Миссис Дэллоуэй

           TheyturnedheroutbecauseshewouldnotpretendthattheGermanswereallvillains—whenshehadGermanfriends,whentheonlyhappydaysofherlifehadbeenspentinGermany!Andafterall,shecouldreadhistory.Shehadhadtotakewhatevershecouldget.Mr.DallowayhadcomeacrossherworkingfortheFriends.Hehadallowedher(andthatwasreallygenerousofhim)toteachhisdaughterhistory.AlsoshedidalittleExtensionlecturingandsoon.ThenOurLordhadcometoher(andhereshealwaysbowedherhead).Shehadseenthelighttwoyearsandthreemonthsago.NowshedidnotenvywomenlikeClarissaDalloway;shepitiedthem.

           Shepitiedanddespisedthemfromthebottomofherheart,asshestoodonthesoftcarpet,lookingattheoldengravingofalittlegirlwithamuff.Withallthisluxurygoingon,whathopewasthereforabetterstateofthings?Insteadoflyingonasofa—“Mymotherisresting,”Elizabethhadsaid—sheshouldhavebeeninafactory;behindacounter;Mrs.Dallowayandalltheotherfineladies!

           Bitterandburning,MissKilmanhadturnedintoachurchtwoyearsthreemonthsago.ShehadheardtheRev.EdwardWhittakerpreach;theboyssing;hadseenthesolemnlightsdescend,andwhetheritwasthemusic,orthevoices(sheherselfwhenaloneintheeveningfoundcomfortinaviolin;butthesoundwasexcruciating;shehadnoear),thehotandturbulentfeelingswhichboiledandsurgedinherhadbeenassuagedasshesatthere,andshehadweptcopiously,andgonetocallonMr.