Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’s
Clube
ClubinLondononaFevereiro
Februaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,andamiserável
miserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whotinha
hadcomedownfromHampsteadtofazer compras
shopandhadlunchedatherclube
club,tookupTheTimesfromthemesa
tableinthesmoking-room,andrunningherlistlessolho
eyedowntheAgonyColumnviu
sawthis:.ToThosewho
Apreciam
AppreciateWistariaandSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalian
Castelo
CastleontheshoresoftheMediterrâneo
MediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemês
monthofApril.Necessaryservants
permanecem
remain.Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasits
concepção
conception;yet,asinthe
caso
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthemomento
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkins
que
thatherAprilforthatano
yearhadthenandtherebeenestabelecido
settledforherthatshedroppedthejornal
newspaperwithagesturethatwasbothirritado
irritatedandresigned,andwentovertothejanela
windowandstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingrua
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
mesmo
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.Notforhertheshoresin
Abril
ApriloftheMediterranean,andthewistariae
andsunshine.Suchdelightswere
apenas
onlyfortherich.Yetthe
anúncio
advertisementhadbeenaddressedtopessoas
personswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatittinha
hadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertamente
certainlyappreciatedthem;morethan
ninguém
anybodyknew;morethanshe
tinha
hadevertold.Butshewas
pobre
poor.Inthewholeworldshe
possuía
possessedofherveryownapenas
onlyninetypounds,savedfromano
yeartoyear,putbycuidadosamente
carefullypoundbypound,outofhervestido
dressallowance.Shehadscraped
essa
thissumtogetheratthesugestão
suggestionofherhusbandasum
ashieldandrefugeagainstum
arainyday.Herdress
subsídio
allowance,givenherbyherpai
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sroupa
clotheswerewhatherhusband,exortando
urginghertosave,calledmodeste
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,quando
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasraro
seldomforshewasverynegligible,chamava
calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
um
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatramo
branchofitwhichgotintohiscomida
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,he
chamou
calleditbadhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
que
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sroupas
clothesandspoiltthem,heteve
hadmuchpraise.“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’solho
eyeontheMediterraneaninAbril
April,andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,enquanto
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorrível
horriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellase
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedse
whetherperhapsthiswasnottherainydia
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencorajado
encouragedhertopreparefor,e
andwhethertogetoutoftal
suchaclimateandintothepequeno
smallmediaevalcastlewasn’tperhapswhatProvidência
Providencehadallalongintendedhertodocom
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,ofcourse;
talvez
perhapsquiteasmallpart.The
castelo
castle,beingmediaeval,mightalsobedilapidated,e
anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleast
importaria
mindafewofthem,porque
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationsque
whichwerealreadythere;on
o
thecontrary—byreducingthepriceyoutinhas
hadtopaytheyreallypaidyou.Mas
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthe
janela
windowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritatione
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,e
andcrossedtheroomtowardstheporta
doorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshe
andumbrellaandfightinghercaminho
wayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusese
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonhercaminho
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifícil
difficultwithfishandlikedapenas
onlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,amulher
womansheknewbysightastambém
alsolivinginHampsteadandpertencendo
belongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthesala
roomonwhichthenewspaperse
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
tinha
hadneveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,que
whobelongedtooneofthevários
variouschurchsets,andwhoanalysed,classified,dividiu
dividedandregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
e
andMellersh,whentheydidiam
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremuitos
many.Mellershhadasisterwho
tinha
hadmarriedoneoftheme
andlivedupontheHeath
Heath,andbecauseofthisaliança
allianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacírculo
circlewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,e
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.She
tinha
hadtosaythingsabouteles
them,andshedidn’tknowwhattodizer
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
e
andfeelthatitwasnotsuficiente
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobody
ouviu
listened.NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewas
o
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Her
roupas
clothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpraticamente
practicallyinvisible;herfacewasnon-arresting;
her
conversa
conversationwasreluctant;shewasshy.
