SuddenlyMrs。Chailey，turningfromthesubjectofsheets，dismissingthementirely，clenchedherfistsonthetopofthem，andproclaimed，“Andyoucouldn’taskalivingcreaturetositwhereIsit！“
Mrs。Chaileywasexpectedtositinacabinwhichwaslargeenough，buttooneartheboilers，sothatafterfiveminutesshecouldhearherheart“go，“shecomplained，puttingherhandaboveit，whichwasastateofthingsthatMrs。Vinrace，Rachel’smother，wouldneverhavedreamtofinflicting——Mrs。Vinrace，whokneweverysheetinherhouse，andexpectedofeveryonethebesttheycoulddo，butnomore。
Itwastheeasiestthingintheworldtograntanotherroom，andtheproblemofsheetssimultaneouslyandmiraculouslysolveditself，thespotsandladdersnotbeingpastcureafterall，but——
“Lies！Lies！Lies！“exclaimedthemistressindignantly，assheranupontothedeck。“What’stheuseoftellingmelies？“
Inherangerthatawomanoffiftyshouldbehavelikeachildandcomecringingtoagirlbecauseshewantedtositwhereshehadnotleavetosit，shedidnotthinkoftheparticularcase，and，unpackinghermusic，soonforgotallabouttheoldwomanandhersheets。
Mrs。Chaileyfoldedhersheets，butherexpressiontestifiedtoflatnesswithin。Theworldnolongercaredabouther，andashipwasnotahome。Whenthelampswerelityesterday，andthesailorswenttumblingaboveherhead，shehadcried；shewouldcrythisevening；shewouldcryto-morrow。Itwasnothome。Meanwhileshearrangedherornamentsintheroomwhichshehadwontooeasily。
Theywerestrangeornamentstobringonaseavoyage——chinapugs，tea-setsinminiature，cupsstampedfloridlywiththearmsofthecityofBristol，hair-pinboxescrustedwithshamrock，antelopes’headsincolouredplaster，togetherwithamultitudeoftinyphotographs，representingdownrightworkmenintheirSundaybest，andwomenholdingwhitebabies。Buttherewasoneportraitinagiltframe，forwhichanailwasneeded，andbeforeshesoughtitMrs。Chaileyputonherspectaclesandreadwhatwaswrittenonaslipofpaperattheback:
“ThispictureofhermistressisgiventoEmmaChaileybyWilloughbyVinraceingratitudeforthirtyyearsofdevotedservice。“
Tearsobliteratedthewordsandtheheadofthenail。
“SolongasIcandosomethingforyourfamily，“shewassaying，asshehammeredatit，whenavoicecalledmelodiouslyinthepassage:
“Mrs。Chailey！Mrs。Chailey！“
Chaileyinstantlytidiedherdress，composedherface，andopenedthedoor。
“I’minafix，“saidMrs。Ambrose，whowasflushedandoutofbreath。
“Youknowwhatgentlemenare。Thechairstoohigh——thetablestoolow——there’ssixinchesbetweenthefloorandthedoor。
WhatIwant’sahammer，anoldquilt，andhaveyousuchathingasakitchentable？Anyhow，betweenus“——shenowflungopenthedoorofherhusband’ssittingroom，andrevealedRidleypacingupanddown，hisforeheadallwrinkled，andthecollarofhiscoatturnedup。
“It’sasthoughthey’dtakenpainstotormentme！“hecried，stoppingdead。“DidIcomeonthisvoyageinordertocatchrheumatismandpneumonia？ReallyonemighthavecreditedVinracewithmoresense。Mydear，“Helenwasonherkneesunderatable，“youareonlymakingyourselfuntidy，andwehadmuchbetterrecognisethefactthatwearecondemnedtosixweeksofunspeakablemisery。
Tocomeatallwastheheightoffolly，butnowthatwearehereI
supposethatIcanfaceitlikeaman。Mydiseasesofcoursewillbeincreased——IfeelalreadyworsethanIdidyesterday，butwe’veonlyourselvestothank，andthechildrenhappily——“
“Move！Move！Move！“criedHelen，chasinghimfromcornertocornerwithachairasthoughhewereanerranthen。
“Outoftheway，Ridley，andinhalfanhouryou’llfinditready。“
Sheturnedhimoutoftheroom，andtheycouldhearhimgroaningandswearingashewentalongthepassage。
“Idaresayheisn’tverystrong，“saidMrs。Chailey，lookingatMrs。Ambrosecompassionately，asshehelpedtoshiftandcarry。
“It’sbooks，“sighedHelen，liftinganarmfulofsadvolumesfromthefloortotheshelf。“Greekfrommorningtonight。
IfeverMissRachelmarries，Chailey，praythatshemaymarryamanwhodoesn’tknowhisABC。“
Thepreliminarydiscomfortsandharshnesses，whichgenerallymakethefirstdaysofaseavoyagesocheerlessandtryingtothetemper，beingsomehowlivedthrough，thesucceedingdayspassedpleasantlyenough。
