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“Snd Farñtn hir! ”Mis Parcr rtrnd t hr mśīn, seyñ t a man hu wz raitñ at a desc:

“Mr. Alein wonts y upsterz.”

Ɖ man mutrd “Blast him!” undr hiz breʈ n pśt bac hiz ćer t stand p. Ẃn h std p h wz tōl n v gret bulc. H hd a haññ fes, darc-wîn-culrd, wɖ fer îbrǎz n mstaś: hiz îz buljd fwd slîtli n ɖ ẃîts v ɖm wr drti. H liftd p ɖ cǎntr n, pasñ bî ɖ claynts, wnt ǎt v ɖ ofis wɖ a hevi step.

H wnt heṿli upsterz untl h cem t ɖ secnd landñ, ẃr a dor bòr a bras plet wɖ ɖ inscripśn Mr. Alein. Hir h hōltd, pufñ wɖ lebr n vxeśn, n noct. Ɖ śril vôs craid:

“Cm in!”

Ɖ man entrd Mr. Alein’z rūm. Simlteńsli Mr. Alein, a litl man wẹrñ gold-rimd glasz on a clīn-śevn fes, śot hiz hed p ovr a pîl v dokmnts. Ɖ hed itslf wz so pnc n herlis it sīmd lîc a larj eg rpozñ on ɖ peprz. Mr. Alein dd nt lūz a momnt:

“Farñtn? Ẃt z ɖ mīnñ v ɖs? Ẃ hv I olwz t cmplen v y? Me I asc y ẃ y hv’nt md a copi v ɖt contract btwn Bodli n Cirẉn? I tld y it mst b redi bî for o’cloc.”

“Bt Mr. Śeli sd, sr——”

“Mr. Śeli sd, sr… Cîndli atnd t ẃt I se n nt t ẃt Mr. Śeli sz, sr. Y hv olwz sm xks or anɖr fr śrcñ wrc. Let m tel y ɖt f ɖ contract z nt copid bfr ɖs īvnñ I’l le ɖ matr bfr Mr. Crozbi… D y hír m nǎ?”

“Yes, sr.”

“D y hír m nǎ?… Ai n anɖr litl matr! I mt az wel b tōcñ t ɖ wōl az tōcñ t y. Unḍstand wns fr ol ɖt y gt a haf an aur fr yr lunć n nt an aur n a haf. Hǎ mni corsz d y wont, I’d lîc t nǒ… D y mînd m, nǎ?”

“Yes, sr.”

Mr. Alein bnt hiz hed agn upn hiz pîl v peprz. Ɖ man stérd fixidli at ɖ poliśt scul ẃć d’rectd ɖ aferz v Crozbi & Alein, gejñ its fṛjiḷti. A spazm v rej gript hiz ʈrot fr a fy momnts n ɖen pást, līvñ aftr it a śarp snseśn v ʈrst. Ɖ man rec̣gnîzd ɖ snseśn n flt ɖt h mst hv a gd nît’s drincñ. Ɖ midl v ɖ munʈ wz pást n, f h cd gt ɖ copi dn in tîm, Mr. Alein mt gv him an ordr on ɖ cśir. H std stil, gezñ fixidli at ɖ hed upn ɖ pîl v peprz. Sudnli Mr. Alein bgan t upset ol ɖ peprz, srćñ fr smʈñ. Ɖen, az f h hd bn un’wer v ɖ man’z prezns tl ɖt momnt, h śot p hiz hed agn, seyñ:

“Ê? R y gwñ t stand ɖr ol de? Upn mî wrd, Farñtn, y tec ʈñz īzi!”

“I wz wêtñ t si…”

“Vri gd, y nīd’nt wêt t si. G dǎnsterz n d yr wrc.”

Ɖ man wōct heṿli twdz ɖ dor n, az h wnt ǎt v ɖ rūm, h hŕd Mr. Alein crî aftr him ɖt f ɖ contract wz nt copid bî īvnñ Mr. Crozbi wd hír v ɖ matr.

