Chapter1
Itbeganin
một
aWoman’sClubinLondononmột
aFebruaryafternoon—anuncomfortableclub,và
andamiserableafternoon—whenMrs.Wilkins,người
whohadcomedownfromHampsteadtoshopvà
andhadlunchedatherclub,tookupTheTimesfromthetableinthesmoking-room,và
andrunningherlistlesseyexuống
downtheAgonyColumnsawnày
this:.ToThosewhoAppreciateWistaria
và
andSunshine.SmallmediaevalItalianCastleontheshoresoftheMediterraneantobeLetFurnishedforthemonthofApril.
Necessaryservantsremain.
Z,Box1000,TheTimes.
Đó
Thatwasitsconception;yet,asinthe
trường hợp
caseofmanyanother,theconceiverwasunawareofitatthemoment.SoentirelyunawarewasMrs.WilkinsthatherAprilforthat
năm
yearhadthenandtherebeensettledforherthatshedroppedthenewspapervới
withagesturethatwascả
bothirritatedandresigned,andwentovertothewindowvà
andstareddrearilyoutatthedrippingstreet.Notforherweremediaevalcastles,
ngay cả
eventhosethatarespeciallydescribedasnhỏ
small.NotforhertheshoresinAprilof
các
theMediterranean,andthewistariavà
andsunshine.Suchdelightswere
chỉ
onlyfortherich.Yettheadvertisementhadbeenaddressedtopersonswhoappreciatethesethings,sothatithadbeen,anyhow,addressedtootoher,forshecertainlyappreciated
chúng
them;morethananybodyknew;
morethanshehadevertold.
Nhưng
Butshewaspoor.Inthe
cả
wholeworldshepossessedofherveryownchỉ
onlyninetypounds,savedfromnăm
yeartoyear,putbycarefullypoundbypound,outofherdressallowance.Shehadscraped
này
thissumtogetheratthesuggestionofherchồng
husbandasashieldandrefugechống lại
againstarainyday.Herdressallowance,givenherbyher
cha
father,was£100ayear,sothatMrs.Wilkins’sclotheswerewhatherchồng
husband,urginghertosave,calledmodestvà
andbecoming,andheracquaintancetoeachother,khi
whentheyspokeofheratall,whichwasseldomforshewasrất
verynegligible,calledaperfectsight.Mr.
Wilkins,
một
asolicitor,encouragedthrift,exceptthatbranchofitwhichgotintohisthức ăn
food.Hedidnotcallthatthrift,hecalledit
xấu
badhousekeeping.Butforthethrift
mà
which,likemoth,penetratedintoMrs.Wilkins’sclothesvà
andspoiltthem,hehadnhiều
muchpraise.“Youneverknow,”hesaid,“whenthere
sẽ
willbearainyday,và
andyoumaybeverygladtofindyouhavemột
anest-egg.Indeedwebothmay.”
Looking
ra
outoftheclubwindowintoShaftesburyAvenue—herswasmột
aneconomicalclub,butconvenientforHampstead,nơi
whereshelived,andforShoolbred’s,nơi
wheresheshopped—Mrs.Wilkins,havingstoodtheresome
thời gian
timeverydrearily,hermind’seyeontheMediterraneaninApril,và
andthewistaria,andtheenviableopportunitiesoftherich,khi
whileherbodilyeyewatchedthethực sự
reallyextremelyhorriblesootyrainfallingsteadilyonthehurryingumbrellasvà
andsplashingomnibuses,suddenlywonderedwhethercó lẽ
perhapsthiswasnottherainydayMellersh—MellershwasMr.Wilkins—hadsooftenencouragedhertopreparefor,và
andwhethertogetoutofsuchaclimatevà
andintothesmallmediaevalcastlewasn’tcó lẽ
perhapswhatProvidencehadallalongintendedhertodowithhersavings.Phần
Partofhersavings,ofcourse;có lẽ
perhapsquiteasmallpart.Thecastle,beingmediaeval,might
cũng
alsobedilapidated,anddilapidationsweresurelycheap.Shewouldn’tintheleast
tâm
mindafewofthem,becauseyoudidn’tpayfordilapidationswhichweređã
alreadythere;onthecontrary—byreducingthepriceyouhadtopaythey
thực sự
reallypaidyou.Butwhatnonsensetothinkofit...