E
Andifone’sclothesandrosto
faceandconversationareallnegligible,pensou
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isthereleftofuma
one?Alsoshewasalways
com
withWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookinghomem
man,whogaveaparty,apenas
merelybycomingtoit,agrande
greatair.Wilkinswasvery
respeitável
respectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’s
círculo
circleadmiredhim.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentson
arte
artandartists.Hewaspithy;
hewas
prudente
prudent;heneversaida
palavra
wordtoomuch,nor,ona
theotherhand,didheeverdisse
sayawordtoolittle.He
produziu
producedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesoftudo
everythinghesaid;andhewasso
obviamente
obviouslyreliablethatitoftenacontecia
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartiesficavam
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,e
andafteraperiodofinquietação
restlessnessextricatedthemselvesandwenttoWilkins.Naturalmente
NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.“She,”
disse
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial
judicial,thedigested,andthefinal
finalinhermanner,“shouldficar
stayathome.”ButWilkins
podia
couldnotleavehiswifeatcasa
home.Hewasafamily
advogado
solicitor,andallsuchhavewivese
andshowthem.Withhisinthe
semana
weekhewenttoparties,e
andwithhisonSundaysheia
wenttochurch.Beingstill
bastante
fairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhetinha
hadnotyetacquiredinhisprática
practiceasufficientnumber,hepodia
couldnotaffordtomissigreja
church,anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,embora
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
viu
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewouldcomeinattheheadofthe
procissão
processionfromtheSundaySchoolexatamente
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethecoro
choir,andgetherboyse
andgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,e
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminar
preliminaryprayer,andupagainontheirpé
feetjustas,totheinchado
swellingorgan,thevestrydoorabria
opened,andthechoirandclero
clergy,bigwiththelitaniese
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emergiam
emerged.Shehadasad
rosto
face,yetshewasevidentlyeficiente
efficient.Thecombinationusedto
fazer
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshetinha
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshetinha
hadonlybeenabletoobter
getplaice,thatifonewereeficiente
efficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,e
andthatifonedoesone’strabalho
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrilhante
brightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
nada
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughmuito
muchinherwaywiththeSundayEscola
Schoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;mas
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthejanela
window,caughtsightofherintheclube
clubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,mas
butwaslookingfixedlyatuma
oneportionofthefirstpágina
pageofTheTimes,holdingthejornal
paperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
só
juststaring;andherface,as
costume
usual,wasthefaceofuma
apatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeying
um
animpulseshewonderedatevenenquanto
whileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshye
andthereluctant,insteadofprosseguir
proceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroome
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinbusca
searchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthemesa
tableandsatdownexactlyem frente
oppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshetinha
hadneveryetspokeninhervida
life.Itwasoneofthoselong,
estreitas
narrowrefectorytables,sothattheyweremuito
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
no entanto
however,didnotlookup.She
continuou
continuedtogaze,witheyesque
thatseemedtobedreaming,atum
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
um
aminute,tryingtoscrewupcoragem
couragetospeaktoher.She
queria
wantedtoaskherifshetinha
hadseentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
sabia
knowwhyshewantedtoperguntar
askherthis,butshewanteda
to.Howstupidnottobe
capaz
abletospeaktoher.Shelookedso
gentil
kind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Whycouldn’t
duas
twounhappypeoplerefresheachoutro
otherontheirwaythroughthispoeirento
dustybusinessoflifebyalittletalk—real,natural
naturaltalk,aboutwhattheysentiam
felt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheyainda
stilltriedtohope?Andshe
podia
couldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,também
too,wasreadingthatverymesmo
sameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
parte
partofthepaper.Was
ela
she,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecor
colour,thefragrance,thelight,thesuave
softlappingoftheseaentre
amonglittlehotrocks?Colour,
fragrância
fragrance,light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
e
andthewetomnibuses,andthepeixe
fishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,andtheTubetoHampstead,e
anddinner,andto-morrowthemesmo
sameandthedayafterthemesmo
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
encontrou
foundherselfleaningacrossthemesa
table.“Areyoureadingaboutthemediaeval
castelo
castleandthewistaria?”she
ouviu
heardherselfasking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
mas
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurpreendido
surprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforperguntar
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
ainda
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfigura
figuresittingoppositeher,withitspequeno
smallfreckledfaceandbiggreyeyesquase
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherchapéu
hat,andshegazedatherum
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
sobre
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,ou
orratherhadreadaboutitdez
tenminutesbefore,andsincethentinha
hadbeenlostindreams—ofluz
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesuave
softlappingoftheseaentre
amonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
perguntas
askmethat?”shesaidinher
grave
gravevoice,forhertrainingofe
andbythepoorhadtornado
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
e
andlookedexcessivelyshyandassustado
frightened.“Oh,onlybecauseI
vi
sawittoo,andIpensei
thoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
mente
mindbeingusedtogettingpessoas
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhábito
habitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,sob
underwhatheading,supposingshetivesse
hadtoclassifyher,shepoderia
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
conheço
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,como
likealltheshy,onceshewascomeçou
startedplungedon,frighteningherselftomais
moreandmorespeechbythepuro
sheersoundofwhatshetinha
hadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
vejo
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
ecoou
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.“Andthis
parece
seemssuchawonderfulthing—thisanúncio
advertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
que
whomusthavebeenatmenos
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinhercadeira
chairwiththemovementofuma
anawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
um
akindofburst,“and—itistão
suchamiserableday...”E
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotcom
withtheeyesofanimprisonedcão
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,
cuja
whoselifewasspentinajudar
helpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordingly
preparou
preparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.“Ifyou
vires
seemeinchurch,”shedisse
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyouvives
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
disse
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andshe
repetiu
repeated,herheadonitslongo
longthinneckdroopingapouco
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
perguntou
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenconselho
advicewasneeded,naturallyfirstprosseguiu
proceededtocollectthefacts.Mas
ButMrs.Wilkins,layinghermão
handsoftlyandcaressinglyontheparte
partofTheTimeswheretheanúncio
advertisementwas,asthoughthemeras
mereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,só
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisparece
seemssowonderful.”“No—Ithinkthat’s
maravilhoso
wonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,esquecendo
forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
lê
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
novamente
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
disse
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,
que
whichhadlitup,fadedintopaciência
patienceagain.“Verywonderful,”she
disse
said.“Butit’snousewastingone’s
tempo
timethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
mas
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingresposta
reply;surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlike
o
therestofher—thecharacterlesscasaco
coatandskirt,thecrumpledchapéu
hat,theundecidedwispofcabelo
hairstragglingout.“Andjustthe
considera
consideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchamudança
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Irealmente
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidersduro
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnot
observou
observedherpatiently.Inwhat
categoria
categorywouldshe,supposingshetivesse
hadto,puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaning
frente
forwardalittle,“youwilldiga
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—she
sorriu
smiledhergravesmile—“asIespero
hopeweare,wehadmelhor
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
disse
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”she
acrescentou
added,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotdisse
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Às vezes
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtotransmitir
conveyanythingtomeeither.But”—she
olhou
lookedroundwithamovementofbusca
seekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
gostava
likehername.Itwasamean,
pequeno
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shepensou
thought,aboutitsendliketheascendente
upwardcurveofapugdog’scauda
tail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewas
não
nodoinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
e
andWilkinsshewouldremain;e
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertodar
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshesó
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forsheachava
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthemaneira
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofuma
avillaemphasisesthevilla.Quando
Whenfirsthesuggestedshedeveria
shouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheacima
abovereason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudente
prudenttospeakexceptafterapausa
pause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingacarefulmental
mentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—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
moresheexplainedthemoreséria
earnestbecameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbyesta
thistime,forhehadthenbeenum
ahusbandfortwoyears,que
thathemightnotbyqualquer
anychancehavemarriedafool;e
andtheyhadaprolongeddisputa
quarrel,ifthatcanbechamado
calledaquarrelwhichisconductedcom
withdignifiedsilenceononelado
sideandearnestapologyontheoutro
other,astowhetherornão
noMrs.Wilkinshadintendedtosugerir
suggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehad
pensou
thoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittookum
alongwhile—“thatanybodywoulddiscutiria
quarrelaboutanythingwhenthey’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,forconstantrelações
intercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertoter
haveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isum
agiftlikeanyother,e
andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffinto
silêncio
silence.Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,
e
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthattalvez
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahábito
habitofexposition,andofexpositionafteros
themannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiência
audiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatquisesse
wouldbeafraid,ifitquisesse
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tsabia
know,thatwas,infact,athermercê
mercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnot
ouvir
listening;forjustthen,absurdasit
parecesse
seemed,apicturehadflashedacrosshercérebro
brain,andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingjuntas
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofaárvore
treeshedidn’tknow,anditwasherselfe
andMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.E
Andbehindthem,brightinsol
sunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—sheviu
sawit—theywerethere...She
portanto
thereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnote
anddidnothearapalavra
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
também
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressão
expressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheexcitação
excitementofwhatshesaw,e
andwasasluminousandtremuloussob
underitaswaterinsol
sunlightwhenitisruffledbyuma
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’t
pagar
affordit,andwouldn’tbecapaz
able,evenifshecouldpagar
affordit,togothereallalone;mas
butsheandMrs.Arbuthnotjuntos
together...Sheleanedacross
a
thetable.“Whydon’twe
tentamos
tryandgetit?”she
sussurrou
whispered.Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
mais
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
she
repetiu
repeated.“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
ainda
stillasthoughsheweremedo
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Notjust
ficar
sithereandsayHowwonderful,e
andthengohometoHampsteadsem
withouthavingputoutafinger—gocasa
homejustasusualandver
seeaboutthedinnerandthepeixe
fishjustaswe’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?”