Волны

           Butnow,perceivingus,hewavesabenevolentsalute;hebearsdownwithsuchbenignity,withsuchloveofmankind(crossedwithhumouratthefutilityof"lovingmankind"),that,ifitwerenotforPercival,whoturnsallthistovapour,onewouldfeel,astheothersalreadyfeel:Nowisourfestival;nowwearetogether.ButwithoutPercivalthereisnosolidity.Wearesilhouettes,hollowphantomsmovingmistilywithoutabackground.’

           ’Theswing-doorgoesonopening,’saidRhoda.’Strangerskeeponcoming,peopleweshallneverseeagain,peoplewhobrushusdisagreeablywiththeirfamiliarity,theirindifference,andthesenseofaworldcontinuingwithoutus.Wecannotsinkdown,wecannotforgetourfaces.EvenIwhohavenoface,whomakenodifferencewhenIcomein(SusanandJinnychangebodiesandfaces),flutterunattached,withoutanchorageanywhere,unconsolidated,incapableofcomposinganyblanknessorcontinuityorwallagainstwhichthesebodiesmove.ItisbecauseofNevilleandhismisery.Thesharpbreathofhismiseryscattersmybeing.Nothingcansettle;nothingcansubside.Everytimethedooropenshelooksfixedlyatthetable--hedarenotraisehiseyes--thenlooksforonesecondandsays,"Hehasnotcome."Buthereheis.’

           ’Now,’saidNeville,’mytreeflowers.Myheartrises.Alloppressionisrelieved.Allimpedimentisremoved.Thereignofchaosisover.Hehasimposedorder.Knivescutagain.’

           ’HereisPercival,’saidJinny.’Hehasnotdressed.