Sheturned
đi
awayfromthewindowwiththecùng
samegestureofmingledirritationvà
andresignationwithwhichshehadlaiddownTheTimes,và
andcrossedtheroomtowardsthecửa
doorwiththeintentionofgettinghermackintoshvà
andumbrellaandfightingherwayintooneoftheovercrowdedomnibusesvà
andgoingtoShoolbred’sonherwaynhà
homeandbuyingsomesolesforMellersh’sdinner—Mellershwasdifficultvới
withfishandlikedonlysoles,exceptsalmon—whenshebeheldMrs.Arbuthnot,awomansheknewbysightascũng
alsolivinginHampsteadandbelongingtotheclub,sittingatthetableinthemiddleofthephòng
roomonwhichthenewspapersvà
andmagazineswerekept,absorbed,inherturn,inthefirstpageofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinshad
chưa bao giờ
neveryetspokentoMrs.Arbuthnot,người
whobelongedtooneofnhững
thevariouschurchsets,andngười
whoanalysed,classified,dividedandregisterednhững
thepoor;whereassheandMellersh,
khi
whentheydidgoout,wenttocác
thepartiesofimpressionistpainters,ofwhominHampsteadtherewerenhiều
many.Mellershhadasisterwhohad
kết hôn
marriedoneofthemandlivedupontheHeath,và
andbecauseofthisallianceMrs.Wilkinswasdrawnintoacirclemà
whichwashighlyunnaturaltoher,và
andshehadlearnedtodreadpictures.Shehadto
nói
saythingsaboutthem,andshedidn’tbiết
knowwhattosay.Sheusedtomurmur,“Marvellous,”
và
andfeelthatitwasnotđủ
enough.Butnobodyminded.
Nobodylistened.
Ai
NobodytookanynoticeofMrs.Wilkins.Shewas
các
thekindofpersonwhoisnotnoticedatparties.Herclothes,infestedbythrift,madeherpracticallyinvisible;
herfacewasnon-arresting;
herconversationwasreluctant;
shewasshy.
Và
Andifone’sclothesandfacevà
andconversationareallnegligible,thoughtMrs.Wilkins,người
whorecognisedherdisabilities,what,atparties,iscó
thereleftofone?Alsoshewas
luôn luôn
alwayswithWilkins,thatclean-shaven,fine-lookingngười đàn ông
man,whogaveaparty,merelybycomingtonó
it,agreatair.Wilkinswas
rất
veryrespectable.Hewasknowntobehighlythoughtofbyhisseniorpartners.
Hissister’scircleadmiredhim.
Hepronouncedadequatelyintelligentjudgmentsonart
và
andartists.Hewaspithy;
hewasprudent;
he
không bao giờ
neversaidawordtoonhiều
much,nor,ontheothermặt
hand,didheeversaymột
awordtoolittle.Heproduced
những
theimpressionofkeepingcopiesofeverythinghesaid;và
andhewassoobviouslyreliablerằng
thatitoftenhappenedthatpeoplewhomethimatthesepartiesbecamediscontentedvới
withtheirownsolicitors,andsau
afteraperiodofrestlessnessextricatedthemselvesvà
andwenttoWilkins.NaturallyMrs.Wilkinswasblottedout.
