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Night and Day 


by Virginia Woolf 


A Penn State Electronic Classics Series 
Publication 



Night and Day by Virginia Woolf is a publication of the Pennsylvania State University。 This Portable 
Document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind。 Any person using this 
document file; for any purpose; and in any way does so at his or her own risk。 Neither the 
Pennsylvania State University nor Jim Manis; Faculty Editor; nor anyone associated with the 
Pennsylvania State University assumes any responsibility for the material contained within the 
document or for the file as an electronic transmission; in any way。 

Night and Day by Virginia Woolf; the Pennsylvania State University; Electronic Classics Series; 
Jim Manis; Faculty Editor; Hazleton; PA 182021291 is a Portable Document File produced as 
part of an ongoing student publication project to bring classical works of literature; in English; 
to free and easy access of those wishing to make use of them。 

Cover Design: Jim Manis 

Copyright 。 2001 The Pennsylvania State University 

The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity university。 


Virginia Woolf 

Night and Day 


by Virginia Woolf 


CHAPTER I 

It was a Sunday evening in October; and in mon with 
many other young ladies of her class; Katharine Hilbery 
was pouring out tea。 Perhaps a fifth part of her mind was 
thus occupied; and the remaining parts leapt over the 
little barrier of day which interposed between Monday 
morning and this rather subdued moment; and played 
with the things one does voluntarily and normally in the 
daylight。 But although she was silent; she was evidently 
mistress of a situation which was familiar enough to her; 
and inclined to let it take its way for the six hundredth 
time; perhaps; without bringing into play any of her un


occupied faculties。 A single glance was enough to show 
that Mrs。 Hilbery was so rich in the gifts which make tea
parties of elderly distinguished people successful; that 
she scarcely needed any help from her daughter; provided 
that the tiresome business of teacups and bread and butter 
was discharged for her。 

Considering that the little party had been seated round 
the teatable for less than twenty minutes; the animation 
observable on their faces; and the amount of sound 
they were producing collectively; were very creditable to 
the hostess。 It suddenly came into Katharine’s mind that 
if some one opened the door at this moment he would 
think that they were enjoying themselves; he would think; 
“What an extremely nice house to e into!” and instinctively 
she laughed; and said something to increase 
the noise; for the credit of the house presumably; since 
she herself had not been feeling exhilarated。 At the very 
same moment; rather to her amusement; the door was 
flung open; and a young man entered the room。 Katharine; 
as she shook hands with him; asked him; in her own 
mind; “Now; do you think we’re enjoying ourselves enor


3 



Night and Day 

mously?” … “Mr。 Denham; mother;” she said aloud; for 
she saw that her mother had forgotten his name。 

That fact was perceptible to Mr。 Denham also; and increased 
the awkwardness which inevitably attends the 
entrance of a stranger into a room full of people much at 
their ease; and all launched upon sentences。 At the same 
time; it seemed to Mr。 Denham as if a thousand softly 
padded doors had closed between him and the street 
outside。 A fine mist; the etherealized essence of the fog; 
hung visibly in the wide and rather empty space of the 
drawingroom; all silver where the candles were grouped 
on the teatable; and ruddy again in the firelight。 With 
the omnibuses and cabs still running in his head; and his 
body still tingling with his quick walk along the streets 
and in and out of traffic and footpassengers; this drawing
room seemed very remote and still; and the faces of 
the elderly people were mellowed; at some distance from 
each other; and had a bloom on them owing to the fact 
that the air in the drawingroom was thickened by blue 
grains of mist。 Mr。 Denham had e in as Mr。 Fortescue; 
the eminent novelist; reached the middle of a very long 

sentence。 He kept this suspended while the newer 
sat down; and Mrs。 Hilbery deftly joined the severed parts 
by leaning towards him and remarking: 

“Now; what would you do if you were married to an 
engineer; and had to live in Manchester; Mr。 Denham?” 

“Surely she could learn Persian;” broke in a thin; elderly 
gentleman。 “Is there no retired schoolmaster or man 
of letters in Manchester with whom she could read Persian?” 


“A cousin of ours has married and gone to live in 
Manchester;” Katharine explained。 Mr。 Denham muttered 
something; which was indeed all that was required of 
him; and the novelist went on where he had left off。 
Privately; Mr。 Denham cursed himself very sharply for 
having exchanged the freedom of the street for this sophisticated 
drawingroom; where; among other 
disagreeables; he certainly would not appear at his best。 
He glanced round him; and saw that; save for Katharine; 
they were all over forty; the only consolation being that 
Mr。 Fortescue was a considerable celebrity; so that tomorrow 
one might be glad to have met him。 

4 



Virginia Woolf 

“Have you ever been to Manchester?” he asked 
Katharine。 

“Never;” she replied。 

“Why do you object to it; then?” 

Katharine stirred her tea; and seemed to speculate; so 
Denham thought; upon the duty of filling somebody else’s 
cup; but she was really wondering how she was going to 
keep this strange young man in harmony with the rest。 
She observed that he was pressing his teacup; so 
that there was danger lest the thin china might cave 
inwards。 She could see that he was nervous; one would 
expect a bony young man with his face slightly reddened 
by the wind; and his hair not altogether smooth; to be 
nervous in such a party。 Further; he probably disliked this 
kind of thing; and had e out of curiosity; or because 
her father had invited him—anyhow; he would not be 
easily bined with the rest。 

“I should think there would be no one to talk to in 
Manchester;” she replied at random。 Mr。 Fortescue had 
been observing her for a moment or two; as novelists are 
inclined to observe; and at this remark he smiled; and 

made it the text for a little further speculation。 

“In spite of a slight tendency to exaggeration; Katharine 
decidedly hits the mark;” he said; and lying back in his 
chair; with his opaque contemplative eyes fixed on the 
ceiling; and the tips of his fingers pressed together; he 
depicted; first the horrors of the streets of Manchester; 
and then the bare; immense moors on the outskirts of the 
town; and then the scrubby little house in which the girl 
would live; and then the professors and the miserable young 
students devoted to the more strenuous works of our 
younger dramatists; who would visit her; and how her appearance 
would change by degrees; and how she would fly 
to London; and how Katharine would have to lead her about; 
as one leads an eager dog on a chain; past rows of clamorous 
butchers’ shops; poor dear creature。 

“Oh; Mr。 Fortescue;” exclaimed Mrs。 Hilbery; as he finished; 
“I had just written to say how I envied her! I was 
thinking of the big gardens and the dear old ladies in 
mittens; who read nothing but the “Spectator;” and snuff 
the candles。 Have they ALL disappeared? I told her she 
would find the nice things of London without the horrid 

5 



Night and Day 

streets that depress one so。” 

“There is the University;” said the thin gentleman; who 
had previously insisted upon the existence of people knowing 
Persian。 

“I know there are moors there; because I read about 
them in a book the other day;” said Katharine。 

“I am grieved and amazed at the ignorance of my family;” 
Mr。 Hilbery remarked。 He was an elderly man; with a 
pair of oval; hazel eyes which were rather bright for his 
time of life; and relieved the

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