[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第23部分

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“I　have　suspected　for　some　time　that　he　was　not　happy。　
There　were　new　lines　on　his　face。　So　I　went　to　his　rooms；　
when　I　knew　he　was　engaged　at　the　poor　men’s　college。　
He　lectures　there—Roman　law；　you　know；　or　it　may　be　
Greek。　The　landlady　said　Mr。　Alardyce　only　slept　there　
about　once　a　fortnight　now。　He　looked　so　ill；　she　said。　
She　had　seen　him　with　a　young　person。　I　suspected　something　
directly。　I　went　to　his　room；　and　there　was　an　en


velope　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　a　letter　with　an　address　
in　Seton　Street；　off　the　Kennington　Road。”　

Mrs。　Hilbery　fidgeted　rather　restlessly；　and　hummed　fragments　
of　her　tune；　as　if　to　interrupt。　

“I　went　to　Seton　Street；”　Aunt　Celia　continued　firmly。　
“A　very　low　place—lodginghouses；　you　know；　with　canaries　
in　the　window。　Number　seven　just　like　all　the　others。　
I　rang；　I　knocked；　no　one　came。　I　went　down　the　
area。　I　am　certain　I　saw　some　one　inside—children—a　
cradle。　But　no　reply—no　reply。”　She　sighed；　and　looked　
straight　in　front　of　her　with　a　glazed　expression　in　her　
halfveiled　blue　eyes。　

“I　stood　in　the　street；”　she　resumed；　“in　case　I　could　
catch　a　sight　of　one　of　them。　It　seemed　a　very　long　time。　
There　were　rough　men　singing　in　the　publichouse　round　
the　corner。　At　last　the　door　opened；　and　some　one—it　
must　have　been　the　woman　herself—came　right　past　me。　
There　was　only　the　pillarbox　between　us。”　

“And　what　did　she　look　like？”　Mrs。　Hilbery　demanded。　

“One　could　see　how　the　poor　boy　had　been　deluded；”　was　
all　that　Mrs。　Milvain　vouchsafed　by　way　of　description。　

101　



Night　and　Day　

“Poor　thing！”　Mrs。　Hilbery　exclaimed。　

“Poor　Cyril！”　Mrs。　Milvain　said；　laying　a　slight　emphasis　
upon　Cyril。　

“But　they’ve　got　nothing　to　live　upon；”　Mrs。　Hilbery　
continued。　“If　he’d　e　to　us　like　a　man；”　she　went　on；　
“and　said；　‘I’ve　been　a　fool；’　one　would　have　pitied　him；　
one　would　have　tried　to　help　him。　There’s　nothing　so　
disgraceful　after　all—　But　he’s　been　going　about　all　these　
years；　pretending；　letting　one　take　it　for　granted；　that　he　
was　single。　And　the　poor　deserted　little　wife—”　

“She　is　not　his　wife；”　Aunt　Celia　interrupted。　

“I’ve　never　heard　anything　so　detestable！”　Mrs。　Hilbery　
wound　up；　striking　her　fist　on　the　arm　of　her　chair。　As　she　
realized　the　facts　she　became　thoroughly　disgusted；　although；　
perhaps；　she　was　more　hurt　by　the　concealment　
of　the　sin　than　by　the　sin　itself。　She　looked　splendidly　
roused　and　indignant；　and　Katharine　felt　an　immense　relief　
and　pride　in　her　mother。　It　was　plain　that　her　indignation　
was　very　genuine；　and　that　her　mind　was　as　perfectly　
focused　upon　the　facts　as　any　one　could　wish—　
more　so；　by　a　long　way；　than　Aunt　Celia’s　mind；　which　

seemed　to　be　timidly　circling；　with　a　morbid　pleasure；　in　
these　unpleasant　shades。　She　and　her　mother　together　
would　take　the　situation　in　hand；　visit　Cyril；　and　see　the　
whole　thing　through。　

