he began to repeat what Mr。 Fortescue had said； in Mr。
Fortescue’s own manner； about Manchester。 His mind then
began to wander about the house； and he wondered
whether there were other rooms like the drawingroom；
and he thought； inconsequently； how beautiful the bathroom
must be； and how leisurely it was—the life of these
wellkept people； who were； no doubt； still sitting in the
same room； only they had changed their clothes； and
little Mr。 Anning was there； and the aunt who would mind
if the glass of her father’s picture was broken。 Miss Hilbery
had changed her dress （“although she’s wearing such a
pretty one；” he heard her mother say）； and she was talk
ing to Mr。 Anning； who was well over forty； and bald into
the bargain； about books。 How peaceful and spacious it
was； and the peace possessed him so pletely that his
muscles slackened； his book drooped from his hand； and
he forgot that the hour of work was wasting minute by
minute。
He was roused by a creak upon the stair。 With a guilty
start he posed himself； frowned and looked intently at
the fiftysixth page of his volume。 A step paused outside
his door； and he knew that the person； whoever it might
be； was considering the placard； and debating whether to
honor its decree or not。 Certainly； policy advised him to sit
still in autocratic silence； for no custom can take root in a
family unless every breach of it is punished severely for
the first six months or so。 But Ralph was conscious of a
distinct wish to be interrupted； and his disappointment
was perceptible when he heard the creaking sound rather
farther down the stairs； as if his visitor had decided to
withdraw。 He rose； opened the door with unnecessary
abruptness； and waited on the landing。 The person stopped
simultaneously half a flight downstairs。
20
Virginia Woolf
“Ralph？” said a voice； inquiringly。
“Joan？”
“I was ing up； but I saw your notice。”
“Well； e along in； then。” He concealed his desire
beneath a tone as grudging as he could make it。
Joan came in； but she was careful to show； by standing
upright with one hand upon the mantelpiece； that she
was only there for a definite purpose； which discharged；
she would go。
She was older than Ralph by some three or four years。
Her face was round but worn； and expressed that tolerant
but anxious good humor which is the special attribute of
elder sisters in large families。 Her pleasant brown eyes
resembled Ralph’s； save in expression； for whereas he
seemed to look straightly and keenly at one object； she
appeared to be in the habit of considering everything
from many different points of view。 This made her appear
his elder by more years than existed in fact between them。
Her gaze rested for a moment or two upon the rook。 She
then said； without any preface：
“It’s about Charles and Uncle John’s offer… 。 Mother’s
been talking to me。 She says she can’t afford to pay for
him after this term。 She says she’ll have to ask for an
overdraft as it is。”
“That’s simply not true；” said Ralph。
“No。 I thought not。 But she won’t believe me when I
say it。”
Ralph； as if he could foresee the length of this familiar
argument； drew up a chair for his sister and sat down
himself。
“I’m not interrupting？” she inquired。
Ralph shook his head； and for a time they sat silent。
The lines curved themselves in semicircles above their
eyes。
“She doesn’t understand that one’s got to take risks；”
he observed； finally。
“I believe mother would take risks if she knew that
Charles was the sort of boy to profit by it。”
“He’s got brains； hasn’t he？” said Ralph。 His tone had
taken on that shade of pugnacity which suggested to his
sister that some personal grievance drove him to take
the line he did。 She wondered what it might be； but at
21
Night and Day
once recalled her mind； and assented。
“In some ways he’s fearfully backward； though； pared
with what you were at his age。 And he’s difficult at
home； too。 He makes Molly slave for him。”
Ralph made a sound which belittled this particular argument。
It was plain to Joan that she had struck one of
her brother’s perverse moods； and he was going to oppose
whatever his mother said。 He called her “she；” which
was a proof of it。 She sighed involuntarily； and the sigh
annoyed Ralph； and he exclaimed with irritation：
“It’s pretty hard lines to stick a boy into an office at
seventeen！”
“Nobody wants to stick him into an office；” she said。
She； too； was being annoyed。 She had spent the
whole of the afternoon discussing wearisome details of
education and expense with her mother； and she had e
to her brother for help； encouraged； rather irrationally；
to expect help by the fact that he had been out somewhere；
she didn’t know and didn’t mean to ask where； all
the afternoon。
Ralph was fond of his sister； and her irritation made
him think how unfair it was that all these burdens should
be laid on her shoulders。
