Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
ja
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,joka
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopja
andhadlunchedatherclub,otti
tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,ja
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnnäki
sawthis:.ToThosewho
Arvostavat
AppreciateWistariaandSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalian
Linna
CastleontheshoresoftheVälimeren
MediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Tarvittavat
Necessaryservantsremain.Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
mutta
yet,asinthecaseofmanyanother,theconceiverwastiennyt
unawareofitatthemoment.So
täysin
entirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkinsettä
thatherAprilforthatvuoden
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherettä
thatshedroppedthenewspaperwithagestureettä
thatwasbothirritatedandresigned,ja
andwentovertothewindowja
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
edes
eventhosethatarespeciallykuvailtu
describedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinAprilofthe
Välimeren
Mediterranean,andthewistariaandsunshine.Suchdelightswere
vain
onlyfortherich.Yetthe
mainos
advertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatenäitä
thesethings,sothatitoli
hadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootohänelle
her,forshecertainlyappreciatedniitä
them;morethananybodyknew;
enemmän
morethanshehadeverkertonut
told.Butshewaspoor.
Inthe
koko
wholeworldshepossessedofherveryownvain
onlyninetypounds,savedfromyeartoyear,putbyhuolellisesti
carefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.She
oli
hadscrapedthissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherhusbandasashieldandrefugevastaan
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
isänsä
father,was£100ayear,soettä
thatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermiehensä
husband,urginghertosave,kutsui
calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,kun
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewashyvin
verynegligible,calledaperfectnäky
sight.Mr.
Wilkins,asolicitor,
kannusti
encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitjoka
whichgotintohisfood.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
Mutta
Butforthethriftwhich,kuin
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesja
andspoiltthem,hehadpaljon
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
sanoi
said,“whentherewillbeasateinen
rainyday,andyoumaybehyvin
verygladtofindyouhaveanest-egg.Todellakin
Indeedwebothmay.”Lookingoutofthe
klubi
clubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalklubi
club,butconvenientforHampstead,jossa
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,jossa
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,having
seisoi
stoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeonsitä
theMediterraneaninApril,andsitä
thewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesofsitä
therich,whileherbodilyeyekatselivat
watchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootysade
rainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasandsplashingomnibuses,yhtäkkiä
suddenlywonderedwhetherperhapsthiswasnotsitä
therainydayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsousein
oftenencouragedhertopreparefor,andwhethertogetoutofniin
suchaclimateandintositä
thesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tehkä
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongaikonut
intendedhertodowithhersavings.Osa
Partofhersavings,oftietenkin
course;perhapsquiteasmall
osa
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
saattoi
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationswerevarmasti
surelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastmindafewofthem,
koska
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationswhichwerejo
alreadythere;onthecontrary—by
alentamalla
reducingthepriceyouhadtomaksaa
paytheyreallypaidyou.Mutta
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritationandresignationwithwhichshe
oli
hadlaiddownTheTimes,andcrossedtheroomkohti
towardsthedoorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshandumbrellaandtaistella
fightingherwayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesandmennä
goingtoShoolbred’sonherwayhomeandostamaan
buyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasvaikea
difficultwithfishandlikedvain
onlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,anaisen
womansheknewbysightasmyös
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthepöydän
tableinthemiddleoftheroomonwhichthenewspapersandmagazineswerepiti
kept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
ollut
hadneveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,joka
whobelongedtooneoftheeri
variouschurchsets,andwhoanalysed,classified,jakoi
dividedandregisteredthepoor;whereassheandMellersh,whentheydidgoout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremany.
Mellersh
oli
hadasisterwhohadmarriedoneofthemandlivedupontheHeath,andbecauseoftämän
thisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashyvin
highlyunnaturaltoher,andsheoli
hadlearnedtodreadpictures.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;
shewas
ujo
shy.Andifone’sclothesand
kasvot
faceandconversationareallnegligible,ajatteli
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,mitä
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Myös
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingmiehen
man,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtoit,agreatair.Wilkinswas
hyvin
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’s
ympyrä
circleadmiredhim.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
ja
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewas
varovainen
prudent;heneversaidaword
liian
toomuch,nor,ontheotherhand,didheeversanonut
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghe
sanoi
said;andhewasso
ilmeisesti
obviouslyreliablethatitoftentapahtui
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartiestulivat
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,andjälkeen
afteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesandmenivät
wenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
sanoi
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldjäädä
stayathome.”ButWilkins
voinut
couldnotleavehiswifeatkotiin
home.Hewasafamily
asianajaja
solicitor,andallsuchhavewivesja
andshowthem.Withhisintheweekhewenttoparties,
ja
andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstill
melko
fairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofvanhoja
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeasufficientnumber,hecouldnotvaraa
affordtomisschurch,anditwassiellä
therethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughkoskaan
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
näki
sawhermarshallingthechildrenoftheköyhien
poorintopews.ShewouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchoolexactly
viisi
fiveminutesbeforethechoir,andgetherboysandgirlssiististi
neatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,anduptaas
againontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestryovi
dooropened,andthechoirandclergy,bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.She
oli
hadasadface,yetshewasilmeisesti
evidentlyefficient.Thecombinationusedto
tekee
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehadvain
onlybeenabletogetplaice,että
thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbemasentunut
depressed,andthatifonetekee
doesone’sjobwellonetulee
becomesautomaticallybrightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
mitään
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughpaljon
muchinherwaywiththeSundaySchoollasten
childrenthatwasautomatic;but
kun
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaattinen
automaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyatoneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,pitäen
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotliikkumatta
moving.Shewasjuststaring;
andher
kasvot
face,asusual,wasthekasvot
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Totteli
Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhiletotteli
obeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theujo
shyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomandfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinetsimään
searchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthepöydän
tableandsatdownexactlyvastapäätä
oppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadkoskaan
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwasoneofthose
pitkä
long,narrowrefectorytables,soettä
thattheywerequiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
kuitenkaan
however,didnotlookup.She
jatkoi
continuedtogaze,witheyesthatnäyttivät
seemedtobedreaming,atonespotvain
onlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
katseli
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewuprohkeutta
couragetospeaktoher.She
halusi
wantedtoaskherifshehadnähnyt
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
tiennyt
knowwhyshewantedtokysyä
askherthis,butshehalusi
wantedto.Howstupidnottobe
voi
abletospeaktoher.She
näytti
lookedsokind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Miksi
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplevirkistää
refresheachotherontheirwayläpi
throughthisdustybusinessofelämän
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,siitä
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldolisivat
haveliked,whattheystillyrittivät
triedtohope?Andshe
voinut
couldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasluki
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthe
hyvin
verypartofthepaper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—the
väri
colour,thefragrance,thelight,thepehmeä
softlappingoftheseaamongpikku
littlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
valo
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,andthe
märät
wetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,andtheTubetoHampstead,andillallinen
dinner,andto-morrowthesameandthedayafterthesama
sameandalwaysthesame...Yhtäkkiä
SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningpoikki
acrossthetable.“Areyoureadingaboutthemediaevalcastle
ja
andthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
Luonnollisesti
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,ofthesoftlappingofthemeren
seaamonglittlehotrocks...“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,olettaen
supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shevoitaisiin
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
tunnen
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,joka
who,likealltheshy,kun
onceshewasstartedplungedon,pelottaen
frighteningherselftomoreandenemmän
morespeechbythesheersoundofwhatsheoli
hadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
näen
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
tämä
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thismainos
advertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
joka
whomusthavebeenatainakin
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofankiusallinen
awkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“It
näyttää
seemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itisniin
suchamiserableday...”Andthenshe
istui
satlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesofanimprisoneddog.“Thispoorthing,”
ajatteli
thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewaskäytetty
spentinhelpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordingly
valmistautui
preparedherselfpatientlytogivesen
it.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
sanoi
said,kindlyandattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andshe
toisti
repeated,herheadonitspitkä
longthinneckdroopingalittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
kysyi
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewastarvittiin
needed,naturallyfirstproceededtokeräämään
collectthefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherhand
pehmeästi
softlyandcaressinglyonthepartofTheTimesjossa
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’snopea
quick,surprisingreply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunliketherestofher—thecharacterless
takki
coatandskirt,thecrumpledhattu
hat,theundecidedwispofhairstragglingulos
out.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemis
sen arvoista
worthwhileinitself—suchamuutos
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Itodella
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsiderskovasti
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnot
tarkkaili
observedherpatiently.Inwhatcategorywould
hän
she,supposingshehadto,laittaisi
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaning
eteenpäin
forwardalittle,“youwillsanoi
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—she
hymyili
smiledhergravesmile—“asItoivon
hopeweare,wehadbetteraloittaa
beginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”she
lisäsi
added,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsanonut
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Joskus
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveymitään
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
katsoi
lookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
pitänyt
likehername.Itwasamean,
pieni
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,sheajatteli
thought,aboutitsendliketheylöspäin
upwardcurveofapugdog’shännän
tail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewas
ei
nodoinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
ja
andWilkinsshewouldremain;and
vaikka
thoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshevain
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershteki
madeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthetavalla
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.Whenfirsthe
ehdotti
suggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovesyystä
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchliian
tooprudenttospeakexceptjälkeen
afterapause,duringwhichluultavasti
presumablyhewastakingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesanoi
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhotoivoo
hopes,forperhapsthehundredthkertaa
time,thathemaynothavenaimisissa
marriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnota
huvila
villa,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;shehad
koskaan
neversupposedhewas;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—“thatanybodywouldriitelee
quarrelaboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingyhdessä
togetherforasingledayforkahteen
twowholeyears.Whatwe
molemmat
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
yrittäen
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isaasianajaja
solicitor.He—”
Shecastaboutfor
jotain
somethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,andlöysi
found:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
sanoi
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thaton
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
kysyi
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,alittletakenaback,for
jatkuva
constantintercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementshyväksytään
acceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isalahja
giftlikeanyother,andjos
ifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
hänen
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotettä
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthetapaan
mannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganyleisö
audiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,että
thatwouldbeafraid,ifitwished,tokeskeyttää
interrupt,thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,initse asiassa
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnot
kuunnellut
listening;forjustthen,absurdasit
näytti
seemed,apicturehadflashedpoikki
acrossherbrain,andtherewerekaksi
twofiguresinitsittingyhdessä
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedpoikki
acrossthebranchesofapuun
treeshedidn’tknow,anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.Ja
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shenäki
sawit—theywerethere...She
siksi
thereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotanddidnotkuullut
hearawordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnot
tuijotti
staredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshenäki
saw,andwasasluminousandtremulousunderitasvesi
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofwind.At
tällä
thismoment,ifshehadbeenataparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatwithinterest.They
tuijottivat
staredateachother;Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeone
joka
whohashadarevelation.Of
tietenkin
course.Thatwashowit
voitiin
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’t
varaa
affordit,andwouldn’tbeable,evenifshecouldvaraa
affordit,togothereallyksin
alone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnot
yhdessä
together...Sheleaned
poikki
acrossthetable.“Whydon’twe
yritä
tryandgetit?”she
kuiskasi
whispered.Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameevenmorewide-eyed.
“Getit?”
she
toisti
repeated.“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
yhä
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?”