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It wz olwz a gret afer, ɖ Misz Morcn’z ańl dans. Evrbdi hu ń ɖm cem t it, membrz v ɖ faṃli, old frendz v ɖ faṃli, ɖ membrz v Jūlia’z qîr, eni v Cet’s pyplz ɖt wr groun p inuf, n īvn sm v Mẹri Jen’z pyplz tù. Nvr wns hd it fōḷn flat. Fr yirz n yirz it hd gn of in splendid stîl az loñ az enwn cd rmembr; evr sins Cet n Jūlia, aftr ɖ deʈ v ɖer bruɖr Pat, hd left ɖ hǎs in Stǒni Batr n tecn Mẹri Jen, ɖer onli nīs, t liv wɖ ɖm in ɖ darc gōnt hǎs on Uśr’z Îḷnd, ɖ upr part v ẃć ɖe hd rentd fṛm Mr. Fŭḷm, ɖ cornfactr on ɖ grǎnd flor. Ɖt wz a gd ʈrti yirz ago f it wz a de. Mẹri Jen, hu wz ɖen a litl grl in śort cloɖz, wz nǎ ɖ mn prop v ɖ hǎshold, fr ś hd ɖ orgn in Hadñtn Rod. Ś hd bn ʈru ɖ Acaḍmi n gev a pyplz’ conṣt evri yir in ɖ upr rūm v ɖ Enćnt Conṣtrūmz. Mni v hr pyplz b’loñd t ɖ betr-clas faṃliz on ɖ Cñztǎn n Dōlci lîn. Old az ɖe wr, hr ānts olso dd ɖer śer. Jūlia, ɖo ś wz qt gre, wz stl ɖ līdñ s’prāno in Adm n Īv’z, n Cet, biyñ tù fībl t g abt mć, gev ḿziclésnz t bginrz on ɖ old sqer piano in ɖ bac rūm. Lili, ɖ certecr’z dōtr, dd hǎsmeid’z wrc fr ɖm. Ɖo ɖer lîf wz modist ɖe b’livd in ītñ wel; ɖ bst v evrʈñ: dîmnd-bon srlônz, ʈri-śilñ ti n ɖ bst botld stǎt. Bt Lili sldm md a mstec in ɖ ordrz so ɖt ś got on wel wɖ hr ʈri mistṛsz. Ɖe wr fusi, ɖt wz ol. Bt ɖ onli ʈñ ɖe wd nt stand wz bac-ansrz.

V cors ɖe hd gd rīzn t b fusi on sć a nît. N ɖen it wz loñ aftr ten o’cloc n yt ɖr wz no sîn v Gebrịl n hiz wîf. Bsdz ɖe wr dredf̣li afreid ɖt Fredi Malinz mt trn p scrùd. Ɖe wd nt wś fr wrldz ɖt eni v Mẹri Jen’z pyplz śd si him undr ɖ inflụns; n ẃn h wz lîc ɖt it wz smtmz vri hard t manij him. Fredi Malinz olwz cem lêt bt ɖe wundrd ẃt cd b cīpñ Gebrịl: n ɖt wz ẃt bròt ɖm evri tū minits t ɖ banistrz t asc Lili hd Gebrịl or Fredi cm.

“Ǒ, Mr. Conrô,” sd Lili t Gebrịl ẃn ś opnd ɖ dor fr him, “Mis Cet n Mis Jūlia ʈt y wr nvr cmñ. Gdnît, Msz Conrô.”

“I’l ingej ɖe dd,” sd Gebrịl, “bt ɖe fget ɖt mî wîf hir tecs ʈri mortl aurz t dres hrslf.”

H std on ɖ mat, screpñ ɖ sno fṛm hiz g’lośz, ẃl Lili léd hiz wîf t ɖ ft v ɖ sterz n cōld ǎt:

“Mis Cet, hir’z Msz Conrô.”

Cet n Jūlia cem toḍlñ dǎn ɖ darc sterz at wns. Bʈ v ɖm cist Gebrịl’z wîf, sd ś mst b periśt alîv n asct wz Gebrịl wɖ hr.

“Hir I am az rît az ɖ meil, Ānt Cet! G on p. I’l folo,” cōld ǎt Gebrịl fṛm ɖ darc.

H cntinyd screpñ hiz fīt vigṛsli ẃl ɖ ʈri wimin wnt upsterz, lafñ, t ɖ lediz’ dresñrūm. A lît frinj v sno le lîc a cep on ɖ śoldrz v hiz oṿcot n lîc tǒcaps on ɖ toz v hiz g’lośz; n, az ɖ butnz v hiz oṿcot slipt wɖ a sqīcñ nôz ʈru ɖ sno-stifnd frìz, a cold, fregṛnt er fṛm ǎt-v-dorz iscept fṛm creṿsz n foldz.

“Z it snowñ agn, Mr. Conrô?” asct Lili.

Ś hd prisidd him intu ɖ pantri t hlp him of wɖ hiz oṿcot. Gebrịl smîld at ɖ ʈri siḷblz ś hd gvn hiz srnem n glanst at hr. Ś wz a slim, growñ grl, pel in cmplex́n n wɖ he-culrd her. Ɖ gas in ɖ pantri md hr lc stl pelr. Gebrịl hd noun hr ẃn ś wz a ćîld n yst t sit on ɖ lǒist step nrsñ a rag dol.

“Yes, Lili,” h ansrd, “n I ʈnc w’r in fr a nît v it.”

H lct p at ɖ pantrisīlñ, ẃć wz śecñ wɖ ɖ stampñ n śuf̣lñ v fīt on ɖ flor abv, lisnd fr a momnt t ɖ piano n ɖen glanst at ɖ grl, hu wz foldñ hiz oṿcot cerf̣li at ɖ end v a ślf.

“Tel m, Lili,” h sd in a frendli ton, “d y stl g t scūl?”

“Ǒ no, sr,” ś ansrd. “I’m dn scūlñ ɖs yir n mor.”

“Ǒ, ɖen,” sd Gebrịl gêli, “I s’poz w’l b gwñ t yr wedñ wn v ɖz fîn dez wɖ yr yuñ man, ê?”

Ɖ grl glanst bac at him ovr hr śoldr n sd wɖ gret bitrnis:

“Ɖ men ɖt z nǎ z onli ol p’lāvr n ẃt ɖe cn gt ǎt v y.”

Gebrịl culrd az f h flt h hd md a mstec n, wɖt lcñ at hr, cict of hiz g’lośz n flict activli wɖ hiz muflr at hiz petnt-leɖr śuz.

H wz a stǎt tōliś yuñ man. Ɖ hî culr v hiz ćīcs pśt upwdz īvn t hiz fōrhed ẃr it scatrd itslf in a fy formlis paćz v pel red; n on hiz herlis fes ɖr sinṭletd restlisli ɖ poliśt lenzz n ɖ brît gílt rimz v ɖ glasz ẃć scrīnd hiz delic̣t n restlis îz. Hiz glosi blac her wz partd in ɖ midl n bruśt in a loñ crv bhnd hiz irz ẃr it crld slîtli bnʈ ɖ grūv left bî hiz hat.

Ẃn h hd flict lustr intu hiz śuz h std p n pld hiz weistcot dǎn mor tîtli on hiz plump bodi. Ɖen h tc a côn rapidli fṛm hiz pocit.

“Ǒ Lili,” h sd, ʈrustñ it intu hr handz, “it’s Crisṃs tîm, z’nt it? Jst … hir’z a litl…”

H wōct rapidli twdz ɖ dor.

“Ǒ no, sr!” craid ɖ grl, folowñ him. “Riyli, sr, I wd’nt tec it.”

“Crisṃs tîm! Crisṃs tîm!” sd Gebrịl, olmst trotñ t ɖ sterz n wevñ hiz hand t hr in depriceśn.

Ɖ grl, siyñ ɖt h hd gend ɖ sterz, cōld ǎt aftr him:

“Wel, ʈanc y, sr.”

H wêtd ǎtsd ɖ drw̃rūm dor untl ɖ wōlts śd finiś, liṣnñ t ɖ scrts ɖt swept agnst it n t ɖ śuf̣lñ v fīt. H wz stl discmpozd bî ɖ grl’z bitr n sudn rtort. It hd cast a glūm ovr him ẃć h traid t dspel bî arenjñ hiz cufs n ɖ boz v hiz tî. H ɖen tc fṛm hiz weistcot-pocit a litl pepr n glanst at ɖ hedñz h hd md fr hiz spīć. H wz undsîdd abt ɖ lînz fṛm Robt Brǎnñ fr h fird ɖe wd b abv ɖ hedz v hiz hírrz. Sm qoteśn ɖt ɖe wd rec̣gnîz fṛm Śecspir or fṛm ɖ Meḷdiz wd b betr. Ɖ indelic̣t clacñ v ɖ men’z hìlz n ɖ śuf̣lñ v ɖer sǒlz rmîndd him ɖt ɖer gred v culćr difrd fṛm hiz. H wd onli mc himslf r’dikyḷs bî qotñ powtri t ɖm ẃć ɖe cd nt unḍstand. Ɖe wd ʈnc ɖt h wz e’rñ hiz s’pirịr edyceśn. H wd fel wɖ ɖm jst az h hd feld wɖ ɖ grl in ɖ pantri. H hd tecn p a roñ ton. Hiz hol spīć wz a mstec fṛm frst t last, an utr fełr.

Jst ɖen hiz ānts n hiz wîf cem ǎt v ɖ lediz’ dresñrūm. Hiz ānts wr tū smōl plenli drest old wimin. Ānt Jūlia wz an inć or so ɖ tōlr. Hr her, drwn lo ovr ɖ tops v hr irz, wz gre; n gre olso, wɖ darcr śadoz, wz hr larj flaxid fes. Ɖo ś wz stǎt in bild n std irect hr slo îz n partd lips gev hr ɖ apiṛns v a wmn hu dd nt nǒ ẃr ś wz or ẃr ś wz gwñ. Ānt Cet wz mor viveśs. Hr fes, hlʈịr ɖn hr sistr’z, wz ol pucrz n crīsz, lîc a śrivld red apl, n hr her, brêdd in ɖ sem old-faśnd we, hd nt lost its rîp-nut culr.

Ɖe bʈ cist Gebrịl francli. H wz ɖer feṿrit nefy, ɖ sun v ɖer ded eldr sistr, Eḷn, hu hd marid T. J. Conrô v ɖ Port n Docs.

“Greta tlz m y’r nt gwñ t tec a cab bac t Muncstǎn tnît, Gebrịl,” sd Ānt Cet.

“No,” sd Gebrịl, trnñ t hiz wîf, “w hd qt inuf v ɖt last yir, hd’nt w? D’nt y rmembr, Ānt Cet, ẃt a cold Greta got ǎt v it? Cabwindoz raṭlñ ol ɖ we, n ɖ īst wind blowñ in aftr w pást Merịn. Vri joli it wz. Greta còt a dredfl cold.”

Ānt Cet frǎnd svirli n nodd hr hed at evri wrd.

“Qt rît, Gebrịl, qt rît,” ś sd. “Y c’nt b tù cerfl.”

“Bt az fr Greta ɖr,” sd Gebrịl, “ś’d wōc hom in ɖ sno f ś wr let.”

Msz Conrô laft.

“D’nt mînd him, Ānt Cet,” ś sd. “H’z riyli an ōfl boɖr, ẃt wɖ grīn śêdz fr Tom’z îz at nît n mcñ him d ɖ dum-blz, n forsñ Īva t īt ɖ str’bt. Ɖ pur ćîld! N ś simpli hets ɖ sît v it!… Ǒ, bt y’l nvr ges ẃt h mcs m wer nǎ!”

Ś brouc ǎt intu a pìl v laftr n glanst at hr huzbnd, huz admîrñ n hapi îz hd bn wonḍrñ fṛm hr dres t hr fes n her. Ɖ tū ānts laft harṭli tù, fr Gebrịl’z s’liṣtyd wz a standñ joc wɖ ɖm.

“G’lośz!” sd Msz Conrô. “Ɖt’s ɖ lêtist. Ẃnvr it’s wet unḍft I mst pt on mî g’lośz. Tnît īvn h wontd m t pt ɖm on, bt I wd’nt. Ɖ nxt ʈñ h’l bai m wl b a dîvñ sūt.”

Gebrịl laft nrṿsli n patd hiz tî ri’śurñli ẃl Ānt Cet nirli dubld hrslf, so harṭli dd ś injô ɖ joc. Ɖ smîl sn fedd fṛm Ānt Jūlia’z fes n hr mrʈlis îz wr d’rectd twdz hr nefy’z fes. Aftr a pōz ś asct:

“N ẃt r g’lośz, Gebrịl?”

“G’lośz, Jūlia!” xclemd hr sistr “Gdnis m, d’nt y nǒ ẃt g’lośz r? Y wer ɖm ovr yr … ovr yr būts, Greta, z’nt it?”

“Yes,” sd Msz Conrô. “Guṭprća ʈñz. W bʈ hv a per nǎ. Gebrịl sz evrwn werz ɖm on ɖ continnt.”

“Ǒ, on ɖ continnt,” mrmrd Ānt Jūlia, nodñ hr hed slǒli.

Gebrịl nitd hiz brǎz n sd, az f h wr slîtli angrd:

“It’s nʈñ vri wundrfl bt Greta ʈncs it vri funi bcz ś sz ɖ wrd rmîndz hr v Cristi Minstṛlz.”

“Bt tel m, Gebrịl,” sd Ānt Cet, wɖ brisc tact. “V cors, y’v sìn abt ɖ rūm. Greta wz seyñ…”

“Ǒ, ɖ rūm z ol rît,” rplaid Gebrịl. “I’v tecn wn in ɖ Greśm.”

“T b śr,” sd Ānt Cet, “bî far ɖ bst ʈñ t d. N ɖ ćildṛn, Greta, y’r nt añśs abt ɖm?”

“Ǒ, fr wn nît,” sd Msz Conrô. “Bsdz, Besi wl lc aftr ɖm.”

“T b śr,” sd Ānt Cet agn. “Ẃt a cumf̣t it z t hv a grl lîc ɖt, wn y cn dpnd on! Ɖr’z ɖt Lili, I’m śr I d’nt nǒ ẃt hz cm ovr hr lêtli. Ś’z nt ɖ grl ś wz at ol.”

Gebrịl wz abt t asc hiz ānt sm qsćnz on ɖs pônt bt ś brouc of sudnli t gêz aftr hr sistr hu hd wondrd dǎn ɖ sterz n wz crenñ hr nec ovr ɖ banistrz.

“Nǎ, I asc y,” ś sd olmst tsṭli, “ẃr z Jūlia gwñ? Jūlia! Jūlia! Ẃr r y gwñ?”

Jūlia, hu hd gn haf we dǎn wn flît, cem bac n anǎnst blandli:

“Hir’z Fredi.”

At ɖ sem momnt a clapñ v handz n a fînl fluriś v ɖ piynist tld ɖt ɖ wōlts hd endd. Ɖ drw̃rūm dor wz opnd fṛm wɖn n sm cuplz cem ǎt. Ānt Cet drù Gebrịl asd huridli n ẃisprd intu hiz ir:

“Slip dǎn, Gebrịl, lîc a gd felo n si f h’z ol rît, n d’nt let him p f h’z scrùd. I’m śr h’z scrùd. I’m śr h z.”

Gebrịl wnt t ɖ sterz n lisnd ovr ɖ banistrz. H cd hír tū prsnz tōcñ in ɖ pantri. Ɖen h rec̣gnîzd Fredi Malinz’ laf. H wnt dǎn ɖ sterz nôẓli.

“It’s sć a rlif,” sd Ānt Cet t Msz Conrô, “ɖt Gebrịl z hir. I olwz fīl īzịr in mî mînd ẃn h’z hir… Jūlia, ɖr’z Mis Dêli n Mis Pǎr wl tec sm rfreśmnt. Ʈancs fr yr bytifl wōlts, Mis Dêli. It md luvli tîm.”

A tōl wizn-fest man, wɖ a stif grizld mstaś n sworɖi scin, hu wz pasñ ǎt wɖ hiz partnr sd:

“N me w hv sm rfreśmnt, tù, Mis Morcn?”

“Jūlia,” sd Ānt Cet sumṛli, “n hir’z Mr. Braun n Mis Frloñ. Tec ɖm in, Jūlia, wɖ Mis Dêli n Mis Pǎr.”

“I’m ɖ man fr ɖ lediz,” sd Mr. Braun, prsñ hiz lips untl hiz mstaś brisld n smîlñ in ol hiz rinclz. “Y nǒ, Mis Morcn, ɖ rīzn ɖe r so fond v m z——”

H dd nt finiś hiz sntns, bt, siyñ ɖt Ānt Cet wz ǎt v irśot, at wns léd ɖ ʈri yuñ lediz intu ɖ bac rūm. Ɖ midl v ɖ rūm wz okpaid bî tū sqer teblz plest end t end, n on ɖz Ānt Jūlia n ɖ certecr wr streṭnñ n smuɖñ a larj cloʈ. On ɖ sîdbord wr areid diśz n plets, n glasz n bundlz v nîvz n forcs n spūnz. Ɖ top v ɖ clozd sqer piano srvd olso az a sîdbord fr vayndz n swīts. At a smōlr sîdbord in wn cornr tū yuñ men wr standñ, drincñ hópbitrz.

Mr. Braun léd hiz ćarjz ɖiɖr n invîtd ɖm ol, in jest, t sm lediz’ punć, hot, stroñ n swīt. Az ɖe sd ɖe nvr tc enʈñ stroñ h opnd ʈri botlz v leṃned fr ɖm. Ɖen h asct wn v ɖ yuñ men t muv asd, n, tecñ hold v ɖ dcantr, fild ǎt fr himslf a gdli meźr v ẃisci. Ɖ yuñ men aid him rspctf̣li ẃl h tc a trîl sip.

“God hlp m,” h sd, smîlñ, “it’s ɖ doctr’z ordrz.”

Hiz wiznd fes brouc intu a brōdr smîl, n ɖ ʈri yuñ lediz laft in ḿzicl eco t hiz plezntri, sweyñ ɖer bodiz t n fro, wɖ nrṿs jrcs v ɖer śoldrz. Ɖ boldist sd:

“Ǒ, nǎ, Mr. Braun, I’m śr ɖ doctr nvr ordrd enʈñ v ɖ cnd.”

Mr. Braun tc anɖr sip v hiz ẃisci n sd, wɖ sîḍlñ miṃcri:

“Wel, y si, I’m lîc ɖ feṃs Msz Caṣdi, hu z rportd t hv sd: ‘Nǎ, Mẹri Grîmz, f I d’nt tec it, mc m tec it, fr I fīl I wont it.’”

Hiz hot fes hd līnd fwd a litl tù conf̣dnṣ́li n h hd asymd a vri lo Dublin axnt so ɖt ɖ yuñ lediz, wɖ wn instñt, rsivd hiz spīć in sîḷns. Mis Frloñ, hu wz wn v Mẹri Jen’z pyplz, asct Mis Dêli ẃt wz ɖ nem v ɖ priti wōlts ś hd pleid; n Mr. Braun, siyñ ɖt h wz ignord, trnd promtli t ɖ tū yuñ men hu wr mor aprīṣ́tiv.

A red-fest yuñ wmn, drest in panzi, cem intu ɖ rūm, xîtidli clapñ hr handz n crayñ:

“Qdrilz! Qdrilz!”

Clos on hr hìlz cem Ānt Cet, crayñ:

“Tū jntlṃn n ʈri lediz, Mẹri Jen!”

“Ǒ, hir’z Mr. Brgin n Mr. Cerign,” sd Mẹri Jen. “Mr. Cerign, wl y tec Mis Pǎr? Mis Frloñ, me I gt y a partnr, Mr. Brgin. Ǒ, ɖt’l jst d nǎ.”

“Ʈri lediz, Mẹri Jen,” sd Ānt Cet.

Ɖ tū yuñ jntlṃn asct ɖ lediz f ɖe mt hv ɖ pleźr, n Mẹri Jen trnd t Mis Dêli.

“Ǒ, Mis Dêli, y’r riyli ōf̣li gd, aftr pleyñ fr ɖ last tū dansz, bt riyli w’r so śort v lediz tnît.”

“I d’nt mînd in ɖ līst, Mis Morcn.”

“Bt I’v a nîs partnr fr y, Mr. Bartél D’Arsi, ɖ tenr. I’l gt him t sñ lêtr on. Ol Dublin z revñ abt him.”

“Luvli vôs, luvli vôs!” sd Ānt Cet.

Az ɖ piano hd twîs bgun ɖ prelyd t ɖ frst figr Mẹri Jen léd hr rcrūts qcli fṛm ɖ rūm. Ɖe hd hardli gn ẃn Ānt Jūlia wondrd slǒli intu ɖ rūm, lcñ bhnd hr at smʈñ.

“Ẃt z ɖ matr, Jūlia?” asct Ānt Cet añśsli. “Hu z it?”

Jūlia, hu wz cariyñ in a coḷm v teblnapcinz, trnd t hr sistr n sd, simpli, az f ɖ qsćn hd s’prîzd hr:

“It’s onli Fredi, Cet, n Gebrịl wɖ him.”

In fact rît bhnd hr Gebrịl cd b sìn pîḷtñ Fredi Malinz acrs ɖ landñ. Ɖ latr, a yuñ man v abt forti, wz v Gebrịl’z sîz n bild, wɖ vri rǎnd śoldrz. Hiz fes wz fleśi n palid, tućt wɖ culr onli at ɖ ʈic haññ lǒbz v hiz irz n at ɖ wîd wñz v hiz nǒz. H hd cōrs fīćrz, a blunt nǒz, a convx n rsidñ brǎ, tymid n pṛtrudd lips. Hiz hevi-lidd îz n ɖ dsordr v hiz scanti her md him lc slīpi. H wz lafñ harṭli in a hî ci at a stori ẃć h hd bn telñ Gebrịl on ɖ sterz n at ɖ sem tîm rubñ ɖ nuclz v hiz left fist bcwdz n fwdz intu hiz left î.

“Gd-īvnñ, Fredi,” sd Ānt Jūlia.

Fredi Malinz bád ɖ Misz Morcn gd-īvnñ in ẃt sīmd an ofhand faśn bî rīzn v ɖ hbićl cać in hiz vôs n ɖen, siyñ ɖt Mr. Braun wz grinñ at him fṛm ɖ sîdbord, crost ɖ rūm on rɖr śeci legz n bgan t rpit in an unḍton ɖ stori h hd jst tld t Gebrịl.

“H’z nt so bad, z h?” sd Ānt Cet t Gebrịl.

Gebrịl’z brǎz wr darc bt h rezd ɖm qcli n ansrd:

“Ǒ, no, hardli notisbl.”

“Nǎ, z’nt h a teṛbl felo!” ś sd. “N hiz pur muɖr md him tec ɖ plej on Ny Yir’z Īv. Bt cm on, Gebrịl, intu ɖ drw̃rūm.”

Bfr līvñ ɖ rūm wɖ Gebrịl ś signld t Mr. Braun bî frǎnñ n śecñ hr fōrfngr in wornñ t n fro. Mr. Braun nodd in ansr n, ẃn ś hd gn, sd t Fredi Malinz:

“Nǎ, ɖen, Tedi, I’m gwñ t fil y ǎt a gd glas v leṃned jst t buc y p.”

Fredi Malinz, hu wz nirñ ɖ clîmax v hiz stori, wevd ɖ ofr asd impeśntli bt Mr. Braun, hvñ frst cōld Fredi Malinz’ atnśn t a dis’re in hiz dres, fild ǎt n handd him a fl glas v leṃned. Fredi Malinz’ left hand axptd ɖ glas mcanicli, hiz rît hand biyñ ingejd in ɖ mcanicl ri’justmnt v hiz dres. Mr. Braun, huz fes wz wns mor rinc̣lñ wɖ mrʈ, pord ǎt fr himslf a glas v ẃisci ẃl Fredi Malinz xplodd, bfr h hd wel rīćt ɖ clîmax v hiz stori, in a cnc v hî-pićt broncitic laftr n, setñ dǎn hiz untestd n oṿflowñ glas, bgan t rub ɖ nuclz v hiz left fist bcwdz n fwdz intu hiz left î, rpitñ wrdz v hiz last frêz az wel az hiz fit v laftr wd alǎ him.

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Gebrịl’z îz, iṛtetd bî ɖ flor, ẃć glitrd wɖ bìzwax undr ɖ hevi śanḍlir, wondrd t ɖ wōl abv ɖ piano. A picćr v ɖ balc̣ni sīn in Romio n Jūliit huñ ɖr n bsd it wz a picćr v ɖ tū mrdrd prinsz in ɖ Tǎr ẃć Ānt Jūlia hd wrct in red, blu n brǎn wŭlz ẃn ś wz a grl. Probbli in ɖ scūl ɖe hd gn t az grlz ɖt cnd v wrc hd bn tòt fr wn yir. Hiz muɖr hd wrct fr him az a brʈde preznt a weistcot v prpl tabiṇt, wɖ litl foxz’ hedz upn it, lînd wɖ brǎn satin n hvñ rǎnd mulḅributnz. It wz strenj ɖt hiz muɖr hd hd no ḿzicl taḷnt ɖo Ānt Cet yst t cōl hr ɖ brenzcarịr v ɖ Morcn faṃli. Bʈ ś n Jūlia hd olwz sīmd a litl prǎd v ɖer sirịs n metṛnli sistr. Hr foṭgraf std bfr ɖ pírglas. Ś hld an opn bc on hr niz n wz pôntñ ǎt smʈñ in it t Constntîn hu, drest in a man-o’-wor sūt, le at hr fīt. It wz ś hu hd ćozn ɖ nem v hr sunz fr ś wz vri snṣbl v ɖ digṇti v faṃlilîf. Ʈancs t hr, Constntîn wz nǎ sīńr kṛt in Balbrign n, ʈancs t hr, Gebrịl himslf hd tecn hiz dgri in ɖ Royl Yṇvrṣti. A śado pást ovr hiz fes az h rmembrd hr suḷn opziśn t hiz marij. Sm slîtñ frezz ś hd yzd stl rancld in hiz meṃri; ś hd wns spocn v Greta az biyñ cuntri-kt n ɖt wz nt tru v Greta at ol. It wz Greta hu hd nrst hr jrñ ol hr last loñ ilnis in ɖer hǎs at Muncstǎn.

H ń ɖt Mẹri Jen mst b nir ɖ end v hr pìs fr ś wz pleyñ agn ɖ oṗnñ meḷdi wɖ runz v scelz aftr evri bar n ẃl h wêtd fr ɖ end ɖ rzntmnt daid dǎn in hiz hart. Ɖ pìs endd wɖ a tril v octevz in ɖ trebl n a fînl dīp octev in ɖ beis. Gret aplōz grītd Mẹri Jen az, bluśñ n rolñ p hr ḿzic nrṿsli, ś iscept fṛm ɖ rūm. Ɖ most vigṛs clapñ cem fṛm ɖ for yuñ men in ɖ dorwe hu hd gn awe t ɖ rfreśmntrūm at ɖ bginñ v ɖ pìs bt hd cm bac ẃn ɖ piano hd stopt.

Lansrz wr arenjd. Gebrịl faund himslf partnrd wɖ Mis Îvrz. Ś wz a franc-manrd tōc̣tiv yuñ ledi, wɖ a frecld fes n prominnt brǎn îz. Ś dd nt wer a lo-cut bodis n ɖ larj broć ẃć wz fixt in ɖ frunt v hr colr bòr on it an Îriś dvîs n moto.

Ẃn ɖe hd tecn ɖer plesz ś sd abrupli:

“I hv a cro t pluc wɖ y.”

“Wɖ m?” sd Gebrịl.

Ś nodd hr hed grevli.

“Ẃt z it?” asct Gebrịl, smîlñ at hr soḷm manr.

“Hu z G. C.?” ansrd Mis Îvrz, trnñ hr îz upn him.

Gebrịl culrd n wz abt t nit hiz brǎz, az f h dd nt unḍstand, ẃn ś sd bluntli:

“Ǒ, iṇsnt Emi! I hv faund ǎt ɖt y rait fr Ɖ Dêli Xpres. Nǎ, r’nt y aśemd v yrslf?”

“Ẃ śd I b aśemd v mslf?” asct Gebrịl, blincñ hiz îz n trayñ t smîl.

“Wel, I’m aśemd v y,” sd Mis Îvrz francli. “T se y’d rait fr a pepr lîc ɖt. I dd’nt ʈnc y wr a Wst Britn.”

A lc v pplex̣ti apird on Gebrịl’z fes. It wz tru ɖt h rout a litrri coḷm evri Wenzde in Ɖ Dêli Xpres, fr ẃć h wz peid fiftīn śilñz. Bt ɖt dd nt mc him a Wst Britn śrli. Ɖ bcs h rsivd fr rvy wr olmst mor welcm ɖn ɖ pōltri ćéc. H luvd t fīl ɖ cuvrz n trn ovr ɖ pejz v nyli printd bcs. Nirli evri de ẃn hiz tīćñ in ɖ colij wz endd h yst t wondr dǎn ɖ cìz t ɖ secnd-hand bcselrz, t Hici’z on Bać̣lr’z Wōc, t Web’z or Masi’z on Astn’z Cì, or t O’Cloḥsi’z in ɖ bî-strīt. H dd nt nǒ hǎ t mīt hr ćarj. H wontd t se ɖt litṛćr wz abv poḷtics. Bt ɖe wr frendz v mni yirz’ standñ n ɖer c’rirz hd bn paṛlel, frst at ɖ yṇvrṣti n ɖen az tīćrz: h cd nt risc a grandios frêz wɖ hr. H cntinyd blincñ hiz îz n trayñ t smîl n mrmrd lemli ɖt h sw nʈñ p’liticl in raitñ rvyz v bcs.

Ẃn ɖer trn t cros hd cm h wz stl pplext n in’tntiv. Mis Îvrz promtli tc hiz hand in a worm grasp n sd in a soft frendli ton:

“V cors, I wz onli jocñ. Cm, w cros nǎ.”

Ẃn ɖe wr tgɖr agn ś spouc v ɖ Yṇvrṣti qsćn n Gebrịl flt mor at īz. A frend v hrz hd śoun hr hiz rvy v Brǎnñ’z powmz. Ɖt wz hǎ ś hd faund ǎt ɖ sīcrit: bt ś lîct ɖ rvy imnsli. Ɖen ś sd sudnli:

“Ǒ, Mr. Conrô, wl y cm fr an xcrśn t ɖ Aṛn Îlz ɖs sumr? W’r gwñ t ste ɖr a hol munʈ. It wl b splendid ǎt in ɖ Atlantic. Y òt t cm. Mr. Clansi z cmñ, n Mr. Cilceli n Caʈlīn Cirni. It wd b splendid fr Greta tù f ś’d cm. Ś’z fṛm Conōt, z’nt ś?”

“Hr ppl r,” sd Gebrịl śortli.

“Bt y wl cm, w’nt y?” sd Mis Îvrz, leyñ hr worm hand īgrli on hiz arm.

“Ɖ fact z,” sd Gebrịl, “I hv jst arenjd t g——”

“G ẃr?” asct Mis Îvrz.

“Wel, y nǒ, evri yir I g fr a sîc̣lñtur wɖ sm feloz n so——”

“Bt ẃr?” asct Mis Îvrz.

“Wel, w yẓ́li g t Frans or Beljm or phps Jrṃni,” sd Gebrịl ōcẉdli.

“N ẃ d y g t Frans n Beljm,” sd Mis Îvrz, “instd v viẓtñ yr ǒn land?”

“Wel,” sd Gebrịl, “it’s partli t cīp in tuć wɖ ɖ lanḡjz n partli fr a ćenj.”

“N hv’nt y yr ǒn lanḡj t cīp in tuć wɖ—Îriś?” asct Mis Îvrz.

“Wel,” sd Gebrịl, “f it cmz t ɖt, y nǒ, Îriś z nt mî lanḡj.”

Ɖer nebrz hd trnd t lisn t ɖ crosixaṃneśn. Gebrịl glanst rît n left nrṿsli n traid t cīp hiz gd hymr undr ɖ ordīl ẃć wz mcñ a bluś inved hiz fōrhed.

“N hv’nt y yr ǒn land t vizit,” cntinyd Mis Îvrz, “ɖt y nǒ nʈñ v, yr ǒn ppl, n yr ǒn cuntri?”

“Ǒ, t tel y ɖ truʈ,” rtortd Gebrịl sudnli, “I’m sic v mî ǒn cuntri, sic v it!”

“Ẃ?” asct Mis Îvrz.

Gebrịl dd nt ansr fr hiz rtort hd hītd him.

“Ẃ?” rpitd Mis Îvrz.

Ɖe hd t g viẓtñ tgɖr n, az h hd nt ansrd hr, Mis Îvrz sd wormli:

“V cors, y’v no ansr.”

Gebrịl traid t cuvr hiz ajteśn bî tecñ part in ɖ dans wɖ gret eṇji. H avôdd hr îz fr h hd sìn a sǎr xpreśn on hr fes. Bt ẃn ɖe met in ɖ loñ ćen h wz s’prîzd t fīl hiz hand frmli prest. Ś lct at him fṛm undr hr brǎz fr a momnt qizicli untl h smîld. Ɖen, jst az ɖ ćen wz abt t start agn, ś std on tipto n ẃisprd intu hiz ir:

“Wst Britn!”

Ẃn ɖ lansrz wr ovr Gebrịl wnt awe t a rmot cornr v ɖ rūm ẃr Fredi Malinz’ muɖr wz sitñ. Ś wz a stǎt fībl old wmn wɖ ẃît her. Hr vôs hd a cać in it lîc hr sun’z n ś stutrd slîtli. Ś hd bn tld ɖt Fredi hd cm n ɖt h wz nirli ol rît. Gebrịl asct hr ẃɖr ś hd hd a gd crosñ. Ś livd wɖ hr marid dōtr in Glazgo n cem t Dublin on a vizit wns a yir. Ś ansrd plasidli ɖt ś hd hd a bytifl crosñ n ɖt ɖ captin hd bn most atntiv t hr. Ś spouc olso v ɖ bytifl hǎs hr dōtr cept in Glazgo, n v ol ɖ frendz ɖe hd ɖr. Ẃl hr tuñ rambld on Gebrịl traid t baniś fṛm hiz mînd ol meṃri v ɖ unpleznt insidnt wɖ Mis Îvrz. V cors ɖ grl or wmn, or ẃtvr ś wz, wz an inʈyziast bt ɖr wz a tîm fr ol ʈñz. Phps h òt nt t hv ansrd hr lîc ɖt. Bt ś hd no rît t cōl him a Wst Britn bfr ppl, īvn in joc. Ś hd traid t mc him r’dikyḷs bfr ppl, hec̣lñ him n stẹrñ at him wɖ hr rabit’s îz.

H sw hiz wîf mcñ hr we twdz him ʈru ɖ wōltsñ cuplz. Ẃn ś rīćt him ś sd intu hiz ir:

“Gebrịl, Ānt Cet wonts t nǒ w’nt y carv ɖ gūs az yźl. Mis Dêli wl carv ɖ ham n I’l d ɖ pŭdñ.”

“Ol rît,” sd Gebrịl.

“Ś’z sndñ in ɖ yungr wnz frst az sn az ɖs wōlts z ovr so ɖt w’l hv ɖ tebl t ǎrslvz.”

“Wr y dansñ?” asct Gebrịl.

“V cors I wz. Dd’nt y si m? Ẃt rǎ hd y wɖ Moli Îvrz?”

“No rǎ. Ẃ? Dd ś se so?”

“Smʈñ lîc ɖt. I’m trayñ t gt ɖt Mr. D’Arsi t sñ. H’z fl v cnsit, I ʈnc.”

“Ɖr wz no rǎ,” sd Gebrịl mūḍli, “onli ś wontd m t g fr a trip t ɖ wst v Îrḷnd n I sd I wd’nt.”

Hiz wîf claspt hr handz xîtidli n gev a litl jump.

“Ǒ, d g, Gebrịl,” ś craid. “I’d luv t si Gōlwe agn.”

“Y cn g f y lîc,” sd Gebrịl coldli.

Ś lct at him fr a momnt, ɖen trnd t Msz Malinz n sd:

“Ɖr’z a nîs huzbnd fr y, Msz Malinz.”

Ẃl ś wz ʈredñ hr we bac acrs ɖ rūm Msz Malinz, wɖt advrtñ t ɖ inṭrupśn, wnt on t tel Gebrịl ẃt bytifl plesz ɖr wr in Scotḷnd n bytifl sìṇri. Hr sun-in-lw bròt ɖm evri yir t ɖ lecs n ɖe yst t g fiśñ. Hr sun-in-lw wz a splendid fiśr. Wn de h còt a bytifl big fiś n ɖ man in ɖ hotel cct it fr ɖer dinr.

Gebrịl hardli hŕd ẃt ś sd. Nǎ ɖt supr wz cmñ nir h bgan t ʈnc agn abt hiz spīć n abt ɖ qoteśn. Ẃn h sw Fredi Malinz cmñ acrs ɖ rūm t vizit hiz muɖr Gebrịl left ɖ ćer fri fr him n rtîrd intu ɖ imbreźr v ɖ windo. Ɖ rūm hd olrdi clird n fṛm ɖ bac rūm cem ɖ clatr v plets n nîvz. Ɖoz hu stl rmend in ɖ drw̃rūm sīmd tîrd v dansñ n wr cnvrsñ qaytli in litl grūps. Gebrịl’z worm tremḅlñ fngrz tapt ɖ cold pein v ɖ windo. Hǎ cūl it mst b ǎtsd! Hǎ pleznt it wd b t wōc ǎt alon, frst alñ bî ɖ rivr n ɖen ʈru ɖ parc! Ɖ sno wd b layñ on ɖ branćz v ɖ triz n formñ a brît cap on ɖ top v ɖ Welñtn Mońmnt. Hǎ mć mor pleznt it wd b ɖr ɖn at ɖ suprtebl!

H ran ovr ɖ hedñz v hiz spīć: Îriś hosṗtaḷti, sad meṃriz, ɖ Ʈri Gresz, Paris, ɖ qoteśn fṛm Brǎnñ. H rpitd t himslf a frêz h hd ritn in hiz rvy: “Wn fīlz ɖt wn z liṣnñ t a ʈt-tormntd ḿzic.” Mis Îvrz hd prezd ɖ rvy. Wz ś s’nsir? Hd ś riyli eni lîf v hr ǒn bhnd ol hr propgandizm? Ɖr hd nvr bn eni il-fīlñ btwn ɖm untl ɖt nît. It uņrvd him t ʈnc ɖt ś wd b at ɖ suprtebl, lcñ p at him ẃl h spouc wɖ hr criticl qizñ îz. Phps ś wd nt b sori t si him fel in hiz spīć. An îdīa cem intu hiz mînd n gev him curij. H wd se, aludñ t Ānt Cet n Ānt Jūlia: “Lediz n Jntlṃn, ɖ jeṇreśn ẃć z nǎ on ɖ wen amñ s me hv hd its fōlts bt fr mî part I ʈnc it hd srtn qoḷtz v hosṗtaḷti, v hymr, v hymaṇti, ẃć ɖ ny n vri sirịs n hyṗedycetd jeṇreśn ɖt z growñ p arnd s sīmz t m t lac.” Vri gd: ɖt wz wn fr Mis Îvrz. Ẃt dd h cer ɖt hiz ānts wr onli tū ignṛnt old wimin?

