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Mrīa wz a vri, vri smōl prsn indd bt ś hd a vri loñ nǒz n a vri loñ ćin. Ś tōct a litl ʈru hr nǒz, olwz suɖñli: “Yes, mî dir,”n “No, mî dir.” Ś wz olwz snt fr ẃn ɖ wimin qoṛld ovr ɖer tubz n olwz s’xidd in mcñ pīs. Wn de ɖ metṛn hd sd t hr:

“Mrīa, y r a veriṭbl pīs-mcr!”

N ɖ submetṛn n tū v ɖ Bord lediz hd hŕd ɖ complimnt. N Jinjr Mūni wz olwz seyñ ẃt ś wd’nt d t ɖ dumi hu hd ćarj v ɖ aynz f it wz’nt fr Mrīa. Evrwn wz so fond v Mrīa.

Ɖ wimin wd hv ɖer ti at six o’cloc n ś wd b ebl t gt awe bfr sevn. Fṛm Bōlzbrij t ɖ Pilr, twenti minits; fṛm ɖ Pilr t Drumcondra, twenti minits; n twenti minits t bai ɖ ʈñz. Ś wd b ɖr bfr et. Ś tc ǎt hr prs wɖ ɖ silvr clasps n réd agn ɖ wrdz A Preznt fṛm Belfast. Ś wz vri fond v ɖt prs bcz Jo hd bròt it t hr fîv yirz bfr ẃn h n Alfi hd gn t Belfast on a Ẃit-Munde trip. In ɖ prs wr tū haf-crǎnz n sm coprz. Ś wd hv fîv śilñz clir aftr peyñ tramfér. Ẃt a nîs īvnñ ɖe wd hv, ol ɖ ćildṛn sññ! Onli ś hopt ɖt Jo wd’nt cm in drunc. H wz so difṛnt ẃn h tc eni drinc.

Ofn h hd wontd hr t g n liv wɖ ɖm; bt ś wd hv flt hrslf in ɖ we (ɖo Jo’z wîf wz evr so nîs wɖ hr) n ś hd bcm acustmd t ɖ lîf v ɖ lōndri. Jo wz a gd felo. Ś hd nrst him n Alfi tù; n Jo yst ofn se:

“M’mā z m’mā bt Mrīa z mî propr muɖr.”

Aftr ɖ brec-up at hom ɖ bôz hd got hr ɖt pziśn in ɖ Dublin bî Lamplît lōndri, n ś lîct it. Ś yst t hv sć a bad opińn v Protistnts bt nǎ ś ʈt ɖe wr vri nîs ppl, a litl qayt n sirịs, bt stl vri nîs ppl t liv wɖ. Ɖen ś hd hr plants in ɖ cnsrṿtri n ś lîct lcñ aftr ɖm. Ś hd luvli frnz n waxplants n, ẃnvr enwn cem t vizit hr, ś olwz gev ɖ vizitr wn or tū slips fṛm hr cnsrṿtri. Ɖr wz wn ʈñ ś dd’nt lîc n ɖt wz ɖ tracts on ɖ wōcs; bt ɖ metṛn wz sć a nîs prsn t dīl wɖ, so jntīl.

Ẃn ɖ cc tld hr evrʈñ wz redi ś wnt intu ɖ wimin’z rūm n bgan t pl ɖ big bel. In a fy minits ɖ wimin bgan t cm in bî tūz n ʈriz, wîpñ ɖer stīmñ handz in ɖer peticots n pŭlñ dǎn ɖ slīvz v ɖer blǎzz ovr ɖer red stīmñ armz. Ɖe setld dǎn bfr ɖer hyj mugz ẃć ɖ cc n ɖ dumi fild p wɖ hot ti, olrdi mixt wɖ milc n śŭgr in hyj tin canz. Mrīa sūṗintndd ɖ distṛbyśn v ɖ barmbrac n sw ɖt evri wmn got hr for slîsz. Ɖr wz a gret dīl v lafñ n jocñ jrñ ɖ mīl. Lizi Flemñ sd Mrīa wz śr t gt ɖ rñ n, ɖo Flemñ hd sd ɖt fr so mni Halo Īvz, Mrīa hd t laf n se ś dd’nt wont eni rñ or man îɖr; n ẃn ś laft hr gre-grīn îz sparcld wɖ dis’pôntd śînis n ɖ tip v hr nǒz nirli met ɖ tip v hr ćin. Ɖen Jinjr Mūni liftd p hr mug v ti n pṛpozd Mrīa’z hlʈ ẃl ol ɖ uɖr wimin clatrd wɖ ɖer mugz on ɖ tebl, n sd ś wz sori ś hd’nt a sup v portr t drinc it in. N Mrīa laft agn tl ɖ tip v hr nǒz nirli met ɖ tip v hr ćin n tl hr mînyt bodi nirli śc itslf asundr bcz ś ń ɖt Mūni mnt wel ɖo, v cors, ś hd ɖ nośnz v a comn wmn.

