Дублінці
An Encounter
Hegavemetheimpressionthathewasrepeatingsomethingwhichhehadlearnedbyheartorthat,magnetisedbysomewordsofhisownspeech,hismindwasslowlycirclingroundandroundinthesameorbit.Attimeshespokeasifheweresimplyalludingtosomefactthateverybodyknew,andattimesheloweredhisvoiceandspokemysteriouslyasifheweretellingussomethingsecretwhichhedidnotwishotherstooverhear.Herepeatedhisphrasesoverandoveragain,varyingthemandsurroundingthemwithhismonotonousvoice.Icontinuedtogazetowardsthefootoftheslope,listeningtohim.
Afteralongwhilehismonologuepaused.Hestoodupslowly,sayingthathehadtoleaveusforaminuteorso,afewminutes,and,withoutchangingthedirectionofmygaze,Isawhimwalkingslowlyawayfromustowardsthenearendofthefield.Weremainedsilentwhenhehadgone.AfterasilenceofafewminutesIheardMahonyexclaim:
“Isay!Lookwhathe’sdoing!”
AsIneitheranswerednorraisedmyeyesMahonyexclaimedagain:
“Isay...He’saqueeroldjosser!”
“Incaseheasksusforournames,”Isaid“letyoubeMurphyandI’llbeSmith.”
Wesaidnothingfurthertoeachother.IwasstillconsideringwhetherIwouldgoawayornotwhenthemancamebackandsatdownbesideusagain.HardlyhadhesatdownwhenMahony,catchingsightofthecatwhichhadescapedhim,sprangupandpursuedheracrossthefield.
