When we compare Richard's arrival with Peter's earlier arrival, we find that Clarissa is upset in both scenes. She is not, however, upset by Richard as she was by Peter. Invitations, obligations, and Elizabeth's relationship with Doris Kilman vex her — but Richard does not. In fact, she does not even respond, initially, to Richard. She responds to the flowers. Their relationship, in this first scene together, seems almost as empty as the drawing room with its chairs moved back against the wall. For a few minutes, like the flowers "at first bunched together," Clarissa talks quickly about Hugh and Peter, and Richard talks quickly about Hugh and Lady Bruton; then, like the flowers, the two people begin "starting apart." And Richard must be off — separating — like the flowers.
When Richard is gone, Clarissa thinks him silly for wanting her to follow the doctor's orders, but this is quite in keeping with what we have seen of Richard. He follows doctors' orders because he follows Clarissa's own unspoken orders. He respects and observes the gulf Clarissa wishes to remain between them. She tells herself that she "loves her roses" more than the Albanians Richard has gone to confer with and we recall Peter Walsh's long-ago taunt that he preferred people to cauliflowers. What is important to Clarissa: people or cauliflowers?
She says she likes life so we must consider what her sense of life is. At her parties people gather and talk and this satisfies Clarissa. For herself, she has created a life-situation. Can we condemn her for her definition of life? For she is not just a cold, cocktail party hostess; we know that. We have seen that she is responsive to the poetic and to the imaginary; her impressions of atmosphere, people and time are most sensitive. But we must also realize too that parties are arranged situations. There is little that is natural or spontaneous about them until cocktails have warmed the cold contact between the guests. People wear their best faces and best manners to parties. They keep one another at a certain social distance. Of course Clarissa enjoys party situations with their observed, good-mannered, friendly distances. This metaphysical distance around one is what supremely matters to her. Parties are Clarissa's gift; these are her own words — her gift — meaning her special talent — and her special present to life.
