Heclaspedhisforeheadinhishands。
　　“Youtemptme，“hesaid。Thetoneofhisvoicewasterrifying。
　　Heseemedchokedinfright。Theywerebothtrembling。
　　Rachelstoodupandwent。Herheadwascold，herkneesshaking，andthephysicalpainoftheemotionwassogreatthatshecouldonlykeepherselfmovingabovethegreatleapsofherheart。
　　Sheleantupontherailoftheship，andgraduallyceasedtofeel，forachillofbodyandmindcreptoverher。Faroutbetweenthewaveslittleblackandwhitesea-birdswereriding。Risingandfallingwithsmoothandgracefulmovementsinthehollowsofthewavestheyseemedsingularlydetachedandunconcerned。
　　“You’repeaceful，“shesaid。Shebecamepeacefultoo，atthesametimepossessedwithastrangeexultation。Lifeseemedtoholdinfinitepossibilitiesshehadneverguessedat。Sheleantupontherailandlookedoverthetroubledgreywaters，wherethesunlightwasfitfullyscattereduponthecrestsofthewaves，untilshewascoldandabsolutelycalmagain。Neverthelesssomethingwonderfulhadhappened。
　　Atdinner，however，shedidnotfeelexalted，butmerelyuncomfortable，asifsheandRichardhadseensomethingtogetherwhichishiddeninordinarylife，sothattheydidnotliketolookateachother。
　　Richardslidhiseyesoverheruneasilyonce，andneverlookedatheragain。Formalplatitudesweremanufacturedwitheffort，butWilloughbywaskindled。
　　“BeefforMr。Dalloway！“heshouted。“Comenow——afterthatwalkyou’reatthebeefstage，Dalloway！“
　　WonderfulmasculinestoriesfollowedaboutBrightandDisraeliandcoalitiongovernments，wonderfulstorieswhichmadethepeopleatthedinner-tableseemfeaturelessandsmall。Afterdinner，sittingalonewithRachelunderthegreatswinginglamp，Helenwasstruckbyherpallor。Itoncemoreoccurredtoherthattherewassomethingstrangeinthegirl’sbehaviour。
　　“Youlooktired。Areyoutired？“sheasked。
　　“Nottired，“saidRachel。“Oh，yes，IsupposeIamtired。“
　　Helenadvisedbed，andshewent，notseeingRichardagain。
　　Shemusthavebeenverytiredforshefellasleepatonce，butafteranhourortwoofdreamlesssleep，shedreamt。Shedreamtthatshewaswalkingdownalongtunnel，whichgrewsonarrowbydegreesthatshecouldtouchthedampbricksoneitherside。
　　Atlengththetunnelopenedandbecameavault；shefoundherselftrappedinit，bricksmeetingherwhereversheturned，alonewithalittledeformedmanwhosquattedonthefloorgibbering，withlongnails。Hisfacewaspittedandlikethefaceofananimal。
　　Thewallbehindhimoozedwithdamp，whichcollectedintodropsandsliddown。Stillandcoldasdeathshelay，notdaringtomove，untilshebroketheagonybytossingherselfacrossthebed，andwokecrying“Oh！“
　　Lightshowedherthefamiliarthings:herclothes，fallenoffthechair；thewaterjuggleamingwhite；butthehorrordidnotgoatonce。Shefeltherselfpursued，sothatshegotupandactuallylockedherdoor。Avoicemoanedforher；eyesdesiredher。
　　Allnightlongbarbarianmenharassedtheship；theycamescufflingdownthepassages，andstoppedtosnuffleatherdoor。Shecouldnotsleepagain。
　　“That’sthetragedyoflife——asIalwayssay！“saidMrs。Dalloway。
　　“Beginningthingsandhavingtoendthem。Still，I’mnotgoingtolet_this_end，ifyou’rewilling。“Itwasthemorning，theseawascalm，andtheshiponceagainwasanchorednotfarfromanothershore。
　　Shewasdressedinherlongfurcloak，withtheveilswoundaroundherhead，andoncemoretherichboxesstoodontopofeachothersothatthesceneofafewdaysbackseemedtoberepeated。
　　“D’yousupposeweshallevermeetinLondon？“saidRidleyironically。
　　“You’llhaveforgottenallaboutmebythetimeyoustepoutthere。“
