Chapter1
Itbeganin
en
aWoman’sClubinLondononen
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,och
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,som
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopoch
andhadlunchedatherclub,tog
tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,och
andrunningherlistlesseyener
downtheAgonyColumnsawdetta
this:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
och
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
ändå
yet,asinthecaseofmånga
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthejust nu
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
året
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspapermed
withagesturethatwasbåde
bothirritatedandresigned,andgick
wentovertothewindowoch
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippinggatan
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
även
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmå
small.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
och
andthewistariaandsunshine.Suchdelightswere
bara
onlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisement
hade
hadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatedessa
thesethings,sothatithade
hadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootohenne
her,forshecertainlyappreciateddem
them;morethananybodyknew;
mer
morethanshehadeverberättat
told.Butshewaspoor.
Inthe
hela
wholeworldshepossessedofherveryegen
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromår
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.She
hade
hadscrapedthissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherhusbandasen
ashieldandrefugeagainsten
arainyday.Herdressallowance,
gav
givenherbyherfather,was£100en
ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhatherman
husband,urginghertosave,kallade
calledmodestandbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,när
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasmycket
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
en
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichkom
gotintohisfood.Hedidnot
kallade
callthatthrift,hecalleditbadhousekeeping.Men
Butforthethriftwhich,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesoch
andspoiltthem,hehadmycket
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
sa
said,“whentherewillbearainydag
day,andyoumaybemycket
verygladtofindyouhar
haveanest-egg.Indeedwe
båda
bothmay.”LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswas
en
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,whereshebodde
lived,andforShoolbred’s,wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,
hade
havingstoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,och
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,medan
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainföll
fallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasoch
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhetherkanske
perhapsthiswasnottherainydagen
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertoprepareför
for,andwhethertogetoutofsuchen
aclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tkanske
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodomed
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,ofcourse;
kanske
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,
kan
mightalsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastminda
några
fewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tbetalade
payfordilapidationswhichwereredan
alreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadto
betala
paytheyreallypaidyou.Men
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...She
vände
turnedawayfromthewindowmed
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationoch
andresignationwithwhichshehade
hadlaiddownTheTimes,och
andcrossedtheroomtowardsde
thedoorwiththeintentionoffå
gettinghermackintoshandumbrellaoch
andfightingherwayintooneofde
theovercrowdedomnibusesandgoingtoShoolbred’sonherväg
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultmed
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,akvinna
womansheknewbysightasockså
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtode
theclub,sittingatthetableinde
themiddleoftheroomonwhichde
thenewspapersandmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inhervände
turn,inthefirstpageofDe
TheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
aldrig
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,som
whobelongedtooneofde
thevariouschurchsets,andsom
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregisteredde
thepoor;whereassheandMellersh,
när
whentheydidgoout,gick
wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremånga
many.Mellershhadasisterwho
hade
hadmarriedoneofthemoch
andlivedupontheHeath,och
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltohenne
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
säga
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tvisste
knowwhattosay.She
brukade
usedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”andfeelthatitwasnotenough.Men
Butnobodyminded.Nobodylistened.
Ingen
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewas
den
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,
gjorde
madeherpracticallyinvisible;her
ansikte
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Och
Andifone’sclothesandansikte
faceandconversationareallnegligible,tänkte
thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,vad
what,atparties,isthereleftofen
one?Alsoshewasalways
med
withWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman
man,whogaveaparty,merelybykomma
comingtoit,agreatluft
air.Wilkinswasveryrespectable.
Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
honom
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
och
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
aldrig
neversaidawordtoomycket
much,nor,ontheothersidan
hand,didheeversayett
awordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesof
allt
everythinghesaid;andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoften
hände
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatdessa
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeiregna
ownsolicitors,andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesoch
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
sa
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofden
thejudicial,thedigested,andden
thefinalinhermanner,“shouldstanna
stayathome.”ButWilkins
kunde
couldnotleavehiswifeathemma
home.Hewasafamilysolicitor,
och
andallsuchhavewivesoch
andshowthem.Withhisintheweekhe
gick
wenttoparties,andwithhisonSundayshegick
wenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
gamla
oldladies,ofwhomhehade
hadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeett
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomissa
misschurch,anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsblev
becamefamiliar,thoughneverthroughwords,med
withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
de
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.She
komma
wouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySkulle
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,och
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,och
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,och
andupagainontheirfeetjustsom
as,totheswellingorgan,thevestrydooropened,och
andthechoirandclergy,stora
bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollut
out,emerged.Shehadasad
ansikte
face,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Thecombination
brukade
usedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehade
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehade
hadonlybeenabletofå
getplaice,thatifonewereefficientman
onewouldn’tbedepressed,andthatifman
onedoesone’sjobwellman
onebecomesautomaticallybrightandbrisk.Om
AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewasinget
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughmycket
muchinherwaywiththeSundaySchoolbarn
childrenthatwasautomatic;but
när
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyaten
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,höll
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
bara
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
ansikte
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeying
en
animpulseshewonderedatevenmedan
whileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyoch
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehade
hadintendedtothecloakroomoch
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stannade
stoppedatthetableandsitt
satdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehade
hadneveryetspokeninherliv
life.Itwasoneofthoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywere
ganska
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnot
tittade
lookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,
med
witheyesthatseemedtobedrömma
dreaming,atonespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
tittade
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetoprata
speaktoher.Shewantedto
fråga
askherifshehadsett
seentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
visste
knowwhyshewantedtofråga
askherthis,butsheville
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeableto
prata
speaktoher.Shelookedso
snäll
kind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Varför
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirvägen
waythroughthisdustybusinessoflifebyett
alittletalk—real,naturaltalk,aboutwhattheykände
felt,whattheywouldhavegillat
liked,whattheystilltriedtohoppas
hope?Andshecouldnothelp
tänka
thinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasläste
readingthatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereon
den
theverypartofthepaper.Was
hon
she,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,thelight,thesoftlappingoftheseaamongsmå
littlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
ljus
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
och
andthewetomnibuses,andde
thefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,och
andtheTubetoHampstead,och
anddinner,andto-morrowthedetsamma
sameandthedayafterde
thesameandalwaysthedetsamma
same...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
fann
foundherselfleaningacrossthetable.“Areyou
läser
readingaboutthemediaevalcastleoch
andthewistaria?”sheheardherself
fråga
asking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
men
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforfråga
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
ännu
yettoherknowledgeseteyesonden
theshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositehenne
her,withitssmallfreckledansikte
faceandbiggreyeyesnästan
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,och
andshegazedatheraögonblick
momentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
om
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,eller
orratherhadreadaboutittio
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhade
hadbeenlostindreams—ofljus
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamongsmå
littlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
frågar
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
och
andbythepoorhadgjort
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
och
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
bara
onlybecauseIsawittoo,och
andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
sinne
mindbeingusedtogettingfolk
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,under
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shekunde
couldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
känner
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,likealla
alltheshy,onceshewasbörjade
startedplungedon,frighteningherselftomer
moreandmorespeechbydet
thesheersoundofwhatshehade
hadsaidlastinherears.“EverySunday—I
ser
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
här
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementom
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
som
whomusthavebeenatminst
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairmed
withthemovementofanawkwardoch
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchamiserableday...”
