Дублінці
A Painful Case
Butthatshecouldhavesunksolow!Wasitpossiblehehaddeceivedhimselfsoutterlyabouther?Herememberedheroutburstofthatnightandinterpreteditinaharshersensethanhehadeverdone.Hehadnodifficultynowinapprovingofthecoursehehadtaken.
Asthelightfailedandhismemorybegantowanderhethoughtherhandtouchedhis.Theshockwhichhadfirstattackedhisstomachwasnowattackinghisnerves.Heputonhisovercoatandhatquicklyandwentout.Thecoldairmethimonthethreshold;itcreptintothesleevesofhiscoat.Whenhecametothepublic-houseatChapelizodBridgehewentinandorderedahotpunch.
Theproprietorservedhimobsequiouslybutdidnotventuretotalk.Therewerefiveorsixworkingmenintheshopdiscussingthevalueofagentleman’sestateinCountyKildareTheydrankatintervalsfromtheirhugepinttumblersandsmoked,spittingoftenonthefloorandsometimesdraggingthesawdustovertheirspitswiththeirheavyboots.Mr.Duffysatonhisstoolandgazedatthem,withoutseeingorhearingthem.Afterawhiletheywentoutandhecalledforanotherpunch.Hesatalongtimeoverit.Theshopwasveryquiet.TheproprietorsprawledonthecounterreadingtheHeraldandyawning.Nowandagainatramwasheardswishingalongthelonelyroadoutside.
Ashesatthere,livingoverhislifewithherandevokingalternatelythetwoimagesinwhichhenowconceivedher,herealisedthatshewasdead,thatshehadceasedtoexist,thatshehadbecomeamemory.
