Місіс Деллоуей

           Forthirtysecondsallheadswereinclinedthesameway—tothewindow.Choosingapairofgloves—shouldtheybetotheelboworaboveit,lemonorpalegrey?—ladiesstopped;whenthesentencewasfinishedsomethinghadhappened.Somethingsotriflinginsingleinstancesthatnomathematicalinstrument,thoughcapableoftransmittingshocksinChina,couldregisterthevibration;yetinitsfulnessratherformidableandinitscommonappealemotional;forinallthehatshopsandtailors’shopsstrangerslookedateachotherandthoughtofthedead;oftheflag;ofEmpire.InapublichouseinabackstreetaColonialinsultedtheHouseofWindsorwhichledtowords,brokenbeerglasses,andageneralshindy,whichechoedstrangelyacrossthewayintheearsofgirlsbuyingwhiteunderlinenthreadedwithpurewhiteribbonfortheirweddings.Forthesurfaceagitationofthepassingcarasitsunkgrazedsomethingveryprofound.

           GlidingacrossPiccadilly,thecarturneddownSt.James’sStreet.Tallmen,menofrobustphysique,well-dressedmenwiththeirtail-coatsandtheirwhiteslipsandtheirhairrakedbackwho,forreasonsdifficulttodiscriminate,werestandinginthebowwindowofBrooks’swiththeirhandsbehindthetailsoftheircoats,lookingout,perceivedinstinctivelythatgreatnesswaspassing,andthepalelightoftheimmortalpresencefelluponthemasithadfallenuponClarissaDalloway.