Дублінці
The Sisters
Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethatFatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthedaycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaythereanddriveoutthethreeofustogetherofaSundayevening.Hehadhismindsetonthat....PoorJames!”
“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”saidmyaunt.
Elizatookoutherhandkerchiefandwipedhereyeswithit.Thensheputitbackagaininherpocketandgazedintotheemptygrateforsometimewithoutspeaking.
“Hewastooscrupulousalways,”shesaid.“Thedutiesofthepriesthoodwastoomuchforhim.Andthenhislifewas,youmightsay,crossed.”
“Yes,”saidmyaunt.“Hewasadisappointedman.Youcouldseethat.”
Asilencetookpossessionofthelittleroomand,undercoverofit,Iapproachedthetableandtastedmysherryandthenreturnedquietlytomychairinthecomer.Elizaseemedtohavefallenintoadeeprevery.Wewaitedrespectfullyforhertobreakthesilence:andafteralongpauseshesaidslowly:
“Itwasthatchalicehebroke....Thatwasthebeginningofit.Ofcourse,theysayitwasallright,thatitcontainednothing,Imean.Butstill....Theysayitwastheboy’sfault.ButpoorJameswassonervous,Godbemercifultohim!”
“Andwasthatit?”saidmyaunt.“Iheardsomething....”
Elizanodded
