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aloof and unreal and apart from the normal world did they
seem to her； in the house of innumerable typewriters；
murmuring their incantations and concocting their drugs；
and flinging their frail spiders’ webs over the torrent of life
which rushed down the streets outside。
She may have been conscious that there was some exaggeration
in this fancy of hers； for she certainly did not
wish to share it with Ralph。 To him； she supposed； Mary
Datchet； posing leaflets for Cabi Ministers among
her typewriters； represented all that was interesting and
genuine； and； accordingly； she shut them both out from
all share in the crowded street； with its pendant necklace
of lamps； its lighted windows； and its throng of men and
77
Night and Day
women； which exhilarated her to such an extent that she
very nearly forgot her panion。 She walked very fast；
and the effect of people passing in the opposite direction
was to produce a queer dizziness both in her head
and in Ralph’s； which set their bodies far apart。 But she
did her duty by her panion almost unconsciously。
“Mary Datchet does that sort of work very well… 。 She’s
responsible for it； I suppose？”
“Yes。 The others don’t help at all… 。 Has she made a
convert of you？”
“Oh no。 That is； I’m a convert already。”
“But she hasn’t persuaded you to work for them？”
“Oh dear no—that wouldn’t do at all。”
So they walked on down the Tottenham Court Road；
parting and ing together again； and Ralph felt much
as though he were addressing the summit of a poplar in a
high gale of wind。
“Suppose we get on to that omnibus？” he suggested。
Katharine acquiesced； and they climbed up； and found
themselves alone on top of it。
“But which way are you going？” Katharine asked； wak
ing a little from the trance into which movement among
moving things had thrown her。
“I’m going to the Temple；” Ralph replied； inventing a
destination on the spur of the moment。 He felt the change
e over her as they sat down and the omnibus began
to move forward。 He imagined her contemplating the avenue
in front of them with those honest sad eyes which
seemed to set him at such a distance from them。 But the
breeze was blowing in their faces； it lifted her hat for a
second； and she drew out a pin and stuck it in again；—a
little action which seemed； for some reason； to make her
rather more fallible。 Ah； if only her hat would blow off；
and leave her altogether disheveled； accepting it from
his hands！
“This is like Venice；” she observed； raising her hand。
“The motorcars； I mean； shooting about so quickly； with
their lights。”
“I’ve never seen Venice；” he replied。 “I keep that and
some other things for my old age。”
“What are the other things？” she asked。
“There’s Venice and India and； I think； Dante； too。”
78
Virginia Woolf
She laughed。
“Think of providing for one’s old age！ And would you
refuse to see Venice if you had the chance？”
Instead of answering her； he wondered whether he
should tell her something that was quite true about himself；
and as he wondered； he told her。
“I’ve planned out my life in sections ever since I was a
child； to make it last longer。 You see； I’m always afraid
that I’m missing something—”
“And so am I！” Katharine exclaimed。 “But； after all；”
she added； “why should you miss anything？”
“Why？ Because I’m poor； for one thing；” Ralph rejoined。
“You； I suppose； can have Venice and India and Dante
every day of your life。”
She said nothing for a moment； but rested one hand；
which was bare of glove； upon the rail in front of her；
meditating upon a variety of things； of which one was
that this strange young man pronounced Dante as she
was used to hearing it pronounced； and another； that he
had； most unexpectedly； a feeling about life that was
familiar to her。 Perhaps； then； he was the sort of person
she might take an interest in； if she came to know him
better； and as she had placed him among those whom
she would never want to know better； this was enough to
make her silent。 She hastily recalled her first view of
him； in the little room where the relics were kept； and
ran a bar through half her impressions； as one cancels a
badly written sentence； having found the right one。
“But to know that one might have things doesn’t alter
the fact that one hasn’t got them；” she said； in some confusion。
“How could I go to India； for example？ Besides；”
she began impulsively； and stopped herself。 Here the conductor
came round； and interrupted them。 Ralph waited
for her to resume her sentence； but she said no more。
“I have a message to give your father；” he remarked。
“Perhaps you would give it him； or I could e—”
“Yes； do e；” Katharine replied。
“Still； I don’t see why you shouldn’t go to India；” Ralph
began； in order to keep her from rising； as she threatened
to do。
But she got up in spite of him； and said goodbye with
her usual air of decision； and left him with a quickness
79
Night and Day
which Ralph connected now with all her movements。 He
looked down and saw her standing on the pavement edge；
an alert； manding figure； which waited its season to
cross； and then walked boldly and swiftly to the other
side。 That gesture and action would be added to the picture
he had of her； but at present the real woman pletely
routed the phantom one。
CHAPTER VII
And little Augustus Pelham said to me； ‘It’s the younger
generation knocking at the door；’ and I said to him； ‘Oh；
but the younger generation es in without knocking；
Mr。 Pelham。’ Such a feeble little joke； wasn’t it； but down
it went into his notebook all the same。”
“Let us congratulate ourselves that we shall be in the
grave before that work is published；” said Mr。 Hilbery。
The elderly couple were waiting for the dinnerbell to
ring and for their daughter to e into the room。 Their
armchairs were drawn up on either side of the fire； and
each sat in the same slightly crouched position； looki