Місіс Деллоуей

           Whatdidtheyoungpeoplethinkabout?PeterWalshaskedhimself.

           Thosefiveyears—1918to1923—hadbeen,hesuspected,somehowveryimportant.Peoplelookeddifferent.Newspapersseemeddifferent.Nowforinstancetherewasamanwritingquiteopenlyinoneoftherespectableweekliesaboutwater-closets.Thatyoucouldn’thavedonetenyearsago—writtenquiteopenlyaboutwater-closetsinarespectableweekly.Andthenthistakingoutastickofrouge,orapowder-puffandmakingupinpublic.Onboardshipcominghometherewerelotsofyoungmenandgirls—BettyandBertieherememberedinparticular—carryingonquiteopenly;theoldmothersittingandwatchingthemwithherknitting,coolasacucumber.Thegirlwouldstandstillandpowderhernoseinfrontofeveryone.Andtheyweren’tengaged;justhavingagoodtime;nofeelingshurtoneitherside.Ashardasnailsshewas—BettyWhat’shername—;butathoroughgoodsort.Shewouldmakeaverygoodwifeatthirty—shewouldmarrywhenitsuitedhertomarry;marrysomerichmanandliveinalargehousenearManchester.

           Whowasitnowwhohaddonethat?PeterWalshaskedhimself,turningintotheBroadWalk—marriedarichmanandlivedinalargehousenearManchester?Somebodywhohadwrittenhimalong,gushingletterquitelatelyabout“bluehydrangeas.