[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第70章

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barely　and　tersely；　with　a　curious　assumption　that　the　
number　of　things　that　could　properly　be　thought　about　
was　strictly　limited。　And　Mr。　Bast　was　only　stiff　upon　
the　surface；　there　was　an　intelligence　in　his　face　which　
attracted　her　intelligence。　

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“When　will　the　public　know？”　she　asked。　

“What　d’you　mean—about　us？”　Mr。　Bast　asked；　with　
a　little　smile。　

“That　depends　upon　many　things；”　said　Mary。　The　conspirators　
looked　pleased；　as　if　Katharine’s　question；　with　
the　belief　in　their　existence　which　it　implied；　had　a　warming　
effect　upon　them。　

“In　starting　a　society　such　as　we　wish　to　start　（we　can’t　
say　any　more　at　present）；”　Mr。　Bast　began；　with　a　
little　jerk　of　his　head；　“there　are　two　things　to　remember—
the　Press　and　the　public。　Other　societies；　which　shall　
be　nameless；　have　gone　under　because　they’ve　appealed　
only　to　cranks。　If　you　don’t　want　a　mutual　admiration　
society；　which　dies　as　soon　as　you’ve　all　discovered　each　
other’s　faults；　you　must　nobble　the　Press。　You　must　appeal　
to　the　public。”　

“That’s　the　difficulty；”　said　Mary　thoughtfully。　

“That’s　where　she　es　in；”　said　Mr。　Bast；　jerking　
his　head　in　Mary’s　direction。　“She’s　the　only　one　of　us　
who’s　a　capitalist。　She　can　make　a　wholetime　job　of　it。　I’m　
tied　to　an　office；　I　can　only　give　my　spare　time。　Are　you；　

by　any　chance；　on　the　lookout　for　a　job？”　he　asked　

Katharine；　with　a　queer　mixture　of　distrust　and　deference。　

“Marriage　is　her　job　at　present；”　Mary　replied　for　her。　

“Oh；　I　see；”　said　Mr。　Bast。　He　made　allowances　for　
that；　he　and　his　friends　had　faced　the　question　of　sex；　
along　with　all　others；　and　assigned　it　an　honorable　place　
in　their　scheme　of　life。　Katharine　felt　this　beneath　the　
roughness　of　his　manner；　and　a　world　entrusted　to　the　
guardianship　of　Mary　Datchet　and　Mr。　Bast　seemed　to　
her　a　good　world；　although　not　a　romantic　or　beautiful　
place　or；　to　put　it　figuratively；　a　place　where　any　line　of　
blue　mist　softly　linked　tree　to　tree　upon　the　horizon。　For　
a　moment　she　thought　she　saw　in　his　face；　bent　now　over　
the　fire；　the　features　of　that　original　man　whom　we　still　
recall　every　now　and　then；　although　we　know　only　the　
clerk；　barrister；　Governmental　official；　or　workingman　
variety　of　him。　Not　that　Mr。　Bast；　giving　his　days　to　
merce　and　his　spare　time　to　social　reform；　would　long　
carry　about　him　any　trace　of　his　possibilities　of　pleteness；　
but；　for　the　moment；　in　his　youth　and　ardor；　
still　speculative；　still　uncramped；　one　might　imagine　him　

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the　citizen　of　a　nobler　state　than　ours。　Katharine　turned　
over　her　small　stock　of　information；　and　wondered　what　
their　society　might　be　going　to　attempt。　Then　she　remembered　
that　she　was　hindering　their　business；　and　rose；　
still　thinking　of　this　society；　and　thus　thinking；　she　said　
to　Mr。　Bast：　

“Well；　you’ll　ask　me　to　join　when　the　time　es；　I　
hope。”　

He　nodded；　and　took　his　pipe　from　his　mouth；　but；　
being　unable　to　think　of　anything　to　say；　he　put　it　back　
again；　although　he　would　have　been　glad　if　she　had　
stayed。　

Against　her　wish；　Mary　insisted　upon　taking　her　downstairs；　
and　then；　as　there　was　no　cab　to　be　seen；　they　
stood　in　the　street　together；　looking　about　them。　

“Go　back；”　Katharine　urged　her；　thinking　of　Mr。　Bast　
with　his　papers　in　his　hand。　

