Latest / Complete Classic Drama Stories / The Dead - James Joyce
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: The dead part one. Lily, the caretaker's daughter, was literally
- 0:06Speaker 1: run off her feet. Hardly had she brought one gentleman
- 0:08Speaker 1: into the little pantry behind the office on the ground
- 0:10Speaker 1: floor and helped him off with his overcoat, than the
- 0:13Speaker 1: wheezy hall door bell clanged again, and she had to
- 0:15Speaker 1: scamper along the bare hallway to lit in another guest.
- 0:19Speaker 1: It was well for her that she had not to
- 0:20Speaker 1: attend to the ladies also, but Miss Kate and Miss
- 0:23Speaker 1: Julia had thought of that and had converted the bathroom
- 0:25Speaker 1: upstairs into a lady's dressing room. Miss Kate and Miss
- 0:29Speaker 1: Julia were there, gossiping and laughing and fussing, walking after
- 0:32Speaker 1: each other to the head of the stairs, peering down
- 0:35Speaker 1: over the banisters, and calling down to Lily to ask
- 0:37Speaker 1: her who had come. It was always a great affair
- 0:41Speaker 1: the missus Morgan's annual dance. Everybody who knew them came
- 0:44Speaker 1: to it. Members of the family, old friends of the family,
- 0:47Speaker 1: the members of Julia's choir, any of Kate's pupils that
- 0:50Speaker 1: were grown up enough, and even some of Mary Jane's
- 0:52Speaker 1: pupils too. Never once had it fallen flat. For years
- 0:56Speaker 1: and years had gone off in splendid style as long
- 0:58Speaker 1: as any one could remember. Ever since, Kate and Julia,
- 1:01Speaker 1: after the death of their brother Pat, had left the
- 1:03Speaker 1: house and Stony Batter and taken Mary Jane, their only niece,
- 1:06Speaker 1: to live with them in the dark gaunt house on
- 1:08Speaker 1: Usher's Island, the upper part of which they had rented
- 1:11Speaker 1: from mister Fulham, the corn factor on the ground floor.
- 1:15Speaker 1: That was a good thirty years ago. It was to day.
- 1:17Speaker 1: Mary Jane, who was then a little girl in short clothes,
- 1:19Speaker 1: was now the main prop of the household, for she
- 1:21Speaker 1: had the organ in Haddington Road. She had been through
- 1:25Speaker 1: the Academy and gave a pupils concert every year in
- 1:27Speaker 1: the upper room of the ancient concert rooms. Many of
- 1:31Speaker 1: her pupils belonged to the better class families on the
- 1:33Speaker 1: Kingstown and Darkey line, old as they were. Her aunts
- 1:36Speaker 1: also did their share. Julia, though she was quite gray,
- 1:41Speaker 1: was still the leading soprano in Adam and Eve's, and Kate,
- 1:44Speaker 1: being too feeble to go about much, gave music lessons
- 1:46Speaker 1: to beginners on the old square piano in the back room. Lily,
- 1:51Speaker 1: the caretaker's daughter, did housemaid's work for them. Though their
- 1:55Speaker 1: life was modest. They believed in eating well, the best
- 1:57Speaker 1: of everything, diamond bone, sirloins, three shilling tea and the
- 2:01Speaker 1: best bottled stout. But Lily seldom made a mistake in
- 2:05Speaker 1: the orders, so that she got on well with her
- 2:07Speaker 1: three mistresses. They were fussy, that was all. But the
- 2:11Speaker 1: only thing they would not stand was back answers. Of course,
- 2:15Speaker 1: they had good reason to be fussy on such a night.
- 2:17Speaker 1: And then it was long after ten o'clock, and yet
- 2:20Speaker 1: there was no sign of Gabriel and his wife. Besides,
- 2:23Speaker 1: they were dreadfully afraid that Freddy Malins might turn up screwed.
