Біла пташка
Her Marriage, Her Clothes, Her Appetite, and an Inventory of Her Furniture
Shethenranratherthanwalkedinthedirectionofthesixpenny-halfpennyshop.Nowmysteryofanykindisdetestabletome,andIwentintothebric-a-bracshop,ostensiblytolookatthecrackedchina;andthere,stillonthecounter,withthewrappingtornoffit,wasthearticleMaryhadsoldinordertofurnishontheproceeds.Whatdoyouthinkitwas?Itwasawonderfuldoll’shouse,withdollsatteadownstairsanddollsgoingtobedupstairs,andadollshowingadolloutatthefrontdoor.Lovinglipshadlongagolickedmostofthepaintoff,butotherwisethethingwasinadmirablepreservation;obviouslythejoyofMary’schildhood,ithadnowbeensoldbyherthatshemightgetmarried.
“Latelypurchasedbyus,”saidtheshopwoman,seeingmelookatthetoy,“fromaladywhohasnofurtheruseforit.”
IthinkIhaveseldombeenmoreindignantwithMary.Iboughtthedoll’shouse,andastheyknewthelady’saddress(itwasatthisshopthatIfirstlearnedhername)Iinstructedthemtosenditbacktoherwiththefollowingletter,whichIwroteintheshop:“Dearmadam,don’tberidiculous.Youwillcertainlyhavefurtheruseforthis.Iam,etc.,theManWhoDroppedtheLetter.”
Itpainedmeafterward,buttoolatetorescindtheorder,toreflectthatIhadsentheraweddingpresent;andwhennextIsawhershehadbeenmarriedforsomemonths.
