Chapter1
Itbeganin
bir
aWoman’sClubinLondononbir
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,ve
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,whohadcomeaşağı
downfromHampsteadtoshopve
andhadlunchedatherclub,aldı
tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,ve
andrunningherlistlesseyeaşağı
downtheAgonyColumnsawthis:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
ve
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Thatwasitsconception;
yet,asinthecaseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthe
anda
moment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
yılın
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspaperwithbir
agesturethatwasbothirritatedve
andresigned,andwentovertothewindowve
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
bile
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedasküçük
small.NotforhertheshoresinApriloftheMediterranean,
ve
andthewistariaandsunshine.Tür
Suchdelightswereonlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtooto
ona
her,forshecertainlyappreciatedonları
them;morethananybodyknew;
morethanshehadevertold.
Ama
Butshewaspoor.Inthe
tüm
wholeworldshepossessedofherverykendi
ownonlyninetypounds,savedfromyeartoyear,koydu
putbycarefullypoundbypound,dışarı
outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
bu
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherhusbandasbir
ashieldandrefugeagainstbir
arainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
babası
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhatherhusband,urginghertotasarruf
save,calledmodestandbecoming,ve
andheracquaintancetoeachother,zaman
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasçok
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
bir
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitolan
whichgotintohisfood.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalledit
kötü
badhousekeeping.Butforthethriftwhich,
gibi
likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesve
andspoiltthem,hehadçok
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”he
dedi
said,“whentherewillbebir
arainyday,andyouolabilirsiniz
maybeverygladtofindyouhavebir
anest-egg.Indeedwebothmay.”
LookingoutoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswas
bir
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,whereshelived,ve
andforShoolbred’s,wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,having
durmuştu
stoodtheresometimeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,ve
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,süre
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthereallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasve
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhetherbelki
perhapsthiswasnottherainygün
dayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,ve
andwhethertogetoutofsuchbir
aclimateandintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tbelki
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Kısmı
Partofhersavings,ofcourse;belki
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,might
da
alsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleastmindafewofthem,
çünkü
becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationsolan
whichwerealreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadto
ödeme
paytheyreallypaidyou.Ama
Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...Sheturnedawayfromthewindow
ile
withthesamegestureofmingledirritationve
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,ve
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthedoorile
withtheintentionofgettinghermackintoshve
andumbrellaandfightingherwayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesve
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwayeve
homeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultile
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightasalsolivinginHampsteadve
andbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleoftheroomonwhichthenewspapersve
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshadnever
henüz
yetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,whobelongedtooneofthevariouschurchsets,ve
andwhoanalysed,classified,dividedve
andregisteredthepoor;whereasshe
ve
andMellersh,whentheydidgittiler
goout,wenttothepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadthereweremany.Mellersh
vardı
hadasisterwhohadmarriedoneofthemve
andlivedupontheHeath,ve
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclewhichwashighlyunnaturaltoonun
her,andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadtosaythings
hakkında
aboutthem,andshedidn’tbilmiyordu
knowwhattosay.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
ve
andfeelthatitwasnotyeterli
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobody
dinlemedi
listened.NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.
Shewasthekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.
Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
her
yüzü
facewasnon-arresting;herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Ve
Andifone’sclothesandyüzü
faceandconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,whorecognisedherdisabilities,ne
what,atparties,isthereleftofone?Ayrıca
AlsoshewasalwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingadam
man,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtoit,bir
agreatair.Wilkinswas
çok
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmired
ona
him.Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
ve
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
asla
neversaidawordtoomuch,nor,onthediğer
otherhand,didheeversaybir
awordtoolittle.Heproducedtheimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghesaid;
ve
andhewassoobviouslyreliablethatitoftenoluyordu
happenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartiesoluyordu
becamediscontentedwiththeirownsolicitors,ve
andafteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesve
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”
dedi
saidhissister,withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,ve
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”Ama
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehiswifeathome.Hewas
bir
afamilysolicitor,andalltür
suchhavewivesandshowonları
them.Withhisinthe
hafta
weekhewenttoparties,andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
yaşlı
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnothenüz
yetacquiredinhispracticeasufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtobayan
misschurch,anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughasla
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.She
gördü
sawhermarshallingthechildrenofthepoorintopews.ShewouldcomeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundaySchool
tam
exactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,ve
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,ve
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,ve
andupagainontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestrykapısı
dooropened,andthechoirve
andclergy,bigwiththelitaniesve
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollout,emerged.She
vardı
hadasadface,yetshewasevidentlyefficient.ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehad
sadece
onlybeenabletogetplaice,bu
thatifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,ve
andthatifonedoesone’sjobiyi
wellonebecomesautomaticallybrightve
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnottherewasnothingbright
ve
andbrisk,thoughmuchinherwayile
withtheSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;ama
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,ama
butwaslookingfixedlyatbir
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,tutuyordu
holdingthepaperquitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
sadece
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthe
yüzü
faceofapatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeying
bir
animpulseshewonderedatbile
evenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyve
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomve
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,durdu
stoppedatthetableandoturdu
satdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadhiç
neveryetspokeninherlife.Itwasoneofthose
uzun
long,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywereoldukça
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnot
bakmadı
lookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,at
bir
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkins
izledi
watchedheraminute,tryingtoscrewupcouragetospeaktoonu
her.Shewantedtoaskherifshehadseentheadvertisement.
