Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
e
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whotinha
hadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshope
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,e
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnviu
sawthis:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
e
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,
O
TheTimes.Thatwasitsconception;
no entanto
yet,asinthecaseofmuitos
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthemomento
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkins
que
thatherAprilforthatano
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherque
thatshedroppedthenewspapercom
withagesturethatwasbothirritatede
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowe
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingrua
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
mesmo
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
e
andthewistariaandsunshine.Tais
Suchdelightswereonlyforos
therich.Yettheadvertisement
tinha
hadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciateessas
thesethings,sothatittinha
hadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;mais
morethananybodyknew;morethanshe
tinha
hadevertold.Butshewas
pobre
poor.Inthewholeworldshepossessedofhervery
possuía
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromano
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,fora
outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
essa
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofhermarido
husbandasashieldandrefugecontra
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,
dado
givenherbyherfather,was£100aano
year,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermarido
husband,urginghertosave,chamava
calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,quando
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasmuito
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
um
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohiscomida
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,he
chamou
calleditbadhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
que
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothese
andspoiltthem,hehadmuito
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
disse
said,“whentherewillbeum
arainyday,andyoupode
maybeverygladtofindyoutem
haveanest-egg.Indeedwe
ambos
bothmay.”Lookingoutof
a
theclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasum
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,onde
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,onde
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,having
ficado
stoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,e
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,enquanto
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyraincaía
fallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellase
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethertalvez
perhapsthiswasnottherainydia
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparepor
for,andwhethertogetoutoftal
suchaclimateandintothepequeno
smallmediaevalcastlewasn’tperhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodocom
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,ofcourse;
talvez
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
poderia
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleast
importaria
mindafewofthem,porque
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationsque
whichwerealreadythere;on
o
thecontrary—byreducingthepriceyoutinhas
hadtopaytheyreallypaidyou.Mas
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
com
withthesamegestureofmingledirritatione
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,e
andcrossedtheroomtowardstheporta
doorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshe
andumbrellaandfightinghercaminho
wayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusese
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonhercaminho
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultcom
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,amulher
womansheknewbysightastambém
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthesala
roomonwhichthenewspaperse
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
tinha
hadneveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,que
whobelongedtooneofthevariouschurchsets,e
andwhoanalysed,classified,dividede
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
e
andMellersh,whentheydidiam
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremuitos
many.Mellershhadasisterwho
tinha
hadmarriedoneoftheme
andlivedupontheHeath,e
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,e
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.She
tinha
hadtosaythingsabouteles
them,andshedidn’tknowwhattodizer
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
e
andfeelthatitwasnotsuficiente
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobody
ouviu
listened.NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewas
o
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,
tornavam
madeherpracticallyinvisible;her
rosto
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
E
Andifone’sclothesandrosto
faceandconversationareallnegligible,pensou
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isthereleftofuma
one?Alsoshewasalways
com
withWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookinghomem
man,whogaveaparty,merelybyvir
comingtoit,agreatar
air.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewas
conhecido
knowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.Hissister’scircleadmiredhim.
Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
e
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
nunca
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ona
theotherhand,didheeverdisse
sayawordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionof
manter
keepingcopiesofeverythinghedisse
said;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoften
acontecia
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartiesficavam
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,e
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvese
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
disse
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,e
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldficar
stayathome.”ButWilkins
podia
couldnotleavehiswifeatcasa
home.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
e
andallsuchhavewivese
andshowthem.Withhisinthe
semana
weekhewenttoparties,e
andwithhisonSundaysheia
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhe
tinha
hadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeum
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,e
anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,embora
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
viu
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.ShewouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSunday
Escola
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,e
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,e
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,e
andupagainontheirfeetjustcomo
as,totheswellingorgan,thevestryporta
dooropened,andthechoire
andclergy,bigwiththelitaniese
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.She
tinha
hadasadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Thecombinationusedto
fazer
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshetinha
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshetinha
hadonlybeenabletoobter
getplaice,thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,e
andthatifonedoesone’strabalho
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrighte
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
nada
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughmuito
muchinherwaywiththeSundayEscola
Schoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;mas
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,mas
butwaslookingfixedlyatuma
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,segurando
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
só
juststaring;andherface,asusual,was
o
thefaceofapatiente
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedateven
enquanto
whileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshye
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshetinha
hadintendedtothecloakroome
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,parou
stoppedatthetableandsentou
satdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshetinha
hadneveryetspokeninhervida
life.Itwasoneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywere
muito
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnot
olhou
lookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,
com
witheyesthatseemedtobesonhando
dreaming,atonespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
um
aminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetofalar
speaktoher.Shewantedto
perguntar
askherifshehadseeno
theadvertisement.Shedidnot
sabia
knowwhyshewantedtoperguntar
askherthis,butshewanteda
to.Howstupidnottobe
capaz
abletospeaktoher.Shelookedso
gentil
kind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Whycouldn’t
duas
twounhappypeoplerefresheachoutro
otherontheirwaythroughthisdustynegócio
businessoflifebyalittletalk—real,naturalconversa
talk,aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldteriam
haveliked,whattheystilltentavam
triedtohope?Andshe
podia
couldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,também
too,wasreadingthatverymesmo
sameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
parte
partofthepaper.Was
ela
she,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,theluz
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
luz
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
e
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,e
andtheTubetoHampstead,e
anddinner,andto-morrowthemesmo
