Дублінці
A Painful Case
Duffy,however,hadadistasteforunderhandwaysand,findingthattheywerecompelledtomeetstealthily,heforcedhertoaskhimtoherhouse.CaptainSinicoencouragedhisvisits,thinkingthathisdaughter’shandwasinquestion.Hehaddismissedhiswifesosincerelyfromhisgalleryofpleasuresthathedidnotsuspectthatanyoneelsewouldtakeaninterestinher.AsthehusbandwasoftenawayandthedaughteroutgivingmusiclessonsMr.Duffyhadmanyopportunitiesofenjoyingthelady’ssociety.Neitherhenorshehadhadanysuchadventurebeforeandneitherwasconsciousofanyincongruity.Littlebylittleheentangledhisthoughtswithhers.Helentherbooks,providedherwithideas,sharedhisintellectuallifewithher.Shelistenedtoall.
Sometimesinreturnforhistheoriesshegaveoutsomefactofherownlife.Withalmostmaternalsolicitudesheurgedhimtolethisnatureopentothefull:shebecamehisconfessor.HetoldherthatforsometimehehadassistedatthemeetingsofanIrishSocialistPartywherehehadfelthimselfauniquefigureamidstascoreofsoberworkmeninagarretlitbyaninefficientoil-lamp.Whenthepartyhaddividedintothreesections,eachunderitsownleaderandinitsowngarret,hehaddiscontinuedhisattendances.Theworkmen’sdiscussions,hesaid,weretootimorous;theinteresttheytookinthequestionofwageswasinordinate.Hefeltthattheywerehard-featuredrealistsandthattheyresentedanexactitudewhichwastheproduceofaleisurenotwithintheirreach.
