Місіс Деллоуей

           Certainlytherewasanalcoveinherdrawing-room,andatableinthatalcove,andaphotographuponthattableofGeneralSirTalbotMoore,nowdeceased,whohadwrittenthere(oneeveningintheeighties)inLadyBruton’spresence,withhercognisance,perhapsadvice,atelegramorderingtheBritishtroopstoadvanceuponanhistoricaloccasion.(Shekeptthepenandtoldthestory.)Thus,whenshesaidinheroffhandway“How’sClarissa?”husbandshaddifficultyinpersuadingtheirwivesandindeed,howeverdevoted,weresecretlydoubtfulthemselves,ofherinterestinwomenwhooftengotintheirhusbands’way,preventedthemfromacceptingpostsabroad,andhadtobetakentotheseasideinthemiddleofthesessiontorecoverfrominfluenza.Neverthelessherinquiry,“How’sClarissa?”wasknownbywomeninfallibly,tobeasignalfromawell-wisher,fromanalmostsilentcompanion,whoseutterances(halfadozenperhapsinthecourseofalifetime)signifiedrecognitionofsomefemininecomradeshipwhichwentbeneathmasculinelunchpartiesandunitedLadyBrutonandMrs.Dalloway,whoseldommet,andappearedwhentheydidmeetindifferentandevenhostile,inasingularbond.