Chapter1
ItbeganinaWoman’sClubinLondononaFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,
y
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohabía
hadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopy
andhadlunchedatherclub,tomó
tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,y
andrunningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnvio
sawthis:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
y
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobe
Dejará
LetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Esa
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthe
caso
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthemoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkins
ese
thatherAprilforthataño
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherese
thatshedroppedthenewspapercon
withagesturethatwasbothirritatedy
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowy
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingcalle
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
incluso
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmall.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
y
andthewistariaandsunshine.Suchdelightswere
sólo
onlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisement
había
hadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciateestas
thesethings,sothatithabía
hadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciatedthem;más
morethananybodyknew;more
de
thanshehadevertold.Pero
Butshewaspoor.In
el
thewholeworldshepossessedofherverypropio
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromaño
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.She
había
hadscrapedthissumtogetheratthesuggestionofhermarido
husbandasashieldandrefugecontra
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
padre
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhathermarido
husband,urginghertosave,llamaba
calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,cuando
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasmuy
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
un
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptesa
thatbranchofitwhichgotintohiscomida
food.Hedidnotcall
eso
thatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.Pero
Butforthethriftwhich,como
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesy
andspoiltthem,hehadmuchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
dijo
said,“whentherewillbeun
arainyday,andyoupuedes
maybeverygladtoencontrar
findyouhaveanest-egg.Indeedwebothmay.”
Mirando
LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasun
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,donde
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,donde
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstood
allí
theresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,y
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,mientras
whileherbodilyeyewatchedtherealmente
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyraincaía
fallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasy
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethertal vez
perhapsthiswasnottherainydía
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,y
andwhethertogetoutoftal
suchaclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’ttal vez
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodocon
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,of
supuesto
course;perhapsquiteasmall
parte
part.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
podría
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tin
las
theleastmindafewofellos
them,becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationswhichwerealreadyallí
there;onthecontrary—byreducing
el
thepriceyouhadtopagar
paytheyreallypaidyou.Pero
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
con
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationy
andresignationwithwhichshehabía
hadlaiddownTheTimes,y
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthepuerta
doorwiththeintentionofconseguir
gettinghermackintoshandumbrellay
andfightingherwayintouno
oneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesy
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonhercamino
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultcon
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteady
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthehabitación
roomonwhichthenewspapersy
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
había
hadneveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,whobelongedtouno
oneofthevariouschurchsets,y
andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedy
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
y
andMellersh,whentheydidiban
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremuchos
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohad
casado
marriedoneofthemandvivía
livedupontheHeath,y
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,y
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.She
tenía
hadtosaythingsaboutellos
them,andshedidn’tknowwhattodecir
say.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
y
andfeelthatitwasnotsuficiente
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobody
escuchó
listened.NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewasthe
tipo
kindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,
hacía
madeherpracticallyinvisible;her
cara
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Y
Andifone’sclothesandcara
faceandconversationareallnegligible,pensó
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,qué
what,atparties,isthereleftofuno
one?Alsoshewasalways
con
withWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookinghombre
man,whogaveaparty,merelybyvenir
comingtoit,agreataire
air.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewas
conocido
knowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.Hissister’scircleadmired
lo
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
y
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
nunca
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,ontheotro
otherhand,didheeverdijo
sayawordtoolittle.Heproduced
la
theimpressionofkeepingcopiesoftodo
everythinghesaid;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoften
sucedía
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatestas
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,y
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesy
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
dijo
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,y
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldquedarse
stayathome.”ButWilkins
podía
couldnotleavehiswifeatcasa
home.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
y
andallsuchhavewivesy
andshowthem.Withhisinthe
semana
weekhewenttoparties,y
andwithhisonSundaysheiba
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofoldladies,ofwhomhe
había
hadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeun
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtofaltar
misschurch,anditwasallí
therethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,aunque
thoughneverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
vio
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewouldcomeinatthe
cabeza
headoftheprocessionfromtheSundayEscuela
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,y
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,y
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,y
andupagainontheirfeetjusto
justas,totheswellingorgan,thevestrypuerta
dooropened,andthechoiry
andclergy,bigwiththelitaniesy
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.She
tenía
hadasadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Thecombinationusedto
hacer
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehabía
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehabía
hadonlybeenabletoconseguir
getplaice,thatifonewereefficientuno
onewouldn’tbedepressed,andthatsi
ifonedoesone’sjobbien
wellonebecomesautomaticallybrighty
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
nada
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughmuchinhercamino
waywiththeSundaySchoolniños
childrenthatwasautomatic;but
cuando
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,butwasmirando
lookingfixedlyatoneportionoftheprimera
firstpageofTheTimes,sosteniendo
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoverse
moving.Shewasjuststaring;
y
andherface,asusual,wasel
thefaceofapatienty
anddisappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshewonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,
la
theshyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehabía
hadintendedtothecloakroomy
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,detuvo
stoppedatthetableandsentó
satdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehabía
hadneveryetspokeninhervida
life.Itwasoneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywere
bastante
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnot
miró
lookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,
con
witheyesthatseemedtobesoñando
dreaming,atonespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
miró
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetohablar
speaktoher.Shewantedto
preguntarle
askherifshehadvisto
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
sabía
knowwhyshewantedtopreguntarle
askherthis,butshequería
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
hablar
speaktoher.Shelookedso
amable
kind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Por qué
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheircamino
waythroughthisdustybusinessofvida
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheysentían
felt,whattheywouldhavegustado
liked,whattheystilltriedtoesperar
hope?Andshecouldnothelp
pensar
thinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasleyendo
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereon
la
theverypartofthepaper.Wasshe,
también
too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,theluz
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
luz
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
y
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,y
andtheTubetoHampstead,y
anddinner,andto-morrowthemismo
sameandthedayafterthemismo
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
encontró
foundherselfleaningacrossthetable.“Areyou
leyendo
readingaboutthemediaevalcastley
andthewistaria?”sheheardherself
preguntando
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
pero
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforpreguntar
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,
con
withitssmallfreckledfacey
andbiggreyeyesalmostdisappearingbajo
underasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,y
andshegazedatherun
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
sobre
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,o
orratherhadreadaboutitdiez
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhabía
hadbeenlostindreams—oflight,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
preguntas
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
y
andbythepoorhadhecho
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
y
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
sólo
onlybecauseIsawittambién
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Ipensé
thoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
mente
mindbeingusedtogettinggente
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,bajo
underwhatheading,supposingshetuviera
hadtoclassifyher,shepodría
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
conozco
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,como
likealltheshy,onceshewascomenzó
startedplungedon,frighteningherselftomás
moreandmorespeechbythesheersonido
soundofwhatshehaddicho
saidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
veo
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
esto
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementsobre
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,who
debía
musthavebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffy
andwriggledinherchaircon
withthemovementofanawkwardy
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonina
especie
kindofburst,“and—itistan
suchamiserableday...”Y
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotcon
withtheeyesofanimprisonedperro
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
vida
lifewasspentinhelpingy
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytogiveit.
