《夜与日》第147章

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