Дублінці
A Painful Case
Shewasnotathomeuntilanhouraftertheaccident.ThejuryreturnedaverdictinaccordancewiththemedicalevidenceandexoneratedLennonfromallblame.
TheDeputyCoronersaiditwasamostpainfulcase,andexpressedgreatsympathywithCaptainSinicoandhisdaughter.Heurgedontherailwaycompanytotakestrongmeasurestopreventthepossibilityofsimilaraccidentsinthefuture.Noblameattachedtoanyone.
Mr.Duffyraisedhiseyesfromthepaperandgazedoutofhiswindowonthecheerlesseveninglandscape.TheriverlayquietbesidetheemptydistilleryandfromtimetotimealightappearedinsomehouseontheLucanroad.Whatanend!Thewholenarrativeofherdeathrevoltedhimanditrevoltedhimtothinkthathehadeverspokentoherofwhatheheldsacred.Thethreadbarephrases,theinaneexpressionsofsympathy,thecautiouswordsofareporterwonovertoconcealthedetailsofacommonplacevulgardeathattackedhisstomach.Notmerelyhadshedegradedherself;shehaddegradedhim.Hesawthesqualidtractofhervice,miserableandmalodorous.Hissoul’scompanion!Hethoughtofthehobblingwretcheswhomhehadseencarryingcansandbottlestobefilledbythebarman.JustGod,whatanend!Evidentlyshehadbeenunfittolive,withoutanystrengthofpurpose,aneasypreytohabits,oneofthewrecksonwhichcivilisationhasbeenreared.
