Chapter1
Itbeganin
en
aWoman’sClubinLondononen
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,och
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,som
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtohandla
shopandhadlunchedatherclub,tog
tookupTheTimesfromthebordet
tableinthesmoking-room,andkörde
runningherlistlesseyedowntheAgonyColumnsåg
sawthis:.ToThosewho
Uppskattar
AppreciateWistariaandSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalian
Slott
CastleontheshoresoftheMedelhavet
MediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemånad
monthofApril.Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasits
uppfattning
conception;yet,asinthecaseof
många
manyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthejust nu
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.Wilkinsthather
April
Aprilforthatyearhadthenoch
andtherebeensettledforherthatshesläppte
droppedthenewspaperwithagest
gesturethatwasbothirritatedoch
andresigned,andwentovertothefönstret
windowandstareddrearilyoutatthedrippinggatan
street.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
även
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedassmå
small.Notforhertheshoresin
April
ApriloftheMediterranean,andthewistariaoch
andsunshine.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,putbynoggrant
carefullypoundbypound,outofherklänning
dressallowance.Shehadscraped
denna
thissumtogetherattheförslag
suggestionofherhusbandasen
ashieldandrefugeagainsten
arainyday.Herdressallowance,
gav
givenherbyherfather,was£100en
ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’skläder
clotheswerewhatherhusband,uppmanade
urginghertosave,calledmodestoch
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,när
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwassällan
seldomforshewasverynegligible,kallade
calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
en
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatgren
branchofitwhichgotintohismat
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,he
kallade
calleditbadhousekeeping.Butforthethriftwhich,like
mal
moth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’skläder
clothesandspoiltthem,hehade
hadmuchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
sa
said,“whentherewillbearegnig
rainyday,andyoumaybemycket
verygladtofindyouhar
haveanest-egg.Indeedwe
båda
bothmay.”Lookingoutofthe
klubb
clubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasen
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,whereshebodde
lived,andforShoolbred’s,wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,
hade
havingstoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’söga
eyeontheMediterraneaninApril
April,andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherika
rich,whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainföll
fallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasoch
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhetherkanske
perhapsthiswasnottheregniga
rainydayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertoprepareför
for,andwhethertogetoutofsuchen
aclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tkanske
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodomed
withhersavings.Partofhersavings,ofcourse;
kanske
perhapsquiteasmallpart.The
slottet
castle,beingmediaeval,mightalsobedilapidated,och
anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastminda
några
fewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tbetalade
payfordilapidationswhichwereredan
alreadythere;onthecontrary—by
minska
reducingthepriceyouhadtobetala
paytheyreallypaidyou.Men
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...She
vände
turnedawayfromthewindowmed
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationoch
andresignationwithwhichshehade
hadlaiddownTheTimes,och
andcrossedtheroomtowardsde
thedoorwiththeintentionoffå
gettinghermackintoshandumbrellaoch
andfightingherwayintooneofde
theovercrowdedomnibusesandgoingtoShoolbred’sonherväg
wayhomeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwassvår
difficultwithfishandlikedbara
onlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,akvinna
womansheknewbysightasockså
alsolivinginHampsteadandtillhörde
belongingtotheclub,sittingatde
thetableinthemiddleofde
theroomonwhichthenewspapersoch
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inhervände
turn,inthefirstpageofDe
TheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
aldrig
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,som
whobelongedtooneofde
thevariouschurchsets,andsom
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregistrerade
registeredthepoor;whereasshe
och
andMellersh,whentheydidgick
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremånga
many.Mellershhadasisterwho
hade
hadmarriedoneofthemoch
andlivedupontheHeath
Heath,andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirkel
circlewhichwashighlyunnaturaltohenne
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
säga
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tvisste
knowwhattosay.She
brukade
usedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”andfeelthatitwasnotenough.Men
Butnobodyminded.Nobodylistened.