Octoberwaswelladvanced，butsteadilyburningwithawarmththatmadetheearlymonthsofthesummerappearveryyoungandcapricious。
Greattractsoftheearthlaynowbeneaththeautumnsun，andthewholeofEngland，fromthebaldmoorstotheCornishrocks，waslitupfromdawntosunset，andshowedinstretchesofyellow，green，andpurple。
Underthatilluminationeventheroofsofthegreattownsglittered。
Inthousandsofsmallgardens，millionsofdark-redflowerswereblooming，untiltheoldladieswhohadtendedthemsocarefullycamedownthepathswiththeirscissors，snippedthroughtheirjuicystalks，andlaidthemuponcoldstoneledgesinthevillagechurch。
Innumerablepartiesofpicnickerscominghomeatsunsetcried，“Wasthereeversuchadayasthis？““It’syou，“theyoungmenwhispered；
“Oh，it’syou，“theyoungwomenreplied。Alloldpeopleandmanysickpeopleweredrawn，wereitonlyforafootortwo，intotheopenair，andprognosticatedpleasantthingsaboutthecourseoftheworld。
Asfortheconfidencesandexpressionsoflovethatwereheardnotonlyincornfieldsbutinlamplitrooms，wherethewindowsopenedonthegarden，andmenwithcigarskissedwomenwithgreyhairs，theywerenottobecounted。Somesaidthattheskywasanemblemofthelifetocome。Long-tailedbirdsclatteredandscreamed，andcrossedfromwoodtowood，withgoldeneyesintheirplumage。
Butwhileallthiswentonbyland，veryfewpeoplethoughtaboutthesea。Theytookitforgrantedthattheseawascalm；
andtherewasnoneed，asthereisinmanyhouseswhenthecreepertapsonthebedroomwindows，forthecouplestomurmurbeforetheykiss，“Thinkoftheshipsto-night，“or“ThankHeaven，I’mnotthemaninthelighthouse！“Foralltheyimagined，theshipswhentheyvanishedonthesky-linedissolved，likesnowinwater。
Thegrown-upview，indeed，wasnotmuchclearerthantheviewofthelittlecreaturesinbathingdrawerswhoweretrottingintothefoamallalongthecoastsofEngland，andscoopingupbucketsfullofwater。Theysawwhitesailsortuftsofsmokepassacrossthehorizon，andifyouhadsaidthatthesewerewaterspouts，orthepetalsofwhiteseaflowers，theywouldhaveagreed。
Thepeopleinships，however，tookanequallysingularviewofEngland。
Notonlydiditappeartothemtobeanisland，andaverysmallisland，butitwasashrinkingislandinwhichpeoplewereimprisoned。
Onefiguredthemfirstswarmingaboutlikeaimlessants，andalmostpressingeachotherovertheedge；andthen，astheshipwithdrew，onefiguredthemmakingavainclamour，which，beingunheard，eitherceased，orroseintoabrawl。Finally，whentheshipwasoutofsightofland，itbecameplainthatthepeopleofEnglandwerecompletelymute。Thediseaseattackedotherpartsoftheearth；
Europeshrank，Asiashrank，AfricaandAmericashrank，untilitseemeddoubtfulwhethertheshipwouldeverrunagainstanyofthosewrinkledlittlerocksagain。But，ontheotherhand，animmensedignityhaddescendeduponher；shewasaninhabitantofthegreatworld，whichhassofewinhabitants，travellingalldayacrossanemptyuniverse，withveilsdrawnbeforeherandbehind。Shewasmorelonelythanthecaravancrossingthedesert；shewasinfinitelymoremysterious，movingbyherownpowerandsustainedbyherownresources。Theseamightgiveherdeathorsomeunexampledjoy，andnonewouldknowofit。
Shewasabridegoingforthtoherhusband，avirginunknownofmen；
inhervigorandpurityshemightbelikenedtoallbeautifulthings，forasashipshehadalifeofherown。
Indeediftheyhadnotbeenblessedintheirweather，onebluedaybeingbowledupafteranother，smooth，round，andflawless。
Mrs。Ambrosewouldhavefounditverydull。Asitwas，shehadherembroideryframesetupondeck，withalittletablebyhersideonwhichlayopenablackvolumeofphilosophy。Shechoseathreadfromthevari-colouredtanglethatlayinherlap，andsewedredintothebarkofatree，oryellowintotherivertorrent。
Shewasworkingatagreatdesignofatropicalriverrunningthroughatropicalforest，wherespotteddeerwouldeventuallybrowseuponmassesoffruit，bananas，oranges，andgiantpomegranates，whileatroopofnakednativeswhirleddartsintotheair。
