Дублінці
After the Race
Jimmy,whoseimaginationwaskindling,conceivedthelivelyyouthoftheFrenchmentwinedelegantlyuponthefirmframeworkoftheEnglishman’smanner.Agracefulimageofhis,hethought,andajustone.Headmiredthedexteritywithwhichtheirhostdirectedtheconversation.Thefiveyoungmenhadvarioustastesandtheirtongueshadbeenloosened.Villona,withimmenserespect,begantodiscovertothemildlysurprisedEnglishmanthebeautiesoftheEnglishmadrigal,deploringthelossofoldinstruments.Riviere,notwhollyingenuously,undertooktoexplaintoJimmythetriumphoftheFrenchmechanicians.TheresonantvoiceoftheHungarianwasabouttoprevailinridiculeofthespuriouslutesoftheromanticpainterswhenSegouinshepherdedhispartyintopolitics.Herewascongenialgroundforall.Jimmy,undergenerousinfluences,felttheburiedzealofhisfatherwaketolifewithinhim:hearousedthetorpidRouthatlast.TheroomgrewdoublyhotandSegouin’staskgrewhardereachmoment:therewasevendangerofpersonalspite.ThealerthostatanopportunityliftedhisglasstoHumanityand,whenthetoasthadbeendrunk,hethrewopenawindowsignificantly.
Thatnightthecityworethemaskofacapital.ThefiveyoungmenstrolledalongStephen’sGreeninafaintcloudofaromaticsmoke.Theytalkedloudlyandgailyandtheircloaksdangledfromtheirshoulders.Thepeoplemadewayforthem.AtthecornerofGraftonStreetashortfatmanwasputtingtwohandsomeladiesonacarinchargeofanotherfatman.