“Ifyou
ves
seemeinchurch,”shedijo
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyouvives
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
dijo
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andsherepeated,her
cabeza
headonitslongthinneckdroopingun
alittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
preguntó
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasnecesitaba
needed,naturallyfirstproceededtocollectthefacts.Pero
ButMrs.Wilkins,layinghermano
handsoftlyandcaressinglyontheparte
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,sólo
onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhyesto
thisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
creo
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,olvidando
forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
leyendo
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamyagain.
“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
dijo
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,which
había
hadlitup,fadedintopatiencede nuevo
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
no
nousewastingone’stimepensando
thinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
pero
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
porque
becauseitwassomuchunliketheresto
restofher—thecharacterlesscoaty
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofcabello
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworth
mientras
whileinitself—suchachangefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifuno
oneconsidershardenoughoneobtienen
getsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshe
tuviera
hadto,puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
un
alittle,“youwilltellmeyournombre
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
espero
hopeweare,wehadmejor
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—how
amable
kindofyou.I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
dijo
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnot
dijo
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconvey
nada
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
miró
lookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
gustaba
likehername.Itwasamean,
pequeño
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shepensó
thought,aboutitsendlikela
theupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Allí
Thereitwas,however.Therewas
no
nodoinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
y
andWilkinsshewouldremain;y
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitontodas
alloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshesólo
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshepensaba
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthemanera
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofuna
avillaemphasisesthevilla.Cuando
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheaboverazón
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchdemasiado
tooprudenttospeakexceptafterapause,duringcual
whichpresumablyhewastakingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hedijo
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotavilla,”y
andlookedatherashemiró
lookswhohopes,forperhapsthehundredthtime,thathemaynothavecasado
marriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnot
una
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;she
había
hadneversupposedhewas;she
había
hadnotdreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
pensando
thinking...The
más
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’sesperanza
hope,familiartohimbythismomento
time,forhehadthenbeenun
ahusbandfortwoyears,ese
thathemightnotbyanycasualidad
chancehavemarriedafool;y
andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,ifeso
thatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedcon
withdignifiedsilenceononelado
sideandearnestapologyontheotro
other,astowhetherorno
noMrs.Wilkinshadintendedtosuggesteso
thatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehad
pensado
thoughtwhenitwasatfin
lastover—ittookalongwhile—“thatcualquiera
anybodywouldquarrelaboutanythingcuando
whenthey’venotleftoffbeingjuntos
togetherforasingledayfordos
twowholeyears.Whatwe
ambos
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
tratando
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isun
asolicitor.He—”
Shecastaboutfor
algo
somethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,y
andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
dijo
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatdebe
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
preguntó
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
un
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursecon
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohabían
haveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isun
agiftlikeanyother,y
andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,
y
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthattal vez
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,y
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,a través de
throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbemiedo
afraid,ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tsabía
know,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Pero
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotescuchando
listening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,apicture
había
hadflashedacrossherbrain,y
andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingjuntas
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariaese
thatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’tconocía
know,anditwasherselfy
andMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawthem.Y
Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shevio
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
y
anddidnothearapalabra
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
también
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherrostro
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshevio
saw,andwasasluminousy
andtremulousunderitasagua
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyuna
agustofwind.At
este
thismoment,ifshehadbeenatuna
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatcon
withinterest.Theystaredateach
otro
other;Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkins
con
withtheeyesofsomeonewhohashadarevelation.Of
supuesto
course.Thatwashowit
podía
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
y
andwouldn’tbeable,evensi
ifshecouldaffordit,toir
gothereallalone;butshe
y
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacross
la
thetable.“Whydon’twe
intentamos
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
más
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
dijo
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughsheweremiedo
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
sólo
justsithereandsayHowwonderful,y
andthengohometoHampsteadsin
withouthavingputoutafinger—gocasa
homejustasusualandver
seeaboutthedinnerandthefishsólo
justaswe’vebeendoingforyearsy
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsy
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
cabello
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedsu
her,andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Iveo
seenoendtoit.Hay
Thereisnoendtoit.Sothatthereoughttobe
un
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Why,itwould
realmente
reallybebeingunselfishtogoawayy
andbehappyforalittle,porque
becausewewouldcomebacksomuchnicer.You
verás
see,afterabiteverybodynecesita
needsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
decir
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”
dijo
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”