A mrmr in ɖ rūm atractd hiz atnśn. Mr. Braun wz advansñ fṛm ɖ dor, gaḷntli iscortñ Ānt Jūlia, hu līnd upn hiz arm, smîlñ n haññ hr hed. An ireğlr musc̣tri v aplōz iscortd hr olso az far az ɖ piano n ɖen, az Mẹri Jen sītd hrslf on ɖ stūl, n Ānt Jūlia, no longr smîlñ, haf trnd so az t pić hr vôs ferli intu ɖ rūm, graɉli sīst. Gebrịl rec̣gnîzd ɖ prelyd. It wz ɖt v an old soñ v Ānt Jūlia’z—Areid fr ɖ Brîdl. Hr vôs, stroñ n clir in ton, atact wɖ gret spirit ɖ runz ẃć imbeliś ɖ er n ɖo ś sañ vri rapidli ś dd nt mis īvn ɖ smōlist v ɖ gresnots. T folo ɖ vôs, wɖt lcñ at ɖ sñr’z fes, wz t fīl n śer ɖ xîtmnt v swift n s’kr flît. Gebrịl aplōdd lǎdli wɖ ol ɖ uɖrz at ɖ clos v ɖ soñ n lǎd aplōz wz bòrn in fṛm ɖ inviẓbl suprtebl. It sǎndd so jenyin ɖt a litl culr strugld intu Ānt Jūlia’z fes az ś bnt t rples in ɖ ḿzicstand ɖ old leɖr-baund soñ-bc ɖt hd hr iniślz on ɖ cuvr. Fredi Malinz, hu hd lisnd wɖ hiz hed prćt sîdwez t hír hr betr, wz stl aplōdñ ẃn evrwn els hd sīst n tōcñ aṇmetidli t hiz muɖr hu nodd hr hed grevli n slǒli in aqiesns. At last, ẃn h cd clap no mor, h std p sudnli n hurid acrs ɖ rūm t Ānt Jūlia huz hand h sizd n hld in bʈ hiz handz, śecñ it ẃn wrdz feld him or ɖ cać in hiz vôs pruvd tù mć fr him.

“I wz jst telñ mî muɖr,” h sd, “I nvr hŕd y sñ so wel, nvr. No, I nvr hŕd yr vôs so gd az it z tnît. Nǎ! Wd y b’liv ɖt nǎ? Ɖt’s ɖ truʈ. Upn mî wrd n onr ɖt’s ɖ truʈ. I nvr hŕd yr vôs sǎnd so freś n so … so clir n freś, nvr.”

Ānt Jūlia smîld brōdli n mrmrd smʈñ abt complimnts az ś rlist hr hand fṛm hiz grasp. Mr. Braun xtndd hiz opn hand twdz hr n sd t ɖoz hu wr nir him in ɖ manr v a śomn intṛdysñ a proḍji t an ōdịns:

“Mis Jūlia Morcn, mî lêtist dscuṿri!”

H wz lafñ vri harṭli at ɖs himslf ẃn Fredi Malinz trnd t him n sd:

“Wel, Braun, f y’r sirịs y mt mc a wrs dscuṿri. Ol I cn se z I nvr hŕd hr sñ haf so wel az loñ az I am cmñ hir. N ɖt’s ɖ onist truʈ.”

“Nɖr dd I,” sd Mr. Braun. “I ʈnc hr vôs hz gretli impruvd.”

Ānt Jūlia śrugd hr śoldrz n sd wɖ mīc prîd:

“Ʈrti yirz ago I hd’nt a bad vôs az vôsz g.”

“I ofn tld Jūlia,” sd Ānt Cet imfaticli, “ɖt ś wz simpli ʈroun awe in ɖt qîr. Bt ś nvr wd b sd bî m.”

Ś trnd az f t apil t ɖ gd sns v ɖ uɖrz agnst a rfractri ćîld ẃl Ānt Jūlia gezd in frunt v hr, a veg smîl v reṃnisns pleyñ on hr fes.

“No,” cntinyd Ānt Cet, “ś wd’nt b sd or léd bî enwn, slevñ ɖr in ɖt qîr nît n de, nît n de. Six o’cloc on Crisṃs mornñ! N ol fr ẃt?”

“Wel, z’nt it fr ɖ onr v God, Ānt Cet?” asct Mẹri Jen, twistñ rnd on ɖ pianostūl n smîlñ.

Ānt Cet trnd firsli on hr nīs n sd:

“I nǒ ol abt ɖ onr v God, Mẹri Jen, bt I ʈnc it’s nt at ol onṛbl fr ɖ pǒp t trn ǎt ɖ wimin ǎt v ɖ qîrz ɖt hv slevd ɖr ol ɖer lîvz n pt litl ẃiprsnaprz v bôz ovr ɖer hedz. I s’poz it z fr ɖ gd v ɖ Ćrć f ɖ pǒp dz it. Bt it’s nt just, Mẹri Jen, n it’s nt rît.”

Ś hd wrct hrslf intu a paśn n wd hv cntinyd in dfns v hr sistr fr it wz a sor subjict wɖ hr bt Mẹri Jen, siyñ ɖt ol ɖ dansrz hd cm bac, inṭvind p’sificli:

“Nǎ, Ānt Cet, y’r gvñ scandl t Mr. Braun hu z v ɖ uɖr psweźn.”

Ānt Cet trnd t Mr. Braun, hu wz grinñ at ɖs aluźn t hiz rlijn, n sd hesṭli:

“Ǒ, I d’nt qsćn ɖ pǒp’s biyñ rît. I’m onli a stypid old wmn n I wd’nt prizym t d sć a ʈñ. Bt ɖr’z sć a ʈñ az comn evride p’lîtnis n grattyd. N f I wr in Jūlia’z ples I’d tel ɖt Faɖr Hīli stret p t hiz fes…”

“N bsdz, Ānt Cet,” sd Mẹri Jen, “w riyli r ol hungri n ẃn w r hungri w r ol vri qoṛlsm.”

“N ẃn w r ʈrsti w r olso qoṛlsm,” add Mr. Braun.

“So ɖt w hd betr g t supr,” sd Mẹri Jen, “n finiś ɖ dscuśn aftwdz.”

On ɖ landñ ǎtsd ɖ drw̃rūm Gebrịl faund hiz wîf n Mẹri Jen trayñ t pswed Mis Îvrz t ste fr supr. Bt Mis Îvrz, hu hd pt on hr hat n wz buṭnñ hr clǒc, wd nt ste. Ś dd nt fīl in ɖ līst hungri n ś hd olrdi oṿsteid hr tîm.

“Bt onli fr ten minits, Moli,” sd Msz Conrô. “Ɖt w’nt dle y.”

“T tec a pic itslf,” sd Mẹri Jen, “aftr ol yr dansñ.”

“I riyli cd’nt,” sd Mis Îvrz.

“I am afreid y dd’nt injô yrslf at ol,” sd Mẹri Jen hoplisli.

“Evr so mć, I aśur y,” sd Mis Îvrz, “bt y riyli mst let m run of nǎ.”

“Bt hǎ cn y gt hom?” asct Msz Conrô.

“Ǒ, it’s onli tū steps p ɖ cì.”

Gebrịl heztetd a momnt n sd:

“F y wl alǎ m, Mis Îvrz, I’l si y hom f y r riyli oblîjd t g.”

Bt Mis Îvrz brouc awe fṛm ɖm.

“I w’nt hír v it,” ś craid. “Fr gdnis’ sec g in t yr suprz n d’nt mînd m. I’m qt wel ebl t tec cer v mslf.”

“Wel, y’r ɖ comicl grl, Moli,” sd Msz Conrô francli.

“Beannacht libh,” craid Mis Îvrz, wɖ a laf, az ś ran dǎn ɖ sterces.

Mẹri Jen gezd aftr hr, a mūdi puzld xpreśn on hr fes, ẃl Msz Conrô līnd ovr ɖ banistrz t lisn fr ɖ hōldor. Gebrịl asct himslf wz h ɖ cōz v hr abrupt dparćr. Bt ś dd nt sīm t b in il hymr: ś hd gn awe lafñ. H stérd blancli dǎn ɖ sterces.

At ɖ momnt Ānt Cet cem toḍlñ ǎt v ɖ supŗūm, olmst riññ hr handz in dsper.

“Ẃr z Gebrịl?” ś craid. “Ẃr on rʈ z Gebrịl? Ɖr’z evrwn wêtñ in ɖr, stej t let, n nbdi t carv ɖ gūs!”

“Hir I am, Ānt Cet!” craid Gebrịl, wɖ sudn aṇmeśn, “redi t carv a floc v gīs, f nesṣri.”

A fat brǎn gūs le at wn end v ɖ tebl n at ɖ uɖr end, on a bed v crīst pepr strùn wɖ sprigz v parsli, le a gret ham, stript v its ǎtr scin n péprd ovr wɖ crust crumz, a nīt pepr fril rnd its śin n bsd ɖs wz a rǎnd v spîst bīf. Btwn ɖz rîvl endz ran paṛlel lînz v sîḑiśz: tū litl minstrz v jeli, red n yelo; a śalo diś fl v blocs v bḷmonź n red jam, a larj grīn līf-śept diś wɖ a stōc-śept handl, on ẃć le bunćz v prpl reznz n pīld almndz, a cmpańn diś on ẃć le a solid rectangl v Smirna figz, a diś v custd topt wɖ greitd nutmeg, a smōl bol fl v ćocḷts n swīts rápt in gold n silvr peprz n a glas vāz in ẃć std sm tōl seḷri stōcz. In ɖ sntr v ɖ tebl ɖr std, az sntriz t a frūtstand ẃć upheld a piṛmid v oṛnjz n Americn aplz, tū sqot old-faśnd dcantrz v cut glas, wn cntenñ port n ɖ uɖr darc śeri. On ɖ clozd sqer piano a pŭdñ in a hyj yelo diś le in wêtñ n bhnd it wr ʈri sqodz v botlz v stǎt n el n minṛlz, drwn p acordñ t ɖ culrz v ɖer yṇformz, ɖ frst tū blac, wɖ brǎn n red leblz, ɖ ʈrd n smōlist sqod ẃît, wɖ tranzvrs grīn saśz.

Gebrịl tc hiz sīt boldli at ɖ hed v ɖ tebl n, hvñ lct t ɖ éj v ɖ carvr, plunjd hiz forc frmli intu ɖ gūs. H flt qt at īz nǎ fr h wz an xprt carvr n lîct nʈñ betr ɖn t fînd himslf at ɖ hed v a wel-lêdn tebl.

“Mis Frloñ, ẃt śl I snd y?” h asct. “A wñ or a slîs v ɖ brest?”

“Jst a smōl slîs v ɖ brest.”

“Mis Higinz, ẃt fr y?”

“Ǒ, enʈñ at ol, Mr. Conrô.”

Ẃl Gebrịl n Mis Dêli xćenjd plets v gūs n plets v ham n spîst bīf Lili wnt fṛm gest t gest wɖ a diś v hot flauri ptetoz rápt in a ẃît napcin. Ɖs wz Mẹri Jen’z îdīa n ś hd olso sjstd apl sōs fr ɖ gūs bt Ānt Cet hd sd ɖt plen rost gūs wɖt eni apl sōs hd olwz bn gd inuf fr hr n ś hopt ś mt nvr īt wrs. Mẹri Jen wêtd on hr pyplz n sw ɖt ɖe got ɖ bst slîsz n Ānt Cet n Ānt Jūlia opnd n carid acrs fṛm ɖ piano botlz v stǎt n el fr ɖ jntlṃn n botlz v minṛlz fr ɖ lediz. Ɖr wz a gret dīl v cnfyźn n laftr n nôz, ɖ nôz v ordrz n cǎntr-ordrz, v nîvz n forcs, v corcs n glas stoprz. Gebrịl bgan t carv secnd hlpñz az sn az h hd finiśt ɖ frst rǎnd wɖt srvñ himslf. Evrwn pṛtstd lǎdli so ɖt h compṛmîzd bî tecñ a loñ dráft v stǎt fr h hd faund ɖ carvñ hot wrc. Mẹri Jen setld dǎn qaytli t hr supr bt Ānt Cet n Ānt Jūlia wr stl toḍlñ rnd ɖ tebl, wōcñ on ć uɖr’z hìlz, gtñ in ć uɖr’z we n gvñ ć uɖr unhīdd ordrz. Mr. Braun begd v ɖm t sit dǎn n īt ɖer suprz n so dd Gebrịl bt ɖe sd ɖe wr tîm inuf so ɖt, at last, Fredi Malinz std p n, capćrñ Ānt Cet, plumt hr dǎn on hr ćer amd jenṛl laftr.

Ẃn evrwn hd bn wel srvd Gebrịl sd, smîlñ:

“Nǎ, f enwn wonts a litl mor v ẃt vulgr ppl cōl stufñ let him or hr spīc.”

A cōṛs v vôsz invîtd him t bgin hiz ǒn supr n Lili cem fwd wɖ ʈri ptetoz ẃć ś hd rzrvd fr him.

“Vri wel,” sd Gebrịl emịbli, az h tc anɖr pripaṛtri dráft, “cîndli fget mî xistns, lediz n jntlṃn, fr a fy minits.”

H set t hiz supr n tc no part in ɖ convseśn wɖ ẃć ɖ tebl cuvrd Lili’z rmuvl v ɖ plets. Ɖ subjict v tōc wz ɖ opṛcumṗni ẃć wz ɖen at ɖ Ʈiytr Royl. Mr. Bartél D’Arsi, ɖ tenr, a darc-cmplex́nd yuñ man wɖ a smart mstaś, prezd vri hîli ɖ līdñ cntralto v ɖ cumṗni bt Mis Frloñ ʈt ś hd a rɖr vulgr stîl v pṛdux́n. Fredi Malinz sd ɖr wz a nīgro ćīftn sññ in ɖ secnd part v ɖ Geyti panṭmîm hu hd wn v ɖ fînist tenr vôsz h hd evr hŕd.

“Hv y hŕd him?” h asct Mr. Bartél D’Arsi acrs ɖ tebl.

“No,” ansrd Mr. Bartél D’Arsi cerlisli.

“Bcz,” Fredi Malinz xplend, “nǎ I’d b krịs t hír yr opińn v him. I ʈnc h hz a grand vôs.”

“It tecs Tedi t fînd ǎt ɖ riyli gd ʈñz,” sd Mr. Braun fmiłrli t ɖ tebl.

“N ẃ cd’nt h hv a vôs tù?” asct Fredi Malinz śarpli. “Z it bcz h’z onli a blac?”

Nbdi ansrd ɖs qsćn n Mẹri Jen léd ɖ tebl bac t ɖ l’jitiṃt oṗra. Wn v hr pyplz hd gvn hr a pas fr Mignon. V cors it wz vri fîn, ś sd, bt it md hr ʈnc v pur Jorjīna Brnz. Mr. Braun cd g bac farɖr stl, t ɖ old Itałn cumṗniz ɖt yst t cm t Dublin—Tietjens, Ilma de Murzka, Campanini, ɖ gret Trebelli, Giuglini, Ravelli, Aramburo. Ɖoz wr ɖ dez, h sd, ẃn ɖr wz smʈñ lîc sññ t b hŕd in Dublin. H tld tù v hǎ ɖ top gaḷri v ɖ old Royl yst t b páct nît aftr nît, v hǎ wn nît an Itałn tenr hd suñ fîv oncorz t Let m lîc a Soljr fōl, intṛdysñ a hî C evri tîm, n v hǎ ɖ gaḷri bôz wd smtmz in ɖer inʈyziazm unyoc ɖ horsz fṛm ɖ carij v sm gret prīma dona n pl hr ɖmslvz ʈru ɖ strīts t hr hotel. Ẃ dd ɖe nvr ple ɖ grand old oṗraz nǎ, h asct, Dinōra, Lucrezia Borgia? Bcz ɖe cd nt gt ɖ vôsz t sñ ɖm: ɖt wz ẃ.

“Ǒ, wel,” sd Mr. Bartél D’Arsi, “I prizym ɖr r az gd sñrz tde az ɖr wr ɖen.”

“Ẃr r ɖe?” asct Mr. Braun dfayntli.

“In Lundn, Paris, Milan,” sd Mr. Bartél D’Arsi wormli. “I s’poz C’rūzo, fr xampl, z qt az gd, f nt betr ɖn eni v ɖ men y hv mnśnd.”

“Mbi so,” sd Mr. Braun. “Bt I me tel y I dǎt it stroñli.”

“Ǒ, I’d gv enʈñ t hír C’rūzo sñ,” sd Mẹri Jen.

“Fr m,” sd Ānt Cet, hu hd bn picñ a bon, “ɖr wz onli wn tenr. T plīz m, I mīn. Bt I s’poz nn v y evr hŕd v him.”

“Hu wz h, Mis Morcn?” asct Mr. Bartél D’Arsi p’lîtli.

“Hiz nem,” sd Ānt Cet, “wz Parcinsn. I hŕd him ẃn h wz in hiz prîm n I ʈnc h hd ɖen ɖ pyrist tenr vôs ɖt wz evr pt intu a man’z ʈrot.”

“Strenj,” sd Mr. Bartél D’Arsi. “I nvr īvn hŕd v him.”

“Yes, yes, Mis Morcn z rît,” sd Mr. Braun. “I rmembr hírñ v old Parcinsn bt h’z tù far bac fr m.”

“A bytifl pyr swīt melo Ñgliś tenr,” sd Ānt Cet wɖ inʈyziazm.

Gebrịl hvñ finiśt, ɖ hyj pŭdñ wz trnsfŕd t ɖ tebl. Ɖ clatr v forcs n spūnz bgan agn. Gebrịl’z wîf srvd ǎt spūnflz v ɖ pŭdñ n pást ɖ plets dǎn ɖ tebl. Midwe dǎn ɖe wr hld p bî Mẹri Jen, hu rpleniśt ɖm wɖ razḅri or orinj jeli or wɖ bḷmonź n jam. Ɖ pŭdñ wz v Ānt Jūlia’z mcñ n ś rsivd prezz fr it fṛm ol qortrz. Ś hrslf sd ɖt it wz nt qt brǎn inuf.

“Wel, I hop, Mis Morcn,” sd Mr. Braun, “ɖt I’m brǎn inuf fr y bcz, y nǒ, I’m ol brǎn.”

Ol ɖ jntlṃn, xpt Gebrịl, ét sm v ɖ pŭdñ ǎt v complimnt t Ānt Jūlia. Az Gebrịl nvr ét swīts ɖ seḷri hd bn left fr him. Fredi Malinz olso tc a stōc v seḷri n ét it wɖ hiz pŭdñ. H hd bn tld ɖt seḷri wz a capitl ʈñ fr ɖ blud n h wz jst ɖen undr doctr’z cer. Msz Malinz, hu hd bn sîḷnt ol ʈru ɖ supr, sd ɖt hr sun wz gwñ dǎn t Mǎnt Meḷre in a wīc or so. Ɖ tebl ɖen spouc v Mǎnt Meḷre, hǎ bresñ ɖ er wz dǎn ɖr, hǎ hspitbl ɖ muncs wr n hǎ ɖe nvr asct fr a peni-pìs fṛm ɖer gests.

“N d y mīn t se,” asct Mr. Braun increɉḷsli, “ɖt a ćap cn g dǎn ɖr n pt p ɖr az f it wr a hotel n liv on ɖ fat v ɖ land n ɖen cm awe wɖt peyñ enʈñ?”

“Ǒ, most ppl gv sm dneśn t ɖ moṇstri ẃn ɖe līv.” sd Mẹri Jen.

“I wś w hd an insttyśn lîc ɖt in ǎr Ćrć,” sd Mr. Braun candidli.

H wz astoniśt t hír ɖt ɖ muncs nvr spouc, got p at tū in ɖ mornñ n slept in ɖer cofinz. H asct ẃt ɖe dd it fr.

“Ɖt’s ɖ rūl v ɖ ordr,” sd Ānt Cet frmli.

“Yes, bt ẃ?” asct Mr. Braun.

Ānt Cet rpitd ɖt it wz ɖ rūl, ɖt wz ol. Mr. Braun stl sīmd nt t unḍstand. Fredi Malinz xplend t him, az bst h cd, ɖt ɖ muncs wr trayñ t mc p fr ɖ sinz cmitd bî ol ɖ sinrz in ɖ ǎtsd wrld. Ɖ xpḷneśn wz nt vri clir fr Mr. Braun grind n sd:

“I lîc ɖt îdīa vri mć bt wd’nt a cumf̣tbl sprñ bed d ɖm az wel az a cofin?”

“Ɖ cofin,” sd Mẹri Jen, “z t rmînd ɖm v ɖer last end.”

Az ɖ subjict hd groun l’gūbrịs it wz berid in a sîḷns v ɖ tebl jrñ ẃć Msz Malinz cd b hŕd seyñ t hr nebr in an indistñt unḍton:

“Ɖe r vri gd men, ɖ muncs, vri pays men.”

Ɖ reznz n almndz n figz n aplz n oṛnjz n ćocḷts n swīts wr nǎ pást abt ɖ tebl n Ānt Jūlia invîtd ol ɖ gests t hv îɖr port or śeri. At frst Mr. Bartél D’Arsi rfyzd t tec îɖr bt wn v hiz nebrz nujd him n ẃisprd smʈñ t him upn ẃć h alaud hiz glas t b fild. Graɉli az ɖ last glasz wr biyñ fild ɖ convseśn sīst. A pōz foloud, brocn onli bî ɖ nôz v ɖ wîn n bî unseṭlñz v ćerz. Ɖ Misz Morcn, ol ʈri, lct dǎn at ɖ teblcloʈ. Smwn coft wns or twîs n ɖen a fy jntlṃn patd ɖ tebl jntli az a signl fr sîḷns. Ɖ sîḷns cem n Gebrịl pśt bac hiz ćer.

Ɖ patñ at wns grù lǎdr in incurijmnt n ɖen sīst oltgɖr. Gebrịl līnd hiz ten tremḅlñ fngrz on ɖ teblcloʈ n smîld nrṿsli at ɖ cumṗni. Mītñ a ro v uptrnd fesz h rezd hiz îz t ɖ śanḍlir. Ɖ piano wz pleyñ a wōlts tyn n h cd hír ɖ scrts swīpñ agnst ɖ drw̃rūm dor. Ppl, phps, wr standñ in ɖ sno on ɖ cì ǎtsd, gezñ p at ɖ lîtd windoz n liṣnñ t ɖ wōltsḿzic. Ɖ er wz pyr ɖr. In ɖ distns le ɖ parc ẃr ɖ triz wr weitd wɖ sno. Ɖ Welñtn Mońmnt wòr a glīmñ cap v sno ɖt flaśt wstẉd ovr ɖ ẃît fīld v Fiftīn Ecrz.

H bgan:

“Lediz n Jntlṃn,

“It hz fōḷn t mî lot ɖs īvnñ, az in yirz past, t pform a vri plizñ tasc bt a tasc fr ẃć I am afreid mî pur pǎrz az a spīcr r ol tù inadiqt.”

“No, no!” sd Mr. Braun.

“Bt, hvr ɖt me b, I cn onli asc y tnît t tec ɖ wil fr ɖ dīd n t lend m yr atnśn fr a fy momnts ẃl I indevr t xpres t y in wrdz ẃt mî fīlñz r on ɖs oceźn.

“Lediz n Jntlṃn, it z nt ɖ frst tîm ɖt w hv gaɖrd tgɖr undr ɖs hspitbl rūf, arnd ɖs hspitbl bord. It z nt ɖ frst tîm ɖt w hv bn ɖ rsipịnts—or phps, I hd betr se, ɖ victimz—v ɖ hosṗtaḷti v srtn gd lediz.”

H md a srcl in ɖ er wɖ hiz arm n pōzd. Evrwn laft or smîld at Ānt Cet n Ānt Jūlia n Mẹri Jen hu ol trnd crimzn wɖ pleźr. Gebrịl wnt on mor boldli:

“I fīl mor stroñli wɖ evri rcŕñ yir ɖt ǎr cuntri hz no tṛdiśn ẃć dz it so mć onr n ẃć it śd gard so jeḷsli az ɖt v its hosṗtaḷti. It z a tṛdiśn ɖt z ynīc az far az mî xpirịns gz (n I hv viẓtd nt a fy plesz abrōd) amñ ɖ modn neśnz. Sm wd se, phps, ɖt wɖ s it z rɖr a felñ ɖn enʈñ t b bostd v. Bt grantd īvn ɖt, it z, t mî mînd, a prinsli felñ, n wn ɖt I trust wl loñ b cultvetd amñ s. V wn ʈñ, at līst, I am śr. Az loñ az ɖs wn rūf śltrz ɖ gd lediz afōr-sd—n I wś fṛm mî hart it me d so fr mni n mni a loñ yir t cm—ɖ tṛdiśn v jenyin wrm-hartd crtịs Îriś hosṗtaḷti, ẃć ǎr fōrfaɖrz hv handd dǎn t s n ẃć w in trn mst hand dǎn t ǎr dsndnts, z stl alîv amñ s.”

A harti mrmr v asnt ran rnd ɖ tebl. It śot ʈru Gebrịl’z mînd ɖt Mis Îvrz wz nt ɖr n ɖt ś hd gn awe dscrtịsli: n h sd wɖ confidns in himslf:

“Lediz n Jntlṃn,

“A ny jeṇreśn z growñ p in ǎr mdst, a jeṇreśn acćuetd bî ny îdīaz n ny prínsiplz. It z sirịs n inʈyziastic fr ɖz ny îdīaz n its inʈyziazm, īvn ẃn it z misḍrectd, z, I b’liv, in ɖ mn s’nsir. Bt w r livñ in a scepticl n, f I me yz ɖ frêz, a ʈt-tormntd ej: n smtmz I fir ɖt ɖs ny jeṇreśn, edycetd or hîṗedycetd az it z, wl lac ɖoz qoḷtz v hymaṇti, v hosṗtaḷti, v cîndli hymr ẃć b’loñd t an oldr de. Liṣnñ tnît t ɖ nemz v ol ɖoz gret sñrz v ɖ past it sīmd t m, I mst cnfes, ɖt w wr livñ in a les speśs ej. Ɖoz dez mt, wɖt xaɉreśn, b cōld speśs dez: n f ɖe r gn bynd rcōl let s hop, at līst, ɖt in gaɖ̇rñz sć az ɖs w śl stl spīc v ɖm wɖ prîd n afx́n, stl ćeriś in ǎr hārts ɖ meṃri v ɖoz ded n gn gret wnz huz fem ɖ wrld wl nt wilñli let dî.”

“Hír, hír!” sd Mr. Braun lǎdli.

“Bt yt,” cntinyd Gebrịl, hiz vôs fōlñ intu a softr inflex́n, “ɖr r olwz in gaɖ̇rñz sć az ɖs sadr ʈts ɖt wl rcŕ t ǎr mîndz: ʈts v ɖ past, v yʈ, v ćenjz, v absnt fesz ɖt w mis hir tnît. Ǎr paʈ ʈru lîf z strùn wɖ mni sć sad meṃriz: n wr w t brūd upn ɖm olwz w cd nt fînd ɖ hart t g on brevli wɖ ǎr wrc amñ ɖ livñ. W hv ol v s livñ dytiz n livñ afx́nz ẃć clem, n rîtli clem, ǎr strenẏs indevrz.

“Ɖrfr, I wl nt lingr on ɖ past. I wl nt let eni glūmi moṛlîzñ intrud upn s hir tnît. Hir w r gaɖrd tgɖr fr a brīf momnt fṛm ɖ busl n ruś v ǎr evride rūtīn. W r met hir az frendz, in ɖ spirit v gd-felośp, az colīgz, olso t a srtn xtnt, in ɖ tru spirit v caṃraḍri, n az ɖ gests v—ẃt śl I cōl ɖm?—ɖ Ʈri Gresz v ɖ Dublin ḿzicl wrld.”

Ɖ tebl brst intu aplōz n laftr at ɖs aluźn. Ānt Jūlia venli asct ć v hr nebrz in trn t tel hr ẃt Gebrịl hd sd.

“H sz w r ɖ Ʈri Gresz, Ānt Jūlia,” sd Mẹri Jen.

Ānt Jūlia dd nt unḍstand bt ś lct p, smîlñ, at Gebrịl, hu cntinyd in ɖ sem vein:

“Lediz n Jntlṃn,

“I wl nt atmt t ple tnît ɖ part ɖt Paris pleid on anɖr oceźn. I wl nt atmt t ćūz btwn ɖm. Ɖ tasc wd b an invidịs wn n wn bynd mî pur pǎrz. Fr ẃn I vy ɖm in trn, ẃɖr it b ǎr ćīf hostes hrslf, huz gd hart, huz tù gd hart, hz bcm a bîwrd wɖ ol hu nǒ hr, or hr sistr, hu sīmz t b giftd wɖ p’reńl yʈ n huz sññ mst hv bn a s’prîz n a reṿleśn t s ol tnît, or, last bt nt līst, ẃn I cnsidr ǎr yungist hostes, talntd, ćirfl, hard-wrcñ n ɖ bst v nīsz, I cnfes, Lediz n Jntlṃn, ɖt I d nt nǒ t ẃć v ɖm I śd aword ɖ prîz.”

Gebrịl glanst dǎn at hiz ānts n, siyñ ɖ larj smîl on Ānt Jūlia’z fes n ɖ tirz ẃć hd rizn t Ānt Cet’s îz, hesnd t hiz clos. H rezd hiz glas v port gaḷntli, ẃl evri membr v ɖ cumṗni fngrd a glas xpctntli, n sd lǎdli:

“Let s tost ɖm ol ʈri tgɖr. Let s drinc t ɖer hlʈ, wlʈ, loñ lîf, hapinis n pṛspeṛti n me ɖe loñ cntiny t hold ɖ prǎd n slf-wún pziśn ẃć ɖe hold in ɖer pṛfeśn n ɖ pziśn v onr n afx́n ẃć ɖe hold in ǎr harts.”

Ol ɖ gests std p, glas in hand, n trnñ twdz ɖ ʈri sītd lediz, sañ in ynisn, wɖ Mr. Braun az līdr:

Fr ɖe r joli ge feloz,

Fr ɖe r joli ge feloz,

Fr ɖe r joli ge feloz,

Ẃć nbdi cn dnî.

Ānt Cet wz mcñ franc ys v hr hanc̣ćif n īvn Ānt Jūlia sīmd muvd. Fredi Malinz bìt tîm wɖ hiz pŭdñforc n ɖ sñrz trnd twdz wn anɖr, az f in mlodịs confṛns, ẃl ɖe sañ wɖ emf̣sis:

Unls h tlz a lî,

Unls h tlz a lî.

Ɖen, trnñ wns mor twdz ɖer hostesz, ɖe sañ:

Fr ɖe r joli ge feloz,

Fr ɖe r joli ge feloz,

Fr ɖe r joli ge feloz,

Ẃć nbdi cn dnî.

Ɖ acḷmeśn ẃć foloud wz tecn p bynd ɖ dor v ɖ supŗūm bî mni v ɖ uɖr gests n rnyd tîm aftr tîm, Fredi Malinz actñ az ofisr wɖ hiz forc on hî.

Ɖ pirsñ mornñ er cem intu ɖ hōl ẃr ɖe wr standñ so ɖt Ānt Cet sd:

“Clos ɖ dor, smbdi. Msz Malinz wl gt hr deʈ v cold.”

“Braun z ǎt ɖr, Ānt Cet,” sd Mẹri Jen.

“Braun z evrẃr,” sd Ānt Cet, lowrñ hr vôs.

Mẹri Jen laft at hr ton.

“Riyli,” ś sd arćli, “h z vri atntiv.”

“H hz bn leid on hir lîc ɖ gas,” sd Ānt Cet in ɖ sem ton, “ol jrñ ɖ Crisṃs.”

Ś laft hrslf ɖs tîm gd-hymrdli n ɖen add qcli:

“Bt tel him t cm in, Mẹri Jen, n cloz ɖ dor. I hop t gdnis h dd’nt hír m.”

At ɖt momnt ɖ hōldor wz opnd n Mr. Braun cem in fṛm ɖ dorstep, lafñ az f hiz hart wd brec. H wz drest in a loñ grīn oṿcot wɖ moc astṛcan cufs n colr n wòr on hiz hed an ovl fŕ cap. H pôntd dǎn ɖ sno-cuvrd cì fṛm ẃr ɖ sǎnd v śril pṛloñd ẃiṣlñ wz bòrn in.

“Tedi wl hv ol ɖ cabz in Dublin ǎt,” h sd.

Gebrịl advanst fṛm ɖ litl pantri bhnd ɖ ofis, struġlñ intu hiz oṿcot n, lcñ rnd ɖ hōl, sd:

“Greta nt dǎn yt?”

“Ś’z gtñ on hr ʈñz, Gebrịl,” sd Ānt Cet.

“Hu’z pleyñ p ɖr?” asct Gebrịl.

“Nbdi. Ɖ’r ol gn.”

“Ǒ no, Ānt Cet,” sd Mẹri Jen. “Bartél D’Arsi n Mis O’Caḷhn r’nt gn yt.”

“Smwn z fūlñ at ɖ piano enhǎ,” sd Gebrịl.

Mẹri Jen glanst at Gebrịl n Mr. Braun n sd wɖ a śivr:

“It mcs m fīl cold t lc at y tū jntlṃn mufld p lîc ɖt. I wd’nt lîc t fes yr jrni hom at ɖs aur.”

“I’d lîc nʈñ betr ɖs minit,” sd Mr. Braun stǎtli, “ɖn a raṭlñ fîn wōc in ɖ cuntri or a fast drîv w�� a gd spancñ gowr btwn ɖ śafts.”

“W yst t hv a vri gd hors n trap at hom,” sd Ānt Jūlia sadli.

“Ɖ nvr-t-b-fgotn Joni,” sd Mẹri Jen, lafñ.

Ānt Cet n Gebrịl laft tù.

“Ẃ, ẃt wz wundrfl abt Joni?” asct Mr. Braun.

“Ɖ lêt l’mntd Patric Morcn, ǎr granfaɖr, ɖt z,” xplend Gebrịl, “comnli noun in hiz lêtr yirz az ɖ old jntlmn, wz a glūbôlr.”

“Ǒ nǎ, Gebrịl,” sd Ānt Cet, lafñ, “h hd a starćmil.”

“Wel, glu or starć,” sd Gebrịl, “ɖ old jntlmn hd a hors bî ɖ nem v Joni. N Joni yst t wrc in ɖ old jntlmn’z mil, wōcñ rnd n rnd in ordr t drîv ɖ mil. Ɖt wz ol vri wel; bt nǎ cmz ɖ trajic part abt Joni. Wn fîn de ɖ old jntlmn ʈt h’d lîc t drîv ǎt wɖ ɖ qoḷti t a militri rvy in ɖ parc.”

“Ɖ Lord hv mrsi on hiz soul,” sd Ānt Cet cmpaśṇtli.

“Āmén,” sd Gebrịl. “So ɖ old jntlmn, az I sd, harnist Joni n pt on hiz vri bst tōl hat n hiz vri bst stoc colr n drouv ǎt in grand stîl fṛm hiz ansestṛl manśn smẃr nir Bac Len, I ʈnc.”

Evrwn laft, īvn Msz Malinz, at Gebrịl’z manr n Ānt Cet sd:

“Ǒ nǎ, Gebrịl, h dd’nt liv in Bac Len, riyli. Onli ɖ mil wz ɖr.”

“Ǎt fṛm ɖ manśn v hiz fōrfaɖrz,” cntinyd Gebrịl, “h drouv wɖ Joni. N evrʈñ wnt on bytifli untl Joni cem in sît v Cñ Bili’z staću: n ẃɖr h fél in luv wɖ ɖ hors Cñ Bili sits on or ẃɖr h ʈt h wz bac agn in ɖ mil, enhǎ h bgan t wōc rnd ɖ staću.”

Gebrịl pêst in a srcl rnd ɖ hōl in hiz g’lośz amd ɖ laftr v ɖ uɖrz.

“Rnd n rnd h wnt,” sd Gebrịl, “n ɖ old jntlmn, hu wz a vri pomṗs old jntlmn, wz hîli indignnt. ‘G on, sr! Ẃt d y mīn, sr? Joni! Joni! Most xtrordnri conduct! C’nt unḍstand ɖ hors!’”

Ɖ pìl v laftr ẃć foloud Gebrịl’z iṃteśn v ɖ insidnt wz inṭruptd bî a rzǎndñ noc at ɖ hōldor. Mẹri Jen ran t opn it n let in Fredi Malinz. Fredi Malinz, wɖ hiz hat wel bac on hiz hed n hiz śoldrz humt wɖ cold, wz pufñ n stīmñ aftr hiz xrśnz.

“I cd onli gt wn cab,” h sd.

“Ǒ, w’l fînd anɖr alñ ɖ cì,” sd Gebrịl.

“Yes,” sd Ānt Cet. “Betr nt cīp Msz Malinz standñ in ɖ dráft.”

Msz Malinz wz hlpt dǎn ɖ frunt steps bî hr sun n Mr. Braun n, aftr mni mnūvrz, hôstd intu ɖ cab. Fredi Malinz clambrd in aftr hr n spent a loñ tîm seṭlñ hr on ɖ sīt, Mr. Braun hlpñ him wɖ advîs. At last ś wz setld cumf̣tbli n Fredi Malinz invîtd Mr. Braun intu ɖ cab. Ɖr wz a gd dīl v cnfyzd tōc, n ɖen Mr. Braun got intu ɖ cab. Ɖ cabmn setld hiz rug ovr hiz niz, n bnt dǎn fr ɖ adres. Ɖ cnfyźn grù gretr n ɖ cabmn wz d’rectd difṛntli bî Fredi Malinz n Mr. Braun, ć v hūm hd hiz hed ǎt ʈru a windo v ɖ cab. Ɖ dificlti wz t nǒ ẃr t drop Mr. Braun alñ ɖ rùt, n Ānt Cet, Ānt Jūlia n Mẹri Jen hlpt ɖ dscuśn fṛm ɖ dorstep wɖ crosdirex́nz n contṛdix́nz n abundns v laftr. Az fr Fredi Malinz h wz spīćlis wɖ laftr. H popt hiz hed in n ǎt v ɖ windo evri momnt t ɖ gret denjr v hiz hat, n tld hiz muɖr hǎ ɖ dscuśn wz pṛgresñ, tl at last Mr. Braun śǎtd t ɖ bwildrd cabmn abv ɖ din v evrbdi’z laftr:

“D y nǒ Triṇti Colij?”

