Chapter1
Itbeganin
egy
aWoman’sClubinLondononegy
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,és
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,aki
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopés
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,és
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnsawthis:.To
Azoknak
ThosewhoAppreciateWistariaandSunshine.Kis
SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheFöldközi
MediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Szükséges
Necessaryservantsremain.Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
mégis
yet,asinthecaseofsok
manyanother,theconceiverwastudatában
unawareofitatthepillanatban
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkinsthather
Április
Aprilforthatyearhadthenés
andtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspaperwithegy
agesturethatwasbothirritatedés
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowés
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingutcán
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,even
azok
thosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinAprilofthe
Földközi
Mediterranean,andthewistariaandnapfény
sunshine.Suchdelightswereonlyfortherich.
Mégis
Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonsakik
whoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedis
tootoher,forshebiztosan
certainlyappreciatedthem;morethan
bárki
anybodyknew;morethanshehadevertold.
De
Butshewaspoor.Inthe
egész
wholeworldshepossessedofherverysaját
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromévre
yeartoyear,putbygondosan
carefullypoundbypound,outofherruha
dressallowance.Shehadscraped
ezt
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherférje
husbandasashieldandmenedéket
refugeagainstarainyday.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.”
Lookingoutofthe
klub
clubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasegy
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,ahol
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,ahol
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeonthe
Földközi
MediterraneaninApril,andthewistaria,és
andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,miközben
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyszörnyű
horriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasés
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethertalán
perhapsthiswasnottheesős
rainydayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsogyakran
oftenencouragedhertopreparefor,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
whobelongedtooneofthekülönböző
variouschurchsets,andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedés
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
és
andMellersh,whentheydidmentek
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweresok
many.Mellershhadasister
aki
whohadmarriedoneofthemés
andlivedupontheHeath
Heath,andbecauseofthisszövetség
allianceMrs.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,madeher
gyakorlatilag
practicallyinvisible;herfacewasnon-arresting;
herconversationwas
vonakodó
reluctant;shewasshy.
And
ha
ifone’sclothesandfaceés
andconversationareallnegligible,gondolta
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,mi
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Továbbá
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingférfi
man,whogaveaparty,pusztán
merelybycomingtoit,egy
agreatair.Wilkinswas
nagyon
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhis
vezető
seniorpartners.Hissister’scircleadmired
őt
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
és
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
henever
mondott
saidawordtoomuch,sem
nor,ontheotherhand,didheevermondott
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghe
mondott
said;andhewasso
nyilvánvalóan
obviouslyreliablethatitoftenhappenedthatemberek
peoplewhomethimatthesepartieslettek
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,és
andafteraperiodofnyugtalanság
restlessnessextricatedthemselvesandwenttoWilkins.Természetesen
NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedki
out.“She,”saidhissister,with
valami
somethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,és
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”De
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehiswifeatotthon
home.Hewasafamily
ügyvéd
solicitor,andallsuchhavewivesés
andshowthem.Withhisintheweekhe
ment
wenttoparties,andwithhisonSundayshement
wenttochurch.Beingstill
meglehetősen
fairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofidős
oldladies,ofwhomhevolt
hadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeaelegendő
sufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,és
anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,bár
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
látta
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
jött
comeinattheheadofthefelvonulás
processionfromtheSundaySchoolpontosan
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethekórus
choir,andgetherboysés
andgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,és
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,és
andupagainontheirfeetjustahogy
as,totheswellingorgan,thevestrydooropened,és
andthechoirandclergy,nagy
bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollki
out,emerged.Shehada
szomorú
sadface,yetshewasevidentlyhatékony
efficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshe
lesz
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshelesz
hadonlybeenabletogetplaice,thatifonewerehatékony
efficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,és
andthatifonedoesone’sjobwellonelesz
becomesautomaticallybrightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
nem
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,bár
thoughmuchinherwaywiththeSundayIskola
Schoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;but
amikor
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomatikus
automaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyategy
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
csak
juststaring;andherface,asusual,was
az
thefaceofapatientés
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,the
szégyenlős
shyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomés
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’shal
fish,stoppedatthetableés
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadneveryetspokeninherlife.Itwas
egyik
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereelég
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
azonban
however,didnotlookup.She
továbbra is
continuedtogaze,witheyesthattűntek
