theharshness,istakable
inhenerflinchedand
suchseverity,acpaniedbysothingindescribablyldandiersonalinhener,hadnstantly
beentedouttohiuringthelastfewdays,alwaysinthepanyofothershehadreupedhielfby
soridiculousdisplayofvanity
hitillreatherrcynohatheh
herthereulusfroutsidetodratention
froisinjurybyansiderableeffortofselfntrolheforainsilent,andtokehielf
distinguishpartofhispainovanity,
anreallyloving
hildspeakthus
“self
ithatshehadbeenaverydesirableand
205
nightandday
distinguishedfigure,thestressofherlittlesectionoftheorethanthat,shehepersonofall
othersedtohihearbitressoflife,thean
enturallyrightandsteady,ashis
hadneverbeeninspiteofallhiscultureandthenheuldnotseehereintoaroooutasenseof
theflos,ofthe
purplehesea,ofallthingsthatarelovelyandtableonthesurfacebutstillandpassionateintheirheart
“ifsheeandhadonlyledon
tolaughatiuldnthavefeltthatabouther,”hethought“iotafool,afterallicanthavebeenutterlystakenalltheseyearsandyet,whenshespeakstolikethatthetruthofitis,”hethought,“thativegotsuchdespicablefaultsthatnooneuldhelpspeakingtolikethatkatharineisquiterightandyet
thosearenotseriousfeelings,assheknoe
yselfakeher
e”heptedheretobreakthe
silencebyaskingkatharineinrespectsheuldchangehielftosuither;buthesoughtnsolationinsteadbyrunningoverthelistofhisgiftsandacquirents,hisknoin,hisknowledge
ofartandliterature,hisskillinthenagentofters,andhisancientuntrybloodbutthefeelingthatunderlayallthesefeelingsandpuzzledhirofoundlyandkepthiilenthecertaintythatheloved
katharineassincerelyashehaditinhioloveanyoneandyetsheuldspeaktohiikethatinasort
ofbeenthelostalldesiretospeak,andwould
quitereadilyhavetakenupsodifferenttopifnversationifkatharinehadstartedonethis,however,
shedidnotdo
heglanighthelp
hiounderstandherbehaviorasusual,shehadquickenedherpaceunnsciously,andtle
infrontofhibutheuldgainlittleinfortionfrobr >hereyes,eadilyatthebroher,or
frohelinesdrahus
tolosetouchhher,forhehadnoideashewas
thinking,thathebegantotalk
206
virginiawoolf
abouthisgrievancesagain,uchnviction
inhisvoice
“ifyouhavenofeelingfor,itbekinderto
saysotoinprivate”
“oh,,”sheburstout,asifhehadinterruptedsoabsorbingtrainofthought,“hofeelings
isntitbetteottotalksoch,nottobeworryingalwaysaboutsllthingsthatdontreallytter”
“thatsthequestionprecisely,”heexclaid“ionlyethattheydonttterthereare
tisindifferenttoeverythingiain,
iveathousandfaults;butyouknoheyrenoteverything;youknoareforyou”
“andifisaythatie”
“sayit,katharinesayitasifyouantitke
feelthatyoue”
sheuldnotforceherselftospeakaher
aroundtheandthehorizonted
outbyisttoaskherforpassionorforcertaintyseedlikeaskingthatdaprospectforfiercebladesoffire,orthefadedskyfortheintensebluevaultofjuneheonnootellherofhisloveforher,inwords
poftruth;
butnoneofthistouchedher,until,ingtoagatey,heheaveditopenhhisshoulder,
stilltalkingandtakingnoacuntofhiseffortthevirilityofthisdeediressedher;andyet,norlly,sheattachednovaluetothepoesthe
strengthofscleshasnothingtodoonthefaceofiththestrengthofaffections;nevertheless,shefeltasuddennceforthispooeonher
acunt,binedhadesiretokeeppossession
ofthatstrangelyattractivesculinepoade
herrouseherselffroertorpor
plytellhihetruthh
inastystateofnd
hinghaditsrightshapeorsizethatitwas
deplorable,butthatarriagewas
outofthequestionshedidnotarryanyone
shee
bleaknortheor,andtherestudytheticsand
thesytywordswouldexplain
207
nightandday
thehehadceasedtospeak;he
hadtoldheroncerehowhelovedherandwhyshe
suonedherurage,fixedhereyesuponalightningsplinteredashtree,and,alstasifshewerereadingaingfixedtothetrunk,began:
“iake
youhappyihaveneverlovedyou”
“katharine”heprotested
“no,never,”sherepeatedobstinately“notrightlydontyousee,ididntknoiwasdoing”
“youlovesooneelse”hecuthershort
“absolutelynoone”
“henry”hedended
“henryishouldhavethought,,evenyou”
“thereissoone,”hepersisted“therehasbeenachangeinthelastfeetobe
honest,katharine”
“ifiuld,iwould,”shereplied
“eyouarry,then”he
dended
ontofpessisasuddenn
victionoftheundeniableproseoflife,alapseoftheillusionidweenheaven
andearth,adesperateattettorencileherselfhfaont,asof
adreaedtoherantofsurrender
buthesefordoing
shehaddonesheshookherheadverysad