sameandthedayafterthemesmo
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
encontrou
foundherselfleaningacrossthetable.“Areyou
ler
readingaboutthemediaevalcastlee
andthewistaria?”sheheardherself
perguntar
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
mas
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforperguntar
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
ainda
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,com
withitssmallfreckledfacee
andbiggreyeyesalmostdisappearingsob
underasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,e
andshegazedatherum
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
sobre
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,ou
orratherhadreadaboutitdez
tenminutesbefore,andsincethentinha
hadbeenlostindreams—ofluz
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
perguntas
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
e
andbythepoorhadtornado
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
e
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
só
onlybecauseIsawittambém
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Ipensei
thoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
mente
mindbeingusedtogettingpessoas
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,sob
underwhatheading,supposingshetivesse
hadtoclassifyher,shepoderia
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
conheço
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,como
likealltheshy,onceshewascomeçou
startedplungedon,frighteningherselftomais
moreandmorespeechbythesheersom
soundofwhatshehadsaidúltimo
lastinherears.“EverySunday—I
vejo
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthisseems
tão
suchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementsobre
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
que
whomusthavebeenatmenos
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchaircom
withthemovementofanawkwarde
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
um
akindofburst,“and—itistão
suchamiserableday...”E
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotcom
withtheeyesofanimprisonedcão
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
vida
lifewasspentinhelpinge
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
dar
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
disse
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyouvives
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
disse
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andsherepeated,her
cabeça
headonitslongthinneckdroopingum
alittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
perguntou
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyprimeiro
firstproceededtocollectthefacts.Mas
ButMrs.Wilkins,layinghermão
handsoftlyandcaressinglyontheparte
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,só
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
acho
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,esquecendo
forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
lê
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
novamente
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
disse
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,
que
whichhadlitup,fadedintopatiencenovamente
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
não
nousewastingone’stimepensar
thinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
mas
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
porque
becauseitwassomuchunlikeo
therestofher—thecharacterlesscoate
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,o
theundecidedwispofhairstragglingout.“And
só
justtheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchamudança
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Irealmente
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidersduro
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshe
tivesse
hadto,puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
um
alittle,“youwilltellmeyournome
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
espero
hopeweare,wehadmelhor
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
disse
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnot
disse
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Às vezes
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveynada
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
olhou
lookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
gostava
likehername.Itwasamean,
pequeno
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shepensou
thought,aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Lá
Thereitwas,however.Therewas
não
nodoinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
e
andWilkinsshewouldremain;e
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertodar
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshesó
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forsheachava
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthemaneira
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofuma
avillaemphasisesthevilla.Quando
Whenfirsthesuggestedshedeveria
shouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheaboverazão
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttofalar
speakexceptafterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hedisse
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”e
andlookedatherashelookswhoespera
hopes,forperhapsthehundredthvez
time,thathemaynotter
havemarriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnot
uma
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredlhe
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
she
tinha
hadnotdreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
pensar
thinking...The
mais
moresheexplainedthemoreearnesttornava
becameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbyesta
thistime,forhehadthenbeenum
ahusbandfortwoyears,que
thathemightnotbyqualquer
anychancehavemarriedafool;e
andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,ifthatpode
canbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedcom
withdignifiedsilenceononelado
sideandearnestapologyontheoutro
other,astowhetherornão
noMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehad
pensou
thoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittookum
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelsobre
aboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingjuntos
togetherforasingledayfordois
twowholeyears.Whatwe
ambos
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
tentando
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isum
asolicitor.He—”
Shecast
sobre
aboutforsomethingshecoulddizer
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andencontrou
found:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
disse
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatdeve
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
perguntou
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
um
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursecom
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertoter
haveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isum
agiftlikeanyother,e
andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,
e
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthattalvez
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,e
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatquisesse
wouldbeafraid,ifitquisesse
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tsabia
know,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Mas
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotouvir
listening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,apicture
tinha
hadflashedacrossherbrain,e
andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingjuntas
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’tconhecia
know,anditwasherselfe
andMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.E
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—sheviu
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
e
anddidnothearapalavra
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
também
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherrosto
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatsheviu
saw,andwasasluminouse
andtremulousunderitaságua
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyuma
agustofwind.Atthis
momento
moment,ifshehadbeenatuma
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatcom
withinterest.Theystaredateach
outro
other;Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkins
com
withtheeyesofsomeoneque
whohashadarevelation.Ofcourse.
Thatwashowit
podia
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’tafford
que
it,andwouldn’tbeable,mesmo
evenifshecouldaffordque
it,togothereallalone;mas
butsheandMrs.Arbuthnotjuntos
together...Sheleanedacross
a
thetable.“Whydon’twe
tentamos
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnot
tornou
becameevenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
disse
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughsheweremedo
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Notjust
ficar
sithereandsayHowwonderful,e
andthengohometoHampsteadsem
withouthavingputoutafinger—gocasa
homejustasusualandver
seeaboutthedinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearse
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearse
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
cabelo
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwasvindo
comingpouringout,frightenedher,e
andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Ivejo
seenoendtoit.Thereis
não
noendtoit.So
que
thatthereoughttobeuma
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,it
ir
wouldreallybebeingunselfishtoir
goawayandbehappyforum
alittle,becausewewouldcomebacksomuchnicer.You
vês
see,afterabiteverybodyprecisa
needsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
dizer
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”
disse
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”