Дублінці
The Boarding House
Allthewindowsoftheboardinghousewereopenandthelacecurtainsballoonedgentlytowardsthestreetbeneaththeraisedsashes.ThebelfryofGeorge’sChurchsentoutconstantpealsandworshippers,singlyoringroups,traversedthelittlecircusbeforethechurch,revealingtheirpurposebytheirself-containeddemeanournolessthanbythelittlevolumesintheirglovedhands.Breakfastwasoverintheboardinghouseandthetableofthebreakfast-roomwascoveredwithplatesonwhichlayyellowstreaksofeggswithmorselsofbacon-fatandbacon-rind.Mrs.Mooneysatinthestrawarm-chairandwatchedtheservantMaryremovethebreakfastthings.ShemadMarycollectthecrustsandpiecesofbrokenbreadtohelptomakeTuesday’sbread-pudding.Whenthetablewascleared,thebrokenbreadcollected,thesugarandbuttersafeunderlockandkey,shebegantoreconstructtheinterviewwhichshehadhadthenightbeforewithPolly.Thingswereasshehadsuspected:shehadbeenfrankinherquestionsandPollyhadbeenfrankinheranswers.Bothhadbeensomewhatawkward,ofcourse.ShehadbeenmadeawkwardbyhernotwishingtoreceivethenewsintoocavalierafashionortoseemtohaveconnivedandPollyhadbeenmadeawkwardnotmerelybecauseallusionsofthatkindalwaysmadeherawkwardbutalsobecauseshedidnotwishittobethoughtthatinherwiseinnocenceshehaddivinedtheintentionbehindhermother’stolerance.
Mrs.
