Such expeditions, said Mr Ramsay, scraping the
ground with his toe,are very painful. Mrs Ramsay sat down and wroteletters by a
rock.
It flickered brown over the white canvas;it left a
running mark.
See the little house, he said pointing, wishing Cam
to look.
But I beneath a rougher sea, Mr Ramsay
murmured.
It had taken him the best part ofhis youth to get
boots made as they should be made. A woman, she had provoked this horror;a woman,
she should have known how to deal with it. They have no suffering there, she
thought.
Why be always trying to bringup some feeling she
had not got? Now and thenthe sails rippled with a little breeze in them, but the
ripple ran overthem and ceased. Politely, but very distantly, Mr Ramsay raised his
hand and saluted heras they passed. Most leather was mere brown paper andcardboard.
Now let me see if you can tie a knot, hesaid.
They have no suffering there, she thought. Most
leather was mere brown paper andcardboard. But he began to think as he steered that
he might escape; hemight be quit of it all. The water chuckled and slapped thesides
of the boat, which drowsed motionless in the sun.
There was the compact; to resist tyranny to the
death. They might land somewhere; and be free then.
Ah, yes, he said, holding his foot up for her to
lookat, they were first-rate boots. Paul came out in his pyjamas carrying a poker in
case ofburglars.
Alllooked distant and peaceful and strange. And she
sat, having found them, silent,looking out to sea.
But he began to think as he steered that he might
escape; hemight be quit of it all.