Голод
Part IV
SheremarkedthatperhapsIwasnotaccustomedtoreckoninsixteenths;shementionedalsothatshemustonlyapplytosomeonewhohadaknowledgeofsixteenths,togettheaccountproperlyrevised.Shesaidallthis,notinanyhurtfulwaytomakemefeelashamed,butthoughtfullyandseriously.Whenshegotasfarasthedoor,shesaid,withoutlookingatme:
"Excusemefortakingupyourtimethen."
Offshewent.
Amomentafter,thedooropenedagain,andshere-entered.Shecouldhardlyhavegonemuchfartherthanthestairsbeforeshehadturnedback.
"That’strue,"saidshe;"youmustn’ttakeitamiss;butthereisalittleowingtomefromyounow,isn’tthere?Wasn’titthreeweeksyesterdaysinceyoucame?"Yes,Ithoughtitwas."Itisn’tsoeasytokeepthingsgoingwithsuchabigfamily,sothatIcan’tgivelodgingoncredit,more’sthe...."
Istoppedher."IamworkingatanarticlethatIthinkItoldyouaboutbefore,"saidI,"andassoonaseverthatisfinished,youshallhaveyourmoney;youcanmakeyourselfquiteeasy...."
"Yes;butyou’llnevergetthatarticlefinished,though."
"Doyouthinkthat?Maybethespiritwillmovemetomorrow,orperhapsalready,tonight;itisn’tatallimpossiblebutthatitmaymovemesometimetonight,andthenmyarticlewillbecompletedinaquarterofanhourattheoutside.
