Дублінці
A Mother
WhenthestrainofthesilencehadbecomesomewhatpainfulMissHealysaidtothebaritone:
“HaveyouseenMrs.PatCampbellthisweek?”
Thebaritonehadnotseenherbuthehadbeentoldthatshewasveryfine.Theconversationwentnofurther.Thefirsttenorbenthisheadandbegantocountthelinksofthegoldchainwhichwasextendedacrosshiswaist,smilingandhummingrandomnotestoobservetheeffectonthefrontalsinus.FromtimetotimeeveryoneglancedatMrs.Kearney.
ThenoiseintheauditoriumhadrisentoaclamourwhenMr.Fitzpatrickburstintotheroom,followedbyMr.Holohanwhowaspanting.Theclappingandstampinginthehallwerepunctuatedbywhistling.Mr.Fitzpatrickheldafewbanknotesinhishand.HecountedoutfourintoMrs.Kearney’shandandsaidshewouldgettheotherhalfattheinterval.Mrs.Kearneysaid:
“Thisisfourshillingsshort.”
ButKathleengatheredinherskirtandsaid:“Now.Mr.Bell,”tothefirstitem,whowasshakinglikeanaspen.Thesingerandtheaccompanistwentouttogether.Thenoiseinhalldiedaway.Therewasapauseofafewseconds:andthenthepianowasheard.
ThefirstpartoftheconcertwasverysuccessfulexceptforMadamGlynn’sitem.ThepoorladysangKillarneyinabodilessgaspingvoice,withalltheold-fashionedmannerismsofintonationandpronunciationwhichshebelievedlentelegancetohersinging.
