Chapter1
Itbeganin
un
aWoman’sClubinLondononun
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,et
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,qui
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopet
andhadlunchedatherclub,pris
tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,et
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnvu
sawthis:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
et
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
pourtant
yet,asinthecaseofbeaucoup
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatle
themoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthatyearhadthen
et
andtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspaperavec
withagesturethatwasfois
bothirritatedandresigned,andwentovertothewindowet
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingrue
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
même
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
et
andthewistariaandsunshine.Ces
Suchdelightswereonlyfortherich.Pourtant
Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonnes
personswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedaussi
tootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;plus
morethananybodyknew;morethanshehadever
dit
told.Butshewaspoor.
In
le
thewholeworldshepossessedofherverypropre
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromannée
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,hors
outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
cette
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofhermari
husbandasashieldandrefugecontre
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
père
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermari
husband,urginghertosave,appelait
calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,quand
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewastrès
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
un
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohisnourriture
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
Mais
Butforthethriftwhich,comme
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclotheset
andspoiltthem,hehadbeaucoup
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
dit
said,“whentherewillbeun
arainyday,andyoupourriez
maybeverygladtotrouver
findyouhaveanest-egg.Indeedwe
deux
bothmay.”Lookingoutof
la
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasun
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,où
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,où
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodtheresome
temps
timeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,et
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,tandis que
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthevraiment
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyraintombait
fallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellaset
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhetherpeut-être
perhapsthiswasnottherainyjour
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,et
andwhethertogetoutofsuchun
aclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tpeut-être
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Partie
Partofhersavings,ofsûr
course;perhapsquiteasmall
partie
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
pourrait
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleast
dérangerait
mindafewofthem,parce que
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationsqui
whichwerealreadythere;on
le
thecontrary—byreducingthepriceyoudeviez
hadtopaytheyreallypaidyou.Mais
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
avec
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationet
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,et
andcrossedtheroomtowardstheporte
doorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshet
andumbrellaandfightingherchemin
wayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibuseset
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherchemin
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultavec
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteadet
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleoftheroomonwhichthenewspaperset
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
jamais
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,qui
whobelongedtooneofles
thevariouschurchsets,andqui
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregisteredles
thepoor;whereassheandMellersh,
quand
whentheydidgoout,allaient
wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadtherewerebeaucoup
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohad
épousé
marriedoneofthemandvivait
livedupontheHeath,et
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,et
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.She
devait
hadtosaythingsaboutleur
them,andshedidn’tknowwhattodire
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
et
andfeelthatitwasnotenough.Mais
Butnobodyminded.Nobodylistened.
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewas
le
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,
rendaient
madeherpracticallyinvisible;her
visage
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Et
Andifone’sclothesandvisage
faceandconversationareallnegligible,pensait
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,ce
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Alsoshewas
toujours
alwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookinghomme
man,whogaveaparty,merelybyvenant
comingtoit,agreatair
air.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewas
connu
knowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.Hissister’scircleadmired
le
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
et
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
jamais
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheautre
otherhand,didheeverdit
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionof
garder
keepingcopiesofeverythinghedit
said;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoften
arrivait
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatces
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,et
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselveset
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
dit
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,et
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldrester
stayathome.”ButWilkins
pouvait
couldnotleavehiswifeatmaison
home.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
et
andallsuchhavewiveset
andshowthem.Withhisin
le
theweekhewenttoparties,et
andwithhisonSundaysheallait
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispractice
un
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomanquer
misschurch,anditwasthereque
thatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughjamais
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
les
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
arrivait
comeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchoolexactement
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,et
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,et
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,et
andupagainontheirfeetjustcomme
as,totheswellingorgan,thevestryporte
dooropened,andthechoiret
andclergy,bigwiththelitanieset
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehad
un
asadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Thecombinationusedto
faire
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeendit
toldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehadonlybeenmesure
abletogetplaice,thatsi
ifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,et
andthatifonedoesone’stravail
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrightet
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
il
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,thoughbeaucoup
muchinherwaywithles
theSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;mais
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticattout
all,butwaslookingfixedlyatune
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,tenant
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewasjuststaring;
et
andherface,asusual,wasle
thefaceofapatientet
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedat
même
evenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,la
theshyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtola
thecloakroomandfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatla
thetableandsatdownexactement
exactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadjamais
neveryetspokeninhervie
life.Itwasoneof
ces
thoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywerequiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlookup.
