Біла пташка
A Shock
Butofmen—Ihaveknownonemanindifferentwellforoverfortyyears,haveexultedinhim(oddtothinkofit),shudderedathim,weariedofhim,beenwilling(Godforgiveme)tojogalongwithhimtolerantlylongafterIhavefoundhimout;Iknowsomethingofmen,and,onmysoul,boy,IbelieveIamwrongingyou.
ThenMaryishereforsomeinnocentpurpose,todoagooddeedthatwerebetterundone,asitsoscaresher.Turnback,youfoolish,softheart,andIshallsaynomoreaboutit.Obstinateone,yousawthelookonyourhusband’sfaceasheleftyou.Itisthestudiolightbywhichhepaintsandstillseestohope,despiteallthedisappointmentsofhisnotignobleambitions.Thatlightisthedoweryoubroughthim,andheisawealthymanifitdoesnotflicker.
Soanxioustobegone,andyetshewouldnotgo.Severaltimesshemadelittledarts,asifatlastresolvedtoescapefromthatdetestablestreet,andfalteredandreturnedlikeabirdtotheweasel.Againshelookedatherwatchandkissedit.
Oh,Mary,takeflight.Whatmadnessisthis?Woman,begone.
Suddenlyshewasgone.Withonemightyeffortandalastterrifiedlookround,shepoppedintoapawnshop.
LongbeforesheemergedIunderstooditall,Ithinkevenasthedoorrangandclosedonher;whythetimidsoulhadsoughtastreetwhereshewasunknown,whyshecreptsomanytimespastthatabhorredshopbeforedesperatelyventuringin,whyshelookedsooftenatthewatchshemightneverseeagain.
