Місіс Деллоуей

           AndjustbecausenobodyyetknewhewasinLondon,exceptClarissa,andtheearth,afterthevoyage,stillseemedanislandtohim,thestrangenessofstandingalone,alive,unknown,athalf-pasteleveninTrafalgarSquareovercamehim.Whatisit?WhereamI?Andwhy,afterall,doesonedoit?hethought,thedivorceseemingallmoonshine.Anddownhismindwentflatasamarsh,andthreegreatemotionsbowledoverhim;understanding;avastphilanthropy;andfinally,asiftheresultoftheothers,anirrepressible,exquisitedelight;asifinsidehisbrainbyanotherhandstringswerepulled,shuttersmoved,andhe,havingnothingtodowithit,yetstoodattheopeningofendlessavenues,downwhichifhechosehemightwander.Hehadnotfeltsoyoungforyears.

           Hehadescaped!wasutterlyfree—ashappensinthedownfallofhabitwhenthemind,likeanunguardedflame,bowsandbendsandseemsabouttoblowfromitsholding.Ihaven’tfeltsoyoungforyears!thoughtPeter,escaping(onlyofcourseforanhourorso)frombeingpreciselywhathewas,andfeelinglikeachildwhorunsoutofdoors,andsees,asheruns,hisoldnursewavingatthewrongwindow.