Interim: Pilgrimage, Volume 5 - Dorothy M. Richardson

CHAPTER XI

Miriam got up early the next morning and went to her window in her night-gown. There was a thick August haze in the square. The air smelt moist. She leaned out into the chill of it. Her body was full of sleep and strength; all one strength from head to feet. She heard life in the silence, and went through her getting up as quickly as possible, listening all the time to the fresh silence.

She went downstairs feeling like a balloon on a string; her feet touching the stairs lightly as if there were no weight in her body. At the end of the long journey came the smiling familiar surprise of the hall. The hall table was clear, a stretch of grey marble in the morning light. The letters had been taken into the dining-room. There was something, a package, on the far corner, a book package, with a note, Silurian blue, Eleanor. Small straggly round handwriting, yes, Eleanor’s, R. Rodkin, Esq: Ah. Mr. Rodkin. How had she done it? When? Carrying off a book. Pretending she had forgotten, and writing. Sly cleverness. What a blessing she had gone.... Booming through her uneasiness came a great voice from the dining-room. Through the misty corridors of the Dawn it bellowed. She went gladly in towards poetry. Mrs. Bailey was presiding over an early breakfast. The Irishman, sitting back mirthfully in his chair on the far side of the table and at his side a big stout man with a bushy black beard, brilliant laughing eyes staring at nothing from a flushed face. Mrs. Bailey was watching him with a polite smile; he looked as though he were at supper; making the room seem hot, obliterating the time of day. I expect you had a rough crossing, she said politely. I saw her, he bellowed flinging back his head and roaring out words and laughter together. She walks in Beauty. I saw her sandalled feet; upon the Hills.

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Transcriber’s Notes

The original spelling and punctuation were mostly preserved. In “Interim”, Dorothy Richardson experimented with punctuation, in particular leaving out many commas and quotation marks, in order to promote “creative collaboration” with the reader. Therefore, punctuation was mostly left unchanged, as was the varying usage of hyphens and ellipses.

A few obvious typographical and formatting errors were silently corrected. Further careful corrections, some after consulting other editions, are listed here (before/after):

... was no need to have brought in home. It was ...
... was no need to have brought [it] home. It was ...
... Moskowski’s Serenade sounded fearfully pathetic; ...
... [Moszkowski’s] Serenade sounded fearfully pathetic; ...
... Who were they afraid of shocking with their ...
... [Whom] were they afraid of shocking with their ...
... and her difficulties remained.... One had told ...
... and her difficulties remained.... One had [told it] ...
... lost in the thick turkey carpeting of the waiting-room ...
... lost in the thick [Turkey] carpeting of the waiting-room ...
... himself, in every tone listening, in the very ...
... himself, in every [one] listening, in the very ...
(multiple cases)
... maliciously towards Mrs. Barlow were a hard ...
... maliciously towards Mrs. [Barrow] were a hard ...
... liking and determined not to be reminded of ...
... [liking it] and determined not to be reminded of ...
... welcome me inside again soon. Je me’en fiche. ...
... welcome me inside again soon. Je [m’en] fiche. ...
... both battreurs des pavés, she thought; both ...
... both [batteurs de pavé], she thought; both ...
... elf untouched and always new, her old free ...
... [self] untouched and always new, her old free ...
... an old gossip. Old men are worse gossips then ...
... an old gossip. Old men are worse gossips [than] ...
... was unreal, as easy a dream. All about her were ...
... was unreal, as easy [as a] dream. All about her were ...
... was hotel; Edwards daylight Family Hotel ... ...
... [was a] hotel; Edwards daylight Family Hotel ... ...
... makes the whole day and adventure even if you’re ...
... makes the whole day [an] adventure even if you’re ...
... “Have you ever been to one.” ...
... “Have you ever been to one[?]” ...
... to chose. That’s the trouble. If you are liking ...
... to [choose]. That’s the trouble. If you are liking ...
... not think it wonderful ... ...
... not think it wonderful[?] ... ...
... when you come. We’ll read it, he sat smiling to ...
... when you come. We’ll read it, he [said] smiling to ...
... and brushed at her shirt. Miriam waited, ...
... and brushed at her [skirt]. Miriam waited, ...
... “Well you know I’ve a great regard for youl ...
... “Well you know I’ve a great regard for [you,] ...
... went indifferent to any grouped faces of either ...
... went indifferent to any grouped faces [either] ...
... be as free and indiscreet as one choses ... ...
... be as free and indiscreet as one [chooses] ... ...
... printed astericks between small groups of lines. ...
... printed [asterisks] between small groups of lines. ...
... It she were not pressed she would say no ...
... [If] she were not pressed she would say no ...
... “Rodkin and Helsing’s and Gunners out all ...
... “Rodkin and [Helsing] and [Gunner’s] out all ...