“Iwasjustsayingthatpeoplearesoliketheirboots，“
　　saidMissAllan。Mrs。Paleydidnothear。Sherepeateditmoreloudlystill。Mrs。Paleydidnothear。Sherepeateditathirdtime。Mrs。Paleyheard，butshedidnotunderstand。
　　Shewasapparentlyabouttorepeatitforthefourthtime，whenRachelsuddenlysaidsomethinginarticulate，anddisappeareddownthecorridor。Thismisunderstanding，whichinvolvedacompleteblockinthepassage，seemedtoherunbearable。Shewalkedquicklyandblindlyintheoppositedirection，andfoundherselfattheendofa_cul__de__sac_。Therewasawindow，andatableandachairinthewindow，anduponthetablestoodarustyinkstand，anashtray，anoldcopyofaFrenchnewspaper，andapenwithabrokennib。Rachelsatdown，asiftostudytheFrenchnewspaper，butatearfellontheblurredFrenchprint，raisingasoftblot。
　　Sheliftedherheadsharply，exclaimingaloud，“It’sintolerable！“
　　Lookingoutofthewindowwitheyesthatwouldhaveseennothingevenhadtheynotbeendazedbytears，sheindulgedherselfatlastinviolentabuseoftheentireday。Ithadbeenmiserablefromstarttofinish；first，theserviceinthechapel；thenluncheon；
　　thenEvelyn；thenMissAllan；thenoldMrs。Paleyblockingupthepassage。Alldaylongshehadbeentantalizedandputoff。
　　Shehadnowreachedoneofthoseeminences，theresultofsomecrisis，fromwhichtheworldisfinallydisplayedinitstrueproportions。
　　Shedislikedthelookofitimmensely——churches，politicians，misfits，andhugeimpostures——menlikeMr。Dalloway，menlikeMr。Bax，Evelynandherchatter，Mrs。Paleyblockingupthepassage。
　　Meanwhilethesteadybeatofherownpulserepresentedthehotcurrentoffeelingthatrandownbeneath；beating，struggling，fretting。
　　Forthetime，herownbodywasthesourceofallthelifeintheworld，whichtriedtoburstforthhere——there——andwasrepressednowbyMr。Bax，nowbyEvelyn，nowbytheimpositionofponderousstupidity，theweightoftheentireworld。Thustormented，shewouldtwistherhandstogether，forallthingswerewrong，allpeoplestupid。
　　Vaguelyseeingthattherewerepeopledowninthegardenbeneathsherepresentedthemasaimlessmassesofmatter，floatinghitherandthither，withoutaimexcepttoimpedeher。Whatweretheydoing，thoseotherpeopleintheworld？
　　“Nobodyknows，“shesaid。Theforceofherragewasbeginningtospenditself，andthevisionoftheworldwhichhadbeensovividbecamedim。
　　“It’sadream，“shemurmured。Sheconsideredtherustyinkstand，thepen，theash-tray，andtheoldFrenchnewspaper。Thesesmallandworthlessobjectsseemedtohertorepresenthumanlives。
　　“We’reasleepanddreaming，“sherepeated。ButthepossibilitywhichnowsuggesteditselfthatoneoftheshapesmightbetheshapeofTerencerousedherfromhermelancholylethargy。
　　Shebecameasrestlessasshehadbeenbeforeshesatdown。Shewasnolongerabletoseetheworldasatownlaidoutbeneathher。
　　Itwascoveredinsteadbyahazeoffeverishredmist。Shehadreturnedtothestateinwhichshehadbeenallday。Thinkingwasnoescape。Physicalmovementwastheonlyrefuge，inandoutofrooms，inandoutofpeople’sminds，seekingsheknewnotwhat。
　　Thereforesherose，pushedbackthetable，andwentdownstairs。
　　Shewentoutofthehalldoor，and，turningthecornerofthehotel，foundherselfamongthepeoplewhomshehadseenfromthewindow。
　　Butowingtothebroadsunshineaftershadedpassages，andtothesubstanceoflivingpeopleafterdreams，thegroupappearedwithstartlingintensity，asthoughthedustysurfacehadbeenpeeledoffeverything，leavingonlytherealityandtheinstant。
　　Ithadthelookofavisionprintedonthedarkatnight。
　　Whiteandgreyandpurplefigureswerescatteredonthegreen，roundwickertables，inthemiddletheflameofthetea-urnmadetheairwaverlikeafaultysheetofglass，amassivegreentreestoodoverthemasifitwereamovingforceheldatrest。
