Voiceswereheardattheendofthecorridor。Mrs。Ambrosewasspeakinglow；WilliamPepperwasremarkinginhisdefiniteandratheracidvoice，“ThatisthetypeofladywithwhomIfindmyselfdistinctlyoutofsympathy。She——“
ButneitherRichardnorClarissaprofitedbytheverdict，fordirectlyitseemedlikelythattheywouldoverhear，Richardcrackledasheetofpaper。
“Ioftenwonder，“Clarissamusedinbed，overthelittlewhitevolumeofPascalwhichwentwithhereverywhere，“whetheritisreallygoodforawomantolivewithamanwhoismorallyhersuperior，asRichardismine。Itmakesonesodependent。IsupposeIfeelforhimwhatmymotherandwomenofhergenerationfeltforChrist。
Itjustshowsthatonecan’tdowithout_something_。“Shethenfellintoasleep，whichwasasusualextremelysoundandrefreshing，butvisitedbyfantasticdreamsofgreatGreeklettersstalkingroundtheroom，whenshewokeupandlaughedtoherself，rememberingwhereshewasandthattheGreekletterswererealpeople，lyingasleepnotmanyyardsaway。Then，thinkingoftheblackseaoutsidetossingbeneaththemoon，sheshuddered，andthoughtofherhusbandandtheothersascompanionsonthevoyage。
Thedreamswerenotconfinedtoherindeed，butwentfromonebraintoanother。Theyalldreamtofeachotherthatnight，aswasnatural，consideringhowthinthepartitionswerebetweenthem，andhowstrangelytheyhadbeenliftedofftheearthtositnexteachotherinmid-ocean，andseeeverydetailofeachother’sfaces，andhearwhatevertheychancedtosay。
NextmorningClarissawasupbeforeanyoneelse。Shedressed，andwasoutondeck，breathingthefreshairofacalmmorning，and，makingthecircuitoftheshipforthesecondtime，sheranstraightintotheleanpersonofMr。Grice，thesteward。
Sheapologised，andatthesametimeaskedhimtoenlightenher:
whatwerethoseshinybrassstandsfor，halfglassonthetop？
Shehadbeenwondering，andcouldnotguess。Whenhehaddoneexplaining，shecriedenthusiastically:
“Idothinkthattobeasailormustbethefinestthingintheworld！“
“Andwhatd’youknowaboutit？“saidMr。Grice，kindlinginastrangemanner。“Pardonme。WhatdoesanymanorwomanbroughtupinEnglandknowaboutthesea？Theyprofesstoknow；buttheydon’t。“
Thebitternesswithwhichhespokewasominousofwhatwastocome。
Heledherofftohisownquarters，and，sittingontheedgeofabrass-boundtable，lookinguncommonlylikeasea-gull，withherwhitetaperingbodyandthinalertface，Mrs。Dallowayhadtolistentothetiradeofafanaticalman。Didsherealise，tobeginwith，whataverysmallpartoftheworldthelandwas？
Howpeaceful，howbeautiful，howbenignantincomparisonthesea？
ThedeepwaterscouldsustainEuropeunaidedifeveryearthlyanimaldiedoftheplagueto-morrow。Mr。Gricerecalleddreadfulsightswhichhehadseenintherichestcityoftheworld——menandwomenstandinginlinehourafterhourtoreceiveamugofgreasysoup。
“AndIthoughtofthegoodfleshdownherewaitingandaskingtobecaught。I’mnotexactlyaProtestant，andI’mnotaCatholic，butIcouldalmostprayforthedaysofpoperytocomeagain——
becauseofthefasts。“
Ashetalkedhekeptopeningdrawersandmovinglittleglassjars。
Herewerethetreasureswhichthegreatoceanhadbestoweduponhim——
palefishingreenishliquids，blobsofjellywithstreamingtresses，fishwithlightsintheirheads，theylivedsodeep。
“Theyhaveswumaboutamongbones，“Clarissasighed。
“You’rethinkingofShakespeare，“saidMr。Grice，andtakingdownacopyfromashelfwelllinedwithbooks，recitedinanemphaticnasalvoice:
Fullfathomfivethyfatherlies，“Agrandfellow，Shakespeare，“hesaid，replacingthevolume。
Clarissawassogladtohearhimsayso。
