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[夜与日].(night.and.day).(英)弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙.文字版-第114部分


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“I should like your account of this affair; Rodney—if 
Katharine no longer prevents you from speaking。” 

William waited two seconds at least。 

“Our engagement is at an end;” he said; with the utmost 
stiffness。 

“Has this been arrived at by your joint desire?” 

After a perceptible pause William bent his head; and 
Katharine said; as if by an afterthought: 

“Oh; yes。” 

Mr。 Hilbery swayed to and fro; and moved his lips as if 
to utter remarks which remained unspoken。 

“I can only suggest that you should postpone any decision 
until the effect of this misunderstanding has had 
time to wear off。 You have now known each other—” he 
began。 

“There’s been no misunderstanding;” Katharine interposed。 
“Nothing at all。” She moved a few paces across 
the room; as if she intended to leave them。 Her preoccupied 
naturalness was in strange contrast to her father’s 
pomposity and to William’s military rigidity。 He had not 
once raised his eyes。 Katharine’s glance; on the other 
hand; ranged past the two gentlemen; along the books; 
over the tables; towards the door。 She was paying the 

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Night and Day 

least possible attention; it seemed; to what was happening。 
Her father looked at her with a sudden clouding and 
troubling of his expression。 Somehow his faith in her stability 
and sense was queerly shaken。 He no longer felt 
that he could ultimately entrust her with the whole conduct 
of her own affairs after a superficial show of directing 
them。 He felt; for the first time in many years; responsible 
for her。 

“Look here; we must get to the bottom of this;” he 
said; dropping his formal manner and addressing Rodney 
as if Katharine were not present。 “You’ve had some difference 
of opinion; eh? Take my word for it; most people 
go through this sort of thing when they’re engaged。 I’ve 
seen more trouble e from long engagements than from 
any other form of human folly。 Take my advice and put 
the whole matter out of your minds—both of you。 I prescribe 
a plete abstinence from emotion。 Visit some 
cheerful seaside resort; Rodney。” 

He was struck by William’s appearance; which seemed 
to him to indicate profound feeling resolutely held in 
check。 No doubt; he reflected; Katharine had been very 

trying; unconsciously trying; and had driven him to take 
up a position which was none of his willing。 Mr。 Hilbery 
certainly did not overrate William’s sufferings。 No minutes 
in his life had hitherto extorted from him such intensity 
of anguish。 He was now facing the consequences 
of his insanity。 He must confess himself entirely and fundamentally 
other than Mr。 Hilbery thought him。 Everything 
was against him。 Even the Sunday evening and the 
fire and the tranquil library scene were against him。 Mr。 
Hilbery’s appeal to him as a man of the world was terribly 
against him。 He was no longer a man of any world that 
Mr。 Hilbery cared to recognize。 But some power pelled 
him; as it had pelled him to e downstairs; to 
make his stand here and now; alone and unhelped by any 
one; without prospect of reward。 He fumbled with various 
phrases; and then jerked out: 

“I love Cassandra。” 

Mr。 Hilbery’s face turned a curious dull purple。 He looked 
at his daughter。 He nodded his head; as if to convey his 
silent mand to her to leave the room; but either she 
did not notice it or preferred not to obey。 

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Virginia Woolf 

“You have the impudence—” Mr。 Hilbery began; in a 
dull; low voice that he himself had never heard before; 
when there was a scuffling and exclaiming in the hall; 
and Cassandra; who appeared to be insisting against some 
dissuasion on the part of another; burst into the room。 

“Uncle Trevor;” she exclaimed; “I insist upon telling 
you the truth!” She flung herself between Rodney and 
her uncle; as if she sought to intercept their blows。 As 
her uncle stood perfectly still; looking very large and imposing; 
and as nobody spoke; she shrank back a little; 
and looked first at Katharine and then at Rodney。 “You 
must know the truth;” she said; a little lamely。 

“You have the impudence to tell me this in Katharine’s 
presence?” Mr。 Hilbery continued; speaking with plete 
disregard of Cassandra’s interruption。 

“I am aware; quite aware—” Rodney’s words; which were 
broken in sense; spoken after a pause; and with his eyes 
upon the ground; nevertheless expressed an astonishing 
amount of resolution。 “I am quite aware what you must 
think of me;” he brought out; looking Mr。 Hilbery directly 
in the eyes for the first time。 

“I could express my views on the subject more fully if 
we were alone;” Mr。 Hilbery returned。 

“But you forget me;” said Katharine。 She moved a little 
towards Rodney; and her movement seemed to testify 
mutely to her respect for him; and her alliance with him。 
“I think William has behaved perfectly rightly; and; after 
all; it is I who am concerned—I and Cassandra。” 

Cassandra; too; gave an indescribably slight movement 
which seemed to draw the three of them into alliance 
together。 Katharine’s tone and glance made Mr。 Hilbery 
once more feel pletely at a loss; and in addition; 
painfully and angrily obsolete; but in spite of an awful 
inner hollowness he was outwardly posed。 

“Cassandra and Rodney have a perfect right to settle 
their own affairs according to their own wishes; but I see 
no reason why they should do so either in my room or in 
my house… 。 I wish to be quite clear on this point; however; 
you are no longer engaged to Rodney。” 

He paused; and his pause seemed to signify that he 
was extremely thankful for his daughter’s deliverance。 

Cassandra turned to Katharine; who drew her breath as 

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Night and Day 

if to speak and checked herself; Rodney; too; seemed to 
await some movement on her part; her father glanced at 
her as if he half anticipated some further revelation。 She 
remained perfectly silent。 In the silence they heard distinctly 
steps descending the staircase; and Katharine went 
straight to the door。 

“Wait;” Mr。 Hilbery manded。 “I wish to speak to 
you—alone;” he added。 

She paused; holding the door ajar。 

“I’ll e back;” she said; and as she spoke she opened the 
door and went out。 They could hear her immediately speak to 
some one outside; though the words were inaudible。 

Mr。 Hilbery was left confronting the guilty couple; who 
remained standing as if they did not accept their dismissal; 
and the disappearance of Katharine had brought 
some change into the situation。 So; in his secret heart; 
Mr。 Hilbery felt that it had; for he could not explain his 
daughter’s behavior to his own satisfaction。 

“Uncle Trevor;” Cassandra exclaimed impulsively; “don’t 
be angry; please。 I couldn’t help it; I do beg you to forgive 
me。” 

Her uncle still refused to acknowledge her identity; and 
still talked over her head as if she did not exist。 

“I suppose you have municated with the Otways;” 
he said to Rodney grimly。 

“Uncle Trevor; we wanted to tell you;” Cassandra replied 
for him。 “We waited—” she looked appealingly at 
Rodney; who shook his head ever so slightly。 

“Yes? What were you waiting for?” her uncle asked 
sharply; looking at her at last。 

The words died on her lips。 It was apparent that she 
was straining her ears as if to catch some sound outside 
the room that would e to her help。 He received no 
answer。 He listened; too。 

“This is a most unpleasant business for all parties;” he 
concluded; sinking into his chair again; hunching his 
shoulders and regarding the flames。 He seemed to speak 
to himself; and Rodney and Cassandra looked at him in 
silence。 

“Why don’t you sit down?” he said suddenly。 He spoke 
gruffly; but the force of his anger was evidently spent; or 
some preoccupation had turned his mood to other re


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Virginia Woolf 

gions。 While Cassandra accepted his invitation; Rodney 
remained standing。 

“I think Cassandra can explain matters better in my 
absence;” he said; and left the room; Mr。 Hilbery giving 
his assent by a

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