An imperceptible signal passed between husband and wife, meaning that
they grasped the situation and would stand by each other loyally. With
scarcely a pause Mrs. Dalloway turned to Willoughby and began:

"What I find so tiresome about the sea is that there are no flowers in
it. Imagine fields of hollyhocks and violets in mid-ocean! How divine!"

"But somewhat dangerous to navigation," boomed Richard, in the bass,
like the bassoon to the flourish of his wife's violin. "Why, weeds
can be bad enough, can't they, Vinrace? I remember crossing in the
_Mauretania_ once, and saying to the Captain--Richards--did you know
him?--'Now tell me what perils you really dread most for your ship,
Captain Richards?' expecting him to say icebergs, or derelicts, or fog,
or something of that sort. Not a bit of it. I've always remembered his
answer. '_Sedgius_ _aquatici_,' he said, which I take to be a kind of
duck-weed."

Mr. Pepper looked up sharply, and was about to put a question when
Willoughby continued:

"They've an awful time of it--those captains! Three thousand souls on
board!"

"Yes, indeed," said Clarissa. She turned to Helen with an air of
profundity. "I'm convinced people are wrong when they say it's work that
wears one; it's responsibility. That's why one pays one's cook more than
one's housemaid, I suppose."

"According to that, one ought to pay one's nurse double; but one