Chapter1
Itbeganin
egy
aWoman’sClubinLondononegy
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,és
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,aki
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopés
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,és
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnsawthis:.To
Azoknak
ThosewhoAppreciateWistariaandSunshine.Kis
SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
mégis
yet,asinthecaseofsok
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthepillanatban
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
évben
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspaperwithegy
agesturethatwasbothirritatedés
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowés
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingutcán
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,even
azok
thosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
és
andthewistariaandsunshine.Ilyen
Suchdelightswereonlyfortherich.Mégis
Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonsakik
whoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedis
tootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedőket
them;morethananybodyknew;
többet
morethanshehadevertold.De
Butshewaspoor.Inthe
egész
wholeworldshepossessedofherverysaját
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromévre
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,ki
outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
ezt
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherférje
husbandasashieldandrefugeellen
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,
adott
givenherbyherfather,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhatherférje
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodestés
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,amikor
whentheyspokeofheratall,ami
whichwasseldomforshewasnagyon
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
egy
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptamely
thatbranchofitwhichgotintohisétel
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalledit
rossz
badhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
amely
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesés
andspoiltthem,hehadsok
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
mondta
said,“whentherewillbeegy
arainyday,andyoumaybenagyon
verygladtofindyouhaveegy
anest-egg.Indeedwebothmay.”
LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswas
egy
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,ahol
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,ahol
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,
és
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,miközben
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainesett
fallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasés
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethertalán
perhapsthiswasnottherainynap
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,és
andwhethertogetoutofolyan
suchaclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’ttalán
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Partofhersavings,of
természetesen
course;perhapsquiteasmall
részben
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,mightalsobedilapidated,
és
anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tinthe
legkevésbé
leastmindafewofthem,mert
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationswhichweremár
alreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducing
az
thepriceyouhadtofizetni
paytheyreallypaidyou.De
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritation
és
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,és
andcrossedtheroomtowardstheajtó
doorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshés
andumbrellaandfightingherwayintoegyik
oneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesés
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwayhomeés
andbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultwithfishés
andlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteadés
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleoftheroomonwhichthenewspapersés
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshadnever
még
yetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,aki
whobelongedtooneofthevariouschurchsets,és
andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedés
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
és
andMellersh,whentheydidmentek
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweresok
many.Mellershhadasister
aki
whohadmarriedoneofthemés
andlivedupontheHeath,és
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacircleami
whichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,és
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.She
kellett
hadtosaythingsaboutthem,és
andshedidn’tknowwhattomondjon
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
és
andfeelthatitwasnotelég
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobodylistened.
Senki sem
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewasthekindof
ember
personwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
her
arca
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
És
Andifone’sclothesandarca
faceandconversationareallnegligible,gondolta
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,mi
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Továbbá
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingférfi
man,whogaveaparty,merelybyjön
comingtoit,agreatlevegő
air.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
őt
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
és
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
henever
mondott
saidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotherhand,didheevermondott
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghe
mondott
said;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoftenhappenedthat
emberek
peoplewhomethimatthesepartieslettek
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,és
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesés
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblotted
ki
out.“She,”saidhissister,with
valami
somethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,és
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”De
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehiswifeatotthon
home.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
és
andallsuchhavewivesés
andshowthem.Withhisintheweekhe
ment
wenttoparties,andwithhisonSundayshement
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
idős
oldladies,ofwhomhevolt
hadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeasufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,és
anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,bár
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
látta
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
jött
comeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchoolpontosan
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,és
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,és
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,és
andupagainontheirfeetjustahogy
as,totheswellingorgan,thevestrydooropened,és
andthechoirandclergy,nagy
bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollki
out,emerged.Shehadasad
arca
face,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshe
lesz
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshelesz
hadonlybeenabletogetplaice,thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,és
andthatifonedoesone’sjobwellonelesz
becomesautomaticallybrightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
nem
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,bár
thoughmuchinherwaywiththeSundayIskola
Schoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;but
amikor
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyategy
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
csak
juststaring;andherface,asusual,was
az
thefaceofapatientés
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshy
és
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomés
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,megállt
stoppedatthetableandült
satdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadneveryetspokeninherlife.Itwas
egyik
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereelég
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlook
fel
up.Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,at
egy
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
nézte
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktoher.She
akarta
wantedtoaskherifshehadlátta
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
tudta
knowwhyshewantedtomegkérdezni
askherthis,butsheakarta
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
beszélni
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Miért
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirwaythroughthisdustybusinessofélet
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,arról
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldvolna
haveliked,whattheystilltriedtohope?És
Andshecouldnothelpgondolja
thinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadinghogy
thatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereontheverypartofthepaper.