“Yes, sr,” sd ɖ cabmn.

“Wel, drîv bañ p agnst Triṇti Colij gets,” sd Mr. Braun, “n ɖen w’l tel y ẃr t g. Y unḍstand nǎ?”

“Yes, sr,” sd ɖ cabmn.

“Mc lîc a brd fr Triṇti Colij.”

“Rît, sr,” sd ɖ cabmn.

Ɖ hors wz ẃipt p n ɖ cab ratld of alñ ɖ cì amd a cōṛs v laftr n ady.

Gebrịl hd nt gn t ɖ dor wɖ ɖ uɖrz. H wz in a darc part v ɖ hōl gezñ p ɖ sterces. A wmn wz standñ nir ɖ top v ɖ frst flît, in ɖ śado olso. H cd nt si hr fes bt h cd si ɖ teṛcota n samn-pnc panlz v hr scrt ẃć ɖ śado md apir blac n ẃît. It wz hiz wîf. Ś wz līnñ on ɖ banistrz, liṣnñ t smʈñ. Gebrịl wz s’prîzd at hr stilnis n strend hiz ir t lisn olso. Bt h cd hír litl sev ɖ nôz v laftr n dspyt on ɖ frunt steps, a fy cōrdz struc on ɖ piano n a fy nots v a man’z vôs sññ.

H std stil in ɖ glūm v ɖ hōl, trayñ t cać ɖ er ɖt ɖ vôs wz sññ n gezñ p at hiz wîf. Ɖr wz gres n misṭri in hr attyd az f ś wr a simbl v smʈñ. H asct himslf ẃt z a wmn standñ on ɖ sterz in ɖ śado, liṣnñ t distnt ḿzic, a simbl v. F h wr a pentr h wd pent hr in ɖt attyd. Hr blu flt hat wd śo of ɖ bronz v hr her agnst ɖ darcnis n ɖ darc panlz v hr scrt wd śo of ɖ lît wnz. Distnt Ḿzic h wd cōl ɖ picćr f h wr a pentr.

Ɖ hōldor wz clozd; n Ānt Cet, Ānt Jūlia n Mẹri Jen cem dǎn ɖ hōl, stl lafñ.

“Wel, z’nt Fredi teṛbl?” sd Mẹri Jen. “H’z riyli teṛbl.”

Gebrịl sd nʈñ bt pôntd p ɖ sterz twdz ẃr hiz wîf wz standñ. Nǎ ɖt ɖ hōldor wz clozd ɖ vôs n ɖ piano cd b hŕd mor clirli. Gebrịl hld p hiz hand fr ɖm t b sîḷnt. Ɖ soñ sīmd t b in ɖ old Îriś tnaḷti n ɖ sñr sīmd unsrtn bʈ v hiz wrdz n v hiz vôs. Ɖ vôs, md plentiv bî distns n bî ɖ sñr’z hōrsnis, fentli iluṃnetd ɖ cedns v ɖ er wɖ wrdz xpresñ grīf:

Ǒ, ɖ ren fōlz on mî hevi locs

N ɖ dȳ wets mî scin,

Mî beb lîz cold…

“Ǒ,” xclemd Mẹri Jen. “It’s Bartél D’Arsi sññ n h wd’nt sñ ol ɖ nît. Ǒ, I’l gt him t sñ a soñ bfr h gz.”

“Ǒ d, Mẹri Jen,” sd Ānt Cet.

Mẹri Jen bruśt past ɖ uɖrz n ran t ɖ sterces, bt bfr ś rīćt it ɖ sññ stopt n ɖ piano wz clozd abrupli.

“Ǒ, ẃt a piti!” ś craid. “Z h cmñ dǎn, Greta?”

Gebrịl hŕd hiz wîf ansr yes n sw hr cm dǎn twdz ɖm. A fy steps bhnd hr wr Mr. Bartél D’Arsi n Mis O’Caḷhn.

“Ǒ, Mr. D’Arsi,” craid Mẹri Jen, “it’s dǎnrît mīn v y t brec of lîc ɖt ẃn w wr ol in rapćrz liṣnñ t y.”

“I hv bn at him ol ɖ īvnñ,” sd Mis O’Caḷhn, “n Msz Conrô tù n h tld s h hd a dredfl cold n cd’nt sñ.”

“Ǒ, Mr. D’Arsi,” sd Ānt Cet, “nǎ ɖt wz a gret fib t tel.”

“C’nt y si ɖt I’m az hōrs az a cro?” sd Mr. D’Arsi rufli.

H wnt intu ɖ pantri hesṭli n pt on hiz oṿcot. Ɖ uɖrz, tecn abac bî hiz rūd spīć, cd fînd nʈñ t se. Ānt Cet rincld hr brǎz n md sînz t ɖ uɖrz t drop ɖ subjict. Mr. D’Arsi std sweɖñ hiz nec cerf̣li n frǎnñ.

“It’s ɖ weɖr,” sd Ānt Jūlia, aftr a pōz.

“Yes, evrbdi hz coldz,” sd Ānt Cet reḍli, “evrbdi.”

“Ɖe se,” sd Mẹri Jen, “w hv’nt hd sno lîc it fr ʈrti yirz; n I réd ɖs mornñ in ɖ nyzpeprz ɖt ɖ sno z jenṛl ol ovr Îrḷnd.”

“I luv ɖ lc v sno,” sd Ānt Jūlia sadli.

“So d I,” sd Mis O’Caḷhn. “I ʈnc Crisṃs z nvr riyli Crisṃs unls w hv ɖ sno on ɖ grǎnd.”

“Bt pur Mr. D’Arsi dz’nt lîc ɖ sno,” sd Ānt Cet, smîlñ.

Mr. D’Arsi cem fṛm ɖ pantri, fŭli sweɖd n butnd, n in a rpntnt ton tld ɖm ɖ hisṭri v hiz cold. Evrwn gev him advîs n sd it wz a gret piti n rjd him t b vri cerfl v hiz ʈrot in ɖ nît-er. Gebrịl woćt hiz wîf, hu dd nt jôn in ɖ convseśn. Ś wz standñ rît undr ɖ dusti fanlît n ɖ flem v ɖ gas lit p ɖ rić bronz v hr her, ẃć h hd sìn hr drayñ at ɖ fîr a fy dez bfr. Ś wz in ɖ sem attyd n sīmd un’wer v ɖ tōc abt hr. At last ś trnd twdz ɖm n Gebrịl sw ɖt ɖr wz culr on hr ćīcs n ɖt hr îz wr śînñ. A sudn tîd v jô wnt līpñ ǎt v hiz hart.

“Mr. D’Arsi,” ś sd, “ẃt z ɖ nem v ɖt soñ y wr sññ?”

“It’s cōld Ɖ Las v Ócṛm,” sd Mr. D’Arsi, “bt I cd’nt rmembr it proprli. Ẃ? D y nǒ it?”

“Ɖ Las v Ócṛm,” ś rpitd. “I cd’nt ʈnc v ɖ nem.”

“It’s a vri nîs er,” sd Mẹri Jen. “I’m sori y wr nt in vôs tnît.”

“Nǎ, Mẹri Jen,” sd Ānt Cet, “d’nt anô Mr. D’Arsi. I w’nt hv him anoid.”

Siyñ ɖt ol wr redi t start ś śeṗdd ɖm t ɖ dor, ẃr gdnît wz sd:

“Wel, gdnît, Ānt Cet, n ʈancs fr ɖ pleznt īvnñ.”

“Gdnît, Gebrịl. Gdnît, Greta!”

“Gdnît, Ānt Cet, n ʈancs evr so mć. Gdnît, Ānt Jūlia.”

“Ǒ, gdnît, Greta, I dd’nt si y.”

“Gdnît, Mr. D’Arsi. Gdnît, Mis O’Caḷhn.”

“Gdnît, Mis Morcn.”

“Gdnît, agn.”

“Gdnît, ol. Sef hom.”

“Gdnît. Gdnît.”

Ɖ mornñ wz stl darc. A dul yelo lît brūdd ovr ɖ hǎzz n ɖ rivr; n ɖ scî sīmd t b dsndñ. It wz sluśi unḍft; n onli strīcs n paćz v sno le on ɖ rūfs, on ɖ paṛpits v ɖ cì n on ɖ eria-relñz. Ɖ lamps wr stl brnñ redli in ɖ mrci er n, acrs ɖ rivr, ɖ palis v ɖ For Corts std ǎt meṇsñli agnst ɖ hevi scî.

Ś wz wōcñ on bfr him wɖ Mr. Bartél D’Arsi, hr śuz in a brǎn parsl tuct undr wn arm n hr handz holdñ hr scrt p fṛm ɖ sluś. Ś hd no longr eni gres v attyd bt Gebrịl’z îz wr stl brît wɖ hapinis. Ɖ blud wnt bǎndñ alñ hiz veinz; n ɖ ʈts wnt raytñ ʈru hiz bren, prǎd, jôfl, tndr, vaḷṛs.

Ś wz wōcñ on bfr him so lîtli n so irect ɖt h loñd t run aftr hr nôzlisli, cać hr bî ɖ śoldrz n se smʈñ fūliś n afx́ṇt intu hr ir. Ś sīmd t him so frel ɖt h loñd t dfnd hr agnst smʈñ n ɖen t b alon wɖ hr. Momnts v ɖer sīcrit lîf tgɖr brst lîc starz upn hiz meṃri. A hīłtrop enṿlop wz layñ bsd hiz brecfstcup n h wz c’resñ it wɖ hiz hand. Brdz wr twiṭrñ in ɖ îvi n ɖ súni web v ɖ crtn wz śiṃrñ alñ ɖ flor: h cd nt īt fr hapinis. Ɖe wr standñ on ɖ crǎdd platform n h wz plesñ a ticit insd ɖ worm pām v hr gluv. H wz standñ wɖ hr in ɖ cold, lcñ in ʈru a greitd windo at a man mcñ botlz in a rorñ frnis. It wz vri cold. Hr fes, fregṛnt in ɖ cold er, wz qt clos t hiz; n sudnli h cōld ǎt t ɖ man at ɖ frnis:

“Z ɖ fîr hot, sr?”

Bt ɖ man cd nt hír wɖ ɖ nôz v ɖ frnis. It wz jst az wel. H mt hv ansrd rūdli.

A wev v yt mor tndr jô iscept fṛm hiz hart n wnt corsñ in worm flud alñ hiz arṭriz. Lîc ɖ tndr fîr v starz, momnts v ɖer lîf tgɖr, ɖt nwn ń v or wd evr nǒ v, brouc upn n ilumind hiz meṃri. H loñd t rcōl t hr ɖoz momnts, t mc hr fget ɖ yirz v ɖer dul xistns tgɖr n rmembr onli ɖer momnts v xṭsi. Fr ɖ yirz, h flt, hd nt qnćt hiz soul or hrz. Ɖer ćildṛn, hiz raitñ, hr hǎshold cerz hd nt qnćt ol ɖer soulz’ tndr fîr. In wn letr ɖt h hd ritn t hr ɖen h hd sd: “Ẃ z it ɖt wrdz lîc ɖz sīm t m so dul n cold? Z it bcz ɖr z no wrd tndr inuf t b yr nem?”

Lîc distnt ḿzic ɖz wrdz ɖt h hd ritn yirz bfr wr bòrn twdz him fṛm ɖ past. H loñd t b alon wɖ hr. Ẃn ɖ uɖrz hd gn awe, ẃn h n ś wr in ɖer rūm in ɖ hotel, ɖen ɖe wd b alon tgɖr. H wd cōl hr softli:

“Greta!”

Phps ś wd nt hír at wns: ś wd b undresñ. Ɖen smʈñ in hiz vôs wd strîc hr. Ś wd trn n lc at him…

At ɖ cornr v Wîntavn Strīt ɖe met a cab. H wz glad v its raṭlñ nôz az it sevd him fṛm convseśn. Ś wz lcñ ǎt v ɖ windo n sīmd tîrd. Ɖ uɖrz spouc onli a fy wrdz, pôntñ ǎt sm bildñ or strīt. Ɖ hors gaḷpt alñ wiṛli undr ɖ mrci mornñscî, dragñ hiz old raṭlñ box aftr hiz hìlz, n Gebrịl wz agn in a cab wɖ hr, gaḷpñ t cać ɖ bot, gaḷpñ t ɖer hunimūn.

Az ɖ cab drouv acrs O’Conl Brij Mis O’Caḷhn sd:

“Ɖe se y nvr cros O’Conl Brij wɖt siyñ a ẃît hors.”

“I si a ẃît man ɖs tîm,” sd Gebrịl.

“Ẃr?” asct Mr. Bartél D’Arsi.

Gebrịl pôntd t ɖ staću, on ẃć le paćz v sno. Ɖen h nodd fmiłrli t it n wevd hiz hand.

“Gdnît, Dan,” h sd gêli.

Ẃn ɖ cab drù p bfr ɖ hotel, Gebrịl jumt ǎt n, in spît v Mr. Bartél D’Arsi’z protest, peid ɖ drîvr. H gev ɖ man a śilñ ovr hiz fér. Ɖ man s’lūtd n sd:

“A prospṛs Ny Yir t y, sr.”

“Ɖ sem t y,” sd Gebrịl corɉli.

Ś līnd fr a momnt on hiz arm in gtñ ǎt v ɖ cab n ẃl standñ at ɖ crbston, bidñ ɖ uɖrz gdnît. Ś līnd lîtli on hiz arm, az lîtli az ẃn ś hd danst wɖ him a fy aurz bfr. H hd flt prǎd n hapi ɖen, hapi ɖt ś wz hiz, prǎd v hr gres n wîfli carij. Bt nǎ, aftr ɖ cinḍlñ agn v so mni meṃriz, ɖ frst tuć v hr bodi, ḿzicl n strenj n prfymd, snt ʈru him a cīn pañ v lust. Undr cuvr v hr sîḷns h prest hr arm closli t hiz sîd; n, az ɖe std at ɖ hoteldor, h flt ɖt ɖe hd iscept fṛm ɖer lîvz n dytiz, iscept fṛm hom n frendz n run awe tgɖr wɖ wîld n redịnt harts t a ny advnćr.

An old man wz dozñ in a gret hŭdd ćer in ɖ hōl. H lit a candl in ɖ ofis n wnt bfr ɖm t ɖ sterz. Ɖe foloud him in sîḷns, ɖer fīt fōlñ in soft ʈudz on ɖ ʈicli carṗtd sterz. Ś mǎntd ɖ sterz bhnd ɖ portr, hr hed baud in ɖ asent, hr frel śoldrz crvd az wɖ a brdn, hr scrt grt tîtli abt hr. H cd hv fluñ hiz armz abt hr hips n hld hr stil, fr hiz armz wr tremḅlñ wɖ dzîr t sīz hr n onli ɖ stres v hiz nêlz agnst ɖ pāmz v hiz handz hld ɖ wîld impuls v hiz bodi in ćec. Ɖ portr hōltd on ɖ sterz t setl hiz guṭrñ candl. Ɖe hōltd tù on ɖ steps b’lo him. In ɖ sîḷns Gebrịl cd hír ɖ fōlñ v ɖ moltn wax intu ɖ tre n ɖ ʈumpñ v hiz ǒn hart agnst hiz ribz.

Ɖ portr léd ɖm alñ a coṛdor n opnd a dor. Ɖen h set hiz unstebl candl dǎn on a tôḷțebl n asct at ẃt aur ɖe wr t b cōld in ɖ mornñ.

“Et,” sd Gebrịl.

Ɖ portr pôntd t ɖ tap v ɖ ilectric lît n bgan a mutrd apoḷji bt Gebrịl cut him śort.

“W d’nt wont eni lît. W hv lît inuf fṛm ɖ strīt. N I se,” h add, pôntñ t ɖ candl, “y mt rmuv ɖt hansm articl, lîc a gd man.”

Ɖ portr tc p hiz candl agn, bt slǒli fr h wz s’prîzd bî sć a novl îdīa. Ɖen h mumbld gdnît n wnt ǎt. Gebrịl śot ɖ loc t.

A gostli lît fṛm ɖ strītlamp le in a loñ śaft fṛm wn windo t ɖ dor. Gebrịl ʈrù hiz oṿcot n hat on a cǎć n crost ɖ rūm twdz ɖ windo. H lct dǎn intu ɖ strīt in ordr ɖt hiz imośn mt cām a litl. Ɖen h trnd n līnd agnst a ćst v drorz wɖ hiz bac t ɖ lît. Ś hd tecn of hr hat n clǒc n wz standñ bfr a larj swññ mirr, unhcñ hr weist. Gebrịl pōzd fr a fy momnts, woćñ hr, n ɖen sd:

“Greta!”

Ś trnd awe fṛm ɖ mirr slǒli n wōct alñ ɖ śaft v lît twdz him. Hr fes lct so sirịs n wiri ɖt ɖ wrdz wd nt pas Gebrịl’z lips. No, it wz nt ɖ momnt yt.

“Y lct tîrd,” h sd.

“I am a litl,” ś ansrd.

“Y d’nt fīl il or wìc?”

“No, tîrd: ɖt’s ol.”

Ś wnt on t ɖ windo n std ɖr, lcñ ǎt. Gebrịl wêtd agn n ɖen, firñ ɖt difidns wz abt t concr him, h sd abrupli:

“Bî ɖ we, Greta!”

“Ẃt z it?”

“Y nǒ ɖt pur felo Malinz?” h sd qcli.

“Yes. Ẃt abt him?”

“Wel, pur felo, h’z a dīsnt sort v ćap aftr ol,” cntinyd Gebrịl in a fōls vôs. “H gev m bac ɖt sovrin I lent him, n I dd’nt xpct it, riyli. It’s a piti h wd’nt cīp awe fṛm ɖt Braun, bcz h’z nt a bad felo, riyli.”

H wz tremḅlñ nǎ wɖ anoyns. Ẃ dd ś sīm so abstractd? H dd nt nǒ hǎ h cd bgin. Wz ś anoid, tù, abt smʈñ? F ś wd onli trn t him or cm t him v hr ǒn acord! T tec hr az ś wz wd b brūtl. No, h mst si sm ardr in hr îz frst. H loñd t b mastr v hr strenj mūd.

“Ẃn dd y lend him ɖ pǎnd?” ś asct, aftr a pōz.

Gebrịl strouv t rstren himslf fṛm brecñ ǎt intu brūtl lanḡj abt ɖ sotiś Malinz n hiz pǎnd. H loñd t crî t hr fṛm hiz soul, t cruś hr bodi agnst hiz, t oṿmastr hr. Bt h sd:

“Ǒ, at Crisṃs, ẃn h opnd ɖt litl Crisṃscard śop in Henri Strīt.”

H wz in sć a fīvr v rej n dzîr ɖt h dd nt hír hr cm fṛm ɖ windo. Ś std bfr him fr an instnt, lcñ at him strenjli. Ɖen, sudnli rezñ hrslf on tipto n restñ hr handz lîtli on hiz śoldrz, ś cist him.

“Y r a vri jenṛs prsn, Gebrịl,” ś sd.

Gebrịl, tremḅlñ wɖ dlît at hr sudn cis n at ɖ qentnis v hr frêz, pt hiz handz on hr her n bgan smuɖñ it bac, scersli tućñ it wɖ hiz fngrz. Ɖ wośñ hd md it fîn n briłnt. Hiz hart wz brimñ ovr wɖ hapinis. Jst ẃn h wz wśñ fr it ś hd cm t him v hr ǒn acord. Phps hr ʈts hd bn runñ wɖ hiz. Phps ś hd flt ɖ impećs dzîr ɖt wz in him, n ɖen ɖ yīldñ mūd hd cm upn hr. Nǎ ɖt ś hd fōḷn t him so īẓli, h wundrd ẃ h hd bn so difidnt.

H std, holdñ hr hed btwn hiz handz. Ɖen, slipñ wn arm swiftli abt hr bodi n drw̃ hr twdz him, h sd softli:

“Greta, dir, ẃt r y ʈncñ abt?”

Ś dd nt ansr nr yīld hoļi t hiz arm. H sd agn, softli:

“Tel m ẃt it z, Greta. I ʈnc I nǒ ẃt z ɖ matr. D I nǒ?”

Ś dd nt ansr at wns. Ɖen ś sd in an ǎtbrst v tirz:

“Ǒ, I am ʈncñ abt ɖt soñ, Ɖ Las v Ócṛm.”

Ś brouc lūs fṛm him n ran t ɖ bed n, ʈrowñ hr armz acrs ɖ bedrel, hid hr fes. Gebrịl std stoc-stil fr a momnt in astoniśmnt n ɖen foloud hr. Az h pást in ɖ we v ɖ śvalglas h còt sît v himslf in fl leñʈ, hiz brōd, wel-fild śrtfrunt, ɖ fes huz xpreśn olwz puzld him ẃn h sw it in a mirr n hiz gliṃrñ gílt-rimd îglasz. H hōltd a fy pesz fṛm hr n sd:

“Ẃt abt ɖ soñ? Ẃ dz ɖt mc y crî?”

Ś rezd hr hed fṛm hr armz n draid hr îz wɖ ɖ bac v hr hand lîc a ćîld. A cîndr not ɖn h hd intndd wnt intu hiz vôs.

“Ẃ, Greta?” h asct.

“I am ʈncñ abt a prsn loñ ago hu yst t sñ ɖt soñ.”

“N hu wz ɖ prsn loñ ago?” asct Gebrịl, smîlñ.

“It wz a prsn I yst t nǒ in Gōlwe ẃn I wz livñ wɖ mî granmuɖr,” ś sd.

Ɖ smîl pást awe fṛm Gebrịl’z fes. A dul angr bgan t gaɖr agn at ɖ bac v hiz mînd n ɖ dul fîrz v hiz lust bgan t glo angṛli in hiz veinz.

“Smwn y wr in luv wɖ?” h asct îronicli.

“It wz a yuñ bô I yst t nǒ,” ś ansrd, “nemd Mîcl Fyri. H yst t sñ ɖt soñ, Ɖ Las v Ócṛm. H wz vri delic̣t.”

Gebrịl wz sîḷnt. H dd nt wś hr t ʈnc ɖt h wz inṭrestd in ɖs delic̣t bô.

“I cn si him so plenli,” ś sd aftr a momnt. “Sć îz az h hd: big, darc îz! N sć an xpreśn in ɖm—an xpreśn!”

“Ǒ ɖen, y wr in luv wɖ him?” sd Gebrịl.

“I yst t g ǎt wōcñ wɖ him,” ś sd, “ẃn I wz in Gōlwe.”

A ʈt flù acrs Gebrịl’z mînd.

“Phps ɖt wz ẃ y wontd t g t Gōlwe wɖ ɖt Îvrz grl?” h sd coldli.

Ś lct at him n asct in s’prîz:

“Ẃt fr?”

Hr îz md Gebrịl fīl ōcẉd. H śrugd hiz śoldrz n sd:

“Hǎ d I nǒ? T si him, phps.”

Ś lct awe fṛm him alñ ɖ śaft v lît twdz ɖ windo in sîḷns.

“H z ded,” ś sd at leñʈ. “H daid ẃn h wz onli sevntīn. Z’nt it a teṛbl ʈñ t dî so yuñ az ɖt?”

“Ẃt wz h?” asct Gebrịl, stl îronicli.

“H wz in ɖ gaswrcs,” ś sd.

Gebrịl flt hymilietd bî ɖ fełr v hiz îṛni n bî ɖ evceśn v ɖs figr fṛm ɖ ded, a bô in ɖ gaswrcs. Ẃl h hd bn fl v meṃriz v ɖer sīcrit lîf tgɖr, fl v tndrnis n jô n dzîr, ś hd bn cmperñ him in hr mînd wɖ anɖr. A śemfl conśsnis v hiz ǒn prsn aseld him. H sw himslf az a lūdicṛs figr, actñ az a penibô fr hiz ānts, a nrṿs, wel-mīnñ snṭmnṭlist, oretñ t vulgerịnz n îdiylîzñ hiz ǒn clǎniś lusts, ɖ pitịbl faćs felo h hd còt a glims v in ɖ mirr. Instñtivli h trnd hiz bac mor t ɖ lît lest ś mt si ɖ śem ɖt brnd upn hiz fōrhed.

H traid t cīp p hiz ton v cold inteṛgeśn, bt hiz vôs ẃn h spouc wz humbl n indifṛnt.

“I s’poz y wr in luv wɖ ɖs Mîcl Fyri, Greta,” h sd.

“I wz gret wɖ him at ɖt tîm,” ś sd.

Hr vôs wz veild n sad. Gebrịl, fīlñ nǎ hǎ ven it wd b t trî t līd hr ẃiɖr h hd prṗst, c’rest wn v hr handz n sd, olso sadli:

“N ẃt dd h dî v so yuñ, Greta? Cnsumśn, wz it?”

“I ʈnc h daid fr m,” ś ansrd.

A veg terr sizd Gebrịl at ɖs ansr az f, at ɖt aur ẃn h hd hopt t trîumf, sm impalpbl n vndictiv biyñ wz cmñ agnst him, gaɖ̇rñ forsz agnst him in its veg wrld. Bt h śc himslf fri v it wɖ an ef̣t v rīzn n cntinyd t c’res hr hand. H dd nt qsćn hr agn fr h flt ɖt ś wd tel him v hrslf. Hr hand wz worm n môst: it dd nt rspond t hiz tuć bt h cntinyd t c’res it jst az h hd c’rest hr frst letr t him ɖt sprñmornñ.

“It wz in ɖ wintr,” ś sd, “abt ɖ bginñ v ɖ wintr ẃn I wz gwñ t līv mî granmuɖr’z n cm p hir t ɖ convnt. N h wz il at ɖ tîm in hiz lojñz in Gōlwe n wd’nt b let ǎt n hiz ppl in Ōṭrard wr ritn t. H wz in dclîn, ɖe sd, or smʈñ lîc ɖt. I nvr ń rîtli.”

Ś pōzd fr a momnt n said.

“Pur felo,” ś sd. “H wz vri fond v m n h wz sć a jntl bô. W yst t g ǎt tgɖr, wōcñ, y nǒ, Gebrịl, lîc ɖ we ɖe d in ɖ cuntri. H wz gwñ t studi sññ onli fr hiz hlʈ. H hd a vri gd vôs, pur Mîcl Fyri.”

“Wel; n ɖen?” asct Gebrịl.

“N ɖen ẃn it cem t ɖ tîm fr m t līv Gōlwe n cm p t ɖ convnt h wz mć wrs n I wd’nt b let si him so I rout him a letr seyñ I wz gwñ p t Dublin n wd b bac in ɖ sumr n hopñ h wd b betr ɖen.”

Ś pōzd fr a momnt t gt hr vôs undr cntrol n ɖen wnt on:

“Ɖen ɖ nît bfr I left I wz in mî granmuɖr’z hǎs in Nunz’ Îḷnd, pacñ p, n I hŕd gravl ʈroun p agnst ɖ windo. Ɖ windo wz so wet I cd’nt si so I ran dǎnsterz az I wz n slipt ǎt ɖ bac intu ɖ gardn n ɖr wz ɖ pur felo at ɖ end v ɖ gardn, śiṿrñ.”

“N dd y nt tel him t g bac?” asct Gebrịl.

“I implord v him t g hom at wns n tld him h wd gt hiz deʈ in ɖ ren. Bt h sd h dd nt wont t liv. I cn si hiz îz az wel az wel! H wz standñ at ɖ end v ɖ wōl ẃr ɖr wz a tri.”

“N dd h g hom?” asct Gebrịl.

“Yes, h wnt hom. N ẃn I wz onli a wīc in ɖ convnt h daid n h wz berid in Ōṭrard ẃr hiz ppl cem fṛm. Ǒ, ɖ de I hŕd ɖt, ɖt h wz ded!”

Ś stopt, ćocñ wɖ sobz n, oṿcm bî imośn, fluñ hrslf fes dǎnẉd on ɖ bed, sobñ in ɖ qilt. Gebrịl hld hr hand fr a momnt longr, ireẓlutli, n ɖen, śî v intrudñ on hr grīf, let it fōl jntli n wōct qaytli t ɖ windo.

Ś wz fast aslip.

Gebrịl, līnñ on hiz elbo, lct fr a fy momnts unrizntf̣li on hr tangld her n haf-opn mǎʈ, liṣnñ t hr dīp-drwn breʈ. So ś hd hd ɖt romans in hr lîf: a man hd daid fr hr sec. It hardli pend him nǎ t ʈnc hǎ pur a part h, hr huzbnd, hd pleid in hr lîf. H woćt hr ẃl ś slept az ɖo h n ś hd nvr livd tgɖr az man n wîf. Hiz krịs îz restd loñ upn hr fes n on hr her: n, az h ʈt v ẃt ś mst hv bn ɖen, in ɖt tîm v hr frst grliś byti, a strenj, frendli piti fr hr entrd hiz soul. H dd nt lîc t se īvn t himslf ɖt hr fes wz no longr bytifl bt h ń ɖt it wz no longr ɖ fes fr ẃć Mîcl Fyri hd brevd deʈ.

Phps ś hd nt tld him ol ɖ stori. Hiz îz muvd t ɖ ćer ovr ẃć ś hd ʈroun sm v hr cloɖz. A peticotstrñ dangld t ɖ flor. Wn būt std uprît, its limp upr fōḷn dǎn: ɖ felo v it le upn its sîd. H wundrd at hiz rayt v imośnz v an aur bfr. Fṛm ẃt hd it pṛsidd? Fṛm hiz ānt’s supr, fṛm hiz ǒn fūliś spīć, fṛm ɖ wîn n dansñ, ɖ meri-mcñ ẃn seyñ gdnît in ɖ hōl, ɖ pleźr v ɖ wōc alñ ɖ rivr in ɖ sno. Pur Ānt Jūlia! Ś, tù, wd sn b a śêd wɖ ɖ śêd v Patric Morcn n hiz hors. H hd còt ɖt haġd lc upn hr fes fr a momnt ẃn ś wz sññ Areid fr ɖ Brîdl. Sn, phps, h wd b sitñ in ɖt sem drw̃rūm, drest in blac, hiz silc hat on hiz niz. Ɖ blîndz wd b drwn dǎn n Ānt Cet wd b sitñ bsd him, crayñ n blowñ hr nǒz n telñ him hǎ Jūlia hd daid. H wd cast abt in hiz mînd fr sm wrdz ɖt mt consol hr, n wd fînd onli lem n yslis wnz. Yes, yes: ɖt wd hapn vri sn.

Ɖ er v ɖ rūm ćild hiz śoldrz. H strećt himslf cōśsli alñ undr ɖ śīts n le dǎn bsd hiz wîf. Wn bî wn ɖe wr ol bcmñ śêdz. Betr pas boldli intu ɖt uɖr wrld, in ɖ fl glori v sm paśn, ɖn fed n wiɖr dizṃli wɖ ej. H ʈt v hǎ ś hu le bsd him hd loct in hr hart fr so mni yirz ɖt imij v hr luvr’z îz ẃn h hd tld hr ɖt h dd nt wś t liv.

Jenṛs tirz fild Gebrịl’z îz. H hd nvr flt lîc ɖt himslf twdz eni wmn bt h ń ɖt sć a fīlñ mst b luv. Ɖ tirz gaɖrd mor ʈicli in hiz îz n in ɖ parśl darcnis h imajind h sw ɖ form v a yuñ man standñ undr a dripñ tri. Uɖr formz wr nir. Hiz soul hd aproćt ɖt rījn ẃr dwel ɖ vast hosts v ɖ ded. H wz conśs v, bt cd nt aprihnd, ɖer weẉd n flic̣rñ xistns. Hiz ǒn îdntti wz fedñ ǎt intu a gre impalpbl wrld: ɖ solid wrld itslf ẃć ɖz ded hd wn tîm rird n livd in wz dzolvñ n dwindlñ.

A fy lît taps upn ɖ pein md him trn t ɖ windo. It hd bgun t sno agn. H woćt slīṗli ɖ flecs, silvr n darc, fōlñ oblicli agnst ɖ lamplît. Ɖ tîm hd cm fr him t set ǎt on hiz jrni wstẉd. Yes, ɖ nyzpeprz wr rît: sno wz jenṛl ol ovr Îrḷnd. It wz fōlñ on evri part v ɖ darc sntṛl plen, on ɖ trīlis hilz, fōlñ softli upn ɖ Bog v Aḷn n, farɖr wstẉd, softli fōlñ intu ɖ darc ḿtiṇs Śann wevz. It wz fōlñ, tù, upn evri part v ɖ lonli ćrćyard on ɖ hil ẃr Mîcl Fyri le berid. It le ʈicli driftd on ɖ crŭcid crosz n hedstonz, on ɖ spirz v ɖ litl get, on ɖ baṛn ʈornz. Hiz soul swūnd slǒli az h hŕd ɖ sno fōlñ fentli ʈru ɖ yṇvrs n fentli fōlñ, lîc ɖ dsent v ɖer last end, upn ol ɖ livñ n ɖ ded.

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Ɖz tū jntlṃn n wn v ɖ kṛts carid him p ɖ sterz n leid him dǎn agn on ɖ flor v ɖ bar. In tū minits h wz srǎndd bî a rñ v men. Ɖ manijr v ɖ bar asct evrwn hu h wz n hu wz wɖ him. Nwn ń hu h wz bt wn v ɖ kṛts sd h hd srvd ɖ jntlmn wɖ a smōl rum.

“Wz h bî himslf?” asct ɖ manijr.

“No, sr. Ɖr wz tū jntlṃn wɖ him.”

“N ẃr r ɖe?”

Nwn ń; a vôs sd:

“Gv him er. H’z fentd.”

Ɖ rñ v onlŭcrz dstndd n clozd agn ilasticli. A darc medl v blud hd formd itslf nir ɖ man’z hed on ɖ teṣletd flor. Ɖ manijr, alarmd bî ɖ gre palr v ɖ man’z fes, snt fr a p’līsmn.

Hiz colr wz unfasnd n hiz nectî undun. H opnd hiz îz fr an instnt, said n clozd ɖm agn. Wn v jntlṃn hu hd carid him upsterz hld a diñd silc hat in hiz hand. Ɖ manijr asct rpitidli dd nwn nǒ hu ɖ injrd man wz or ẃr hd hiz frendz gn. Ɖ dor v ɖ bar opnd n an imns cunsṭbl entrd. A crǎd ẃć hd foloud him dǎn ɖ lenwe c’lectd ǎtsd ɖ dor, struġlñ t lc in ʈru ɖ glas panlz.

Ɖ manijr at wns bgan t nret ẃt h ń. Ɖ cunsṭbl, a yuñ man wɖ ʈic imobîl fīćrz, lisnd. H muvd hiz hed slǒli t rît n left n fṛm ɖ manijr t ɖ prsn on ɖ flor, az f h fird t b ɖ victim v sm dluźn. Ɖen h drù of hiz gluv, pṛdyst a smōl bc fṛm hiz weist, lict ɖ led v hiz pensl n md redi t indît. H asct in a sspiśs pṛvinśl axnt:

“Hu z ɖ man? Ẃt’s hiz nem n adres?”

A yuñ man in a sîc̣lñsūt clird hiz we ʈru ɖ rñ v bîstandrz. H nelt dǎn promtli bsd ɖ injrd man n cōld fr wōtr. Ɖ cunsṭbl nelt dǎn olso t hlp. Ɖ yuñ man wośt ɖ blud fṛm ɖ injrd man’z mǎʈ n ɖen cōld fr sm brandi. Ɖ cunsṭbl rpitd ɖ ordr in an oʈorittiv vôs untl a kṛt cem runñ wɖ ɖ glas. Ɖ brandi wz forst dǎn ɖ man’z ʈrot. In a fy secndz h opnd hiz îz n lct abt him. H lct at ɖ srcl v fesz n ɖen, unḍstandñ, strouv t rîz t hiz fīt.

“Y’r ol rît nǎ?” asct ɖ yuñ man in ɖ sîc̣lñsūt.

“Śa, ’z nʈñ,” sd ɖ injrd man, trayñ t stand p.

H wz hlpt t hiz fīt. Ɖ manijr sd smʈñ abt a hospitl n sm v ɖ bîstandrz gev advîs. Ɖ batrd silc hat wz plest on ɖ man’z hed. Ɖ cunsṭbl asct:

“Ẃr d y liv?”

Ɖ man, wɖt anṣrñ, bgan t twrl ɖ endz v hiz mstaś. H md lît v hiz axidnt. It wz nʈñ, h sd: onli a litl axidnt. H spouc vri ʈicli.

“Ẃr d y liv?” rpitd ɖ cunsṭbl.

Ɖ man sd ɖe wr t gt a cab fr him. Ẃl ɖ pônt wz biyñ dbetd a tōl ajîl jntlmn v fer cmplex́n, wẹrñ a loñ yelo Ulstr, cem fṛm ɖ far end v ɖ bar. Siyñ ɖ specṭcl, h cōld ǎt:

“Hlo, Tom, old man! Ẃt’s ɖ trubl?”

“Śa, ’z nʈñ,” sd ɖ man.

Ɖ ny-cmr sveid ɖ dploṛbl figr bfr him n ɖen trnd t ɖ cunsṭbl, seyñ:

“It’s ol rît, cunsṭbl. I’l si him hom.”

Ɖ cunsṭbl tućt hiz helmit n ansrd:

“Ol rît, Mr. Pǎr!”

“Cm nǎ, Tom,” sd Mr. Pǎr, tecñ hiz frend bî ɖ arm. “No bonz brocn. Ẃt? Cn y wōc?”

Ɖ yuñ man in ɖ sîc̣lñsūt tc ɖ man bî ɖ uɖr arm n ɖ crǎd dvîdd.

“Hǎ dd y gt yrslf intu ɖs mes?” asct Mr. Pǎr.

“Ɖ jntlmn fél dǎn ɖ sterz,” sd ɖ yuñ man.

“I’ ’eri ’uć o’lîjd t y, sr,” sd ɖ injrd man.

“Nt at ol.”

“’ant w hv a litl…?”

“Nt nǎ. Nt nǎ.”

Ɖ ʈri men left ɖ bar n ɖ crǎd siftd ʈru ɖ dorz intu ɖ lenwe. Ɖ manijr bròt ɖ cunsṭbl t ɖ sterz t inspct ɖ sīn v ɖ axidnt. Ɖe agrìd ɖt ɖ jntlmn mst hv míst hiz ftñ. Ɖ custmrz rtrnd t ɖ cǎntr n a kṛt set abt rmuvñ ɖ tresz v blud fṛm ɖ flor.