“The truth is；” he observed gloomily； “that I ought to
have accepted Uncle John’s offer。 I should have been
making six hundred a year by this time。”
“I don’t think that for a moment；” Joan replied quickly；
repenting of her annoyance。 “The question； to my mind； is；
whether we couldn’t cut down our expenses in some way。”
“A smaller house？”
“Fewer servants； perhaps。”
Neither brother nor sister spoke with much conviction；
and after reflecting for a moment what these proposed
reforms in a strictly economical household meant； Ralph
announced very decidedly：
“It’s out of the question。”
It was out of the question that she should put any
more household work upon herself。 No； the hardship must
fall on him； for he was determined that his family should
have as many chances of distinguishing themselves as
other families had—as the Hilberys had； for example。 He
believed secretly and rather defiantly； for it was a fact
22
Virginia Woolf
not capable of proof； that there was something very re
markable about his family。
“If mother won’t run risks—”
“You really can’t expect her to sell out again。”
“She ought to look upon it as an investment； but if she
won’t； we must find some other way； that’s all。”
A threat was contained in this sentence； and Joan knew；
without asking； what the threat was。 In the course of his
professional life； which now extended over six or seven
years； Ralph had saved； perhaps； three or four hundred
pounds。 Considering the sacrifices he had made in order
to put by this sum it always amazed Joan to find that he
used it to gamble with； buying shares and selling them
again； increasing it sometimes； sometimes diminishing
it； and always running the risk of losing every penny of it
in a day’s disaster。 But although she wondered； she could
not help loving him the better for his odd bination of
Spartan selfcontrol and what appeared to her romantic
and childish folly。 Ralph interested her more than any
one else in the world； and she often broke off in the
middle of one of these economic discussions； in spite of
their gravity； to consider some fresh aspect of his character。
“I think you’d be foolish to risk your money on poor old
Charles；” she observed。 “Fond as I am of him； he doesn’t
seem to me exactly brilliant… 。 Besides； why should you
be sacrificed？”
“My dear Joan；” Ralph exclaimed； stretching himself
out with a gesture of impatience； “don’t you see that
we’ve all got to be sacrificed？ What’s the use of denying
it？ What’s the use of struggling against it？ So it always
has been； so it always will be。 We’ve got no money and
we never shall have any money。 We shall just turn round
in the mill every day of our lives until we drop and die；
worn out； as most people do； when one es to think
of it。”
Joan looked at him； opened her lips as if to speak； and
closed them again。 Then she said； very tentatively：
“Aren’t you happy； Ralph？”
“No。 Are you？ Perhaps I’m as happy as most people；
though。 God knows whether I’m happy or not。 What is
happiness？”
23
Night and Day
He glanced with half a smile； in spite of his gloomy
irritation； at his sister。 She looked； as usual； as if she
were weighing one thing with another； and balancing
them together before she made up her mind。
“Happiness；” she remarked at length enigmatically；
rather as if she were sampling the word； and then she
paused。 She paused for a considerable space； as if she
were considering happiness in all its bearings。 “Hilda was
here today；” she suddenly resumed； as if they had never
mentioned happiness。 “She brought Bobbie—he’s a fine
boy now。” Ralph observed； with an amusement that had
a tinge of irony in it； that she was now going to sidle
away quickly from this dangerous approach to intimacy
on to topics of general and family interest。 Nevertheless；
he reflected； she was the only one of his family with
whom he found it possible to discuss happiness； although
he might very well have discussed happiness with Miss
Hilbery at their first meeting。 He looked critically at Joan；
and wished that she did not look so provincial or suburban
in her high green dress with the faded trimming； so
patient； and almost resigned。 He began to wish to tell
her about the Hilberys in order to abuse them； for in the
miniature battle which so often rages between two quickly
following impressions of life； the life of the Hilberys was
getting the better of the life of the Denhams in his mind；
and he wanted to assure himself that there was some
quality in which Joan infinitely surpassed Miss Hilbery。
He should have felt that his own sister was more original；
and had greater vitality than Miss Hilbery had； but
his main impression of Katharine now was of a person of
great vitality and posure； and at the moment he could
not perceive what poor dear Joan had gained from the
fact that she was the granddaughter of a man who kept a
shop； and herself