Shedidnot
bilmiyordu
knowwhyshewantedtosormak
askherthis,butsheistedi
wantedto.Howstupidnottobeabletospeaktoher.
Shelookedso
nazik
kind.Shelookedsounhappy.
Neden
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirwaythroughbu
thisdustybusinessoflifebybir
alittletalk—real,naturaltalk,hakkında
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheyetmeye
wouldhaveliked,whattheystilltriedtoumut
hope?AndshecouldnothelpthinkingthatMrs.Arbuthnot,
da
too,wasreadingthatveryaynı
sameadvertisement.Hereyeswereontheverypartofthepaper.
Wasshe,too,picturingwhatit
ediyor
wouldbelike—thecolour,thefragrance,theışığı
light,thesoftlappingoftheseaamongküçük
littlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,
ışık
light,sea;insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
ve
andthewetomnibuses,andthefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,ve
andtheTubetoHampstead,ve
anddinner,andto-morrowtheaynı
sameandthedayaftertheaynı
sameandalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkins
buldu
foundherselfleaningacrossthetable.“Areyou
okuyorsunuz
readingaboutthemediaevalcastleve
andthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
ama
butshewasnothalfsokadar
muchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnotyettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingopposite
ona
her,withitssmallfreckledyüzü
faceandbiggreyeyesneredeyse
almostdisappearingunderasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,ve
andshegazedatherbir
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
hakkında
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria,ya da
orratherhadreadaboutiton
tenminutesbefore,andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—ofışık
light,ofcolour,offragrance,ofthesoftlappingoftheseaamongküçük
littlehotrocks...“Whydoyouaskmethat?”
shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
ve
andbythepoorhadyapmıştı
madehergraveandpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
ve
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
sadece
onlybecauseIsawitde
too,andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,her
aklı
mindbeingusedtogettingpeopleintolistsve
anddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyonu
her,shecouldmostproperlybeput.“AndI
tanıyorum
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,who,gibi
likealltheshy,onceshewasstartedplungedon,frighteningherselftomoreandmorespeechbythesheersoundofwhatshehadsaidson
lastinherears.“EverySunday—I
görüyorum
seeyoueverySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
bu
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementaboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,who
olmalı
musthavebeenatleastthirty,brokeoffve
andwriggledinherchairwiththemovementofbir
anawkwardandembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
bir
akindofburst,“and—itissuchbir
amiserableday...”Ve
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotwiththeeyesofbir
animprisoneddog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whoselifewasspentinhelping
ve
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
vermek
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindly
ve
andattentively,“IsupposeyouliveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”
dedi
saidMrs.Wilkins.Andsherepeated,her
kafası
headonitslongthinneckdroopingalittleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedonu
her,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturally
ilk
firstproceededtocollectthefacts.Ama
ButMrs.Wilkins,layingherhandsoftlyve
andcaressinglyonthepartofTheTimeswheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughthemereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’swhythisseemssowonderful.”“No—Ithinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”
dedi
saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsve
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwere
okuyor
readingit?”“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
yine
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”
dedi
saidMrs.Arbuthnot.Herface,whichhadlitup,fadedintopatience
yine
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
yok
nousewastingone’stimethinkingofböyle
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;
surprising
çünkü
becauseitwassomuchunliketherestofher—thecharacterlesscoatve
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispofsaç
hairstragglingout.“Andjusttheconsideringofthemisworthwhileinitself—suchachangefromHampstead—and
bazen
sometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershardenoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshehadto,
koyacaktı
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforwardalittle,“youwilltellmeyour
adını
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
umarım
hopeweare,wehaden iyisi
betterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”
dedi
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.
