Chapter1
Itbeganin
un
aWoman’sClubinLondononun
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,et
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,qui
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopet
andhadlunchedatherclub
club,tookupTheTimesfromthetable
tableinthesmoking-room,andcouru
runningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColonne
Columnsawthis:.ToThose
qui
whoAppreciateWistariaandSunshine.Petit
SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMéditerranée
MediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemois
monthofApril.Necessaryservants
restent
remain.Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasits
conception
conception;yet,asinthe
cas
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatle
themoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthatyearhadthen
et
andtherebeensettledforherthatshetomber
droppedthenewspaperwithageste
gesturethatwasbothirritatedet
andresigned,andwentovertothefenêtre
windowandstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingrue
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
même
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.Notforhertheshoresin
Avril
ApriloftheMediterranean,andthewistariaet
andsunshine.Suchdelightswereonlyforthe
riches
rich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedto
personnes
personswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedaussi
tootoher,forshecertainement
certainlyappreciatedthem;morethananybody
savait
knew;morethanshehadever
dit
told.Butshewaspoor.
In
le
thewholeworldshepossessedofherverypropre
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromannée
yeartoyear,putbysoigneusement
carefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallocation
allowance.Shehadscrapedthissumtogetherat
la
thesuggestionofherhusbandasun
ashieldandrefugeagainstun
arainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
père
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’svêtements
clotheswerewhatherhusband,urginghertoéconomiser
save,calledmodestandbecoming,et
andheracquaintancetoeachother,quand
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewastrès
verynegligible,calledaperfectvue
sight.Mr.
Wilkins,asolicitor,
encouragé
encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohisnourriture
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
Mais
Butforthethriftwhich,comme
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’svêtements
clothesandspoiltthem,heeu
hadmuchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
dit
said,“whentherewillbeun
arainyday,andyoupourriez
maybeverygladtotrouver
findyouhaveanest-egg.En effet
Indeedwebothmay.”Lookingoutof
la
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasun
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,où
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,où
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodtheresome
temps
timeverydrearily,hermind’sœil
eyeontheMediterraneaninAvril
April,andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftheriches
rich,whileherbodilyeyeregardait
watchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootypluie
rainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellaset
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedsi
whetherperhapsthiswasnotthepluvieux
rainydayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,et
andwhethertogetoutofsuchun
aclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tpeut-être
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Partie
Partofhersavings,ofsûr
course;perhapsquiteasmall
partie
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
pourrait
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresûrement
surelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleast
dérangerait
mindafewofthem,parce que
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationsqui
whichwerealreadythere;on
le
thecontrary—byreducingthepriceyoudeviez
hadtopaytheyreallypaidyou.Mais
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthe
fenêtre
windowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritationet
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,dividedandenregistrait
registeredthepoor;whereasshe
et
andMellersh,whentheydidallaient
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadtherewerebeaucoup
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohad
épousé
marriedoneofthemandvivait
livedupontheHeath,et
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacercle
circlewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,et
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.She
devait
hadtosaythingsaboutleur
them,andshedidn’tknowwhattodire
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
et
andfeelthatitwasnotenough.Mais
Butnobodyminded.Nobodylistened.
