Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
ja
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,joka
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopja
andhadlunchedatherclub,otti
tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,ja
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnnäki
sawthis:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
ja
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobe
On
LetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
mutta
yet,asinthecaseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthemoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkins
että
thatherAprilforthatvuoden
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherettä
thatshedroppedthenewspaperwithagestureettä
thatwasbothirritatedandresigned,ja
andwentovertothewindowja
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
edes
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,andthewistariaandsunshine.
Suchdelightswere
vain
onlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisement
oli
hadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatenäitä
thesethings,sothatitoli
hadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootohänelle
her,forshecertainlyappreciatedniitä
them;morethananybodyknew;
enemmän
morethanshehadeverkertonut
told.Butshewaspoor.
Inthe
koko
wholeworldshepossessedofherveryownvain
onlyninetypounds,savedfromyeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.She
oli
hadscrapedthissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherhusbandasashieldandrefugevastaan
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
isänsä
father,was£100ayear,soettä
thatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermiehensä
husband,urginghertosave,kutsui
calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,kun
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewashyvin
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,asolicitor,encouragedthrift,except
että
thatbranchofitwhichsai
gotintohisfood.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
Mutta
Butforthethriftwhich,kuin
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesja
andspoiltthem,hehadpaljon
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
sanoi
said,“whentherewillbearainypäivä
day,andyoumaybehyvin
verygladtofindyouhaveanest-egg.Indeedwe
molemmat
bothmay.”LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalclub,
mutta
butconvenientforHampstead,whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,jossa
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,having
seisoi
stoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeonsitä
theMediterraneaninApril,andsitä
thewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesofsitä
therich,whileherbodilyeyekatselivat
watchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonsitä
thehurryingumbrellasandsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhetherehkä
perhapsthiswasnottherainypäivä
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,andwhethertogetoutofniin
suchaclimateandintositä
thesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tehkä
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertotehdä
dowithhersavings.Partofhersavings,of
tietenkin
course;perhapsquiteasmall
osa
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
saattoi
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastmindafewofthem,
koska
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationswhichwerejo
alreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadto
maksaa
paytheyreallypaidyou.Mutta
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritationandresignationwithwhichshe
oli
hadlaiddownTheTimes,andcrossedtheroomtowardsthedoorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshandumbrellaandtaistella
fightingherwayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesandmennä
goingtoShoolbred’sonherwayhomeandostamaan
buyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultwithfishandpiti
likedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,anaisen
womansheknewbysightasmyös
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleoftheroomonwhichthenewspapersandmagazineswerepiti
kept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
ollut
hadneveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,joka
whobelongedtooneofthevariouschurchsets,andjoka
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregisteredthepoor;whereassheandMellersh,whentheydidgoout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremany.
Mellersh
oli
hadasisterwhohadmarriedoneofthemandlivedupontheHeath,andbecauseoftämän
thisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltohänelle
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
sanoa
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’ttiennyt
knowwhattosay.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
ja
andfeelthatitwasnotenough.Mutta
Butnobodyminded.Nobodylistened.
Kukaan
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewasthe
sellainen
kindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,
tekivät
madeherpracticallyinvisible;herfacewasnon-arresting;
herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
And
jos
ifone’sclothesandfaceandconversationarekaikki
allnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,joka
whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Myös
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingmiehen
man,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtoit,agreatair.Wilkinswas
hyvin
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
häntä
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
ja
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
koskaan
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotherhand,didheeversanonut
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghe
sanoi
said;andhewassoobviouslyreliable
että
thatitoftenhappenedthatihmiset
peoplewhomethimatthesepartiestulivat
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,andjälkeen
afteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesandmenivät
wenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
sanoi
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldjäädä
stayathome.”ButWilkins
voinut
couldnotleavehiswifeatkotiin
home.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
ja
andallsuchhavewivesja
andshowthem.Withhisintheweekhewenttoparties,
ja
andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
vanhoja
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeasufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,anditwassiellä
therethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughkoskaan
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
näki
sawhermarshallingthechildrenoftheköyhien
poorintopews.ShewouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchoolexactly
viisi
fiveminutesbeforethechoir,andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,anduptaas
againontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestryovi
dooropened,andthechoirandclergy,bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.She
oli
hadasadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Thecombinationusedto
tekee
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehadvain
onlybeenabletogetplaice,että
thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,ja
andthatifonedoesone’sjobhyvin
wellonebecomesautomaticallybrightja
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
mitään
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughpaljon
muchinherwaywiththeSundaySchoollasten
childrenthatwasautomatic;but
kun
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyatoneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,pitäen
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotliikkumatta
moving.Shewasjuststaring;
andher
kasvot
face,asusual,wasthekasvot
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomandfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,
pysähtyi
stoppedatthetableandistui
satdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadkoskaan
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwasoneofthose
pitkä
long,narrowrefectorytables,soettä
thattheywerequiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnot
katsonut
lookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,atonespot
vain
onlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
katseli
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetopuhua
speaktoher.Shewantedto
kysyä
askherifshehadnähnyt
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
tiennyt
knowwhyshewantedtokysyä
askherthis,butshehalusi
wantedto.Howstupidnottobe
voi
abletospeaktoher.She
näytti
lookedsokind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Miksi
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirwayläpi
throughthisdustybusinessofelämän
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,siitä
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldolisivat
haveliked,whattheystillyrittivät
triedtohope?Andshe
voinut
couldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasluki
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthe
hyvin
verypartofthepaper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,the