Ẃn ɖe cem ǎt intu Graftn Strīt, Mr. Pǎr ẃisld fr an ǎtsîdr. Ɖ injrd man sd agn az wel az h cd:

“I’ ’eri ’uć o’lîjd t y, sr. I hop w’l ’īt agn. ’î ne’ z Crnn.”

Ɖ śoc n ɖ insipịnt pen hd partli sobrd him.

“D’nt mnśn it,” sd ɖ yuñ man.

Ɖe śc handz. Mr. Crnn wz hôstd on t ɖ car n, ẃl Mr. Pǎr wz gvñ d’rex́nz t ɖ carman, h xprest hiz grattyd t ɖ yuñ man n rgretd ɖt ɖe cd nt hv a litl drinc tgɖr.

“Anɖr tîm,” sd ɖ yuñ man.

Ɖ car drouv of twdz Wstṃḷnd Strīt. Az it pást Baḷst Ofis ɖ cloc śoud haf-past nîn. A cīn īst wind hit ɖm, blowñ fṛm ɖ mǎʈ v ɖ rivr. Mr. Crnn wz hudld tgɖr wɖ cold. Hiz frend asct him t tel hǎ ɖ axidnt hd hapnd.

“I ’a’nt, ’an,” h ansrd, “’î ’uñ z hrt.”

“Śo.”

Ɖ uɖr līnd ovr ɖ wel v ɖ car n pīrd intu Mr. Crnn’z mǎʈ bt h cd nt si. H struc a mać n, ślṭrñ it in ɖ śel v hiz handz, pīrd agn intu ɖ mǎʈ ẃć Mr. Crnn opnd obījntli. Ɖ sweyñ muvmnt v ɖ car bròt ɖ mać t n fṛm ɖ opnd mǎʈ. Ɖ lowr tīʈ n gumz wr cuvrd wɖ clotd blud n a mînyt pìs v ɖ tuñ sīmd t hv bn bitn of. Ɖ mać wz bloun ǎt.

“Ɖt’s ugli,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“Śa, ’z nʈñ,” sd Mr. Crnn, clozñ hiz mǎʈ n pŭlñ ɖ colr v hiz filʈi cot acrs hiz nec.

Mr. Crnn wz a cmrśl travlr v ɖ old scūl ẃć b’livd in ɖ digṇti v its cōlñ. H hd nvr bn sìn in ɖ siti wɖt a silc hat v sm dīsnsi n a per v geitrz. Bî gres v ɖz tū articlz v cloɖñ, h sd, a man cd olwz pas mustr. H carid on ɖ tṛdiśn v hiz Npołn, ɖ gret Blacẃît, huz meṃri h ivoct at tîmz bî lejnd n miṃcri. Modn biznismeʈ̇dz hd sperd him onli so far az t alǎ him a litl ofis in Crou Strīt on ɖ windoblînd v ẃć wz ritn ɖ nem v hiz frm wɖ ɖ adres—Lundn, Ī.S. On ɖ mantlpìs v ɖs litl ofis a litl ledn btałn v canistrz wz drwn p n on ɖ tebl bfr ɖ windo std for or fîv ćîna bolz ẃć wr yẓ́li haf fl v a blac liqid. Fṛm ɖz bolz Mr. Crnn testd ti. H tc a mǎʈfl, drù it p, sać̣retd hiz palit wɖ it n ɖen spat it fʈ intu ɖ greit. Ɖen h pōzd t juj.

Mr. Pǎr, a mć yungr man, wz imploid in ɖ Royl Îriś Cnstabyḷri Ofis in Dublin Casl. Ɖ arc v hiz sośl rîz inṭsctd ɖ arc v hiz frend’z dclîn, bt Mr. Crnn’z dclîn wz mitgetd bî ɖ fact ɖt srtn v ɖoz frendz hu hd noun him at hiz hîist pônt v s’xes stl istimd him az a caṛctr. Mr. Pǎr wz wn v ɖz frendz. Hiz inixplicbl déts wr a bîwrd in hiz srcl; h wz a deḅner yuñ man.

Ɖ car hōltd bfr a smōl hǎs on ɖ Glasnevin rod n Mr. Crnn wz hlpt intu ɖ hǎs. Hiz wîf pt him t bed ẃl Mr. Pǎr sat dǎnsterz in ɖ cićn ascñ ɖ ćildṛn ẃr ɖe wnt t scūl n ẃt bc ɖe wr in. Ɖ ćildṛn—tū grlz n a bô, conśs v ɖer faɖr’z hlplisnis n v ɖer muɖr’z absns, bgan sm horsple wɖ him. H wz s’prîzd at ɖer manrz n at ɖer axnts, n hiz brǎ grù ʈtfl. Aftr a ẃl Msz Crnn entrd ɖ cićn, xclemñ:

“Sć a sît! Ǒ, h’l d fr himslf wn de n ɖt’s ɖ holi olz v it. H’z bn drincñ sins Frîde.”

Mr. Pǎr wz cerfl t xplen t hr ɖt h wz nt rsponsbl, ɖt h hd cm on ɖ sīn bî ɖ mirist axidnt. Msz Crnn, rmemḅrñ Mr. Pǎr’z gd of̣sz jrñ dmestic qoṛlz, az wel az mni smōl, bt oṗtyn lounz, sd:

“Ǒ, y nīd’nt tel m ɖt, Mr. Pǎr. I nǒ y’r a frend v hiz, nt lîc sm v ɖ uɖrz h dz b wɖ. Ɖ’r ol rît so loñ az h hz muni in hiz pocit t cīp him ǎt fṛm hiz wîf n faṃli. Nîs frendz! Hu wz h wɖ tnît, I’d lîc t nǒ?”

Mr. Pǎr śc hiz hed bt sd nʈñ.

“I’m so sori,” ś cntinyd, “ɖt I’v nʈñ in ɖ hǎs t ofr y. Bt f y wêt a minit I’l snd rnd t Foġti’z at ɖ cornr.”

Mr. Pǎr std p.

“W wr wêtñ fr him t cm hom wɖ ɖ muni. H nvr sīmz t ʈnc h hz a hom at ol.”

“Ǒ, nǎ, Msz Crnn,” sd Mr. Pǎr, “w’l mc him trn ovr a ny līf. I’l tōc t Martin. H’z ɖ man. W’l cm hir wn v ɖz nîts n tōc it ovr.”

Ś sw him t ɖ dor. Ɖ carman wz stampñ p n dǎn ɖ ftpaʈ, n swññ hiz armz t worm himslf.

“It’s vri cînd v y t brñ him hom,” ś sd.

“Nt at ol,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

H got p on ɖ car. Az it drouv of h rezd hiz hat t hr gêli.

“W’l mc a ny man v him,” h sd. “Gdnît, Msz Crnn.”

Msz Crnn’z puzld îz woćt ɖ car tl it wz ǎt v sît. Ɖen ś wɖdru ɖm, wnt intu ɖ hǎs n emtid hr huzbnd’z pocits.

Ś wz an activ, practicl wmn v midl ej. Nt loñ bfr ś hd seḷbretd hr silvr wedñ n rnyd hr intiṃsi wɖ hr huzbnd bî wōltsñ wɖ him t Mr. Pǎr’z acumṗnimnt. In hr dez v cortśp Mr. Crnn hd sīmd t hr a nt ungaḷnt figr: n ś stl hurid t ɖ ćapldor ẃnvr a wedñ wz rportd n, siyñ ɖ brîdl per, rcōld wɖ vivid pleźr hǎ ś hd pást ǎt v ɖ Star v ɖ Sì Ćrć in Sandimǎnt, līnñ on ɖ arm v a jovịl wel-féd man, hu wz drest smartli in a froc̦ot n lavndr trǎzrz n carid a silc hat gresf̣li baḷnst upn hiz uɖr arm. Aftr ʈri wīcs ś hd faund a wîf’s lîf rcsm n, lêtr on, ẃn ś wz bginñ t fînd it unbeṛbl, ś hd bcm a muɖr. Ɖ part v muɖr prizntd t hr no insūpṛbl dificltiz n fr twenti-fîv yirz ś hd cept hǎs śrūdli fr hr huzbnd. Hr tū eldist sunz wr lōnćt. Wn wz in a drepr’z śop in Glazgo n ɖ uɖr wz clarc t a tīmrćnt in Belfast. Ɖe wr gd sunz, rout reğlrli n smtmz snt hom muni. Ɖ uɖr ćildṛn wr stl at scūl.

Mr. Crnn snt a letr t hiz ofis nxt de n rmend in bed. Ś md bīf ti fr him n scoldd him rǎndli. Ś axptd hiz frīqnt intmpṛns az part v ɖ clîṃt, hīld him dytifli ẃnvr h wz sic n olwz traid t mc him īt a brecfst. Ɖr wr wrs huzbndz. H hd nvr bn vayḷnt sins ɖ bôz hd groun p n ś ń ɖt h wd wōc t ɖ end v Toṃs Strīt n bac agn t bc īvn a smōl ordr.

Tū nîts aftr, hiz frendz cem t si him. Ś bròt ɖm p t hiz bedrūm, ɖ er v ẃć wz impṛgnetd wɖ a prsnl ǒdr, n gev ɖm ćerz at ɖ fîr. Mr. Crnn’z tuñ, ɖ oceźnl stññ pen v ẃć hd md him smẃt iritbl jrñ ɖ de, bcem mor p’lît. H sat propt p in ɖ bed bî piloz n ɖ litl culr in hiz pufi ćīcs md ɖm rzmbl worm sindrz. H apoḷjîzd t hiz gests fr ɖ dsordr v ɖ rūm, bt at ɖ sem tîm lct at ɖm a litl prǎdli, wɖ a vetṛn’z prîd.

H wz qt unconśs ɖt h wz ɖ victim v a plot ẃć hiz frendz, Mr. Cunñm, Mr. M’Cô n Mr. Pǎr hd dsclozd t Msz Crnn in ɖ parlr. Ɖ îdīa hd bn Mr. Pǎr’z bt its dveḷpmnt wz intrustd t Mr. Cunñm. Mr. Crnn cem v Protistnt stoc n, ɖo h hd bn cnvrtd t ɖ Caʈ̇lic feʈ at ɖ tîm v hiz marij, h hd nt bn in ɖ pel v ɖ Ćrć fr twenti yirz. H wz fond, morovr, v gvñ sîd-ʈrusts at Cʈoḷsizm.

Mr. Cunñm wz ɖ vri man fr sć a ces. H wz an eldr colīg v Mr. Pǎr. Hiz ǒn dmestic lîf wz nt vri hapi. Ppl hd gret simṗʈi wɖ him fr it wz noun ɖt h hd marid an unprizntbl wmn hu wz an inkṛbl drunc̣d. H hd set p hǎs fr hr six tîmz; n ć tîm ś hd pònd ɖ frnićr on him.

Evrwn hd rspct fr pur Martin Cunñm. H wz a ʈuṛli snṣbl man, influenśl n intelijnt. Hiz bled v hymn nolij, naćṛl astytnis ptikḷrîzd bî loñ asośieśn wɖ cesz in ɖ p’līscorts, hd bn tmprd bî brīf imrśnz in ɖ wōtrz v jenṛl f’loṣfi. H wz wel-informd. Hiz frendz baud t hiz opińnz n cnsidrd ɖt hiz fes wz lîc Śecspir’z.

Ẃn ɖ plot hd bn dsclozd t hr, Msz Crnn hd sd:

“I līv it ol in yr handz, Mr. Cunñm.”

Aftr a qortr v a snćri v marid lîf, ś hd vri fy iluźnz left. Rlijn fr hr wz a habit n ś sspctd ɖt a man v hr huzbnd’z ej wd nt ćenj gretli bfr deʈ. Ś wz tmtd t si a krịs aproprịtnis in hiz axidnt n, bt ɖt ś dd nt wś t sīm bludi-mîndd, ś wd hv tld ɖ jntlṃn ɖt Mr. Crnn’z tuñ wd nt sufr bî biyñ śortnd. Hvr, Mr. Cunñm wz a ceṗbl man; n rlijn wz rlijn. Ɖ scīm mt d gd n, at līst, it cd d no harm. Hr b’lifs wr nt xtraṿgnt. Ś b’livd steḍli in ɖ Secrid Hart az ɖ most jenṛli ysfl v ol Caʈ̇lic dvośnz n apruvd v ɖ sacṛmnts. Hr feʈ wz baundd bî hr cićn bt, f ś wz pt t it, ś cd b’liv olso in ɖ banśī n in ɖ Holi Gost.

Ɖ jntlṃn bgan t tōc v ɖ axidnt. Mr. Cunñm sd ɖt h hd wns noun a similr ces. A man v sevnti hd bitn of a pìs v hiz tuñ jrñ an epileptic fit n ɖ tuñ hd fild in agn so ɖt nwn cd si a tres v ɖ bît.

“Wel, I’m nt sevnti,” sd ɖ inṿlid.

“God fbid,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

“It dz’nt pen y nǎ?” asct Mr. M’Cô.

Mr. M’Cô hd bn at wn tîm a tenr v sm repyteśn. Hiz wîf, hu hd bn a s’prāno, stl tòt yuñ ćildṛn t ple ɖ piano at lo trmz. Hiz lîn v lîf hd nt bn ɖ śortist distns btwn tū pônts n fr śort pirịdz h hd bn drivn t liv bî hiz wits. H hd bn a clarc in ɖ Midḷnd Relwe, a canvsr fr advrtismnts fr Ɖ Îriś Tîmz n fr Ɖ Frīmn’z Jrnl, a tǎntravlr fr a colfrm on cmiśn, a prîṿt inqîri-ejnt, a clarc in ɖ ofis v ɖ Sub-Śerif n h hd rīsntli bcm secṛtri t ɖ Siti Coṛnr. Hiz ny ofis md him pṛfeśṇli inṭrestd in Mr. Crnn’z ces.

“Pen? Nt mć,” ansrd Mr. Crnn. “Bt it’s so sic̣nñ. I fīl az f I wontd t réć of.”

“Ɖt’s ɖ būz,” sd Mr. Cunñm frmli.

“No,” sd Mr. Crnn. “I ʈnc I còt a cold on ɖ car. Ɖr’z smʈñ cīps cmñ intu mî ʈrot, flém or——”

“Ḿc̣s,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“It cīps cmñ lîc fṛm dǎn in mî ʈrot; sic̣nñ ʈñ.”

“Yes, yes,” sd Mr. M’Cô, “ɖt’s ɖ ʈorax.”

H lct at Mr. Cunñm n Mr. Pǎr at ɖ sem tîm wɖ an er v ćalinj. Mr. Cunñm nodd hiz hed rapidli n Mr. Pǎr sd:

“Ā, wel, ol’z wel ɖt endz wel.”

“I’m vri mć oblîjd t y, old man,” sd ɖ inṿlid.

Mr. Pǎr wevd hiz hand.

“Ɖoz uɖr tū feloz I wz wɖ——”

“Hu wr y wɖ?” asct Mr. Cunñm.

“A ćap. I d’nt nǒ hiz nem. Dám it nǎ, ẃt’s hiz nem? Litl ćap wɖ sandi her…”

“N hu els?”

“Harf̣d.”

“Hm,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

Ẃn Mr. Cunñm md ɖt rmarc, ppl wr sîḷnt. It wz noun ɖt ɖ spīcr hd sīcrit sorsz v inf̣meśn. In ɖs ces ɖ moṇsiḷbl hd a moṛl intnśn. Mr. Harf̣d smtmz formd wn v a litl dtaćmnt ẃć left ɖ siti śortli aftr nūn on Súnde wɖ ɖ prṗs v arîvñ az sn az poṣbl at sm publichǎs on ɖ ǎtscrts v ɖ siti ẃr its membrz dyli qoḷfaid ɖmslvz az bona fide travlrz. Bt hiz felotravlrz hd nvr cnsntd t oṿlc hiz oṛjin. H hd bgun lîf az an obskr finansịr bî lendñ smōl sumz v muni t wrcṃn at yźurịs inṭrest. Lêtr on h hd bcm ɖ partnr v a vri fat śort jntlmn, Mr. Goldbrg, in ɖ Lifi Lounbanc. Ɖo h hd nvr imbrest mor ɖn ɖ Juiś eʈicl cod, hiz felo-Caʈ̇lics, ẃnvr ɖe hd smartd in prsn or bî proxi undr hiz xax́nz, spouc v him bitrli az an Îriś Ju n an ilitṛt n sw dvîn dis’pruvl v yẓ́ri md maṇfest ʈru ɖ prsn v hiz idịtsun. At uɖr tîmz ɖe rmembrd hiz gd pônts.

“I wundr ẃr dd h g t,” sd Mr. Crnn.

H wśt ɖ dītelz v ɖ insidnt t rmen veg. H wśt hiz frendz t ʈnc ɖr hd bn sm mstec, ɖt Mr. Harf̣d n h hd míst ć uɖr. Hiz frendz, hu ń qt wel Mr. Harf̣d’z manrz in drincñ, wr sîḷnt. Mr. Pǎr sd agn:

“Ol’z wel ɖt endz wel.”

Mr. Crnn ćenjd ɖ subjict at wns.

“Ɖt wz a dīsnt yuñ ćap, ɖt medicl felo,” h sd. “Onli fr him——”

“Ǒ, onli fr him,” sd Mr. Pǎr, “it mt hv bn a ces v sevn dez, wɖt ɖ opśn v a fîn.”

“Yes, yes,” sd Mr. Crnn, trayñ t rmembr. “I rmembr nǎ ɖr wz a p’līsmn. Dīsnt yuñ felo, h sīmd. Hǎ dd it hapn at ol?”

“It hapnd ɖt y wr p’luɖrd, Tom,” sd Mr. Cunñm grevli.

“Tru bil,” sd Mr. Crnn, īqli grevli.

“I s’poz y sqerd ɖ cunsṭbl, Jac,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

Mr. Pǎr dd nt reliś ɖ ys v hiz Crisćn nem. H wz nt stret-lêst, bt h cd nt fget ɖt Mr. M’Cô hd rīsntli md a crūsed in srć v vlīzz n portmantoz t inebl Msz M’Cô t flfil imajinri ingejmnts in ɖ cuntri. Mor ɖn h rzntd ɖ fact ɖt h hd bn vicṭmîzd h rzntd sć lo pleyñ v ɖ gem. H ansrd ɖ qsćn, ɖrfr, az f Mr. Crnn hd asct it.

Ɖ naṛtiv md Mr. Crnn indignnt. H wz cīnli conśs v hiz sitiznśp, wśt t liv wɖ hiz siti on trmz ḿć̣li onṛbl n rzntd eni afrunt pt upn him bî ɖoz hūm h cōld cuntribumcinz.

“Z ɖs ẃt w pe rets fr?” h asct. “T fīd n cloɖ ɖz ignṛnt bostumz … n ɖ’r nʈñ els.”

Mr. Cunñm laft. H wz a Casl ofiśl onli jrñ ofis-aurz.

“Hǎ cd ɖe b enʈñ els, Tom?” h sd.

H asymd a ʈic pṛvinśl axnt n sd in a ton v cmand:

“65, cać yr cabij!”

Evrwn laft. Mr. M’Cô, hu wontd t entr ɖ convseśn bî eni dor, pritndd ɖt h hd nvr hŕd ɖ stori. Mr. Cunñm sd:

“It z s’pozd—ɖe se, y nǒ—t tec ples in ɖ depo ẃr ɖe gt ɖz ʈunḍrñ big cuntrifeloz, oṃdōnz, y nǒ, t dril. Ɖ sarjnt mcs ɖm stand in a ro agnst ɖ wōl n hold p ɖer plets.”

H iḷstretd ɖ stori bî gṛtesc jsćrz.

“At dinr, y nǒ. Ɖen h hz a bludi big bol v cabij bfr him on ɖ tebl n a bludi big spūn lîc a śuvl. H tecs p a wod v cabij on ɖ spūn n pegz it acrs ɖ rūm n ɖ pur devlz hv t trî n cać it on ɖer plets: 65, cać yr cabij.”

Evrwn laft agn: bt Mr. Crnn wz smẃt indignnt stl. H tōct v raitñ a letr t ɖ peprz.

“Ɖz yāhuz cmñ p hir,” h sd, “ʈnc ɖe cn bos ɖ ppl. I nīd’nt tel y, Martin, ẃt cnd v men ɖe r.”

Mr. Cunñm gev a qoḷfaid asnt.

“It’s lîc evrʈñ els in ɖs wrld,” h sd. “Y gt sm bad wnz n y gt sm gd wnz.”

“Ǒ yes, y gt sm gd wnz, I admit,” sd Mr. Crnn, saṭsfaid.

“It’s betr t hv nʈñ t se t ɖm,” sd Mr. M’Cô. “Ɖt’s mî opińn!”

Msz Crnn entrd ɖ rūm n, plesñ a tre on ɖ tebl, sd:

“Hlp yrslvz, jntlṃn.”

Mr. Pǎr std p t ofiśiet, of̣rñ hr hiz ćer. Ś dclînd it, seyñ ś wz aynñ dǎnsterz, n, aftr hvñ xćenjd a nod wɖ Mr. Cunñm bhnd Mr. Pǎr’z bac, priperd t līv ɖ rūm. Hr huzbnd cōld ǎt t hr:

“N hv y nʈñ fr m, duci?”

“Ǒ, y! Ɖ bac v mî hand t y!” sd Msz Crnn tartli.

Hr huzbnd cōld aftr hr:

“Nʈñ fr pur litl hubi!”

H asymd sć a comicl fes n vôs ɖt ɖ distṛbyśn v ɖ botlz v stǎt tc ples amd jenṛl merimnt.

Ɖ jntlṃn dranc fṛm ɖer glasz, set ɖ glasz agn on ɖ tebl n pōzd. Ɖen Mr. Cunñm trnd twdz Mr. Pǎr n sd caẓ́li:

“On Ʈrzde nît, y sd, Jac.”

“Ʈrzde, yes,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“Rîto!” sd Mr. Cunñm promtli.

“W cn mīt in M’Ōli’z,” sd Mr. M’Cô. “Ɖt’l b ɖ most cnvińnt ples.”

“Bt w ms’nt b lêt,” sd Mr. Pǎr rṇstli, “bcz it z śr t b cramd t ɖ dorz.”

“W cn mīt at haf-sevn,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“Rîto!” sd Mr. Cunñm.

“Haf-sevn at M’Ōli’z b it!”

Ɖr wz a śort sîḷns. Mr. Crnn wêtd t si ẃɖr h wd b tecn intu hiz frendz’ confidns. Ɖen h asct:

“Ẃt’s in ɖ wind?”

“Ǒ, it’s nʈñ,” sd Mr. Cunñm. “It’s onli a litl matr ɖt w’r arenjñ abt fr Ʈrzde.”

“Ɖ oṗra, z it?” sd Mr. Crnn.

“No, no,” sd Mr. Cunñm in an ivesiv ton, “it’s jst a litl … spirićl matr.”

“Ǒ,” sd Mr. Crnn.

Ɖr wz sîḷns agn. Ɖen Mr. Pǎr sd, pônt blanc:

“T tel y ɖ truʈ, Tom, w’r gwñ t mc a rtrit.”

“Yes, ɖt’s it,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “Jac n I n M’Cô hir—w’r ol gwñ t woś ɖ pot.”

H utrd ɖ meṭfr wɖ a srtn homli eṇji n, incurijd bî hiz ǒn vôs, pṛsidd:

“Y si, w me az wel ol admit w’r a nîs c’lex́n v scǎndṛlz, wn n ol. I se, wn n ol,” h add wɖ gruf ćaṛti n trnñ t Mr. Pǎr. “Ǒn p nǎ!”

“I ǒn p,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“N I ǒn p,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“So w’r gwñ t woś ɖ pot tgɖr,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

A ʈt sīmd t strîc him. H trnd sudnli t ɖ inṿlid n sd:

“D’yi nǒ ẃt, Tom, hz jst ocŕd t m? Y mt jôn in n w’d hv a for-handd rīl.”

“Gd îdīa,” sd Mr. Pǎr. “Ɖ for v s tgɖr.”

Mr. Crnn wz sîḷnt. Ɖ pṛpozl cnveid vri litl mīnñ t hiz mînd bt, unḍstandñ ɖt sm spirićl ejnsiz wr abt t cnsrn ɖmslvz on hiz bhaf, h ʈt h oud it t hiz digṇti t śo a stif nec. H tc no part in ɖ convseśn fr a loñ ẃl bt lisnd, wɖ an er v cām enṃti, ẃl hiz frendz dscust ɖ Jeźuits.

“I hv’nt sć a bad opińn v ɖ Jeźuits,” h sd, inṭvinñ at leñʈ. “Ɖ’r an edycetd ordr. I b’liv ɖe mīn wel tù.”

“Ɖ’r ɖ grandist ordr in ɖ Ćrć, Tom,” sd Mr. Cunñm, wɖ inʈyziazm. “Ɖ Jenṛl v ɖ Jeźuits standz nxt t ɖ Pǒp.”

“Ɖr’z no mstec abt it,” sd Mr. M’Cô, “f y wont a ʈñ wel dn n no flîz abt it y g t a Jeźuit. Ɖ’r ɖ bôoz hv inflụns. I’l tel y a ces in pônt…”

“Ɖ Jeźuits r a fîn bodi v men,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“It’s a krịs ʈñ,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “abt ɖ Jeźuit Ordr. Evri uɖr ordr v ɖ Ćrć hd t b rformd at sm tîm or uɖr bt ɖ Jeźuit Ordr wz nvr wns rformd. It nvr fél awe.”

“Z ɖt so?” asct Mr. M’Cô.

“Ɖt’s a fact,” sd Mr. Cunñm. “Ɖt’s hisṭri.”

“Lc at ɖer ćrć, tù,” sd Mr. Pǎr. “Lc at ɖ congṛgeśn ɖe hv.”

“Ɖ Jeźuits cetr fr ɖ upr clasz,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“V cors,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“Yes,” sd Mr. Crnn. “Ɖt’s ẃ I hv a fīlñ fr ɖm. It’s sm v ɖoz seklr prīsts, ignṛnt, bumśs——”

“Ɖ’r ol gd men,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “ć in hiz ǒn we. Ɖ Îriś prīsthd z onrd ol ɖ wrld ovr.”

“Ǒ yes,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“Nt lîc sm v ɖ uɖr prīsthdz on ɖ continnt,” sd Mr. M’Cô, “unwrɖi v ɖ nem.”

“Phps y’r rît,” sd Mr. Crnn, rlentñ.

“V cors I’m rît,” sd Mr. Cunñm. “I hv’nt bn in ɖ wrld ol ɖs tîm n sìn most sîdz v it wɖt biyñ a juj v caṛctr.”

Ɖ jntlṃn dranc agn, wn folowñ anɖr’z xampl. Mr. Crnn sīmd t b weyñ smʈñ in hiz mînd. H wz imprest. H hd a hî opińn v Mr. Cunñm az a juj v caṛctr n az a rīdr v fesz. H asct fr ptiklrz.

“Ǒ, it’s jst a rtrit, y nǒ,” sd Mr. Cunñm. “Faɖr Prdn z gvñ it. It’s fr biznisṃn, y nǒ.”

“H w’nt b tù hard on s, Tom,” sd Mr. Pǎr pswesivli.

“Faɖr Prdn? Faɖr Prdn?” sd ɖ inṿlid.

“Ǒ, y mst nǒ him, Tom,” sd Mr. Cunñm stǎtli. “Fîn joli felo! H’z a man v ɖ wrld lîc ǎrslvz.”

“Ā, … yes. I ʈnc I nǒ him. Rɖr red fes; tōl.”

“Ɖt’s ɖ man.”

“N tel m, Martin… Z h a gd prīćr?”

“Muno… It’s nt xacli a srmn, y nǒ. It’s jst cnd v a frendli tōc, y nǒ, in a comn-sns we.”

Mr. Crnn dliḅretd. Mr. M’Cô sd:

“Faɖr Tom Brc, ɖt wz ɖ bô!”

“Ǒ, Faɖr Tom Brc,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “ɖt wz a born oṛtr. Dd y evr hír him, Tom?”

“Dd I evr hír him!” sd ɖ inṿlid, netld. “Rɖr! I hŕd him…”

“N yt ɖe se h wz’nt mć v a ʈịlojn,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

“Z ɖt so?” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“Ǒ, v cors, nʈñ roñ, y nǒ. Onli smtmz, ɖe se, h dd’nt prīć ẃt wz qt orʈ̇dox.”

“Ā! … h wz a splendid man,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“I hŕd him wns,” Mr. Crnn cntinyd. “I fget ɖ subjict v hiz discors nǎ. Croftn n I wr in ɖ bac v ɖ … pit, y nǒ … ɖ——”

“Ɖ bodi,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

“Yes, in ɖ bac nir ɖ dor. I fget nǎ ẃt… Ǒ yes, it wz on ɖ Pǒp, ɖ lêt Pǒp. I rmembr it wel. Upn mî wrd it wz mgnifisnt, ɖ stîl v ɖ oṛtri. N hiz vôs! God! hd’nt h a vôs! Ɖ Priznr v ɖ Vaticn, h cōld him. I rmembr Croftn seyñ t m ẃn w cem ǎt——”

“Bt h’z an Orinjmn, Croftn, z’nt h?” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“‘Cors h z,” sd Mr. Crnn, “n a dámd dīsnt Orinjmn tù. W wnt intu Butlr’z in Mōr Strīt—feʈ, I wz jenyinli muvd, tel y ɖ God’z truʈ—n I rmembr wel hiz vri wrdz. Crnn, h sd, w wrśp at difṛnt ōltrz, h sd, bt ǎr b’lif z ɖ sem. Struc m az vri wel pt.”

“Ɖr’z a gd dīl in ɖt,” sd Mr. Pǎr. “Ɖr yst olwz t b crǎdz v Protistnts in ɖ ćapl ẃr Faɖr Tom wz prīćñ.”

“Ɖr’z nt mć difṛns btwn s,” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“W bʈ b’liv in——”

H heztetd fr a momnt.

“… in ɖ Rdimr. Onli ɖe d’nt b’liv in ɖ Pǒp n in ɖ muɖr v God.”

“Bt, v cors,” sd Mr. Cunñm qaytli n ifctivli, “ǎr rlijn z ɖ rlijn, ɖ old, orijinl feʈ.”

“Nt a dǎt v it,” sd Mr. Crnn wormli.

Msz Crnn cem t ɖ dor v ɖ bedrūm n anǎnst:

“Hir’z a vizitr fr y!”

“Hu z it?”

“Mr. Foġti.”

“Ǒ, cm in! cm in!”

A pel ovl fes cem fwd intu ɖ lît. Ɖ arć v its fer trelñ mstaś wz rpitd in ɖ fer îbrǎz lūpt abv plezntli astoniśt îz. Mr. Foġti wz a modist grosr. H hd feld in biznis in a lîsnst hǎs in ɖ siti bcz hiz fnanśl cndiśn hd cnstrend him t tî himslf t secnd-clas dstilrz n bruwrz. H hd opnd a smōl śop on Glasnevin Rod ẃr, h flatrd himslf, hiz manrz wd ingreśiet him wɖ ɖ hǎswîvz v ɖ district. H bòr himslf wɖ a srtn gres, compḷmntd litl ćildṛn n spouc wɖ a nīt inunsieśn. H wz nt wɖt culćr.

Mr. Foġti bròt a gift wɖ him, a haf-pînt v speśl ẃisci. H inqîrd p’lîtli fr Mr. Crnn, plest hiz gift on ɖ tebl n sat dǎn wɖ ɖ cumṗni on īql trmz. Mr. Crnn aprīśietd ɖ gift ol ɖ mor sins h wz awer ɖt ɖr wz a smōl acǎnt fr groṣriz unsetld btwn him n Mr. Foġti. H sd:

“I wd’nt dǎt y, old man. Opn ɖt, Jac, wl y?”

Mr. Pǎr agn ofiśietd. Glasz wr rinst n fîv smōl meźrz v ẃisci wr pord ǎt. Ɖs ny inflụns inlîvnd ɖ convseśn. Mr. Foġti, sitñ on a smōl eria v ɖ ćer, wz speṣ́li inṭrestd.

“Pǒp Lio XIII.,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “wz wn v ɖ lîts v ɖ ej. Hiz gret îdīa, y nǒ, wz ɖ yńn v ɖ Latin n Grīc Ćrćz. Ɖt wz ɖ em v hiz lîf.”

“I ofn hŕd h wz wn v ɖ most inṭlecćl men in Yṛp,” sd Mr. Pǎr. “I mīn, apart fṛm hiz biyñ Pǒp.”

“So h wz,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “f nt ɖ most so. Hiz moto, y nǒ, az Pǒp, wz Lux upn Lux—Lît upn Lît.”

“No, no,” sd Mr. Foġti īgrli. “I ʈnc y’r roñ ɖr. It wz Lux in Tenebris, I ʈnc—Lît in Darcnis.”

“Ǒ yes,” sd Mr. M’Cô, “Tenebrae.”

“Alǎ m,” sd Mr. Cunñm poztivli, “it wz Lux upn Lux. N Pius IX. hiz prīdisesr’z moto wz Crux upn Crux—ɖt z, Cros upn Cros—t śo ɖ difṛns btwn ɖer tū pontific̣ts.”

Ɖ infṛns wz alaud. Mr. Cunñm cntinyd.

“Pǒp Lio, y nǒ, wz a gret scolr n a powt.”

“H hd a stroñ fes,” sd Mr. Crnn.

“Yes,” sd Mr. Cunñm. “H rout Latin powtri.”

“Z ɖt so?” sd Mr. Foġti.

Mr. M’Cô testd hiz ẃisci cntntidli n śc hiz hed wɖ a dubl intnśn, seyñ:

“Ɖt’s no joc, I cn tel y.”

“W dd’nt lrn ɖt, Tom,” sd Mr. Pǎr, folowñ Mr. M’Cô’z xampl, “ẃn w wnt t ɖ peni-a-wīc scūl.”

“Ɖr wz mni a gd man wnt t ɖ peni-a-wīc scūl wɖ a sod v trf undr hiz oxtr,” sd Mr. Crnn sntnśsli. “Ɖ old sistm wz ɖ bst: plen onist edyceśn. Nn v yr modn trumṗri…”

“Qt rît,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

“No sūṗfluwtiz,” sd Mr. Foġti.

H inunsietd ɖ wrd n ɖen dranc grevli.

“I rmembr rīdñ,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “ɖt wn v Pǒp Lio’z powmz wz on ɖ invnśn v ɖ foṭgraf—in Latin, v cors.”

“On ɖ foṭgraf!” xclemd Mr. Crnn.

“Yes,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

H olso dranc fṛm hiz glas.

“Wel, y nǒ,” sd Mr. M’Cô, “z’nt ɖ foṭgraf wundrfl ẃn y cm t ʈnc v it?”

“Ǒ, v cors,” sd Mr. Pǎr, “gret mîndz cn si ʈñz.”

“Az ɖ powt sz: Gret mîndz r vri nir t madnis,” sd Mr. Foġti.

Mr. Crnn sīmd t b trubld in mînd. H md an ef̣t t rcōl ɖ Protistnt ʈioḷji on sm ʈorni pônts n in ɖ end adrest Mr. Cunñm.

“Tel m, Martin,” h sd. “Wr’nt sm v ɖ pǒps—v cors, nt ǎr preznt man, or hiz prīdisesr, bt sm v ɖ old pǒps—nt xacli … y nǒ … p t ɖ nocr?”

Ɖr wz a sîḷns. Mr. Cunñm sd:

“Ǒ, v cors, ɖr wr sm bad lots… Bt ɖ astoṇśñ ʈñ z ɖs. Nt wn v ɖm, nt ɖ bigist drunc̣d, nt ɖ most … ǎt-n-ǎt rufịn, nt wn v ɖm evr prīćt ex cathedra a wrd v fōls doctrin. Nǎ z’nt ɖt an astoṇśñ ʈñ?”

“Ɖt z,” sd Mr. Crnn.

“Yes, bcz ẃn ɖ Pǒp spīcs ex cathedra,” Mr. Foġti xplend, “h z infaḷbl.”

“Yes,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

“Ǒ, I nǒ abt ɖ infaḷbiḷti v ɖ Pǒp. I rmembr I wz yungr ɖen… Or wz it ɖt——?”

Mr. Foġti inṭruptd. H tc p ɖ botl n hlpt ɖ uɖrz t a litl mor. Mr. M’Cô, siyñ ɖt ɖr wz nt inuf t g rnd, plīdd ɖt h hd nt finiśt hiz frst meźr. Ɖ uɖrz axptd undr protest. Ɖ lît ḿzic v ẃisci fōlñ intu glasz md an agriybl inṭlud.

“Ẃt’s ɖt y wr seyñ, Tom?” asct Mr. M’Cô.

“Pepl infaḷbiḷti,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “ɖt wz ɖ gretist sīn in ɖ hol hisṭri v ɖ Ćrć.”

“Hǎ wz ɖt, Martin?” asct Mr. Pǎr.

Mr. Cunñm hld p tū ʈic fngrz.

“In ɖ secrid colij, y nǒ, v cardinlz n arćbiṣ́ps n biṣ́ps ɖr wr tū men hu hld ǎt agnst it ẃl ɖ uɖrz wr ol fr it. Ɖ hol conclev xpt ɖz tū wz ynaniṃs. No! Ɖe wd’nt hv it!”

“Ha!” sd Mr. M’Cô.

“N ɖe wr a Jrmn cardinl bî ɖ nem v Dolñ … or Dǎlñ … or——”

“Dǎlñ wz no Jrmn, n ɖt’s a śr fîv,” sd Mr. Pǎr, lafñ.

“Wel, ɖs gret Jrmn cardinl, ẃtvr hiz nem wz, wz wn; n ɖ uɖr wz Jon McHel.”

“Ẃt?” craid Mr. Crnn. “Z it Jon v Tuwm?”

“R y śr v ɖt nǎ?” asct Mr. Foġti dybịsli. “I ʈt it wz sm Itałn or Americn.”

“Jon v Tuwm,” rpitd Mr. Cunñm, “wz ɖ man.”

H dranc n ɖ uɖr jntlṃn foloud hiz līd. Ɖen h rzymd:

“Ɖr ɖe wr at it, ol ɖ cardinlz n biṣ́ps n arćbiṣ́ps fṛm ol ɖ endz v ɖ rʈ n ɖz tū fîtñ dog n devl untl at last ɖ Pǒp himslf std p n dclerd infaḷbiḷti a dogma v ɖ Ćrć ex cathedra. On ɖ vri momnt Jon McHel, hu hd bn argywñ n argywñ agnst it, std p n śǎtd ǎt wɖ ɖ vôs v a layn: ‘Credo!’”

