[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第31章

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watch　birds　in　it？　The　street　does　all　right　for　hoops。　And　
if　children　can’t　be　trusted　in　the　streets；　their　mothers　
should　keep　them　at　home。”　

Mary　made　no　answer　to　this　remark；　but　frowned。　

She　leant　back　on　the　seat　and　looked　about　her　at　the　
great　houses　breaking　the　soft　grayblue　sky　with　their　
chimneys。　

“Ah；　well；”　she　said；　“London’s　a　fine　place　to　live　in。　I　
believe　I　could　sit　and　watch　people　all　day　long。　I　like　
my　fellowcreatures…　。”　

Ralph　sighed　impatiently。　

“Yes；　I　think　so；　when　you　e　to　know　them；”　she　
added；　as　if　his　disagreement　had　been　spoken。　

“That’s　just　when　I　don’t　like　them；”　he　replied。　“Still；　I　
don’t　see　why　you　shouldn’t　cherish　that　illusion；　if　it　
pleases　you。”　He　spoke　without　much　vehemence　of　agreement　
or　disagreement。　He　seemed　chilled。　

“Wake　up；　Ralph！　You’re　half　asleep！”　Mary　cried；　turning　
and　pinching　his　sleeve。　“What　have　you　been　doing　
with　yourself？　Moping？　Working？　Despising　the　world；　as　
usual？”　

As　he　merely　shook　his　head；　and　filled　his　pipe；　she　
went　on：　

“It’s　a　bit　of　a　pose；　isn’t　it？”　

“Not　more　than　most　things；”　he　said。　

“Well；”　Mary　remarked；　“I’ve　a　great　deal　to　say　to　you；　
but　I　must　go　on—we　have　a　mittee。”　She　rose；　but　
hesitated；　looking　down　upon　him　rather　gravely。　“You　
don’t　look　happy；　Ralph；”　she　said。　“Is　it　anything；　or　is　
it　nothing？”　

He　did　not　immediately　answer　her；　but　rose；　too；　and　
walked　with　her　towards　the　gate。　As　usual；　he　did　not　
speak　to　her　without　considering　whether　what　he　was　
about　to　say　was　the　sort　of　thing　that　he　could　say　to　her。　

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“I’ve　been　bothered；”　he　said　at　length。　“Partly　by　work；　
and　partly　by　family　troubles。　Charles　has　been　behaving　
like　a　fool。　He　wants　to　go　out　to　Canada　as　a　farmer—”　

“Well；　there’s　something　to　be　said　for　that；”　said　Mary；　
and　they　passed　the　gate；　and　walked　slowly　round　the　
Fields　again；　discussing　difficulties　which；　as　a　matter　of　
fact；　were　more　or　less　chronic　in　the　Denham　family；　and　
only　now　brought　forward　to　appease　Mary’s　sympathy；　
which；　however；　soothed　Ralph　more　than　he　was　aware　
of。　She　made　him　at　least　dwell　upon　problems　which　
were　real　in　the　sense　that　they　were　capable　of　solution；　
and　the　true　cause　of　his　melancholy；　which　was　not　susceptible　
to　such　treatment；　sank　rather　more　deeply　into　
the　shades　of　his　mind。　

Mary　was　attentive；　she　was　helpful。　Ralph　could　not　
help　feeling　grateful　to　her；　the　more　so；　perhaps；　because　
he　had　not　told　her　the　truth　about　his　state；　and　
when　they　reached　the　gate　again　he　wished　to　make　
some　affectionate　objection　to　her　leaving　him。　But　his　
affection　took　the　rather　uncouth　form　of　expostulating　
with　her　about　her　work。　

“What　d’you　want　to　sit　on　a　mittee　for？”　he　asked。　
“It’s　waste　of　your　time；　Mary。”　

“I　agree　with　you　that　a　country　walk　would　benefit　the　
world　more；”　she　said。　“Look　here；”　she　added　suddenly；　
“why　don’t　you　e　to　us　at　Christmas？　It’s　almost　the　
best　time　of　year。”　

“e　to　you　at　Disham？”　Ralph　repeated。　

“Yes。　We　won’t　interfere　with　you。　But　you　can　tell　me　
later；”　she　said；　rather　hastily；　and　then　started　off　in　the　
direction　of　Russell　Square。　She　had　invited　him　on　the　
impulse　of　the　moment；　as　a　vision　of　the　country　came　
before　her；　and　now　she　was　annoyed　with　herself　for　
having　done　so；　and　then　she　was　annoyed　at　being　annoyed。　