Bt wz’nt Mrīa glad ẃn ɖ wimin hd finiśt ɖer ti n ɖ cc n ɖ dumi hd bgun t clir awe ɖ tīʈñz! Ś wnt intu hr litl bedrūm n, rmemḅrñ ɖt ɖ nxt mornñ wz a masmornñ, ćenjd ɖ hand v ɖ alarm fṛm sevn t six. Ɖen ś tc of hr wrcñscrt n hr hǎsbūts n leid hr bst scrt ǎt on ɖ bed n hr tîni dresbūts bsd ɖ ft v ɖ bed. Ś ćenjd hr blǎz tù n, az ś std bfr ɖ mirr, ś ʈt v hǎ ś yst t dres fr mas on Súnde mornñ ẃn ś wz a yuñ grl; n ś lct wɖ qent afx́n at ɖ dmińtiv bodi ẃć ś hd so ofn adornd. In spît v its yirz ś faund it a nîs tîdi litl bodi.

Ẃn ś got ǎtsd, ɖ strīts wr śînñ wɖ ren n ś wz glad v hr old brǎn wōtr-prūf. Ɖ tram wz fl n ś hd t sit on ɖ litl stūl at ɖ end v ɖ car, fesñ ol ɖ ppl, wɖ hr toz bérli tućñ ɖ flor. Ś arenjd in hr mînd ol ś wz gwñ t d n ʈt hǎ mć betr it wz t b indipndnt n t hv yr ǒn muni in yr pocit. Ś hopt ɖe wd hv a nîs īvnñ. Ś wz śr ɖe wd bt ś cd nt hlp ʈncñ ẃt a piti it wz Alfi n Jo wr nt spīcñ. Ɖe wr olwz fōlñ ǎt nǎ bt ẃn ɖe wr bôz tgɖr ɖe yst t b ɖ bst v frendz: bt sć wz lîf.

Ś got ǎt v hr tram at ɖ Pilr n feṛtd hr we qcli amñ ɖ crǎdz. Ś wnt intu Daunz’z cecśop bt ɖ śop wz so fl v ppl ɖt it wz a loñ tîm bfr ś cd gt hrslf atndd t. Ś bòt a duzn v mixt penicecs, n at last cem ǎt v ɖ śop lêdn wɖ a big bag. Ɖen ś ʈt ẃt els wd ś bai: ś wontd t bai smʈñ riyli nîs. Ɖe wd b śr t hv plenti v aplz n nuts. It wz hard t nǒ ẃt t bai n ol ś cd ʈnc v wz cec. Ś dsîdd t bai sm plum cec bt Daunz’z plum cec hd nt inuf āmnd îsñ on top v it so ś wnt ovr t a śop in Henri Strīt. Hir ś wz a loñ tîm in sūtñ hrslf n ɖ stîliś yuñ ledi bhnd ɖ cǎntr, hu wz evidntli a litl anoid bî hr, asct hr wz it wedñcec ś wontd t bai. Ɖt md Mrīa bluś n smîl at ɖ yuñ ledi; bt ɖ yuñ ledi tc it ol vri sirịsli n fîṇli cut a ʈic slîs v plum cec, parsld it p n sd:

“Tū-n-for, plīz.”

