[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第66部分

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of　the　past　week　had　worn　it　thin。　She　was　in　one　of　
those　moods；　perhaps　not　unmon　with　either　sex；　
when　the　other　bees　very　clearly　distinguished；　and　
of　contemptible　baseness；　so　that　the　necessity　of　association　
is　degrading；　and　the　tie；　which　at　such　moments　
is　always　extremely　close；　drags　like　a　halter　round　the　
neck。　William’s　exacting　demands　and　his　jealousy　had　
pulled　her　down　into　some　horrible　swamp　of　her　nature　
where　the　primeval　struggle　between　man　and　woman　
still　rages。　

“You　seem　to　delight　in　hurting　me；”　William　persisted。　
“Why　did　you　say　that　just　now　about　my　behavior　to　
animals？”　As　he　spoke　he　rattled　his　stick　against　the　

bars　of　the　cage；　which　gave　his　words　an　acpaniment　
peculiarly　exasperating　to　Katharine’s　nerves。　

“Because　it’s　true。　You　never　see　what　any　one　feels；”　
she　said。　“You　think　of　no　one　but　yourself。”　

“That　is　not　true；”　said　William。　By　his　determined　rattling　
he　had　now　collected　the　animated　attention　of　
some　halfdozen　apes。　Either　to　propitiate　them；　or　to　
show　his　consideration　for　their　feelings；　he　proceeded　
to　offer　them　the　apple　which　he　held。　

The　sight；　unfortunately；　was　so　ically　apt　in　its　
illustration　of　the　picture　in　her　mind；　the　ruse　was　so　
transparent；　that　Katharine　was　seized　with　laughter。　She　
laughed　uncontrollably。　William　flushed　red。　No　display　
of　anger　could　have　hurt　his　feelings　more　profoundly。　It　
was　not　only　that　she　was　laughing　at　him；　the　detachment　
of　the　sound　was　horrible。　

“I　don’t　know　what　you’re　laughing　at；”　he　muttered；　
and；　turning；　found　that　the　other　couple　had　rejoined　
them。　As　if　the　matter　had　been　privately　agreed　upon；　
the　couples　separated　once　more；　Katharine　and　Denham　
passing　out　of　the　house　without　more　than　a　perfunc


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tory　glance　round　them。　Denham　obeyed　what　seemed　to　
be　Katharine’s　wish　in　thus　making　haste。　Some　change　
had　e　over　her。　He　connected　it　with　her　laughter；　
and　her　few　words　in　private　with　Rodney；　he　felt　that　
she　had　bee　unfriendly　to　him。　She　talked；　but　her　
remarks　were　indifferent；　and　when　he　spoke　her　attention　
seemed　to　wander。　This　change　of　mood　was　at　first　
extremely　disagreeable　to　him；　but　soon　he　found　it　salutary。　
The　pale　drizzling　atmosphere　of　the　day　affected　
him；　also。　The　charm；　the　insidious　magic　in　which　he　
had　luxuriated；　were　suddenly　gone；　his　feeling　had　bee　
one　of　friendly　respect；　and　to　his　great　pleasure　
he　found　himself　thinking　spontaneously　of　the　relief　of　
finding　himself　alone　in　his　room　that　night。　In　his　surprise　
at　the　suddenness　of　the　change；　and　at　the　extent　
of　his　freedom；　he　bethought　him　of　a　daring　plan；　by　
which　the　ghost　of　Katharine　could　be　more　effectually　
exorcised　than　by　mere　abstinence。　He　would　ask　her　to　
e　home　with　him　to　tea。　He　would　force　her　through　
the　mill　of　family　life；　he　would　place　her　in　a　light　unsparing　
and　revealing。　His　family　would　find　nothing　to　

admire　in　her；　and　she；　he　felt　certain；　would　despise　
them　all；　and　this；　too；　would　help　him。　He　felt　himself　
being　more　and　more　merciless　towards　her。　By　such　
courageous　measures　any　one；　he　thought；　could　end　the　
absurd　passions　which　were　the　cause　of　so　much　pain　
and　waste。　He　could　foresee　a　time　when　his　experiences；　
his　discovery；　and　his　triumph　were　made　available　for　
younger　brothers　who　found　themselves　in　the　same　predicament。　
He　looked　at　his　watch；　and　remarked　that　the　
gardens　would　soon　be　closed。　

“Anyhow；”　he　added；　“I　think　we’ve　seen　enough　for　
one　afternoon。　Where　have　the　others　got　to？”　He　looked　
over　his　shoulder；　and；　seeing　no　trace　of　them；　remarked　
at　once：　