H rtrnd t hiz desc in ɖ lowr ofis n cǎntd ɖ śīts ẃć rmend t b copid. H tc p hiz pén n dipt it in ɖ ñc bt h cntinyd t stér styṗdli at ɖ last wrdz h hd ritn: In no ces śl ɖ sd Brṇd Bodli b… Ɖ īvnñ wz fōlñ n in a fy minits ɖe wd b lîtñ ɖ gas: ɖen h cd rait. H flt ɖt h mst slec ɖ ʈrst in hiz ʈrot. H std p fṛm hiz desc n, liftñ ɖ cǎntr az bfr, pást ǎt v ɖ ofis. Az h wz pasñ ǎt ɖ ćīf clarc lct at him inqîrñli.

“It’s ol rît, Mr. Śeli,” sd ɖ man, pôntñ wɖ hiz fngr t inḍcet ɖ objctiv v hiz jrni.

Ɖ ćīf clarc glanst at ɖ hatrac bt, siyñ ɖ ro cmplit, ofrd no rmarc. Az sn az h wz on ɖ landñ ɖ man pld a śeṗd’z pled cap ǎt v hiz pocit, pt it on hiz hed n ran qcli dǎn ɖ ric̣ti sterz. Fṛm ɖ strītdor h wōct on frtivli on ɖ inr sîd v ɖ paʈ twdz ɖ cornr n ol at wns dîvd intu a dorwe. H wz nǎ sef in ɖ darc snug v O’Nīl’z śop, n filñ p ɖ litl windo ɖt lct intu ɖ bar wɖ hiz inflemd fes, ɖ culr v darc wîn or darc mìt, h cōld ǎt:

“Hir, Pat, gv s a g.p., lîc a gd felo.”

Ɖ kṛt bròt him a glas v plen portr. Ɖ man dranc it at a gulp n asct fr a caṛwesīd. H pt hiz peni on ɖ cǎntr n, līvñ ɖ kṛt t grop fr it in ɖ glūm, rtritd ǎt v ɖ snug az frtivli az h hd entrd it.

Darcnis, acumṗnid bî a ʈic fog, wz genñ upn ɖ dusc v Febrri n ɖ lamps in Ysṭs Strīt hd bn lit. Ɖ man wnt p bî ɖ hǎzz untl h rīćt ɖ dor v ɖ ofis, wunḍrñ ẃɖr h cd finiś hiz copi in tîm. On ɖ sterz a môst punjnt ǒdr v prfymz s’lūtd hiz nǒz: evidntli Mis Deḷcŕ hd cm ẃl h wz ǎt in O’Nīl’z. H cramd hiz cap bac agn intu hiz pocit n ri-entrd ɖ ofis, asymñ an er v absnt-mîndidnis.

“Mr. Alein hz bn cōlñ fr y,” sd ɖ ćīf clarc svirli. “Ẃr wr y?”

Ɖ man glanst at ɖ tū claynts hu wr standñ at ɖ cǎntr az f t inṭmet ɖt ɖer prezns privntd him fṛm anṣrñ. Az ɖ claynts wr bʈ mel ɖ ćīf clarc alaud himslf a laf.

“I nǒ ɖt gem,” h sd. “Fîv tîmz in wn de z a litl bit… Wel, y betr lc śarp n gt a copi v ǎr corispondns in ɖ Deḷcŕ ces fr Mr. Alein.”

Ɖs adres in ɖ prezns v ɖ public, hiz run upsterz n ɖ portr h hd gulpt dǎn so hesṭli cnfyzd ɖ man n, az h sat dǎn at hiz desc t gt ẃt wz rqîrd, h riylîzd hǎ hoplis wz ɖ tasc v fiṇśñ hiz copi v ɖ contract bfr haf past fîv. Ɖ darc damp nît wz cmñ n h loñd t spend it in ɖ barz, drincñ wɖ hiz frendz amd ɖ gler v gas n ɖ clatr v glasz. H got ǎt ɖ Deḷcŕ corispondns n pást ǎt v ɖ ofis. H hopt Mr. Alein wd nt dscuvr ɖt ɖ last tū letrz wr misñ.

