TO THE LIGHTHOUSE

amuse them. For how would you like to be shut
up for a whole month at a time, and possibly more
in stormy weather, upon a rock the size of a
tennis lawn? she would ask; and to have no
letters or newspapers, and to see nobody; li you
were married, not to see your wife, not to know
how your children were,—if they were ill, if they
had fallen down and broken their legs or arms;
to see the same dreary waves breaking week after
week, and then a dreadful storm coming, and the
windows covered with spray, and birds clashed
against the lamp, and the whole place rocking,
and not be able to put your nose out of doors tor
fear of being swept into the sea? How would you
like that? she asked, addressing herself particularly
to her daughters. So she added, rather differently,
one must take them whatever comforts one can.

" It's, due west," said the atheist Tansley,

holding his bony fingers spread so that the wind

blew through them, for he was sharing Mr.

Ramsay's evening walk up and down, up and

down the terrace. That is to say, the wind blew

frogi the worst possible direction for landing at

the Lighthouse; Yes, he did say disagreeable

things, Mrs. Ramsay admitted; it was odious of

him to rub this in, and make James still more

disappointed; but at the same time, she would

not let them laugh at him, " The atheist ", they

14