Ś ʈt ś wd hv t stand in ɖ Drumcondra tram bcz nn v ɖ yuñ men sīmd t notis hr, bt an eldrli jntlmn md rūm fr hr. H wz a stǎt jntlmn n h wòr a brǎn hard hat; h hd a sqer red fes n a grêiś mstaś. Mrīa ʈt h wz a crnl-lcñ jntlmn n ś rflectd hǎ mć mor p’lît h wz ɖn ɖ yuñ men hu simpli stérd stret bfr ɖm. Ɖ jntlmn bgan t ćat wɖ hr abt Halo Īv n ɖ reni weɖr. H s’pozd ɖ bag wz fl v gd ʈñz fr ɖ litl wnz n sd it wz onli rît ɖt ɖ yuñstrz śd injô ɖmslvz ẃl ɖe wr yuñ. Mrīa agrìd wɖ him n fevrd him wɖ dḿr nodz n hmz. H wz vri nîs wɖ hr, n ẃn ś wz gtñ ǎt at ɖ Cnal Brij ś ʈanct him n baud, n h baud t hr n rezd hiz hat n smîld agriybli, n ẃl ś wz gwñ p alñ ɖ teris, bndñ hr tîni hed undr ɖ ren, ś ʈt hǎ īzi it wz t nǒ a jntlmn īvn ẃn h hz a drop tecn.

Evrbdi sd: “Ǒ, hir’z Mrīa!” ẃn ś cem t Jo’z hǎs. Jo wz ɖr, hvñ cm hom fṛm biznis, n ol ɖ ćildṛn hd ɖer Súnde dresz on. Ɖr wr tū big grlz in fṛm nxt dor n gemz wr gwñ on. Mrīa gev ɖ bag v cecs t ɖ eldist bô, Alfi, t dvîd n Msz Doṇli sd it wz tù gd v hr t brñ sć a big bag v cecs n md ol ɖ ćildṛn se:

“Ʈancs, Mrīa.”

Bt Mrīa sd ś hd bròt smʈñ speśl fr ppā n m’mā, smʈñ ɖe wd b śr t lîc, n ś bgan t lc fr hr plum cec. Ś traid in Daunz’z bag n ɖen in ɖ pocits v hr wōtr-prūf n ɖen on ɖ hōlstand bt nẃr cd ś fînd it. Ɖen ś asct ol ɖ ćildṛn hd eni v ɖm ītn it—bî mstec, v cors—bt ɖ ćildṛn ol sd no n lct az f ɖe dd nt lîc t īt cecs f ɖe wr t b akzd v stìlñ. Evrbdi hd a s’lūśn fr ɖ misṭri n Msz Doṇli sd it wz plen ɖt Mrīa hd left it bhnd hr in ɖ tram. Mrīa, rmemḅrñ hǎ cnfyzd ɖ jntlmn wɖ ɖ grêiś mstaś hd md hr, culrd wɖ śem n vxeśn n dis’pôntmnt. At ɖ ʈt v ɖ fełr v hr litl s’prîz n v ɖ tū n forpns ś hd ʈroun awe fr nʈñ ś nirli craid ǎtrît.

Bt Jo sd it dd’nt matr n md hr sit dǎn bî ɖ fîr. H wz vri nîs wɖ hr. H tld hr ol ɖt wnt on in hiz ofis, rpitñ fr hr a smart ansr ẃć h hd md t ɖ manijr. Mrīa dd nt unḍstand ẃ Jo laft so mć ovr ɖ ansr h hd md bt ś sd ɖt ɖ manijr mst hv bn a vri oṿberñ prsn t dīl wɖ. Jo sd h wz’nt so bad ẃn y ń hǎ t tec him, ɖt h wz a dīsnt sort so loñ az y dd’nt rub him ɖ roñ we. Msz Doṇli pleid ɖ piano fr ɖ ćildṛn n ɖe danst n sañ. Ɖen ɖ tū nxt-dor grlz handd rnd ɖ nuts. Nbdi cd fînd ɖ nutcracrz n Jo wz nirli gtñ cros ovr it n asct hǎ dd ɖe xpct Mrīa t crac nuts wɖt a nutcracr. Bt Mrīa sd ś dd’nt lîc nuts n ɖt ɖe wr’nt t boɖr abt hr. Ɖen Jo asct wd ś tec a botl v stǎt n Msz Doṇli sd ɖr wz portwîn tù in ɖ hǎs f ś wd prifŕ ɖt. Mrīa sd ś wd rɖr ɖe dd’nt asc hr t tec enʈñ: bt Jo insistd.

