按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
one walking in her sleep。”
To Cassandra the significant thing was that Katharine
had gone out without telling her； and she interpreted
this to mean that she had gone out to meet Ralph Denham。
But to her surprise William drew no fort from this
probability。
“Once throw conventions aside；” he began； “once do
the things that people don’t do—” and the fact that you
are going to meet a young man is no longer proof of
anything； except； indeed； that people will talk。
Cassandra saw； not without a pang of jealousy； that he
was extremely solicitous that people should not talk about
Katharine； as if his interest in her were still proprietary
rather than friendly。 As they were both ignorant of Ralph’s
visit the night before they had not that reason to fort
themselves with the thought that matters were hastening
to a crisis。 These absences of Katharine’s； moreover；
left them exposed to interruptions which almost
destroyed their pleasure in being alone together。 The rainy
evening made it impossible to go out； and； indeed； according
to William’s code； it was considerably more damning
to be seen out of doors than surprised within。 They
were so much at the mercy of bells and doors that they
could hardly talk of Macaulay with any conviction； and
William preferred to defer the second act of his tragedy
until another day。
Under these circumstances Cassandra showed herself at
her best。 She sympathized with William’s anxieties and
did her utmost to share them； but still； to be alone together；
to be running risks together； to be partners in the
wonderful conspiracy； was to her so enthralling that she
was always forgetting discretion； breaking out into ex
395
Night and Day
clamations and admirations which finally made William
believe that； although deplorable and upsetting； the situation
was not without its sweetness。
When the door did open； he started； but braved the
forthing revelation。 It was not Mrs。 Milvain； however；
but Katharine herself who entered； closely followed
by Ralph Denham。 With a set expression which showed
what an effort she was making； Katharine encountered
their eyes； and saying； “We’re not going to interrupt you；”
she led Denham behind the curtain which hung in front
of the room with the relics。 This refuge was none of her
willing； but confronted with wet pavements and only some
belated museum or Tube station for shelter； she was forced；
for Ralph’s sake； to face the disforts of her own house。
Under the street lamps she had thought him looking both
tired and strained。
Thus separated； the two couples remained occupied for
some time with their own affairs。 Only the lowest murmurs
perated from one section of the room to the
other。 At length the maid came in to bring a message
that Mr。 Hilbery would not be home for dinner。 It was
true that there was no need that Katharine should be
informed； but William began to inquire Cassandra’s opinion
in such a way as to show that； with or without reason；
he wished very much to speak to her。
From motives of her own Cassandra dissuaded him。
“But don’t you think it’s a little unsociable？” he
hazarded。 “Why not do something amusing？—go to the
play； for instance？ Why not ask Katharine and Ralph； eh？”
The coupling of their names in this manner caused
Cassandra’s heart to leap with pleasure。
“Don’t you think they must be—？” she began； but William
hastily took her up。
“Oh； I know nothing about that。 I only thought we
might amuse ourselves； as your uncle’s out。”
He proceeded on his embassy with a mixture of excitement
and embarrassment which caused him to turn aside
with his hand on the curtain； and to examine intently for
several moments the portrait of a lady； optimistically said
by Mrs。 Hilbery to be an early work of Sir Joshua Reynolds。
Then； with some unnecessary fumbling； he drew aside
the curtain； and with his eyes fixed upon the ground；
396
Virginia Woolf
repeated his message and suggested that they should all
spend the evening at the play。 Katharine accepted the
suggestion with such cordiality that it was strange to
find her of no clear mind as to the precise spectacle she
wished to see。 She left the choice entirely to Ralph and
William； who； taking counsel fraternally over an evening
paper； found themselves in agreement as to the merits of
a musichall。 This being arranged； everything else followed
easily and enthusiastically。 Cassandra had never
been to a musichall。 Katharine instructed her in the peculiar
delights of an entertainment where Polar bears follow
directly upon ladies in full evening dress； and the
stage is alternately a garden of mystery； a milliner’s bandbox；
and a friedfish shop in the Mile End Road。 Whatever
the exact nature of the program that night； it fulfilled
the highest purposes of dramatic art； so far； at least；
as four of the audience were concerned。
No doubt the actors and the authors would have been
surprised to learn in what shape their efforts reached
those particular eyes and ears； but they could not have
denied that the effect as a whole was tremendous。 The
hall resounded with brass and strings； alternately of enormous
pomp and majesty； and then of sweetest lamentation。
The reds and creams of the background； the lyres
and harps and urns and skulls； the protuberances of plaster；
the fringes of scarlet plush； the sinking and blazing
of innumerable electric lights； could scarcely have been
surpassed for decorative effect by any craftsman of the
ancient or modern world。
Then there was the audience itself； bareshouldered；
tufted and garlanded in the stalls； decorous but festal in
the balconies； and frankly fit for daylight and street life
in the galleries。 But； however they differed when looked
at separately； they shared the same huge； lovable nature
in the bulk； which murmured and swayed and quivered all
the time the dancing and juggling and lovemaking went
on in front of it； slowly laughed and reluctantly left off
laughing； and applauded with a helterskelte