Дублінці
The Dead
She’sfromConnacht,isn’tshe?”
“Herpeopleare,”saidGabrielshortly.
“Butyouwillcome,won’tyou?”saidMissIvors,layingherarmhandeagerlyonhisarm.
“Thefactis,”saidGabriel,“Ihavejustarrangedtogo——”
“Gowhere?”askedMissIvors.
“Well,youknow,everyyearIgoforacyclingtourwithsomefellowsandso——”
“Butwhere?”askedMissIvors.
“Well,weusuallygotoFranceorBelgiumorperhapsGermany,”saidGabrielawkwardly.
“AndwhydoyougotoFranceandBelgium,”saidMissIvors,“insteadofvisitingyourownland?”
“Well,”saidGabriel,“it’spartlytokeepintouchwiththelanguagesandpartlyforachange.”
“Andhaven’tyouyourownlanguagetokeepintouchwith—Irish?”askedMissIvors.
“Well,”saidGabriel,“ifitcomestothat,youknow,Irishisnotmylanguage.”
Theirneighbourshadturnedtolistentothecross—examination.Gabrielglancedrightandleftnervouslyandtriedtokeephisgoodhumourundertheordealwhichwasmakingablushinvadehisforehead.