“If　I　can’t　face　a　walk　in　a　field　alone　with　Ralph；”　she　
reasoned；　“I’d　better　buy　a　cat　and　live　in　a　lodging　at　
Ealing；　like　Sally　Seal　—and　he　won’t　e。　Or　did　he　
mean　that　he　would　e？”　

She　shook　her　head。　She　really　did　not　know　what　he　
had　meant。　She　never　felt　quite　certain；　but　now　she　was　
more　than　usually　baffled。　Was　he　concealing　something　

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from　her？　His　manner　had　been　odd；　his　deep　absorption　
had　impressed　her；　there　was　something　in　him　that　she　
had　not　fathomed；　and　the　mystery　of　his　nature　laid　
more　of　a　spell　upon　her　than　she　liked。　Moreover；　she　
could　not　prevent　herself　from　doing　now　what　she　had　
often　blamed　others　of　her　sex　for　doing—from　endowing　
her　friend　with　a　kind　of　heavenly　fire；　and　passing　
her　life　before　it　for　his　sanction。　

Under　this　process；　the　mittee　rather　dwindled　in　
importance；　the　Suffrage　shrank；　she　vowed　she　would　
work　harder　at　the　Italian　language；　she　thought　she　would　
take　up　the　study　of　birds。　But　this　program　for　a　perfect　
life　threatened　to　bee　so　absurd　that　she　very　soon　
caught　herself　out　in　the　evil　habit；　and　was　rehearsing　
her　speech　to　the　mittee　by　the　time　the　chestnut
colored　bricks　of　Russell　Square　came　in　sight。　Indeed；　
she　never　noticed　them。　She　ran　upstairs　as　usual；　and　
was　pletely　awakened　to　reality　by　the　sight　of　Mrs。　
Seal；　on　the　landing　outside　the　office；　inducing　a　very　
large　dog　to　drink　water　out　of　a　tumbler。　

“Miss　Markham　has　already　arrived；”　Mrs。　Seal　remarked；　

with　due　solemnity；　“and　this　is　her　dog。”　

“A　very　fine　dog；　too；”　said　Mary；　patting　him　on　the　
head。　

“Yes。　A　magnificent　fellow；　Mrs。　Seal　agreed。　“A　kind　of　
St。　Bernard；　she　tells　me—so　like　Kit　to　have　a　St。　Bernard。　
And　you　guard　your　mistress　well；　don’t　you；　Sailor？　
You　see　that　wicked　men　don’t　break　into　her　larder　when　
she’s　out　at　HER　work—helping　poor　souls　who　have　lost　
their　way…　。　But　we’re　late—we　must　begin！”　and　scattering　
the　rest　of　the　water　indiscriminately　over　the　floor；　
she　hurried　Mary　into　the　mitteeroom。　

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Night　and　Day　

CHAPTER　XIV　


Mr。　Clacton　was　in　his　glory。　The　machinery　which　he　had　
perfected　and　controlled　was　now　about　to　turn　out　its　
bimonthly　product；　a　mittee　meeting；　and　his　pride　
in　the　perfect　structure　of　these　assemblies　was　great。　
He　loved　the　jargon　of　mitteerooms；　he　loved　the　
way　in　which　the　door　kept　opening　as　the　clock　struck　
the　hour；　in　obedience　to　a　few　strokes　of　his　pen　on　a　
piece　of　paper；　and　when　it　had　opened　sufficiently　often；　
he　loved　to　issue　from　his　inner　chamber　with　documents　
in　his　hands；　visibly　important；　with　a　preoccupied　
expression　on　his　face　that　might　have　suited　a　Prime　
Minister　advancing　to　meet　his　Cabi。　By　his　orders　the　
table　had　been　decorated　beforehand　with　six　sheets　of　
blottingpaper；　with　six　pens；　six　inkpots；　a　tumbler　and　
a　jug　of　water；　a　bell；　and；　in　deference　to　the　taste　of　
the　lady　members；　a　vase　of　hardy　chrysanthemums。　He　
had　already　surreptitiously　straightened　the　sheets　of　
blottingpaper　in　relation　to　the　inkpots；　and　now　stood　
in　front　of　the　fire　engaged　in　conversation　with　Miss　