Was
ő
she,too,picturingwhatitlesz
wouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thefény
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamongkis
littlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
fény
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
és
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,és
andtheTubetoHampstead,és
anddinner,andto-morrowtheugyanaz
sameandthedayaftertheugyanaz
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
találta
foundherselfleaningacrossthetable.“Areyoureadingabout
a
themediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherself
kérdezni
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
de
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
még
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfigureült
sittingoppositeher,withitskis
smallfreckledfaceandbiggreyeyesmajdnem
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,és
andshegazedatheregy
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreadingaboutthemediaevalcastle
és
andthewistaria,orratherhadreadaboutittíz
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenelveszett
lostindreams—oflight,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamongkis
littlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
kérdezed
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
és
andbythepoorhadmadehergraveés
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
és
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
csak
onlybecauseIsawitis
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Igondoltam
thoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeingusedtogettingpeopleintolists
és
anddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shelehetne
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,
aki
who,likealltheshy,amint
onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftotöbbet
moreandmorespeechbythesheersoundofwhatshehadmondott
saidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
látlak
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
ez
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementabouta
thewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,whomust
volt
havebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffés
andwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofegy
anawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserable
nap
day...”AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesof
egy
animprisoneddog.“Thispoorthing,”
gondolta
thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewasspentinhelpingés
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.
“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
mondta
said,kindlyandattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
mondta
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andsherepeated,her
feje
headonitslongthinneckdroopingegy
alittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
kérdezte
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasszükség
needed,naturallyfirstproceededtocollecta
thefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingher
kezét
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthepartofTheTimesahol
wheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,csak
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
gondolom
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsés
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”
mondta
saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamyújra
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
mondta
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,
amely
whichhadlitup,fadedintopatienceújra
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
nincs
nousewastingone’stimethinkingofilyen
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;
surprising
mert
becauseitwassomuchunlikethetöbbi
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatés
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhairstragglingout.“And
csak
justtheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchaváltozás
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Itényleg
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsiderskeményen
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategory
lenne
wouldshe,supposingshehadto,puther?“Perhaps,”she
mondta
said,leaningforwardalittle,“youwillmondta
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
remélem
hopeweare,wehadjobb
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—how
kedves
kindofyou.I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
mondta
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnot
mondott
saidnothing,“thatitconveyssemmit
anythingtoyou.Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconvey
semmit
anythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedroundwith
egy
amovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
nevét
name.Itwasamean,
kis
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shegondolta
thought,aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofegy
apugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasnodoing
semmit
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
és
andWilkinsshewouldremain;és
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertoadja
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshecsak
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshegondolta
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.Amikor
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheaboveokból
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttospeakexceptután
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingegy
acarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hemondta
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotegy
avilla,”andlookedatherashelooksaki
whohopes,forperhapsthehundredthalkalommal
time,thathemaynothavemarriedegy
afool.Ofcoursehewasnot
egy
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredőt
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjust
gondolt
thinking...The
többet
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestvált
becameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbythistime,forhehadthenbeenegy
ahusbandfortwoyears,amely
thathemightnotbyanychancemár
havemarriedafool;andthey
volt
hadaprolongedquarrel,ifthatlehet
canbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedwithdignifiedsilenceononeoldalon
sideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.Wilkinsvolt
hadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehad
gondolta
thoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittookegy
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingwhenthey’venothagyták
leftoffbeingtogetherforegy
asingledayfortwoegész
wholeyears.Whatwebothneedis
egy
aholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrowsome
fényt
lightonherself,“isasolicitor.He—”
Shecastaboutfor
valami
somethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,és
andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
mondta
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatmustbeanagy
greatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
kérdezte
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
egy
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptednélkül
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftmint
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’s
nagy
greatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,és
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotamely
thatperhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,és
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudienceamely
thatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,ha
ifitwished,tointerrupt,amely
thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,invalójában
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;
forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
egy
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,és
andthereweretwofiguresinitült
sittingtogetherunderagreattrailingwistariaamit
thatstretchedacrossthebranchesofegy
atreeshedidn’tknow,és
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shelátta
sawthem—shesawthem.Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,were
régi
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shelátta
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
és
anddidnothearaszót
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
is
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,amely
whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshelátott
saw,andwasasluminousés
andtremulousunderitasvíz
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofwind.Atthis
pillanatban
moment,ifshehadbeenategy
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldvolna
havebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeone
aki
whohashadarevelation.Of
persze
course.Thatwashowit
lehetett
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
és
andwouldn’tbeable,evenha
ifshecouldaffordit,tomenjen
gothereallalone;butshe
és
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacross
az
thetable.“Whydon’twe
próbáljuk
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecame
még
evenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
mondta
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughshewerefélt
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
csak
justsithereandsayMilyen
Howwonderful,andthengohaza
hometoHampsteadwithouthavingputoutegy
afinger—gohomejustasusualés
andseeaboutthedinnerés
andthefishjustaswe’vebeentenni
doingforyearsandyearsés
andwillgoondoingforyearsés
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
haja
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedher,és
andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Ilátom
seenoendtoit.Thereis
nincs
noendtoit.Sothatthereoughttobe
egy
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwould
tényleg
reallybebeingunselfishtogoawayés
andbehappyforakicsit
little,becausewewouldcomevissza
backsomuchnicer.You
látod
see,afterabiteverybodyneedsegy
aholiday.”“But—howdoyoumean,getit?”
kérdezte
askedMrs.Arbuthnot.“Takeit,”
mondta
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”