Портрет художника в юности
Chapter 1
Therewasaroadoveraheathwithgrassatthesideandlittlebushes:andPeterParleyhadabroadhatlikeaprotestantministerandabigstickandhewaswalkingfastalongtheroadtoGreeceandRome.
Itwaseasywhathehadtodo.Allhehadtodowaswhenthedinnerwasoverandhecameoutinhisturntogoonwalkingbutnotouttothecorridorbutupthestaircaseontherightthatledtothecastle.Hehadnothingtodobutthat:toturntotherightandwalkfastupthestaircaseandinhalfaminutehewouldbeinthelowdarknarrowcorridorthatledthroughthecastletotherector’sroom.Andeveryfellowhadsaidthatitwasunfair,eventhefellowoutofsecondofgrammarwhohadsaidthataboutthesenateandtheRomanpeople.
Whatwouldhappen?
Heheardthefellowsofthehigherlinestandupatthetopoftherefectoryandheardtheirstepsastheycamedownthematting:PaddyRathandJimmyMageeandtheSpaniardandthePortugueseandthefifthwasbigCorriganwhowasgoingtobefloggedbyMrGleeson.Thatwaswhytheprefectofstudieshadcalledhimaschemerandpandiedhimfornothing:and,straininghisweakeyes,tiredwiththetears,hewatchedbigCorrigan’sbroadshouldersandbighangingblackheadpassinginthefile.ButhehaddonesomethingandbesidesMrGleesonwouldnotfloghimhard:andherememberedhowbigCorriganlookedinthebath.
