What does it mean then, what can it all mean? Lily Briscoe asked herself,wondering whether, since she had been left alone, it behoved her to go tothe kitchen to fetch another cup of coffee or wait here. What does itmean?—a catchword that was, caught up from some book, fitting herthought loosely, for she could not, this first morning with the Ramsays,contract her feelings, could only make a phrase resound to cover theblankness of her mind until these vapours had shrunk. For really, whatdid she feel, come back after all these years and Mrs Ramsay dead?

　　Nothing, nothing—nothing that she could express at all.

　　She had come late last night when it was all mysterious, dark. Nowshe was awake, at her old place at the breakfast table, but alone. It wasvery early too, not yet eight. There was this expedition—they were goingto the Lighthouse, Mr Ramsay, Cam, and James. They should have gonealready—they had to catch the tide or something. And Cam was notready and James was not ready and Nancy had forgotten to order thesandwiches and Mr Ramsay had lost his temper and banged out of theroom.

　　"What's the use of going now?" he had stormed.

　　Nancy had vanished. There he was, marching up and down the terracein a rage. One seemed to hear doors slamming and voices calling all overthe house. Now Nancy burst in, and asked, looking round the room, in aqueer half dazed, half desperate way, "What does one send ............