　　Assheapproached，shecouldhearEvelyn’svoicerepeatingmonotonously，“Herethen——here——gooddoggie，comehere“；foramomentnothingseemedtohappen；itallstoodstill，andthensherealisedthatoneofthefigureswasHelenAmbrose；andthedustagainbegantosettle。
　　Thegroupindeedhadcometogetherinamiscellaneousway；
　　onetea-tablejoiningtoanothertea-table，anddeck-chairsservingtoconnecttwogroups。ButevenatadistanceitcouldbeseenthatMrs。Flushing，uprightandimperious，dominatedtheparty。
　　ShewastalkingvehementlytoHelenacrossthetable。
　　“Tendaysundercanvas，“shewassaying。“Nocomforts。Ifyouwantcomforts，don’tcome。ButImaytellyou，ifyoudon’tcomeyou’llregretitallyourlife。Yousayyes？“
　　AtthismomentMrs。FlushingcaughtsightofRachel。
　　“Ah，there’syourniece。She’spromised。You’recoming，aren’tyou？“
　　Havingadoptedtheplan，shepursueditwiththeenergyofachild。
　　Racheltookherpartwitheagerness。
　　“OfcourseI’mcoming。Soareyou，Helen。AndMr。Peppertoo。“
　　Asshesatsherealisedthatshewassurroundedbypeoplesheknew，butthatTerencewasnotamongthem。Fromvariousanglespeoplebegansayingwhattheythoughtoftheproposedexpedition。
　　Accordingtosomeitwouldbehot，butthenightswouldbecold；
　　accordingtoothers，thedifficultieswouldlieratheringettingaboat，andinspeakingthelanguage。Mrs。Flushingdisposedofallobjections，whetherduetomanorduetonature，byannouncingthatherhusbandwouldsettleallthat。
　　MeanwhileMr。FlushingquietlyexplainedtoHelenthattheexpeditionwasreallyasimplematter；ittookfivedaysattheoutside；
　　andtheplace——anativevillage——wascertainlywellworthseeingbeforeshereturnedtoEngland。Helenmurmuredambiguously，anddidnotcommitherselftooneanswerratherthantoanother。
　　Thetea-party，however，includedtoomanydifferentkindsofpeopleforgeneralconversationtoflourish；andfromRachel’spointofviewpossessedthegreatadvantagethatitwasquiteunnecessaryforhertotalk。OverthereSusanandArthurwereexplainingtoMrs。Paleythatanexpeditionhadbeenproposed；andMrs。Paleyhavinggraspedthefact，gavetheadviceofanoldtravellerthattheyshouldtakenicecannedvegetables，furcloaks，andinsectpowder。
　　SheleantovertoMrs。Flushingandwhisperedsomethingwhichfromthetwinkleinhereyesprobablyhadreferencetobugs。
　　ThenHelenwasreciting“TollfortheBrave“toSt。JohnHirst，inorderapparentlytowinasixpencewhichlayuponthetable；
　　whileMr。HughlingElliotimposedsilenceuponhissectionoftheaudiencebyhisfascinatinganecdoteofLordCurzonandtheundergraduate’sbicycle。Mrs。ThornburywastryingtorememberthenameofamanwhomighthavebeenanotherGaribaldi，andhadwrittenabookwhichtheyoughttoread；andMr。Thornburyrecollectedthathehadapairofbinocularsatanybody’sservice。
　　MissAllanmeanwhilemurmuredwiththecuriousintimacywhichaspinsteroftenachieveswithdogs，tothefox-terrierwhichEvelynhadatlastinducedtocomeovertothem。Littleparticlesofdustorblossomfellontheplatesnowandthenwhenthebranchessighedabove。
　　Rachelseemedtoseeandhearalittleofeverything，muchasariverfeelsthetwigsthatfallintoitandseestheskyabove，buthereyesweretoovagueforEvelyn’sliking。Shecameacross，andsatonthegroundatRachel’sfeet。
　　“Well？“sheaskedsuddenly。“Whatareyouthinkingabout？“
　　“MissWarrington，“Rachelrepliedrashly，becauseshehadtosaysomething。ShedidindeedseeSusanmurmuringtoMrs。Elliot，whileArthurstaredatherwithcompleteconfidenceinhisownlove。
　　BothRachelandEvelynthenbegantolistentowhatSusanwassaying。
　　“There’stheorderingandthedogsandthegarden，andthechildrencomingtobetaught，“hervoiceproceededrhythmicallyasifcheckingthelist，“andmytennis，andthevillage，andletterstowriteforfather，andathousandlittlethingsthatdon’tsoundmuch；
