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he was not destined to profit by his advantage。
50
Virginia Woolf
“I don’t think I understand what you mean；” Katharine
repeated； and then she was obliged to stop and answer
some one who wished to know whether she would buy a
ticket for an opera from them； at a reduction。 Indeed；
the temper of the meeting was now unfavorable to separate
conversation； it had bee rather debauched and
hilarious； and people who scarcely knew each other were
making use of Christian names with apparent cordiality；
and had reached that kind of gay tolerance and general
friendliness which human beings in England only attain
after sitting together for three hours or so； and the first
cold blast in the air of the street freezes them into isolation
once more。 Cloaks were being flung round the shoulders；
hats swiftly pinned to the head； and Denham had
the mortification of seeing Katharine helped to prepare
herself by the ridiculous Rodney。 It was not the convention
of the meeting to say goodbye； or necessarily even
to nod to the person with whom one was talking； but；
nevertheless； Denham was disappointed by the pleteness
with which Katharine parted from him； without any
attempt to finish her sentence。 She left with Rodney。
CHAPTER V
Denham had no conscious intention of following Katharine；
but； seeing her depart； he took his hat and ran rather
more quickly down the stairs than he would have done if
Katharine had not been in front of him。 He overtook a
friend of his； by name Harry Sandys； who was going the
same way； and they walked together a few paces behind
Katharine and Rodney。
The night was very still； and on such nights； when the
traffic thins away； the walker bees conscious of the
moon in the street； as if the curtains of the sky had been
drawn apart； and the heaven lay bare； as it does in the
country。 The air was softly cool； so that people who had
been sitting talking in a crowd found it pleasant to walk
a little before deciding to stop an omnibus or encounter
light again in an underground railway。 Sandys； who was a
barrister with a philosophic tendency； took out his pipe；
lit it； murmured “hum” and “ha；” and was silent。 The
couple in front of them kept their distance accurately；
and appeared； so far as Denham could judge by the way
51
Night and Day
they turned towards each other； to be talking very constantly。
He observed that when a pedestrian going the
opposite way forced them to part they came together
again directly afterwards。 Without intending to watch
them he never quite lost sight of the yellow scarf twisted
round Katharine’s head； or the light overcoat which made
Rodney look fashionable among the crowd。 At the Strand
he supposed that they would separate； but instead they
crossed the road； and took their way down one of the
narrow passages which lead through ancient courts to
the river。 Among the crowd of people in the big thoroughfares
Rodney seemed merely to be lending Katharine
his escort； but now； when passengers were rare and the
footsteps of the couple were distinctly heard in the silence；
Denham could not help picturing to himself some
change in their conversation。 The effect of the light and
shadow； which seemed to increase their height； was to
make them mysterious and significant； so that Denham
had no feeling of irritation with Katharine； but rather a
halfdreamy acquiescence in the course of the world。 Yes；
she did very well to dream about—but Sandys had sud
denly begun to talk。 He was a solitary man who had made
his friends at college and always addressed them as if
they were still undergraduates arguing in his room； though
many months or even years had passed in some cases
between the last sentence and the present one。 The
method was a little singular； but very restful； for it seemed
to ignore pletely all accidents of human life； and to
span very deep abysses with a few simple words。
On this occasion he began； while they waited for a
minute on the edge of the Strand：
“I hear that Bent has given up his theory of truth。”
Denham returned a suitable answer； and he proceeded
to explain how this decision had been arrived at； and
what changes it involved in the philosophy which they
both accepted。 Meanwhile Katharine and Rodney drew
further ahead； and Denham kept； if that is the right expression
for an involuntary action； one filament of his
mind upon them； while with the rest of his intelligence
he sought to understand what Sandys was saying。
As they passed through the courts thus talking； Sandys
laid the tip of his stick upon one of the stones forming a
52
Virginia Woolf
timeworn arch； and struck it meditatively two or three
times in order to illustrate something very obscure about
the plex nature of one’s apprehension of facts。 During
the pause which this necessitated； Katharine and
Rodney turned the corner and disappeared。 For a moment
Denham stopped involuntarily in his sentence； and continued
it with a sense of having lost something。
Unconscious that they were observed； Katharine and
Rodney had e out on the Embankment。 When they
had crossed the road； Rodney slapped his hand upon the
stone parapet above the river and exclaimed：
“I promise I won’t say another word about it； Katharine！
But do stop a minute and look at the moon upon the
water。”
Katharine paused； looked up and down the river； and
snuffed the air。
“I’m sure one can smell the sea； with the wind blowing
this way；” she said。
They stood silent for a few moments while the river
shifted in its bed； and the silver and red lights which
were laid upon it were torn by the current and joined
together again。 Very far off up the river a steamer hooted
with its hollow voice of unspeakable melancholy； as if
from the heart of lonely mistshrouded voyagings。
“Ah！” Rodney cried； striking his hand once more upon
the balustrade； “why can’t one say how beautiful it all is？
Why am I condemned for ever； Katharine； to feel what I
can’t express？ And the things I can give there