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fully。 And she heaved a deep sigh of relief； as； indeed； well she might； for the transaction between a writer and the spirit of the age is one of infinite delicacy； and upon a nice arrangement between the two the whole fortune of his works depends。 Orlando had so ordered it that she was in an extremely happy position； she need neither fight her age； nor submit to it； she was of it； yet remained herself。 Now； therefore； she could write； and write she did。 She wrote。 She wrote。 She wrote。
It was now November。 After November； es December。 Then January； February； March； and April。 After April es May。 June； July； August follow。 Next is September。 Then October； and so； behold； here we are back at November again； with a whole year acplished。
This method of writing biography； though it has its merits； is a little bare； perhaps； and the reader； if we go on with it； may plain that he could recite the calendar for himself and so save his pocket whatever sum the Hogarth Press may think proper to charge for this book。 But what can the biographer do when his subject has put him in the predicament into which Orlando has now put us？ Life； it has been agreed by everyone whose opinion is worth consulting； is the only fit subject for novelist or biographer； life； the same authorities have decided； has nothing whatever to do with sitting still in a chair and thinking。 Thought and life are as the poles asunder。 Therefore—since sitting in a chair and thinking is precisely what Orlando is doing now—there is nothing for it but to recite the calendar； tell one’s beads； blow one’s nose； stir the fire； look out of the window； until she has done。 Orlando sat so still that you could have heard a pin drop。 Would； indeed； that a pin had dropped！ That would have been life of a kind。 Or if a butterfly had fluttered through the window and settled on her chair； one could write about that。 Or suppose she had got up and killed a wasp。 Then； at once； we could out with our pens and write。 For there would be blood shed； if only the blood of a wasp。 Where there is blood there is life。 And if killing a wasp is the merest trifle pared with killing a man； still it is a fitter subject for novelist or biographer than this mere wool–gathering； this thinking； this sitting in a chair day in； day out； with a cigarette and a sheet of paper and a pen and an ink pot。 If only subjects； we might plain （for our patience is wearing thin）； had more consideration for their biographers！ What is more irritating than to see one’s subject； on whom one has lavished so much time and trouble； slipping out of one’s grasp altogether and indulging—witness her sighs and gasps； her flushing； her palings； her eyes now bright as lamps； now haggard as dawns—what is more humiliating than to see all this dumb show of emotion and excitement gone through before our eyes when we know that what causes it—thought and imagination—are of no importance whatsoever？
But Orlando was a woman—Lord Palmerston had just proved it。 And when we are writing the life of a woman； we may； it is agreed； waive our demand for action； and substitute love instead。 Love； the poet has said； is woman’s whole existence。 And if we look for a moment at Orlando writing at her table； we must admit that never was there a woman more fitted for that calling。 Surely； since she is a woman； and a beautiful woman； and a woman in the prime of life； she will soon give over this pretence of writing and thinking and begin at least to think of a gamekeeper （and as long as she thinks of a man； nobody objects to a woman thinking）。 And then she will write him a little note （and as long as she writes little notes nobody objects to a woman writing either） and make an assignation for Sunday dusk and Sunday dusk will e； and the gamekeeper will whistle under the window—all of which is； of course； the very stuff of life and the only possible subject for fiction。 Surely Orlando must have done one of these things？ Alas；—a thousand times； alas； Orlando did none of them。 Must it then be admitted that Orlando was one of those monsters of iniquity who do not love？ She was kind to dogs； faithful to friends； generosity itself to a dozen starving poets； had a passion for poetry。 But love—as the male novelists define it—and who； after all； speak with greater authority？—has nothing whatever to do with kindness； fidelity； generosity； or poetry。 Love is slipping off one’s petticoat and—But we all know what love is。 Did Orlando do that？ Truth pels us to say no； she did not。 If then； the subject of one’s biography will neither love nor kill； but will only think and imagine； we may conclude that he or she is no better than a corpse and so leave her。
The only resource now left us is to look out of the window。 There were sparrows； there were starlings； there were a number of doves； and one or two rooks； all occupied after their fashion。 One finds a worm； another a snail。 One flutters to a branch； another takes a little run on the turf。 Then a servant crosses the courtyard； wearing a green baize apron。 Presumably he is engaged on some intrigue with one of the maids in the pantry； but as no visible proof is offered us； in the courtyard； we can but hope for the best and leave it。 Clouds pass； thin or thick； with some disturbance of the colour of the grass beneath。 The sun–dial registers the hour in its usual cryptic way。 One’s mind begins tossing up a question or two； idly； vainly； about this same life。 Life； it sings； or croons rather； like a kettle on a hob。 Life； life； what art thou？ Light or darkness； the baize apron of the under–footman or the shadow of the starling on the grass？
Let us go； then； exploring； this summer morning； when all are adoring the plum blossom and the bee。 And humming and hawing； let us ask of the starling （who is a more sociable bird than the lark） what he may think on the brink of the dustbin； whence he picks among the sticks bings of scullion’s hair。 What’s life； we ask； leaning on the farmyard gate； Life； Life； Life！ cries the bird； as if he had heard； and knew precisely； what we meant by this bothering prying habit of ours of asking questions indoors and out and peeping and picking at daisies as the way is of writers when they don’t know what to say next。 Then they e here； says the bird； and ask me what life is； Life； Life； Life！
We trudge on then by the moor path； to the high brow of the wine–blue purple–dark hill； and fling ourselves down there； and dream there and see there a grasshopper； carting back to his home in the hollow； a straw。 And he says （if sawings like his can be given a name so sacred and tender） Life’s labour； or so we interpret the whirr of his dust–choked gullet。 And the ant agrees and the bees； but if we lie here long enough to ask the moths； when they e at evening； stealing among the paler heather bells； they will breathe in our ears such wild nonsense as one hears from telegraph wires in snow storms； tee hee； haw haw。 Laughter； Laughter！ the moths say。
Having asked then of man and of bird and the insects； for fish； men tell us； who have lived in green caves； solitary for years to hear them speak； never； never say； and so perhaps know what life is—having asked them all and grown no wiser； but only older and colder （for did we not pray once in a way to wrap up in a book something so hard； so rare； one could swear it was life’s meaning？） back we must go and say straight out to the reader who waits a–tiptoe to hear what life is—alas； we don’t know。
At this moment； but only just in time to save the book from extinction； Orlando pushed away her chair； stretched her arms； dropped her pen； came to the window； and exclaimed； ‘Done！’
She was almost felled to the ground by the extraordinary sight which now met her eyes。 There was the garden and some birds。 The world was going on as usual。 All the time she was writing the world had continued。
‘And if I were dead； it would be just the same！’ she exclaimed。
Such was the intensity of her feelings that she could even imagine that she had suffered dissolution； and perhaps some faintness actually attacked her。 For a moment she stood looking at the fair； indifferent spectacle with staring eyes。 At length she was revived in a si