“We’d　better　be　independent　of　them。　The　best　plan　
will　be　for　you　to　e　back　to　tea　with　me。”　

“Why　shouldn’t　you　e　with　me？”　she　asked。　

“Because　we’re　next　door　to　Highgate　here；”　he　replied　
promptly。　

She　assented；　having　very　little　notion　whether　Highgate　
was　next　door　to　Regent’s　Park　or　not。　She　was　only　glad　

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to　put　off　her　return　to　the　family　teatable　in　Chelsea　for　
an　hour　or　two。　They　proceeded　with　dogged　determination　
through　the　winding　roads　of　Regent’s　Park；　and　the　
Sundaystricken　streets　of　the　neighborhood；　in　the　direction　
of　the　Tube　station。　Ignorant　of　the　way；　she　resigned　
herself　entirely　to　him；　and　found　his　silence　a　
convenient　cover　beneath　which　to　continue　her　anger　
with　Rodney。　

When　they　stepped　out　of　the　train　into　the　still　grayer　
gloom　of　Highgate；　she　wondered；　for　the　first　time；　where　
he　was　taking　her。　Had　he　a　family；　or　did　he　live　alone　in　
rooms？　On　the　whole　she　was　inclined　to　believe　that　he　
was　the　only　son　of　an　aged；　and　possibly　invalid；　mother。　
She　sketched　lightly；　upon　the　blank　vista　down　which　
they　walked；　the　little　white　house　and　the　tremulous　old　
lady　rising　from　behind　her　teatable　to　greet　her　with　
faltering　words　about　“my　son’s　friends；”　and　was　on　the　
point　of　asking　Ralph　to　tell　her　what　she　might　expect；　
when　he　jerked　open　one　of　the　infinite　number　of　identical　
wooden　doors；　and　led　her　up　a　tiled　path　to　a　porch　
in　the　Alpine　style　of　architecture。　As　they　listened　to　

the　shaking　of　the　bell　in　the　basement；　she　could　summon　
no　vision　to　replace　the　one　so　rudely　destroyed。　

“I　must　warn　you　to　expect　a　family　party；”　said　Ralph。　
“They’re　mostly　in　on　Sundays。　We　can　go　to　my　room　
afterwards。”　

“Have　you　many　brothers　and　sisters？”　she　asked；　without　
concealing　her　dismay。　

“Six　or　seven；”　he　replied　grimly；　as　the　door　opened。　

While　Ralph　took　off　his　coat；　she　had　time　to　notice　
the　ferns　and　photographs　and　draperies；　and　to　hear　a　
hum；　or　rather　a　babble；　of　voices　talking　each　other　
down；　from　the　sound　of　them。　The　rigidity　of　extreme　
shyness　came　over　her。　She　kept　as　far　behind　Denham　as　
she　could；　and　walked　stiffly　after　him　into　a　room　blazing　
with　unshaded　lights；　which　fell　upon　a　number　of　
people；　of　different　ages；　sitting　round　a　large　dining
room　table　untidily　strewn　with　food；　and　unflinchingly　
lit　up　by　incandescent　gas。　Ralph　walked　straight　to　the　
far　end　of　the　table。　

“Mother；　this　is　Miss　Hilbery；”　he　said。　

A　large　elderly　lady；　bent　over　an　unsatisfactory　spirit


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lamp；　looked　up　with　a　little　frown；　and　observed：　

“I　beg　your　pardon。　I　thought　you　were　one　of　my　own　
girls。　Dorothy；”　she　continued　on　the　same　breath；　to　
catch　the　servant　before　she　left　the　room；　“we　shall　
want　some　more　methylated　spirits—unless　the　lamp　itself　
is　out　of　order。　If　one　of　you　could　invent　a　good　
spiritlamp—”　she　sighed；　looking　generally　down　the　
table；　and　then　began　seeking　among　the　china　before　
her　for　two　clean　cups　for　the　newers。　

The　unsparing　light　revealed　more　ugliness　than　
Katharine　had　seen　in　one　room　for　a　very　long　time。　It　
was　the　ugliness　of　enormous　folds　of　brown　material；　
looped　and　festooned；　of　plush　curtains；　from　which　depended　
balls　and　fringes；　partially　concealing　bookshelves　
swollen　with　black　schooltexts。　Her　eye　was　arrested　by　
crossed　scabbards　of　fretted　wood　upon　the　dull　green　
wall；　and　whereever　there　was　a　high　flat　eminence；　some　
fern　waved　from　a　pot　of　crinkled　china；　or　a　bronze　horse　
reared　so　high　that　the　stump　of　a　tree　had　to　sustain　his　
forequarters。　The　waters　of　family　life　seemed　to　rise　and　
close　over　her　head；　and　she　munched　in　silence。　