Ɖ môst punjnt prfym le ol ɖ we p t Mr. Alein’z rūm. Mis Deḷcŕ wz a midl-ejd wmn v Juiś apiṛns. Mr. Alein wz sd t b swīt on hr or on hr muni. Ś cem t ɖ ofis ofn n steid a loñ tîm ẃn ś cem. Ś wz sitñ bsd hiz desc nǎ in an aroma v prfymz, smuɖñ ɖ handl v hr umbrela n nodñ ɖ gret blac feɖr in hr hat. Mr. Alein hd swivld hiz ćer rnd t fes hr n ʈroun hiz rît ft jōnṭli upn hiz left ni. Ɖ man pt ɖ corispondns on ɖ desc n baud rspctf̣li bt nɖr Mr. Alein nr Mis Deḷcŕ tc eni notis v hiz bǎ. Mr. Alein tapt a fngr on ɖ corispondns n ɖen flict it twdz him az f t se: “Ɖt’s ol rît: y cn g.”

Ɖ man rtrnd t ɖ lowr ofis n sat dǎn agn at hiz desc. H stérd intntli at ɖ incmplit frêz: In no ces śl ɖ sd Brṇd Bodli b … n ʈt hǎ strenj it wz ɖt ɖ last ʈri wrdz bgan wɖ ɖ sem letr. Ɖ ćīf clarc bgan t huri Mis Parcr, seyñ ś wd nvr hv ɖ letrz tîpt in tîm fr post. Ɖ man lisnd t ɖ clicñ v ɖ mśīn fr a fy minits n ɖen set t wrc t finiś hiz copi. Bt hiz hed wz nt clir n hiz mînd wondrd awe t ɖ gler n ratl v ɖ publichǎs. It wz a nît fr hot punćz. H strugld on wɖ hiz copi, bt ẃn ɖ cloc struc fîv h hd stl fortīn pejz t rait. Blast it! H cd’nt finiś it in tîm. H loñd t x’cret alǎd, t brñ hiz fist dǎn on smʈñ vayḷntli. H wz so inrejd ɖt h rout Brṇd Brṇd instd v Brṇd Bodli n hd t bgin agn on a clīn śīt.

H flt stroñ inuf t clir ǎt ɖ hol ofis sngl-handd. Hiz bodi ect t d smʈñ, t ruś ǎt n revl in vayḷns. Ol ɖ indigṇtiz v hiz lîf inrejd him… Cd h asc ɖ cśir prîṿtli fr an advans? No, ɖ cśir wz no gd, no dám gd: h wd’nt gv an advans… H ń ẃr h wd mīt ɖ bôz: Leṇd n O’Haḷṛn n Nozi Flin. Ɖ b’romitr v hiz imośnl nećr wz set fr a spel v rayt.

Hiz imaɉneśn hd so abstractd him ɖt hiz nem wz cōld twîs bfr h ansrd. Mr. Alein n Mis Deḷcŕ wr standñ ǎtsd ɖ cǎntr n ol ɖ clarcs hd trnd rnd in antiṣpeśn v smʈñ. Ɖ man got p fṛm hiz desc. Mr. Alein bgan a tîred v abys, seyñ ɖt tū letrz wr misñ. Ɖ man ansrd ɖt h ń nʈñ abt ɖm, ɖt h hd md a feʈfl copi. Ɖ tîred cntinyd: it wz so bitr n vayḷnt ɖt ɖ man cd hardli rstren hiz fist fṛm dsndñ upn ɖ hed v ɖ maṇcin bfr him:

“I nǒ nʈñ abt eni uɖr tū letrz,” h sd styṗdli.

