Shewasnotabletofollowupherobservations，however，ortocometoanyconclusion，forbyoneofthoseaccidentswhichareliabletohappenatsea，thewholecourseoftheirliveswasnowputoutoforder。
Evenatteathefloorrosebeneaththeirfeetandpitchedtoolowagain，andatdinnertheshipseemedtogroanandstrainasthoughalashweredescending。Shewhohadbeenabroad-backeddray-horse，uponwhosehind-quarterspierrotsmightwaltz，becameacoltinafield。Theplatesslantedawayfromtheknives，andMrs。Dalloway’sfaceblanchedforasecondasshehelpedherselfandsawthepotatoesrollthiswayandthat。Willoughby，ofcourse，extolledthevirtuesofhisship，andquotedwhathadbeensaidofherbyexpertsanddistinguishedpassengers，forhelovedhisownpossessions。Still，dinnerwasuneasy，anddirectlytheladieswerealoneClarissaownedthatshewouldbebetteroffinbed，andwent，smilingbravely。
Nextmorningthestormwasonthem，andnopolitenesscouldignoreit。
Mrs。Dallowaystayedinherroom。Richardfacedthreemeals，eatingvaliantlyateach；butatthethird，certainglazedasparagusswimminginoilfinallyconqueredhim。
“Thatbeatsme，“hesaid，andwithdrew。
“Nowwearealoneoncemore，“remarkedWilliamPepper，lookingroundthetable；butnoonewasreadytoengagehimintalk，andthemealendedinsilence。
Onthefollowingdaytheymet——butasflyingleavesmeetintheair。
Sicktheywerenot；butthewindpropelledthemhastilyintorooms，violentlydownstairs。Theypassedeachothergaspingondeck；theyshoutedacrosstables。Theyworefurcoats；andHelenwasneverseenwithoutabandannaonherhead。Forcomforttheyretreatedtotheircabins，wherewithtightlywedgedfeettheylettheshipbounceandtumble。
Theirsensationswerethesensationsofpotatoesinasackonagallopinghorse。Theworldoutsidewasmerelyaviolentgreytumult。
Fortwodaystheyhadaperfectrestfromtheiroldemotions。
Rachelhadjustenoughconsciousnesstosupposeherselfadonkeyonthesummitofamoorinahail-storm，withitscoatblownintofurrows；
thenshebecameawizenedtree，perpetuallydrivenbackbythesaltAtlanticgale。
Helen，ontheotherhand，staggeredtoMrs。Dalloway’sdoor，knocked，couldnotbeheardfortheslammingofdoorsandthebatteringofwind，andentered。
Therewerebasins，ofcourse。Mrs。Dallowaylayhalf-raisedonapillow，anddidnotopenhereyes。Thenshemurmured，“Oh，Dick，isthatyou？“
Helenshouted——forshewasthrownagainstthewashstand——“Howareyou？“
Clarissaopenedoneeye。Itgaveheranincrediblydissipatedappearance。
“Awful！“shegasped。Herlipswerewhiteinside。
Plantingherfeetwide，Helencontrivedtopourchampagneintoatumblerwithatooth-brushinit。
“Champagne，“shesaid。
“There’satooth-brushinit，“murmuredClarissa，andsmiled；
itmighthavebeenthecontortionofoneweeping。Shedrank。
“Disgusting，“shewhispered，indicatingthebasins。Relicsofhumourstillplayedoverherfacelikemoonshine。
“Wantmore？“Helenshouted。SpeechwasagainbeyondClarissa’sreach。
Thewindlaidtheshipshiveringonherside。PaleagoniescrossedMrs。Dallowayinwaves。Whenthecurtainsflapped，greylightspuffedacrossher。Betweenthespasmsofthestorm，Helenmadethecurtainfast，shookthepillows，stretchedthebed-clothes，andsmoothedthehotnostrilsandforeheadwithcoldscent。
“You_are_good！“Clarissagasped。“Horridmess！“
Shewastryingtoapologiseforwhiteunderclothesfallenandscatteredonthefloor。Foronesecondsheopenedasingleeye，andsawthattheroomwastidy。
“That’snice，“shegasped。
Helenlefther；far，farawaysheknewthatshefeltakindoflikingforMrs。Dalloway。Shecouldnothelprespectingherspiritandherdesire，eveninthethroesofsickness，foratidybedroom。
Herpetticoats，however，roseaboveherknees。
Quitesuddenlythestormrelaxeditsgrasp。Ithappenedattea；
theexpectedparoxysmoftheblastgaveoutjustasitreacheditsclimaxanddwindledaway，andtheshipinsteadoftakingtheusualplungewentsteadily。Themonotonousorderofplungingandrising，roaringandrelaxing，wasinterferedwith，andeveryoneattablelookedupandfeltsomethingloosenwithinthem。