- 2:26Speaker 1: They would not wish for worlds that any of Mary
- 2:29Speaker 1: Jane's pupils should see him under the influence, and when
- 2:31Speaker 1: he was like that, it was sometimes very hard to
- 2:33Speaker 1: manage him. Freddy Malins always came late, but they wondered
- 2:37Speaker 1: what could be keeping Gabriel, and that was what brought
- 2:40Speaker 1: them every two minutes to the banisters to ask Lily,
- 2:43Speaker 1: had Gabriel or Freddy come? Oh, mister Conroy, said Lily
- 2:47Speaker 1: to Gabriel. When she opened the door for him. Miss
- 2:49Speaker 1: Kate and Miss Julia thought you were never coming. Good night,
- 2:52Speaker 1: missus Conroy. I'll engaged, they did, said Gabriel, But they
- 2:56Speaker 1: forget that my wife here takes three mortal hours to
- 2:58Speaker 1: dress herself. He stood on the mat, scraping the snow
- 3:02Speaker 1: from his goloshes, while Lily led his wife to the
- 3:05Speaker 1: foot of the stairs and called out, miss Kate. Here's
- 3:08Speaker 1: missus Conroy. Kate and Julia came toddling down the dark stairs.
- 3:13Speaker 1: At once. Both of them kissed. Gabriel's wife said she
- 3:16Speaker 1: must be perished alive, and asked, was Gabriel with her here?
- 3:20Speaker 1: I am as right as the mail aunt, Kate, go
- 3:22Speaker 1: on up, I'll follow, called out Gabriel from the dark.
- 3:26Speaker 1: He continued scraping his feet vigorously, while the three women
- 3:29Speaker 1: went upstairs, laughing to the ladies dressing room. A light
- 3:33Speaker 1: fringe of snow lay like a cape on the shoulders
- 3:35Speaker 1: of his overcoat, and like toe caps on the two
- 3:38Speaker 1: toes of his goloshes. And as the buttons of his
- 3:41Speaker 1: overcoat slipped with a squeaking noise through the snow stiffened frieze,
- 3:45Speaker 1: a cold, fragrant air from out of doors escaped from
- 3:48Speaker 1: crevices and the folds. Is it snow? And again mister
- 3:51Speaker 1: Conroy asked Lily. She had preceded him into the pantry
- 3:55Speaker 1: to help him off with his overcoat. Gabriel smiled at
- 3:57Speaker 1: the three syllables she had given his surname, and glanced
- 4:00Speaker 1: at her. She was a slim, growing girl, pale in
- 4:02Speaker 1: complexion and with hay colored hair. The gas in the
- 4:06Speaker 1: pantry made her look still paler. Gabriel had known her
- 4:09Speaker 1: when she was a child and used to sit on
- 4:11Speaker 1: the lowest step nursing a rag doll. Yes, Lily, he answered,
- 4:16Speaker 1: and I think we're in for a night of it.
- 4:19Speaker 1: He looked up at the pantry ceiling, which was shaking
- 4:21Speaker 1: with the stamping and shuffling of feet on the floor above,
- 4:24Speaker 1: listened for a moment to the piano, and then glanced
- 4:27Speaker 1: at the girl, who was folding his overcoat carefully at
- 4:29Speaker 1: the end of a shelf. Tell me, Lily, he said,
- 4:32Speaker 1: in a friendly tone. Do you still go to school? Oh? No, sir,
- 4:36Speaker 1: she answered, I am done schoolIn this year and more
- 4:39Speaker 1: all then said Gabriel, Gaily, I suppose we'll be going
- 4:42Speaker 1: to your wedding one of these fine days with your
- 4:43Speaker 1: young man. Eh. The girl glanced back at him over
- 4:46Speaker 1: her shoulder, and said, with great bitterness, demand it his
- 4:49Speaker 1: now is only all plaver and what they can get out. Ye.
- 4:53Speaker 1: Gabriel colored as if he felt he had made a mistake,
- 4:56Speaker 1: and without looking at her, kicked off his gloshes and
- 4:58Speaker 1: flicked actively with his muffler at his patent leather shoes.