“Y—nǒ—nʈñ. V cors y nǒ nʈñ,” sd Mr. Alein. “Tel m,” h add, glansñ frst fr apruvl t ɖ ledi bsd him, “d y tec m fr a fūl? D y ʈnc m an utr fūl?”

Ɖ man glanst fṛm ɖ ledi’z fes t ɖ litl eg-śept hed n bac agn; n, olmst bfr h wz awer v it, hiz tuñ hd faund a f’lisiṭs momnt:

“I d’nt ʈnc, sr,” h sd, “ɖt ɖt’s a fer qsćn t pt t m.”

Ɖr wz a pōz in ɖ vri briɖñ v ɖ clarcs. Evrwn wz astǎndd (ɖ oʈr v ɖ wiṭsizm no les ɖn hiz nebrz) n Mis Deḷcŕ, hu wz a stǎt emịbl prsn, bgan t smîl brōdli. Mr. Alein fluśt t ɖ hy v a wîld rǒz n hiz mǎʈ twićt wɖ a dworf’s paśn. H śc hiz fist in ɖ man’z fes tl it sīmd t vîbret lîc ɖ nob v sm ilectric mśīn:

“Y imprtinnt rufịn! Y imprtinnt rufịn! I’l mc śort wrc v y! Wêt tl y si! Y’l apoḷjîz t m fr yr imprtinns or y’l qit ɖ ofis instanter! Y’l qit ɖs, I’m telñ y, or y’l apoḷjîz t m!”

H flt hiz gret bodi agn ecñ fr ɖ cumf̣t v ɖ publichǎs. Ɖ fog hd bgun t ćil him n h wundrd cd h tuć Pat in O’Nīl’z. H cd nt tuć him fr mor ɖn a bob—n a bob wz no ys. Yt h mst gt muni smẃr or uɖr: h hd spent hiz last peni fr ɖ g.p. n sn it wd b tù lêt fr gtñ muni enẃr. Sudnli, az h wz fnġrñ hiz woć̦en, h ʈt v Teri Celi’z pōn-ofis in Flīt Strīt. Ɖt wz ɖ dart! Ẃ dd’nt h ʈnc v it snr?H wnt ʈru ɖ naro ali v Templ Bar qcli, muṭrñ t himslf ɖt ɖe cd ol g t hel bcz h wz gwñ t hv a gd nît v it. Ɖ clarc in Teri Celi’z sd A crǎn! bt ɖ cnsînr hld ǎt fr six śilñz; n in ɖ end ɖ six śilñz wz alaud him litṛli. H cem ǎt v ɖ pōn-ofis jôf̣li, mcñ a litl silindr, v ɖ cônz btwn hiz ʈum n fngrz. In Wstṃḷnd Strīt ɖ ftpaɖz wr crǎdd wɖ yuñ men n wimin rtrnñ fṛm biznis n ragid ŕćinz ran hir n ɖr yelñ ǎt ɖ nemz v ɖ īvnñ idiśnz. Ɖ man pást ʈru ɖ crǎd, lcñ on ɖ specṭcl jenṛli wɖ prǎd saṭsfax́n n stẹrñ mastrfl at ɖ ofisgrlz. Hiz hed wz fl v ɖ nôzz v tramgoñz n swiśñ troliz n hiz nǒz olrdi snift ɖ crlñ fymz v punć. Az h wōct on h prīcnsidrd ɖ trmz in ẃć h wd nret ɖ insidnt t ɖ bôz:

“So, I jst lct at him—cūli, y nǒ, n lct at hr. Ɖen I lct bac at him agn—tecñ mî tîm, y nǒ. ‘I d’nt ʈnc ɖt ɖt’s a fer qsćn t pt t m,’ sz I.”