Ingen
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewas
den
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Her
kläder
clothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyosynlig
invisible;herfacewasnon-arresting;
her
konversation
conversationwasreluctant;shewas
blyg
shy.Andifone’sclothes
och
andfaceandconversationareallt
allnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,som
whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,isdet
thereleftofone?Alsoshewas
alltid
alwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingman
man,whogaveaparty,bara
merelybycomingtoit,en
agreatair.Wilkinswas
mycket
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobe
högt
highlythoughtofbyhisledande
seniorpartners.Hissister’scircle
beundrade
admiredhim.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentson
konst
artandartists.Hewaspithy;
hewas
försiktig
prudent;heneversaida
ord
wordtoomuch,nor,ontheothersidan
hand,didheeversayett
awordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesof
allt
everythinghesaid;andhewasso
uppenbarligen
obviouslyreliablethatitoftenhände
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatdessa
thesepartiesbecamediscontentedwiththeiregna
ownsolicitors,andafteraperiod
periodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesoch
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.Beingstill
ganska
fairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousofgamla
oldladies,ofwhomhehade
hadnotyetacquiredinhispracticeett
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotråd
affordtomisschurch,anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsblev
becamefamiliar,thoughneverthroughwords,med
withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
de
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.She
komma
wouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySkulle
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethekören
choir,andgetherboysoch
andgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,och
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirinledande
preliminaryprayer,andupagainontheirfötter
feetjustas,tothesvullna
swellingorgan,thevestrydooropened,och
andthechoirandclergy,stora
bigwiththelitaniesandcommandmentstheywerenärvarande
presentlytorollout,emerged.She
hade
hadasadface,yetshewasuppenbarligen
evidentlyefficient.Thecombinationusedto
gör
makeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehade
hadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehade
hadonlybeenabletofå
getplaice,thatifonewereeffektiv
efficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,och
andthatifonedoesone’sjobb
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallyljus
brightandbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewas
inget
nothingbrightandbrisk,thoughmycket
muchinherwaywiththeSundaySchoolbarn
childrenthatwasautomatic;but
när
whenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthefönstret
window,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomatisk
automaticatall,butwaslookingfixedlyaten
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,höll
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
bara
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
ansikte
faceofapatientandbesviken
disappointedMadonna.Obeyinganimpulseshe
undrade
wonderedatevenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theblyg
shyandthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehade
hadintendedtothecloakroomoch
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfisk
fish,stoppedatthetableoch
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehade
hadneveryetspokeninherliv
life.Itwasoneofthoselong,
smala
narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereganska
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,
dock
however,didnotlookup.She
fortsatte
continuedtogaze,witheyesthatverkade
seemedtobedreaming,aten
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
tittade
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupmodet
couragetospeaktoher.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—thefärgen
colour,thefragrance,thelight,themjuka
softlappingoftheseabland
amonglittlehotrocks?Colour,
doft
fragrance,light,sea;insteadofShaftesbury
Avenue
Avenue,andthewetomnibuses,och
andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,och
andtheTubetoHampstead,och
anddinner,andto-morrowthedetsamma
sameandthedayafterde
thesameandalwaysthedetsamma
same...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
fann
foundherselfleaningacrossthebordet
table.“Areyoureadingabout
det
themediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”she
hörde
heardherselfasking.NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
men
butshewasnothalfsomuchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforfråga
asking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
ännu
yettoherknowledgeseteyesonden
theshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingmittemot
oppositeher,withitssmallfreckledansikte
faceandbiggreyeyesnästan
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,och
andshegazedatheraögonblick
momentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
om
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,eller
orratherhadreadaboutittio
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhade
hadbeenlostindreams—ofljus
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthemjuka
softlappingoftheseabland
amonglittlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
frågar
askmethat?”shesaidinher
allvarliga
gravevoice,forhertrainingofoch
andbythepoorhadgjort
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
och
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
bara
onlybecauseIsawittoo,och
andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
sinne
mindbeingusedtogettingfolk
peopleintolistsanddivisions,fromvana
habitconsidered,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,brokeoffandwriggledinherstol
chairwiththemovementofen
anawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“It