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewas
le
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Her
vêtements
clothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpratiquement
practicallyinvisible;herfacewasnon-arresting;
her
conversation
conversationwasreluctant;shewas
timide
shy.Andifone’sclothes
et
andfaceandconversationareallnegligible,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’s
cercle
circleadmiredhim.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
et
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewas
prudent
prudent;heneversaida
mot
wordtoomuch,nor,ontheautre
otherhand,didheeverdit
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionof
garder
keepingcopiesofeverythinghedit
said;andhewasso
évidemment
obviouslyreliablethatitoftenarrivait
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatces
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,et
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselveset
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
dit
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigéré
digested,andthefinalinhermanière
manner,“shouldstayathome.”Mais
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehisfemme
wifeathome.Hewas
un
afamilysolicitor,andallsuchont
havewivesandshowthem.Avec
Withhisintheweekheallait
wenttoparties,andwithhisonSundaysheallait
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—and
ambitieux
ambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquis
acquiredinhispracticeasuffisant
sufficientnumber,hecouldnotpermettre
affordtomisschurch,anditwasthereque
thatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughjamais
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
les
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
arrivait
comeinattheheadoftheprocession
processionfromtheSundaySchoolexactement
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethechœur
choir,andgetherboyset
andgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,et
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpréliminaire
preliminaryprayer,andupagainontheirpieds
feetjustas,tothegonflé
swellingorgan,thevestrydooropened,et
andthechoirandclergy,bigavec
withthelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,émergeaient
emerged.Shehadasad
visage
face,yetshewasevidentlyefficace
efficient.Thecombinationusedto
faire
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeendit
toldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehadonlybeenmesure
abletogetplaice,thatsi
ifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedéprimé
depressed,andthatifonedoesone’stravail
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallylumineux
brightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
il
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,thoughbeaucoup
muchinherwaywithles
theSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatique
automatic;butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthe
fenêtre
window,caughtsightofherintheclub
clubshewasnotbeingautomatique
automaticatall,butwasregardait
lookingfixedlyatoneportionofthepremière
firstpageofTheTimes,tenant
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewasjust
regardait
staring;andherface,asusual,was
le
thefaceofapatientet
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyingan
impulsion
impulseshewonderedatevenwhileobéissant
obeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,thetimide
shyandthereluctant,insteadofprocéder
proceedingasshehadintendedtola
thecloakroomandfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinrecherche
searchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatla
thetableandsatdownexactement
exactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadjamais
neveryetspokeninhervie
life.Itwasoneof
ces
thoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywerequiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
cependant
however,didnotlookup.She
continué
continuedtogaze,witheyesqui
thatseemedtobedreaming,atun
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
une
aminute,tryingtoscrewupcourage
couragetospeaktoher.She
voulait
wantedtoaskherifshehadvu
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
savait
knowwhyshewantedtodemander
askherthis,butshevoulait
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
parler
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Pourquoi
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerafraîchir
refresheachotherontheirchemin
waythroughthisdustybusinessofvie
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyressentaient
felt,whattheywouldhaveaimé
liked,whattheystilltriedtohope?Et
Andshecouldnothelppenser
thinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,waslisait
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereon
la
theverypartofthepapier
paper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—the
couleur
colour,thefragrance,thelight,thedoux
softlappingoftheseaparmi
amonglittlehotrocks?Colour,
parfum
fragrance,light,sea;insteadofShaftesbury
Avenue
Avenue,andthewetomnibuses,et
andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,et
andtheTubetoHampstead,et
anddinner,andto-morrowthemême
sameandthedayafterthemême
sameandalwaysthesame...Soudain
SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningsur
acrossthetable.“Areyou
lisez
readingaboutthemediaevalcastleet
andthewistaria?”sheheardherself
demander
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwas
surpris
surprised;butshewasnot
moitié
halfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselffordemander
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoher
connaissance
knowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfigure
figuresittingoppositeher,withitspetit
smallfreckledfaceandbiggris
greyeyesalmostdisappearingunderun
asmashed-downwet-weatherhat,andsheregarda
gazedatheramomentsans
withoutanswering.Shewasreading
sur
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,ou
orratherhadreadaboutitdix
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—oflumière
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthedoux
softlappingoftheseaparmi
amonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
demandes
askmethat?”shesaidinher
grave
gravevoice,forhertrainingofet
andbythepoorhadmadehergrave
graveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
et
andlookedexcessivelyshyandeffrayé
frightened.“Oh,onlybecauseI
vu
sawittoo,andIpensé
thoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
esprit
mindbeingusedtogettinggens
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidéra
considered,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—thispublicité
advertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
qui
whomusthavebeenatmoins
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchaise
chairwiththemovementofanawkwardet
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
une