Markham。　But　his　eye　was　on　the　door；　and　when　Mary　
and　Mrs。　Seal　entered；　he　gave　a　little　laugh　and　observed　
to　the　assembly　which　was　scattered　about　the　
room：　

“I　fancy；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　that　we　are　ready　to　
mence。”　

So　speaking；　he　took　his　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　
and　arranging　one　bundle　of　papers　upon　his　right　and　
another　upon　his　left；　called　upon　Miss　Datchet　to　read　
the　minutes　of　the　previous　meeting。　Mary　obeyed。　A　keen　
observer　might　have　wondered　why　it　was　necessary　for　
the　secretary　to　knit　her　brows　so　closely　over　the　tolerably　
matteroffact　statement　before　her。　Could　there　be　
any　doubt　in　her　mind　that　it　had　been　resolved　to　circularize　
the　provinces　with　Leaflet　No。　3；　or　to　issue　a　statistical　
diagram　showing　the　proportion　of　married　women　
to　spinsters　in　New　Zealand；　or　that　the　　profits　of　
Mrs。　Hipsley’s　Bazaar　had　reached　a　total　of　five　pounds　
eight　shillings　and　twopence　halfpenny？　

Could　any　doubt　as　to　the　perfect　sense　and　propriety　
of　these　statements　be　disturbing　her？　No　one　could　have　

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guessed；　from　the　look　of　her；　that　she　was　disturbed　at　
all。　A　pleasanter　and　saner　woman　than　Mary　Datchet　
was　never　seen　within　a　mitteeroom。　She　seemed　a　
pound　of　the　autumn　leaves　and　the　winter　sunshine；　
less　poetically　speaking；　she　showed　both　gentleness　and　
strength；　an　indefinable　promise　of　soft　maternity　blending　
with　her　evident　fitness　for　honest　labor。　Nevertheless；　
she　had　great　difficulty　in　reducing　her　mind　to　
obedience；　and　her　reading　lacked　conviction；　as　if；　as　
was　indeed　the　case；　she　had　lost　the　power　of　visualizing　
what　she　read。　And　directly　the　list　was　pleted；　
her　mind　floated　to　Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields　and　the　fluttering　
wings　of　innumerable　sparrows。　Was　Ralph　still　enticing　
the　baldheaded　cocksparrow　to　sit　upon　his　hand？　
Had　he　succeeded？　Would　he　ever　succeed？　She　had　meant　
to　ask　him　why　it　is　that　the　sparrows　in　Lincoln’s　Inn　
Fields　are　tamer　than　the　sparrows　in　Hyde　Park—perhaps　
it　is　that　the　passersby　are　rarer；　and　they　e　to　
recognize　their　benefactors。　For　the　first　halfhour　of　the　
mittee　meeting；　Mary　had　thus　to　do　battle　with　the　
skeptical　presence　of　Ralph　Denham；　who　threatened　to　

have　it　all　his　own　way。　Mary　tried　half　a　dozen　methods　
of　ousting　him。　She　raised　her　voice；　she　articulated　distinctly；　
she　looked　firmly　at　Mr。　Clacton’s　bald　head；　she　
began　to　write　a　note。　To　her　annoyance；　her　pencil　drew　
a　little　round　figure　on　the　blottingpaper；　which；　she　
could　not　deny；　was　really　a　baldheaded　cocksparrow。　
She　looked　again　at　Mr。　Clacton；　yes；　he　was　bald；　and　so　
are　cocksparrows。　Never　was　a　secretary　tormented　by　
so　many　unsuitable　suggestions；　and　they　all　came；　alas！　
with　something　ludicrously　grotesque　about　them；　which　
might；　at　any　moment；　provoke　her　to　such　flippancy　as　
would　shock　her　colleagues　for　ever。　The　thought　of　what　
she　might　say　made　her　bite　her　lips；　as　if　her　lips　would　
protect　her。　

But　all　these　suggestions　were　but　flotsam　and　jetsam　
cast　to　the　surface　by　a　more　profound　disturbance；　which；　
as　she　could　not　consider　it　at　present；　manifested　its　
existence　by　these　grotesque　nods　and　beckonings。　Consider　
it；　she　must；　when　the　mittee　was　over。　Meanwhile；　
she　was　behaving　scandalously；　she　was　looking　
out　of　the　window；　and　thinki