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cardboard； and pasted flat against the sky； which was of
a deeper blue。
“There are one or two people I’m fond of； and there’s a
little good music； and a few pictures； now and then—
just enough to keep one dangling about here。 Ah； but I
couldn’t live with savages！ Are you fond of books？ Music？
Pictures？ D’you care at all for first editions？ I’ve got a
few nice things up here； things I pick up cheap； for I
can’t afford to give what they ask。”
They had reached a small court of high eighteenth
century houses； in one of which Rodney had his rooms。
They climbed a very steep staircase； through whose
uncurtained windows the moonlight fell； illuminating the
banisters with their twisted pillars； and the piles of plates
set on the windowsills； and jars halffull of milk。 Rodney’s
rooms were small； but the sittingroom window looked
out into a courtyard； with its flagged pavement； and its
single tree； and across to the flat redbrick fronts of the
opposite houses； which would not have surprised Dr。
Johnson； if he had e out of his grave for a turn in the
moonlight。 Rodney lit his lamp； pulled his curtains； offered
Denham a chair； and； flinging the manuscript of his
paper on the Elizabethan use of Metaphor on to the table；
exclaimed：
“Oh dear me； what a waste of time！ But it’s over now；
and so we may think no more about it。”
He then busied himself very dexterously in lighting a
fire； producing glasses； whisky； a cake； and cups and saucers。
He put on a faded crimson dressinggown； and a
pair of red slippers； and advanced to Denham with a tumbler
in one hand and a wellburnished book in the other。
“The Baskerville Congreve；” said Rodney； offering it to
his guest。 “I couldn’t read him in a cheap edition。”
When he was seen thus among his books and his valu
59
Night and Day
ables； amiably anxious to make his visitor fortable；
and moving about with something of the dexterity and
grace of a Persian cat； Denham relaxed his critical attitude；
and felt more at home with Rodney than he would
have done with many men better known to him。 Rodney’s
room was the room of a person who cherishes a great
many personal tastes； guarding them from the rough blasts
of the public with scrupulous attention。 His papers and
his books rose in jagged mounds on table and floor； round
which he skirted with nervous care lest his dressinggown
might disarrange them ever so slightly。 On a chair stood
a stack of photographs of statues and pictures； which it
was his habit to exhibit； one by one； for the space of a
day or two。 The books on his shelves were as orderly as
regiments of soldiers； and the backs of them shone like
so many bronze beetlewings； though； if you took one
from its place you saw a shabbier volume behind it； since
space was limited。 An oval Veian mirror stood above
the fireplace； and reflected duskily in its spotted depths
the faint yellow and crimson of a jarful of tulips which
stood among the letters and pipes and cigarettes upon
the mantelpiece。 A small piano occupied a corner of the
room； with the score of “Don Giovanni” open upon the
bracket。
“Well； Rodney；” said Denham； as he filled his pipe and
looked about him； “this is all very nice and fortable。”
Rodney turned his head half round and smiled； with
the pride of a proprietor； and then prevented himself from
smiling。
“Tolerable；” he muttered。
“But I dare say it’s just as well that you have to earn
your own living。”
“If you mean that I shouldn’t do anything good with
leisure if I had it； I dare say you’re right。 But I should be
ten times as happy with my whole day to spend as I
liked。”
“I doubt that；” Denham replied。
They sat silent； and the smoke from their pipes joined
amicably in a blue vapor above their heads。
“I could spend three hours every day reading
Shakespeare；” Rodney remarked。 “And there’s music and
pictures； let alone the society of the people one likes。”
60
Virginia Woolf
“You’d be bored to death in a year’s time。”
“Oh； I grant you I should be bored if I did nothing。 But
I should write plays。”
“H’m！”
“I should write plays；” he repeated。 “I’ve written three
quarters of one already； and I’m only waiting for a holiday
to finish it。 And it’s not bad—no； some of it’s really
rather nice。”
The question arose in Denham’s mind whether he should
ask to see this play； as； no doubt； he was expected to do。
He looked rather stealthily at Rodney； who was tapping
the coal nervously with a poker； and quivering almost
physically； so Denham thought； with desire to talk about
this play of his； and vanity unrequited and urgent。 He
seemed very much at Denham’s mercy； and Denham could
not help liking him； partly on that account。
“Well； … will you let me see the play？” Denham asked；
and Rodney looked immediately appeased； but； nevertheless；
he sat silent for a moment； holding the poker perfectly
upright in the air； regarding it with his rather prominent
eyes； and opening his lips and shutting them again。
“Do you really care for this kind of thing？” he asked at
length； in a different tone of voice from that in which he
had been speaking。 And； without waiting for an answer；
he went on； rather querulously： “Very few people care for
poetry。 I dare say it bores you。”
“Perhaps；” Denham remarked。
“Well； I’ll lend it you；” Rodney announced； putting down
the poker。
As he moved to fetch the play； Denham stretched a
hand to the bookcase beside him； and took down the
first volume which his fingers touched。 It happened to
be a small and very lovely edition of Sir Thomas Browne；
containing the “Urn Burial；” the “Hydriotaphia；” and the
“Garden of Cyrus；” and； opening it at a passage which he
knew very nearly by heart； Denham began to read and；
for some time； continued to read。
Rodney resumed his seat； with his manuscript on his
knee； and from time to time he glanced at Denham； and
then joined his fingertips and crossed his thin legs over
the fender；