The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf
page 42 of 493 (08%)
page 42 of 493 (08%)
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diamond necklace and bottles with silver tops.
"It's so like Whistler!" she exclaimed, with a wave towards the shore, as she shook Rachel by the hand, and Rachel had only time to look at the grey hills on one side of her before Willoughby introduced Mrs. Chailey, who took the lady to her cabin. Momentary though it seemed, nevertheless the interruption was upsetting; every one was more or less put out by it, from Mr. Grice, the steward, to Ridley himself. A few minutes later Rachel passed the smoking-room, and found Helen moving arm-chairs. She was absorbed in her arrangements, and on seeing Rachel remarked confidentially: "If one can give men a room to themselves where they will sit, it's all to the good. Arm-chairs are _the_ important things--" She began wheeling them about. "Now, does it still look like a bar at a railway station?" She whipped a plush cover off a table. The appearance of the place was marvellously improved. Again, the arrival of the strangers made it obvious to Rachel, as the hour of dinner approached, that she must change her dress; and the ringing of the great bell found her sitting on the edge of her berth in such a position that the little glass above the washstand reflected her head and shoulders. In the glass she wore an expression of tense melancholy, for she had come to the depressing conclusion, since the arrival of the Dalloways, that her face was not the face she wanted, and in all probability never would be. However, punctuality had been impressed on her, and whatever face she |
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