　　Hepointedtotheshoreofthelittlebay，wheretheycouldnowseetheseparatetreeswithmovingbranches。
　　“Howhorridyouare！“shelaughed。“Rachel’scomingtoseemeanyhow——
　　theinstantyougetback，“shesaid，pressingRachel’sarm。
　　“Now——you’venoexcuse！“
　　Withasilverpencilshewrotehernameandaddressontheflyleafof_Persuasion_，andgavethebooktoRachel。Sailorswereshoulderingtheluggage，andpeoplewerebeginningtocongregate。
　　TherewereCaptainCobbold，Mr。Grice，Willoughby，Helen，andanobscuregratefulmaninabluejersey。
　　“Oh，it’stime，“saidClarissa。“Well，good-bye。I_do_likeyou，“
　　shemurmuredasshekissedRachel。PeopleinthewaymadeitunnecessaryforRichardtoshakeRachelbythehand；hemanagedtolookatherverystifflyforasecondbeforehefollowedhiswifedowntheship’sside。
　　Theboatseparatingfromthevesselmadeofftowardstheland，andforsomeminutesHelen，Ridley，andRachelleantovertherail，watching。OnceMrs。Dallowayturnedandwaved；
　　buttheboatsteadilygrewsmallerandsmalleruntilitceasedtoriseandfall，andnothingcouldbeseensavetworesolutebacks。
　　“Well，that’sover，“saidRidleyafteralongsilence。“Weshallneversee_them_again，“headded，turningtogotohisbooks。
　　Afeelingofemptinessandmelancholycameoverthem；theyknewintheirheartsthatitwasover，andthattheyhadpartedforever，andtheknowledgefilledthemwithfargreaterdepressionthanthelengthoftheiracquaintanceseemedtojustify。EvenastheboatpulledawaytheycouldfeelothersightsandsoundsbeginningtotaketheplaceoftheDalloways，andthefeelingwassounpleasantthattheytriedtoresistit。Forso，too，wouldtheybeforgotten。
　　InmuchthesamewayasMrs。Chaileydownstairswassweepingthewitheredrose-leavesoffthedressing-table，soHelenwasanxioustomakethingsstraightagainafterthevisitorshadgone。
　　Rachel’sobviouslanguorandlistlessnessmadeheraneasyprey，andindeedHelenhaddevisedakindoftrap。Thatsomethinghadhappenedshenowfeltprettycertain；moreover，shehadcometothinkthattheyhadbeenstrangerslongenough；shewishedtoknowwhatthegirlwaslike，partlyofcoursebecauseRachelshowednodispositiontobeknown。So，astheyturnedfromtherail，shesaid:
　　“Comeandtalktomeinsteadofpractising，“andledthewaytotheshelteredsidewherethedeck-chairswerestretchedinthesun。
　　Rachelfollowedherindifferently。HermindwasabsorbedbyRichard；
　　bytheextremestrangenessofwhathadhappened，andbyathousandfeelingsofwhichshehadnotbeenconsciousbefore。
　　ShemadescarcelyanyattempttolistentowhatHelenwassaying，asHelenindulgedincommonplacestobeginwith。WhileMrs。Ambrosearrangedherembroidery，suckedhersilk，andthreadedherneedle，shelaybackgazingatthehorizon。
　　“Didyoulikethosepeople？“Helenaskedhercasually。
　　“Yes，“sherepliedblankly。
　　“Youtalkedtohim，didn’tyou？“
　　Shesaidnothingforaminute。
　　“Hekissedme，“shesaidwithoutanychangeoftone。
　　Helenstarted，lookedather，butcouldnotmakeoutwhatshefelt。
　　“M-m-m’yes，“shesaid，afterapause。“Ithoughthewasthatkindofman。“
　　“Whatkindofman？“saidRachel。
　　“Pompousandsentimental。“
　　“Ilikehim，“saidRachel。
　　“Soyoureallydidn’tmind？“
　　ForthefirsttimesinceHelenhadknownherRachel’seyeslitupbrightly。
　　“Ididmind，“shesaidvehemently。“Idreamt。Icouldn’tsleep。“
　　“Tellmewhathappened，“saidHelen。ShehadtokeepherlipsfromtwitchingasshelistenedtoRachel’sstory。Itwaspouredoutabruptlywithgreatseriousnessandnosenseofhumour。
