Дублінці
A Painful Case
Hewassurprisedthatsheseemedsolittleawkward.Whiletheytalkedhetriedtofixherpermanentlyinhismemory.Whenhelearnedthattheyounggirlbesideherwasherdaughterhejudgedhertobeayearorsoyoungerthanhimself.Herface,whichmusthavebeenhandsome,hadremainedintelligent.Itwasanovalfacewithstronglymarkedfeatures.Theeyeswereverydarkblueandsteady.Theirgazebeganwithadefiantnotebutwasconfusedbywhatseemedadeliberateswoonofthepupilintotheiris,revealingforaninstantatemperamentofgreatsensibility.Thepupilreasserteditselfquickly,thishalf-disclosednaturefellagainunderthereignofprudence,andherastrakhanjacket,mouldingabosomofacertainfullness,struckthenoteofdefiancemoredefinitely.
HemetheragainafewweeksafterwardsataconcertinEarlsfortTerraceandseizedthemomentswhenherdaughter’sattentionwasdivertedtobecomeintimate.Shealludedonceortwicetoherhusbandbuthertonewasnotsuchastomaketheallusionawarning.HernamewasMrs.Sinico.Herhusband’sgreat-great-grandfatherhadcomefromLeghorn.HerhusbandwascaptainofamercantileboatplyingbetweenDublinandHolland;andtheyhadonechild.
Meetingherathirdtimebyaccidenthefoundcouragetomakeanappointment.Shecame.Thiswasthefirstofmanymeetings;theymetalwaysintheeveningandchosethemostquietquartersfortheirwalkstogether.Mr.
