Місіс Деллоуей

           ”

           AndwithacuriousironicalsweetnesshesmiledasheplacedherinthisridiculouswaybeforeClarissa.

           (Allthesame,heisinlove,thoughtClarissa.)

           “Shehas,”hecontinued,veryreasonably,“twosmallchildren;aboyandagirl;andIhavecomeovertoseemylawyersaboutthedivorce.”

           Theretheyare!hethought.Dowhatyoulikewiththem,Clarissa!Theretheyare!AndsecondbyseconditseemedtohimthatthewifeoftheMajorintheIndianArmy(hisDaisy)andhertwosmallchildrenbecamemoreandmorelovelyasClarissalookedatthem;asifhehadsetlighttoagreypelletonaplateandtherehadrisenupalovelytreeinthebrisksea-saltedairoftheirintimacy(forinsomewaysnooneunderstoodhim,feltwithhim,asClarissadid)—theirexquisiteintimacy.

           Sheflatteredhim;shefooledhim,thoughtClarissa;shapingthewoman,thewifeoftheMajorintheIndianArmy,withthreestrokesofaknife.Whatawaste!Whatafolly!AllhislifelongPeterhadbeenfooledlikethat;firstgettingsentdownfromOxford;nextmarryingthegirlontheboatgoingouttoIndia;nowthewifeofaMajorintheIndianArmy—thankHeavenshehadrefusedtomarryhim!Still,hewasinlove;heroldfriend,herdearPeter,hewasinlove.

           “Butwhatareyougoingtodo?”sheaskedhim.Ohthelawyersandsolicitors,Messrs.HooperandGrateleyofLincoln’sInn,theyweregoingtodoit,hesaid.