“She,”saidhissister,
với
withsomethingherselfofthejudicial,thedigested,và
andthefinalinhermanner,“shouldstayathome.”Nhưng
ButWilkinscouldnotleavehisvợ
wifeathome.Hewas
một
afamilysolicitor,andallsuchcó
havewivesandshowthem.Với
Withhisintheweekhewenttoparties,và
andwithhisonSundayshewenttochurch.Beingstillfairlyyoung—hewasthirty-nine—andambitiousof
già
oldladies,ofwhomhehadnotchưa
yetacquiredinhispracticemột
asufficientnumber,hecouldnotaffordtomisschurch,và
anditwastherethatMrs.Wilkinsbecamefamiliar,thoughkhông bao giờ
neverthroughwords,withMrs.Arbuthnot.Shesawhermarshalling
những
thechildrenofthepoorintopews.Shewould
đi
comeinattheheadoftheprocessionfromtheSundayTrường
Schoolexactlyfiveminutesbeforethechoir,và
andgetherboysandgirlsneatlyfittedintotheirallottedseats,và
anddownontheirlittlekneesintheirpreliminaryprayer,và
andupagainontheirfeetjustas,totheswellingorgan,thevestrycửa
dooropened,andthechoirvà
andclergy,bigwiththelitaniesvà
andcommandmentstheywerepresentlytorollra
out,emerged.Shehadasadface,
nhưng
yetshewasevidentlyefficient.Những
ThecombinationusedtomakeMrs.Wilkinswonder,forshehadbeentoldbyMellersh,ondayswhenshehadchỉ
onlybeenabletogetplaice,thatnếu
ifonewereefficientonewouldn’tbedepressed,và
andthatifonedoesone’sviệc
jobwellonebecomesautomaticallybrightvà
andbrisk.AboutMrs.Arbuthnot
có
therewasnothingbrightandbrisk,thoughnhiều
muchinherwaywithcác
theSundaySchoolchildrenthatwasautomatic;nhưng
butwhenMrs.Wilkins,turningfromthewindow,caughtsightofherintheclubshewasnotbeingautomaticatall,nhưng
butwaslookingfixedlyatmột
oneportionofthefirstpageofTheTimes,holdingthepaperkhá
quitestill,hereyesnotmoving.Shewas
chỉ
juststaring;andherface,asusual,wasthefaceof
một
apatientanddisappointedMadonna.Obeying
một
animpulseshewonderedatngay cả
evenwhileobeyingit,Mrs.Wilkins,theshyvà
andthereluctant,insteadofproceedingasshehadintendedtothecloakroomvà
andfromthencetoSchoolbred’sinsearchofMellersh’sfish,stoppedatthetablevà
andsatdownexactlyoppositeMrs.Arbuthnot,towhomshehadchưa bao giờ
neveryetspokeninhercuộc sống
life.Itwasoneof
những
thoselong,narrowrefectorytables,sothattheywerekhá
quiteclosetoeachother.Mrs.
Arbuthnot,however,didnot
nhìn
lookup.Shecontinuedtogaze,
với
witheyesthatseemedtobedreaming,atmột
onespotonlyofTheTimes.Mrs.
Wilkinswatchedher
một
aminute,tryingtoscrewlên
upcouragetospeaktoher.Shewantedto
hỏi
askherifshehadseentheadvertisement.Shedidnot
biết
knowwhyshewantedtohỏi
askherthis,butshewantedto.Howstupidnottobe
thể
abletospeaktoher.Shelookedsokind.
Shelookedsounhappy.
Sao
Whycouldn’ttwounhappypeoplerefresheachotherontheirđường
waythroughthisdustybusinessofcuộc sống
lifebyalittletalk—real,naturaltalk,về
aboutwhattheyfelt,whattheywouldđã
haveliked,whattheystilltriedtohy vọng
hope?Andshecouldnothelpthinking
rằng
thatMrs.Arbuthnot,too,wasreadingrằng
thatverysameadvertisement.Hereyeswereonthevery
phần
partofthepaper.Wasshe,too,picturingwhatitwouldbelike—thecolour,
những
thefragrance,thelight,thesoftlappingofnhững
theseaamonglittlehotrocks?Colour,fragrance,light,sea;
insteadofShaftesburyAvenue,
và
andthewetomnibuses,andcác
thefishdepartmentatShoolbred’s,và
andtheTubetoHampstead,và
anddinner,andto-morrowthesamevà
andthedayafterthesamevà
andalwaysthesame...SuddenlyMrs.Wilkinsfoundherselfleaningacrossthetable.
