Chapter 18 Summary

Clarissa arrives at Richard's apartment to help him get dressed for the party. He doesn't answer her knocks on the door; worried, she lets herself in. The apartment, usually dark and shadowed because Richard can no longer tolerate much light, is uncharacteristically flooded with sunshine, revealing the dinginess of disease which has invaded his personal space. He calls out for his Mrs. Dalloway, and she rushes to the other room and finds him perched in an open windowsill. He tells her it's a beautiful day, and she pleads for him to come down. She moves towards him, and he leans further out the window. He tells her he's sorry he can't make it to her party; she tells him he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to do, and again she begs him to come down from the windowsill. He tells...