgingen
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteader
thereweremany.Mellershhada
zuster
sisterwhohadmarriedoneofthemen
andlivedupontheHeide
Heath,andbecauseofthisalliantie
allianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirkel
circlewhichwashighlyunnaturaltohaar
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
zeggen
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’twist
knowwhattosay.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
en
andfeelthatitwasnotgenoeg
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobody
luisterde
listened.NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewas
het
thekindofpersonwhoisnotopgemerkt
noticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,
maakten
madeherpracticallyinvisible;her
gezicht
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwas
terughoudend
reluctant;shewasshy.
And
als
ifone’sclothesandfaceen
andconversationareallnegligible,dacht
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,wat
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Ook
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman
man,whogaveaparty,alleen
merelybycomingtoit,een
agreatair.Wilkinswas
erg
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobe
zeer
highlythoughtofbyhissenior
seniorpartners.Hissister’scircle
bewonderde
admiredhim.Hepronouncedadequately
intelligente
intelligentjudgmentsonartandartists.Hewaspithy;
hewas
voorzichtig
prudent;heneversaida
woord
wordtoomuch,nor,onde
theotherhand,didheeverzei
sayawordtoolittle.Heproduced
de
theimpressionofkeepingcopiesofalles
everythinghesaid;andhewasso
duidelijk
obviouslyreliablethatitoftengebeurde
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartieswerden
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,en
andafteraperiodofrusteloosheid
restlessnessextricatedthemselvesandwenttoWilkins.Natuurlijk
NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.“She,”
zei
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofde
thejudicial,thedigested,andde
thefinalinhermanner,“shouldzijn
stayathome.”ButWilkins
kon
couldnotleavehiswifeatthuis
home.Hewasafamily
advocaat
solicitor,andallsuchhavewivesen
andshowthem.Withhisin
de
theweekhewenttoparties,en
andwithhisonSundaysheging
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—and
ambitieus
ambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhehad
hadnotyetacquiredinhispraktijk
practiceasufficientnumber,hekon
couldnotaffordtomisskerk
church,anditwastheredat
thatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughnooit
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
zag
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofde
thepoorintopews.She
zouden
wouldcomeinatthehoofd
headoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchoolprecies
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethekoor
choir,andgetherboysen
andgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,en
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,en
andupagainontheirvoeten
feetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestrydeur
dooropened,andthechoiren
andclergy,bigwiththelitaniesen
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,naar voren
emerged.Shehadasad
gezicht
face,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.De
ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehad
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehad
hadonlybeenabletokrijgen
getplaice,thatifonewereefficientmen
onewouldn’tbedepressed,anddat
thatifonedoesone’swerk
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallyhelder
brightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
er
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,thoughveel
muchinherwaywithde
theSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatisch
automatic;butwhenMrs.Wilkins,
draaiend
turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclub
clubshewasnotbeingautomatisch
automaticatall,butwaskeek
lookingfixedlyatoneportionoftheeerste
firstpageofTheTimes,houden
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotbewegen
moving.Shewasjuststaring;
en
andherface,asusual,washet
thefaceofapatienten
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,
de
theshyandthereluctant,plaats
insteadofproceedingasshehad
hadintendedtothecloakroomen
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinzoek
searchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatde
thetableandsatdownprecies
exactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehad
hadneveryetspokeninherleven
life.Itwasoneofthose
lange
long,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywerequitedicht
closetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
echter
however,didnotlookup.She
bleef
continuedtogaze,witheyesdie
thatseemedtobedreaming,atoneplek
spotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
keek
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupmoed
couragetospeaktoher.She
wilde
wantedtoaskherifshehad
hadseentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
wist
knowwhyshewantedtovragen
askherthis,butshewilde
wantedto.Howstupidnottobe
kunnen
abletospeaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Waarom
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeopleverfrissen
refresheachotherontheirweg
waythroughthisdustybusinessofleven
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyvoelden
felt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheynog steeds
stilltriedtohope?Andshe
kon
couldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,waslezen
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereon
het
theverypartofthepapier
paper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatit
zou
wouldbelike—thecolour,thegeur
fragrance,thelight,thesoftlappingofthezee
seaamonglittlehotrocks?Kleur
Colour,fragrance,light,sea;insteadofShaftesbury
Avenue
Avenue,andthewetomnibuses,en
andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,en
andtheTubetoHampstead,en
anddinner,andto-morrowthehetzelfde
sameandthedayafterthehetzelfde
sameandalwaysthesame...Plotseling
SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningover
acrossthetable.“Areyou
lees
readingaboutthemediaevalcastleen
andthewistaria?”sheheardherself
vragen
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwas
verrast
surprised;butshewasnot
helft
halfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforvragen
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoherknowledgeseteyeson
de
theshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfigurezat
sittingoppositeher,withitskleine
smallfreckledfaceandbiggreyeyesbijna
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhoed
hat,andshegazedathereen
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
over
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,of
orratherhadreadaboutittien
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhad
hadbeenlostindreams—oflicht
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthezachte
softlappingoftheseatussen
amonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
vraag
askmethat?”shesaidinher
ernstige
gravevoice,forhertrainingofen
andbythepoorhadgemaakt
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
en
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
alleen
onlybecauseIsawittoo,en
andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
geest
mindbeingusedtogettingmensen
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromgewoonte
habitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,onder
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyhaar
her,shecouldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
ken
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,die
who,likealltheshy,onceshewasbegonnen
startedplungedon,frighteningherselftomeer
moreandmorespeechbyhet
thesheersoundofwhatshehad
hadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
zie
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthis
lijkt
seemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertentie
advertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
die
whomusthavebeenatleastthirty,brak
brokeoffandwriggledinherstoel
chairwiththemovementofeen
anawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“It
lijkt
seemssowonderful,”shewentonineen
akindofburst,“and—itissucheen
amiserableday...”En
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotmet
withtheeyesofanimprisonedhond
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,
wiens
whoselifewasspentinhelpen
helpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordingly
bereidde
preparedherselfpatientlytogivehet
it.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
zei