“We　must　realize　Cyril’s　point　of　view　first；”　she　said；　
speaking　directly　to　her　mother；　as　if　to　a　contemporary；　
but　before　the　words　were　out　of　her　mouth；　there　was　
more　confusion　outside；　and　Cousin　Caroline；　Mrs。　Hilbery’s　
maiden　cousin；　entered　the　room。　Although　she　was　by　
birth　an　Alardyce；　and　Aunt　Celia　a　Hilbery；　the　plexities　
of　the　family　relationship　were　such　that　each　was　at　
once　first　and　second　cousin　to　the　other；　and　thus　aunt　
and　cousin　to　the　culprit　Cyril；　so　that　his　misbehavior　
was　almost　as　much　Cousin　Caroline’s　affair　as　Aunt　Celia’s。　
Cousin　Caroline　was　a　lady　of　very　imposing　height　and　
circumference；　but　in　spite　of　her　size　and　her　handsome　
trappings；　there　was　something　exposed　and　unsheltered　
in　her　expression；　as　if　for　many　summers　her　thin　red　
skin　and　hooked　nose　and　reduplication　of　chins；　so　much　
resembling　the　profile　of　a　cockatoo；　had　been　bared　to　
the　weather；　she　was；　indeed；　a　single　lady；　but　she　had；　

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Virginia　Woolf　

it　was　the　habit　to　say；　“made　a　life　for　herself；”　and　was　
thus　entitled　to　be　heard　with　respect。　

“This　unhappy　business；”　she　began；　out　of　breath　as　
she　was。　“If　the　train　had　not　gone　out　of　the　station　just　
as　I　arrived；　I　should　have　been　with　you　before。　Celia　
has　doubtless　told　you。　You　will　agree　with　me；　Maggie。　
He　must　be　made　to　marry　her　at　once　for　the　sake　of　the　
children—”　

“But　does　he　refuse　to　marry　her？”　Mrs。　Hilbery　inquired；　
with　a　return　of　her　bewilderment。　

“He　has　written　an　absurd　perverted　letter；　all　quotations；”　
Cousin　Caroline　puffed。　“He　thinks　he’s　doing　a　very　
fine　thing；　where　we　only　see　the　folly　of　it…　。　The　girl’s　
every　bit　as　infatuated　as　he　is—for　which　I　blame　him。”　

“She　entangled　him；”　Aunt　Celia　intervened；　with　a　very　
curious　smoothness　of　intonation；　which　seemed　to　convey　
a　vision　of　threads　weaving　and　interweaving　a　close；　
white　mesh　round　their　victim。　

“It’s　no　use　going　into　the　rights　and　wrongs　of　the　
affair　now；　Celia；”　said　Cousin　Caroline　with　some　acerbity；　
for　she　believed　herself　the　only　practical　one　of　the　

family；　and　regretted　that；　owing　to　the　slowness　of　the　
kitchen　clock；　Mrs。　Milvain　had　already　confused　poor　
dear　Maggie　with　her　own　inplete　version　of　the　facts。　
“The　mischief’s　done；　and　very　ugly　mischief　too。　Are　we　
to　allow　the　third　child　to　be　born　out　of　wedlock？　（I　am　
sorry　to　have　to　say　these　things　before　you；　Katharine。）　
He　will　bear　your　name；　Maggie—your　father’s　name；　remember。”　


“But　let　us　hope　it　will　be　a　girl；”　said　Mrs。　Hilbery。　

Katharine；　who　had　been　looking　at　her　mother　constantly；　
while　the　chatter　of　tongues　held　sway；　perceived　
that　the　look　of　straightforward　indignation　had　already　
vanished；　her　mother　was　evidently　casting　about　in　her　
mind　for　some　method　of　escape；　or　bright　spot；　or　sudden　
illumination　which　should　show　to　the　satisfaction　
of　everybody　that　all　had　happened；　miraculously　but　
incontestably；　for　the　best。　

“It’s　detestable—quite　detestable！”　she　repeated；　but　
in　tones　of　no　great　assurance；　and　then　her　face　lit　up　
with　a　smile　which；　tentative　at　first；　soon　became　almost　
assured。　“Nowadays；　people　don’t　think　so　badly　of　

103　



Night　and　Day　

these　things　as　they　used　to　do；”　she　began。　“It　will　be　
horribly　unfortable　for　them　sometimes；　but　if　they　
are　brave；　clever　children；　as　they　will　be；　I　dare　say　it’ll　
make　remarkable　people　of　them　in　the　end。　Robert　Browning　
used　to　say　that　every　great　man　has　Jewish　blood　in　
him；　and　we　must　try　to　look　at　it　in　that　light。　And；　after　
all；　Cyril　has　acted　on　principle。　One　may　disagree　with　
his　principle；　but；　at　least；　one　can　respect　it—like　the　
French　Revolution；　or　Cromwell　cutting　the　King’s　head　
off。　Some　of　the　most　terrible　things　in　history　have　been　
done　on　principle；”　she　concluded。　

