athousandwordsandactionsbecameplaintoher。
“Becausemenarebrutes！Ihatemen！“sheexclaimed。
“Ithoughtyousaidyoulikedhim？“saidHelen。
“Ilikedhim，andIlikedbeingkissed，“sheanswered，asifthatonlyaddedmoredifficultiestoherproblem。
Helenwassurprisedtoseehowgenuinebothshockandproblemwere，butshecouldthinkofnowayofeasingthedifficultyexceptbygoingontalking。Shewantedtomakeherniecetalk，andsotounderstandwhythisratherdull，kindly，plausiblepoliticianhadmadesodeepanimpressiononher，forsurelyattheageoftwenty-fourthiswasnotnatural。
“AnddidyoulikeMrs。Dallowaytoo？“sheasked。
AsshespokeshesawRachelredden；forsherememberedsillythingsshehadsaid，andalso，itoccurredtoherthatshetreatedthisexquisitewomanratherbadly，forMrs。Dallowayhadsaidthatshelovedherhusband。
“Shewasquitenice，butathimble-patedcreature，“Helencontinued。
“Ineverheardsuchnonsense！Chitter-chatter-chitter-chatter——
fishandtheGreekalphabet——neverlistenedtoawordanyonesaid——
chock-fullofidiotictheoriesaboutthewaytobringupchildren——
I’dfarrathertalktohimanyday。Hewaspompous，buthedidatleastunderstandwhatwassaidtohim。“
TheglamourinsensiblyfadedalittlebothfromRichardandClarissa。
Theyhadnotbeensowonderfulafterall，then，intheeyesofamatureperson。
“It’sverydifficulttoknowwhatpeoplearelike，“Rachelremarked，andHelensawwithpleasurethatshespokemorenaturally。
“IsupposeIwastakenin。“
TherewaslittledoubtaboutthataccordingtoHelen，butsherestrainedherselfandsaidaloud:
“Onehastomakeexperiments。“
“Andthey_were_nice，“saidRachel。“Theywereextraordinarilyinteresting。“ShetriedtorecalltheimageoftheworldasalivethingthatRichardhadgivenher，withdrainslikenerves，andbadhouseslikepatchesofdiseasedskin。Sherecalledhiswatch-words——Unity——Imagination，andsawagainthebubblesmeetinginhertea-cupashespokeofsistersandcanaries，boyhoodandhisfather，hersmallworldbecomingwonderfullyenlarged。
“Butallpeopledon’tseemtoyouequallyinteresting，dothey？“
askedMrs。Ambrose。
Rachelexplainedthatmostpeoplehadhithertobeensymbols；
butthatwhentheytalkedtoonetheyceasedtobesymbols，andbecame——“Icouldlistentothemforever！“sheexclaimed。
Shethenjumpedup，disappeareddownstairsforaminute，andcamebackwithafatredbook。
“_Who’s__Who_，“shesaid，layingituponHelen’skneeandturningthepages。“Itgivesshortlivesofpeople——forinstance:
’SirRolandBeal；born1852；parentsfromMoffatt；educatedatRugby；
passedfirstintoR。E。；married1878thedaughterofT。Fishwick；
servedintheBechuanalandExpedition1884-85(honourablymentioned)。Clubs:
UnitedService，NavalandMilitary。Recreations:anenthusiasticcurler。’“
SittingonthedeckatHelen’sfeetshewentonturningthepagesandreadingbiographiesofbankers，writers，clergymen，sailors，surgeons，judges，professors，statesmen，editors，philanthropists，merchants，andactresses；whatclubstheybelongedto，wheretheylived，whatgamestheyplayed，andhowmanyacrestheyowned。
Shebecameabsorbedinthebook。
Helenmeanwhilestitchedatherembroideryandthoughtoverthethingstheyhadsaid。Herconclusionwasthatshewouldverymuchliketoshowherniece，ifitwerepossible，howtolive，orassheputit，howtobeareasonableperson。Shethoughtthattheremustbesomethingwronginthisconfusionbetweenpoliticsandkissingpoliticians，andthatanelderpersonoughttobeabletohelp。
“Iquiteagree，“shesaid，“thatpeopleareveryinteresting；
only——“Rachel，puttingherfingerbetweenthepages，lookedupenquiringly。
“OnlyIthinkyououghttodiscriminate，“sheended。“It’sapitytobeintimatewithpeoplewhoare——well，rathersecond-rate，liketheDalloways，andtofinditoutlater。“
“Buthowdoesoneknow？“Rachelasked。
“Ireallycan’ttellyou，“repliedHelencandidly，afteramoment’sthought。“You’llhavetofindoutforyourself。Buttryand——
Whydon’tyoucallmeHelen？“sheadded。“’Aunt’s’ahorridname。
IneverlikedmyAunts。“
“IshouldliketocallyouHelen，“Rachelanswered。
“D’youthinkmeveryunsympathetic？“
