Дублінці
A Painful Case
Herinterpretationofhiswordsdisillusionedhim.Hedidnotvisitherforaweek,thenhewrotetoheraskinghertomeethim.AshedidnotwishtheirlastinterviewtobetroubledbytheinfluenceoftheirruinedconfessionaltheymeetinalittlecakeshopneartheParkgate.ItwascoldautumnweatherbutinspiteofthecoldtheywanderedupanddowntheroadsoftheParkfornearlythreehours.Theyagreedtobreakofftheirintercourse:everybond,hesaid,isabondtosorrow.WhentheycameoutoftheParktheywalkedinsilencetowardsthetram;buthereshebegantotremblesoviolentlythat,fearinganothercollapseonherpart,hebadehergood-byequicklyandlefther.Afewdayslaterhereceivedaparcelcontaininghisbooksandmusic.
Fouryearspassed.Mr.Duffyreturnedtohisevenwayoflife.Hisroomstillborewitnessoftheorderlinessofhismind.Somenewpiecesofmusicencumberedthemusic-standinthelowerroomandonhisshelvesstoodtwovolumesbyNietzsche:ThusSpakeZarathustraandTheGayScience.Hewroteseldominthesheafofpaperswhichlayinhisdesk.Oneofhissentences,writtentwomonthsafterhislastinterviewwithMrs.Sinico,read:Lovebetweenmanandmanisimpossiblebecausetheremustnotbesexualintercourseandfriendshipbetweenmanandwomanisimpossiblebecausetheremustbesexualintercourse.Hekeptawayfromconcertslestheshouldmeether.Hisfatherdied;thejuniorpartnerofthebankretired.
