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kind of thing； and had e out of curiosity； or because
her father had invited him—anyhow； he would not be
easily bined with the rest。
“I should think there would be no one to talk to in
Manchester；” she replied at random。 Mr。 Fortescue had
been observing her for a moment or two； as novelists are
inclined to observe； and at this remark he smiled； and
made it the text for a little further speculation。
“In spite of a slight tendency to exaggeration； Katharine
decidedly hits the mark；” he said； and lying back in his
chair； with his opaque contemplative eyes fixed on the
ceiling； and the tips of his fingers pressed together； he
depicted； first the horrors of the streets of Manchester；
and then the bare； immense moors on the outskirts of the
town； and then the scrubby little house in which the girl
would live； and then the professors and the miserable young
students devoted to the more strenuous works of our
younger dramatists； who would visit her； and how her appearance
would change by degrees； and how she would fly
to London； and how Katharine would have to lead her about；
as one leads an eager dog on a chain； past rows of clamorous
butchers’ shops； poor dear creature。
“Oh； Mr。 Fortescue；” exclaimed Mrs。 Hilbery； as he finished；
“I had just written to say how I envied her！ I was
thinking of the big gardens and the dear old ladies in
mittens； who read nothing but the “Spectator；” and snuff
the candles。 Have they ALL disappeared？ I told her she
would find the nice things of London without the horrid
5
Night and Day
streets that depress one so。”
“There is the University；” said the thin gentleman； who
had previously insisted upon the existence of people knowing
Persian。
“I know there are moors there； because I read about
them in a book the other day；” said Katharine。
“I am grieved and amazed at the ignorance of my family；”
Mr。 Hilbery remarked。 He was an elderly man； with a
pair of oval； hazel eyes which were rather bright for his
time of life； and relieved the heaviness of his face。 He
played constantly with a little green stone attached to
his watchchain； thus displaying long and very sensitive
fingers； and had a habit of moving his head hither and
thither very quickly without altering the position of his
large and rather corpulent body； so that he seemed to be
providing himself incessantly with food for amusement
and reflection with the least possible expenditure of energy。
One might suppose that he had passed the time of
life when his ambitions were personal； or that he had
gratified them as far as he was likely to do； and now
employed his considerable acuteness rather to observe
and reflect than to attain any result。
Katharine； so Denham decided； while Mr。 Fortescue built
up another rounded structure of words； had a likeness to
each of her parents； but these elements were rather oddly
blended。 She had the quick； impulsive movements of her
mother； the lips parting often to speak； and closing again；
and the dark oval eyes of her father brimming with light
upon a basis of sadness； or； since she was too young to
have acquired a sorrowful point of view； one might say
that the basis was not sadness so much as a spirit given
to contemplation and selfcontrol。 Judging by her hair；
her coloring； and the shape of her features； she was striking；
if not actually beautiful。 Decision and posure
stamped her； a bination of qualities that produced a
very marked character； and one that was not calculated
to put a young man； who scarcely knew her； at his ease。
For the rest； she was tall； her dress was of some quiet
color； with old yellowtinted lace for ornament； to which
the spark of an ancient jewel gave its one red gleam。
Denham noticed that； although silent； she kept sufficient
control of the situation to answer immediately her
6
Virginia Woolf
mother appealed to her for help； and yet it was obvious to
him that she attended only with the surface skin of her
mind。 It struck him that her position at the teatable； among
all these elderly people； was not without its difficulties；
and he checked his inclination to find her； or her attitude；
generally antipathetic to him。 The talk had passed over
Manchester； after dealing with it very generously。
“Would it be the Battle of Trafalgar or the Spanish Armada；
Katharine？” her mother demanded。
“Trafalgar； mother。”
“Trafalgar； of course！ How stupid of me！ Another cup of
tea； with a thin slice of lemon in it； and then； dear Mr。
Fortescue； please explain my absurd little puzzle。 One
can’t help believing gentlemen with Roman noses； even
if one meets them in omnibuses。”
Mr。 Hilbery here interposed so far as Denham was concerned；
and talked a great deal of sense about the solicitors’
profession； and the changes which he had seen in
his lifetime。 Indeed； Denham properly fell to his lot； owing
to the fact that an article by Denham upon some
legal matter； published by Mr。 Hilbery in his Review； had
brought them acquainted。 But when a moment later Mrs。
Sutton Bailey was announced； he turned to her； and Mr。
Denham found himself sitting silent； rejecting possible
things to say； beside Katharine； who was silent too。 Being
much about the same age and both under thirty； they
were prohibited from the use of a great many convenient
phrases which launch conversation into smooth waters。
They were further silenced by Katharine’s rather malicious
determination not to help this young man； in whose
upright and resolute bearing she detected something
hostile to her surroundings； by any of the usual feminine
amenities。 They therefore sat silent； Denham controlling
his desire to say something abrupt and explosive； which
should shock her into life。 But Mrs。 Hilbery was immediately
sensitive to any silence in the drawingroom； as of
a dumb note in a sonorous scale； and leaning across the
table she observed； in the curiously tentative detached
manner which always gave her phrases the likeness of
butterflies flaunting from one sunny spot to a