Och
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotmed
withtheeyesofanimprisonedhund
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
liv
lifewasspentinhelpingoch
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
ge
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
sa
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyoubor
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
sa
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andsherepeated,her
huvud
headonitslongthinneckdroopingalite
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
frågade
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyförst
firstproceededtocollectthefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingher
hand
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonthedel
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,onlysa
said,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
tycker
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,glömmer
forgettingfactsandfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
läste
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyes
går
goingdreamyagain.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
sa
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,
som
whichhadlitup,fadedintopatienceigen
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
ingen
nousewastingone’stimetänka
thinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
men
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;surprising
eftersom
becauseitwassomuchunliketheresten
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatoch
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofhår
hairstragglingout.“Andjust
det
theconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchaförändring
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Iverkligen
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershårt
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywould
hon
she,supposingshehadto,sätta
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforwarda
lite
little,“youwilltellmeyournamn
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
hoppas
hopeweare,wehadbetterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
sa
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnot
sa
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Ibland
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveynågot
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
tittade
lookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
gillade
likehername.Itwasamean,
litet
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shetänkte
thought,aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofapugdog’stail.Där
Thereitwas,however.Therewasno
göra
doinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
och
andWilkinsshewouldremain;och
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertoge
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshebara
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshetyckte
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthesätt
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofen
avillaemphasisesthevilla.När
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheaboveskäl
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmycket
muchtooprudenttospeakexceptefter
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastog
takingacarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesa
said,muchdispleased,“ButIamnoten
avilla,”andlookedatherashelookswhohoppas
hopes,forperhapsthehundredthgången
time,thathemaynothar
havemarriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnot
en
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhonom
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
she
hade
hadnotdreamedofmeaning...shewasonlyjust
tänkte
thinking...The
mer
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestblev
becameMellersh’shope,familiartohimbyhär
thistime,forhehadthenbeenen
ahusbandfortwoyears,thathekanske
mightnotbyanychancehade
havemarriedafool;andthey
hade
hadaprolongedquarrel,ifthatkan
canbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedmed
withdignifiedsilenceononesidan
sideandearnestapologyontheandra
other,astowhetherorinte
noMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”she
hade
hadthoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittog
tookalongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelom
aboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingtillsammans
togetherforasingledayfortvå
twowholeyears.Whatwe
båda
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,
försöker
tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isen
asolicitor.He—”
Shecast
om
aboutforsomethingshecouldsäga
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andfann
found:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
sa
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatmåste
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
frågade
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
en
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursemed
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohade
haveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutfråga
question,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftsom
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’s
stora
greatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,och
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatkanske
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,och
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,genom
throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatville
wouldbeafraid,ifitville
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tvisste
know,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Men
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlyssnade
listening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,apicture
hade
hadflashedacrossherbrain,och
andthereweretwofiguresinitsatt
sittingtogetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofatreeshedidn’tkände
know,anditwasherselfoch
andMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawdem
them.Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,were
gamla
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesåg
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
och
anddidnothearaord
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnotstared
också
tooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononheransikte
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesåg
saw,andwasasluminousoch
andtremulousunderitasvatten
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyen
agustofwind.At
här
thismoment,ifshehadbeenaten
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldha
havebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkins
med
withtheeyesofsomeonesom
whohashadarevelation.Ofcourse.
Thatwashowit
kunde
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
och
andwouldn’tbeable,evenom
ifshecouldaffordit,togå
gothereallalone;butshe
och
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twe
försöker
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnot
blev
becameevenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
sa
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughshewererädd
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Notjust
sitta
sithereandsayHowwonderful,och
andthengohometoHampsteadutan
withouthavingputoutafinger—gohem
homejustasusualandse
seeaboutthedinnerandthefishjustaswe’vebeendoingforyearsoch
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsoch
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofher
hår
hair,forthesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwaskom
comingpouringout,frightenedher,och
andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Iser
seenoendtoit.Thereisno
slut
endtoit.Sothat
det
thereoughttobeapaus
break,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Varför
Why,itwouldreallybebeingunselfishtogå
goawayandbehappyforalite
little,becausewewouldcometillbaka
backsomuchnicer.Yousee,
efter
afterabiteverybodyneedsaholiday.”“But—howdoyou
menar
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”
sa
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”