Momentarythoughitseemed，neverthelesstheinterruptionwasupsetting；
　　everyonewasmoreorlessputoutbyit，fromMr。Grice，thesteward，toRidleyhimself。AfewminuteslaterRachelpassedthesmoking-room，andfoundHelenmovingarm-chairs。Shewasabsorbedinherarrangements，andonseeingRachelremarkedconfidentially:
　　“Ifonecangivemenaroomtothemselveswheretheywillsit，it’salltothegood。Arm-chairsare_the_importantthings——“
　　Shebeganwheelingthemabout。“Now，doesitstilllooklikeabaratarailwaystation？“
　　Shewhippedaplushcoveroffatable。Theappearanceoftheplacewasmarvellouslyimproved。
　　Again，thearrivalofthestrangersmadeitobvioustoRachel，asthehourofdinnerapproached，thatshemustchangeherdress；
　　andtheringingofthegreatbellfoundhersittingontheedgeofherberthinsuchapositionthatthelittleglassabovethewashstandreflectedherheadandshoulders。Intheglasssheworeanexpressionoftensemelancholy，forshehadcometothedepressingconclusion，sincethearrivaloftheDalloways，thatherfacewasnotthefaceshewanted，andinallprobabilityneverwouldbe。
　　However，punctualityhadbeenimpressedonher，andwhateverfaceshehad，shemustgointodinner。
　　ThesefewminuteshadbeenusedbyWilloughbyinsketchingtotheDallowaysthepeopletheyweretomeet，andcheckingthemuponhisfingers。
　　“There’smybrother-in-law，Ambrose，thescholarIdaresayyou’veheardhisname，hiswife，myoldfriendPepper，averyquietfellow，butknowseverything，I’mtold。Andthat’sall。
　　We’reaverysmallparty。I’mdroppingthemonthecoast。“
　　Mrs。Dalloway，withherheadalittleononeside，didherbesttorecollectAmbrose——wasitasurname？——butfailed。Shewasmadeslightlyuneasybywhatshehadheard。Sheknewthatscholarsmarriedanyone——girlstheymetinfarmsonreadingparties；
　　orlittlesuburbanwomenwhosaiddisagreeably，“OfcourseIknowit’smyhusbandyouwant；not_me_。“
　　ButHelencameinatthatpoint，andMrs。Dallowaysawwithreliefthatthoughslightlyeccentricinappearance，shewasnotuntidy，heldherselfwell，andhervoicehadrestraintinit，whichsheheldtobethesignofalady。Mr。Pepperhadnottroubledtochangehisneatuglysuit。
　　“Butafterall，“ClarissathoughttoherselfasshefollowedVinraceintodinner，“_every__one’s_interestingreally。“
　　Whenseatedatthetableshehadsomeneedofthatassurance，chieflybecauseofRidley，whocameinlate，lookeddecidedlyunkempt，andtooktohissoupinprofoundgloom。
　　Animperceptiblesignalpassedbetweenhusbandandwife，meaningthattheygraspedthesituationandwouldstandbyeachotherloyally。
　　WithscarcelyapauseMrs。DallowayturnedtoWilloughbyandbegan:
　　“WhatIfindsotiresomeabouttheseaisthattherearenoflowersinit。Imaginefieldsofhollyhocksandvioletsinmid-ocean！
　　Howdivine！“
　　“Butsomewhatdangeroustonavigation，“boomedRichard，inthebass，likethebassoontotheflourishofhiswife’sviolin。“Why，weedscanbebadenough，can’tthey，Vinrace？Iremembercrossinginthe_Mauretania_once，andsayingtotheCaptain——Richards——didyouknowhim？——’Nowtellmewhatperilsyoureallydreadmostforyourship，CaptainRichards？’expectinghimtosayicebergs，orderelicts，orfog，orsomethingofthatsort。Notabitofit。I’vealwaysrememberedhisanswer。’_Sedgius__aquatici_，’hesaid，whichI
　　taketobeakindofduck-weed。“
　　Mr。Pepperlookedupsharply，andwasabouttoputaquestionwhenWilloughbycontinued:
　　“They’veanawfultimeofit——thosecaptains！Threethousandsoulsonboard！“
