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The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf
page 85 of 493 (17%)
any conclusion, for by one of those accidents which are liable to happen
at sea, the whole course of their lives was now put out of order.

Even at tea the floor rose beneath their feet and pitched too low again,
and at dinner the ship seemed to groan and strain as though a lash
were descending. She who had been a broad-backed dray-horse, upon whose
hind-quarters pierrots might waltz, became a colt in a field. The plates
slanted away from the knives, and Mrs. Dalloway's face blanched for
a second as she helped herself and saw the potatoes roll this way and
that. Willoughby, of course, extolled the virtues of his ship,
and quoted what had been said of her by experts and distinguished
passengers, for he loved his own possessions. Still, dinner was uneasy,
and directly the ladies were alone Clarissa owned that she would be
better off in bed, and went, smiling bravely.

Next morning the storm was on them, and no politeness could ignore it.
Mrs. Dalloway stayed in her room. Richard faced three meals, eating
valiantly at each; but at the third, certain glazed asparagus swimming
in oil finally conquered him.

"That beats me," he said, and withdrew.

"Now we are alone once more," remarked William Pepper, looking round the
table; but no one was ready to engage him in talk, and the meal ended in
silence.

On the following day they met--but as flying leaves meet in the air.
Sick they were not; but the wind propelled them hastily into rooms,
violently downstairs. They passed each other gasping on deck; they
shouted across tables. They wore fur coats; and Helen was never seen
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