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[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第92部分


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She explained that she had been visiting an uncle who 
was ill; and that had kept her。 No; she hadn’t had any 

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Night and Day 

tea; but a slice of bread would do。 Some one handed up a 
hot cake; which had been keeping warm in the fender; 
she sat down by her mother’s side; Mrs。 Denham’s anxieties 
seemed to relax; and every one began eating and 
drinking; as if tea had begun over again。 Hester voluntarily 
explained to Katharine that she was reading to pass 
some examination; because she wanted more than anything 
in the whole world to go to Newnham。 

“Now; just let me hear you decline ‘amo’—I love;” 
Johnnie demanded。 

“No; Johnnie; no Greek at mealtimes;” said Joan; overhearing 
him instantly。 “She’s up at all hours of the night 
over her books; Miss Hilbery; and I’m sure that’s not the 
way to pass examinations;” she went on; smiling at 
Katharine; with the worried humorous smile of the elder 
sister whose younger brothers and sisters have bee 
almost like children of her own。 

“Joan; you don’t really think that ‘amo’ is Greek?” Ralph 
asked。 

“Did I say Greek? Well; never mind。 No dead languages at teatime。 
My dear boy; don’t trouble to make me any toast—” 

“Or if you do; surely there’s the toastingfork somewhere?” 
said Mrs。 Denham; still cherishing the belief that the breadknife 
could be spoilt。 “Do one of you ring and ask for one;” 
she said; without any conviction that she would be obeyed。 
“But is Ann ing to be with Uncle Joseph?” she continued。 
“If so; surely they had better send Amy to us—” and 
in the mysterious delight of learning further details of these 
arrangements; and suggesting more sensible plans of her 
own; which; from the aggrieved way in which she spoke; 
she did not seem to expect any one to adopt; Mrs。 Denham 
pletely forgot the presence of a welldressed visitor; 
who had to be informed about the amenities of Highgate。 
As soon as Joan had taken her seat; an argument had 
sprung up on either side of Katharine; as to whether the 
Salvation Army has any right to play hymns at street corners 
on Sunday mornings; thereby making it impossible for 
James to have his sleep out; and tampering with the rights 
of individual liberty。 

“You see; James likes to lie in bed and sleep like a 
hog;” said Johnnie; explaining himself to Katharine; 
whereupon James fired up and; making her his goal; also 

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Virginia Woolf 

exclaimed: 

“Because Sundays are my one chance in the week of 
having my sleep out。 Johnnie messes with stinking chemicals 
in the pantry—” 

They appealed to her; and she forgot her cake and began 
to laugh and talk and argue with sudden animation。 
The large family seemed to her so warm and various that 
she forgot to censure them for their taste in pottery。 But 
the personal question between James and Johnnie merged 
into some argument already; apparently; debated; so that 
the parts had been distributed among the family; in which 
Ralph took the lead; and Katharine found herself opposed 
to him and the champion of Johnnie’s cause; who; it 
appeared; always lost his head and got excited in argument 
with Ralph。 

“Yes; yes; that’s what I mean。 She’s got it right;” he 
exclaimed; after Katharine had restated his case; and made 
it more precise。 The debate was left almost solely to 
Katharine and Ralph。 They looked into each other’s eyes 
fixedly; like wrestlers trying to see what movement is 
ing next; and while Ralph spoke; Katharine bit her 

lower lip; and was always ready with her next point as 
soon as he had done。 They were very well matched; and 
held the opposite views。 

But at the most exciting stage of the argument; for no 
reason that Katharine could see; all chairs were pushed 
back; and one after another the Denham family got up 
and went out of the door; as if a bell had summoned 
them。 She was not used to the clockwork regulations of a 
large family。 She hesitated in what she was saying; and 
rose。 Mrs。 Denham and Joan had drawn together and stood 
by the fireplace; slightly raising their skirts above their 
ankles; and discussing something which had an air of 
being very serious and very private。 They appeared to 
have forgotten her presence among them。 Ralph stood 
holding the door open for her。 

“Won’t you e up to my room?” he said。 And Katharine; 
glancing back at Joan; who smiled at her in a preoccupied 
way; followed Ralph upstairs。 She was thinking of 
their argument; and when; after the long climb; he opened 
his door; she began at once。 

“The question is; then; at what point is it right for the 

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Night and Day 

individual to assert his will against the will of the State。” 

For some time they continued the argument; and then 
the intervals between one statement and the next became 
longer and longer; and they spoke more speculatively 
and less pugnaciously; and at last fell silent。 
Katharine went over the argument in her mind; remembering 
how; now and then; it had been set conspicuously 
on the right course by some remark offered either by 
James or by Johnnie。 

“Your brothers are very clever;” she said。 “I suppose 
you’re in the habit of arguing?” 

“James and Johnnie will go on like that for hours;” 
Ralph replied。 “So will Hester; if you start her upon Elizabethan 
dramatists。” 

“And the little girl with the pigtail?” 

“Molly? She’s only ten。 But they’re always arguing among 
themselves。” 

He was immensely pleased by Katharine’s praise of his 
brothers and sisters。 He would have liked to go on telling 
her about them; but he checked himself。 

“I see that it must be difficult to leave them;” Katharine 

continued。 His deep pride in his family was more evident 
to him; at that moment; than ever before; and the idea of 
living alone in a cottage was ridiculous。 All that brotherhood 
and sisterhood; and a mon childhood in a mon 
past mean; all the stability; the unambitious radeship; 
and tacit understanding of family life at its 
best; came to his mind; and he thought of them as a 
pany; of which he was the leader; bound on a difficult; 
dreary; but glorious voyage。 And it was Katharine 
who had opened his eyes to this; he thought。 

A little dry chirp from the corner of the room now roused 
her attention。 

“My tame rook;” he explained briefly。 “A cat had bitten 
one of its legs。” She looked at the rook; and her eyes 
went from one object to another。 

“You sit here and read?” she said; her eyes resting upon 
his books。 He said that he was in the habit of working 
there at night。 

“The great advantage of Highgate is the view over London。 
At night the view from my window is splendid。” He 
was extremely anxious that she should appreciate his view; 

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Virginia Woolf 

and she rose to see what was to be seen。 It was already dark 
enough for the turbulent haze to be yellow with the light of 
street lamps; and she tried to determine the quarters of the 
city beneath her。 The sight of her gazing from his window 
gave him a peculiar satisfaction。 When she turned; at length; 
he was still sitting motionless in his chair。 

“It must be late;” she said。 “I must be going。” She 
settled upon the arm of the chair irresolutely; thinking 
that she had no wish to go home。 William would be there; 
and he would find some way of making things unpleasant 
for her; and the memory of their quarrel came back to her。 
She had noticed Ralph’s coldness; too。 She looked at him; 
and from his fixed stare she thought that he must be 
working out some theory; some argument。 He had thought; 
perhaps; of some fresh point in his position; as to the 
bounds of personal liberty。 She waited; silently; thinking 
about liberty。 

“You’ve won again;” he said at last; without moving。 

“I’ve won?” she repeated; thinking of the argument。 

“I wish to God I hadn’t asked you here;” he burst out。 

“What do you mean?” 

“When you’re here; it’s different—I’m happy。 You’ve only 
to walk to the window—you’ve only to talk about liberty。 
When I saw you down there amon

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