akindofburst,“and—itissuchune
amiserableday...”Et
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotavec
withtheeyesofanimprisonedchien
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
vie
lifewasspentinhelpinget
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherself
patiemment
patientlytogiveit.“Ifyou
voyez
seemeinchurch,”shedit
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isuppose
supposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
Et
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslong
longthinneckdroopingapeu
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
demandé
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenconseils
advicewasneeded,naturallyfirstprocédé
proceededtocollectthefacts.Mais
ButMrs.Wilkins,layinghermain
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthepartie
partofTheTimeswherethepublicité
advertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprécieux
precious,onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhycela
thisseemssowonderful.”“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,fadedintopatience
patienceagain.“Verywonderful,”she
dit
said.“Butit’snouse
perdre
wastingone’stimethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
mais
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’srapide
quick,surprisingreply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlikethe
reste
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatet
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofcheveux
hairstragglingout.“Andjustthe
considérer
consideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchachangement
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Ireallyfait
dobelieve—ifoneconsidershardenoughoneobtient
getsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedher
patiemment
patiently.Inwhatcategorywould
elle
she,supposingshehadto,mettrait
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
un
alittle,“youwilltellmeyournom
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledher
grave
gravesmile—“asIhopeweêtre
are,wehadbetterbeginatle
thebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
dit
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”she
ajouté
added,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotdit
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Parfois
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtotransmettre
conveyanythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedround
avec
withamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
nom
name.Itwasamean,
petit
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shepensait
thought,aboutitsendlikela
theupwardcurveofapugdog’squeue
tail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasno
faire
doinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
et
andWilkinsshewouldremain;et
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertodonner
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinssheonlyfaisait
didthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshepensait
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthemanière
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavilla
villaemphasisesthevilla.When
première
firsthesuggestedsheshouldajoutait
addMellershshehadobjectedforla
theabovereason,andafterapause—Mellershwasbeaucoup
muchtooprudenttospeaksauf
exceptafterapause,duringwhichvraisemblablement
presumablyhewastakingacarefulmentale
mentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hedit
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”et
andlookedatherasheregarda
lookswhohopes,forperhapsla
thehundredthtime,thathepeut
maynothavemarriedafool.Of
sûr
coursehewasnotavilla
villa,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;shehad
jamais
neversupposedhewas;shehadnot
rêvé
dreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
penser
thinking...The
plus
moresheexplainedthemoresérieux
earnestbecameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbyce
thistime,forhehadthenbeenun
ahusbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyanychancehaveépousé
marriedafool;andtheyhadaprolonged
querelle
quarrel,ifthatcanbeappelé
calledaquarrelwhichisconductedavec
withdignifiedsilenceononecôté
sideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherou
ornoMrs.Wilkinshadintendedtosuggérer
suggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla
villa.“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,forconstantrapports
intercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedsans
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isadon
giftlikeanyother,andifitiscorrectement
properlyused—”.Shetrailedoffinto
silence
silence.Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
sa
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotqui
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitude
habitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthemanière
mannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganpublic
audiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,qui
thatwouldbeafraid,ifitsouhaitait
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tsavait
know,thatwas,infact,athermerci
mercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;
forjustthen,
absurde
absurdasitseemed,aimage
picturehadflashedacrosshercerveau
brain,andthereweretwofiguresinitassis
sittingtogetherunderagreattrailingwistariaqui
thatstretchedacrossthebranchesofune
atreeshedidn’tknow,et
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.Et
Andbehindthem,brightinsoleil
sunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shevu
sawit—theywerethere...She
donc
thereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotet
anddidnothearamot
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnot
regarda
staredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononhervisage
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshevoyait
saw,andwasasluminouset
andtremulousunderitaswaterinsoleil
sunlightwhenitisruffledbyune
agustofwind.At
ce
thismoment,ifshehadbeenatune
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenregardé
lookedatwithinterest.They
regardaient
staredateachother;Mrs.Arbuthnot
surpris
surprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswithles
theeyesofsomeonequi
whohashadarevelation.Of
sûr
course.Thatwashowitcouldbe
faire
done.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’t
permettre
affordit,andwouldn’tbeable,même
evenifshecouldaffordit,toaller
gothereallalone;butshe
et
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleaned
sur
acrossthetable.“Whydon’twe
essayons
tryandgetit?”she
chuchoté
whispered.Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
plus
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
she
répété
repeated.“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
toujours
stillasthoughshewerepeur
afraidofbeingoverheard.“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?”