Nozi Flin wz sitñ p in hiz yźl cornr v Devi Bŕn’z n, ẃn h hŕd ɖ stori, h std Farñtn a haf-wn, seyñ it wz az smart a ʈñ az evr h hŕd. Farñtn std a drinc in hiz trn. Aftr a ẃl O’Haḷṛn n Padi Leṇd cem in n ɖ stori wz rpitd t ɖm. O’Haḷṛn std teilrz v mōlt, hot, ol rnd n tld ɖ stori v ɖ rtort h hd md t ɖ ćīf clarc ẃn h wz in Caḷn’z v Fǎnz’z Strīt; bt, az ɖ rtort wz aftr ɖ manr v ɖ libṛl śeṗdz in ɖ eclogz, h hd t admit ɖt it wz nt az clevr az Farñtn’z rtort. At ɖs Farñtn tld ɖ bôz t poliś of ɖt n hv anɖr.

Jst az ɖe wr nemñ ɖer pôznz hu śd cm in bt Higinz! V cors h hd t jôn in wɖ ɖ uɖrz. Ɖ men asct him t gv hiz vrśn v it, n h dd so wɖ gret vivaṣti fr ɖ sît v fîv smōl hot ẃisciz wz vri xiḷretñ. Evrwn rord lafñ ẃn h śoud ɖ we in ẃć Mr. Alein śc hiz fist in Farñtn’z fes. Ɖen h iṃtetd Farñtn, seyñ, “N hir wz mî nabz, az cūl az y plīz,” ẃl Farñtn lct at ɖ cumṗni ǎt v hiz hevi drti îz, smîlñ n at tîmz drw̃ fʈ stre drops v lícr fṛm hiz mstaś wɖ ɖ ed v hiz lowr lip.

Ẃn ɖt rǎnd wz ovr ɖr wz a pōz. O’Haḷṛn hd muni bt nɖr v ɖ uɖr tū sīmd t hv eni; so ɖ hol parti left ɖ śop smẃt rgretf̣li. At ɖ cornr v Dyc Strīt Higinz n Nozi Flin bevld of t ɖ left ẃl ɖ uɖr ʈri trnd bac twdz ɖ siti. Ren wz drizlñ dǎn on ɖ cold strīts n, ẃn ɖe rīćt ɖ Baḷst Ofis, Farñtn sjstd ɖ Scoć Hǎs. Ɖ bar wz fl v men n lǎd wɖ ɖ nôz v tuñz n glasz. Ɖ ʈri men pśt past ɖ ẃînñ maćselrz at ɖ dor n formd a litl parti at ɖ cornr v ɖ cǎntr. Ɖe bgan t xćenj storiz. Leṇd intṛdyst ɖm t a yuñ felo nemd Weɖrz hu wz pformñ at ɖ Tiṿli az an acṛbat n noc’bt artīst. Farñtn std a drinc ol rnd. Weɖrz sd h wd tec a smōl Îriś n Apolinaris. Farñtn, hu hd defiṇt nośnz v ẃt wz ẃt, asct ɖ bôz wd ɖe hv an Apolinaris tù; bt ɖ bôz tld Tim t mc ɖerz hot. Ɖ tōc bcem ʈiatricl. O’Haḷṛn std a rnd n ɖen Farñtn std anɖr rnd, Weɖrz pṛtstñ ɖt ɖ hosṗtaḷti wz tù Îriś. H promist t gt ɖm in bhnd ɖ sīnz n intṛdys ɖm t sm nîs grlz. O’Haḷṛn sd ɖt h n Leṇd wd g, bt ɖt Farñtn wd’nt g bcz h wz a marid man; n Farñtn’z hevi drti îz lird at ɖ cumṗni in tocn ɖt h unḍstd h wz biyñ ćaft. Weɖrz md ɖm ol hv jst wn litl tñćr at hiz xpns n promist t mīt ɖm lêtr on at Mulign’z in Pūlbeg Strīt.

