The Remains of the Day

KAZUO ISHIGURO

The Remains of the Day

In memory of Mrs Lenore Marshall

Table of Contents

Title Page

Dedication

PROLOGUE: JULY 1956: Darlington Hall

DAY ONE – EVENING: Salisbury

DAY TWO – MORNING: Salisbury

DAY TWO – AFTERNOON: Mortimer’s Pond, Dorset

DAY THREE – MORNING: Taunton, Somerset

DAY THREE – EVENING: Moscombe, near Tavistock,

Devon

DAY FOUR – AFTERNOON: Little Compton, Cornwall

DAY SIX – EVENING: Weymouth

About the Author

Copyright

PROLOGUE: JULY 1956

Darlington Hall

It seems increasingly likely that I really will undertake the

expedition that has been preoccupying my imagination

now for some days. An expedition, I should say, which I

will undertake alone, in the comfort of Mr Farraday’s

Ford; an expedition which, as I foresee it, will take me

through much of the finest countryside of England to the

West Country, and may keep me away from Darlington

Hall for as much as five or six days. The idea of such a

journey came about, I should point out, from a most kind

suggestion put to me by Mr Farraday himself one afternoon

almost a fortnight ago, when I had been dusting the

portraits in the library. In fact, as I recall, I was up on the

step-ladder dusting the portrait of Viscount Wetherby

when my employer had entered carrying a few volumes

which he presumably wished returned to the shelves. On

seeing my person, he took the opportunity to inform me

that he had just that moment finalized plans to return to the

United States for a period of five weeks between August

and September. Having made this announcement, my

employer put his volumes down on a table, seated himself

on the chaise-longue, and stretched out his legs. It was

then, gazing up at me, that he said.

‘You realize, Stevens, I don’t expect you to be locked

up here in this house all the time I’m away. Why don’t you

take the car and drive off somewhere for a few days? You

look like you could make good use of a break.’

Coming out of the...