“Whichisyourfavouriteplay？Iwonderifit’sthesameasmine？“
“_HenrytheFifth_，“saidMr。Grice。
“Joy！“criedClarissa。“Itis！“
_Hamlet_waswhatyoumightcalltoointrospectiveforMr。Grice，thesonnetstoopassionate；HenrytheFifthwastohimthemodelofanEnglishgentleman。ButhisfavouritereadingwasHuxley，HerbertSpencer，andHenryGeorge；whileEmersonandThomasHardyhereadforrelaxation。HewasgivingMrs。DallowayhisviewsuponthepresentstateofEnglandwhenthebreakfastbellrungsoimperiouslythatshehadtotearherselfaway，promisingtocomebackandbeshownhissea-weeds。
Theparty，whichhadseemedsooddtoherthenightbefore，wasalreadygatheredroundthetable，stillundertheinfluenceofsleep，andthereforeuncommunicative，butherentrancesentalittleflutterlikeabreathofairthroughthemall。
“I’vehadthemostinterestingtalkofmylife！“sheexclaimed，takingherseatbesideWilloughby。“D’yourealisethatoneofyourmenisaphilosopherandapoet？“
“Averyinterestingfellow——that’swhatIalwayssay，“saidWilloughby，distinguishingMr。Grice。“ThoughRachelfindshimabore。“
“He’saborewhenhetalksaboutcurrents，“saidRachel。Hereyeswerefullofsleep，butMrs。Dallowaystillseemedtoherwonderful。
“I’venevermetaboreyet！“saidClarissa。
“AndIshouldsaytheworldwasfullofthem！“exclaimedHelen。
Butherbeauty，whichwasradiantinthemorninglight，tookthecontrarinessfromherwords。
“Iagreethatit’stheworstonecanpossiblysayofanyone，“
saidClarissa。“Howmuchratheronewouldbeamurdererthanabore！“
sheadded，withherusualairofsayingsomethingprofound。
“Onecanfancylikingamurderer。It’sthesamewithdogs。
Somedogsareawfulbores，poordears。“
IthappenedthatRichardwassittingnexttoRachel。Shewascuriouslyconsciousofhispresenceandappearance——hiswell-cutclothes，hiscracklingshirt-front，hiscuffswithblueringsroundthem，andthesquare-tipped，verycleanfingerswiththeredstoneonthelittlefingerofthelefthand。
“Wehadadogwhowasaboreandknewit，“hesaid，addressingherincool，easytones。“HewasaSkyeterrier，oneofthoselongchaps，withlittlefeetpokingoutfromtheirhairlike——
likecaterpillars——no，likesofasIshouldsay。Well，wehadanotherdogatthesametime，ablackbriskanimal——aSchipperke，Ithink，youcallthem。Youcan’timagineagreatercontrast。TheSkyesoslowanddeliberate，lookingupatyoulikesomeoldgentlemanintheclub，asmuchastosay，“Youdon’treallymeanit，doyou？“
andtheSchipperkeasquickasaknife。IlikedtheSkyebest，Imustconfess。Therewassomethingpatheticabouthim。“
Thestoryseemedtohavenoclimax。
“Whathappenedtohim？“Rachelasked。
“That’saverysadstory，“saidRichard，loweringhisvoiceandpeelinganapple。“Hefollowedmywifeinthecaronedayandgotrunoverbyabruteofacyclist。“
“Washekilled？“askedRachel。
ButClarissaatherendofthetablehadoverheard。
“Don’ttalkofit！“shecried。“It’sathingIcan’tbeartothinkoftothisday。“
Surelythetearsstoodinhereyes？
“That’sthepainfulthingaboutpets，“saidMr。Dalloway；“theydie。
ThefirstsorrowIcanrememberwasforthedeathofadormouse。
IregrettosaythatIsatuponit。Still，thatdidn’tmakeoneanythelesssorry。HereliestheduckthatSamuelJohnsonsaton，eh？
Iwasbigformyage。“
“Thenwehadcanaries，“hecontinued，“apairofring-doves，alemur，andatonetimeamartin。“
“Didyouliveinthecountry？“Rachelaskedhim。
“Welivedinthecountryforsixmonthsoftheyear。WhenIsay’we’Imeanfoursisters，abrother，andmyself。There’snothinglikecomingofalargefamily。Sistersparticularlyaredelightful。“