Ẃn ɖ Scoć Hǎs clozd ɖe wnt rnd t Mulign’z. Ɖe wnt intu ɖ parlr at ɖ bac n O’Haḷṛn ordrd smōl hot speślz ol rnd. Ɖe wr ol bginñ t fīl melo. Farñtn wz jst standñ anɖr rnd ẃn Weɖrz cem bac. Mć t Farñtn’z rlif h dranc a glas v bitr ɖs tîm. Fundz wr gtñ lo bt ɖe hd inuf t cīp ɖm gwñ. Prezntli tū yuñ wimin wɖ big hats n a yuñ man in a ćec sūt cem in n sat at a tebl clos bî. Weɖrz s’lūtd ɖm n tld ɖ cumṗni ɖt ɖe wr ǎt v ɖ Tiṿli. Farñtn’z îz wondrd at evri momnt in ɖ d’rex́n v wn v ɖ yuñ wimin. Ɖr wz smʈñ strîcñ in hr apiṛns. An imns scarf v pīcoc-blu muzlin wz waund rnd hr hat n nótd in a gret bo undr hr ćin; n ś wòr brît yelo gluvz, rīćñ t ɖ elbo. Farñtn gezd admîrñli at ɖ plump arm ẃć ś muvd vri ofn n wɖ mć gres; n ẃn, aftr a litl tîm, ś ansrd hiz gêz h admîrd stl mor hr larj darc brǎn îz. Ɖ oblic stẹrñ xpreśn in ɖm faṣnetd him. Ś glanst at him wns or twîs n, ẃn ɖ parti wz līvñ ɖ rūm, ś bruśt agnst hiz ćer n sd “Ǒ, pardn!” in a Lundn axnt. H woćt hr līv ɖ rūm in ɖ hop ɖt ś wd lc bac at him, bt h wz dis’pôntd. H crst hiz wont v muni n crst ol ɖ rǎndz h hd std, ptiklrli ol ɖ ẃisciz n Apolinariz ẃć h hd std t Weɖrz. F ɖr wz wn ʈñ ɖt h hetd it wz a spunj. H wz so angri ɖt h lost cǎnt v ɖ convseśn v hiz frendz.

Ẃn Padi Leṇd cōld him h faund ɖt ɖe wr tōcñ abt fìts v streñʈ. Weɖrz wz śowñ hiz bîseps musl t ɖ cumṗni n bostñ so mć ɖt ɖ uɖr tū hd cōld on Farñtn t uphold ɖ naṣ́nl onr. Farñtn pld p hiz slīv acordñli n śoud hiz bîseps musl t ɖ cumṗni. Ɖ tū armz wr xamind n cmperd n fîṇli it wz agrìd t hv a trîl v streñʈ. Ɖ tebl wz clird n ɖ tū men restd ɖer elboz on it, claspñ handz. Ẃn Padi Leṇd sd “G!” ć wz t trî t brñ dǎn ɖ uɖr’z hand on t ɖ tebl. Farñtn lct vri sirịs n dtrmind.

Ɖ trîl bgan. Aftr abt ʈrti secndz Weɖrz bròt hiz oponnt’s hand slǒli dǎn on t ɖ tebl. Farñtn’z darc wîn-culrd fes fluśt darcr stl wɖ angr n hymilieśn at hvñ bn dfitd bî sć a striplñ.

“Y’r nt t pt ɖ weit v yr bodi bhnd it. Ple fer,” h sd.

“Hu’z nt pleyñ fer?” sd ɖ uɖr.

“Cm on agn. Ɖ tū bst ǎt v ʈri.”