said,kindlyandattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
zei
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andshe
herhaalde
repeated,herheadonitslange
longthinneckdroopingabeetje
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
vroeg
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasneeded,natuurlijk
naturallyfirstproceededtocollectthefacts.Maar
ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherhand
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthedeel
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertentie
advertisementwas,asthoughthelouter
mereprintedwordsofitwerekostbaar
precious,onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swaarom
whythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
denk
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,vergeten
forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
las
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyes
gingen
goingdreamyagain.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
zei
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,which
had
hadlitup,fadedintogeduld
patienceagain.“Verywonderful,”she
zei
said.“Butit’snouse
verspillen
wastingone’stimethinkingofzulke
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’s
snelle
quick,surprisingreply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlikethe
rest
restofher—thecharacterlesscoaten
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhaar
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—sucha
verandering
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Iecht
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershard
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnot
observeerde
observedherpatiently.Inwhat
categorie
categorywouldshe,supposingshehadto,puthaar
her?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaning
naar voren
forwardalittle,“youwillvertellen
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledher
ernstige
gravesmile—“asIhopewezijn
are,wehadbetterbeginathet
thebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
zei
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”she
voegde
added,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotzei
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Soms
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyniets
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
keek
lookedroundwithamovementofzoeken
seekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
naam
name.Itwasamean,
kleine
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist
twist,shethought,aboutitseinde
endliketheupwardcurveofeen
apugdog’stail.Thereitwas,
maar
however.Therewasnodoing
niets
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
en
andWilkinsshewouldremain;en
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogeven
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshealleen
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshedacht
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthemanier
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofeen
avillaemphasisesthevilla.Toen
Whenfirsthesuggestedshemoest
shouldaddMellershshehadobjectedforde
theabovereason,andaftereen
apause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttospreken
speakexceptafterapause,tijdens
duringwhichpresumablyhewasnam
takingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hezei
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnoteen
avilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhohoopt
hopes,forperhapsthehundredthkeer
time,thathemaynothad
havemarriedafool.Of
natuurlijk
coursehewasnotavilla
villa,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;she
had
hadneversupposedhewas;she
had
hadnotdreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
dacht
thinking...The
meer
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestwerd
becameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbythistijd
time,forhehadthenbeenaman
husbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyanychancehavegetrouwd
marriedafool;andtheyhadaprolonged
ruzie
quarrel,ifthatcanbegenoemd
calledaquarrelwhichisgevoerd
conductedwithdignifiedsilenceononekant
sideandearnestapologyonde
theother,astowhetherornoMrs.Wilkinshadintendedtosuggereren
suggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla
villa.“Ibelieve,”shehad
gedacht
thoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittookalongwhile—“thatiedereen
anybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingsamen
togetherforasingledayfortwee
twowholeyears.Whatwe
allebei
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”
ging
wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,probeert
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“iseen
asolicitor.He—”
Shecast
over
aboutforsomethingshecouldzeggen
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andvond
found:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
zei
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatmoet
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
vroeg
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,a
beetje
littletakenaback,forconstantomgang
intercoursewiththepoorhadgewend
accustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsaccepteren
acceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isageschenk
giftlikeanyother,andifitisgoed
properlyused—”.Shetrailedoffinto
stilte
silence.Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
haar
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotdat
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoagewoonte
habitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthemanier
mannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganpubliek
audiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,dat
thatwouldbeafraid,ifitwilde
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’twist
know,thatwas,infact,athergenade
mercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnot
luisterde
listening;forjustthen,absurdasit
leek
seemed,apicturehadflashedover
acrossherbrain,andthereweretwee
twofiguresinitsittingsamen
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariadie
thatstretchedacrossthebranchesofeen
atreeshedidn’tknow,en
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shezag
sawthem—shesawthem.And
achter
behindthem,brightinsunshine,wereoude
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shezag
sawit—theywerethere...She
daarom
thereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnoten
anddidnothearawoord
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnot
staarde
staredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheuitdrukking
expressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheopwinding
excitementofwhatshesaw,en
andwasasluminousandtremulousonder
underitaswaterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyeen
agustofwind.At
dit
thismoment,ifshehadbeenateen
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatmet
withinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnot
verraste
surprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswithde
theeyesofsomeonedie
whohashadarevelation.Of
natuurlijk
course.Thatwashowit
kon
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’t
veroorloven
affordit,andwouldn’tbekunnen
able,evenifshecouldveroorloven
affordit,togothereallalleen
alone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnot
samen
together...Sheleaned
over
acrossthetable.“Whydon’twe
proberen
tryandgetit?”she
fluisterde
whispered.Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
meer
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
she
herhaalde
repeated.“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
nog steeds
stillasthoughshewerebang
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Notjust
zitten
sithereandsayHowprachtig
wonderful,andthengohometoHampsteadzonder
withouthavingputoutafinger—gohuis
homejustasusualandseeaboutthediner
dinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearsen
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsen
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofherhair,forthe
geluid
soundofwhatshewaszei
saying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedher,en
andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Izie
seenoendtoit.Er
Thereisnoendtoit.Sothat
er
thereoughttobeabreak,er
thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwould
echt
reallybebeingunselfishtogaan
goawayandbehappyforeen
alittle,becausewewouldcomebacksomuchaardiger
nicer.Yousee,afterabit
iedereen
everybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
bedoel
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”
zei
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”