“Areyoureading
về
aboutthemediaevalcastleandthewistaria?”sheheardherselfasking.
NaturallyMrs.Arbuthnotwassurprised;
nhưng
butshewasnothalfsonhiều
muchsurprisedasMrs.Wilkinswasatherselfforasking.Mrs.
Arbuthnothadnot
chưa
yettoherknowledgeseteyesontheshabby,lank,loosely-put-togetherfiguresittingoppositeher,với
withitssmallfreckledfacevà
andbiggreyeyesalmostdisappearingdưới
underasmashed-downwet-weatherhat,và
andshegazedathermột
amomentwithoutanswering.Shewasreading
về
aboutthemediaevalcastleandnhững
thewistaria,orratherhadreadvề
aboutittenminutesbefore,và
andsincethenhadbeenlostindreams—oflight,ofcolour,offragrance,ofnhững
thesoftlappingoftheseaamongnhỏ
littlehotrocks...“Whydoyou
hỏi
askmethat?”shesaidinhergravevoice,forhertrainingof
và
andbythepoorhadmadehergravevà
andpatient.Mrs.
Wilkinsflushed
và
andlookedexcessivelyshyandfrightened.“Oh,
chỉ
onlybecauseIsawittoo,và
andIthoughtperhaps—Ithoughtsomehow—”shestammered.
WhereuponMrs.Arbuthnot,hermindbeing
sử dụng
usedtogettingpeopleintolistsvà
anddivisions,fromhabitconsidered,asshegazedthoughtfullyatMrs.Wilkins,dưới
underwhatheading,supposingshehadtoclassifyher,shecouldnhất
mostproperlybeput.“AndI
biết
knowyoubysight,”wentonMrs.Wilkins,người
who,likealltheshy,khi
onceshewasstartedplungedvào
on,frighteningherselftomorevà
andmorespeechbythesheersoundofwhatshehadsaidcuối
lastinherears.“EverySunday—Iseeyou
mỗi
everySundayinchurch—”.“Inchurch?”
echoedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“And
này
thisseemssuchawonderfulthing—thisadvertisementvề
aboutthewistaria—and—”.Mrs.
Wilkins,
người
whomusthavebeenatít
leastthirty,brokeoffandwriggledinherchairvới
withthemovementofanawkwardvà
andembarrassedschoolgirl.“Itseemssowonderful,”shewentonin
một
akindofburst,“and—itissuchmột
amiserableday...”Và
AndthenshesatlookingatMrs.Arbuthnotvới
withtheeyesofanimprisonedchó
dog.“Thispoorthing,”thoughtMrs.Arbuthnot,whose
cuộc đời
lifewasspentinhelpingvà
andalleviating,“needsadvice.”Sheaccordinglypreparedherselfpatientlyto
đưa
giveit.“Ifyouseemeinchurch,”shesaid,kindly
và
andattentively,“Isupposeyousống
liveinHampsteadtoo?”“Ohyes,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
Và
Andsherepeated,herheadonitsdài
longthinneckdroopingachút
littleasiftherecollectionofHampsteadbowedher,“Ohyes.”“Where?”
askedMrs.Arbuthnot,
người
who,whenadvicewasneeded,naturallyfirstproceededtocollectcác
thefacts.ButMrs.Wilkins,layingher
tay
handsoftlyandcaressinglyonnhững
thepartofTheTimesnơi
wheretheadvertisementwas,asthoughnhững
themereprintedwordsofitwereprecious,onlysaid,“Perhapsthat’ssao
whythisseemssowonderful.”“No—I
nghĩ rằng
thinkthat’swonderfulanyhow,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,forgettingfactsvà
andfaintlysighing.“Thenyouwerereadingit?”
“Yes,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,hereyesgoingdreamy
nữa
again.“Wouldn’titbewonderful?”
murmuredMrs.Wilkins.
“Wonderful,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot.