RachelreviewedthepointswhichHelenhadcertainlyfailedtounderstand；theyarosechieflyfromthedifferenceofnearlytwentyyearsinagebetweenthem，whichmadeMrs。Ambroseappeartoohumorousandcoolinamatterofsuchmoment。
“No，“shesaid。“Somethingsyoudon’tunderstand，ofcourse。“
“Ofcourse，“Helenagreed。“Sonowyoucangoaheadandbeapersononyourownaccount，“sheadded。
Thevisionofherownpersonality，ofherselfasarealeverlastingthing，differentfromanythingelse，unmergeable，liketheseaorthewind，flashedintoRachel’smind，andshebecameprofoundlyexcitedatthethoughtofliving。
“Icanbym-m-myself，“shestammered，“inspiteofyou，inspiteoftheDalloways，andMr。Pepper，andFather，andmyAunts，inspiteofthese？“Shesweptherhandacrossawholepageofstatesmenandsoldiers。
“Inspiteofthemall，“saidHelengravely。Shethenputdownherneedle，andexplainedaplanwhichhadcomeintoherheadastheytalked。
InsteadofwanderingondowntheAmazonsuntilshereachedsomesulphuroustropicalport，whereonehadtoliewithindoorsalldaybeatingoffinsectswithafan，thesensiblethingtodosurelywastospendtheseasonwiththemintheirvillabytheseaside，whereamongotheradvantagesMrs。Ambroseherselfwouldbeathandto——
“Afterall，Rachel，“shebrokeoff，“it’ssillytopretendthatbecausethere’stwentyyears’differencebetweenuswethereforecan’ttalktoeachotherlikehumanbeings。“
“No；becausewelikeeachother，“saidRachel。
“Yes，“Mrs。Ambroseagreed。
Thatfact，togetherwithotherfacts，hadbeenmadeclearbytheirtwentyminutes’talk，althoughhowtheyhadcometotheseconclusionstheycouldnothavesaid。
Howevertheywerecomeby，theyweresufficientlyserioustosendMrs。Ambroseadayortwolaterinsearchofherbrother-in-law。Shefoundhimsittinginhisroomworking，applyingastoutbluepencilauthoritativelytobundlesoffilmypaper。Paperslaytoleftandtorightofhim，thereweregreatenvelopessogorgedwithpapersthattheyspiltpapersontothetable。Abovehimhungaphotographofawoman’shead。TheneedofsittingabsolutelystillbeforeaCockneyphotographerhadgivenherlipsaqueerlittlepucker，andhereyesforthesamereasonlookedasthoughshethoughtthewholesituationridiculous。Neverthelessitwastheheadofanindividualandinterestingwoman，whowouldnodoubthaveturnedandlaughedatWilloughbyifshecouldhavecaughthiseye；
butwhenhelookedupatherhesighedprofoundly。Inhismindthisworkofhis，thegreatfactoriesatHullwhichshowedlikemountainsatnight，theshipsthatcrossedtheoceanpunctually，theschemesforcombiningthisandthatandbuildingupasolidmassofindustry，wasallanofferingtoher；helaidhissuccessatherfeet；andwasalwaysthinkinghowtoeducatehisdaughtersothatTheresamightbeglad。Hewasaveryambitiousman；
andalthoughhehadnotbeenparticularlykindtoherwhileshelived，asHelenthought，henowbelievedthatshewatchedhimfromHeaven，andinspiredwhatwasgoodinhim。
Mrs。Ambroseapologisedfortheinterruption，andaskedwhethershemightspeaktohimaboutaplanofhers。Wouldheconsenttoleavehisdaughterwiththemwhentheylanded，insteadoftakingheronuptheAmazons？
“Wewouldtakegreatcareofher，“sheadded，“andweshouldreallylikeit。“
Willoughbylookedverygraveandcarefullylaidasidehispapers。
“She’sagoodgirl，“hesaidatlength。“Thereisalikeness？“——
henoddedhisheadatthephotographofTheresaandsighed。HelenlookedatTheresapursingupherlipsbeforetheCockneyphotographer。
Itsuggestedherinanabsurdhumanway，andshefeltanintensedesiretosharesomejoke。
“She’stheonlythingthat’slefttome，“sighedWilloughby。
“Wegoonyearafteryearwithouttalkingaboutthesethings——“
Hebrokeoff。“Butit’sbetterso。Onlylife’sveryhard。“
Helenwassorryforhim，andpattedhimontheshoulder，butshefeltuncomfortablewhenherbrother-in-lawexpressedhisfeelings，andtookrefugeinpraisingRachel，andexplainingwhyshethoughtherplanmightbeagoodone。
