THE LIGHTHQUSEand it stayed in the mind almost like a workof art.

‘ Like a work of art," she repeated, lookingfrom her canvas to the drawing-room steps andback again. She must rest for a moment. And,resting, looking from one to the other vaguely, theold question which traversed the sky of the soulperpetually, the vast, the general question whichwas apt to particularise itself at such moments asthese, when she released faculties that had beenon the strain, stood over her, paused over her,darkened over her. What is the meaning of life?That was all——a simple question; one that tendedto close in on one with years. The great revelation had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were littledaily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark; here was one. This, that,and the other; herself and Charles Tansley andthe breaking wave; Mrs. Ramsay bringing themtogether; Mrs. Ramsay saying " Life stand stillhere "; Mrs. Ramsay making of the momentsomething permanent (as in another sphere Lilyherself tried to make of the moment somethingpermanent)—this was of the nature of a revelation. In the midst of chaos there was shape;this eternal passing and flowing (she looked atthe clouds going and the leaves shaking) was249