“I b’liv!” sd Mr. Foġti.

“Credo!” sd Mr. Cunñm. “Ɖt śoud ɖ feʈ h hd. H sbmitd ɖ momnt ɖ Pǒp spouc.”

“N ẃt abt Dǎlñ?” asct Mr. M’Cô.

“Ɖ Jrmn cardinl wd’nt sbmit. H left ɖ ćrć.”

Mr. Cunñm’z wrdz hd bilt p ɖ vast imij v ɖ ćrć in ɖ mîndz v hiz hírrz. Hiz dīp rōc̣s vôs hd ʈrild ɖm az it utrd ɖ wrd v b’lif n sbmiśn. Ẃn Msz Crnn cem intu ɖ rūm drayñ hr handz ś cem intu a soḷm cumṗni. Ś dd nt dstrb ɖ sîḷns, bt līnd ovr ɖ rel at ɖ ft v ɖ bed.

“I wns sw Jon McHel,” sd Mr. Crnn, “n I’l nvr fget it az loñ az I liv.”

H trnd twdz hiz wîf t b cnfrmd.

“I ofn tld y ɖt?”

Msz Crnn nodd.

“It wz at ɖ unveilñ v Sr Jon Gre’z staću. Edṃnd Dwîr Gre wz spīcñ, blaɖ̇rñ awe, n hir wz ɖs old felo, crabd-lcñ old ćap, lcñ at him fṛm undr hiz bŭśi îbrǎz.”

Mr. Crnn nitd hiz brǎz n, lowrñ hiz hed lîc an angri bl, glerd at hiz wîf.

“God!” h xclemd, rzymñ hiz naćṛl fes, “I nvr sw sć an î in a man’z hed. It wz az mć az t se: I hv y proprli tept, mî lad. H hd an î lîc a hōc.”

“Nn v ɖ Grez wz eni gd,” sd Mr. Pǎr.

Ɖr wz a pōz agn. Mr. Pǎr trnd t Msz Crnn n sd wɖ abrupt joviaḷti:

“Wel, Msz Crnn, w’r gwñ t mc yr man hir a gd holi pays n God-firñ Romn Caʈ̇lic.”

H swept hiz arm rnd ɖ cumṗni inclūsivli.

“W’r ol gwñ t mc a rtrit tgɖr n cnfes ǎr sinz—n God nz w wont it badli.”

“I d’nt mînd,” sd Mr. Crnn, smîlñ a litl nrṿsli.

Msz Crnn ʈt it wd b wîzr t cnsil hr saṭsfax́n. So ś sd:

“I piti ɖ pur prīst ɖt hz t lisn t yr têl.”

Mr. Crnn’z xpreśn ćenjd.

“F h dz’nt lîc it,” h sd bluntli, “h cn … d ɖ uɖr ʈñ. I’l jst tel him mî litl têl v wo. I’m nt sć a bad felo——”

Mr. Cunñm inṭvind promtli.

“W’l ol rnǎns ɖ devl,” h sd, “tgɖr, nt fgetñ hiz wrcs n pomps.”

“Gt bhnd m, Setn!” sd Mr. Foġti, lafñ n lcñ at ɖ uɖrz.

Mr. Pǎr sd nʈñ. H flt cmplitli ǎt-genṛld. Bt a plizd xpreśn flicrd acrs hiz fes.

“Ol w hv t d,” sd Mr. Cunñm, “z t stand p wɖ lîtd candlz in ǎr handz n rny ǎr baptizml vǎz.”

“Ǒ, d’nt fget ɖ candl, Tom,” sd Mr. M’Cô, “ẃtvr y d.”

“Ẃt?” sd Mr. Crnn. “Mst I hv a candl?”

“Ǒ yes,” sd Mr. Cunñm.

“No, dám it ol,” sd Mr. Crnn snṣbli, “I drw ɖ lîn ɖr. I’l d ɖ job rît inuf. I’l d ɖ rtritbiznis n cnfeśn, n … ol ɖt biznis. Bt … no candlz! No, dám it ol, I bar ɖ candlz!”

H śc hiz hed wɖ farsicl graṿti.

“Lisn t ɖt!” sd hiz wîf.

“I bar ɖ candlz,” sd Mr. Crnn, conśs v hvñ crietd an ifct on hiz ōdịns n cntinywñ t śec hiz hed t n fro. “I bar ɖ majic-lantn biznis.”

Evrwn laft harṭli.

“Ɖr’z a nîs Caʈ̇lic fr y!” sd hiz wîf.

“No candlz!” rpitd Mr. Crnn objṛtli. “Ɖt’s of!”

Ɖ transept v ɖ Jeźuit Ćrć in Gardinr Strīt wz olmst fl; n stl at evri momnt jntlṃn entrd fṛm ɖ sîd dor n, d’rectd bî ɖ le bruɖr, wōct on tipto alñ ɖ ailz untl ɖe faund sītñ acoṃdeśn. Ɖ jntlṃn wr ol wel drest n ordrli. Ɖ lît v ɖ lamps v ɖ ćrć fél upn an asmbli v blac cloɖz n ẃît coḷrz, rlivd hir n ɖr bî twīdz, on darc motld pilrz v grīn marbl n on l’gubrịs canvsz. Ɖ jntlṃn sat in ɖ bnćz, hvñ hićt ɖer trǎzrz slîtli abv ɖer niz n leid ɖer hats in s’kṛti. Ɖe sat wel bac n gezd forṃli at ɖ distnt spec v red lît ẃć wz sspndd bfr ɖ hî ōltr.

In wn v ɖ bnćz nir ɖ plpit sat Mr. Cunñm n Mr. Crnn. In ɖ bnć bhnd sat Mr. M’Cô alon: n in ɖ bnć bhnd him sat Mr. Pǎr n Mr. Foġti. Mr. M’Cô hd traid unṣxesf̣li t fînd a ples in ɖ bnć wɖ ɖ uɖrz n, ẃn ɖ parti hd setld dǎn in ɖ form v a qincunx, h hd traid unṣxesf̣li t mc comic rmarcs. Az ɖz hd nt bn wel rsivd h hd dzistd. Īvn h wz snṣbl v ɖ decṛs atṃsfir n īvn h bgan t rspond t ɖ rlijs stiḿḷs. In a ẃispr Mr. Cunñm drù Mr. Crnn’z atnśn t Mr. Harf̣d, ɖ munilendr, hu sat sm distns of, n t Mr. Fanñ, ɖ rejstreśn-ejnt n mẹr-mcr v ɖ siti, hu wz sitñ imīɉtli undr ɖ plpit bsd wn v ɖ nyli ilectd cǎnslrz v ɖ word. T ɖ rît sat old Mîcl Grîmz, ɖ ǒnr v ʈri pònbrocr’z śops, n Dan Hogn’z nefy, hu wz p fr ɖ job in ɖ Tǎnclarc’s ofis. Farɖr in frunt sat Mr. Hendric, ɖ ćīf rportr v Ɖ Frīmn’z Jrnl, n pur O’Caṛl, an old frend v Mr. Crnn’z, hu hd bn at wn tîm a cnsidṛbl cmrśl figr. Graɉli, az h rec̣gnîzd fmiłr fesz, Mr. Crnn bgan t fīl mor at hom. Hiz hat, ẃć hd bn rīhbiḷtetd bî hiz wîf, restd upn hiz niz. Wns or twîs h pld dǎn hiz cufs wɖ wn hand ẃl h hld ɖ brim v hiz hat lîtli, bt frmli, wɖ ɖ uɖr hand.

A pǎrfl-lcñ figr, ɖ upr part v ẃć wz drept wɖ a ẃît srplis, wz obzrvd t b struġlñ intu ɖ plpit. Simlteńsli ɖ congṛgeśn unsetld, pṛdyst hanc̣ćīfs n nelt upn ɖm wɖ cer. Mr. Crnn foloud ɖ jenṛl xampl. Ɖ prīst’s figr nǎ std uprît in ɖ plpit, tū-ʈrdz v its bulc, crǎnd bî a masiv red fes, apirñ abv ɖ baḷstred.

Faɖr Prdn nelt dǎn, trnd twdz ɖ red spec v lît n, cuṿrñ hiz fes wɖ hiz handz, preid. Aftr an inṭvl, h uncuvrd hiz fes n rouz. Ɖ congṛgeśn rouz olso n setld agn on its bnćz. Mr. Crnn rstord hiz hat t its orijinl pziśn on hiz ni n prizntd an atntiv fes t ɖ prīćr. Ɖ prīćr trnd bac ć wîd slīv v hiz srplis wɖ an ilabṛt larj jsćr n slǒli sveid ɖ are v fesz. Ɖen h sd:

“Fr ɖ ćildṛn v ɖs wrld r wîzr in ɖer jeṇreśn ɖn ɖ ćildṛn v lît. Ẃr-fr mc untu yrslvz frendz ǎt v ɖ mamn v iniqti so ɖt ẃn y dî ɖe me rsiv y intu eṿlastñ dwelñz.”

Faɖr Prdn dveḷpt ɖ txt wɖ reẓnnt aśuṛns. It wz wn v ɖ most dificlt txts in ol ɖ Scripćrz, h sd, t intrprit proprli. It wz a txt ẃć mt sīm t ɖ caźl obzrvr at verịns wɖ ɖ lofti mraḷti elsẃr prīćt bî Jīzs Crîst. Bt, h tld hiz hírrz, ɖ txt hd sīmd t him speṣ́li adaptd fr ɖ gîdns v ɖoz huz lot it wz t līd ɖ lîf v ɖ wrld n hu yt wśt t līd ɖt lîf nt in ɖ manr v wrldlñz. It wz a txt fr biznisṃn n pṛfeśnl men. Jīzs Crîst, wɖ Hiz dvîn unḍstandñ v evri crani v ǎr hymn nećr, unḍstd ɖt ol men wr nt cōld t ɖ rlijs lîf, ɖt bî far ɖ vast mjoṛti wr forst t liv in ɖ wrld n, t a srtn xtnt, fr ɖ wrld: n in ɖs sntns H dzînd t gv ɖm a wrd v cǎnsl, setñ bfr ɖm az xmpḷrz in ɖ rlijs lîf ɖoz vri wrśiprz v Mamn hu wr v ol men ɖ līst s’lisiṭs in matrz rlijs.

H tld hiz hírrz ɖt h wz ɖr ɖt īvnñ fr no teṛfayñ, no xtraṿgnt prṗs; bt az a man v ɖ wrld spīcñ t hiz felo-men. H cem t spīc t biznisṃn n h wd spīc t ɖm in a bizṇslîc we. F h mt yz ɖ meṭfr, h sd, h wz ɖer spirićl acǎntnt; n h wśt ć n evrwn v hiz hírrz t opn hiz bcs, ɖ bcs v hiz spirićl lîf, n si f ɖe talid akṛtli wɖ conśns.

Jīzs Crîst wz nt a hard tascmastr. H unḍstd ǎr litl felñz, unḍstd ɖ wìcnis v ǎr pur fōḷn nećr, unḍstd ɖ tmteśnz v ɖs lîf. W mt hv hd, w ol hd fṛm tîm t tîm, ǎr tmteśnz: w mt hv, w ol hd, ǎr felñz. Bt wn ʈñ onli, h sd, h wd asc v hiz hírrz. N ɖt wz: t b stret n manli wɖ God. F ɖer acǎnts talid in evri pônt t se:

“Wel, I hv veṛfaid mî acǎnts. I fînd ol wel.”

Bt f, az mt hapn, ɖr wr sm dscrepnsiz, t admit ɖ truʈ, t b franc n se lîc a man:

“Wel, I hv lct intu mî acǎnts. I fînd ɖs roñ n ɖs roñ. Bt, wɖ God’z gres, I wl recṭfî ɖs n ɖs. I wl set rît mî acǎnts.”

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Mis Devlin hd bcm Msz Cirni ǎt v spît. Ś hd bn edycetd in a hî-clas convnt, ẃr ś hd lrnt Frenć n ḿzic. Az ś wz naćṛli pel n unbndñ in manr ś md fy frendz at scūl. Ẃn ś cem t ɖ ej v marij ś wz snt ǎt t mni hǎzz ẃr hr pleyñ n îṿri manrz wr mć admîrd. Ś sat amd ɖ ćili srcl v hr acumpliśmnts, wêtñ fr sm sūtr t brev it n ofr hr a briłnt lîf. Bt ɖ yuñ men hūm ś met wr ordnri n ś gev ɖm no incurijmnt, trayñ t consol hr r’mantic dzîrz bî ītñ a gret dīl v Trciś Dlît in sīcrit. Hvr, ẃn ś drù nir ɖ limit n hr frendz bgan t lūsn ɖer tuñz abt hr, ś sîḷnst ɖm bî mariyñ Mr. Cirni, hu wz a būt-mcr on Orṃnd Cì.

H wz mć oldr ɖn ś. Hiz convseśn, ẃć wz sirịs, tc ples at inṭvlz in hiz gret brǎn bird. Aftr ɖ frst yir v marid lîf, Msz Cirni psivd ɖt sć a man wd wer betr ɖn a r’mantic prsn, bt ś nvr pt hr ǒn r’mantic îdīaz awe. H wz sobr, ʈrifti n pays; h wnt t ɖ ōltr evri frst Frîde, smtmz wɖ hr, of̣nr bî himslf. Bt ś nvr wìcnd in hr rlijn n wz a gd wîf t him. At sm parti in a strenj hǎs ẃn ś liftd hr îbrǎ evr so slîtli h std p t tec hiz līv n, ẃn hiz cof trubld him, ś pt ɖ îdrdǎn qilt ovr hiz fīt n md a stroñ rum punć. Fr hiz part, h wz a modl faɖr. Bî peyñ a smōl sum evri wīc intu a ssayti, h inśurd fr bʈ hiz dōtrz a dǎri v wn hundṛd pǎndz ć ẃn ɖe cem t ɖ ej v twenti-for. H snt ɖ eldr dōtr, Caʈlīn, t a gd convnt, ẃr ś lrnt Frenć n ḿzic, n afṭwd peid hr fiz at ɖ Acaḍmi. Evri yir in ɖ munʈ v Jlî Msz Cirni faund oceźn t se t sm frend:

“Mî gd man z pacñ s of t Sceriz fr a fy wīcs.”

F it wz nt Sceriz it wz Hoʈ or Grêstonz.

Ẃn ɖ Îriś Rvîvl bgan t b aprīśbl Msz Cirni dtrmind t tec advantij v hr dōtr’z nem n bròt an Îriś tīćr t ɖ hǎs. Caʈlīn n hr sistr snt Îriś picćr-poscardz t ɖer frendz n ɖz frendz snt bac uɖr Îriś picćr-poscardz. On speśl Súndez, ẃn Mr. Cirni wnt wɖ hiz faṃli t ɖ pro-cʈīdṛl, a litl crǎd v ppl wd asmbl aftr mas at ɖ cornr v Cʈīdṛl Strīt. Ɖe wr ol frendz v ɖ Cirniz—ḿzicl frendz or Naśṇlist frendz; n, ẃn ɖe hd pleid evri litl cǎntr v gosip, ɖe śc handz wɖ wn anɖr ol tgɖr, lafñ at ɖ crosñ v so mni handz, n sd gdbî t wn anɖr in Îriś. Sn ɖ nem v Mis Caʈlīn Cirni bgan t b hŕd ofn on ppl’z lips. Ppl sd ɖt ś wz vri clevr at ḿzic n a vri nîs grl n, morovr, ɖt ś wz a b’livr in ɖ lanḡj muvmnt. Msz Cirni wz wel cntnt at ɖs. Ɖrfr ś wz nt s’prîzd ẃn wn de Mr. Hoḷhn cem t hr n pṛpozd ɖt hr dōtr śd b ɖ acumṗnist at a siriz v for grand conṣts ẃć hiz Ssayti wz gwñ t gv in ɖ Enćnt Conṣtrūmz. Ś bròt him intu ɖ drw̃rūm, md him sit dǎn n bròt ǎt ɖ dcantr n ɖ silvr biscitbaṛl. Ś entrd hart n soul intu ɖ dītelz v ɖ enṭprîz, advîzd n dswedd; n fîṇli a contract wz drwn p bî ẃć Caʈlīn wz t rsiv et giniz fr hr srṿsz az acumṗnist at ɖ for grand conṣts.

Az Mr. Hoḷhn wz a novis in sć delic̣t matrz az ɖ wrdñ v bílz n ɖ dspozñ v îtmz fr a program, Msz Cirni hlpt him. Ś hd tact. Ś ń ẃt artīsts śd g intu capitlz n ẃt artīsts śd g intu smōl tîp. Ś ń ɖt ɖ frst tenr wd nt lîc t cm on aftr Mr. Mìd’z comic trn. T cīp ɖ ōdịns cntińli dvrtd ś slipt ɖ dǎtfl îtmz in btwn ɖ old feṿrits. Mr. Hoḷhn cōld t si hr evri de t hv hr advîs on sm pônt. Ś wz inverịbli frendli n advîzñ—homli, in fact. Ś pśt ɖ dcantr twdz him, seyñ:

“Nǎ, hlp yrslf, Mr. Hoḷhn!”

N ẃl h wz hlpñ himslf ś sd:

“D’nt b afreid! D’nt b afreid v it!”

Evrʈñ wnt on smuɖli. Msz Cirni bòt sm luvli bluś-pnc śarmŕz in Brǎn Toṃs’z t let intu ɖ frunt v Caʈlīn’z dres. It cost a priti peni; bt ɖr r oceźnz ẃn a litl xpns z jusṭfaybl. Ś tc a duzn v tū-śilñ ticits fr ɖ fînl conṣt n snt ɖm t ɖoz frendz hu cd nt b trustd t cm uɖ̇wz. Ś fgot nʈñ n, ʈancs t hr, evrʈñ ɖt wz t b dn wz dn.

Ɖ conṣts wr t b on Wenzde, Ʈrzde, Frîde n Saṭde. Ẃn Msz Cirni arîvd wɖ hr dōtr at ɖ Enćnt Conṣtrūmz on Wenzde nît ś dd nt lîc ɖ lc v ʈñz. A fy yuñ men, wẹrñ brît blu bajz in ɖer cots, std îdl in ɖ vsṭbyl; nn v ɖm wòr īvnñdres. Ś pást bî wɖ hr dōtr n a qc glans ʈru ɖ opn dor v ɖ hōl śoud hr ɖ cōz v ɖ stywdz’ îdlnis. At frst ś wundrd hd ś mstecn ɖ aur. No, it wz twenti minits t et.

In ɖ dresñrūm bhnd ɖ stej ś wz intṛdyst t ɖ secṛtri v ɖ Ssayti, Mr. Fitspatric. Ś smîld n śc hiz hand. H wz a litl man, wɖ a ẃît vecnt fes. Ś notist ɖt h wòr hiz soft brǎn hat cerlisli on ɖ sîd v hiz hed n ɖt hiz axnt wz flat. H hld a program in hiz hand n, ẃl h wz tōcñ t hr, h ćùd wn end v it intu a môst pulp. H sīmd t ber dis’pôntmnts lîtli. Mr. Hoḷhn cem intu ɖ dresñrūm evri fy minits wɖ rports fṛm ɖ box-ofis. Ɖ artīsts tōct amñ ɖmslvz nrṿsli, glanst fṛm tîm t tîm at ɖ mirr n rold n unrold ɖer ḿzic. Ẃn it wz nirli haf-past et, ɖ fy ppl in ɖ hōl bgan t xpres ɖer dzîr t b enttend. Mr. Fitspatric cem in, smîld vecntli at ɖ rūm, n sd:

“Wel nǎ, lediz n jntlṃn. I s’poz w’d betr opn ɖ bōl.”

Msz Cirni rwordd hiz vri flat fînl siḷbl wɖ a qc stér v cntmt, n ɖen sd t hr dōtr incuṛjñli:

“R y redi, dir?”

Ẃn ś hd an oṗtyṇti, ś cōld Mr. Hoḷhn asd n asct him t tel hr ẃt it mnt. Mr. Hoḷhn dd nt nǒ ẃt it mnt. H sd ɖt ɖ Cmiti hd md a mstec in arenjñ fr for conṣts: for wz tù mni.

“N ɖ artīsts!” sd Msz Cirni. “V cors ɖe r dwñ ɖer bst, bt riyli ɖe r nt gd.”

Mr. Hoḷhn admitd ɖt ɖ artīsts wr no gd bt ɖ Cmiti, h sd, hd dsîdd t let ɖ frst ʈri conṣts g az ɖe plizd n rzrv ol ɖ taḷnt fr Saṭde nît. Msz Cirni sd nʈñ, bt, az ɖ mīdiocr îtmz foloud wn anɖr on ɖ platform n ɖ fy ppl in ɖ hōl grù fywr n fywr, ś bgan t rgret ɖt ś hd pt hrslf t eni xpns fr sć a conṣt. Ɖr wz smʈñ ś dd’nt lîc in ɖ lc v ʈñz n Mr. Fitspatric’s vecnt smîl iṛtetd hr vri mć. Hvr, ś sd nʈñ n wêtd t si hǎ it wd end. Ɖ conṣt xpîrd śortli bfr ten, n evrwn wnt hom qcli.

Ɖ conṣt on Ʈrzde nît wz betr atndd, bt Msz Cirni sw at wns ɖt ɖ hǎs wz fild wɖ pepr. Ɖ ōdịns bhevd indecṛsli, az f ɖ conṣt wr an informl dres-rhrsl. Mr. Fitspatric sīmd t injô himslf; h wz qt unconśs ɖt Msz Cirni wz tecñ angri not v hiz conduct. H std at ɖ éj v ɖ scrīn, fṛm tîm t tîm jutñ ǎt hiz hed n xćenjñ a laf wɖ tū frendz in ɖ cornr v ɖ balc̣ni. In ɖ cors v ɖ īvnñ, Msz Cirni lrnt ɖt ɖ Frîde conṣt wz t b abandnd n ɖt ɖ Cmiti wz gwñ t muv hevn n rʈ t s’kr a bumpr hǎs on Saṭde nît. Ẃn ś hŕd ɖs, ś sòt ǎt Mr. Hoḷhn. Ś butnhould him az h wz limpñ ǎt qcli wɖ a glas v leṃned fr a yuñ ledi n asct him wz it tru. Yes, it wz tru.

“Bt, v cors, ɖt dz’nt oltr ɖ contract,” ś sd. “Ɖ contract wz fr for conṣts.”

Mr. Hoḷhn sīmd t b in a huri; h advîzd hr t spīc t Mr. Fitspatric. Msz Cirni wz nǎ bginñ t b alarmd. Ś cōld Mr. Fitspatric awe fṛm hiz scrīn n tld him ɖt hr dōtr hd sînd fr for conṣts n ɖt, v cors, acordñ t ɖ trmz v ɖ contract, ś śd rsiv ɖ sum orijiṇli stipyletd fr, ẃɖr ɖ ssayti gev ɖ for conṣts or nt. Mr. Fitspatric, hu dd nt cać ɖ pônt at iśu vri qcli, sīmd unebl t rzolv ɖ dificlti n sd ɖt h wd brñ ɖ matr bfr ɖ Cmiti. Msz Cirni’z angr bgan t flutr in hr ćīc n ś hd ol ś cd d t cīp fṛm ascñ:

“N hu z ɖ Cometi pre?”

Bt ś ń ɖt it wd nt b ledilîc t d ɖt: so ś wz sîḷnt.

Litl bôz wr snt ǎt intu ɖ prinsipl strīts v Dublin rli on Frîde mornñ wɖ bundlz v hanbílz. Speśl pufs apird in ol ɖ īvnñpeprs, rmîndñ ɖ ḿzic-luvñ public v ɖ trīt ẃć wz in stor fr it on ɖ folowñ īvnñ. Msz Cirni wz smẃt ri’śurd, bt ś ʈt wel t tel hr huzbnd part v hr sspiśnz. H lisnd cerf̣li n sd ɖt phps it wd b betr f h wnt wɖ hr on Saṭde nît. Ś agrìd. Ś rspctd hr huzbnd in ɖ sem we az ś rspctd ɖ Jenṛl Post-ofis, az smʈñ larj, s’kr n fixt; n ɖo ś ń ɖ smōl numbr v hiz taḷnts ś aprīśietd hiz abstract valy az a mel. Ś wz glad ɖt h hd sjstd cmñ wɖ hr. Ś ʈt hr planz ovr.

Ɖ nît v ɖ grand conṣt cem. Msz Cirni, wɖ hr huzbnd n dōtr, arîvd at ɖ Enćnt Conṣtrūmz ʈri-qortrs v an aur bfr ɖ tîm at ẃć ɖ conṣt wz t bgin. Bî il luc it wz a reni īvnñ. Msz Cirni plest hr dōtr’z cloɖz n ḿzic in ćarj v hr huzbnd n wnt ol ovr ɖ bildñ lcñ fr Mr. Hoḷhn or Mr. Fitspatric. Ś cd fînd nɖr. Ś asct ɖ stywdz wz eni membr v ɖ Cmiti in ɖ hōl n, aftr a gret dīl v trubl, a stywd bròt ǎt a litl wmn nemd Mis Beirn t hūm Msz Cirni xplend ɖt ś wontd t si wn v ɖ secṛtriz. Mis Beirn xpctd ɖm eni minit n asct cd ś d enʈñ. Msz Cirni lct srćñli at ɖ oldiś fes ẃć wz scrùd intu an xpreśn v trustflnis n inʈyziazm n ansrd:

“No, ʈanc y!”

Ɖ litl wmn hopt ɖe wd hv a gd hǎs. Ś lct ǎt at ɖ ren untl ɖ meḷnc̣li v ɖ wet strīt ifest ol ɖ trustflnis n inʈyziazm fṛm hr twistd fīćrz. Ɖen ś gev a litl sai n sd:

“Ā, wel! W dd ǎr bst, ɖ dir nz.”

Msz Cirni hd t g bac t ɖ dresñrūm.

Ɖ artīsts wr arîvñ. Ɖ beis n ɖ secnd tenr hd olrdi cm. Ɖ beis, Mr. Dugn, wz a slendr yuñ man wɖ a scatrd blac mstaś. H wz ɖ sun v a hōlportr in an ofis in ɖ siti n, az a bô, h hd suñ pṛloñd beis nots in ɖ rzǎndñ hōl. Fṛm ɖs humbl stet h hd rezd himslf untl h hd bcm a frst-ret artīst. H hd apird in grand oṗra. Wn nît, ẃn an oṗratic artīst hd fōḷn il, h hd unḍtecn ɖ part v ɖ cñ in ɖ oṗra v Maritana at ɖ Qīn’z Ʈiytr. H sañ hiz ḿzic wɖ gret fīlñ n volym n wz wormli welcmd bî ɖ gaḷri; bt, unforćṇtli, h mard ɖ gd impreśn bî wîpñ hiz nǒz in hiz gluvd hand wns or twîs ǎt v ʈtlisnis. H wz un’symñ n spouc litl. H sd yuz so softli ɖt it pást uņotist n h nvr dranc enʈñ strongr ɖn milc fr hiz vôs’z sec. Mr. Bel, ɖ secnd tenr, wz a fer-herd litl man hu cmpitd evri yir fr prîzz at ɖ Feis Ceoil. On hiz forʈ trîl h hd bn awordd a bronz medl. H wz xtrimli nrṿs n xtrimli jeḷs v uɖr tenrz n h cuvrd hiz nrṿs jeḷsi wɖ an ibŭłnt frendlinis. It wz hiz hymr t hv ppl nǒ ẃt an ordīl a conṣt wz t him. Ɖrfr ẃn h sw Mr. Dugn h wnt ovr t him n asct:

“R y in it tù?”

“Yes,” sd Mr. Dugn.

Mr. Bel laft at hiz felo-sufrr, hld ǎt hiz hand n sd:

“Śec!”

Msz Cirni pást bî ɖz tū yuñ men n wnt t ɖ éj v ɖ scrīn t vy ɖ hǎs. Ɖ sīts wr biyñ fild p rapidli n a pleznt nôz srkletd in ɖ ōḍtorịm. Ś cem bac n spouc t hr huzbnd prîṿtli. Ɖer convseśn wz evidntli abt Caʈlīn fr ɖe bʈ glanst at hr ofn az ś std ćatñ t wn v hr Naśṇlist frendz, Mis Hīli, ɖ cntralto. An uņoun solitri wmn wɖ a pel fes wōct ʈru ɖ rūm. Ɖ wimin foloud wɖ cīn îz ɖ fedd blu dres ẃć wz strećt upn a mīgr bodi. Smwn sd ɖt ś wz Madm Glin, ɖ s’prāno.

“I wundr ẃr dd ɖe dig hr p,” sd Caʈlīn t Mis Hīli. “I’m śr I nvr hŕd v hr.”

Mis Hīli hd t smîl. Mr. Hoḷhn limt intu ɖ dresñrūm at ɖt momnt n ɖ tū yuñ lediz asct him hu wz ɖ uņoun wmn. Mr. Hoḷhn sd ɖt ś wz Madm Glin fṛm Lundn. Madm Glin tc hr stand in a cornr v ɖ rūm, holdñ a rol v ḿzic stifli bfr hr n fṛm tîm t tîm ćenjñ ɖ d’rex́n v hr startld gêz. Ɖ śado tc hr fedd dres intu śltr bt fél revengefully intu ɖ litl cup bhnd hr colrbon. Ɖ nôz v ɖ hōl bcem mor ōḍbl. Ɖ frst tenr n ɖ baṛton arîvd tgɖr. Ɖe wr bʈ wel drest, stǎt n cmplesnt n ɖe bròt a breʈ v opyḷns amñ ɖ cumṗni.

Msz Cirni bròt hr dōtr ovr t ɖm, n tōct t ɖm emịbli. Ś wontd t b on gd trmz wɖ ɖm bt, ẃl ś strouv t b p’lît, hr îz foloud Mr. Hoḷhn in hiz limpñ n dīvịs corsz. Az sn az ś cd ś xkzd hrslf n wnt ǎt aftr him.

“Mr. Hoḷhn, I wont t spīc t y fr a momnt,” ś sd.

Ɖe wnt dǎn t a dscrit part v ɖ coṛdor. Msz Cirni asct him ẃn wz hr dōtr gwñ t b peid. Mr. Hoḷhn sd ɖt Mr. Fitspatric hd ćarj v ɖt. Msz Cirni sd ɖt ś dd’nt nǒ enʈñ abt Mr. Fitspatric. Hr dōtr hd sînd a contract fr et giniz n ś wd hv t b peid. Mr. Hoḷhn sd ɖt it wz’nt hiz biznis.

“Ẃ z’nt it yr biznis?” asct Msz Cirni. “Dd’nt y yrslf brñ hr ɖ contract? Enwe, f it’s nt yr biznis it’s mî biznis n I mīn t si t it.”

“Y’d betr spīc t Mr. Fitspatric,” sd Mr. Hoḷhn distntli.

“I d’nt nǒ enʈñ abt Mr. Fitspatric,” rpitd Msz Cirni. “I hv mî contract, n I intnd t si ɖt it z carid ǎt.”

Ẃn ś cem bac t ɖ dresñrūm hr ćīcs wr slîtli s’fyzd. Ɖ rūm wz lîvli. Tū men in ǎtdor dres hd tecn pześn v ɖ fîrples n wr ćatñ fmiłrli wɖ Mis Hīli n ɖ baṛton. Ɖe wr ɖ Frīmn man n Mr. O’Madn Brc. Ɖ Frīmn man hd cm in t se ɖt h cd nt wêt fr ɖ conṣt az h hd t rport ɖ lecćr ẃć an Americn prīst wz gvñ in ɖ Manśnhǎs. H sd ɖe wr t līv ɖ rport fr him at ɖ Frīmn ofis n h wd si ɖt it wnt in. H wz a gre-herd man, wɖ a plōẓbl vôs n cerfl manrz. H hld an xtnḡśt sgar in hiz hand n ɖ aroma v sgar smoc flotd nir him. H hd nt intndd t ste a momnt bcz conṣts n artīsts bord him cnsidṛbli bt h rmend līnñ agnst ɖ mantlpìs. Mis Hīli std in frunt v him, tōcñ n lafñ. H wz old inuf t sspct wn rīzn fr hr p’lîtnis bt yuñ inuf in spirit t trn ɖ momnt t acǎnt. Ɖ wormʈ, fregṛns n culr v hr bodi apild t hiz snsz. H wz plezntli conśs ɖt ɖ bŭzm ẃć h sw rîz n fōl slǒli bnʈ him rouz n fél at ɖt momnt fr him, ɖt ɖ laftr n fregṛns n wilfl glansz wr hiz tribyt. Ẃn h cd ste no longr h tc līv v hr rgretf̣li.

“O’Madn Brc wl rait ɖ notis,” h xplend t Mr. Hoḷhn, “n I’l si it in.”

“Ʈanc y vri mć, Mr. Hendric,” sd Mr. Hoḷhn, “y’l si it in, I nǒ. Nǎ, w’nt y hv a litl smʈñ bfr y g?”

“I d’nt mînd,” sd Mr. Hendric.

Ɖ tū men wnt alñ sm torćs paṣjz n p a darc sterces n cem t a s’cludd rūm ẃr wn v ɖ stywdz wz uncorcñ botlz fr a fy jntlṃn. Wn v ɖz jntlṃn wz Mr. O’Madn Brc, hu hd faund ǎt ɖ rūm bî instñt. H wz a swāv, eldrli man hu baḷnst hiz impozñ bodi, ẃn at rest, upn a larj silc umbrela. Hiz magniḷqnt wstn nem wz ɖ moṛl umbrela upn ẃć h baḷnst ɖ fîn probḷm v hiz fnansz. H wz wîdli rspctd.

Ẃl Mr. Hoḷhn wz enttenñ ɖ Frīmn man Msz Cirni wz spīcñ so aṇmetidli t hr huzbnd ɖt h hd t asc hr t lowr hr vôs. Ɖ convseśn v ɖ uɖrz in ɖ dresñrūm hd bcm strend. Mr. Bel, ɖ frst îtm, std redi wɖ hiz ḿzic bt ɖ acumṗnist md no sîn. Evidntli smʈñ wz roñ. Mr. Cirni lct stret bfr him, strocñ hiz bird, ẃl Msz Cirni spouc intu Caʈlīn’z ir wɖ sbdyd emf̣sis. Fṛm ɖ hōl cem sǎndz v incurijmnt, clapñ n stampñ v fīt. Ɖ frst tenr n ɖ baṛton n Mis Hīli std tgɖr, wêtñ tranqli, bt Mr. Bel’z nrvz wr gretli ajtetd bcz h wz afreid ɖ ōdịns wd ʈnc ɖt h hd cm lêt.

Mr. Hoḷhn n Mr. O’Madn Brc cem intu ɖ rūm. In a momnt Mr. Hoḷhn psivd ɖ huś. H wnt ovr t Msz Cirni n spouc wɖ hr rṇstli. Ẃl ɖe wr spīcñ ɖ nôz in ɖ hōl grù lǎdr. Mr. Hoḷhn bcem vri red n xîtd. H spouc vołbli, bt Msz Cirni sd crtli at inṭvlz:

“Ś w’nt g on. Ś mst gt hr et giniz.”

Mr. Hoḷhn pôntd despṛtli twdz ɖ hōl ẃr ɖ ōdịns wz clapñ n stampñ. H apild t Mr. Cirni n t Caʈlīn. Bt Mr. Cirni cntinyd t stroc hiz bird n Caʈlīn lct dǎn, muvñ ɖ pônt v hr ny śu: it wz nt hr fōlt. Msz Cirni rpitd:

“Ś w’nt g on wɖt hr muni.”

Aftr a swift strugl v tuñz Mr. Hoḷhn hobld ǎt in hest. Ɖ rūm wz sîḷnt. Ẃn ɖ stren v ɖ sîḷns hd bcm smẃt penfl Mis Hīli sd t ɖ baṛton:

“Hv y sìn Msz Pat Cambl ɖs wīc?”

Ɖ baṛton hd nt sìn hr bt h hd bn tld ɖt ś wz vri fîn. Ɖ convseśn wnt no frɖr. Ɖ frst tenr bnt hiz hed n bgan t cǎnt ɖ lincs v ɖ gold ćen ẃć wz xtndd acrs hiz weist, smîlñ n humñ randm nots t obzrv ɖ ifct on ɖ fruntl sîṇs. Fṛm tîm t tîm evrwn glanst at Msz Cirni.

Ɖ nôz in ɖ ōḍtorịm hd rizn t a clamr ẃn Mr. Fitspatric brst intu ɖ rūm, foloud bî Mr. Hoḷhn, hu wz pantñ. Ɖ clapñ n stampñ in ɖ hōl wr puñćuetd bî ẃiṣlñ. Mr. Fitspatric hld a fy bancnots in hiz hand. H cǎntd ǎt for intu Msz Cirni’z hand n sd ś wd gt ɖ uɖr haf at ɖ inṭvl. Msz Cirni sd:

“Ɖs z for śilñz śort.”

Bt Caʈlīn gaɖrd in hr scrt n sd: “Nǎ, Mr. Bel,” t ɖ frst îtm, hu wz śecñ lîc an aspn. Ɖ sñr n ɖ acumṗnist wnt ǎt tgɖr. Ɖ nôz in ɖ hōl daid awe. Ɖr wz a pōz v a fy secndz: n ɖen ɖ piano wz hŕd.

Ɖ frst part v ɖ conṣt wz vri s’xesfl xpt fr Madm Glin’z îtm. Ɖ pur ledi sañ Cilarni in a bodilis gaspñ vôs, wɖ ol ɖ old-faśnd maṇrizmz v inṭneśn n pṛnunsieśn ẃć ś b’livd lent eligns t hr sññ. Ś lct az f ś hd bn reẓrectd fṛm an old stej-wordrob n ɖ ćīpr parts v ɖ hōl md fun v hr hî weilñ nots. Ɖ frst tenr n ɖ cntralto, hvr, bròt dǎn ɖ hǎs. Caʈlīn pleid a s’lex́n v Îriś erz ẃć wz jenṛsli aplōdd. Ɖ frst part clozd wɖ a stŕñ petriotic reṣteśn dlivrd bî a yuñ ledi hu arenjd aṃćr ʈiatriclz. It wz dzrvidli aplōdd; n, ẃn it wz endd, ɖ men wnt ǎt fr ɖ inṭvl, cntnt.

Ol ɖs tîm ɖ dresñrūm wz a hîv v xîtmnt. In wn cornr wr Mr. Hoḷhn, Mr. Fitspatric, Mis Beirn, tū v ɖ stywdz, ɖ baṛton, ɖ beis, n Mr. O’Madn Brc. Mr. O’Madn Brc sd it wz ɖ most scandḷs xbiśn h hd evr witnist. Mis Caʈlīn Cirni’z ḿzicl c’rir wz endd in Dublin aftr ɖt, h sd. Ɖ baṛton wz asct ẃt dd h ʈnc v Msz Cirni’z conduct. H dd nt lîc t se enʈñ. H hd bn peid hiz muni n wśt t b at pīs wɖ men. Hvr, h sd ɖt Msz Cirni mt hv tecn ɖ artīsts intu cnsiḍreśn. Ɖ stywdz n ɖ secṛtriz dbetd hotli az t ẃt śd b dn ẃn ɖ inṭvl cem.

