Дублінці
The Dead
“It’ssucharelief,”saidAuntKatetoMrs.Conroy,“thatGabrielishere.Ialwaysfeeleasierinmymindwhenhe’shere....Julia,there’sMissDalyandMissPowerwilltakesomerefreshment.Thanksforyourbeautifulwaltz,MissDaly.Itmadelovelytime.”
Atallwizen-facedman,withastiffgrizzledmoustacheandswarthyskin,whowaspassingoutwithhispartner,said:
“Andmaywehavesomerefreshment,too,MissMorkan?”
“Julia,”saidAuntKatesummarily,“andhere’sMr.BrowneandMissFurlong.Takethemin,Julia,withMissDalyandMissPower.”
“I’mthemanfortheladies,”saidMr.Browne,pursinghislipsuntilhismoustachebristledandsmilinginallhiswrinkles.“Youknow,MissMorkan,thereasontheyaresofondofmeis——”
Hedidnotfinishhissentence,but,seeingthatAuntKatewasoutofearshot,atonceledthethreeyoungladiesintothebackroom.Themiddleoftheroomwasoccupiedbytwosquaretablesplacedendtoend,andontheseAuntJuliaandthecaretakerwerestraighteningandsmoothingalargecloth.Onthesideboardwerearrayeddishesandplates,andglassesandbundlesofknivesandforksandspoons.Thetopoftheclosedsquarepianoservedalsoasasideboardforviandsandsweets.Atasmallersideboardinonecornertwoyoungmenwerestanding,drinkinghop-bitters.
Mr.