Thestrainwasslackenedandhumanfeelingsbegantopeepagain，astheydowhendaylightshowsattheendofatunnel。
“Tryaturnwithme，“RidleycalledacrosstoRachel。“
“Foolish！“criedHelen，buttheywentstumblinguptheladder。
Chokedbythewindtheirspiritsrosewitharush，forontheskirtsofallthegreytumultwasamistyspotofgold。Instantlytheworlddroppedintoshape；theywerenolongeratomsflyinginthevoid，butpeopleridingatriumphantshiponthebackofthesea。
Windandspacewerebanished；theworldfloatedlikeanappleinatub，andthemindofman，whichhadbeenunmooredalso，oncemoreattacheditselftotheoldbeliefs。
Havingscrambledtwiceroundtheshipandreceivedmanysoundcuffsfromthewind，theysawasailor’sfacepositivelyshinegolden。
Theylooked，andbeheldacompleteyellowcircleofsun；nextminuteitwastraversedbysailingstandsofcloud，andthencompletelyhidden。
Bybreakfastthenextmorning，however，theskywassweptclean，thewaves，althoughsteep，wereblue，andaftertheirviewofthestrangeunder-world，inhabitedbyphantoms，peoplebegantoliveamongtea-potsandloavesofbreadwithgreaterzestthanever。
RichardandClarissa，however，stillremainedontheborderland。
Shedidnotattempttositup；herhusbandstoodonhisfeet，contemplatedhiswaistcoatandtrousers，shookhishead，andthenlaydownagain。Theinsideofhisbrainwasstillrisingandfallingliketheseaonthestage。Atfouro’clockhewokefromsleepandsawthesunlightmakeavividangleacrosstheredplushcurtainsandthegreytweedtrousers。Theordinaryworldoutsideslidintohismind，andbythetimehewasdressedhewasanEnglishgentlemanagain。
Hestoodbesidehiswife。Shepulledhimdowntoherbythelapelofhiscoat，kissedhim，andheldhimfastforaminute。
“Goandgetabreathofair，Dick，“shesaid。“Youlookquitewashedout……Howniceyousmell！……Andbepolitetothatwoman。
Shewassokindtome。“
ThereuponMrs。Dallowayturnedtothecoolsideofherpillow，terriblyflattenedbutstillinvincible。
RichardfoundHelentalkingtoherbrother-in-law，overtwodishesofyellowcakeandsmoothbreadandbutter。
“Youlookveryill！“sheexclaimedonseeinghim。“Comeandhavesometea。“
Heremarkedthatthehandsthatmovedaboutthecupswerebeautiful。
“Ihearyou’vebeenverygoodtomywife，“hesaid。“She’shadanawfultimeofit。Youcameinandfedherwithchampagne。
Wereyouamongthesavedyourself？“
“I？Oh，Ihaven’tbeensickfortwentyyears——sea-sick，Imean。“
“Therearethreestagesofconvalescence，Ialwayssay，“
brokeintheheartyvoiceofWilloughby。“Themilkstage，thebread-and-butterstage，andtheroast-beefstage。Ishouldsayyouwereatthebread-and-butterstage。“Hehandedhimtheplate。
“Now，Ishouldadviseaheartytea，thenabriskwalkondeck；
andbydinner-timeyou’llbeclamouringforbeef，eh？“Hewentofflaughing，excusinghimselfonthescoreofbusiness。
“Whatasplendidfellowheis！“saidRichard。“Alwayskeenonsomething。“
“Yes，“saidHelen，“he’salwaysbeenlikethat。“
“Thisisagreatundertakingofhis，“Richardcontinued。
“It’sabusinessthatwon’tstopwithships，Ishouldsay。
WeshallseehiminParliament，orI’mmuchmistaken。He’sthekindofmanwewantinParliament——themanwhohasdonethings。“
ButHelenwasnotmuchinterestedinherbrother-in-law。
“Iexpectyourhead’saching，isn’tit？“sheasked，pouringafreshcup。
“Well，itis，“saidRichard。“It’shumiliatingtofindwhataslaveoneistoone’sbodyinthisworld。D’youknow，Icanneverworkwithoutakettleonthehob。AsoftenasnotIdon’tdrinktea，butImustfeelthatIcanifIwantto。“
“That’sverybadforyou，“saidHelen。
“Itshortensone’slife；butI’mafraid，Mrs。Ambrose，wepoliticiansmustmakeupourmindstothatattheoutset。We’vegottoburnthecandleatbothends，or——“
“You’vecookedyourgoose！“saidHelenbrightly。
“Wecan’tmakeyoutakeusseriously，Mrs。Ambrose，“heprotested。
“MayIaskhowyou’vespentyourtime？Reading——philosophy？“(Hesawtheblackbook。)“Metaphysicsandfishing！“heexclaimed。“IfIhadtoliveagainIbelieveIshoulddevotemyselftooneortheother。“
