Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
in
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,ki
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopin
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,in
andrunningherlistlesseyedol
downtheAgonyColumnsawthis:.To
Tiste
ThosewhoAppreciateWistariaandSunshine.Majhen
SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
To
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthe
primeru
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthemoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
leto
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspaperz
withagesturethatwastako
bothirritatedandresigned,andwentovertothewindowin
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
celo
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
in
andthewistariaandsunshine.Suchdelightswere
samo
onlyfortherich.Yet
je
theadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtoosebe
personswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtudi
tootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedjih
them;morethananybodyknew;
več
morethanshehadevertold.Ampak
Butshewaspoor.In
je
thewholeworldshepossessedofherveryownsamo
onlyninetypounds,savedfromyeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
ta
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofhermoža
husbandasashieldandrefugepred
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
oče
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermož
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodestin
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,ko
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewaszelo
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
je
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohishrano
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalledit
slabo
badhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
ki
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesin
andspoiltthem,hehadveliko
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“whenthere
bo
willbearainyday,in
andyoumaybeverygladtonajdete
findyouhaveanest-egg.Indeedwe
oba
bothmay.”LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasaneconomicalclub,
vendar
butconvenientforHampstead,whereshelived,in
andforShoolbred’s,wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodthere
nekaj
sometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,in
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,medtem ko
whileherbodilyeyewatchedtheres
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasin
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethermorda
perhapsthiswasnottherainydan
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,in
andwhethertogetoutofsuchaclimatein
andintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tmorda
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodoz
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,of
seveda
course;perhapsquiteasmall
del
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,might
tudi
alsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastminda
nekaj
fewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationski
whichwerealreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadto
plačati
paytheyreallypaidyou.Toda
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturned
stran
awayfromthewindowwiththesamegestureofmingledirritationin
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,in
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthedoorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshin
andumbrellaandfightingherpoti
wayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesin
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherpoti
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultwithfishin
andlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightastudi
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthesobo
roomonwhichthenewspapersin
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
nikoli
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,ki
whobelongedtooneofje
thevariouschurchsets,andki
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregisteredje
thepoor;whereassheandMellersh,
ko
whentheydidgoout,wenttoje
thepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadtherewereveliko
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohadmarriedoneofthem
in
andlivedupontheHeath,in
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,in
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
reči
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tknowwhattoreči
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
in
andfeelthatitwasnotdovolj
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobodylistened.
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewasthekindof
oseba
personwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
her
obraz
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
In
Andifone’sclothesandobraz
faceandconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,ki
whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Prav tako
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman,whogaveje
aparty,merelybycomingtoit,je
agreatair.Wilkinswas
zelo
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
ga
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
in
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
nikoli
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotherstrani
hand,didheeversayawordpreveč
toolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesof
vsega
everythinghesaid;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoftenhappenedthatpeoplewhomethimat
teh
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,in
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesin
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhis
sestra
sister,withsomethingherselfofje
thejudicial,thedigested,andje
thefinalinhermanner,“shouldostati
stayathome.”ButWilkinscouldnotleavehis
žene
wifeathome.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
in
andallsuchhavewivesin
andshowthem.Withhisinthe
tednom
weekhewenttoparties,andz
withhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhehadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeasufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,
in
anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,čeprav
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
je
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewouldcomeinat
je
theheadoftheprocessionfromje
theSundaySchoolexactlyfiveminutespred
beforethechoir,andgetherboysin
andgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,in
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,in
andupagainontheirfeetjustkot
as,totheswellingorgan,je
thevestrydooropened,andje
thechoirandclergy,bigz
withthelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.Shehad
je
asadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Je
ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondaysko
whenshehadonlybeenabletogetplaice,thatče
ifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,in
andthatifonedoesone’sdelo
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrightin
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
ni
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,čeprav
thoughmuchinherwayz
withtheSundaySchoolchildrenki
thatwasautomatic;butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfrom
je
thewindow,caughtsightofherinje
theclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,toda
butwaslookingfixedlyaten
oneportionofthefirstpageofJe
TheTimes,holdingthepaperpovsem
quitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
samo
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
obraz
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedateven
medtem ko
whileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyin
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomin
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthetablein
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadnikoli
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwas
ena
oneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereprecej
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnotlook
navzgor
up.Shecontinuedtogaze,
z
witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,atonespotsamo
onlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
je
aminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktonjo
her.Shewantedtoaskherifshehadseen
je
theadvertisement.Shedidnotknow
zakaj
whyshewantedtoaskherto
this,butshewantedto.Kako
Howstupidnottobeabletospeaktonjo
her.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Zakaj
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirpoti
waythroughthisdustybusinessofživljenje
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldhaveliked,whattheystilltriedtohope?In
Andshecouldnothelpthinkingda
thatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadingda
thatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
delu
partofthepaper.Was
ona
she,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,je
thefragrance,thelight,thesoftlappingofje
theseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,light,sea;
insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
in
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,in
andtheTubetoHampstead,in
anddinner,andto-morrowtheisto
sameandthedayaftertheisto
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacross
je
thetable.“Areyoureading
o
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
toda
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
še
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,z
withitssmallfreckledfacein
andbiggreyeyesalmostdisappearingpod
underasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,in
andshegazedatheratrenutek
momentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
o
aboutthemediaevalcastleandje
thewistaria,orratherhadreado
aboutittenminutesbefore,in
andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—ofsvetlobe
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofje
thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyouaskmethat?”
shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
in
andbythepoorhadmadehergravein
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
in
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
samo
onlybecauseIsawittudi
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeingusedtogetting
ljudi
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,pod
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shecouldnajbolj
mostproperlybeput.“AndIknowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,
ki
who,likealltheshy,ko
onceshewasstartedplungedna
on,frighteningherselftomorein
andmorespeechbythesheersoundofwhatshehadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—Iseeyou
vsako
everySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Andthisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisement
o
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
ki
whomusthavebeenatvsaj
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairz
withthemovementofanawkwardin
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserable
dan
day...”AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnot
z
withtheeyesofanimprisonedpsa
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
življenje
lifewasspentinhelpingin
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.
“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindly
in
andattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
In
Andsherepeated,herheadonitslongthinneckdroopingamalo
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,
ki
who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturallynajprej
firstproceededtocollectthefacts.Toda
ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherroko
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonje
thepartofTheTimeskjer
wheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughje
themereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,samo
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
mislim
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsin
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
spet
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Her
obraz
face,whichhadlitup,fadedintopatiencespet
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
ni
nousewastingone’stimethinkingoftakih
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;
surprising
ker
becauseitwassomuchunlikeje
therestofher—thecharacterlesscoatin
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,je
theundecidedwispofhairstragglingout.“And
samo
justtheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchasprememba
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Ires
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidersharddovolj
enoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshehadto,puther?
“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
je
alittle,“youwilltellmeyourime
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
upam
hopeweare,wehadbolje
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.
Včasih
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyničesar
anythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedround
z
withamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
všeč
likehername.Itwasamean,small
ime
name,withakindoffacetioustwist,shethought,o
aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Tam
Thereitwas,however.Therewasnodoing
ničesar
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
in
andWilkinsshewouldremain;in
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshele
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofavillaemphasisesthevilla.Ko
Whenfirsthesuggestedshenaj
shouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovereason,in
andafterapause—Mellershwasveliko
muchtooprudenttospeakexceptpo
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingaskrbno
carefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesaid,veliko
muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”in
andlookedatherashelookswhohopes,forperhapsthehundredthtime,thathemaynothaveporočil
marriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnotavilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassured
ga
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjustthinking...
The
bolj
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’supanje
hope,familiartohimbythistime,forhehadthenbeenamož
husbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyanychancehaveporočil
marriedafool;andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,
če
ifthatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedz
withdignifiedsilenceononestrani
sideandearnestapologyontheother,astowhetherornoMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
ko
whenitwasatlastover—ittookje
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelo
aboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingskupaj
togetherforasingledayfordveh
twowholeyears.Whatwe
oba
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isasolicitor.
He—”
Shecast
o
aboutforsomethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,in
andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“that
mora
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
askedMrs.Wilkins.
“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,a
malo
littletakenaback,forconstantintercoursez
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedbrez
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftkot
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,
in
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatmorda
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,in
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,če
ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,inresnici
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;
forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,
in
andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingskupaj
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’tknow,in
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.In
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,werestari
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theyweretam
there...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
in
anddidnothearawordshesaid.In
AndMrs.ArbuthnotstaredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesaw,in
andwasasluminousandtremulouspod
underitaswaterinsunlightko
whenitisruffledbyagustofwind.At
tem
thismoment,ifshehadbeenataparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatz
withinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkins
z
withtheeyesofsomeoneki
whohashadarevelation.Of
seveda
course.Thatwashowitcouldbedone.
Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
in
andwouldn’tbeable,evenče
ifshecouldaffordit,toiti
gothereallalone;butshe
in
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacross
je
thetable.“Whydon’twetry
in
andgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecame
še
evenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughshewere
boji
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
samo
justsithereandsayKako
Howwonderful,andthengodomov
hometoHampsteadwithouthavingputoutafinger—godomov
homejustasusualandseeaboutthedinnerin
andthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearsin
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsin
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingto
je
therootsofherhair,forje
thesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedher,andvendar
yetshecouldn’tstop,“Iseenokonca
endtoit.Thereisno
konec
endtoit.Sothatthereoughttobea
odmor
break,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwould
res
reallybebeingunselfishtogostran
awayandbehappyforamalo
little,becausewewouldcomebacksoveliko
muchnicer.Yousee,afterabit
vsi
everybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyoumean,getit?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”