BetweenthestitchesshelookedtoonesideandreadasentenceabouttheRealityofMatter，ortheNatureofGood。Roundhermeninbluejerseyskneltandscrubbedtheboards，orleantovertherailsandwhistled，andnotfaroffMr。Peppersatcuttinguprootswithapenknife。Therestwereoccupiedinotherpartsoftheship:
RidleyathisGreek——hehadneverfoundquartersmoretohisliking；
Willoughbyathisdocuments，forheusedavoyagetoworkofarrearsofbusiness；andRachel——Helen，betweenhersentencesofphilosophy，wonderedsometimeswhatRachel_did_dowithherself？Shemeantvaguelytogoandsee。Theyhadscarcelyspokentwowordstoeachothersincethatfirstevening；theywerepolitewhentheymet，buttherehadbeennoconfidenceofanykind。Rachelseemedtogetonverywellwithherfather——muchbetter，Helenthought，thansheoughtto——andwasasreadytoletHelenaloneasHelenwastoletheralone。
AtthatmomentRachelwassittinginherroomdoingabsolutelynothing。
Whentheshipwasfullthisapartmentboresomemagnificenttitleandwastheresortofelderlysea-sickladieswholeftthedecktotheiryoungsters。Byvirtueofthepiano，andamessofbooksonthefloor，Rachelconsidereditherroom，andthereshewouldsitforhoursplayingverydifficultmusic，readingalittleGerman，oralittleEnglishwhenthemoodtookher，anddoing——asatthismoment——
absolutelynothing。
Thewayshehadbeeneducated，joinedtoafinenaturalindolence，wasofcoursepartlythereasonofit，forshehadbeeneducatedasthemajorityofwell-to-dogirlsinthelastpartofthenineteenthcenturywereeducated。Kindlydoctorsandgentleoldprofessorshadtaughthertherudimentsofabouttendifferentbranchesofknowledge，buttheywouldassoonhaveforcedhertogothroughonepieceofdrudgerythoroughlyastheywouldhavetoldherthatherhandsweredirty。
Theonehourorthetwohoursweeklypassedverypleasantly，partlyowingtotheotherpupils，partlytothefactthatthewindowlookeduponthebackofashop，wherefiguresappearedagainsttheredwindowsinwinter，partlytotheaccidentsthatareboundtohappenwhenmorethantwopeopleareinthesameroomtogether。
Buttherewasnosubjectintheworldwhichsheknewaccurately。
Hermindwasinthestateofanintelligentman’sinthebeginningofthereignofQueenElizabeth；shewouldbelievepracticallyanythingshewastold，inventreasonsforanythingshesaid。
Theshapeoftheearth，thehistoryoftheworld，howtrainsworked，ormoneywasinvested，whatlawswereinforce，whichpeoplewantedwhat，andwhytheywantedit，themostelementaryideaofasysteminmodernlife——noneofthishadbeenimpartedtoherbyanyofherprofessorsormistresses。Butthissystemofeducationhadonegreatadvantage。Itdidnotteachanything，butitputnoobstacleinthewayofanyrealtalentthatthepupilmightchancetohave。
Rachel，beingmusical，wasallowedtolearnnothingbutmusic；
shebecameafanaticaboutmusic。Alltheenergiesthatmighthavegoneintolanguages，science，orliterature，thatmighthavemadeherfriends，orshownhertheworld，pouredstraightintomusic。
Findingherteachersinadequate，shehadpracticallytaughtherself。
Attheageoftwenty-foursheknewasmuchaboutmusicasmostpeopledowhentheyarethirty；andcouldplayaswellasnatureallowedherto，which，asbecamedailymoreobvious，wasareallygenerousallowance。Ifthisonedefinitegiftwassurroundedbydreamsandideasofthemostextravagantandfoolishdescription，noonewasanythewiser。
Hereducationbeingthusordinary，hercircumstanceswerenomoreoutofthecommon。Shewasanonlychildandhadneverbeenbulliedandlaughedatbybrothersandsisters。Hermotherhavingdiedwhenshewaseleven，twoaunts，thesistersofherfather，broughtherup，andtheylivedforthesakeoftheairinacomfortablehouseinRichmond。Shewasofcoursebroughtupwithexcessivecare，whichasachildwasforherhealth；asagirlandayoungwomanwasforwhatitseemsalmostcrudetocallhermorals。
Untilquitelatelyshehadbeencompletelyignorantthatforwomensuchthingsexisted。Shegropedforknowledgeinoldbooks，andfounditinrepulsivechunks，butshedidnotnaturallycareforbooksandthusnevertroubledherheadaboutthecensorshipwhichwasexercisedfirstbyheraunts，laterbyherfather。