Shecontinuedtogaze,
avec
witheyesthatseemedtoberêver
dreaming,atonespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
une
aminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetoparler
speaktoher.Shewantedto
demander
askherifshehadvu
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
savait
knowwhyshewantedtodemander
askherthis,butshevoulait
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
parler
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Pourquoi
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirchemin
waythroughthisdustybusinessofvie
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyressentaient
felt,whattheywouldhaveaimé
liked,whattheystilltriedtohope?Et
Andshecouldnothelppenser
thinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,waslisait
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereon
la
theverypartofthepaper.Wasshe,
aussi
too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thelumière
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
lumière
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
et
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,et
andtheTubetoHampstead,et
anddinner,andto-morrowthemême
sameandthedayafterthemême
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacross
la
thetable.“Areyoureading
sur
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherself
demander
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
mais
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselffordemander
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoherknowledge
fixé
seteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfigureassise
sittingoppositeher,withitspetit
smallfreckledfaceandbiggreyeyespresque
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,et
andshegazedatherun
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
sur
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,ou
orratherhadreadaboutitdix
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—oflumière
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
demandes
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
et
andbythepoorhadmadehergraveet
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
et
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,only
parce que
becauseIsawittoo,et
andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
esprit
mindbeingusedtogettinggens
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,sous
underwhatheading,supposingshedevait
hadtoclassifyher,shepourrait
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
connais
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,qui
who,likealltheshy,onceshewascommencé
startedplungedon,frighteningherselftoplus
moreandmorespeechbythesheerbruit
soundofwhatshehaddit
saidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
vois
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
cela
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementsur
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
qui
whomusthavebeenatmoins
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairavec
withthemovementofanawkwardet
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
une
akindofburst,“and—itissuchune
amiserableday...”Et
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotavec
withtheeyesofanimprisonedchien
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
vie
lifewasspentinhelpinget
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
donner
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
dit
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyouhabitez
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
Et
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslong
longthinneckdroopingapeu
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
demandé
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyfirstproceededtocollectla
thefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingher
main
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthepartie
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,assi
thoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,onlydit
said,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
pense
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,oubliant
forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
lisais
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
nouveau
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Her
visage
face,whichhadlitup,fadedintopatiencenouveau
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’snousewastingone’s
temps
timethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
mais
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
parce que
becauseitwassomuchunlikethereste
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatet
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofcheveux
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—sucha
changement
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Ireallyfait
dobelieve—ifoneconsidershardenoughoneobtient
getsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywould
elle
she,supposingshehadto,mettrait
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
un
alittle,“youwilltellmeyournom
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asIhopewe
être
are,wehadbetterbeginatle
thebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
dit
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnot
dit
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Parfois
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyrien
anythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedround
avec
withamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
nom
name.Itwasamean,
petit
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shepensait
thought,aboutitsendlikela
theupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasno
faire
doinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
et
andWilkinsshewouldremain;et
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertodonner
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinssheonlyfaisait
didthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshepensait
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthemanière
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.Quand
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedforla
theabovereason,andafterapause—Mellershwasbeaucoup
muchtooprudenttospeakexceptaprès
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewasprenait
takingacarefulmentalcopyofhisvenir
comingobservation—hesaid,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”et
andlookedatherasheregarda
lookswhohopes,forperhapsla
thehundredthtime,thathepeut
maynothavemarriedafool.Of
sûr
coursehewasnotavilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;shehad
jamais
neversupposedhewas;shehadnot
rêvé
dreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
penser
thinking...The
plus
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestdevenait
becameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbyce
thistime,forhehadthenbeenun
ahusbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyanychancehaveépousé
marriedafool;andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,ifthat
peut
canbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedavec
withdignifiedsilenceononecôté
sideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherou
ornoMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
quand
whenitwasatlastover—ittookun
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingquand
whenthey’venotleftoffbeingensemble
togetherforasingledayfordeux
twowholeyears.Whatwe
deux
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
essayant
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isun
asolicitor.He—”
Shecast
sur
aboutforsomethingshecoulddire
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andtrouvé
found:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
dit
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatdoit
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
demandé
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
un
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercourseavec
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedsans
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftcomme
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
sa
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotqui
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,et
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughayant
havinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,qui
thatwouldbeafraid,ifitsouhaitait
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tsavait
know,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Mais
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
une
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,et
andthereweretwofiguresinitassis
sittingtogetherunderagreattrailingwistariaqui
thatstretchedacrossthebranchesofune
atreeshedidn’tknow,et
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.Et
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,werevieux
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shevu
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
et
anddidnothearamot
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
aussi
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononhervisage
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshevoyait
saw,andwasasluminouset
andtremulousunderitaswaterinsunlightquand
whenitisruffledbyune
agustofwind.At
ce
thismoment,ifshehadbeenatune
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenregardé
lookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkins
avec
withtheeyesofsomeonequi
whohashadarevelation.Of
sûr
course.Thatwashowitcouldbe
faire
done.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
et
andwouldn’tbeable,evensi
ifshecouldaffordit,toaller
gothereallalone;butshe
et
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacross
la
thetable.“Whydon’twe
essayons
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnot
devenu
becameevenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
dit
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillassi
thoughshewereafraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
juste
justsithereandsayComment
Howwonderful,andthengomaison
hometoHampsteadwithouthavingmis
putoutafinger—gohomejuste
justasusualandseeaboutthedîner
dinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearset
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearset
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
cheveux
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwasvenait
comingpouringout,frightenedher,et
andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Ivois
seenoendtoit.Thereis
pas
noendtoit.Sothatthereoughttobe
une
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwould
vraiment
reallybebeingunselfishtogoloin
awayandbehappyforun
alittle,becausewewouldcomebacksobeaucoup
muchnicer.Yousee,after
un
abiteverybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
veux dire
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”