Волны

           ’

           ’Icomebackfromtheoffice,’saidLouis.’Ihangmycoathere,placemystickthere--IliketofancythatRichelieuwalkedwithsuchacane.ThusIdivestmyselfofmyauthority.Ihavebeensittingattherighthandofadirectoratavarnishedtable.Themapsofoursuccessfulundertakingsconfrontusonthewall.Wehavelacedtheworldtogetherwithourships.Theglobeisstrungwithourlines.Iamimmenselyrespectable.Alltheyoungladiesintheofficeacknowledgemyentrance.IcandinewhereIlikenow,andwithoutvanitymaysupposethatIshallsoonacquireahouseinSurrey,twocars,aconservatoryandsomerarespeciesofmelon.ButIstillreturn,Istillcomebacktomyattic,hangupmyhatandresumeinsolitudethatcuriousattemptwhichIhavemadesinceIbroughtdownmyfistonmymaster’sgrainedoakdoor.Iopenalittlebook.Ireadonepoem.Onepoemisenough.

           Owesternwind...

           Owesternwind,youareatenmitywithmymahoganytableandspats,andalso,alas,withthevulgarityofmymistress,thelittleactress,whohasneverbeenabletospeakEnglishcorrectly--

           Owesternwind,whenwiltthoublow...

           Rhoda,withherintenseabstraction,withherunseeingeyesthecolourofsnail’sflesh,doesnotdestroyyou,westernwind,whethershecomesatmidnightwhenthestarsblazeoratthemostprosaichourofmidday.Shestandsatthewindowandlooksatthechimney-potsandthebrokenwindowsinthehousesofpoorpeople--

           Owesternwind,whenwiltthoublow...

           ’Mytask,myburden,hasalwaysbeengreaterthanotherpeople’s.Apyramidhasbeensetonmyshoulders.