Ɖ trîl bgan agn. Ɖ veinz std ǎt on Farñtn’z fōrhed, n ɖ palr v Weɖrz’ cmplex́n ćenjd t piyni. Ɖer handz n armz trembld undr ɖ stres. Aftr a loñ strugl Weɖrz agn bròt hiz oponnt’s hand slǒli on t ɖ tebl. Ɖr wz a mrmr v aplōz fṛm ɖ spectetrz. Ɖ kṛt, hu wz standñ bsd ɖ tebl, nodd hiz red hed twdz ɖ victr n sd wɖ stypid fmiliaṛti:

“Ā! ɖt’s ɖ nac!”

“Ẃt ɖ hel d y nǒ abt it?” sd Farñtn firsli, trnñ on ɖ man. “Ẃt d y pt in yr gab fr?”

“Ś, ś!” sd O’Haḷṛn, obzrvñ ɖ vayḷnt xpreśn v Farñtn’z fes. “Poni p, bôz. W’l hv jst wn litl smahn mor n ɖen w’l b of.”

Hiz tram let him dǎn at Śelbōrn Rod n h stird hiz gret bodi alñ in ɖ śado v ɖ wōl v ɖ baṛcs. H loɖd rtrnñ t hiz hom. Ẃn h wnt in bî ɖ sîd dor h faund ɖ cićn emti n ɖ cićnfîr nirli ǎt. H bȍld upsterz:“Eda! Eda!”

Hiz wîf wz a litl śarp-fest wmn hu bŭlid hr huzbnd ẃn h wz sobr n wz bŭlid bî him ẃn h wz drunc. Ɖe hd fîv ćildṛn. A litl bô cem runñ dǎn ɖ sterz.

“Hu z ɖt?” sd ɖ man, pirñ ʈru ɖ darcnis.

“M, pa.”

“Hu r y? Ćarli?”

“No, pa. Tom.”

“Ẃr’z yr muɖr?”

“Ś’z ǎt at ɖ ćapl.”

“Ɖt’s rît… Dd ś ʈnc v līvñ eni dinr fr m?”

“Yes, pa. I——”

“Lît ɖ lamp. Ẃt d y mīn bî hvñ ɖ ples in darcnis? R ɖ uɖr ćildṛn in bed?”

Ɖ man sat dǎn heṿli on wn v ɖ ćerz ẃl ɖ litl bô lit ɖ lamp. H bgan t mimic hiz sun’z flat axnt, seyñ haf t himslf: “At ɖ ćapl. At ɖ ćapl, f y plīz!” Ẃn ɖ lamp wz lit h bañd hiz fist on ɖ tebl n śǎtd:

“Ẃt’s fr mî dinr?”

“I’m gwñ … t cc it, pa,” sd ɖ litl bô.

Ɖ man jumt p fyrịsli n pôntd t ɖ fîr.

“On ɖt fîr! Y let ɖ fîr ǎt! Bî God, I’l tīć y t d ɖt agn!”

H tc a step t ɖ dor n sizd ɖ wōcñstic ẃć wz standñ bhnd it.

“I’l tīć y t let ɖ fîr ǎt!” h sd, rolñ p hiz slīv in ordr t gv hiz arm fri ple.

Ɖ litl bô craid “Ǒ, pa!” n ran ẃimṗrñ rnd ɖ tebl, bt ɖ man foloud him n còt him bî ɖ cot. Ɖ litl bô lct abt him wîldli bt, siyñ no we v iscep, fél upn hiz niz.

“Nǎ, y’l let ɖ fîr ǎt ɖ nxt tîm!” sd ɖ man strîcñ at him vigṛsli wɖ ɖ stic. “Tec ɖt, y litl ẃlp!”

Ɖ bô utrd a sqīl v pen az ɖ stic cut hiz ʈî. H claspt hiz handz tgɖr in ɖ er n hiz vôs śc wɖ frît.

“Ǒ, pa!” h craid. “D’nt bìt m, pa! N I’l … I’l se a Hêl Mẹri fr y… I’l se a Hêl Mẹri fr y, pa, f y d’nt bìt m… I’l se a Hêl Mẹri…”

♣

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