seemedtobedreaming,ategy
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
nézte
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktoher.She
akarta
wantedtoaskherifshehadlátta
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
tudta
knowwhyshewantedtomegkérdezni
askherthis,butsheakarta
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
beszélni
speaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Miért
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirwaythroughthisporos
dustybusinessoflifebyegy
alittletalk—real,naturaltalk,arról
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldvolna
haveliked,whattheystilltriedtohope?És
Andshecouldnothelpgondolja
thinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadinghogy
thatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereontheverypartofthe
papír
paper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatit
lesz
wouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thefény
light,thesoftlappingofthetenger
seaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
fény
light,sea;insteadofShaftesbury
Sugárút
Avenue,andthewetomnibuses,és
andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,és
andtheTubetoHampstead,és
anddinner,andto-morrowtheugyanaz
sameandthedayaftertheugyanaz
sameandalwaysthesame...Hirtelen
SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacrossaz
thetable.“Areyoureadingabout
a
themediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherself
kérdezni
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
de
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
még
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetheralak
figuresittingoppositeher,withitskis
smallfreckledfaceandbigszürke
greyeyesalmostdisappearingunderegy
asmashed-downwet-weatherhat,andshegazedatheregy
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreadingaboutthemediaevalcastle
és
andthewistaria,orratherhadreadaboutittíz
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenelveszett
lostindreams—oflight,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthelágy
softlappingoftheseaközött
amonglittlehotrocks...“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?”
visszhangzott
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.“Andthisseems
olyan
suchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementabouta
thewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,whomust
volt
havebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffés
andwriggledinherchairwiththemozgás
movementofanawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserable
nap
day...”AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesof
egy
animprisoneddog.“Thispoorthing,”
gondolta
thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewasspentinhelpingés
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”She
ennek megfelelően
accordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.“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,asthoughthepuszta
mereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,csak
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythistűnik
seemssowonderful.”“No—Ithinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”
mondta
saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsés
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”
mondta
saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamyújra
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
mondta
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,
amely
whichhadlitup,fadedintotürelem
patienceagain.“Verywonderful,”she
mondta
said.“Butit’snouse
pazarolni
wastingone’stimethinkingofilyen
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’s
gyors
quick,surprisingreply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlikethe
többi
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatés
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhairstragglingout.“And
csak
justtheconsideringofthemisérdemes
worthwhileinitself—suchaváltozás
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Itényleg
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsiderskeményen
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedher
türelmesen
patiently.Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshehadto,puther?
“Perhaps,”she
mondta
said,leaningforwardalittle,“youwillmondta
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—she
mosolygott
smiledhergravesmile—“asIremélem
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,aboutitsendlikethefelfelé
upwardcurveofapugdog’sfarka
tail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasnodoing
semmit
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
és
andWilkinsshewouldremain;és
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertoadja
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshecsak
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshegondolta
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavilla
villaemphasisesthevilla.When
először
firsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedforthefenti
abovereason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttospeakkivéve
exceptafterapause,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
canbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedwithméltóságteljes
dignifiedsilenceononesideés
andearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.Wilkinsvolt
hadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla
villa.“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,forállandó
constantintercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptednélkül
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isaajándék
giftlikeanyother,andha
ifitisproperlyused—”.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,absurdasit
tűnt
seemed,apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,és
andthereweretwofiguresinitült
sittingtogetherunderagreattrailingwistariaamit
thatstretchedacrossthebranchesofegy
atreeshedidn’tknow,és
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shelátta
sawthem—shesawthem.Andbehindthem,
ragyogó
brightinsunshine,wereoldszürke
greywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theywereott
there...She
ezért
thereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotés
anddidnothearaszót
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
is
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbythekifejezés
expressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheizgalom
excitementofwhatshesaw,és
andwasasluminousandtremulousalatt
underitaswaterinsunlightamikor
whenitisruffledbyagustofszél
wind.Atthismoment,ifshehadbeenat
egy
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?”