MRS. DALLOWAY
trees lift the mist, but it spread ever so far, her life, her-
self. But what was she dreaming as she looked into
Hatchards’ shop window? What was she trying to re-
cover? What image of white dawn in the country, as
she read in the book spread open:
Fear no more the heat o’ the sun
Nor the furious winter’s rages.
This late age of world’s experience had bred in them
all, all men and women, a well of tears. Tears and
sorrows; courage and endurance; a perfectly upright
and stoical bearing. Think, for example, of the woman
she admired most, Lady Bexborough, opening the
bazaar.
There were Jorrocks’ Faunts and jJollities; there were
Soapy Sponge and Mrs. Asquith’s Memoirs and Big Game
Shooting in Nigeria, all spread open. Ever so many books
there were; but none that seemed exactly right to take
to Evelyn Whitbread in her nursing home. Nothing
that would serve to amuse her and make that in-
describably dried-up little woman look, as Clarissa
came in, just for a moment cordial; before they settled
down for the usual interminable talk of women’s ail-
ments. How much she wanted it—that people should
look pleased as she came in, Clarissa thought and
turned and walked back towards Bond Street, annoyed,
because it was silly to have other reasons for doing
things. Much rather would she have been one of those
people like Richard who did things for themselves,
whereas, she thought, waiting to cross, half the time she
did things not simply, not for themselves; but to make
people think this or that; perfect idiocy she knew (and
now the policeman held up his hand) for no one was
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