“I’m　afraid　I　take　a　very　different　view　of　principle；”　
Cousin　Caroline　remarked　tartly。　

“Principle！”　Aunt　Celia　repeated；　with　an　air　of　deprecating　
such　a　word　in　such　a　connection。　“I　will　go　tomorrow　
and　see　him；”　she　added。　

“But　why　should　you　take　these　disagreeable　things　
upon　yourself；　Celia？”　Mrs。　Hilbery　interposed；　and　Cousin　
Caroline　thereupon　protested　with　some　further　plan　involving　
sacrifice　of　herself。　

Growing　weary　of　it　all；　Katharine　turned　to　the　win


dow；　and　stood　among　the　folds　of　the　curtain；　pressing　
close　to　the　windowpane；　and　gazing　disconsolately　at　
the　river　much　in　the　attitude　of　a　child　depressed　by　the　
meaningless　talk　of　its　elders。　She　was　much　disappointed　
in　her　mother—and　in　herself　too。　The　little　tug　which　
she　gave　to　the　blind；　letting　it　fly　up　to　the　top　with　a　
snap；　signified　her　annoyance。　She　was　very　angry；　and　
yet　impotent　to　give　expression　to　her　anger；　or　know　
with　whom　she　was　angry。　How　they　talked　and　moralized　
and　made　up　stories　to　suit　their　own　version　of　the　being；　
and　secretly　praised　their　own　devotion　and　tact！　
No；　they　had　their　dwelling　in　a　mist；　she　decided；　hundreds　
of　miles　away　—away　from　what？　“Perhaps　it　would　
be　better　if　I　married　William；”　she　thought　suddenly；　
and　the　thought　appeared　to　loom　through　the　mist　like　
solid　ground。　She　stood　there；　thinking　of　her　own　destiny；　
and　the　elder　ladies　talked　on；　until　they　had　talked　
themselves　into　a　decision　to　ask　the　young　woman　to　
luncheon；　and　tell　her；　very　friendlily；　how　such　behavior　
appeared　to　women　like　themselves；　who　knew　the　world。　
And　then　Mrs。　Hilbery　was　struck　by　a　better　idea。　

104　



Virginia　Woolf　

CHAPTER　X　


Messrs。　Grateley　and　Hooper；　the　solicitors　in　whose　firm　
Ralph　Denham　was　clerk；　had　their　office　in　Lincoln’s　Inn　
Fields；　and　there　Ralph　Denham　appeared　every　morning　
very　punctually　at　ten　o’clock。　His　punctuality；　together　
with　other　qualities；　marked　him　out　among　the　clerks　
for　success；　and　indeed　it　would　have　been　safe　to　wager　
that　in　ten　years’　time　or　so　one　would　find　him　at　the　
head　of　his　profession；　had　it　not　been　for　a　peculiarity　
which　sometimes　seemed　to　make　everything　about　him　
uncertain　and　perilous。　His　sister　Joan　had　already　been　
disturbed　by　his　love　of　gambling　with　his　savings。　Scrutinizing　
him　constantly　with　the　eye　of　affection；　she　
had　bee　aware　of　a　curious　perversity　in　his　temperament　
which　caused　her　much　anxiety；　and　would　have　
caused　her　still　more　if　she　had　not　recognized　the　germs　
of　it　in　her　own　nature。　She　could　fancy　Ralph　suddenly　
sacrificing　his　entire　career　for　some　fantastic　imagination；　
some　cause　or　idea　or　even　（so　her　fancy　ran）　for　
some　woman　seen　from　a　railway　train；　hanging　up　clothes　

in　a　back　yard。　When　he　had　found　this　beauty　or　this　
cause；　no　force；　she　knew；　would　avail　to　restrain　him　
from　pursuit　of　it。　She　suspected　the　East　also；　and　always　
fidgeted　herself　when　she　saw　him　with　a　book　of　
Indian　travels　in　his　hand；　as　though　he　were　sucking　
contagion　from　the　page。　On　the　other　hand；　no　mon　
love　affair；　had　there　been　such　a　thing；　would　have　caused　
her　a　moment’s　uneasiness　where