　　“Wetalkedaboutpolitics。Hetoldmewhathehaddoneforthepoorsomewhere。Iaskedhimallsortsofquestions。Hetoldmeabouthisownlife。Thedaybeforeyesterday，afterthestorm，hecameintoseeme。Ithappenedthen，quitesuddenly。
　　Hekissedme。Idon’tknowwhy。“Asshespokeshegrewflushed。
　　“Iwasagooddealexcited，“shecontinued。“ButIdidn’tmindtillafterwards；when——“shepaused，andsawthefigureofthebloatedlittlemanagain——“Ibecameterrified。“
　　Fromthelookinhereyesitwasevidentshewasagainterrified。
　　Helenwasreallyatalosswhattosay。FromthelittlesheknewofRachel’supbringingshesupposedthatshehadbeenkeptentirelyignorantastotherelationsofmenwithwomen。Withashynesswhichshefeltwithwomenandnotwithmenshedidnotliketoexplainsimplywhattheseare。Thereforeshetooktheothercourseandbelittledthewholeaffair。
　　“Oh，well，“shesaid，“Hewasasillycreature，andifIwereyou，I’dthinknomoreaboutit。“
　　“No，“saidRachel，sittingboltupright，“Ishan’tdothat。
　　IshallthinkaboutitalldayandallnightuntilIfindoutexactlywhatitdoesmean。“
　　“Don’tyoueverread？“Helenaskedtentatively。
　　“_Cowper’s__Letters_——thatkindofthing。FathergetsthemformeormyAunts。“
　　Helencouldhardlyrestrainherselffromsayingoutloudwhatshethoughtofamanwhobroughtuphisdaughtersothatattheageoftwenty-fourshescarcelyknewthatmendesiredwomenandwasterrifiedbyakiss。ShehadgoodreasontofearthatRachelhadmadeherselfincrediblyridiculous。
　　“Youdon’tknowmanymen？“sheasked。
　　“Mr。Pepper，“saidRachelironically。
　　“Sonoone’severwantedtomarryyou？“
　　“No，“sheansweredingenuously。
　　Helenreflectedthatas，fromwhatshehadsaid，Rachelcertainlywouldthinkthesethingsout，itmightbeaswelltohelpher。
　　“Yououghtn’ttobefrightened，“shesaid。“It’sthemostnaturalthingintheworld。Menwillwanttokissyou，justasthey’llwanttomarryyou。Thepityistogetthingsoutofproportion。
　　It’slikenoticingthenoisespeoplemakewhentheyeat，ormenspitting；or，inshort，anysmallthingthatgetsonone’snerves。“
　　Rachelseemedtobeinattentivetotheseremarks。
　　“Tellme，“shesaidsuddenly，“whatarethosewomeninPiccadilly？“
　　“InPicadilly？Theyareprostituted，“saidHelen。
　　“It_is_terrifying——it_is_disgusting，“Rachelasserted，asifsheincludedHeleninthehatred。
　　“Itis，“saidHelen。“But——“
　　“Ididlikehim，“Rachelmused，asifspeakingtoherself。
　　“Iwantedtotalktohim；Iwantedtoknowwhathe’ddone。
　　ThewomeninLancashire——“
　　ItseemedtoherassherecalledtheirtalkthattherewassomethinglovableaboutRichard，goodintheirattemptedfriendship，andstrangelypiteousinthewaytheyhadparted。
　　ThesofteningofhermoodwasapparenttoHelen。
　　“Yousee，“shesaid，“youmusttakethingsastheyare；andifyouwantfriendshipwithmenyoumustrunrisks。Personally，“shecontinued，breakingintoasmile，“Ithinkit’sworthit；Idon’tmindbeingkissed；I’mratherjealous，Ibelieve，thatMr。Dallowaykissedyouanddidn’tkissme。Though，“sheadded，“heboredmeconsiderably。“
　　ButRacheldidnotreturnthesmileordismissthewholeaffair，asHelenmeantherto。Hermindwasworkingveryquickly，inconsistentlyandpainfully。Helen’swordsheweddowngreatblockswhichhadstoodtherealways，andthelightwhichcameinwascold。
　　Aftersittingforatimewithfixedeyes，sheburstout:
　　“Sothat’swhyIcan’twalkalone！“
　　Bythisnewlightshesawherlifeforthefirsttimeacreepinghedged-inthing，drivencautiouslybetweenhighwalls，hereturnedaside，thereplungedindarkness，madedullandcrippledforever——herlifethatwastheonlychanceshehad