So Mrīa let him hv hiz we n ɖe sat bî ɖ fîr tōcñ ovr old tîmz n Mrīa ʈt ś wd pt in a gd wrd fr Alfi. Bt Jo craid ɖt God mt strîc him ston ded f evr h spouc a wrd t hiz bruɖr agn n Mrīa sd ś wz sori ś hd mnśnd ɖ matr. Msz Doṇli tld hr huzbnd it wz a gret śem fr him t spīc ɖt we v hiz ǒn fleś n blud bt Jo sd ɖt Alfi wz no bruɖr v hiz n ɖr wz nirli biyñ a rǎ on ɖ hed v it. Bt Jo sd h wd nt lūz hiz tmpr on acǎnt v ɖ nît it wz n asct hiz wîf t opn sm mor stǎt. Ɖ tū nxt-dor grlz hd arenjd sm Halo Īv gemz n sn evrʈñ wz meri agn. Mrīa wz dlîtd t si ɖ ćildṛn so meri n Jo n hiz wîf in sć gd spirits. Ɖ nxt-dor grlz pt sm sōsrz on ɖ tebl n ɖen léd ɖ ćildṛn p t ɖ tebl, blîndfold. Wn got ɖ prer-bc n ɖ uɖr ʈri got ɖ wōtr; n ẃn wn v ɖ nxt-dor grlz got ɖ rñ, Msz Doṇli śc hr fngr at ɖ bluśñ grl az mć az t se: Ǒ, I nǒ ol abt it! Ɖe insistd ɖen on blîndfoldñ Mrīa n līdñ hr p t ɖ tebl t si ẃt ś wd gt; n, ẃl ɖe wr ptñ on ɖ bandij, Mrīa laft n laft agn tl ɖ tip v hr nǒz nirli met ɖ tip v hr ćin.

Ɖe léd hr p t ɖ tebl amd lafñ n jocñ n ś pt hr hand ǎt in ɖ er az ś wz tld t d. Ś muvd hr hand abt hir n ɖr in ɖ er n dsndd on wn v ɖ sōsrz. Ś flt a soft wet substns wɖ hr fngrz n wz s’prîzd ɖt nbdi spouc or tc of hr bandij. Ɖr wz a pōz fr a fy secndz; n ɖen a gret dīl v scuf̣lñ n ẃisṗrñ. Smbdi sd smʈñ abt ɖ gardn, n at last Msz Doṇli sd smʈñ vri cros t wn v ɖ nxt-dor grlz n tld hr t ʈro it ǎt at wns: ɖt wz no ple. Mrīa unḍstd ɖt it wz roñ ɖt tîm n so ś hd t d it ovr agn: n ɖs tîm ś got ɖ prer-bc.

Aftr ɖt Msz Doṇli pleid Mis MClǎd’z Rīl fr ɖ ćildṛn n Jo md Mrīa tec a glas v wîn. Sn ɖe wr ol qt meri agn n Msz Doṇli sd Mrīa wd entr a convnt bfr ɖ yir wz ǎt bcz ś hd got ɖ prer-bc. Mrīa hd nvr sìn Jo so nîs t hr az h wz ɖt nît, so fl v pleznt tōc n reṃnisnsz. Ś sd ɖe wr ol vri gd t hr.

At last ɖ ćildṛn grù tîrd n slīpi n Jo asct Mrīa wd ś nt sñ sm litl soñ bfr ś wnt, wn v ɖ old soñz. Msz Doṇli sd “D, plīz, Mrīa!” n so Mrīa hd t gt p n stand bsd ɖ piano. Msz Doṇli bád ɖ ćildṛn b qayt n lisn t Mrīa’z soñ. Ɖen ś pleid ɖ prelyd n sd “Nǎ, Mrīa!” n Mrīa, bluśñ vri mć bgan t sñ in a tîni qeṿrñ vôs. Ś sañ I Dremt I Dwelt, n ẃn ś cem t ɖ secnd vrs ś sañ agn:

I dremt I dwelt in marbl hōlz

Wɖ vaslz n srfs at mî sîd

N v ol hu asmbld wɖn ɖoz wōlz

Ɖt I wz ɖ hop n ɖ prîd.

I hd rićz tù gret t cǎnt, cd bost

V a hî ansestṛl nem,

Bt I olso dremt, ẃć plizd m most,

Ɖt y luvd m stl ɖ sem.

Bt nwn traid t śo hr hr mstec; n ẃn ś hd endd hr soñ Jo wz vri mć muvd. H sd ɖt ɖr wz no tîm lîc ɖ loñ ago n no ḿzic fr him lîc pur old Balf, ẃtvr uɖr ppl mt se; n hiz îz fild p so mć wɖ tirz ɖt h cd nt fînd ẃt h wz lcñ fr n in ɖ end h hd t asc hiz wîf t tel him ẃr ɖ corcscru wz.

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