“Dick，youwerehorriblyspoilt！“criedClarissaacrossthetable。
“No，no。Appreciated，“saidRichard。
Rachelhadotherquestionsonthetipofhertongue；orratheroneenormousquestion，whichshedidnotintheleastknowhowtoputintowords。Thetalkappearedtooairytoadmitofit。
“Pleasetellme——everything。“Thatwaswhatshewantedtosay。
Hehaddrawnapartonelittlechinkandshowedastonishingtreasures。
Itseemedtoherincrediblethatamanlikethatshouldbewillingtotalktoher。Hehadsistersandpets，andoncelivedinthecountry。
Shestirredhertearoundandround；thebubbleswhichswamandclusteredinthecupseemedtoherliketheunionoftheirminds。
Thetalkmeanwhileracedpasther，andwhenRichardsuddenlystatedinajoculartoneofvoice，“I’msureMissVinrace，now，hassecretleaningstowardsCatholicism，“shehadnoideawhattoanswer，andHelencouldnothelplaughingatthestartshegave。
However，breakfastwasoverandMrs。Dallowaywasrising。
“Ialwaysthinkreligion’slikecollectingbeetles，“shesaid，summingupthediscussionasshewentupthestairswithHelen。
“Onepersonhasapassionforblackbeetles；anotherhasn’t；it’snogoodarguingaboutit。What’s_your_blackbeetlenow？“
“Isupposeit’smychildren，“saidHelen。
“Ah——that’sdifferent，“Clarissabreathed。“Dotellme。
Youhaveaboy，haven’tyou？Isn’titdetestable，leavingthem？“
Itwasasthoughablueshadowhadfallenacrossapool。
Theireyesbecamedeeper，andtheirvoicesmorecordial。
Insteadofjoiningthemastheybegantopacethedeck，Rachelwasindignantwiththeprosperousmatrons，whomadeherfeeloutsidetheirworldandmotherless，andturningback，sheleftthemabruptly。
Sheslammedthedoorofherroom，andpulledouthermusic。
Itwasalloldmusic——BachandBeethoven，MozartandPurcell——
thepagesyellow，theengravingroughtothefinger。Inthreeminutesshewasdeepinaverydifficult，veryclassicalfugueinA，andoverherfacecameaqueerremoteimpersonalexpressionofcompleteabsorptionandanxioussatisfaction。Nowshestumbled；
nowshefalteredandhadtoplaythesamebartwiceover；butaninvisiblelineseemedtostringthenotestogether，fromwhichroseashape，abuilding。Shewassofarabsorbedinthiswork，foritwasreallydifficulttofindhowallthesesoundsshouldstandtogether，anddrewuponthewholeofherfaculties，thatsheneverheardaknockatthedoor。Itwasburstimpulsivelyopen，andMrs。Dallowaystoodintheroomleavingthedooropen，sothatastripofthewhitedeckandoftheblueseaappearedthroughtheopening。TheshapeoftheBachfuguecrashedtotheground。
“Don’tletmeinterrupt，“Clarissaimplored。“Iheardyouplaying，andIcouldn’tresist。IadoreBach！“
Rachelflushedandfumbledherfingersinherlap。Shestoodupawkwardly。
“It’stoodifficult，“shesaid。
“Butyouwereplayingquitesplendidly！Ioughttohavestayedoutside。“
“No，“saidRachel。
Sheslid_Cowper’s__Letters_and_Wuthering__Heights_outofthearm-chair，sothatClarissawasinvitedtositthere。
“Whatadearlittleroom！“shesaid，lookinground。
“Oh，_Cowper’s__Letters>！“I’veneverreadthem。Aretheynice？“
“Ratherdull，“saidRachel。
“Hewroteawfullywell，didn’the？“saidClarissa；“——ifonelikesthatkindofthing——finishedhissentencesandallthat。
_Wuthering__Heights_！Ah——that’smoreinmyline。Ireallycouldn’texistwithouttheBrontes！Don’tyoulovethem？Still，onthewhole，I’dratherlivewithoutthemthanwithoutJaneAusten。“
Lightlyandatrandomthoughshespoke，hermannerconveyedanextraordinarydegreeofsympathyanddesiretobefriend。
“JaneAusten？Idon’tlikeJaneAusten，“saidRachel。
“Youmonster！“Clarissaexclaimed。“Icanonlyjustforgiveyou。
