Місіс Деллоуей

           Buthowcouldsheswallowallthatstuffaboutpoetry?HowcouldshelethimholdforthaboutShakespeare?SeriouslyandsolemnlyRichardDallowaygotonhishindlegsandsaidthatnodecentmanoughttoreadShakespeare’ssonnetsbecauseitwaslikelisteningatkeyholes(besidestherelationshipwasnotonethatheapproved).Nodecentmanoughttolethiswifevisitadeceasedwife’ssister.Incredible!Theonlythingtodowastopelthimwithsugaredalmonds—itwasatdinner.ButClarissasuckeditallin;thoughtitsohonestofhim;soindependentofhim;Heavenknowsifshedidn’tthinkhimthemostoriginalmindshe’devermet!

           ThatwasoneofthebondsbetweenSallyandhimself.Therewasagardenwheretheyusedtowalk,awalled-inplace,withrose-bushesandgiantcauliflowers—hecouldrememberSallytearingoffarose,stoppingtoexclaimatthebeautyofthecabbageleavesinthemoonlight(itwasextraordinaryhowvividlyitallcamebacktohim,thingshehadn’tthoughtofforyears,)whilesheimploredhim,halflaughingofcourse,tocarryoffClarissa,tosaveherfromtheHughsandtheDallowaysandalltheother“perfectgentlemen”whowould“stiflehersoul”(shewrotereamsofpoetryinthosedays),makeamerehostessofher,encourageherworldliness.ButonemustdoClarissajustice.Shewasn’tgoingtomarryHughanyhow.Shehadaperfectlyclearnotionofwhatshewanted.Heremotionswereallonthesurface.