Дублінці
Two Gallants
Inhisimaginationhebeheldthepairofloverswalkingalongsomedarkroad;heheardCorley’svoiceindeepenergeticgallantriesandsawagaintheleeroftheyoungwoman’smouth.Thisvisionmadehimfeelkeenlyhisownpovertyofpurseandspirit.Hewastiredofknockingabout,ofpullingthedevilbythetail,ofshiftsandintrigues.Hewouldbethirty-oneinNovember.Wouldhenevergetagoodjob?Wouldheneverhaveahomeofhisown?Hethoughthowpleasantitwouldbetohaveawarmfiretositbyandagooddinnertositdownto.Hehadwalkedthestreetslongenoughwithfriendsandwithgirls.Heknewwhatthosefriendswereworth:heknewthegirlstoo.Experiencehadembitteredhisheartagainsttheworld.Butallhopehadnotlefthim.Hefeltbetterafterhavingeatenthanhehadfeltbefore,lesswearyofhislife,lessvanquishedinspirit.Hemightyetbeabletosettledowninsomesnugcornerandlivehappilyifhecouldonlycomeacrosssomegoodsimple-mindedgirlwithalittleoftheready.
Hepaidtwopencehalfpennytotheslatternlygirlandwentoutoftheshoptobeginhiswanderingagain.HewentintoCapelStreetandwalkedalongtowardstheCityHall.ThenheturnedintoDameStreet.AtthecornerofGeorge’sStreethemettwofriendsofhisandstoppedtoconversewiththem.Hewasgladthathecouldrestfromallhiswalking.HisfriendsaskedhimhadheseenCorleyandwhatwasthelatest.HerepliedthathehadspentthedaywithCorley.Hisfriendstalkedverylittle.