verkar
seemssowonderful,”shewentoninakindofburst,“and—itissuchaeländig
miserableday...”Och
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotmed
withtheeyesofanimprisonedhund
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,
vars
whoselifewasspentinhjälpa
helpingandalleviating,“needsadvice.”She
därför
accordinglypreparedherselfpatientlytoge
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”she
sa
said,kindlyandattentively,“Isupposeyoubor
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
sa
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andshe
upprepade
repeated,herheadonitslongtunna
thinneckdroopingalittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
frågade
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenråd
advicewasneeded,naturallyfirstfortsatte
proceededtocollectthefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,
lägger
layingherhandsoftlyandcaressinglyonthedel
partofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitweredyrbara
precious,onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’sdärför
whythisseemssowonderful.”“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,fadedintotålamod
patienceagain.“Verywonderful,”she
sa
said.“Butit’snouse
slösa
wastingone’stimethinkingofsuchthings.”“Oh,
men
butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingsvar
reply;surprisingbecauseitwasso
mycket
muchunliketherestofher—thecharacterlesskappa
coatandskirt,thecrumpledhatten
hat,theundecidedwispofhår
hairstragglingout.“Andjust
det
theconsideringofthemisvärt
worthwhileinitself—suchaförändring
changefromHampstead—andsometimesIbelieve—Iverkligen
reallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershårt
hardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnot
iakttog
observedherpatiently.Inwhat
kategori
categorywouldshe,supposingshehadatt
to,puther?“Perhaps,”she
sa
said,leaningforwardalittle,“youwillberätta
tellmeyourname.Ifwearetobefriends”—she
log
smiledhergravesmile—“asIhoppas
hopeweare,wehadbetterbörja
beginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
sa
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”she
tillade
added,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsa
saidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.Ibland
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoförmedla
conveyanythingtomeeither.But”—she
tittade
lookedroundwithamovementofsöka
seekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
gillade
likehername.Itwasamean,
litet
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist
twist,shethought,aboutitsendsom
liketheupwardcurveofapugdog’ssvans
tail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasno
göra
doinganythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
och
andWilkinsshewouldremain;och
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertoge
giveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshebara
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshetyckte
thoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthesätt
wayChatsworthonthegate-postsofen
avillaemphasisesthevilla.När
WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheovanstående
abovereason,andafterapause—Mellershwasmycket
muchtooprudenttospeakförutom
exceptafterapause,duringwhichförmodligen
presumablyhewastakingacarefulmental
mentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—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.Wilkinshadintendedtoföreslå
suggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla
villa.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
när
whenitwasatlastover—ittog
tookalongwhile—“thatanybodywouldgräla
quarrelaboutanythingwhenthey’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—”.Shetrailedoffinto
tystnad
silence.Mrs.Wilkins’sgreatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,
och
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatkanske
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoavana
habitofexposition,andofexpositionafterthesätt
mannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganpublik
audiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatville
wouldbeafraid,ifitville
wished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tvisste
know,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Men
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlyssnade
listening;forjustthen,absurdasit
verkade
seemed,apicturehadflashedöver
acrossherbrain,andthereweretvå
twofiguresinitsittingtillsammans
togetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedöver
acrossthebranchesofaträd
treeshedidn’tknow,anditwasherselfoch
andMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawdem
them.Andbehindthem,brightin
solsken
sunshine,wereoldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesåg
sawit—theywerethere...She
därför
thereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnotoch
anddidnothearaord
wordshesaid.AndMrs.Arbuthnot
stirrade
staredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononheransikte
face,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesåg
saw,andwasasluminousoch
andtremulousunderitasvatten
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyen
agustofwind.At
här
thismoment,ifshehadbeenaten
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldha
havebeenlookedatwithintresse
interest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnot
överraskade
surprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeonesom
whohashadarevelation.Ofcourse.
Thatwashowit
kunde
couldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’t
råd
affordit,andwouldn’tbeable,även
evenifshecouldaffordit,togå
gothereallalone;butshe
och
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleaned
över
acrossthetable.“Whydon’twe
försöker
tryandgetit?”she
viskade
whispered.Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
mer
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
she
upprepade
repeated.“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
fortfarande
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?”