Белая птичка
Her Marriage, Her Clothes, Her Appetite, and an Inventory of Her Furniture
Seenfromthefrontitappearstoconsistofadoorandawindow,thoughabovethemthetrainedeyemaydetectanotherwindow,theair-holeofsomeapartmentwhichitwouldbejustlikeMary’sgrandiloquencetocallherbedroom.Thehousesoneachsideofthisbandboxaretall,andIdiscoveredlaterthatithadoncebeenanopenpassagetothebackgardens.Thestoryandahalfofwhichitconsistshadbeenknockedupcheaply,bycarpentersIshouldsayratherthanmasons,andthegeneraleffectisofabrightlycolouredvanthathasstuckforeveronitswaythroughthepassage.
ThelowhousesofLondonlooksomuchmorehomelythanthetallonesthatIneverpassthemwithoutdroppingablessingontheirbuilders,butthishousewasridiculous;indeeditdidnotcallitselfahouse,foroverthedoorwasaboardwiththeinscription“Thisspacetobesold,”andIremembered,asIrangthebell,thatthisnoticehadbeenupforyears.OnavowingthatIwantedaspace,Iwasadmittedbyanelderly,somewhatdejectedlookingfemale,whosefinefigurewasnotonscalewithhersurroundings.Perhapsmyfacesaidso,forherfirstremarkwasexplanatory.
“Theygetmecheap,”shesaid,“becauseIdrink.”
Ibowed,andwepassedontothedrawing-room.IforgetwhetherIhavedescribedMary’spersonalappearance,butifsoyouhaveapictureofthatsunnydrawing-room.Myfirstreflectionwas,Howcanshehavefoundthemoneytopayforitall!whichisalwaysyourfirstreflectionwhenyouseeMaryherselfa-trippingdownthestreet.
