he was not destined to profit by his advantage。 50 Virginia Woolf “I don’t think I understand what you mean；” Katharine repeated； and then she was obliged to stop and answer some one who wished to know whether she would buy a ticket for an opera from them； at a reduction。 Indeed； the temper of the meeting was now unfavorable to separate conversation； it had bee rather debauched and hilarious； and people who scarcely knew each other were making use of Christian names with apparent cordiality； and had reached that kind of gay tolerance and general friendliness which human beings in England only attain after sitting together for three hours or so； and the first cold blast in the air of the street freezes them into isolation once more。 Cloaks were being flung round the shoulders； hats swiftly pinned to the head； and Denham had the mortification of seeing Katharine helped to prepare herself by the ridiculous Rodney。 It was not the convention of the meeting to say goodbye； or necessarily even to nod to the person with whom one was talking； but； nevertheless； Denham was disappointed by the pleteness with which Katharine parted from him； without any attempt to finish her sentence。 She left with Rodney。 CHAPTER V Denham had no conscious intention of following Katharine； but； seeing her depart； he took his hat and ran rather more quickly down the stairs than he would have done if Katharine had not been in front of him。 He overtook a friend of his； by name Harry Sandys； who was going the same way； and they walked together a few paces behind Katharine and Rodney。 The night was very still； and on such nights； when the traffic thins away； the walker bees conscious of the moon in the street； as if the curtains of the sky had been drawn apart； and the heaven lay bare； as it does in the country。 The air was softly cool； so that people who had been sitting talking in a crowd found it pleasant to walk a little before deciding to stop an omnibus or encounter light again in an underground railway。 Sandys； who was a barrister with a philosophic tendency； took out his pipe； lit it； murmured “hum” and “ha；” and was silent。 The couple in front of them kept their distance accurately； and appeared； so far as Denham could judge by the way 51 Night and Day they turned towards each other； to be talking very constantly。 He observed that when a pedestrian going the opposite way forced them to part they came together again directly afterwards。 Without intending to watch them he never quite lost sight of the yellow scarf twisted round Katharine’s head； or the light overcoat which made Rodney look fashionable among the crowd。 At the Strand he supposed that they would separate； but instead they crossed the road； and took their way down one of the narrow passages which lead through ancient courts to the river。 Among the crowd of people in the big thoroughfares Rodney seemed merely to be lending Katharine his escort； but now； when passengers were rare and the footsteps of the couple were distinctly heard in the silence； Denham could not help picturing to himself some change in their conversation。 The effect of the light and shadow； which seemed to increase their height； was to make them mysterious and significant； so that Denham had no feeling of irritation with Katharine； but rather a halfdreamy acquiescence in the course of the world。 Yes； she did very well to dream about—but Sandys had sud denly begun to talk。 He was a solitary man who had made his friends at college and always addressed them as if they were still undergraduates arguing in his room； though many months or even years had passed in some cases between the last sentence and the present one。 The method was a little singular； but very restful； for it seemed to ignore pletely all accidents of human life； and to span very deep abysses with a few simple words。 On this occasion he began； while they waited for a minute on the edge of the Strand： “I hear that Bent has given up his theory of truth。” Denham returned a suitable answer； and he proceeded to explain how this decision had been arrived at； and what changes it involved in the philosophy which they both accepted。 Meanwhile Katharine and Rodney drew further ahead； and Denham kept； if that is the right expression for an involuntary action； one filament of his mind upon them； while with the rest of his intelligence he sought to understand what Sandys was saying。 As they passed through the courts thus talking； Sandys laid the tip of his stick upon one of the stones forming a 52 Virginia Woolf timeworn arch； and struck it meditatively two or three times in order to illustrate something very obscure about the plex nature of one’s apprehension of facts。 During the pause which this necessitated； Katharine and Rodney turned the corner and disappeared。 For a moment Denham stopped involuntarily in his sentence； and continued it with a sense of having lost something。 Unconscious that they were observed； Katharine and Rodney had e out on the Embankment。 When they had crossed the road； Rodney slapped his hand upon the stone parapet above the river and exclaimed： “I promise I won’t say another word about it； Katharine！ But do stop a minute and look at the moon upon the water。” Katharine paused； looked up and down the river； and snuffed the air。 “I’m sure one can smell the sea； with the wind blowing this way；” she said。 They stood silent for a few moments while the river shifted in its bed； and the silver and red lights which were laid upon it were torn by the current and joined together again。 Very far off up the river a steamer hooted with its hollow voice of unspeakable melancholy； as if from the heart of lonely mistshrouded voyagings。 “Ah！” Rodney cried； striking his hand once more upon the balustrade； “why can’t one say how beautiful it all is？ Why am I condemned for ever； Katharine； to feel what I can’t express？ And the things I can give there