Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
und
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopund
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupDie
TheTimesfromthetableindie
thesmoking-room,andrunningherlistlesseyedowndie
theAgonyColumnsawthis:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
und
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,
Die
TheTimes.Thatwasitsconception;
doch
yet,asinthecaseofmanyanother,die
theconceiverwasunawareofitatdie
themoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
jahr
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppeddie
thenewspaperwithagesturethatwasbothirritatedund
andresigned,andwentovertodie
thewindowandstareddrearilyoutatdie
thedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
selbst
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedasklein
small.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
und
andthewistariaandsunshine.Solche
Suchdelightswereonlyfordie
therich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressed
auch
tootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;mehr
morethananybodyknew;more
als
thanshehadevertold.Aber
Butshewaspoor.In
der
thewholeworldshepossessedofherveryownnur
onlyninetypounds,savedfromjahr
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
diese
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherhusbandasashieldund
andrefugeagainstarainytag
day.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
vater
father,was£100ayear,soso
thatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermann
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodestund
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewassehr
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
ein
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitder
whichgotintohisfood.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.
Aber
Butforthethriftwhich,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesund
andspoiltthem,hehadviel
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“whentherewillbe
ein
arainyday,andyoumaybesehr
verygladtofindyousein
haveanest-egg.Indeedwe
beide
bothmay.”Lookingoutof
die
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasein
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,wo
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,wo
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstood
da
theresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,und
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,während
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthewirklich
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasund
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethervielleicht
perhapsthiswasnottherainytag
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,und
andwhethertogetoutofsuchaclimateund
andintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tvielleicht
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Teil
Partofhersavings,ofcourse;vielleicht
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Das
Thecastle,beingmediaeval,mightauch
alsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastmind
ein
afewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationswhichwereschon
alreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducing
den
thepriceyouhadtozahlen
paytheyreallypaidyou.Aber
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...She
wandte
turnedawayfromthewindowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritationund
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,und
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthedoorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshund
andumbrellaandfightingherwayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesund
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwayhomeund
andbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultwithfishund
andlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,ein
awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteadund
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthezimmer
roomonwhichthenewspapersund
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherwandte
turn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
nie
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,whobelongedtoeiner
oneofthevariouschurchsets,und
andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedund
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
und
andMellersh,whentheydidgingen
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadtherewereviele
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohadmarriedoneofthem
und
andlivedupontheHeath,und
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,und
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
sagen
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tknowwhattosagen
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
und
andfeelthatitwasnotgenug
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobodylistened.
Niemand
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewas
die
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
her
gesicht
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Und
Andifone’sclothesandgesicht
faceandconversationareallnegligible,dachte
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,was
what,atparties,isthereleftofeinem
one?AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,
dass
thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman,whogaveeine
aparty,merelybycomingtoit,eine
agreatair.Wilkinswas
sehr
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
ihn
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
und
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
nie
neversaidawordtooviel
much,nor,ontheotherseite
hand,didheeversayein
awordtoolittle.Heproduced
den
theimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghesaid;und
andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoftenpassierte
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,und
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesund
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhis
schwester
sister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,und
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”Aber
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehisfrau
wifeathome.Hewas
ein
afamilysolicitor,andallsolche
suchhavewivesandshowthem.Withhisinthe
woche
weekhewenttoparties,und
andwithhisonSundaysheging
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispractice
eine
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtoverpassen
misschurch,anditwastheredass
thatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughnie
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
sah
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.ShewouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchool
genau
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,und
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,und
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,und
andupagainontheirfeetgerade
justas,totheswellingorgan,thevestrydooröffnete
opened,andthechoirandclergy,bigwiththelitaniesund
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehad
ein
asadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Die
ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeengesagt
toldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehadnur
onlybeenabletogetplaice,dass
thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,und
andthatifonedoesone’sarbeit
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrightund
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
nichts
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughviel
muchinherwaywiththeSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;but
als
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyatoneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,hielt
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotbewegten
moving.Shewasjuststaring;
und
andherface,asusual,wasdas
thefaceofapatientund
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedateven
während
whileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyund
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomund
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthetableund
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadnie
neveryetspokeninherleben
life.Itwasoneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywere
ziemlich
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlook
nach oben
up.Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,at
einer
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
beobachtete
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetosprechen
speaktoher.Shewantedto
fragen
askherifshehadgesehen
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnotknow
warum
whyshewantedtoaskherthis,aber
butshewantedto.How
dumm
stupidnottobeabletosprechen
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Warum
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirweg
waythroughthisdustybusinessoflifebyein
alittletalk—real,naturaltalk,über
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheyimmer noch
stilltriedtohope?Andshe
konnte
couldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,auch
too,wasreadingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
teil
partofthepaper.Wasshe,
auch
too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thelicht
