on in front of it； slowly laughed and reluctantly left off
laughing； and applauded with a helterskelter generosity
which sometimes became unanimous and overwhelming。
Once William saw Katharine leaning forward and clapping
her hands with an abandonment that startled him。 Her
laugh rang out with the laughter of the audience。
397
Night and Day
For a second he was puzzled； as if this laughter disclosed
something that he had never suspected in her。
But then Cassandra’s face caught his eye； gazing with
astonishment at the buffoon； not laughing； too deeply
intent and surprised to laugh at what she saw； and for
some moments he watched her as if she were a child。
The performance came to an end； the illusion dying out
first here and then there； as some rose to put on their
coats； others stood upright to salute “God Save the King；”
the musicians folded their music and encased their instruments；
and the lights sank one by one until the house was
empty； silent； and full of great shadows。 Looking back over
her shoulder as she followed Ralph through the swing doors；
Cassandra marveled to see how the stage was already entirely
without romance。 But； she wondered； did they really
cover all the seats in brown holland every night？
The success of this entertainment was such that before
they separated another expedition had been planned for
the next day。 The next day was Saturday； therefore both
William and Ralph were free to devote the whole afternoon
to an expedition to Greenwich； which Cassandra
had never seen； and Katharine confused with Dulwich。
On this occasion Ralph was their guide。 He brought them
without accident to Greenwich。
What exigencies of state or fantasies of imagination
first gave birth to the cluster of pleasant places by which
London is surrounded is matter of indifference now that
they have adapted themselves so admirably to the needs
of people between the ages of twenty and thirty with
Saturday afternoons to spend。 Indeed； if ghosts have any
interest in the affections of those who succeed them they
must reap their richest harvests when the fine weather
es again and the lovers； the sightseers； and the holiday
makers pour themselves out of trains and omnibuses
into their old pleasuregrounds。 It is true that they go；
for the most part； unthanked by name； although upon
this occasion William was ready to give such discriminating
praise as the dead architects and painters received
seldom in the course of the year。 They were walking by
the river bank； and Katharine and Ralph； lagging a little
behind； caught fragments of his lecture。 Katharine smiled
at the sound of his voice； she listened as if she found it
398
Virginia Woolf
a little unfamiliar； intimately though she knew it； she
tested it。 The note of assurance and happiness was new。
William was very happy。 She learnt every hour what sources
of his happiness she had neglected。 She had never asked
him to teach her anything； she had never consented to
read Macaulay； she had never expressed her belief that
his play was second only to the works of Shakespeare。
She followed dreamily in their wake； smiling and delighting
in the sound which conveyed； she knew； the rapturous
and yet not servile assent of Cassandra。
Then she murmured； “How can Cassandra—” but changed
her sentence to the opposite of what she meant to say
and ended； “how could she herself have been so blind？”
But it was unnecessary to follow out such riddles when
the presence of Ralph supplied her with more interesting
problems； which somehow became involved with the little
boat crossing the river； the majestic and careworn City；
and the steamers homeing with their treasury； or starting
in search of it； so that infinite leisure would be necessary
for the proper disentanglement of one from the
other。 He stopped； moreover； and began inquiring of an
old boatman as to the tides and the ships。 In thus talking
he seemed different； and even looked different； she
thought； against the river； with the steeples and towers
for background。 His strangeness； his romance； his power
to leave her side and take part in the affairs of men； the
possibility that they should together hire a boat and cross
the river； the speed and wildness of this enterprise filled
her mind and inspired her with such rapture； half of love
and half of adventure； that William and Cassandra were
startled from their talk； and Cassandra exclaimed； “She
looks as if she were offering up a sacrifice！ Very beautiful；”
she added quickly； though she repressed； in deference
to William； her own wonder that the sight of Ralph
Denham talking to a boatman on the banks of the Thames
could move any one to such an attitude of adoration。
That afternoon； what with tea and the curiosities of
the Thames tunnel and the unfamiliarity of the streets；
passed so quickly that the only method of prolonging it
was to plan another expedition for the following day。
Hampton Court was decided upon； in preference to
Hampstead； for though Cassandra had dreamt as a child
399
Night and Day
of the brigands of Hampstead； she had now transferred
her affections pletely and for ever to William III。
Accordingly； they arrived at Hampton Court about lunchtime
on a fine Sunday morning。 Such unity marked their
expressions of admiration for the redbrick building that
they might have e there for no other purpose than to
assure each other that this palace was the stateliest palace
in the world。 They walked up and down the Terrace；
four abreast； and fancied themselves the owners of the
place； and calculated the amount of good to the world
produced indubitably by such a tenancy。
“The only hope for us；” said Katharine； “is that William
shall die； and Cassandra shall be given rooms as the widow
of a distinguished poet。”
“Or—” Cassandra began； but checked herself from the liberty
of envisaging Katharine as the widow of a distinguished
lawyer。 Upon this； the third day of junketing； it was tiresome
to have to restrain oneself even from such innocent
excursions of fancy。 She dared not question William； he was
inscrutable； he never seemed even to follow the other couple
with curiosity when they separated； as they frequently did；
to name a plant； or examine a fresco。 Cassandra was constantly
studying their backs。 She noticed how sometimes
the impulse to move came from Katharine； and sometimes
from Ralph； how； sometimes； they walked slow； as if in profound
intercourse； and sometimes fast； as if in passionate。
When they came together again nothing could be more unconcerned
than their manner。
“We have been wondering whether they ever catch a
fish …” or； “We must leave time to visit the Maze。” Then；
to puzzle her further； William and Ralph filled in all interstices
of mealtimes or railway journeys with perfectly
goodtempered arguments； or they discussed politics； or
they told stories； or they did sums together upon the
backs of old envelopes to prove something。 She suspected
that Katharine was absentminded； but it was impossible
to tell。 There were moments when she felt so young and
inexperienced that she almost wished herself back with
the silkworms at Stogdon House； and not embarked upon
this bewildering intrigue。
These moments； however； were only the necessary
shadow or chill which proved the substance of her bliss；
400
Virginia Woolf
and did not damage the radiance which seemed to rest
equally upon the whole party。 The fresh air of spring； the
sky washed of clouds and already shedding warmth from
its blue； seemed the reply vouchsafed by nature to the
mood of her chosen spirits。 These chosen spirits were to
be found also among the deer； dumbly basking； and among
the fish； set still in midstream； for they were mute sharers
in a benignant state not needing any exposition by the
tongue。 No words that Cassandra could e by expressed
the stillness； the brightness； the air of expectancy which
lay upon the orderly beauty of the grass walks and gravel
paths down which they went walking four abreast that
Sunday afternoon。 Silently the shadows of the trees lay
across the broad sunshine； silence wrapt her heart in its
folds。 The quivering stillness of the butterfly on the half
opened flower； the silent grazing of the deer in the sun；
were the sights her eye rested upon and received as the
images of her own nature laid open to happiness and
trembling in its ecstasy。
But the afternoon wore on； and it became time to leave
the gardens。 As they drove from Waterloo to Chelsea；
Katharine began to have some punction about her
father； which； together with the opening of offices and
the need of working in them on Monday； made it difficult
to plan another festival for the following day。 Mr。 Hilbery
had taken their absence； so far； with paternal benevolence；
but they could not trespass upon it indefinitely。
Indeed； had they known it； he was already suffering from
their absence； and longing for their return。
He had no dislike of solitude； a