Hebeganturningthepages。
“’Good，then，isindefinable，’“hereadout。“Howjollytothinkthat’sgoingonstill！’SofarasIknowthereisonlyoneethicalwriter，ProfessorHenrySidgwick，whohasclearlyrecognisedandstatedthisfact。’That’sjustthekindofthingweusedtotalkaboutwhenwewereboys。IcanrememberarguinguntilfiveinthemorningwithDuffy——nowSecretaryforIndia——pacingroundandroundthosecloistersuntilwedecideditwastoolatetogotobed，andwewentforarideinstead。Whetherweevercametoanyconclusion——
that’sanothermatter。Still，it’sthearguingthatcounts。
It’sthingslikethatthatstandoutinlife。Nothing’sbeenquitesovividsince。It’sthephilosophers，it’sthescholars，“
hecontinued，“they’rethepeoplewhopassthetorch，whokeepthelightburningbywhichwelive。Beingapoliticiandoesn’tnecessarilyblindonetothat，Mrs。Ambrose。“
“No。Whyshouldit？“saidHelen。“Butcanyourememberifyourwifetakessugar？“
SheliftedthetrayandwentoffwithittoMrs。Dalloway。
Richardtwistedamufflertwiceroundhisthroatandstruggledupondeck。Hisbody，whichhadgrownwhiteandtenderinadarkroom，tingledalloverinthefreshair。Hefelthimselfamanundoubtedlyintheprimeoflife。Prideglowedinhiseyeasheletthewindbuffethimandstoodfirm。Withhisheadslightlyloweredhesheeredroundcorners，strodeuphill，andmettheblast。Therewasacollision。Forasecondhecouldnotseewhatthebodywashehadruninto。“Sorry。““Sorry。“ItwasRachelwhoapologised。
Theybothlaughed，toomuchblownabouttospeak。Shedroveopenthedoorofherroomandsteppedintoitscalm。Inordertospeaktoher，itwasnecessarythatRichardshouldfollow。Theystoodinawhirlpoolofwind；papersbeganflyingroundincircles，thedoorcrashedto，andtheytumbled，laughing，intochairs。
RichardsatuponBach。
“Myword！Whatatempest！“heexclaimed。
“Fine，isn’tit？“saidRachel。Certainlythestruggleandwindhadgivenheradecisionshelacked；redwasinhercheeks，andherhairwasdown。
“Oh，whatfun！“hecried。“WhatamIsittingon？Isthisyourroom？
Howjolly！““There——sitthere，“shecommanded。Cowperslidoncemore。
“Howjollytomeetagain，“saidRichard。“Itseemsanage。
_Cowper’s__Letters>？……Bach？……_Wuthering__Heights_？……Isthiswhereyoumeditateontheworld，andthencomeoutandposepoorpoliticianswithquestions？Intheintervalsofsea-sicknessI’vethoughtalotofourtalk。Iassureyou，youmademethink。“
“Imadeyouthink！Butwhy？“
“Whatsolitaryicebergsweare，MissVinrace！Howlittlewecancommunicate！TherearelotsofthingsIshouldliketotellyouabout——tohearyouropinionof。HaveyoueverreadBurke？“
“Burke？“sherepeated。“WhowasBurke？“
“No？Well，thenIshallmakeapointofsendingyouacopy。
_The__Speech__on__the__French__Revolution_——_The_
_American__Rebellion_？Whichshallitbe，Iwonder？“Henotedsomethinginhispocket-book。“Andthenyoumustwriteandtellmewhatyouthinkofit。Thisreticence——thisisolation——that’swhat’sthematterwithmodernlife！Now，tellmeaboutyourself。
Whatareyourinterestsandoccupations？Ishouldimaginethatyouwereapersonwithverystronginterests。Ofcourseyouare！
GoodGod！WhenIthinkoftheagewelivein，withitsopportunitiesandpossibilities，themassofthingstobedoneandenjoyed——
whyhaven’twetenlivesinsteadofone？Butaboutyourself？“
“Yousee，I’mawoman，“saidRachel。
“Iknow——Iknow，“saidRichard，throwinghisheadback，anddrawinghisfingersacrosshiseyes。
“Howstrangetobeawoman！Ayoungandbeautifulwoman，“
hecontinuedsententiously，“hasthewholeworldatherfeet。
That’strue，MissVinrace。Youhaveaninestimablepower——forgoodorforevil。Whatcouldn’tyoudo——“hebrokeoff。
“What？“askedRachel。
“Youhavebeauty，“hesaid。Theshiplurched。Rachelfellslightlyforward。Richardtookherinhisarmsandkissedher。
Holdinghertight，hekissedherpassionately，sothatshefeltthehardnessofhisbodyandtheroughnessofhischeekprinteduponhers。Shefellbackinherchair，withtremendousbeatsoftheheart，eachofwhichsentblackwavesacrosshereyes。