“True，“saidWilloughbywhenshehaddone。“Thesocialconditionsareboundtobeprimitive。Ishouldbeoutagooddeal。Iagreedbecauseshewishedit。AndofcourseIhavecompleteconfidenceinyou……Yousee，Helen，“hecontinued，becomingconfidential，“Iwanttobringherupashermotherwouldhavewished。Idon’tholdwiththesemodernviews——anymorethanyoudo，eh？She’sanicequietgirl，devotedtohermusic——alittlelessof_that_woulddonoharm。Still，it’skeptherhappy，andweleadaveryquietlifeatRichmond。Ishouldlikehertobegintoseemorepeople。
IwanttotakeheraboutwithmewhenIgethome。I’vehalfamindtorentahouseinLondon，leavingmysistersatRichmond，andtakehertoseeoneortwopeoplewho’dbekindtoherformysake。
I’mbeginningtorealise，“hecontinued，stretchinghimselfout，“thatallthisistendingtoParliament，Helen。It’stheonlywaytogetthingsdoneasonewantsthemdone。ItalkedtoDallowayaboutit。Inthatcase，ofcourse，IshouldwantRacheltobeabletotakemorepartinthings。Acertainamountofentertainingwouldbenecessary——dinners，anoccasionaleveningparty。One’sconstituentsliketobefed，Ibelieve。InallthesewaysRachelcouldbeofgreathelptome。So，“hewoundup，“Ishouldbeveryglad，ifwearrangethisvisit(whichmustbeuponabusinessfooting，mind)，ifyoucouldseeyourwaytohelpingmygirl，bringingherout——
she’salittleshynow，——makingawomanofher，thekindofwomanhermotherwouldhavelikedhertobe，“heended，jerkinghisheadatthephotograph。
Willoughby’sselfishness，thoughconsistentasHelensawwithrealaffectionforhisdaughter，madeherdeterminedtohavethegirltostaywithher，evenifshehadtopromiseacompletecourseofinstructioninthefemininegraces。Shecouldnothelplaughingatthenotionofit——RachelaToryhostess！——andmarvellingasshelefthimattheastonishingignoranceofafather。
Rachel，whenconsulted，showedlessenthusiasmthanHelencouldhavewished。Onemomentshewaseager，thenextdoubtful。Visionsofagreatriver，nowblue，nowyellowinthetropicalsunandcrossedbybrightbirds，nowwhiteinthemoon，nowdeepinshadewithmovingtreesandcanoesslidingoutfromthetangledbanks，besether。
Helenpromisedariver。Thenshedidnotwanttoleaveherfather。
Thatfeelingseemedgenuinetoo，butintheendHelenprevailed，althoughwhenshehadwonhercaseshewasbesetbydoubts，andmorethanonceregrettedtheimpulsewhichhadentangledherwiththefortunesofanotherhumanbeing。
Fromadistancethe_Euphrosyne_lookedverysmall。Glasseswereturneduponherfromthedecksofgreatliners，andshewaspronouncedatramp，acargo-boat，oroneofthosewretchedlittlepassengersteamerswherepeoplerolledaboutamongthecattleondeck。
Theinsect-likefiguresofDalloways，Ambroses，andVinraceswerealsoderided，bothfromtheextremesmallnessoftheirpersonsandthedoubtwhichonlystrongglassescoulddispelastowhethertheywerereallylivecreaturesoronlylumpsontherigging。
Mr。Pepperwithallhislearninghadbeenmistakenforacormorant，andthen，asunjustly，transformedintoacow。Atnight，indeed，whenthewaltzeswereswinginginthesaloon，andgiftedpassengersreciting，thelittleship——shrunktoafewbeadsoflightoutamongthedarkwaves，andonehighinairuponthemast-head——
seemedsomethingmysteriousandimpressivetoheatedpartnersrestingfromthedance。Shebecameashippassinginthenight——
anemblemofthelonelinessofhumanlife，anoccasionforqueerconfidencesandsuddenappealsforsympathy。
Onandonshewent，bydayandbynight，followingherpath，untilonemorningbrokeandshowedtheland。Losingitsshadow-likeappearanceitbecamefirstcleftandmountainous，nextcolouredgreyandpurple，nextscatteredwithwhiteblockswhichgraduallyseparatedthemselves，andthen，astheprogressoftheshipactedupontheviewlikeafield-glassofincreasingpower，becamestreetsofhouses。Bynineo’clockthe_Euphrosyne_hadtakenupherpositioninthemiddleofagreatbay；shedroppedheranchor；immediately，asifshewerearecumbentgiantrequiringexamination，smallboatscameswarmingabouther。Sherangwithcries；menjumpedontoher；herdeckwasthumpedbyfeet。Thelonelylittleislandwasinvadedfromallquartersatonce，andafterfourweeksofsilenceitwasbewilderingtohearhumanspeech。Mrs。Ambrosealoneheedednoneofthisstir。