“I agri wɖ Mis Beirn,” sd Mr. O’Madn Brc. “Pe hr nʈñ.”

In anɖr cornr v ɖ rūm wr Msz Cirni n hr huzbnd, Mr. Bel, Mis Hīli n ɖ yuñ ledi hu hd t rsît ɖ petriotic pìs. Msz Cirni sd ɖt ɖ Cmiti hd trītd hr scandḷsli. Ś hd sperd nɖr trubl nr xpns n ɖs wz hǎ ś wz rpeid.

Ɖe ʈt ɖe hd onli a grl t dīl wɖ n ɖt, ɖrfr, ɖe cd rîd ruf-śod ovr hr. Bt ś wd śo ɖm ɖer mstec. Ɖe wd’nt hv derd t hv trītd hr lîc ɖt f ś hd bn a man. Bt ś wd si ɖt hr dōtr got hr rîts: ś wd’nt b fūld. F ɖe dd’nt pe hr t ɖ last farɖñ ś wd mc Dublin rñ. V cors ś wz sori fr ɖ sec v ɖ artīsts. Bt ẃt els cd ś d? Ś apild t ɖ secnd tenr hu sd h ʈt ś hd nt bn wel trītd. Ɖen ś apild t Mis Hīli. Mis Hīli wontd t jôn ɖ uɖr grūp bt ś dd nt lîc t d so bcz ś wz a gret frend v Caʈlīn’z n ɖ Cirniz hd ofn invîtd hr t ɖer hǎs.

Az sn az ɖ frst part wz endd Mr. Fitspatric n Mr. Hoḷhn wnt ovr t Msz Cirni n tld hr ɖt ɖ uɖr for giniz wd b peid aftr ɖ Cmiti mītñ on ɖ folowñ Tyzde n ɖt, in ces hr dōtr dd nt ple fr ɖ secnd part, ɖ Cmiti wd cnsidr ɖ contract brocn n wd pe nʈñ.

“I hv’nt sìn eni Cmiti,” sd Msz Cirni angṛli. “Mî dōtr hz hr contract. Ś wl gt for pǎndz et intu hr hand or a ft ś w’nt pt on ɖt platform.”

“I’m s’prîzd at y, Msz Cirni,” sd Mr. Hoḷhn. “I nvr ʈt y wd trīt s ɖs we.”

“N ẃt we dd y trīt m?” asct Msz Cirni.

Hr fes wz inndetd wɖ an angri culr n ś lct az f ś wd atac smwn wɖ hr handz.

“I’m ascñ fr mî rîts.” ś sd.

“Y mt hv sm sns v dīsnsi,” sd Mr. Hoḷhn.

“Mt I, indd?… N ẃn I asc ẃn mî dōtr z gwñ t b peid I c’nt gt a sivl ansr.”

Ś tóst hr hed n asymd a hōti vôs:

“Y mst spīc t ɖ secṛtri. It’s nt mî biznis. I’m a gret felo fol-ɖ-didl-I-du.”

“I ʈt y wr a ledi,” sd Mr. Hoḷhn, wōcñ awe fṛm hr abrupli.

Aftr ɖt Msz Cirni’z conduct wz cndemd on ol handz: evrwn apruvd v ẃt ɖ Cmiti hd dn. Ś std at ɖ dor, haġd wɖ rej, argywñ wɖ hr huzbnd n dōtr, jstikletñ wɖ ɖm. Ś wêtd untl it wz tîm fr ɖ secnd part t bgin in ɖ hop ɖt ɖ secṛtriz wd aproć hr. Bt Mis Hīli hd cîndli cnsntd t ple wn or tū acumpnimnts. Msz Cirni hd t stand asd t alǎ ɖ baṛton n hiz acumṗnist t pas p t ɖ platform. Ś std stil fr an instnt lîc an angri ston imij n, ẃn ɖ frst nots v ɖ soñ struc hr ir, ś còt p hr dōtr’z clǒc n sd t hr huzbnd:

“Gt a cab!”

H wnt ǎt at wns. Msz Cirni rápt ɖ clǒc rnd hr dōtr n foloud him. Az ś pást ʈru ɖ dorwe ś stopt n glerd intu Mr. Hoḷhn’z fes.

“I’m nt dn wɖ y yt,” ś sd.

“Bt I’m dn wɖ y,” sd Mr. Hoḷhn.

Caʈlīn foloud hr muɖr mīcli. Mr. Hoḷhn bgan t pes p n dǎn ɖ rūm, in ordr t cūl himslf fr h flt hiz scin on fîr.

“Ɖt’s a nîs ledi!” h sd. “Ǒ, ś’z a nîs ledi!”

“Y dd ɖ propr ʈñ, Hoḷhn,” sd Mr. O’Madn Brc, pôzd upn hiz umbrela in apruvl.

♣

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“Ɖt’s betr nǎ, Mr. O’Conr.”

Mr. O’Conr, a gre-herd yuñ man, huz fes wz dsfigrd bî mni bloćz n pimplz, hd jst bròt ɖ tbaco fr a siġrét intu a śepli silindr bt ẃn spocn t h undid hiz handiwrc medittivli. Ɖen h bgan t rol ɖ tbaco agn medittivli n aftr a momnt’s ʈt dsîdd t lic ɖ pepr.

“Dd Mr. Tirni se ẃn h’d b bac?” h asct in a husci fōlseto.

“H dd’nt se.”

Mr. O’Conr pt hiz siġrét intu hiz mǎʈ n bgan t srć hiz pocits. H tc ǎt a pac v ʈin pestbord cardz.

“I’l gt y a mać,” sd ɖ old man.

“Nvr mînd, ɖs’l d,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

H s’lectd wn v ɖ cardz n réd ẃt wz printd on it:

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Mr. O’Conr hd bn ingejd bî Tirni’z ejnt t canvs wn part v ɖ word bt, az ɖ weɖr wz inclemnt n hiz būts let in ɖ wet, h spent a gret part v ɖ de sitñ bî ɖ fîr in ɖ Cmitirūm in Wiclo Strīt wɖ Jac, ɖ old certecr. Ɖe hd bn sitñ ɖus sins ɖ śort de hd groun darc. It wz ɖ sixʈ v Octobr, dizṃl n cold ǎt v dorz.

Mr. O’Conr tòr a strip of ɖ card n, lîtñ it, lit hiz siġrét. Az h dd so ɖ flem lit p a līf v darc glosi îvi in ɖ l’pél v hiz cot. Ɖ old man woćt him atntivli n ɖen, tecñ p ɖ pìs v cardbord agn, bgan t fan ɖ fîr slǒli ẃl hiz cmpańn smoct.

“Ā, yes,” h sd, cntinywñ, “it’s hard t nǒ ẃt we t brñ p ćildṛn. Nǎ hu’d ʈnc h’d trn ǎt lîc ɖt! I snt him t ɖ Crisćn Bruɖrz n I dn ẃt I cd fr him, n ɖr h gz būzñ abt. I traid t mc him smwe dīsnt.”

H rplest ɖ cardbord wiṛli.

“Onli I’m an old man nǎ I’d ćenj hiz tyn fr him. I’d tec ɖ stic t hiz bac n bìt him ẃl I cd stand ovr him—az I dn mni a tîm bfr. Ɖ muɖr, y nǒ, ś cocs him p wɖ ɖs n ɖt…”

“Ɖt’s ẃt ruinz ćildṛn,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“T b śr it z,” sd ɖ old man. “N litl ʈancs y gt fr it, onli impydns. H tecs ɖ’upr hand v m ẃnvr h siz I’v a sup tecn. Ẃt’s ɖ wrld cmñ t ẃn sunz spīcs ɖt we t ɖer faɖr?”

“Ẃt ej z h?” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Nîntīn,” sd ɖ old man.

“Ẃ d’nt y pt him t smʈñ?”

“Śr, amn’t I nvr dn at ɖ druncn bǎzi evr sins h left scūl? ‘I w’nt cīp y,’ I sz. ‘Y mst gt a job fr yrslf.’ Bt, śr, it’s wrs ẃnvr h gts a job; h drincs it ol.”

Mr. O’Conr śc hiz hed in simṗʈi, n ɖ old man fél sîḷnt, gezñ intu ɖ fîr. Smwn opnd ɖ dor v ɖ rūm n cōld ǎt:

“Hlo! Z ɖs a Frīmesnz’ mītñ?”

“Hu’z ɖt?” sd ɖ old man.

“Ẃt r y dwñ in ɖ darc?” asct a vôs.

“Z ɖt y, Hînz?” asct Mr. O’Conr.

“Yes. Ẃt r y dwñ in ɖ darc?” sd Mr. Hînz. advansñ intu ɖ lît v ɖ fîr.

H wz a tōl, slendr yuñ man wɖ a lît brǎn mstaś. Iminnt litl drops v ren huñ at ɖ brim v hiz hat n ɖ colr v hiz jacitcot wz trnd p.

“Wel, Mat,” h sd t Mr. O’Conr, “hǎ gz it?”

Mr. O’Conr śc hiz hed. Ɖ old man left ɖ harʈ n, aftr stumḅlñ abt ɖ rūm rtrnd wɖ tū candlstics ẃć h ʈrust wn aftr ɖ uɖr intu ɖ fîr n carid t ɖ tebl. A dńdd rūm cem intu vy n ɖ fîr lost ol its ćirfl culr. Ɖ wōlz v ɖ rūm wr bér xpt fr a copi v an ilex́n’dres. In ɖ midl v ɖ rūm wz a smōl tebl on ẃć peprz wr hīpt.

Mr. Hînz līnd agnst ɖ mantlpìs n asct:

“Hz h peid y yt?”

“Nt yt,” sd Mr. O’Conr. “I hop t God h’l nt līv s in ɖ lrć tnît.”

Mr. Hînz laft.

“Ǒ, h’l pe y. Nvr fir,” h sd.

“I hop h’l lc smart abt it f h mīnz biznis,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Ẃt d y ʈnc, Jac?” sd Mr. Hînz s’tiricli t ɖ old man.

Ɖ old man rtrnd t hiz sīt bî ɖ fîr, seyñ:

“It z’nt bt h hz it, enwe. Nt lîc ɖ uɖr tncr.”

“Ẃt uɖr tncr?” sd Mr. Hînz.

“Colgn,” sd ɖ old man scornf̣li.

“It z bcz Colgn’z a wrcñman y se ɖt? Ẃt’s ɖ difṛns btwn a gd onist bricleyr n a publicn—ê? Hz’nt ɖ wrcñman az gd a rît t b in ɖ Corṗreśn az enwn els—ai, n a betr rît ɖn ɖoz śnīnz ɖt r olwz hat in hand bfr eni felo wɖ a handl t hiz nem? Z’nt ɖt so, Mat?” sd Mr. Hînz, adresñ Mr. O’Conr.

“I ʈnc y’r rît,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Wn man z a plen onist man wɖ no huncrslîdñ abt him. H gz in t repriznt ɖ lebrclasz. Ɖs felo y’r wrcñ fr onli wonts t gt sm job or uɖr.”

“V cors, ɖ wrcñclasz śd b reprizntd,” sd ɖ old man.

“Ɖ wrcñman,” sd Mr. Hînz, “gts ol cics n no hepns. Bt it’s lebr pṛdysz evrʈñ. Ɖ wrcñman z nt lcñ fr fat jobz fr hiz sunz n nefyz n cuznz. Ɖ wrcñman z nt gwñ t drag ɖ onr v Dublin in ɖ mud t plīz a Jrmn moṇc.”

“Hǎ’z ɖt?” sd ɖ old man.

“D’nt y nǒ ɖe wont t priznt an adres v welcm t Edẉd Rex f h cmz hir nxt yir? Ẃt d w wont cǎ-tǎwñ t a foṛn cñ?”

“Ǎr man w’nt vot fr ɖ adres,” sd Mr. O’Conr. “H gz in on ɖ Naśṇlist ticit.”

“W’nt h?” sd Mr. Hînz. “Wêt tl y si ẃɖr h wl or nt. I nǒ him. Z it Trici Dici Tirni?”

“Bî God! phps y’r rît, Jo,” sd Mr. O’Conr. “Enwe, I wś h’d trn p wɖ ɖ spondylics.”

Ɖ ʈri men fél sîḷnt. Ɖ old man bgan t rêc mor sindrz tgɖr. Mr. Hînz tc of hiz hat, śc it n ɖen trnd dǎn ɖ colr v hiz cot, dspleyñ, az h dd so, an îvilīf in ɖ l’pél.

“F ɖs man wz alîv,” h sd, pôntñ t ɖ līf, “w’d hv no tōc v an adres v welcm.”

“Ɖt’s tru,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Muśa, God b wɖ ɖm tîmz!” sd ɖ old man. “Ɖr wz sm lîf in it ɖen.”

Ɖ rūm wz sîḷnt agn. Ɖen a buṣlñ litl man wɖ a snuf̣lñ nǒz n vri cold irz pśt in ɖ dor. H wōct ovr qcli t ɖ fîr, rubñ hiz handz az f h intndd t pṛdys a sparc fṛm ɖm.

“No muni, bôz,” h sd.

“Sit dǎn hir, Mr. Hnći,” sd ɖ old man, of̣rñ him hiz ćer.

“Ǒ, d’nt str, Jac, d’nt str,” sd Mr. Hnći.

H nodd crtli t Mr. Hînz n sat dǎn on ɖ ćer ẃć ɖ old man vcetd.

“Dd y srv Ōnjịr Strīt?” h asct Mr. O’Conr.

“Yes,” sd Mr. O’Conr, bginñ t srć hiz pocits fr meṃranda.

“Dd y cōl on Grîmz?”

“I dd.”

“Wel? Hǎ dz h stand?”

“H wd’nt promis. H sd: ‘I w’nt tel enwn ẃt we I’m gwñ t vot.’ Bt I ʈnc h’l b ol rît.”

“Ẃ so?”

“H asct m hu ɖ noṃnetrz wr; n I tld him. I mnśnd Faɖr Brc’s nem. I ʈnc it’l b ol rît.”

Mr. Hnći bgan t snufl n t rub hiz handz ovr ɖ fîr at a t’rific spīd. Ɖen h sd:

“Fr ɖ luv v God, Jac, brñ s a bit v col. Ɖr mst b sm left.”

Ɖ old man wnt ǎt v ɖ rūm.

“It’s no g,” sd Mr. Hnći, śecñ hiz hed. “I asct ɖ litl śūbô, bt h sd: ‘Ǒ, nǎ, Mr. Hnći, ẃn I si wrc gwñ on proprli I w’nt fget y, y me b śr.’ Mīn litl tncr! ’Uśa, hǎ cd h b enʈñ els?”

“Ẃt dd I tel y, Mat?” sd Mr. Hînz. “Trici Dici Tirni.”

“Ǒ, h’z az trici az ɖe mc ’m,” sd Mr. Hnći. “H hz’nt got ɖoz litl pigz’ îz fr nʈñ. Blast hiz soul! Cd’nt h pe p lîc a man instd v: ‘Ǒ, nǎ, Mr. Hnći, I mst spīc t Mr. Fanñ… I’v spent a lot v muni’? Mīn litl śūbô v hel! I s’poz h fgets ɖ tîm hiz litl old faɖr cept ɖ hand-m-dǎn śop in Mẹri’z Len.”

“Bt z ɖt a fact?” asct Mr. O’Conr.

“God, yes,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Dd y nvr hír ɖt? N ɖ men yst t g in on Súnde mornñ bfr ɖ hǎzz wr opn t bai a weistcot or a trǎzrz—moia! Bt Trici Dici’z litl old faɖr olwz hd a trici litl blac botl p in a cornr. D y mînd nǎ? Ɖt’s ɖt. Ɖt’s ẃr h frst sw ɖ lît.”

Ɖ old man rtrnd wɖ a fy lumps v col ẃć h plest hir n ɖr on ɖ fîr.

“Ɖt’s a nîs hǎ-d-y-du,” sd Mr. O’Conr. “Hǎ dz h xpct s t wrc fr him f h w’nt stump p?”

“I c’nt hlp it,” sd Mr. Hnći. “I xpct t fînd ɖ beilifs in ɖ hōl ẃn I g hom.”

Mr. Hînz laft n, śuvñ himslf awe fṛm ɖ mantlpìs wɖ ɖ ed v hiz śoldrz, md redi t līv.

“It’l b ol rît ẃn Cñ Édi cmz,” h sd. “Wel bôz, I’m of fr ɖ preznt. Si y lêtr. ’Bái, ’bái.”

H wnt ǎt v ɖ rūm slǒli. Nɖr Mr. Hnći nr ɖ old man sd enʈñ bt, jst az ɖ dor wz clozñ, Mr. O’Conr, hu hd bn stẹrñ mūḍli intu ɖ fîr, cōld ǎt sudnli:

“’Bái, Jo.”

Mr. Hnći wêtd a fy momnts n ɖen nodd in ɖ d’rex́n v ɖ dor.

“Tel m,” h sd acrs ɖ fîr, “ẃt brñz ǎr frend in hir? Ẃt dz h wont?”

“’Uśa, pur Jo!” sd Mr. O’Conr, ʈrowñ ɖ end v hiz siġrét intu ɖ fîr, “h’z hard p, lîc ɖ rest v s.”

Mr. Hnći snufld vigṛsli n spat so copịsli ɖt h nirli pt ǎt ɖ fîr, ẃć utrd a hisñ protest.

“T tel y mî prîṿt n candid opińn,” h sd, “I ʈnc h’z a man fṛm ɖ uɖr camp. H’z a spî v Colgn’z, f y asc m. Jst g rnd n trî n fînd ǎt hǎ ɖ’r gtñ on. Ɖe w’nt sspct y. D y twig?”

“Ā, pur Jo z a dīsnt scin,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Hiz faɖr wz a dīsnt rspctbl man,” Mr. Hnći admitd. “Pur old Lari Hînz! Mni a gd trn h dd in hiz de! Bt I’m gretli afreid ǎr frend z nt nîntīn caṛt. Dám it, I cn unḍstand a felo biyñ hard p, bt ẃt I c’nt unḍstand z a felo spunjñ. Cd’nt h hv sm sparc v manhd abt him?”

“H dz’nt gt a worm welcm fṛm m ẃn h cmz,” sd ɖ old man. “Let him wrc fr hiz ǒn sîd n nt cm spayñ arnd hir.”

“I d’nt nǒ,” sd Mr. O’Conr dybịsli, az h tc ǎt siġrétpeprz n tbaco. “I ʈnc Jo Hînz z a stret man. H’z a clevr ćap, tù, wɖ ɖ pén. D y rmembr ɖt ʈñ h rout…?”

“Sm v ɖz hilsîdrz n fīńnz r a bit tù clevr f y asc m,” sd Mr. Hnći. “D y nǒ ẃt mî prîṿt n candid opińn z abt sm v ɖoz litl jocrz? I b’liv haf v ɖm r in ɖ pe v ɖ Casl.”

“Ɖr’z no nwñ,” sd ɖ old man.

“Ǒ, bt I nǒ it fr a fact,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Ɖ’r Casl hacs… I d’nt se Hînz… No, dám it, I ʈnc h’z a stroc abv ɖt… Bt ɖr’z a srtn litl noblmn wɖ a coc-î—y nǒ ɖ petrịt I’m aludñ t?”

Mr. O’Conr nodd.

“Ɖr’z a lińl dsndnt v Mejr Sir fr y f y lîc! Ǒ, ɖ hart’s blud v a petrịt! Ɖt’s a felo nǎ ɖt’d sel hiz cuntri fr forpns—ai—n g dǎn on hiz bndd niz n ʈanc ɖ Olmîti Crîst h hd a cuntri t sel.”

Ɖr wz a noc at ɖ dor.

“Cm in!” sd Mr. Hnći.

A prsn rzmḅlñ a pur clrjimn or a pur actr apird in ɖ dorwe. Hiz blac cloɖz wr tîtli butnd on hiz śort bodi n it wz imposbl t se ẃɖr h wòr a clrjimn’z colr or a lêmn’z, bcz ɖ colr v hiz śabi froc̦ot, ɖ uncuvrd butnz v ẃć rflectd ɖ candļît, wz trnd p abt hiz nec. H wòr a rǎnd hat v hard blac flt. Hiz fes, śînñ wɖ rendrops, hd ɖ apiṛns v damp yelo ćīz sev ẃr tū rozi spots indcetd ɖ ćīcbonz. H opnd hiz vri loñ mǎʈ sudnli t xpres dis’pôntmnt n at ɖ sem tîm opnd wîd hiz vri brît blu îz t xpres pleźr n s’prîz.

“Ô Faɖr Cion!” sd Mr. Hnći, jumpñ p fṛm hiz ćer. “Z ɖt y? Cm in!”

“Ǒ, no, no, no!” sd Faɖr Cion qcli, prsñ hiz lips az f h wr adresñ a ćîld.

“W’nt y cm in n sit dǎn?”

“No, no, no!” sd Faɖr Cion, spīcñ in a dscrit induljnt vlṿti vôs. “D’nt let m dstrb y nǎ! I’m jst lcñ fr Mr. Fanñ…”

“H’z rnd at ɖ Blac Īgl,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Bt w’nt y cm in n sit dǎn a minit?”

“No, no, ʈanc y. It wz jst a litl biznis matr,” sd Faɖr Cion. “Ʈanc y, indd.”

H rtritd fṛm ɖ dorwe n Mr. Hnći, sizñ wn v ɖ candlstics, wnt t ɖ dor t lît him dǎnsterz.

“Ǒ, d’nt trubl, I beg!”

“No, bt ɖ sterz z so darc.”

“No, no, I cn si… Ʈanc y, indd.”

“R y rît nǎ?”

“Ol rît, ʈancs… Ʈancs.”

Mr. Hnći rtrnd wɖ ɖ candlstic n pt it on ɖ tebl. H sat dǎn agn at ɖ fîr. Ɖr wz sîḷns fr a fy momnts.

“Tel m, Jon,” sd Mr. O’Conr, lîtñ hiz siġrét wɖ anɖr pestbord card.

“Hm?”

“Ẃt h z xacli?”

“Asc m an īzịr wn,” sd Mr. Hnći.

“Fanñ n himslf sīm t m vri ʈic. Ɖ’r ofn in Caṿna’z tgɖr. Z h a prīst at ol?”

“M-, yes, I b’liv so… I ʈnc h’z ẃt y cōl a blac śīp. W hv’nt mni v ɖm, ʈanc God! bt w hv a fy… H’z an unforćṇt man v sm cnd…”

“N hǎ dz h noc it ǎt?” asct Mr. O’Conr.

“Ɖt’s anɖr misṭri.”

“Z h ataćt t eni ćapl or ćrć or insttyśn or——”

“No,” sd Mr. Hnći, “I ʈnc h’z traṿlñ on hiz ǒn acǎnt… God fgiv m,” h add, “I ʈt h wz ɖ duzn v stǎt.”

“Z ɖr eni ćans v a drinc itslf?” asct Mr. O’Conr.

“I’m drî tù,” sd ɖ old man.

“I asct ɖt litl śūbô ʈri tîmz,” sd Mr. Hnći, “wd h snd p a duzn v stǎt. I asct him agn nǎ, bt h wz līnñ on ɖ cǎntr in hiz śrtslīvz hvñ a dīp gostr wɖ Ōlḍmn Cǎli.”

“Ẃ dd’nt y rmînd him?” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Wel, I cd’nt g ovr ẃl h wz tōcñ t Ōlḍmn Cǎli. I jst wêtd tl I còt hiz î, n sd: ‘Abt ɖt litl matr I wz spīcñ t y abt…’ ‘Ɖt’l b ol rît, Mr. H.,’ h sd. Yera, śr ɖ litl hóp-o’-mî-ʈum hz fgotn ol abt it.”

“Ɖr’z sm dīl on in ɖt qortr,” sd Mr. O’Conr ʈtf̣li. “I sw ɖ ʈri v ɖm hard at it yesṭde at Suf̣c Strīt cornr.”

“I ʈnc I nǒ ɖ litl gem ɖ’r at,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Y mst o ɖ Siti Faɖrz muni nawdez f y wont t b md Lord Mẹr. Ɖen ɖ’l mc y Lord Mẹr. Bî God! I’m ʈncñ sirịsli v bcmñ a Siti Faɖr mslf. Ẃt d y ʈnc? Wd I d fr ɖ job?”

Mr. O’Conr laft.

“So far az owñ muni gz…”

“Drîvñ ǎt v ɖ Manśnhǎs,” sd Mr. Hnći, “in ol mî vrmin, wɖ Jac hir standñ p bhnd m in a pǎdrd wig—ê?”

“N mc m yr prîṿt secṛtri, Jon.”

“Yes. N I’l mc Faɖr Cion mî prîṿt ćaplin. W’l hv a faṃliparti.”

“Feʈ, Mr. Hnći,” sd ɖ old man, “y’d cīp p betr stîl ɖn sm v ɖm. I wz tōcñ wn de t old Cīgn, ɖ portr. ‘N hǎ d y lîc yr ny mastr, Pat?’ sz I t him. ‘Y hv’nt mć enttenñ nǎ,’ sz I. ‘Enttenñ!’ sz h. ‘H’d liv on ɖ smel v an ôlrag.’ N d y nǒ ẃt h tld m? Nǎ, I dcler t God I dd’nt b’liv him.”

“Ẃt?” sd Mr. Hnći n Mr. O’Conr.

“H tld m: ‘Ẃt d y ʈnc v a Lord Mẹr v Dublin sndñ ǎt fr a pǎnd v ćops fr hiz dinr? Hǎ’z ɖt fr hî livñ?’ sz h. ‘Wiśa! wiśa,’ sz I. ‘A pǎnd v ćops,’ sz h, ‘cmñ intu ɖ Manśnhǎs.’ ‘Wiśa!’ sz I, ‘ẃt cnd v ppl z gwñ at ol nǎ?’”

At ɖs pônt ɖr wz a noc at ɖ dor, n a bô pt in hiz hed.

“Ẃt z it?” sd ɖ old man.

“Fṛm ɖ Blac Īgl,” sd ɖ bô, wōcñ in sîdwez n dpoẓtñ a bascit on ɖ flor wɖ a nôz v śecn botlz.

Ɖ old man hlpt ɖ bô t transfr ɖ botlz fṛm ɖ bascit t ɖ tebl n cǎntd ɖ fl tali. Aftr ɖ transfr ɖ bô pt hiz bascit on hiz arm n asct:

“Eni botlz?”

“Ẃt botlz?” sd ɖ old man.

“W’nt y let s drinc ɖm frst?” sd Mr. Hnći.

“I wz tld t asc fr ɖ botlz.”

“Cm bac tmro,” sd ɖ old man.

“Hir, bô!” sd Mr. Hnći, “wl y run ovr t O’Faṛl’z n asc him t lend s a corcscru—fr Mr. Hnći, se. Tel him w w’nt cīp it a minit. Līv ɖ bascit ɖr.”

Ɖ bô wnt ǎt n Mr. Hnći bgan t rub hiz handz ćirf̣li, seyñ:

“Ā, wel, h’z nt so bad aftr ol. H’z az gd az hiz wrd, enhǎ.”

“Ɖr’z no tumblrz,” sd ɖ old man.

“Ǒ, d’nt let ɖt trubl y, Jac,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Mni’z ɖ gd man bfr nǎ dranc ǎt v ɖ botl.”

“Enwe, it’s betr ɖn nʈñ,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“H’z nt a bad sort,” sd Mr. Hnći, “onli Fanñ hz sć a loun v him. H mīnz wel, y nǒ, in hiz ǒn tinpot we.”

Ɖ bô cem bac wɖ ɖ corcscru. Ɖ old man opnd ʈri botlz n wz handñ bac ɖ corcscru ẃn Mr. Hnći sd t ɖ bô:

“Wd y lîc a drinc, bô?”

“F y plīz, sr,” sd ɖ bô.

Ɖ old man opnd anɖr botl grujñli, n handd it t ɖ bô.

“Ẃt ej r y?” h asct.

“Sevntīn,” sd ɖ bô.

Az ɖ old man sd nʈñ frɖr, ɖ bô tc ɖ botl n sd: “Hir’z mî bst rspcts, sr,” t Mr. Hnći, dranc ɖ contents, pt ɖ botl bac on ɖ tebl n wîpt hiz mǎʈ wɖ hiz slīv. Ɖen h tc p ɖ corcscru n wnt ǎt v ɖ dor sîdwez, muṭrñ sm form v sałteśn.

“Ɖt’s ɖ we it bginz,” sd ɖ old man.

“Ɖ ʈin éj v ɖ wéj,” sd Mr. Hnći.

Ɖ old man dstribytd ɖ ʈri botlz ẃć h hd opnd n ɖ men dranc fṛm ɖm simlteńsli. Aftr hvñ drunc ć plest hiz botl on ɖ mantlpìs wɖn hand’z rīć n drù in a loñ breʈ v saṭsfax́n.

“Wel, I dd a gd de’z wrc tde,” sd Mr. Hnći, aftr a pōz.

“Ɖt so, Jon?”

“Yes. I got him wn or tū śr ʈñz in Dōsn Strīt, Croftn n mslf. Btwn ǎrslvz, y nǒ, Croftn (h’z a dīsnt ćap, v cors), bt h’z nt wrʈ a dám az a canvsr. H hz’nt a wrd t ʈro t a dog. H standz n lcs at ɖ ppl ẃl I d ɖ tōcñ.”

Hir tū men entrd ɖ rūm. Wn v ɖm wz a vri fat man huz blu srj cloɖz sīmd t b in denjr v fōlñ fṛm hiz slǒpñ figr. H hd a big fes ẃć rzmbld a yuñ ox’z fes in xpreśn, stẹrñ blu îz n a grizld mstaś. Ɖ uɖr man, hu wz mć yungr n frelr, hd a ʈin, clīn-śevn fes. H wòr a vri hî dubl colr n a wîd-brimd bolrhat.

“Hlo, Croftn!” sd Mr. Hnći t ɖ fat man. “Tōc v ɖ devl…”

“Ẃr dd ɖ būz cm fṛm?” asct ɖ yuñ man. “Dd ɖ cǎ cav?”

“Ǒ, v cors, Láynz spots ɖ drinc frst ʈñ!” sd Mr. O’Conr, lafñ.

“Z ɖt ɖ we y ćaps canvs,” sd Mr. Láynz, “n Croftn n I ǎt in ɖ cold n ren lcñ fr vots?”

“Ẃ, blast yr soul,” sd Mr. Hnći, “I’d gt mor vots in fîv minits ɖn y tū’d gt in a wīc.”

“Opn tū botlz v stǎt, Jac,” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“Hǎ cn I?” sd ɖ old man, “ẃn ɖr’z no corcscru?”

“Wêt nǎ, wêt nǎ!” sd Mr. Hnći, gtñ p qcli. “Dd y evr si ɖs litl tric?”

H tc tū botlz fṛm ɖ tebl n, cariyñ ɖm t ɖ fîr, pt ɖm on ɖ hob. Ɖen h sat dǎn agn bî ɖ fîr n tc anɖr drinc fṛm hiz botl. Mr. Láynz sat on ɖ éj v ɖ tebl, pśt hiz hat twdz ɖ nep v hiz nec n bgan t swñ hiz legz.

“Ẃć z mî botl?” h asct.

“Ɖs lad,” sd Mr. Hnći.

Mr. Croftn sat dǎn on a box n lct fixidli at ɖ uɖr botl on ɖ hob. H wz sîḷnt fr tū rīznz. Ɖ frst rīzn, sfiśnt in itslf, wz ɖt h hd nʈñ t se; ɖ secnd rīzn wz ɖt h cnsidrd hiz cmpańnz bnʈ him. H hd bn a canvsr fr Wilcinz, ɖ Cnsrvtiv, bt ẃn ɖ Cnsrvtivz hd wɖdrwn ɖer man n, ćuzñ ɖ lsr v tū īvlz, gvn ɖer s’port t ɖ Naśṇlist canddet, h hd bn ingejd t wrc fr Mr. Tirni.

In a fy minits an apoḷjetic “Poc!” wz hŕd az ɖ corc flù ǎt v Mr. Láynz’ botl. Mr. Láynz jumt of ɖ tebl, wnt t ɖ fîr, tc hiz botl n carid it bac t ɖ tebl.

“I wz jst telñ ɖm, Croftn,” sd Mr. Hnći, “ɖt w got a gd fy vots tde.”

“Hu dd y gt?” asct Mr. Láynz.

“Wel, I got Pārcs fr wn, n I got Atcinsn fr tū, n got Word v Dōsn Strīt. Fîn old ćap h z, tù—reğlr old tof, old Cnsrvtiv! ‘Bt z’nt yr canddet a Naśṇlist?’ sd h. ‘H’z a rspctbl man,’ sd I. ‘H’z in fevr v ẃtvr wl beṇfit ɖs cuntri. H’z a big retpeyr,’ I sd. ‘H hz xtnsiv hǎsproṗti in ɖ siti n ʈri plesz v biznis n z’nt it t hiz ǒn advantij t cīp dǎn ɖ rets? H’z a prominnt n rspctd sitizn,’ sd I, ‘n a Purlw Gardịn, n h dz’nt b’loñ t eni parti, gd, bad, or indifṛnt.’ Ɖt’s ɖ we t tōc t ’m.”

“N ẃt abt ɖ adres t ɖ Cñ?” sd Mr. Láynz, aftr drincñ n smacñ hiz lips.

“Lisn t m,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Ẃt w wont in ɖs cuntri, az I sd t old Word, z capitl. Ɖ Cñ’z cmñ hir wl mīn an influx v muni intu ɖs cuntri. Ɖ sitiznz v Dublin wl beṇfit bî it. Lc at ol ɖ facṭriz dǎn bî ɖ cìz ɖr, îdl! Lc at ol ɖ muni ɖr z in ɖ cuntri f w onli wrct ɖ old inḍstriz, ɖ milz, ɖ śip-bildñ yardz n facṭriz. It’s capitl w wont.”

“Bt lc hir, Jon,” sd Mr. O’Conr. “Ẃ śd w welcm ɖ Cñ v Ñgḷnd? Dd’nt Parnel himslf…”

“Parnel,” sd Mr. Hnći, “z ded. Nǎ, hir’z ɖ we I lc at it. Hir’z ɖs ćap cm t ɖ ʈron aftr hiz old muɖr cīpñ him ǎt v it tl ɖ man wz gre. H’z a man v ɖ wrld, n h mīnz wel bî s. H’z a joli fîn dīsnt felo, f y asc m, n no dám nonsns abt him. H jst sz t himslf: ‘Ɖ old wn nvr wnt t si ɖz wîld Îriś. Bî Crîst, I’l g mslf n si ẃt ɖ’r lîc.’ N r w gwñ t insult ɖ man ẃn h cmz ovr hir on a frendli vizit? Ê? Z’nt ɖt rît, Croftn?”

Mr. Croftn nodd hiz hed.

“Bt aftr ol nǎ,” sd Mr. Láynz arğmnttivli, “Cñ Edẉd’z lîf, y nǒ, z nt ɖ vri…”

“Let bîgonz b bîgonz,” sd Mr. Hnći. “I admîr ɖ man prsṇli. H’z jst an ordnri noc’bt lîc y n m. H’z fond v hiz glas v grog n h’z a bit v a rêc, phps, n h’z a gd sportsmn. Dám it, c’nt w Îriś ple fer?”

“Ɖt’s ol vri fîn,” sd Mr. Láynz. “Bt lc at ɖ ces v Parnel nǎ.”

“In ɖ nem v God,” sd Mr. Hnći, “ẃr’z ɖ anaḷji btwn ɖ tū cesz?”

“Ẃt I mīn,” sd Mr. Láynz, “z w hv ǎr îdiylz. Ẃ, nǎ, wd w welcm a man lîc ɖt? D y ʈnc nǎ aftr ẃt h dd Parnel wz a fit man t līd s? N ẃ, ɖen, wd w d it fr Edẉd ɖ Sevnʈ?”

“Ɖs z Parnel’z aṇvrsri,” sd Mr. O’Conr, “n d’nt let s str p eni bad blud. W ol rspct him nǎ ɖt h’z ded n gn—īvn ɖ Cnsrvtivz,” h add, trnñ t Mr. Croftn.

Poc! Ɖ tardi corc flù ǎt v Mr. Croftn’z botl. Mr. Croftn got p fṛm hiz box n wnt t ɖ fîr. Az h rtrnd wɖ hiz capćr h sd in a dīp vôs:

“Ǎr sîd v ɖ hǎs rspcts him, bcz h wz a jntlmn.”

“Rît y r, Croftn!” sd Mr. Hnći firsli. “H wz ɖ onli man ɖt cd cīp ɖt bag v cats in ordr. ‘Dǎn, yi dogz! Lî dǎn, yi crz!’ Ɖt’s ɖ we h trītd ɖm. Cm in, Jo! Cm in!” h cōld ǎt, caćñ sît v Mr. Hînz in ɖ dorwe.

Mr. Hînz cem in slǒli.

“Opn anɖr botl v stǎt, Jac,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Ǒ, I fgot ɖr’z no corcscru! Hir, śo m wn hir n I’l pt it at ɖ fîr.”

Ɖ old man handd him anɖr botl n h plest it on ɖ hob.

“Sit dǎn, Jo,” sd Mr. O’Conr, “w’r jst tōcñ abt ɖ Ćīf.”

“Ai, ai!” sd Mr. Hnći.

Mr. Hînz sat on ɖ sîd v ɖ tebl nir Mr. Láynz bt sd nʈñ.

“Ɖr’z wn v ɖm, enhǎ,” sd Mr. Hnći, “ɖt dd’nt rneg him. Bî God, I’l se fr y, Jo! No, bî God, y stuc t him lîc a man!”

“Ǒ, Jo,” sd Mr. O’Conr sudnli. “Gv s ɖt ʈñ y rout—d y rmembr? Hv y got it on y?”

“Ǒ, ai!” sd Mr. Hnći. “Gv s ɖt. Dd y evr hír ɖt, Croftn? Lisn t ɖs nǎ: splendid ʈñ.”

“G on,” sd Mr. O’Conr. “Fîr awe, Jo.”

Mr. Hînz dd nt sīm t rmembr at wns ɖ pìs t ẃć ɖe wr aludñ bt, aftr rflectñ a ẃl, h sd:

“Ô, ɖt ʈñ z it… Śr, ɖt’s old nǎ.”