　　“Yes，indeed，“saidClarissa。SheturnedtoHelenwithanairofprofundity。“I’mconvincedpeoplearewrongwhentheysayit’sworkthatwearsone；it’sresponsibility。That’swhyonepaysone’scookmorethanone’shousemaid，Isuppose。“
　　“Accordingtothat，oneoughttopayone’snursedouble；
　　butonedoesn’t，“saidHelen。
　　“No；butthinkwhatajoytohavetodowithbabies，insteadofsaucepans！“
　　saidMrs。Dalloway，lookingwithmoreinterestatHelen，aprobablemother。
　　“I’dmuchratherbeacookthananurse，“saidHelen。“Nothingwouldinducemetotakechargeofchildren。“
　　“Mothersalwaysexaggerate，“saidRidley。“Awell-bredchildisnoresponsibility。I’vetravelledalloverEuropewithmine。
　　Youjustwrap’emupwarmandput’emintherack。“
　　Helenlaughedatthat。Mrs。Dallowayexclaimed，lookingatRidley:
　　“Howlikeafather！Myhusband’sjustthesame。Andthenonetalksoftheequalityofthesexes！“
　　“Doesone？“saidMr。Pepper。
　　“Oh，somedo！“criedClarissa。“Myhusbandhadtopassanirateladyeveryafternoonlastsessionwhosaidnothingelse，Iimagine。“
　　“Shesatoutsidethehouse；itwasveryawkward，“saidDalloway。
　　“AtlastIpluckedupcourageandsaidtoher，’Mygoodcreature，you’reonlyinthewaywhereyouare。You’rehinderingme，andyou’redoingnogoodtoyourself。’“
　　“Andthenshecaughthimbythecoat，andwouldhavescratchedhiseyesout——“Mrs。Dallowayputin。
　　“Pooh——that’sbeenexaggerated，“saidRichard。“No，Ipitythem，Iconfess。Thediscomfortofsittingonthosestepsmustbeawful。“
　　“Servethemright，“saidWilloughbycurtly。
　　“Oh，I’mentirelywithyouthere，“saidDalloway。“NobodycancondemntheutterfollyandfutilityofsuchbehaviourmorethanIdo；
　　andasforthewholeagitation，well！mayIbeinmygravebeforeawomanhastherighttovoteinEngland！That’sallIsay。“
　　Thesolemnityofherhusband’sassertionmadeClarissagrave。
　　“It’sunthinkable，“shesaid。“Don’ttellmeyou’reasuffragist？“
　　sheturnedtoRidley。
　　“Idon’tcareafigonewayort’other，“saidAmbrose。
　　“Ifanycreatureissodeludedastothinkthatavotedoeshimorheranygood，lethimhaveit。He’llsoonlearnbetter。“
　　“You’renotapolitician，Isee，“shesmiled。
　　“Goodness，no，“saidRidley。
　　“I’mafraidyourhusbandwon’tapproveofme，“saidDallowayaside，toMrs。Ambrose。ShesuddenlyrecollectedthathehadbeeninParliament。
　　“Don’tyoueverfinditratherdull？“sheasked，notknowingexactlywhattosay。
　　Richardspreadhishandsbeforehim，asifinscriptionsweretobereadinthepalmsofthem。
　　“IfyouaskmewhetherIeverfinditratherdull，“hesaid，“Iamboundtosayyes；ontheotherhand，ifyouaskmewhatcareerdoyouconsideronthewhole，takingthegoodwiththebad，themostenjoyableandenviable，nottospeakofitsmoreseriousside，ofallcareers，foraman，Iamboundtosay，’ThePolitician’s。’“
　　“TheBarorpolitics，Iagree，“saidWilloughby。“Yougetmorerunforyourmoney。“
　　“Allone’sfacultieshavetheirplay，“saidRichard。“Imaybetreadingondangerousground；butwhatIfeelaboutpoetsandartistsingeneralisthis:onyourownlines，youcan’tbebeaten——
　　granted；butoffyourownlines——puff——onehastomakeallowances。
　　Now，Ishouldn’tliketothinkthatanyonehadtomakeallowancesforme。“
　　“Idon’tquiteagree，Richard，“saidMrs。Dalloway。“ThinkofShelley。
　　Ifeelthatthere’salmosteverythingonewantsin’Adonais。’“
　　“Read’Adonais’byallmeans，“Richardconceded。“ButwheneverI
　　hearofShelleyIrepeattomyselfthewordsofMatthewArnold，’Whataset！Whataset！’“
