again. Nevertheless something wonderful had happened.

At dinner, however, she did not feel exalted, but merely
uncomfortable, as if she and Richard had seen something to-
gether which is hidden in ordinary life, so that they did not
like to look at each other. Richard slid his eyes over her un-
easily once, and never looked at her again. Formal platitudes
were manufactured with effort, but Willoughby was kindled.

"Beef for Mr. Dalloway!" he shouted. "Come now--after
that walk you're at the beef stage, Dalloway!"

Wonderful masculine stories followed about Bright and
Disraeli and coalition governments, wonderful stories which
made the people at the dinner-table seem featureless and small.
After dinner, sitting alone with Rachel under the great swing-
ing lamp, Helen was struck by her pallor. It once more oc-
curred to her that there was something strange in the girl's
behaviour.

"You look tired. Are you tired?" she asked.

"Not tired," said Rachel. "Oh yes, I suppose I am tired."

Helen advised bed, and she went, not seeing Richard again.
She must have been very tired for she fell asleep at once,
but after an hour or two of dreamless sleep, she dreamt. She
dreamt that she was walking down a long tunnel, which grew
so narrow by degrees that she could touch the damp bricks on
either side. At length the tunnel opened and became a vault;
she found herself trapped in it, bricks meeting her wherever
she turned, alone with a little deformed man who squatted on
the floor gibbering, with long nails. His face was pitted and
like the face of an animal. The wall behind him oozed with
damp, which collected into drops and slid down. Still and
cold as death she lay, not daring to move, until she broke the
agony by tossing herself across the bed, and woke crying
"Oh!"

Light showed her the familiar things: her clothes, fallen off
the chair; the water jug gleaming white; but the horror did
not go at once. She felt herself pursued, so that she got up
and actually locked her door. A voice moaned for her; eyes
desired her. All night long barbarian men harrassed the ship;
they came scuffling down the passages, and stopped to snuffle
at her door. She could not sleep again.

-77-