At　length　Mrs。　Denham　looked　up　from　her　teacups　and　
remarked：　

“You　see；　Miss　Hilbery；　my　children　all　e　in　at　different　
hours　and　want　different　things。　（The　tray　should　
go　up　if　you’ve　done；　Johnnie。）　My　boy　Charles　is　in　bed　
with　a　cold。　What　else　can　you　expect？—standing　in　the　
wet　playing　football。　We　did　try　drawingroom　tea；　but　it　
didn’t　do。”　

A　boy　of　sixteen；　who　appeared　to　be　Johnnie；　grumbled　
derisively　both　at　the　notion　of　drawingroom　tea　and　at　
the　necessity　of　carrying　a　tray　up　to　his　brother。　But　he　
took　himself　off；　being　enjoined　by　his　mother　to　mind　
what　he　was　doing；　and　shut　the　door　after　him。　

“It’s　much　nicer　like　this；”　said　Katharine；　applying　herself　
with　determination　to　the　dissection　of　her　cake；　
they　had　given　her　too　large　a　slice。　She　knew　that　Mrs。　
Denham　suspected　her　of　critical　parisons。　She　knew　
that　she　was　making　poor　progress　with　her　cake。　Mrs。　
Denham　had　looked　at　her　sufficiently　often　to　make　it　
clear　to　Katharine　that　she　was　asking　who　this　young　
woman　was；　and　why　Ralph　had　brought　her　to　tea　with　

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them。　There　was　an　obvious　reason；　which　Mrs。　Denham　
had　probably　reached　by　this　time。　Outwardly；　she　was　
behaving　with　rather　rusty　and　laborious　civility。　She　was　
making　conversation　about　the　amenities　of　Highgate；　
its　development　and　situation。　

“When　I　first　married；”　she　said；　“Highgate　was　quite　
separate　from　London；　Miss　Hilbery；　and　this　house；　
though　you　wouldn’t　believe　it；　had　a　view　of　apple　orchards。　
That　was　before　the　Middletons　built　their　house　
in　front　of　us。”　

“It　must　be　a　great　advantage　to　live　at　the　top　of　a　
hill；”　said　Katharine。　Mrs。　Denham　agreed　effusively；　as　if　
her　opinion　of　Katharine’s　sense　had　risen。　

“Yes；　indeed；　we　find　it　very　healthy；”　she　said；　and　she　
went　on；　as　people　who　live　in　the　suburbs　so　often　do；　
to　prove　that　it　was　healthier；　more　convenient；　and　less　
spoilt　than　any　suburb　round　London。　She　spoke　with　
such　emphasis　that　it　was　quite　obvious　that　she　expressed　
unpopular　views；　and　that　her　children　disagreed　
with　her。　

“The　ceiling’s　fallen　down　in　the　pantry　again；”　said　

Hester；　a　girl　of　eighteen；　abruptly。　

“The　whole　house　will　be　down　one　of　these　days；”　
James　muttered。　

“Nonsense；”　said　Mrs。　Denham。　“It’s　only　a　little　bit　of　
plaster—I　don’t　see　how　any　house　could　be　expected　to　
stand　the　wear　and　tear　you　give　it。”　Here　some　family　
joke　exploded；　which　Katharine　could　not　follow。　Even　
Mrs。　Denham　laughed　against　her　will。　

“Miss　Hilbery’s　thinking　us　all　so　rude；”　she　added　reprovingly。　
Miss　Hilbery　smiled　and　shook　her　head；　and　
was　conscious　that　a　great　many　eyes　rested　upon　her；　
for　a　moment；　as　if　they　would　find　pleasure　in　discussing　
her　when　she　was　gone。　Owing；　perhaps；　to　this　critical　
glance；　Katharine　decided　that　Ralph　Denham’s　family　
was　monplace；　unshapely；　lacking　in　charm；　and　
fitly　expressed　by　the　hideous　nature　of　their　furniture　
and　decorations。　She　glanced　along　a　mantelpiece　ranged　
with　bronze　chariots；　silver　vases；　and　china　ornaments　
that　were　either　facetious　or　eccentric。　

She　did　not　apply　her　judgment　consciously　to　Ralph；　
but　when　she　looked　at　him；　a　moment　later；　she　rated　

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him　lower　than　at　any　other　time　of　their　acquaintanceship。　


He　had　made　no　effort　to　tide　over　the　disforts　of　
her　introduction；　and　now；　engaged　in　argument　with　his　
brother；　apparently　forgot　her　presence。　She　must　have　
counted　upon　his　support　more