　　ThisrousedRidley’sattention。“MatthewArnold？Adetestableprig！“
　　hesnapped。
　　“Aprig——granted，“saidRichard；“but，Ithinkamanoftheworld。
　　That’swheremypointcomesin。Wepoliticiansdoubtlessseemtoyou“
　　hegraspedsomehowthatHelenwastherepresentativeofthearts
　　“agrosscommonplacesetofpeople；butweseebothsides；
　　wemaybeclumsy，butwedoourbesttogetagraspofthings。
　　Nowyourartists_find_thingsinamess，shrugtheirshoulders，turnasidetotheirvisions——whichIgrantmaybeverybeautiful——
　　and_leave_thingsinamess。Nowthatseemstomeevadingone’sresponsibilities。Besides，wearen’tallbornwiththeartisticfaculty。“
　　“It’sdreadful，“saidMrs。Dalloway，who，whileherhusbandspoke，hadbeenthinking。“WhenI’mwithartistsIfeelsointenselythedelightsofshuttingoneselfupinalittleworldofone’sown，withpicturesandmusicandeverythingbeautiful，andthenIgooutintothestreetsandthefirstchildImeetwithitspoor，hungry，dirtylittlefacemakesmeturnroundandsay，’No，I
　　_can’t_shutmyselfup——I_won’t_liveinaworldofmyown。
　　Ishouldliketostopallthepaintingandwritingandmusicuntilthiskindofthingexistsnolonger。’Don’tyoufeel，“
　　shewoundup，addressingHelen，“thatlife’saperpetualconflict？“
　　Helenconsideredforamoment。“No，“shesaid。“Idon’tthinkIdo。“
　　Therewasapause，whichwasdecidedlyuncomfortable。
　　Mrs。Dallowaythengavealittleshiver，andaskedwhethershemighthaveherfurcloakbroughttoher。Assheadjustedthesoftbrownfuraboutherneckafreshtopicstruckher。
　　“Iown，“shesaid，“thatIshallneverforgetthe_Antigone_。
　　IsawitatCambridgeyearsago，andit’shauntedmeeversince。
　　Don’tyouthinkit’squitethemostmodernthingyoueversaw？“
　　sheaskedRidley。“ItseemedtomeI’dknowntwentyClytemnestras。
　　OldLadyDitchlingforone。Idon’tknowawordofGreek，butIcouldlistentoitforever——“
　　HereMr。Pepperstruckup:
　　{SomeeditionsoftheworkcontainabriefpassagefromAntigone，inGreek，atthisspot。ed。}
　　Mrs。Dallowaylookedathimwithcompressedlips。
　　“I’dgivetenyearsofmylifetoknowGreek，“shesaid，whenhehaddone。
　　“Icouldteachyouthealphabetinhalfanhour，“saidRidley，“andyou’dreadHomerinamonth。Ishouldthinkitanhonourtoinstructyou。“
　　Helen，engagedwithMr。Dallowayandthehabit，nowfallenintodecline，ofquotingGreekintheHouseofCommons，noted，inthegreatcommonplacebookthatliesopenbesideusaswetalk，thefactthatallmen，evenmenlikeRidley，reallypreferwomentobefashionable。
　　Clarissaexclaimedthatshecouldthinkofnothingmoredelightful。
　　Foraninstantshesawherselfinherdrawing-roominBrowneStreetwithaPlatoopenonherknees——PlatointheoriginalGreek。Shecouldnothelpbelievingthatarealscholar，ifspeciallyinterested，couldslipGreekintoherheadwithscarcelyanytrouble。
　　Ridleyengagedhertocometo-morrow。
　　“Ifonlyyourshipisgoingtotreatuskindly！“sheexclaimed，drawingWilloughbyintoplay。Forthesakeofguests，andtheseweredistinguished，Willoughbywasreadywithabowofhisheadtovouchforthegoodbehaviourevenofthewaves。
　　“I’mdreadfullybad；andmyhusband’snotverygood，“sighedClarissa。
　　“Iamneversick，“Richardexplained。“Atleast，Ihaveonlybeenactuallysickonce，“hecorrectedhimself。“ThatwascrossingtheChannel。Butachoppysea，Iconfess，orstillworse，aswell，makesmedistinctlyuncomfortable。Thegreatthingisnevertomissameal。Youlookatthefood，andyousay，’Ican’t’；