“You　can’t　wander　about　the　streets　alone　in　those　
clothes；”　said　Mary；　but　the　desire　to　find　a　cab　was　not　
her　true　reason　for　standing　beside　Katharine　for　a　minute　
or　two。　Unfortunately　for　her　posure；　Mr。　Bast　and　

his　papers　seemed　to　her　an　incidental　diversion　of　life’s　
serious　purpose　pared　with　some　tremendous　fact　
which　manifested　itself　as　she　stood　alone　with　Katharine。　
It　may　have　been　their　mon　womanhood。　

“Have　you　seen　Ralph？”　she　asked　suddenly；　without　
preface。　

“Yes；”　said　Katharine　directly；　but　she　did　not　remember　
when　or　where　she　had　seen　him。　It　took　her　a　moment　
or　two　to　remember　why　Mary　should　ask　her　if　she　
had　seen　Ralph。　

“I　believe　I’m　jealous；”　said　Mary。　

“Nonsense；　Mary；”　said　Katharine；　rather　distractedly；　
taking　her　arm　and　beginning　to　walk　up　the　street　in　the　
direction　of　the　main　road。　“Let　me　see；　we　went　to　Kew；　
and　we　agreed　to　be　friends。　Yes；　that’s　what　happened。”　
Mary　was　silent；　in　the　hope　that　Katharine　would　tell　
her　more。　But　Katharine　said　nothing。　

“It’s　not　a　question　of　friendship；”　Mary　exclaimed；　her　
anger　rising；　to　her　own　surprise。　“You　know　it’s　not。　How　
can　it　be？　I’ve　no　right　to　interfere—”　She　stopped。　“Only　
I’d　rather　Ralph　wasn’t　hurt；”　she　concluded。　

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“I　think　he　seems　able　to　take　care　of　himself；”　Katharine　
observed。　Without　either　of　them　wishing　it；　a　feeling　of　
hostility　had　risen　between　them。　

“Do　you　really　think　it’s　worth　it？”　said　Mary；　after　a　
pause。　

“How　can　one　tell？”　Katharine　asked。　

“Have　you　ever　cared　for　any　one？”　Mary　demanded　
rashly　and　foolishly。　

“I　can’t　wander　about　London　discussing　my　feelings—　
Here’s　a　cab—no；　there’s　some　one　in　it。”　

“We　don’t　want　to　quarrel；”　said　Mary。　

“Ought　I　to　have　told　him　that　I　wouldn’t　be　his　friend？”　
Katharine　asked。　“Shall　I　tell　him　that？　If　so；　what　reason　
shall　I　give　him？”　

“Of　course　you　can’t　tell　him　that；”　said　Mary；　controlling　
herself。　

“I　believe　I　shall；　though；”　said　Katharine　suddenly。　

“I　lost　my　temper；　Katharine；　I　shouldn’t　have　said　what　
I　did。”　

“The　whole　thing’s　foolish；”　said　Katharine；　peremptorily。　
“That’s　what　I　say。　It’s　not　worth　it。”　She　spoke　with　

unnecessary　vehemence；　but　it　was　not　directed　against　
Mary　Datchet。　Their　animosity　had　pletely　disappeared；　
and　upon　both　of　them　a　cloud　of　difficulty　and　darkness　
rested；　obscuring　the　future；　in　which　they　had　both　to　
find　a　way。　

“No；　no；　it’s　not　worth　it；”　Katharine　repeated。　“Suppose；　
as　you　say；　it’s　out　of　the　question—this　friendship；　
he　falls　in　love　with　me。　I　don’t　want　that。　Still；”　
she　added；　“I　believe　you　exaggerate；　love’s　not　everything；　
marriage　itself　is　only　one　of　the　things—”　They　
had　reached　the　main　thoroughfare；　and　stood　looking　at　
the　omnibuses　and　passersby；　who　seemed；　for　the　moment；　
to　illustrate　what　Katharine　had　said　of　the　diversity　
of　human　interests。　For　both　of　them　it　had　bee　
one　of　those　moments　of　extreme　detachment；　when　it　
seems　unnecessary　ever　again　to　shoulder　the　burden　of　
happiness　and　selfassertive　existence。　Their　neighbors　
were　wele　to　their　possessions。　