　　butIneverhaveamomenttomyself，andwhenIgottobed，I’msosleepyI’moffbeforemyheadtouchesthepillow。BesidesI
　　liketobeagreatdealwithmyAunts——I’magreatbore，aren’tI，AuntEmma？“shesmiledatoldMrs。Paley，whowithheadslightlydroopedwasregardingthecakewithspeculativeaffection，“andfatherhastobeverycarefulaboutchillsinwinterwhichmeansagreatdealofrunningabout，becausehewon’tlookafterhimself，anymorethanyouwill，Arthur！Soitallmountsup！“
　　Hervoicemountedtoo，inamildecstasyofsatisfactionwithherlifeandherownnature。RachelsuddenlytookaviolentdisliketoSusan，ignoringallthatwaskindly，modest，andevenpatheticabouther。
　　Sheappearedinsincereandcruel；shesawhergrownstoutandprolific，thekindblueeyesnowshallowandwatery，thebloomofthecheekscongealedtoanetworkofdryredcanals。
　　Helenturnedtoher。“Didyougotochurch？“sheasked。
　　Shehadwonhersixpenceandseemedmakingreadytogo。
　　“Yes，“saidRachel。“Forthelasttime，“sheadded。
　　Inpreparingtoputonhergloves，Helendroppedone。
　　“You’renotgoing？“Evelynasked，takingholdofonegloveasiftokeepthem。
　　“It’shightimewewent，“saidHelen。“Don’tyouseehowsilenteveryone’sgetting——？“
　　Asilencehadfallenuponthemall，causedpartlybyoneoftheaccidentsoftalk，andpartlybecausetheysawsomeoneapproaching。
　　Helencouldnotseewhoitwas，butkeepinghereyesfixeduponRachelobservedsomethingwhichmadehersaytoherself，“Soit’sHewet。“
　　Shedrewonhergloveswithacurioussenseofthesignificanceofthemoment。Thensherose，forMrs。FlushinghadseenHewettoo，andwasdemandinginformationaboutriversandboatswhichshowedthatthewholeconversationwouldnowcomeoveragain。
　　Rachelfollowedher，andtheywalkedinsilencedowntheavenue。
　　InspiteofwhatHelenhadseenandunderstood，thefeelingthatwasuppermostinhermindwasnowcuriouslyperverse；ifshewentonthisexpedition，shewouldnotbeabletohaveabath，theeffortappearedtohertobegreatanddisagreeable。
　　“It’ssounpleasant，beingcoopedupwithpeopleonehardlyknows，“
　　sheremarked。“Peoplewhomindbeingseennaked。“
　　“Youdon’tmeantogo？“Rachelasked。
　　TheintensitywithwhichthiswasspokenirritatedMrs。Ambrose。
　　“Idon’tmeantogo，andIdon’tmeannottogo，“shereplied。
　　Shebecamemoreandmorecasualandindifferent。
　　“Afterall，Idaresaywe’veseenallthereistobeseen；
　　andthere’sthebotherofgettingthere，andwhatevertheymaysayit’sboundtobevilelyuncomfortable。“
　　ForsometimeRachelmadenoreply；buteverysentenceHelenspokeincreasedherbitterness。Atlastshebrokeout——
　　“ThankGod，Helen，I’mnotlikeyou！Isometimesthinkyoudon’tthinkorfeelorcaretodoanythingbutexist！You’relikeMr。Hirst。
　　Youseethatthingsarebad，andyouprideyourselfonsayingso。
　　It’swhatyoucallbeinghonest；asamatteroffactit’sbeinglazy，beingdull，beingnothing。Youdon’thelp；youputanendtothings。“
　　Helensmiledasifsheratherenjoyedtheattack。
　　“Well？“sheenquired。
　　“Itseemstomebad——that’sall，“Rachelreplied。
　　“Quitelikely，“saidHelen。
　　AtanyothertimeRachelwouldprobablyhavebeensilencedbyherAunt’scandour；butthisafternoonshewasnotinthemoodtobesilencedbyanyone。Aquarrelwouldbewelcome。
　　“You’reonlyhalfalive，“shecontinued。
　　“IsthatbecauseIdidn’tacceptMr。Flushing’sinvitation？“
　　Helenasked，“ordoyoualwaysthinkthat？“
　　AtthemomentitappearedtoRachelthatshehadalwaysseenthesamefaultsinHelen，fromtheveryfirstnightonboardthe_Euphrosyne_，inspiteofherbeauty，inspiteofhermagnanimityandtheirlove。
　　“Oh，it’sonlywhat’sthematterwitheveryone！“sheexclaimed。
　　“Noonefeels——noonedoesanythingbuthurt。Itellyou，Helen，theworld’sbad。It’sanagony，living，wanting——“
　　Hereshetoreahandfulofleavesfromabushandcrushedthemtocontrolherself。