Дублінці
The Boarding House
Mooneyhadfirstsentherdaughtertobeatypistinacorn-factor’sofficebut,asadisreputablesheriff’smanusedtocomeeveryotherdaytotheoffice,askingtobeallowedtosayawordtohisdaughter,shehadtakenherdaughterhomeagainandsethertodohousework.AsPollywasverylivelytheintentionwastogivehertherunoftheyoungmen.Besidesyoungmenliketofeelthatthereisayoungwomannotveryfaraway.Polly,ofcourse,flirtedwiththeyoungmenbutMrs.Mooney,whowasashrewdjudge,knewthattheyoungmenwereonlypassingthetimeaway:noneofthemmeantbusiness.ThingswentonsoforalongtimeandMrs.MooneybegantothinkofsendingPollybacktotypewritingwhenshenoticedthatsomethingwasgoingonbetweenPollyandoneoftheyoungmen.Shewatchedthepairandkeptherowncounsel.
Pollyknewthatshewasbeingwatched,butstillhermother’spersistentsilencecouldnotbemisunderstood.Therehadbeennoopencomplicitybetweenmotheranddaughter,noopenunderstandingbut,thoughpeopleinthehousebegantotalkoftheaffair,stillMrs.Mooneydidnotintervene.Pollybegantogrowalittlestrangeinhermannerandtheyoungmanwasevidentlyperturbed.Atlast,whenshejudgedittobetherightmoment,Mrs.Mooneyintervened.Shedealtwithmoralproblemsasacleaverdealswithmeat:andinthiscaseshehadmadeuphermind.
ItwasabrightSundaymorningofearlysummer,promisingheat,butwithafreshbreezeblowing.