“Ǎt wɖ it, man!” sd Mr. O’Conr.

“’Ś, ’ś,” sd Mr. Hnći. “Nǎ, Jo!”

Mr. Hînz heztetd a litl longr. Ɖen amd ɖ sîḷns h tc of hiz hat, leid it on ɖ tebl n std p. H sīmd t b rhrsñ ɖ pìs in hiz mînd.
Aftr a rɖr loñ pōz h anǎnst:

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Poc! Ɖ corc flù ǎt v Mr. Hînz’ botl, bt Mr. Hînz rmend sitñ fluśt n bér-hedd on ɖ tebl. H dd nt sīm t hv hŕd ɖ invteśn.

“Gd man, Jo!” sd Mr. O’Conr, tecñ ǎt hiz siġrét peprz n pǎć ɖ betr t hîd hiz imośn.

“Ẃt d y ʈnc v ɖt, Croftn?” craid Mr. Hnći. “Z’nt ɖt fîn? Ẃt?”

Mr. Croftn sd ɖt it wz a vri fîn pìs v raitñ.

♣

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Litl Ćandlr’z ʈts evr sins lunćtîm hd bn v hiz mītñ wɖ Gaḷhr, v Gaḷhr’z invteśn n v ɖ gret siti Lundn ẃr Gaḷhr livd. H wz cōld Litl Ćandlr bcz, ɖo h wz bt slîtli undr ɖ aṿrij staćr, h gev wn ɖ îdīa v biyñ a litl man. Hiz handz wr ẃît n smōl, hiz frem wz frajîl, hiz vôs wz qayt n hiz manrz wr rfînd. H tc ɖ gretist cer v hiz fer silcn her n mstaś n yzd prfym dscritli on hiz hanc̣ćif. Ɖ haf-mūnz v hiz nêlz wr prfict n ẃn h smîld y còt a glims v a ro v ćîldiś ẃît tīʈ.

Az h sat at hiz desc in ɖ Cñ’z Ínz h ʈt ẃt ćenjz ɖoz et yirz hd bròt. Ɖ frend hūm h hd noun undr a śabi n nsesiṭs gîz hd bcm a briłnt figr on ɖ Lundn Pres. H trnd ofn fṛm hiz tîrsm raitñ t gêz ǎt v ɖ ofiswindo. Ɖ glo v a lêt ōtm súnset cuvrd ɖ gras plots n wōcs. It cast a śǎr v cîndli goldn dust on ɖ untîdi nrsz n dcrepit old men hu drǎzd on ɖ benćz; it flicrd upn ol ɖ muvñ figrz—on ɖ ćildṛn hu ran scrīmñ alñ ɖ gravl paɖz n on evrwn hu pást ʈru ɖ gardnz. H woćt ɖ sīn n ʈt v lîf; n (az olwz hapnd ẃn h ʈt v lîf) h bcem sad. A jntl meḷnc̣li tc pześn v him. H flt hǎ yslis it wz t strugl agnst fortyn, ɖs biyñ ɖ brdn v wizdm ẃć ɖ ejz hd bqiɖd t him.

H rmembrd ɖ bcs v powtri upn hiz ślvz at hom. H hd bòt ɖm in hiz bać̣lrdez n mni an īvnñ, az h sat in ɖ litl rūm of ɖ hōl, h hd bn tmtd t tec wn dǎn fṛm ɖ bcślf n rīd ǎt smʈñ t hiz wîf. Bt śînis hd olwz hld him bac; n so ɖ bcs hd rmend on ɖer ślvz. At tîmz h rpitd lînz t himslf n ɖs cnsold him.

Ẃn hiz aur hd struc h std p n tc līv v hiz desc n v hiz feloclarcs puñtiłsli. H imrjd fṛm undr ɖ fydl arć v ɖ Cñ’z Ínz, a nīt modist figr, n wōct swiftli dǎn Hnrieta Strīt. Ɖ goldn súnset wz wenñ n ɖ er hd groun śarp. A hord v grîmi ćildṛn popyletd ɖ strīt. Ɖe std or ran in ɖ rodwe or crōld p ɖ steps bfr ɖ gepñ dorz or sqotd lîc mîs upn ɖ ʈreśholdz. Litl Ćandlr gev ɖm no ʈt. H pict hiz we deftli ʈru ol ɖt mînyt vrmin-lîc lîf n undr ɖ śado v ɖ gōnt spectṛl manśnz in ẃć ɖ old nbiḷti v Dublin hd rôstrd. No meṃri v ɖ past tućt him, fr hiz mînd wz fl v a preznt jô.

H hd nvr bn in Corlis’z bt h ń ɖ valy v ɖ nem. H ń ɖt ppl wnt ɖr aftr ɖ ʈiytr t īt ôstrz n drinc licŕz; n h hd hŕd ɖt ɖ wêtrz ɖr spouc Frenć n Jrmn. Wōcñ swiftli bî at nît h hd sìn cabz drwn p bfr ɖ dor n rićli drest lediz, iscortd bî caṿlirz, alît n entr qcli. Ɖe wòr nôzi dresz n mni ráps. Ɖer fesz wr pǎdrd n ɖe còt p ɖer dresz, ẃn ɖe tućt rʈ, lîc alarmd Aṭlantaz. H hd olwz pást wɖt trnñ hiz hed t lc. It wz hiz habit t wōc swiftli in ɖ strīt īvn bî de n ẃnvr h faund himslf in ɖ siti lêt at nît h hurid on hiz we aprihnsivli n xîtidli. Smtmz, hvr, h cortd ɖ cōzz v hiz fir. H ćouz ɖ darcist n narǒist strīts n, az h wōct boldli fwd, ɖ sîḷns ɖt wz spred abt hiz ftsteps trubld him, ɖ wonḍrñ sîḷnt figrz trubld him; n at tîmz a sǎnd v lo fyɉtiv laftr md him trembl lîc a līf.

H trnd t ɖ rît twdz Cepl Strīt. Igneśs Gaḷhr on ɖ Lundn Pres! Hu wd hv ʈt it poṣbl et yirz bfr? Stl, nǎ ɖt h rvyd ɖ past, Litl Ćandlr cd rmembr mni sînz v fyćr gretnis in hiz frend. Ppl yst t se ɖt Igneśs Gaḷhr wz wîld. V cors, h dd mix wɖ a rêciś set v feloz at ɖt tîm, dranc frīli n boroud muni on ol sîdz. In ɖ end h hd got mixt p in sm śêdi afer, sm muni-trnzax́n: at līst, ɖt wz wn vrśn v hiz flît. Bt nbdi dnaid him taḷnt. Ɖr wz olwz a srtn … smʈñ in Igneśs Gaḷhr ɖt imprest y in spît v yrslf. Īvn ẃn h wz ǎt at elboz n at hiz wits’ end fr muni h cept p a bold fes. Litl Ćandlr rmembrd (n ɖ rmembṛns bròt a slît fluś v prîd t hiz ćīc) wn v Igneśs Gaḷhr’z seyñz ẃn h wz in a tît cornr:

“Haf tîm nǎ, bôz,” h yst t se lît-hartidli. “Ẃr’z mî cnsiḍrñ cap?”

Ɖt wz Igneśs Gaḷhr ol ǎt; n, dám it, y cd’nt bt admîr him fr it.

Litl Ćandlr qcnd hiz pes. Fr ɖ frst tîm in hiz lîf h flt himslf s’pirịr t ɖ ppl h pást. Fr ɖ frst tîm hiz soul rvoltd agnst ɖ dul ineligns v Cepl Strīt. Ɖr wz no dǎt abt it: f y wontd t s’xid y hd t g awe. Y cd d nʈñ in Dublin. Az h crost Gratn Brij h lct dǎn ɖ rivr twdz ɖ lowr cìz n pitid ɖ pur stuntd hǎzz. Ɖe sīmd t him a band v tramps, hudld tgɖr alñ ɖ rivrbancs, ɖer old cots cuvrd wɖ dust n st, styṗfaid bî ɖ paṇrama v súnset n wêtñ fr ɖ frst ćil v nît bid ɖm arîz, śec ɖmslvz n bgon. H wundrd ẃɖr h cd rait a powm t xpres hiz îdīa. Phps Gaḷhr mt b ebl t gt it intu sm Lundn pepr fr him. Cd h rait smʈñ orijinl? H wz nt śr ẃt îdīa h wśt t xpres bt ɖ ʈt ɖt a poetic momnt hd tućt him tc lîf wɖn him lîc an infiṇt hop. H stept onẉd brevli.

Evri step bròt him nirr t Lundn, farɖr fṛm hiz ǒn sobr inartistic lîf. A lît bgan t trembl on ɖ hrîzn v hiz mînd. H wz nt so old—ʈrti-tū. Hiz tmpṛmnt mt b sd t b jst at ɖ pônt v mtyṛti. Ɖr wr so mni difṛnt mūdz n impreśnz ɖt h wśt t xpres in vrs. H flt ɖm wɖn him. H traid t wei hiz soul t si f it wz a powt’s soul. Meḷnc̣li wz ɖ dominnt not v hiz tmpṛmnt, h ʈt, bt it wz a meḷnc̣li tmprd bî rcuṛnsz v feʈ n reẓgneśn n simpl jô. F h cd gv xpreśn t it in a bc v powmz phps men wd lisn. H wd nvr b popylr: h sw ɖt. H cd nt swe ɖ crǎd bt h mt apil t a litl srcl v cindṛd mîndz. Ɖ Ñgliś critics, phps, wd rec̣gnîz him az wn v ɖ Celtic scūl bî rīzn v ɖ meḷnc̣li ton v hiz powmz; bsdz ɖt, h wd pt in aluźnz. H bgan t invnt sntnsz n frezz fṛm ɖ notis ẃć hiz bc wd gt. “Mr. Ćandlr hz ɖ gift v īzi n gresfl vrs.” … “A wistfl sadnis pvedz ɖz powmz.” … “Ɖ Celtic not.” It wz a piti hiz nem wz nt mor Îriś-lcñ. Phps it wd b betr t insrt hiz muɖr’z nem bfr ɖ srnem: Toṃs Mlon Ćandlr, or betr stl: T. Mlon Ćandlr. H wd spīc t Gaḷhr abt it.

H psyd hiz reṿri so ardntli ɖt h pást hiz strīt n hd t trn bac. Az h cem nir Corlis’z hiz formr ajteśn bgan t oṿmastr him n h hōltd bfr ɖ dor in indisiźn. Fîṇli h opnd ɖ dor n entrd.

Ɖ lît n nôz v ɖ bar hld him at ɖ dorwez fr a fy momnts. H lct abt him, bt hiz sît wz cnfyzd bî ɖ śînñ v mni red n grīn wînglasz. Ɖ bar sīmd t him t b fl v ppl n h flt ɖt ɖ ppl wr obzrvñ him krịsli. H glanst qcli t rît n left (frǎnñ slîtli t mc hiz eṛnd apir sirịs), bt ẃn hiz sît clird a litl h sw ɖt nbdi hd trnd t lc at him: n ɖr, śr inuf, wz Igneśs Gaḷhr līnñ wɖ hiz bac agnst ɖ cǎntr n hiz fīt plantd far apart.

“Hlo, Tomi, old hiro, hir y r! Ẃt z it t b? Ẃt wl y hv? I’m tecñ ẃisci: betr stuf ɖn w gt acrs ɖ wōtr. Soda? Liʈia? No minṛl? I’m ɖ sem. Spôlz ɖ flevr… Hir, garçon, brñ s tū havz v mōlt ẃisci, lîc a gd felo… Wel, n hǎ hv y bn pŭlñ alñ sins I sw y last? Dir God, hǎ old w’r gtñ! D y si eni sînz v ejñ in m—ê, ẃt? A litl gre n ʈin on ɖ top—ẃt?”

Igneśs Gaḷhr tc of hiz hat n dspleid a larj closli cropt hed. Hiz fes wz hevi, pel n clīn-śevn. Hiz îz, ẃć wr v bluiś-slet culr, rlivd hiz unhelʈi palr n śon ǎt plenli abv ɖ vivid orinj tî h wòr. Btwn ɖz rîvl fīćrz ɖ lips apird vri loñ n śeplis n culrlis. H bnt hiz hed n flt wɖ tū simṗʈetic fngrz ɖ ʈin her at ɖ crǎn. Litl Ćandlr śc hiz hed az a dnayl. Igneśs Gaḷhr pt on hiz hat agn.

“It plz y dǎn,” h sd. “Preslîf. Olwz huri n scuri, lcñ fr copi n smtmz nt fîndñ it: n ɖen, olwz t hv smʈñ ny in yr stuf. Dám prūfs n printrz, I se, fr a fy dez. I’m dyst glad, I cn tel y, t gt bac t ɖ old cuntri. Dz a felo gd, a bit v a hoḷde. I fīl a tun betr sins I landd agn in dir drti Dublin… Hir y r, Tomi. Wōtr? Se ẃn.”

Litl Ćandlr alaud hiz ẃisci t b vri mć dlūtd.

“Y d’nt nǒ ẃt’s gd fr y, mî bô,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr. “I drinc mîn nīt.”

“I drinc vri litl az a rūl,” sd Litl Ćandlr moḍstli. “An od haf-wn or so ẃn I mīt eni v ɖ old crǎd: ɖt’s ol.”

“Ā, wel,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, ćirf̣li, “hir’z t s n t old tîmz n old aqentns.”

Ɖe clinct glasz n dranc ɖ tost.

“I met sm v ɖ old gañ tde,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr. “O’Hara sīmz t b in a bad we. Ẃt’s h dwñ?”

“Nʈñ,” sd Litl Ćandlr. “H’z gn t ɖ dogz.”

“Bt Hogn hz a gd sit, hz’nt h?”

“Yes; h’z in ɖ Land Cmiśn.”

“I met him wn nît in Lundn n h sīmd t b vri fluś… Pur O’Hara! Būz, I s’poz?”

“Uɖr ʈñz, tù,” sd Litl Ćandlr śortli.

Igneśs Gaḷhr laft.

“Tomi,” h sd, “I si y hv’nt ćenjd an atm. Y’r ɖ vri sem sirịs prsn ɖt yst t lecćr m on Súnde mornñz ẃn I hd a sor hed n a fŕ on mî tuñ. Y’d wont t noc abt a bit in ɖ wrld. Hv y nvr bn enẃr īvn fr a trip?”

“I’v bn t ɖ Îl v Man,” sd Litl Ćandlr.

Igneśs Gaḷhr laft.

“Ɖ Îl v Man!” h sd. “G t Lundn or Paris: Paris, fr ćôs. Ɖt’d d y gd.”

“Hv y sìn Paris?”

“I śd ʈnc I hv! I’v noct abt ɖr a litl.”

“N z it riyli so bytifl az ɖe se?” asct Litl Ćandlr.

H sipt a litl v hiz drinc ẃl Igneśs Gaḷhr finiśt hiz boldli.

“Bytifl?” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, pōzñ on ɖ wrd n on ɖ flevr v hiz drinc. “It’s nt so bytifl, y nǒ. V cors, it z bytifl… Bt it’s ɖ lîf v Paris; ɖt’s ɖ ʈñ. Ā, ɖr’z no siti lîc Paris fr geyti, muvmnt, xîtmnt…”

Litl Ćandlr finiśt hiz ẃisci n, aftr sm trubl, s’xidd in caćñ ɖ barmn’z î. H ordrd ɖ sem agn.

“I’v bn t ɖ Moulin Rouge,” Igneśs Gaḷhr cntinyd ẃn ɖ barmn hd rmuvd ɖer glasz, “n I’v bn t ol ɖ Bhīmịn cafez. Hot stuf! Nt fr a pays ćap lîc y, Tomi.”

Litl Ćandlr sd nʈñ untl ɖ barmn rtrnd wɖ tū glasz: ɖen h tućt hiz frend’z glas lîtli n rsipṛcetd ɖ formr tost. H wz bginñ t fīl smẃt disiluźnd. Gaḷhr’z axnt n we v xpresñ himslf dd nt plīz him. Ɖr wz smʈñ vulgr in hiz frend ẃć h hd nt obzrvd bfr. Bt phps it wz onli ɖ rzult v livñ in Lundn amd ɖ busl n comṗtiśn v ɖ Pres. Ɖ old prsnl ćarm wz stl ɖr undr ɖs ny gōdi manr. N, aftr ol, Gaḷhr hd livd, h hd sìn ɖ wrld. Litl Ćandlr lct at hiz frend envịsli.

“Evrʈñ in Paris z ge,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr. “Ɖe b’liv in injoyñ lîf—n d’nt y ʈnc ɖ’r rît? F y wont t injô yrslf proprli y mst g t Paris. N, mînd y, ɖ’v a gret fīlñ fr ɖ Îriś ɖr. Ẃn ɖe hŕd I wz fṛm Îrḷnd ɖe wr redi t īt m, man.”

Litl Ćandlr tc for or fîv sips fṛm hiz glas.

“Tel m,” h sd, “z it tru ɖt Paris z so … imoṛl az ɖe se?”

Igneśs Gaḷhr md a caʈ̇lic jsćr wɖ hiz rît arm.

“Evri ples z imoṛl,” h sd. “V cors y d fînd spîsi bits in Paris. G t wn v ɖ stydnts’ bōlz, fr instns. Ɖt’s lîvli, f y lîc, ẃn ɖ cocottes bgin t let ɖmslvz lūs. Y nǒ ẃt ɖe r, I s’poz?”

“I’v hŕd v ɖm,” sd Litl Ćandlr.

Igneśs Gaḷhr dranc of hiz ẃisci n śc hiz hed.

“Ā,” h sd, “y me se ẃt y lîc. Ɖr’z no wmn lîc ɖ P’rizien—fr stîl, fr go.”

“Ɖen it z an imoṛl siti,” sd Litl Ćandlr, wɖ timid insistns—“I mīn, cmperd wɖ Lundn or Dublin?”

“Lundn!” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr. “It’s six v wn n haf-a-duzn v ɖ uɖr. Y asc Hogn, mî bô. I śoud him a bit abt Lundn ẃn h wz ovr ɖr. H’d opn yr î… I se, Tomi, d’nt mc punć v ɖt ẃisci: lícr p.”

“No, riyli…”

“Ǒ, cm on, anɖr wn w’nt d y eni harm. Ẃt z it? Ɖ sem agn, I s’poz?”

“Wel … ol rît.”

“François, ɖ sem agn… Wl y smoc, Tomi?”

Igneśs Gaḷhr pṛdyst hiz sgarces. Ɖ tū frendz lit ɖer sgarz n puft at ɖm in sîḷns untl ɖer drincs wr srvd.

“I’l tel y mî opińn,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, imrjñ aftr sm tîm fṛm ɖ clǎdz v smoc in ẃć h hd tecn refyj, “it’s a rum wrld. Tōc v iṃraḷti! I’v hŕd v cesz—ẃt am I seyñ?—I’v noun ɖm: cesz v … iṃraḷti…”

Igneśs Gaḷhr puft ʈtf̣li at hiz sgar n ɖen, in a cām historịn’z ton, h pṛsidd t sceć fr hiz frend sm picćrz v ɖ c’rupśn ẃć wz rîf abrōd. H súṃrîzd ɖ vîsz v mni capitlz n sīmd inclînd t aword ɖ pām t Brlin. Sm ʈñz h cd nt vǎć fr (hiz frendz hd tld him), bt v uɖrz h hd hd prsnl xpirịns. H sperd nɖr ranc nr cást. H rvild mni v ɖ sīcrits v rlijs hǎzz on ɖ Continnt n dscrîbd sm v ɖ pracṭsz ẃć wr faśṇbl in hî ssayti n endd bî telñ, wɖ dītelz, a stori abt an Ñgliś dućis—a stori ẃć h ń t b tru. Litl Ćandlr wz astoniśt.

“Ā, wel,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, “hir w r in old jog-alñ Dublin ẃr nʈñ z noun v sć ʈñz.”

“Hǎ dul y mst fînd it,” sd Litl Ćandlr, “aftr ol ɖ uɖr plesz y’v sìn!”

“Wel,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, “it’s a rīlaxeśn t cm ovr hir, y nǒ. N, aftr ol, it’s ɖ old cuntri, az ɖe se, z’nt it? Y c’nt hlp hvñ a srtn fīlñ fr it. Ɖt’s hymn nećr… Bt tel m smʈñ abt yrslf. Hogn tld m y hd … testd ɖ jôz v cńbịl blis. Tū yirz ago, wz’nt it?”

Litl Ćandlr bluśt n smîld.

“Yes,” h sd. “I wz marid last Me twelv munʈs.”

“I hop it’s nt tù lêt in ɖ de t ofr mî bst wśz,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr. “I dd’nt nǒ yr adres or I’d hv dn so at ɖ tîm.”

H xtndd hiz hand, ẃć Litl Ćandlr tc.

“Wel, Tomi,” h sd, “I wś y n yrz evri jô in lîf, old ćap, n tunz v muni, n me y nvr dî tl I śūt y. N ɖt’s ɖ wś v a s’nsir frend, an old frend. Y nǒ ɖt?”

“I nǒ ɖt,” sd Litl Ćandlr.

“Eni yuñstrz?” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr.

Litl Ćandlr bluśt agn.

“W hv wn ćîld,” h sd.

“Sun or dōtr?”

“A litl bô.”

Igneśs Gaḷhr slapt hiz frend sonṛsli on ɖ bac.

“Brāvo,” h sd, “I wd’nt dǎt y, Tomi.”

Litl Ćandlr smîld, lct cnfyzidli at hiz glas n bit hiz lowr lip wɖ ʈri ćîldiśli ẃît frunt tīʈ.

“I hop y’l spend an īvnñ wɖ s,” h sd, “bfr y g bac. Mî wîf wl b dlîtd t mīt y. W cn hv a litl ḿzic n——”

“Ʈancs ōf̣li, old ćap,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, “I’m sori w dd’nt mīt rlịr. Bt I mst līv tmro nît.”

“Tnît, phps…?”

“I’m ōf̣li sori, old man. Y si I’m ovr hir wɖ anɖr felo, clevr yuñ ćap h z tù, n w arenjd t g t a litl cardparti. Onli fr ɖt…”

“Ǒ, in ɖt ces…”

“Bt hu nz?” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr cnsidṛtli. “Nxt yir I me tec a litl scip ovr hir nǎ ɖt I’v brocn ɖ îs. It’s onli a pleźr dfŕd.”

“Vri wel,” sd Litl Ćandlr, “ɖ nxt tîm y cm w mst hv an īvnñ tgɖr. Ɖt’s agrìd nǎ, z’nt it?”

“Yes, ɖt’s agrìd,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr. “Nxt yir f I cm, parole d’honneur.”

“N t clinć ɖ bargin,” sd Litl Ćandlr, “w’l jst hv wn mor nǎ.”

Igneśs Gaḷhr tc ǎt a larj gold woć n lct at it.

“Z it t b ɖ last?” h sd. “Bcz y nǒ, I hv an a.p.”

“Ǒ, yes, poztivli,” sd Litl Ćandlr.

“Vri wel, ɖen,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, “let s hv anɖr wn az a deoc an doruis—ɖt’s gd vnaklr fr a smōl ẃisci, I b’liv.”

Litl Ćandlr ordrd ɖ drincs. Ɖ bluś ẃć hd rizn t hiz fes a fy momnts bfr wz istabliśñ itslf. A trîfl md him bluś at eni tîm: n nǎ h flt worm n xîtd. Ʈri smōl ẃisciz hd gn t hiz hed n Gaḷhr’z stroñ sgar hd cnfyzd hiz mînd, fr h wz a delic̣t n absṭnnt prsn. Ɖ advnćr v mītñ Gaḷhr aftr et yirz, v fîndñ himslf wɖ Gaḷhr in Corlis’z srǎndd bî lîts n nôz, v liṣnñ t Gaḷhr’z storiz n v śẹrñ fr a brīf spes Gaḷhr’z vegṛnt n trîumfnt lîf, upset ɖ eqipôz v hiz snṣtiv nećr. H flt aktli ɖ contrast btwn hiz ǒn lîf n hiz frend’z n it sīmd t him unjust. Gaḷhr wz hiz infirịr in brʈ n edyceśn. H wz śr ɖt h cd d smʈñ betr ɖn hiz frend hd evr dn, or cd evr d, smʈñ hayr ɖn mir tōdri jrṇlizm f h onli got ɖ ćans. Ẃt wz it ɖt std in hiz we? Hiz unforćṇt tmidti! H wśt t vinḍcet himslf in sm we, t asrt hiz manhd. H sw bhnd Gaḷhr’z rfyzl v hiz invteśn. Gaḷhr wz onli patṛnîzñ him bî hiz frendlinis jst az h wz patṛnîzñ Îrḷnd bî hiz vizit.

Ɖ barmn bròt ɖer drincs. Litl Ćandlr pśt wn glas twdz hiz frend n tc p ɖ uɖr boldli.

“Hu nz?” h sd, az ɖe liftd ɖer glasz. “Ẃn y cm nxt yir I me hv ɖ pleźr v wśñ loñ lîf n hapinis t Mr. n Msz Igneśs Gaḷhr.”

Igneśs Gaḷhr in ɖ act v drincñ clozd wn î xpresivli ovr ɖ rim v hiz glas. Ẃn h hd drunc h smact hiz lips dsîsivli, set dǎn hiz glas n sd:

“No blūmñ fir v ɖt, mî bô. I’m gwñ t hv mî flñ frst n si a bit v lîf n ɖ wrld bfr I pt mî hed in ɖ sác—f I evr d.”

“Sm de y wl,” sd Litl Ćandlr cāmli.

Igneśs Gaḷhr trnd hiz orinj tî n slet-blu îz fl upn hiz frend.

“Y ʈnc so?” h sd.

“Y’l pt yr hed in ɖ sác,” rpitd Litl Ćandlr stǎtli, “lîc evrwn els f y cn fînd ɖ grl.”

H hd slîtli emf̣sîzd hiz ton n h wz awer ɖt h hd btreid himslf; bt, ɖo ɖ culr hd hîtnd in hiz ćīc, h dd nt flinć fṛm hiz frend’z gêz. Igneśs Gaḷhr woćt him fr a fy momnts n ɖen sd:

“F evr it ocŕz, y me bet yr botm dolr ɖr’l b no mùnñ n spūnñ abt it. I mīn t mari muni. Ś’l hv a gd fat acǎnt at ɖ banc or ś w’nt d fr m.”

Litl Ćandlr śc hiz hed.

“Ẃ, man alîv,” sd Igneśs Gaḷhr, viyṃntli, “d y nǒ ẃt it z? I’v onli t se ɖ wrd n tmro I cn hv ɖ wmn n ɖ caś. Y d’nt b’liv it? Wel, I nǒ it. Ɖr r hundṛdz—ẃt am I seyñ?—ʈǎzndz v rić Jrmnz n Juz, rotn wɖ muni, ɖt’d onli b tù glad… Y wêt a ẃl mî bô. Si f I d’nt ple mî cardz proprli. Ẃn I g abt a ʈñ I mīn biznis, I tel y. Y jst wêt.”

H tóst hiz glas t hiz mǎʈ, finiśt hiz drinc n laft lǎdli. Ɖen h lct ʈtf̣li bfr him n sd in a cāmr ton:

“Bt I’m in no huri. Ɖe cn wêt. I d’nt fansi tayñ mslf p t wn wmn, y nǒ.”

H iṃtetd wɖ hiz mǎʈ ɖ act v testñ n md a rai fes.

“Mst gt a bit stel, I śd ʈnc,” h sd.

“Hir. D’nt wecn him.”

A litl lamp wɖ a ẃît ćîna śêd std upn ɖ tebl n its lît fél ovr a foṭgraf ẃć wz inclozd in a frem v crumpld horn. It wz Ani’z foṭgraf. Litl Ćandlr lct at it, pōzñ at ɖ ʈin tît lips. Ś wòr ɖ pel blu sumrblǎz ẃć h hd bròt hr hom az a preznt wn Saṭde. It hd cost him ten n ilevnpns; bt ẃt an aġni v nrṿsnis it hd cost him! Hǎ h hd sufrd ɖt de, wêtñ at ɖ śopdor untl ɖ śop wz emti, standñ at ɖ cǎntr n trayñ t apir at hiz īz ẃl ɖ grl pîld lediz’ blǎzz bfr him, peyñ at ɖ desc n fgetñ t tec p ɖ od peni v hiz ćenj, biyñ cōld bac bî ɖ cśir, n fîṇli, strîvñ t hîd hiz bluśz az h left ɖ śop bî xaṃnñ ɖ parsl t si f it wz s’krli taid. Ẃn h bròt ɖ blǎz hom Ani cist him n sd it wz vri priti n stîliś; bt ẃn ś hŕd ɖ prîs ś ʈrù ɖ blǎz on ɖ tebl n sd it wz a reğlr swindl t ćarj ten n ilevnpns fr it. At frst ś wontd t tec it bac bt ẃn ś traid it on ś wz dlîtd wɖ it, ispeṣ́li wɖ ɖ mc v ɖ slīvz, n cist him n sd h wz vri gd t ʈnc v hr.

Hm!…

H lct coldli intu ɖ îz v ɖ foṭgraf n ɖe ansrd coldli. Srtnli ɖe wr priti n ɖ fes itslf wz priti. Bt h faund smʈñ mīn in it. Ẃ wz it so unconśs n ledilîc? Ɖ cmpoźr v ɖ îz iṛtetd him. Ɖe rpeld him n dfaid him: ɖr wz no paśn in ɖm, no rapćr. H ʈt v ẃt Gaḷhr hd sd abt rić Juesz. Ɖoz darc Orientl îz, h ʈt, hǎ fl ɖe r v paśn, v vlupćs loññ!… Ẃ hd h marid ɖ îz in ɖ foṭgraf?

H còt himslf p at ɖ qsćn n glanst nrṿsli rnd ɖ rūm. H faund smʈñ mīn in ɖ priti frnićr ẃć h hd bòt fr hiz hǎs on ɖ hîrsistm. Ani hd ćozn it hrslf n it rmîndd him v hr. It tù wz prim n priti. A dul rzntmnt agnst hiz lîf awouc wɖn him. Cd h nt iscep fṛm hiz litl hǎs? Wz it tù lêt fr him t trî t liv brevli lîc Gaḷhr? Cd h g t Lundn? Ɖr wz ɖ frnićr stl t b peid fr. F h cd onli rait a bc n gt it publiśt, ɖt mt opn ɖ we fr him.

A volym v Bîṛn’z powmz le bfr him on ɖ tebl. H opnd it cōśsli wɖ hiz left hand lest h śd wecn ɖ ćîld n bgan t rīd ɖ frst powm in ɖ bc:

H pōzd. H flt ɖ riɖm v ɖ vrs abt him in ɖ rūm. Hǎ meḷnc̣li it wz! Cd h, tù, rait lîc ɖt, xpres ɖ meḷnc̣li v hiz soul in vrs? Ɖr wr so mni ʈñz h wontd t dscrîb: hiz snseśn v a fy aurz bfr on Gratn Brij, fr xampl. F h cd gt bac agn intu ɖt mūd…

Ɖ ćîld awouc n bgan t crî. H trnd fṛm ɖ pej n traid t huś it: bt it wd nt b huśt. H bgan t roc it t n fro in hiz armz bt its weilñ crî grù cīnr. H roct it fastr ẃl hiz îz bgan t rīd ɖ secnd stanza:

Wɖn ɖs naro sél rclînz hr cle,

Ɖt cle ẃr wns…

It wz yslis. H cd’nt rīd. H cd’nt d enʈñ. Ɖ weilñ v ɖ ćîld pirst ɖ drum v hiz ir. It wz yslis, yslis! H wz a priznr fr lîf. Hiz armz trembld wɖ angr n sudnli bndñ t ɖ ćîld’z fes h śǎtd:

“Stop!”

Ɖ ćîld stopt fr an instnt, hd a spazm v frît n bgan t scrīm. H jumt p fṛm hiz ćer n wōct hesṭli p n dǎn ɖ rūm wɖ ɖ ćîld in hiz armz. It bgan t sob pitịsli, luzñ its breʈ fr for or fîv secndz, n ɖen brstñ ǎt any. Ɖ ʈin wōlz v ɖ rūm ecoud ɖ sǎnd. H traid t suɖ it bt it sobd mor cnvulsivli. H lct at ɖ cntractd n qiṿrñ fes v ɖ ćîld n bgan t b alarmd. H cǎntd sevn sobz wɖt a brec btwn ɖm n còt ɖ ćîld t hiz brest in frît. F it daid!…

Ɖ dor wz brst opn n a yuñ wmn ran in, pantñ.

“Ẃt z it? Ẃt z it?” ś craid.

Ɖ ćîld, hírñ its muɖr’z vôs, brouc ǎt intu a paṛxizm v sobñ.

“It’s nʈñ, Ani … it’s nʈñ… H bgan t crî…”

Ś fluñ hr parslz on ɖ flor n snaćt ɖ ćîld fṛm him.

“Ẃt hv y dn t him?” ś craid, glẹrñ intu hiz fes.

Litl Ćandlr sstend fr wn momnt ɖ gêz v hr îz n hiz hart clozd tgɖr az h met ɖ hetrid in ɖm. H bgan t stamr:

“It’s nʈñ… H … h bgan t crî… I cd’nt … I dd’nt d enʈñ… Ẃt?”

Gvñ no hīd t him ś bgan t wōc p n dǎn ɖ rūm, claspñ ɖ ćîld tîtli in hr armz n mrṃrñ:

“Mî litl man! Mî litl manī! Wz ’u frîtnd, luv?… Ɖr nǎ, luv! Ɖr nǎ!… Laṃbōn! M’mā’z litl lam v ɖ wrld!… Ɖr nǎ!”

Litl Ćandlr flt hiz ćīcs s’fyzd wɖ śem n h std bac ǎt v ɖ lamplît. H lisnd ẃl ɖ paṛxizm v ɖ ćîld’z sobñ grù les n les; n tirz v rmors startd t hiz îz.

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Aftr ɖt ɖe livd apart. Ś wnt t ɖ prīst n got a seṗreśn fṛm him wɖ cer v ɖ ćildṛn. Ś wd gv him nɖr muni nr fūd nr hǎsrūm; n so h wz oblîjd t inlist himslf az a śerif’s man. H wz a śabi stūpt litl drunc̣d wɖ a ẃît fes n a ẃît mstaś n ẃît îbrǎz, pnsld abv hiz litl îz, ẃć wr pnc-veind n rw; n ol de loñ h sat in ɖ beilif’s rūm, wêtñ t b pt on a job. Msz Mūni, hu hd tecn ẃt rmend v hr muni ǎt v ɖ bćrbiznis n set p a bōrdñhǎs in Hardwic Strīt, wz a big impozñ wmn. Hr hǎs hd a flotñ popyleśn md p v turists fṛm Liṿpul n ɖ Îl v Man n, oceźṇli, artīsts fṛm ɖ ḿzichōlz. Its rezidnt popyleśn wz md p v clarcs fṛm ɖ siti. Ś guvnd hr hǎs cunñli n frmli, ń ẃn t gv credit, ẃn t b strn n ẃn t let ʈñz pas. Ol ɖ rezidnt yuñ men spouc v hr az Ɖ Madm.

Msz Mūni’z yuñ men peid fiftīn śilñz a wīc fr bord n lojñz (bir or stǎt at dinr xcludd). Ɖe śerd in comn tests n okpeśnz n fr ɖs rīzn ɖe wr vri ćumi wɖ wn anɖr. Ɖe dscust wɖ wn anɖr ɖ ćansz v feṿrits n ǎtsîdrz. Jac Mūni, ɖ Madm’z sun, hu wz clarc t a cmiśn-ejnt in Flīt Strīt, hd ɖ repyteśn v biyñ a hard ces. H wz fond v yzñ soljrz’ obseṇtiz: yẓ́li h cem hom in ɖ smōl aurz. Ẃn h met hiz frendz h hd olwz a gd wn t tel ɖm n h wz olwz śr t b on t a gd ʈñ—ɖt z t se, a lîcli hors or a lîcli artīst. H wz olso handi wɖ ɖ mits n sañ comic soñz. On Súnde nîts ɖr wd ofn b a riyńn in Msz Mūni’z frunt drw̃rūm. Ɖ ḿzichōl artīsts wd oblîj; n Śeridn pleid wōltsz n polcas n vamt acumpnimnts. Poli Mūni, ɖ Madm’z dōtr, wd olso sñ. Ś sañ:

I’m a … nōti grl.

Y nīd’nt śam:

Y nǒ I am.

Poli wz a slim grl v nîntīn; ś hd lît soft her n a smōl fl mǎʈ. Hr îz, ẃć wr gre wɖ a śêd v grīn ʈru ɖm, hd a habit v glansñ upwdz ẃn ś spouc wɖ enwn, ẃć md hr lc lîc a litl pvrs mdona. Msz Mūni hd frst snt hr dōtr t b a tîpist in a cornfactr’z ofis bt, az a dsrepytbl śerif’s man yst t cm evri uɖr de t ɖ ofis, ascñ t b alaud t se a wrd t hiz dōtr, ś hd tecn hr dōtr hom agn n set hr t d hǎswrc. Az Poli wz vri lîvli ɖ intnśn wz t gv hr ɖ run v ɖ yuñ men. Bsdz, yuñ men lîc t fīl ɖt ɖr z a yuñ wmn nt vri far awe. Poli, v cors, flrtd wɖ ɖ yuñ men bt Msz Mūni, hu wz a śrūd juj, ń ɖt ɖ yuñ men wr onli pasñ ɖ tîm awe: nn v ɖm mnt biznis. Ʈñz wnt on so fr a loñ tîm n Msz Mūni bgan t ʈnc v sndñ Poli bac t tîpraitñ ẃn ś notist ɖt smʈñ wz gwñ on btwn Poli n wn v ɖ yuñ men. Ś woćt ɖ per n cept hr ǒn cǎnsl.

Poli ń ɖt ś wz biyñ woćt, bt stl hr muɖr’z psistnt sîḷns cd nt b misunḍstd. Ɖr hd bn no opn cmpliṣti btwn muɖr n dōtr, no opn unḍstandñ bt, ɖo ppl in ɖ hǎs bgan t tōc v ɖ afer, stl Msz Mūni dd nt inṭvin. Poli bgan t gro a litl strenj in hr manr n ɖ yuñ man wz evidntli ptrbd. At last, ẃn ś jujd it t b ɖ rît momnt, Msz Mūni inṭvind. Ś dlt wɖ moṛl probḷmz az a clīvr dīlz wɖ mìt: n in ɖs ces ś hd md p hr mînd.