“I　don’t　lay　down　any　rules；”’　said　Mary；　recovering　herself　
first；　as　they　turned　after　a　long　pause　of　this　description。　
“All　I　say　is　that　you　should　know　what　you’re　

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about—for　certain；　but；”　she　added；　“I　expect　you　do。”　

At　the　same　time　she　was　profoundly　perplexed；　not　
only　by　what　she　knew　of　the　arrangements　for　Katharine’s　
marriage；　but　by　the　impression　which　she　had　of　her；　
there　on　her　arm；　dark　and　inscrutable。　

They　walked　back　again　and　reached　the　steps　which　
led　up　to　Mary’s　flat。　Here　they　stopped　and　paused　for　a　
moment；　saying　nothing。　

“You　must　go　in；”　said　Katharine；　rousing　herself。　“He’s　
waiting　all　this　time　to　go　on　with　his　reading。”　She　
glanced　up　at　the　lighted　window　near　the　top　of　the　
house；　and　they　both　looked　at　it　and　waited　for　a　moment。　
A　flight　of　semicircular　steps　ran　up　to　the　hall；　
and　Mary　slowly　mounted　the　first　two　or　three；　and　
paused；　looking　down　upon　Katharine。　

“I　think　you　underrate　the　value　of　that　emotion；”　she　
said　slowly；　and　a　little　awkwardly。　She　climbed　another　
step　and　looked　down　once　more　upon　the　figure　that　
was　only　partly　lit　up；　standing　in　the　street　with　a　colorless　
face　turned　upwards。　As　Mary　hesitated；　a　cab　came　
by　and　Katharine　turned　and　stopped　it；　saying　as　she　

opened　the　door：　

“Remember；　I　want　to　belong　to　your　society—remember；”　
she　added；　having　to　raise　her　voice　a　little；　and　
shutting　the　door　upon　the　rest　of　her　words。　

Mary　mounted　the　stairs　step　by　step；　as　if　she　had　to　
lift　her　body　up　an　extremely　steep　ascent。　She　had　had　
to　wrench　herself　forcibly　away　from　Katharine；　and　every　
step　vanquished　her　desire。　She　held　on　grimly；　encouraging　
herself　as　though　she　were　actually　making　
some　great　physical　effort　in　climbing　a　height。　She　was　
conscious　that　Mr。　Bast；　sitting　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　
with　his　documents；　offered　her　solid　footing　if　she　were　
capable　of　reaching　it。　The　knowledge　gave　her　a　faint　
sense　of　exaltation。　

Mr。　Bast　raised　his　eyes　as　she　opened　the　door。　

“I’ll　go　on　where　I　left　off；”　he　said。　“Stop　me　if　you　
want　anything　explained。”　

He　had　been　rereading　the　document；　and　making　pencil　
notes　in　the　margin　while　he　waited；　and　he　went　on　
again　as　if　there　had　been　no　interruption。　Mary　sat　down　
among　the　flat　cushions；　lit　another　cigarette；　and　lis


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tened　with　a　frown　upon　her　face。　

Katharine　leant　back　in　the　corner　of　the　cab　that　carried　
her　to　Chelsea；　conscious　of　fatigue；　and　conscious；　
too；　of　the　sober　and　satisfactory　nature　of　such　industry　
as　she　had　just　witnessed。　The　thought　of　it　posed　
and　calmed　her。　When　she　reached　home　she　let　herself　
in　as　quietly　as　she　could；　in　the　hope　that　the　household　
was　already　gone　to　bed。　But　her　excursion　had　occupied　
less　time　than　she　thought；　and　she　heard　sounds　
of　unmistakable　liveliness　upstairs。　A　door　opened；　and　
she　drew　herself　into　a　groundfloor　room　in　case　the　
sound　meant　that　Mr。　Peyton　were　taking　his　leave。　From　
where　she　stood　she　could　see　the　stairs；　though　she　was　
herself　invisible。　Some　one　was　ing　down　the　stairs；　
and　now　she　saw　that　it　was　William　Rodney。　He　looked　a　
little　strange；　as　if　he　were　walking　in　his　sleep；　his　lips　
moved　as　if　he　were　acting　some　part　to　himself。　He　came　
down　very　slowly；　step　by　step；　with　one　hand　upon　the　
banisters　to　guide　himself。