Bazen
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyşey
anythingtomeeither.But”—she
baktı
lookedroundwithamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnotlikeher
adını
name.Itwasamean,
küçük
smallname,withakindoffacetioustwist,shethought,aboutitsendgibi
liketheupwardcurveofbir
apugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
Therewasnodoing
şey
anythingwithit.Wilkinsshewas
ve
andWilkinsshewouldremain;andthoughher
kocası
husbandencouragedhertogiveitonalloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshesadece
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershyaptı
madeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitinthewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofbir
avillaemphasisesthevilla.WhenfirsthesuggestedsheshouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovereason,
ve
andafterapause—Mellershwasmuchtooprudenttospeakexceptsonra
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewasalıyordu
takingacarefulmentalcopyofhisgelecek
comingobservation—hesaid,muchdispleased,“ButIamnotbir
avilla,”andlookedatherashebaktı
lookswhohopes,forperhapsthehundredthkez
time,thathemaynothavemarriedbir
afool.Ofcoursehewasnot
bir
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredonu
him;shehadneversupposedhewas;
shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjustthinking...
ThemoresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’s
umudu
hope,familiartohimbythiszaman
time,forhehadthenbeenbir
ahusbandfortwoyears,thathemightnotbyherhangi
anychancehavemarriedafool;andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,ifthatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedwithdignifiedsilenceononesideandearnestapologyonthe
diğer
other,astowhetherornoMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthoughtwhenitwasatlastover—ittook
bir
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelaboutşey
anythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingbirlikte
togetherforasingledayforiki
twowholeyears.Whatweboth
ihtiyacı
needisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrow
biraz
somelightonherself,“isasolicitor.He—”
Shecastaboutfor
şey
somethingshecouldsayelucidatoryofMellersh,ve
andfound:“He’sveryhandsome.”
“Well,”
dedi
saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“thatmustbebir
agreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
sordu
askedMrs.Wilkins.“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
bir
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursewiththepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedwithoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isbir
agiftlikeanyother,ve
andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’s
büyük
greatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,ve
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatbelki
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,ve
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbeafraid,eğer
ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tknow,thatwas,inaslında
fact,athermercy.ButMrs.Wilkinswasnot
dinlemiyordu
listening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
bir
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,ve
andthereweretwofiguresinitoturuyorlardı
sittingtogetherunderagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrossthebranchesofbir
atreeshedidn’tknow,ve
anditwasherselfandMrs.Arbuthnot—shegördü
sawthem—shesawthem.And
arkasında
behindthem,brightinsunshine,wereeski
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shegördü
sawit—theywerethere...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
ve
anddidnothearawordshesaid.Ve
AndMrs.ArbuthnotstaredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedbytheexpressiononherface,whichwassweptbytheexcitementofwhatshesaw,ve
andwasasluminousandtremulousunderitassu
waterinsunlightwhenitisruffledbyagustofwind.Atthis
anda
moment,ifshehadbeenatbir
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldhavebeenlookedatile
withinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkinswiththeeyesofsomeonewhohashadarevelation.
Ofcourse.
Thatwashowitcouldbedone.
Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
ve
andwouldn’tbeable,evenifshecouldaffordit,togooraya
thereallalone;butshe
ve
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twetryand
almaya
getit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecameeven
daha
morewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”
dedi
saidMrs.Wilkins,stillasthoughshewereafraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
sadece
justsithereandsayNe kadar
Howwonderful,andthengoeve
hometoHampsteadwithouthavingputoutbir
afinger—gohomejustasusualve
andseeaboutthedinnerve
andthefishjustaswe’vebeenyapmaya
doingforyearsandyearsve
andwillgoondoingforyearsve
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingtotherootsofherhair,forthe
sesi
soundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringout,frightenedonu
her,andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Igörmüyorum
seenoendtoit.Thereis
yok
noendtoit.So
bu
thatthereoughttobebir
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Neden
Why,itwouldreallybebeingunselfishtogoawayandbemutlu
happyforalittle,becausewewouldcomegeri
backsomuchnicer.Yousee,
sonra
afterabiteverybodyneedsbir
aholiday.”“But—howdoyou
demek
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”
dedi
saidMrs.Wilkins.“Takeit?”