It wz a brît Súnde mornñ v rli sumr, proṃsñ hīt, bt wɖ a freś brīz blowñ. Ol ɖ windoz v ɖ bōrdñhǎs wr opn n ɖ lês crtnz b’lūnd jntli twdz ɖ strīt bnʈ ɖ rezd saśz. Ɖ belfri v Jorj’z Ćrć snt ǎt constnt pìlz n wrśiprz, sngli or in grūps, tṛvrst ɖ litl src̣s bfr ɖ ćrć, rvilñ ɖer prṗs bî ɖer slf-cntend dminr no les ɖn bî ɖ litl volymz in ɖer gluvd handz. Brecfst wz ovr in ɖ bōrdñhǎs n ɖ tebl v ɖ brecfstrūm wz cuvrd wɖ plets on ẃć le yelo strīcs v egz wɖ morslz v bêcnfat n bêcnrînd. Msz Mūni sat in ɖ strw armćer n woćt ɖ srvnt Mẹri rmuv ɖ brecfstʈñz. Ś md Mẹri c’lect ɖ crusts n pìsz v brocn bred t hlp t mc Tyzde’z bred-pŭdñ. Ẃn ɖ tebl wz clird, ɖ brocn bred c’lectd, ɖ śŭgr n butr sef undr loc n ci, ś bgan t rīcnstruct ɖ inṭvy ẃć ś hd hd ɖ nît bfr wɖ Poli. Ʈñz wr az ś hd sspctd: ś hd bn franc in hr qsćnz n Poli hd bn franc in hr ansrz. Bʈ hd bn smẃt ōcẉd, v cors. Ś hd bn md ōcẉd bî hr nt wśñ t rsiv ɖ nyz in tù caṿlir a faśn or t sīm t hv cnîvd n Poli hd bn md ōcẉd nt mirli bcz aluźnz v ɖt cnd olwz md hr ōcẉd bt olso bcz ś dd nt wś it t b ʈt ɖt in hr wîz iṇsns ś hd dvînd ɖ intnśn bhnd hr muɖr’z tolṛns.

Msz Mūni glanst instñtivli at ɖ litl gílt cloc on ɖ mantlpìs az sn az ś hd bcm awer ʈru hr reṿri ɖt ɖ belz v Jorj’z Ćrć hd stopt rññ. It wz sevntīn minits past ilevn: ś wd hv lots v tîm t hv ɖ matr ǎt wɖ Mr. Doṛn n ɖen cać śort twelv at Marlḅra Strīt. Ś wz śr ś wd win. T bgin wɖ ś hd ol ɖ weit v sośl opińn on hr sîd: ś wz an ǎtrejd muɖr. Ś hd alaud him t liv bnʈ hr rūf, asymñ ɖt h wz a man v onr, n h hd simpli abyzd hr hosṗtaḷti. H wz ʈrti-for or ʈrti-fîv yirz v ej, so ɖt yʈ cd nt b plīdd az hiz xks; nr cd ignṛns b hiz xks sins h wz a man hu hd sìn smʈñ v ɖ wrld. H hd simpli tecn advantij v Poli’z yʈ n inixpirịns: ɖt wz evidnt. Ɖ qsćn wz: Ẃt reṗreśn wd h mc?

Ɖr mst b reṗreśn md in sć cesz. It z ol vri wel fr ɖ man: h cn g hiz wez az f nʈñ hd hapnd, hvñ hd hiz momnt v pleźr, bt ɖ grl hz t ber ɖ brunt. Sm muɖrz wd b cntnt t pać p sć an afer fr a sum v muni; ś hd noun cesz v it. Bt ś wd nt d so. Fr hr onli wn reṗreśn cd mc p fr ɖ los v hr dōtr’z onr: marij.

Ś cǎntd ol hr cardz agn bfr sndñ Mẹri p t Mr. Doṛn’z rūm t se ɖt ś wśt t spīc wɖ him. Ś flt śr ś wd win. H wz a sirịs yuñ man, nt rêciś or lǎd-vôst lîc ɖ uɖrz. F it hd bn Mr. Śeridn or Mr. Mìd or Bantm Láynz hr tasc wd hv bn mć hardr. Ś dd nt ʈnc h wd fes pbliṣti. Ol ɖ lojrz in ɖ hǎs ń smʈñ v ɖ afer; dītelz hd bn invntd bî sm. Bsdz, h hd bn imploid fr ʈrtīn yirz in a gret Caʈlic wînmrćnt’s ofis n pbliṣti wd mīn fr him, phps, ɖ los v hiz job. Ẃr-az f h agrìd ol mt b wel. Ś ń h hd a gd scru fr wn ʈñ n ś sspctd h hd a bit v stuf pt bî.

Nirli ɖ haf-aur! Ś std p n sveid hrslf in ɖ pírglas. Ɖ dsîsiv xpreśn v hr gret florid fes saṭsfaid hr n ś ʈt v sm muɖrz ś ń hu cd nt gt ɖer dōtrz of ɖer handz.

Mr. Doṛn wz vri añśs indd ɖs Súnde mornñ. H hd md tū atmts t śev bt hiz hand hd bn so unstedi ɖt h hd bn oblîjd t dzist. Ʈri dez’ rediś bird frinjd hiz jwz n evri tū or ʈri minits a mist gaɖrd on hiz glasz so ɖt h hd t tec ɖm of n poliś ɖm wɖ hiz pocit-hanc̣ćif. Ɖ rec̣lex́n v hiz cnfeśn v ɖ nît bfr wz a cōz v akt pen t him; ɖ prīst hd drwn ǎt evri r’dikyḷs dītel v ɖ afer n in ɖ end hd so magṇfaid hiz sin ɖt h wz olmst ʈancfl at biyñ afordd a lūphoul v reṗreśn. Ɖ harm wz dn. Ẃt cd h d nǎ bt mari hr or run awe? H cd nt brezn it ǎt. Ɖ afer wd b śr t b tōct v n hiz imployr wd b srtn t hír v it. Dublin z sć a smōl siti: evrwn nz evrwn els’z biznis. H flt hiz hart līp wormli in hiz ʈrot az h hŕd in hiz xîtd imaɉneśn old Mr. Leṇd cōlñ ǎt in hiz raspñ vôs: “Snd Mr. Doṛn hir, plīz.”

Ol hiz loñ yirz v srvis gn fr nʈñ! Ol hiz inḍstri n dilijns ʈroun awe! Az a yuñ man h hd sóun hiz wîld ots, v cors; h hd bostd v hiz fri-ʈncñ n dnaid ɖ xistns v God t hiz cmpańnz in publichǎzz. Bt ɖt wz ol pást n dn wɖ … nirli. H stl bòt a copi v Renldz’z Nyzpepr evri wīc bt h atndd t hiz rlijs dytiz n fr nîn-tnʈs v ɖ yir livd a reğlr lîf. H hd muni inuf t setl dǎn on; it wz nt ɖt. Bt ɖ faṃli wd lc dǎn on hr. Frst v ol ɖr wz hr dsrepytbl faɖr n ɖen hr muɖr’z bōrdñhǎs wz bginñ t gt a srtn fem. H hd a nośn ɖt h wz biyñ hd. H cd imajn hiz frendz tōcñ v ɖ afer n lafñ. Ś wz a litl vulgr; smtmz ś sd “I sìn” n “F I hd’v noun.” Bt ẃt wd gramr matr f h riyli luvd hr? H cd nt mc p hiz mînd ẃɖr t lîc hr or dspîz hr fr ẃt ś hd dn. V cors h hd dn it tù. Hiz instñt rjd him t rmen fri, nt t mari. Wns y r marid y r dn fr, it sd.

Ẃl h wz sitñ hlplisli on ɖ sîd v ɖ bed in śrt n trǎzrz ś tapt lîtli at hiz dor n entrd. Ś tld him ol, ɖt ś hd md a clīn brest v it t hr muɖr n ɖt hr muɖr wd spīc wɖ him ɖt mornñ. Ś craid n ʈrù hr armz rnd hiz nec, seyñ:

“O Bob! Bob! Ẃt am I t d? Ẃt am I t d at ol?”

Ś wd pt an end t hrslf, ś sd.

H cumf̣td hr fībli, telñ hr nt t crî, ɖt it wd b ol rît, nvr fir. H flt agnst hiz śrt ɖ ajteśn v hr bŭzm.

It wz nt oltgɖr hiz fōlt ɖt it hd hapnd. H rmembrd wel, wɖ ɖ krịs peśnt meṃri v ɖ seliḅt, ɖ frst caźl c’resz hr dres, hr breʈ, hr fngrz hd gvn him. Ɖen lêt wn nît az h wz undresñ fr bed ś hd tapt at hiz dor, timidli. Ś wontd t rīlît hr candl at hiz fr hrz hd bn bloun ǎt bî a gust. It wz hr baʈnît. Ś wòr a lūs opn comñjacit v printd flanl. Hr ẃît instep śon in ɖ oṗnñ v hr fŕi sliprz n ɖ blud gloud wormli bhnd hr prfymd scin. Fṛm hr handz n rists tù az ś lit n stedid hr candl a fent prfym arouz.

On nîts ẃn h cem in vri lêt it wz ś hu wormd p hiz dinr. H scersli ń ẃt h wz ītñ, fīlñ hr bsd him alon, at nît, in ɖ slīpñ hǎs. N hr ʈtflnis! F ɖ nît wz enwe cold or wet or windi ɖr wz śr t b a litl tumblr v punć redi fr him. Phps ɖe cd b hapi tgɖr…

Ɖe yst t g upsterz tgɖr on tipto, ć wɖ a candl, n on ɖ ʈrd landñ xćenj rluctnt gdnîts. Ɖe yst t cis. H rmembrd wel hr îz, ɖ tuć v hr hand n hiz dlirịm…

Bt dlirịm pasz. H ecoud hr frêz, aplayñ it t himslf: “Ẃt am I t d?” Ɖ instñt v ɖ seliḅt wornd him t hold bac. Bt ɖ sin wz ɖr; īvn hiz sns v onr tld him ɖt reṗreśn mst b md fr sć a sin.

Ẃl h wz sitñ wɖ hr on ɖ sîd v ɖ bed Mẹri cem t ɖ dor n sd ɖt ɖ mis wontd t si him in ɖ parlr. H std p t pt on hiz cot n weistcot, mor hlplis ɖn evr. Ẃn h wz drest h wnt ovr t hr t cumf̣t hr. It wd b ol rît, nvr fir. H left hr crayñ on ɖ bed n monñ softli: “O mî God!”

Gwñ dǎn ɖ sterz hiz glasz bcem so dimd wɖ môsćr ɖt h hd t tec ɖm of n poliś ɖm. H loñd t asnd ʈru ɖ rūf n flî awe t anɖr cuntri ẃr h wd nvr hír agn v hiz trubl, n yt a fors pśt him dǎnsterz step bî step. Ɖ implacbl fesz v hiz imployr n v ɖ Madm stérd upn hiz dscumfićr. On ɖ last flît v sterz h pást Jac Mūni hu wz cmñ p fṛm ɖ pantri nrsñ tū botlz v Bas. Ɖe s’lūtd coldli; n ɖ luvr’z îz restd fr a secnd or tū on a ʈic bldog fes n a per v ʈic śort armz. Ẃn h rīćt ɖ ft v ɖ sterces h glanst p n sw Jac rgardñ him fṛm ɖ dor v ɖ rtrnrūm.

Sudnli h rmembrd ɖ nît ẃn wn v ɖ ḿzichōl artīsts, a litl blond Lundnr, hd md a rɖr fri aluźn t Poli. Ɖ riyńn hd bn olmst brocn p on acǎnt v Jac’s vayḷns. Evrwn traid t qayt him. Ɖ ḿzichōl artīst, a litl pelr ɖn yźl, cept smîlñ n seyñ ɖt ɖr wz no harm mnt: bt Jac cept śǎtñ at him ɖt f eni felo traid ɖt sort v a gem on wɖ hiz sistr h’d bludi wel pt hiz tīʈ dǎn hiz ʈrot, so h wd.

Ś wêtd on peśntli, olmst ćirf̣li, wɖt alarm, hr meṃriz graɉli gvñ ples t hops n viźnz v ɖ fyćr. Hr hops n viźnz wr so intric̣t ɖt ś no longr sw ɖ ẃît piloz on ẃć hr gêz wz fixt or rmembrd ɖt ś wz wêtñ fr enʈñ.

At last ś hŕd hr muɖr cōlñ. Ś startd t hr fīt n ran t ɖ banistrz.

“Poli! Poli!”

“Yes, m’mā?”

“Cm dǎn, dir. Mr. Doṛn wonts t spīc t y.”

Ɖen ś rmembrd ẃt ś hd bn wêtñ fr.

♣

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Tū yuñ men cem dǎn ɖ hil v Rutḷnd Sqer. Wn v ɖm wz jst brññ a loñ moṇlog t a clos. Ɖ uɖr, hu wōct on ɖ vrj v ɖ paʈ n wz at tîmz oblîjd t step on t ɖ rod, owñ t hiz cmpańn’z rūdnis, wòr an aḿzd liṣnñ fes. H wz sqot n rudi. A yotñ cap wz śuvd far bac fṛm hiz fōrhed n ɖ naṛtiv t ẃć h lisnd md constnt wevz v xpreśn brec fʈ ovr hiz fes fṛm ɖ cornrz v hiz nǒz n îz n mǎʈ. Litl jets v ẃizñ laftr foloud wn anɖr ǎt v hiz cnvulst bodi. Hiz îz, twnc̣lñ wɖ cunñ injômnt, glanst at evri momnt twdz hiz cmpańn’z fes. Wns or twîs h ri’renjd ɖ lît wōtr-prūf ẃć h hd sluñ ovr wn śoldr in torịdorfaśn. Hiz brìćz, hiz ẃît rubr śuz n hiz jōnṭli sluñ wōtr-prūf xprest yʈ. Bt hiz figr fél intu r’tundti at ɖ weist, hiz her wz scant n gre n hiz fes, ẃn ɖ wevz v xpreśn hd pást ovr it, hd a ravijd lc.

Ẃn h wz qt śr ɖt ɖ naṛtiv hd endd h laft nôzlisli fr fŭli haf a minit. Ɖen h sd:

“Wel!… Ɖt tecs ɖ biscit!”

Hiz vôs sīmd winoud v vigr; n t infors hiz wrdz h add wɖ hymr:

“Ɖt tecs ɖ solitri, ynīc, n, f I me so cōl it, recherché biscit!”

H bcem sirịs n sîḷnt ẃn h hd sd ɖs. Hiz tuñ wz tîrd fr h hd bn tōcñ ol ɖ afṭnun in a publichǎs in Dorsit Strīt. Most ppl cnsidrd Leṇhn a līć bt, in spît v ɖs repyteśn, hiz adrôtnis n eḷqns hd olwz privntd hiz frendz fṛm formñ eni jenṛl poḷsi agnst him. H hd a brev manr v cmñ p t a parti v ɖm in a bar n v holdñ himslf nimbli at ɖ bordrz v ɖ cumṗni untl h wz includd in a rǎnd. H wz a sportñ vegṛnt armd wɖ a vast stoc v storiz, liṃrics n ridlz. H wz insnṣtiv t ol cndz v dscrṭsi. Nwn ń hǎ h aćivd ɖ strn tasc v livñ, bt hiz nem wz vegli asośietd wɖ rêsñtiśuz.

“N ẃr dd y pic hr p, Corli?” h asct.

Corli ran hiz tuñ swiftli alñ hiz upr lip.

“Wn nît, man,” h sd, “I wz gwñ alñ Dem Strīt n I spotd a fîn tart undr Wōtrhǎs’z cloc n sd gdnît, y nǒ. So w wnt fr a wōc rnd bî ɖ cnal n ś tld m ś wz a slevi in a hǎs in Baġt Strīt. I pt mî arm rnd hr n sqizd hr a bit ɖt nît. Ɖen nxt Súnde, man, I met hr bî apôntmnt. W wnt ǎt t Donibrŭc n I bròt hr intu a fīld ɖr. Ś tld m ś yst t g wɖ a dẹrimn… It wz fîn, man. Siġréts evri nît ś’d brñ m n peyñ ɖ tram ǎt n bac. N wn nît ś bròt m tū bludi fîn sgarz—Ǒ, ɖ riyl ćīz, y nǒ, ɖt ɖ old felo yst t smoc… I wz afreid, man, ś’d gt in ɖ faṃliwe. Bt ś’z p t ɖ doj.”

“Mbi ś ʈncs y’l mari hr,” sd Leṇhn.

“I tld hr I wz ǎt v a job,” sd Corli. “I tld hr I wz in Pim’z. Ś dz’nt nǒ mî nem. I wz tù hẹri t tel hr ɖt. Bt ś ʈncs I’m a bit v clas, y nǒ.”

Leṇhn laft agn, nôzlisli.

“V ol ɖ gd wnz evr I hŕd,” h sd, “ɖt imfaticli tecs ɖ biscit.”

Corli’z strîd acnolijd ɖ complimnt. Ɖ swñ v hiz brli bodi md hiz frend x’kt a fy lît skips fṛm ɖ paʈ t ɖ rodwe n bac agn. Corli wz ɖ sun v an inspctr v p’līs n h hd inheṛtd hiz faɖr’z frem n geit. H wōct wɖ hiz handz bî hiz sîdz, holdñ himslf irect n sweyñ hiz hed fṛm sîd t sîd. Hiz hed wz larj, globylr n ôli; it swetd in ol weɖrz; n hiz larj rǎnd hat, set upn it sîdwez, lct lîc a bulb ẃć hd groun ǎt v anɖr. H olwz stérd stret bfr him az f h wr on p’red n, ẃn h wśt t gêz aftr smwn in ɖ strīt, it wz nesṣri fr him t muv hiz bodi fṛm ɖ hips. At preznt h wz abt tǎn. Ẃnvr eni job wz vecnt a frend wz olwz redi t gv him ɖ hard wrd. H wz ofn t b sìn wōcñ wɖ p’līsṃn in plen cloɖz, tōcñ rṇstli. H ń ɖ inr sîd v ol aferz n wz fond v dliṿrñ fînl jujmnts. H spouc wɖt liṣnñ t ɖ spīć v hiz cmpańnz. Hiz convseśn wz mnli abt himslf: ẃt h hd sd t sć a prsn n ẃt sć a prsn hd sd t him n ẃt h hd sd t setl ɖ matr. Ẃn h rportd ɖz daylogz h asṗretd ɖ frst letr v hiz nem aftr ɖ manr v Floṛntînz.

Leṇhn ofrd hiz frend a siġrét. Az ɖ tū yuñ men wōct on ʈru ɖ crǎd Corli oceźṇli trnd t smîl at sm v ɖ pasñ grlz bt Leṇhn’z gêz wz fixt on ɖ larj fent mūn srcld wɖ a dubl helo. H woćt rṇstli ɖ pasñ v ɖ gre web v twîlît acrs its fes. At leñʈ h sd:

“Wel … tel m, Corli, I s’poz y’l b ebl t pl it of ol rît, ê?”

Corli clozd wn î xpresivli az an ansr.

“Z ś gem fr ɖt?” asct Leṇhn dybịsli. “Y cn nvr nǒ wimin.”

“Ś’z ol rît,” sd Corli. “I nǒ ɖ we t gt arnd hr, man. Ś’z a bit gn on m.”

“Y’r ẃt I cōl a ge L’ʈārio,” sd Leṇhn. “N ɖ propr cnd v a L’ʈārio, tù!”

A śêd v moc̣ri rlivd ɖ srviḷti v hiz manr. T sev himslf h hd ɖ habit v līvñ hiz flaṭri opn t ɖ intrpṛteśn v reḷri. Bt Corli hd nt a sutl mînd.

“Ɖr’z nʈñ t tuć a gd slevi,” h afrmd. “Tec mî tip fr it.”

“Bî wn hu hz traid ɖm ol,” sd Leṇhn.

“Frst I yst t g wɖ grlz, y nǒ,” sd Corli, unbŭẓmñ; “grlz of ɖ Sǎʈ Srklr. I yst t tec ɖm ǎt, man, on ɖ tram smẃr n pe ɖ tram or tec ɖm t a band or a ple at ɖ ʈiytr or bai ɖm ćocḷt n swīts or smʈñ ɖt we. I yst t spend muni on ɖm rît inuf,” h add, in a cnvinsñ ton, az f h wz conśs v biyñ disḅlivd.

Bt Leṇhn cd wel b’liv it; h nodd grevli.

“I nǒ ɖt gem,” h sd, “n it’s a mug’z gem.”

“N dám ɖ ʈñ I evr got ǎt v it,” sd Corli.

“Dito hir,” sd Leṇhn.

“Onli of v wn v ɖm,” sd Corli.

H môsnd hiz upr lip bî runñ hiz tuñ alñ it. Ɖ rec̣lex́n brîtnd hiz îz. H tù gezd at ɖ pel disc v ɖ mūn, nǎ nirli veild, n sīmd t meḍtet.

“Ś wz … a bit v ol rît,” h sd rgretf̣li.

H wz sîḷnt agn. Ɖen h add:

“Ś’z on ɖ trf nǎ. I sw hr drîvñ dǎn Rl Strīt wn nît wɖ tū feloz wɖ hr on a car.”

“I s’poz ɖt’s yr dwñ,” sd Leṇhn.

“Ɖr wz uɖrz at hr bfr m,” sd Corli fiḷsoficli.

Ɖs tîm Leṇhn wz inclînd t disḅliv. H śc hiz hed t n fro n smîld.

“Y nǒ y c’nt cid m, Corli,” h sd.

“Onist t God!” sd Corli. “Dd’nt ś tel m hrslf?”

Leṇhn md a trajic jsćr.

“Bes btreyr!” h sd.

Az ɖe pást alñ ɖ relñz v Triṇti Colij, Leṇhn scipt ǎt intu ɖ rod n pīrd p at ɖ cloc.

“Twenti aftr,” h sd.

“Tîm inuf,” sd Corli. “Ś’l b ɖr ol rît. I olwz let hr wêt a bit.”

Leṇhn laft qaytli.

“Icod! Corli, y nǒ hǎ t tec ɖm,” h sd.

“I’m p t ol ɖer litl trics,” Corli cnfest.

“Bt tel m,” sd Leṇhn agn, “r y śr y cn brñ it of ol rît? Y nǒ it’s a ticliś job. Ɖ’r dám clos on ɖt pônt. Ê?… Ẃt?”

Hiz brît, smōl îz srćt hiz cmpańn’z fes fr ri’śuṛns. Corli swuñ hiz hed t n fro az f t tos asd an insistnt insect, n hiz brǎz gaɖrd.

“I’l pl it of,” h sd. “Līv it t m, c’nt y?”

Leṇhn sd no mor. H dd nt wś t rufl hiz frend’z tmpr, t b snt t ɖ devl n tld ɖt hiz advîs wz nt wontd. A litl tact wz nesṣri. Bt Corli’z brǎ wz sn smuɖ agn. Hiz ʈts wr runñ anɖr we.

“Ś’z a fîn dīsnt tart,” h sd, wɖ aprīśieśn; “ɖt’s ẃt ś z.”

Ɖe wōct alñ Nasǎ Strīt n ɖen trnd intu Cilder Strīt. Nt far fṛm ɖ porć v ɖ club a harpist std in ɖ rodwe, pleyñ t a litl rñ v lisnrz. H pluct at ɖ wîrz hīdlisli, glansñ qcli fṛm tîm t tîm at ɖ fes v ć ny-cmr n fṛm tîm t tîm, wiṛli olso, at ɖ scî. Hiz harp, tù, hīdlis ɖt hr cuṿrñz hd fōḷn abt hr niz, sīmd wiri alîc v ɖ îz v strenjrz n v hr mastr’z handz. Wn hand pleid in ɖ beis ɖ meḷdi v Sîḷnt, Ô Môl, ẃl ɖ uɖr hand c’rird in ɖ trebl aftr ć grūp v nots. Ɖ nots v ɖ er sǎndd dīp n fl.

Ɖ tū yuñ men wōct p ɖ strīt wɖt spīcñ, ɖ mōrnfl ḿzic folowñ ɖm. Ẃn ɖe rīćt Stìvn’z Grīn ɖe crost ɖ rod. Hir ɖ nôz v tramz, ɖ lîts n ɖ crǎd rlist ɖm fṛm ɖer sîḷns.

“Ɖr ś z!” sd Corli.

At ɖ cornr v Hym Strīt a yuñ wmn wz standñ. Ś wòr a blu dres n a ẃît sêlr hat. Ś std on ɖ crbston, swññ a súnśêd in wn hand. Leṇhn grù lîvli.

“Let’s hv a lc at hr, Corli,” h sd.

Corli glanst sîdwez at hiz frend n an unpleznt grin apird on hiz fes.

“R y trayñ t gt insd m?” h asct.

“Dám it!” sd Leṇhn boldli, “I d’nt wont an intṛdux́n. Ol I wont z t hv a lc at hr. I’m nt gwñ t īt hr.”

“Ô… A lc at hr?” sd Corli, mor emịbli. “Wel … I’l tel y ẃt. I’l g ovr n tōc t hr n y cn pas bî.”

“Rît!” sd Leṇhn.

Corli hd olrdi ʈroun wn leg ovr ɖ ćenz ẃn Leṇhn cōld ǎt:

“N aftr? Ẃr wl w mīt?”

“Haf ten,” ansrd Corli, brññ ovr hiz uɖr leg.

“Ẃr?”

“Cornr v Merịn Strīt. W’l b cmñ bac.”

“Wrc it ol rît nǎ,” sd Leṇhn in férwel.

Corli dd nt ansr. H sōntrd acrs ɖ rod sweyñ hiz hed fṛm sîd t sîd. Hiz bulc, hiz īzi pes, n ɖ solid sǎnd v hiz būts hd smʈñ v ɖ concrr in ɖm. H aproćt ɖ yuñ wmn n, wɖt s’lūtñ, bgan at wns t cnvrs wɖ hr. Ś swuñ hr umbrela mor qcli n x’ktd haf trnz on hr hìlz. Wns or twîs ẃn h spouc t hr at clos qortrz ś laft n bnt hr hed.

Leṇhn obzrvd ɖm fr a fy minits. Ɖen h wōct rapidli alñ bsd ɖ ćenz at sm distns n crost ɖ rod oblicli. Az h aproćt Hym Strīt cornr h faund ɖ er heṿli séntd n hiz îz md a swift añśs scrūṭni v ɖ yuñ wmn’z apiṛns. Ś hd hr Súnde fîṇri on. Hr blu srj scrt wz hld at ɖ weist bî a blt v blac leɖr. Ɖ gret silvr bucl v hr blt sīmd t dpres ɖ sntr v hr bodi, caćñ ɖ lît stuf v hr ẃît blǎz lîc a clip. Ś wòr a śort blac jacit wɖ muɖr-v-prl butnz n a ragid blac boa. Ɖ endz v hr tyl coḷrét hd bn cerf̣li dsordrd n a big bunć v red flǎrz wz pind in hr bŭzm, stemz upwdz. Leṇhn’z îz notd apruvñli hr stǎt śort musklr bodi. Franc rūd hlʈ gloud in hr fes, on hr fat red ćīcs n in hr un’baśt blu îz. Hr fīćrz wr blunt. Ś hd brōd nostṛlz, a straġlñ mǎʈ ẃć le opn in a cntntd lir, n tū pṛjctñ frunt tīʈ. Az h pást Leṇhn tc of hiz cap n, aftr abt ten secndz, Corli rtrnd a s’lūt t ɖ er. Ɖs h dd bî rezñ hiz hand vegli n pnsivli ćenjñ ɖ angl v pziśn v hiz hat.

Leṇhn wōct az far az ɖ Śelbōrn Hotel ẃr h hōltd n wêtd. Aftr wêtñ fr a litl tîm h sw ɖm cmñ twdz him n, ẃn ɖe trnd t ɖ rît, h foloud ɖm, stepñ lîtli in hiz ẃît śuz, dǎn wn sîd v Merịn Sqer. Az h wōct on slǒli, tîmñ hiz pes t ɖerz, h woćt Corli’z hed ẃć trnd at evri momnt twdz ɖ yuñ wmn’z fes lîc a big bōl rvolvñ on a piṿt. H cept ɖ per in vy untl h hd sìn ɖm clîmñ ɖ sterz v ɖ Donibrŭc tram; ɖen h trnd abt n wnt bac ɖ we h hd cm.

Nǎ ɖt h wz alon hiz fes lct oldr. Hiz geyti sīmd t fsec him n, az h cem bî ɖ relñz v ɖ Dyc’s Lōn, h alaud hiz hand t run alñ ɖm. Ɖ er ẃć ɖ harpist hd pleid bgan t cntrol hiz muvmnts. Hiz softli padd fīt pleid ɖ meḷdi ẃl hiz fngrz swept a scel v verieśnz îdli alñ ɖ relñz aftr ć grūp v nots.

H wōct listlisli rnd Stìvn’z Grīn n ɖen dǎn Graftn Strīt. Ɖo hiz îz tc not v mni elimnts v ɖ crǎd ʈru ẃć h pást ɖe dd so mrosli. H faund trivịl ol ɖt wz mnt t ćarm him n dd nt ansr ɖ glansz ẃć invîtd him t b bold. H ń ɖt h wd hv t spīc a gret dīl, t invnt n t aḿz, n hiz bren n ʈrot wr tù drî fr sć a tasc. Ɖ probḷm v hǎ h cd pas ɖ aurz tl h met Corli agn trubld him a litl. H cd ʈnc v no we v pasñ ɖm bt t cīp on wōcñ. H trnd t ɖ left ẃn h cem t ɖ cornr v Rutḷnd Sqer n flt mor at īz in ɖ darc qayt strīt, ɖ sombr lc v ẃć sūtd hiz mūd. H pōzd at last bfr ɖ windo v a pur-lcñ śop ovr ẃć ɖ wrdz Rfreśmntbar wr printd in ẃît letrz. On ɖ glas v ɖ windo wr tū flayñ inscripśnz: Jinjrbir n Jinjr El. A cut ham wz xpozd on a gret blu diś ẃl nir it on a plet le a segmnt v vri lît plum pŭdñ. H aid ɖs fūd rṇstli fr sm tîm n ɖen, aftr glansñ weṛli p n dǎn ɖ strīt, wnt intu ɖ śop qcli.

H wz hungri fr, xpt sm biscits ẃć h hd asct tū grujñ kṛts t brñ him, h hd ītn nʈñ sins brecfsțîm. H sat dǎn at an uncuvrd wŭdn tebl oṗzit tū wrcgrlz n a mcanic. A slaṭnli grl wêtd on him.

“Hǎ mć z a plet v piz?” h asct.

“Ʈri hepns, sr,” sd ɖ grl.

“Brñ m a plet v piz,” h sd, “n a botl v jinjrbir.”

H spouc rufli in ordr t b’lî hiz er v jntiḷti fr hiz entri hd bn foloud bî a pōz v tōc. Hiz fes wz hītd. T apir naćṛl h pśt hiz cap bac on hiz hed n plantd hiz elboz on ɖ tebl. Ɖ mcanic n ɖ tū wrcgrlz xamind him pônt bî pônt bfr rzymñ ɖer convseśn in a sbdyd vôs. Ɖ grl bròt him a plet v grosr’z hot piz, sīznd wɖ pepr n viṇgr, a forc n hiz jinjrbir. H ét hiz fūd grīḍli n faund it so gd ɖt h md a not v ɖ śop mnṭli. Ẃn h hd ītn ol ɖ piz h sipt hiz jinjrbir n sat fr sm tîm ʈncñ v Corli’z advnćr. In hiz imaɉneśn h bheld ɖ per v luvrz wōcñ alñ sm darc rod; h hŕd Corli’z vôs in dīp eṇjetic gaḷntriz n sw agn ɖ lir v ɖ yuñ wmn’z mǎʈ. Ɖs viźn md him fīl cīnli hiz ǒn poṿti v prs n spirit. H wz tîrd v nocñ abt, v pŭlñ ɖ devl bî ɖ teil, v śifts n intrigz. H wd b ʈrti-wn in Nvmbr. Wd h nvr gt a gd job? Wd h nvr hv a hom v hiz ǒn? H ʈt hǎ pleznt it wd b t hv a worm fîr t sit bî n a gd dinr t sit dǎn t. H hd wōct ɖ strīts loñ inuf wɖ frendz n wɖ grlz. H ń ẃt ɖoz frendz wr wrʈ: h ń ɖ grlz tù. Xpirịns hd imbitrd hiz hart agnst ɖ wrld. Bt ol hop hd nt left him. H flt betr aftr hvñ ītn ɖn h hd flt bfr, les wiri v hiz lîf, les vanqiśt in spirit. H mt yt b ebl t setl dǎn in sm snug cornr n liv haṗli f h cd onli cm acrs sm gd simpl-mîndd grl wɖ a litl v ɖ redi.

H peid tupns heṗni t ɖ slaṭnli grl n wnt ǎt v ɖ śop t bgin hiz wonḍrñ agn. H wnt intu Cepl Strīt n wōct alñ twdz ɖ Siti Hōl. Ɖen h trnd intu Dem Strīt. At ɖ cornr v Jorj’z Strīt h met tū frendz v hiz n stopt t cnvrs wɖ ɖm. H wz glad ɖt h cd rest fṛm ol hiz wōcñ. Hiz frendz asct him hd h sìn Corli n ẃt wz ɖ lêtist. H rplaid ɖt h hd spent ɖ de wɖ Corli. Hiz frendz tōct vri litl. Ɖe lct vecntli aftr sm figrz in ɖ crǎd n smtmz md a criticl rmarc. Wn sd ɖt h hd sìn Mac an aur bfr in Wstmorḷnd Strīt. At ɖs Leṇhn sd ɖt h hd bn wɖ Mac ɖ nît bfr in Īgn’z. Ɖ yuñ man hu hd sìn Mac in Wstmorḷnd Strīt asct wz it tru ɖt Mac hd wún a bit ovr a biłdmać. Leṇhn dd nt nǒ: h sd ɖt Hoḷhn hd std ɖm drincs in Īgn’z.

H left hiz frendz at a qortr t ten n wnt p Jorj’z Strīt. H trnd t ɖ left at ɖ Siti Marcits n wōct on intu Graftn Strīt. Ɖ crǎd v grlz n yuñ men hd ʈind n on hiz we p ɖ strīt h hŕd mni grūps n cuplz bidñ wn anɖr gdnît. H wnt az far az ɖ cloc v ɖ Colij v Srjnz: it wz on ɖ stroc v ten. H set of briscli alñ ɖ norɖn sîd v ɖ Grīn huriyñ fr fir Corli śd rtrn tù sn. Ẃn h rīćt ɖ cornr v Merịn Strīt h tc hiz stand in ɖ śado v a lamp n bròt ǎt wn v ɖ siġréts ẃć h hd rzrvd n lit it. H līnd agnst ɖ lamp̓ost n cept hiz gêz fixt on ɖ part fṛm ẃć h xpctd t si Corli n ɖ yuñ wmn rtrn.

Hiz mînd bcem activ agn. H wundrd hd Corli manijd it s’xesf̣li. H wundrd f h hd asct hr yt or f h wd līv it t ɖ last. H sufrd ol ɖ pañz n ʈrilz v hiz frend’z sićueśn az wel az ɖoz v hiz ǒn. Bt ɖ meṃri v Corli’z slǒli rvolvñ hed cāmd him smẃt: h wz śr Corli wd pl it of ol rît. Ol at wns ɖ îdīa struc him ɖt phps Corli hd sìn hr hom bî anɖr we n gvn him ɖ slip. Hiz îz srćt ɖ strīt: ɖr wz no sîn v ɖm. Yt it wz śrli haf-an-aur sins h hd sìn ɖ cloc v ɖ Colij v Srjnz. Wd Corli d a ʈñ lîc ɖt? H lit hiz last siġrét n bgan t smoc it nrṿsli. H strend hiz îz az ć tram stopt at ɖ far cornr v ɖ sqer. Ɖe mst hv gn hom bî anɖr we. Ɖ pepr v hiz siġrét brouc n h fluñ it intu ɖ rod wɖ a crs.

Sudnli h sw ɖm cmñ twdz him. H startd wɖ dlît n, cīpñ clos t hiz lamp̓ost, traid t rīd ɖ rzult in ɖer wōc. Ɖe wr wōcñ qcli, ɖ yuñ wmn tecñ qc śort steps, ẃl Corli cept bsd hr wɖ hiz loñ strîd. Ɖe dd nt sīm t b spīcñ. An inṭmeśn v ɖ rzult prict him lîc ɖ pônt v a śarp instṛmnt. H ń Corli wd fel; h ń it wz no g.

Ɖe trnd dǎn Baġt Strīt n h foloud ɖm at wns, tecñ ɖ uɖr ftpaʈ. Ẃn ɖe stopt h stopt tù. Ɖe tōct fr a fy momnts n ɖen ɖ yuñ wmn wnt dǎn ɖ steps intu ɖ eria v a hǎs. Corli rmend standñ at ɖ éj v ɖ paʈ, a litl distns fṛm ɖ frunt steps. Sm minits pást. Ɖen ɖ hōldor wz opnd slǒli n cōśsli. A wmn cem runñ dǎn ɖ frunt steps n coft. Corli trnd n wnt twdz hr. Hiz brōd figr hid hrz fṛm vy fr a fy secndz n ɖen ś ri’pird runñ p ɖ steps. Ɖ dor clozd on hr n Corli bgan t wōc swiftli twdz Stìvn’z Grīn.

Leṇhn hurid on in ɖ sem d’rex́n. Sm drops v lît ren fél. H tc ɖm az a wornñ n, glansñ bac twdz ɖ hǎs ẃć ɖ yuñ wmn hd entrd t si ɖt h wz nt obzrvd, h ran īgrli acrs ɖ rod. Añzayti n hiz swift run md him pant. H cōld ǎt:

“Hlo, Corli!”

Corli trnd hiz hed t si hu hd cōld him, n ɖen cntinyd wōcñ az bfr. Leṇhn ran aftr him, seṭlñ ɖ wōtr-prūf on hiz śoldrz wɖ wn hand.

“Hlo, Corli!” h craid agn.

H cem levl wɖ hiz frend n lct cīnli in hiz fes. H cd si nʈñ ɖr.

“Wel?” h sd. “Dd it cm of?”

Ɖe hd rīćt ɖ cornr v Īli Ples. Stl wɖt anṣrñ, Corli swrvd t ɖ left n wnt p ɖ sîdstrīt. Hiz fīćrz wr cmpozd in strn cām. Leṇhn cept p wɖ hiz frend, briɖñ unīẓli. H wz bafld n a not v menis pirst ʈru hiz vôs.

“C’nt y tel s?” h sd. “Dd y trî hr?”

Corli hōltd at ɖ frst lamp n stérd grimli bfr him. Ɖen wɖ a grev jsćr h xtndd a hand twdz ɖ lît n, smîlñ, opnd it slǒli t ɖ gêz v hiz dsîpl. A smōl gold côn śon in ɖ pām.

♣

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