valo
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamongpikku
littlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
valo
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,andtheTubetoHampstead,and
illallinen
dinner,andto-morrowthesameandthedayafterthesama
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
löysi
foundherselfleaningacrossthetable.“Areyoureadingaboutthemediaevalcastle
ja
andthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
mutta
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnot
ollut
hadnotyettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,withitspieni
smallfreckledfaceandbiggreyeyesmelkein
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,ja
andshegazedatheramomentwithoutvastaamatta
answering.Shewasreadingaboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,
tai
orratherhadreadaboutitkymmenen
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenoli
hadbeenlostindreams—oflight,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
kysyt
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingofandbythe
köyhien
poorhadmadehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
ja
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
vain
onlybecauseIsawittoo,ja
andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeingusedtogetting
ihmiset
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,underwhatheading,supposingsheoli
hadtoclassifyher,shevoitaisiin
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
tunnen
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,joka
who,likealltheshy,kun
onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftoenemmän
moreandmorespeechbythesheersoundofwhatsheoli
hadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
näen
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
tämä
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
joka
whomusthavebeenatainakin
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofanawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itis
niin
suchamiserableday...”Andthenshe
istui
satlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesofanimprisoneddog.“Thispoorthing,”
ajatteli
thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewasspentinauttamaan
helpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
antamaan
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
sanoi
said,kindlyandattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andsherepeated,her
päänsä
headonitslongthinneckdroopingalittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
kysyi
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewastarvittiin
needed,naturallyfirstproceededtocollectthefacts.Mutta
ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherhandsoftlyandcaressinglyonthepartofTheTimesjossa
wheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,vain
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhytämä
thisseemssowonderful.”“No—Ithinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsja
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
luit
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
taas
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,
joka
whichhadlitup,fadedintopatiencetaas
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
ei
nousewastingone’stimethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
mutta
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
koska
becauseitwassomuchunliketherestofher—thecharacterlesscoatandskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhairstragglingulos
out.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—sucha
muutos
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Itodella
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsiderskovasti
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywould
hän
she,supposingshehadto,laittaisi
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforwardalittle,“youwill
sanoi
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
toivon
hopeweare,wehadbetterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnot
sanonut
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Joskus
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveymitään
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
katsoi
lookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
pitänyt
likehername.Itwasamean,
pieni
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,sheajatteli
thought,aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Siellä
Thereitwas,however.Therewas
ei
nodoinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
ja
andWilkinsshewouldremain;and
vaikka
thoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshevain
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershteki
madeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthetavalla
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabove
syystä
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchliian
tooprudenttospeakexceptjälkeen
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewasotti
takingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesanoi
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhotoivoo
hopes,forperhapsthehundredthkertaa
time,thathemaynothavenaimisissa
marriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnotavilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassured
hänelle
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
she
ollut
hadnotdreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
ajatteli
thinking...The
enemmän
moresheexplainedthemoreearnesttuli
becameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbythistime,forhehadthenbeenaaviomies
husbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyanysattumalta
chancehavemarriedafool;ja
andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,jos
ifthatcanbecalledaquarreljoka
whichisconductedwithdignifiedsilenceononesideja
andearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.Wilkinsoli
hadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
kun
whenitwasatlastover—itkesti
tookalongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingkun
whenthey’venotleftoffbeingyhdessä
togetherforasingledayforkahteen
twowholeyears.Whatwe
molemmat
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
yrittäen
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isasolicitor.He—”
Shecast
noin
aboutforsomethingshecouldsanoa
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andlöysi
found:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thaton
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
kysyi
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,alittletakenaback,forconstantintercourse
kanssa
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftkuten
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
hänen
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotettä
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudienceettä
thatcouldn’tbutagree,thattahtoi
wouldbeafraid,ifitwished,tointerrupt,että
thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,initse asiassa
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnot
kuunnellut
listening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,apicture
oli
hadflashedacrossherbrain,andtherewerekaksi
twofiguresinitsittingyhdessä
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’ttuntenut
know,anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.Ja
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shenäki
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotanddidnot
kuullut
hearawordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
myös
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshenäki
saw,andwasasluminousandtremulousunderitasvesi
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofwind.At
tällä
thismoment,ifshehadbeenataparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeone
joka
whohashadarevelation.Of
tietenkin
course.Thatwashowit
voitiin
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,andwouldn’tbeable,evenifshecouldaffordit,to
menemään
gothereallalone;butshe
ja
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twe
yritä
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameevenmorewide-eyed.
“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughshewereafraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
vain
justsithereandsayHowwonderful,ja
andthengohometoHampsteadilman
withouthavingputoutafinger—gokotiin
homejustasusualandkatsoa
seeaboutthedinnerandthefishvain
justaswe’vebeendoingforyearsja
andyearsandwillgoonolemme tehneet
doingforyearsandyears.Infact,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofherhair,fortheääni
soundofwhatshewassanoi
saying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedhäntä
her,andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Iseeei
noendtoit.Thereisnoendtoit.
Sothatthereoughttobeabreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.
Why,itwould
todella
reallybebeingunselfishtogopois
awayandbehappyforalittle,sillä
becausewewouldcomebacksopaljon
muchnicer.Yousee,afterabit
kaikki
everybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
tarkoitat
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”