Herface,
mà
whichhadlitup,fadedintopatiencenữa
again.“Verywonderful,”shesaid.
“Butit’s
không
nousewastingone’stimethinkingofnhư
suchthings.”“Oh,butitis,”wasMrs.Wilkins’squick,surprisingreply;
surprisingbecauseitwassomuchunlikethe
phần còn lại
restofher—thecharacterlesscoatvà
andskirt,thecrumpledhat,theundecidedwispoftóc
hairstragglingout.“Andjust
những
theconsideringofthemisworthkhi
whileinitself—suchachangefromHampstead—andđôi khi
sometimesIbelieve—Ireallydobelieve—ifoneconsidershardđủ
enoughonegetsthings.”Mrs.
Arbuthnotobservedherpatiently.
Inwhatcategorywouldshe,supposingshehadto,
đặt
puther?“Perhaps,”shesaid,leaningforward
một
alittle,“youwilltellmeyourtên
name.Ifwearetobefriends”—shesmiledhergravesmile—“asI
hy vọng
hopeweare,wehadbetterbeginatthebeginning.”“Ohyes—howkindofyou.
I’mMrs.Wilkins,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Idon’texpect,”sheadded,flushing,asMrs.Arbuthnotsaidnothing,“thatitconveysanythingtoyou.
Đôi khi
Sometimesit—itdoesn’tseemtoconveyanythingtomeeither.But”—shelookedround
với
withamovementofseekinghelp—“IamMrs.Wilkins.”Shedidnot
thích
likehername.Itwas
một
amean,smallname,withmột
akindoffacetioustwist,shethought,về
aboutitsendliketheupwardcurveofmột
apugdog’stail.Thereitwas,however.
Có
Therewasnodoinganythingvới
withit.Wilkinsshewas
và
andWilkinsshewouldremain;và
andthoughherhusbandencouragedhertogiveitontất cả
alloccasionsasMrs.Mellersh-Wilkinsshechỉ
onlydidthatwhenhewaswithinearshot,forshethoughtMellershmadeWilkinsworse,emphasisingitincác
thewayChatsworthonthegate-postsofmột
avillaemphasisesthevilla.Khi
Whenfirsthesuggestedshenên
shouldaddMellershshehadobjectedfortheabovelý do
reason,andafterapause—Mellershwasrất
muchtooprudenttospeakexceptsau
afterapause,duringwhichpresumablyhewastakingmột
acarefulmentalcopyofhiscomingobservation—hesaid,rất
muchdispleased,“ButIamnotmột
avilla,”andlookedatherashelooksngười
whohopes,forperhapsthehundredthtime,thathecó thể
maynothavemarriedafool.Ofcoursehewasnot
một
avilla,Mrs.Wilkinsassuredhim;shehad
chưa bao giờ
neversupposedhewas;shehadnotdreamedofmeaning...
shewasonlyjustthinking...
The
nhiều
moresheexplainedthemoreearnestbecameMellersh’shy vọng
hope,familiartohimbynày
thistime,forhehadthenbeenmột
ahusbandfortwoyears,rằng
thathemightnotbybất kỳ
anychancehavemarriedafool;và
andtheyhadaprolongedquarrel,nếu
ifthatcanbecalledaquarrelwhichisconductedvới
withdignifiedsilenceononebên
sideandearnestapologyonthekia
other,astowhetherorkhông
noMrs.WilkinshadintendedtosuggestthatMr.Wilkinswasavilla.“Ibelieve,”shehadthought
khi
whenitwasatlastover—ittookmột
alongwhile—“thatanybodywouldquarrelvề
aboutanythingwhenthey’venotleftoffbeingtogetherformột
asingledayfortwowholeyears.Whatwe
cả
bothneedisaholiday.”“Myhusband,”wentonMrs.WilkinstoMrs.Arbuthnot,tryingtothrowsomelightonherself,“isasolicitor.