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
licht
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
und
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,und
andtheTubetoHampstead,und
anddinner,andto-morrowthesameund
andthedayafterthesameund
andalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacross
den
thetable.“Areyoureading
über
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherself
fragen
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
aber
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforfrage
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoherknowledgeseteyeson
die
theshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,withitssmallfreckledgesicht
faceandbiggreyeyesfast
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,und
andshegazedatheramoment
momentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
über
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,orratherhadreadüber
aboutittenminutesbefore,und
andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—oflicht
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
fragst
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
und
andbythepoorhadmadehergraveund
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
und
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
nur
onlybecauseIsawitauch
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Idachte
thoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
verstand
mindbeingusedtogettingmenschen
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,unter
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyihr
her,shecouldmostproperlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,like
alle
alltheshy,onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftomehr
moreandmorespeechbythesheerklang
soundofwhatshehadsaidzuletzt
lastinherears.“EverySunday—I
sehe
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthisseemssuch
eine
awonderfulthing—thisadvertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,whomust
sein
havebeenatleastthirty,brach
brokeoffandwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofanawkwardund
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
ein
akindofburst,“and—itissuchein
amiserableday...”Und
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwithden
theeyesofanimprisoneddog.“Thispoorthing,”
dachte
thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewasspentinhelpingund
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
geben
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindly
und
andattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
Und
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslongthinneckdroopingein
alittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
fragte
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasgebraucht
needed,naturallyfirstproceededtocollectdie
thefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingher
hand
handsoftlyandcaressinglyontheteil
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,nur
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
denke
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsund
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
wieder
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Her
gesicht
face,whichhadlitup,fadedintopatiencewieder
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’snousewastingone’s
zeit
timethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
aber
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
weil
becauseitwassomuchunliketherest
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatund
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhairstragglingout.“And
nur
justtheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchachangefromHampstead—andmanchmal
sometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershart
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategory
würde
wouldshe,supposingshehadto,stellen
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
ein
alittle,“youwilltellmeyourname.Wenn
Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asIhoffe
hopeweare,wehadbesser
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaid
nichts
nothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Manchmal
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyanythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”
Shedidnotlikehername.
Itwas
ein
amean,smallname,withein
akindoffacetioustwist,shedachte
thought,aboutitsendlikedie
theupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Da
Thereitwas,however.Therewas
nicht
nodoinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
und
andWilkinsshewouldremain;und
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogeben
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshenur
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshedachte
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.When
zuerst
firsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovegrund
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttosprechen
speakexceptafterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingeine
acarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesaid,muchdispleased,“ButIamnoteine
avilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhohofft
hopes,forperhapsthehundredthtime,dass
thathemaynothavemarriedeine
afool.Ofcoursehewasnotavilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassured
ihm
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjust
dachte
thinking...The
mehr
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’shoffnung
hope,familiartohimbydieser
thistime,forhehadthenbeenein
ahusbandfortwoyears,dass
thathemightnotbyanychancehavemarriedein
afool;andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,if
dass
thatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedwithdignifiedsilenceononeseite
sideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.Wilkinshadintendedtosuggestdass
thatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehad
gedacht
thoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittookalongwhile—“thatanybodywürde
wouldquarrelaboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingzusammen
togetherforasingledayforzwei
twowholeyears.Whatwe
beide
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
versuchte
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isasolicitor.He—”
Shecastaboutfor
etwas
somethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,und
andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“that
muss
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
fragte
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
ein
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedohne
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftlikeanyandere
other,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedon
sich
her,anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotdass
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,und
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiencedass
thatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,wenn
ifitwished,tointerrupt,dass
thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Aber
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnothörte
listening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
ein
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,und
andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingzusammen
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofein
atreeshedidn’tknow,und
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesah
sawthem—shesawthem.And
hinter
behindthem,brightinsunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesah
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
und
anddidnothearawort
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
auch
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononhergesicht
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesah
saw,andwasasluminousund
andtremulousunderitaswasser
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofwind.Atthis
moment
moment,ifshehadbeenataparty
party,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeonewhohashadarevelation.
Ofcourse.
So
Thatwashowitcouldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’tafford
es
it,andwouldn’tbeable,selbst
evenifshecouldaffordes
it,togothereallallein
alone;butsheandMrs.Arbuthnot
zusammen
together...Sheleanedacross
den
thetable.“Whydon’twe
versuchen
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameevenmorewide-eyed.
“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
immer noch
stillasthoughshewereafraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
nur
justsithereandsayHowwonderful,und
andthengohometoHampsteadohne
withouthavingputoutafinger—gohomenur
justasusualandseeabouttheabendessen
dinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeentun
doingforyearsandyearsund
andwillgoondoingforyearsund
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
haare
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedher,und
andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Isehe
seenoendtoit.Thereis
kein
noendtoit.Sothatthereoughttobe
eine
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Warum
Why,itwouldreallybebeingunselfishtogoawayund
andbehappyforawenig
little,becausewewouldcomebacksoviel
muchnicer.Yousee,afterabiteverybody
braucht
needsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
meinst
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”