He—”
Shecast
về
aboutforsomethingshecouldnói
sayelucidatoryofMellersh,andfound:“He’s
rất
veryhandsome.”“Well,”saidMrs.Arbuthnotkindly,“that
phải
mustbeagreatpleasuretoyou.”“Why?”
askedMrs.Wilkins.
“Because,”saidMrs.Arbuthnot,
một
alittletakenaback,forconstantintercoursevới
withthepoorhadaccustomedhertohaveherpronouncementsacceptedkhông
withoutquestion,“becausebeauty—handsomeness—isagiftnhư
likeanyother,andifitisproperlyused—”.Shetrailedoffintosilence.
Mrs.Wilkins’s
lớn
greatgreyeyeswerefixedonher,và
anditseemedsuddenlytoMrs.Arbuthnotthatcó lẽ
perhapsshewasbecomingcrystallisedintoahabitofexposition,và
andofexpositionafterthemannerofnursemaids,throughhavinganaudiencethatcouldn’tbutagree,thatwouldbesợ
afraid,ifitwished,tointerrupt,thatdidn’tbiết
know,thatwas,infact,athermercy.Nhưng
ButMrs.Wilkinswasnotlistening;forjustthen,absurdasitseemed,
một
apicturehadflashedacrossherbrain,và
andthereweretwofiguresinitsittingtogetherdưới
underagreattrailingwistariathatstretchedacrosscác
thebranchesofatreeshedidn’tbiết
know,anditwasherselfvà
andMrs.Arbuthnot—shesawthem—shesawhọ
them.Andbehindthem,brightinsunshine,were
cũ
oldgreywalls—themediaevalcastle—shesawit—theyweređó
there...ShethereforestaredatMrs.Arbuthnot
và
anddidnothearatừ
wordshesaid.AndMrs.ArbuthnotstaredtooatMrs.Wilkins,arrestedby
những
theexpressiononherface,whichwassweptbynhững
theexcitementofwhatshesaw,và
andwasasluminousandtremulousdưới
underitaswaterinsunlightkhi
whenitisruffledbymột
agustofwind.At
này
thismoment,ifshehadbeenatmột
aparty,Mrs.Wilkinswouldđã
havebeenlookedatwithinterest.Theystaredateachother;
Mrs.Arbuthnotsurprised,inquiringly,Mrs.Wilkins
với
withtheeyesofsomeonengười
whohashadarevelation.Ofcourse.
Thatwas
cách
howitcouldbedone.Sheherself,shebyherself,couldn’taffordit,
và
andwouldn’tbeable,evenifshecouldaffordit,tođi
gothereallalone;butshe
và
andMrs.Arbuthnottogether...Sheleanedacrossthetable.
“Whydon’twe
thử
tryandgetit?”shewhispered.
Mrs.
Arbuthnotbecame
thậm chí
evenmorewide-eyed.“Getit?”
sherepeated.
“Yes,”saidMrs.Wilkins,
vẫn
stillasthoughsheweresợ
afraidofbeingoverheard.“Not
chỉ
justsithereandsayLàm thế nào
Howwonderful,andthengonhà
hometoHampsteadwithouthavingđặt
putoutafinger—gohomechỉ
justasusualandseevề
aboutthedinnerandthefishchỉ
justaswe’vebeendoingforyearsvà
andyearsandwillgoondoingforyearsvà
andyears.Infact,”saidMrs.Wilkins,flushingto
những
therootsofherhair,fornhững
thesoundofwhatshewassaying,ofwhatwascomingpouringra
out,frightenedher,andyetshecouldn’tstop,“Ithấy
seenoendtoit.Có
Thereisnoendtonó
it.Sothatthereoughttobe
một
abreak,thereoughttobeintervals—ineverybody’sinterests.Sao
Why,itwouldreallybebeingunselfishtogoawayvà
andbehappyforachút
little,becausewewouldcomebacksomuchnicer.You
thấy
see,afterabiteverybodyneedsmột
aholiday.”“But—howdoyou
là
mean,getit?”askedMrs.Arbuthnot.
“Takeit,”saidMrs.Wilkins.
“Takeit?”