- 5:03Speaker 1: He was a stout, tallish young man. The high color
- 5:06Speaker 1: of his cheeks pushed upwards even to his forehead, where
- 5:08Speaker 1: it scattered itself in a few formless patches of pale
- 5:11Speaker 1: red and on his hairless face. There scintillated restlessly the
- 5:14Speaker 1: polished lenses and the bright gilt rims of the glasses
- 5:17Speaker 1: which screened his delicate and restless eyes. His glossy black
- 5:22Speaker 1: hair was parted in the middle and brushed in a
- 5:24Speaker 1: long curve behind his ears, where it curled slightly beneath
- 5:28Speaker 1: a groove left by his hat. When he had flicked
- 5:31Speaker 1: luster into his shoes, he stood up and pulled his
- 5:33Speaker 1: waistcoat down more tightly on his plump body. Then he
- 5:36Speaker 1: took a coin rapidly from his pocket. Oh lily, he said,
- 5:40Speaker 1: thrusting it into her hands. It's Christmas time, isn't it.
- 5:43Speaker 1: Just here's little he walked rapidly toward the door. Oh no, sir,
- 5:48Speaker 1: cried the girl following him. Really, sir, I wouldn't take
- 5:51Speaker 1: it Christmas time. Christmas time, said Gabriel, almost trotting to
- 5:55Speaker 1: the stairs, waving his hand to her in deprecation. The girl,
- 5:58Speaker 1: seeing that he had gained the stairs, called out after him, well,
- 6:02Speaker 1: thank you, sir. He waited outside the drawing room door
- 6:06Speaker 1: until the waltz should finish, listening to the skirts that
- 6:09Speaker 1: swept against it, and to the shuffling of feet. He
- 6:13Speaker 1: was still discomposed by the girl's bitter and sudden retort.
- 6:16Speaker 1: It had cast a gloom over him, which he tried
- 6:18Speaker 1: to dispel by arranging his cuffs and the bows of
- 6:21Speaker 1: his tie. He then took from his waistcoat pocket a
- 6:25Speaker 1: little paper and glanced at the headings he had made
- 6:27Speaker 1: for his speech. He was undecided about the lines from
- 6:30Speaker 1: Robert Browning, for he feared they would be above the
- 6:32Speaker 1: heads of his hearers. Some quotation that they would recognize
- 6:36Speaker 1: from Shakespeare or from the melodies would be better. The
- 6:40Speaker 1: indelicate clacking of the men's heels, and that the shuffling
- 6:43Speaker 1: of their souls reminded him that their grade of culture
- 6:45Speaker 1: differed from his. He would only make himself ridiculous by
- 6:49Speaker 1: quoting poetry to them which they could not understand. They
- 6:52Speaker 1: would think that he was airing his superior education. He
- 6:55Speaker 1: would fail with them, just as he had failed with
- 6:57Speaker 1: the girl in the pantry. He had taken up a
- 6:59Speaker 1: wrong time. His whole speech was a mistake, from first
- 7:03Speaker 1: to last, an utter failure. Just then, his aunts and
- 7:08Speaker 1: his wife came out of the ladies dressing room. His
- 7:10Speaker 1: aunts were two small, plainly dressed old women. Aunt Julia
- 7:13Speaker 1: was an inch or so the taller. Her hair, drawn
- 7:16Speaker 1: low over the tops of her ears, was gray and gray.
- 7:19Speaker 1: Also with darker shadows was her large, flaccid face. Though
- 7:23Speaker 1: she was stout in build and stood erect, her slow
- 7:26Speaker 1: eyes and parted lips gave her the appearance of a
- 7:28Speaker 1: woman who did not know where she was or where
- 7:30Speaker 1: she was going. Aunt Kate was more vivacious, Her face,
- 7:34Speaker 1: healthier than her sister's, was all puckers and creases like
- 7:37Speaker 1: a shriveled red apple, and her hair, braided in the
- 7:40Speaker 1: same old fashioned way, had not lost its ripe nut color.
- 7:45Speaker 1: They both kissed Gabriel frankly. He was their favorite nephew,
- 7:49Speaker 1: the son of the dead sister Ellen, who had married T. J.
- 7:51Speaker 1: Conroy of the Port and Docks. Gretta tells me, you're
- 7:54Speaker 1: not going to take a cab back to Monkstown tonight,
- 7:56Speaker 1: Gabriel said, Aunt Kate. No, said Gabriel, turning to we
- 8:00Speaker 1: 't quite enough of that last year, hadn't we. Don't
- 8:02Speaker 1: you remember, Aunt Kate? What a cold Gretta got out
- 8:04Speaker 1: of it, cab windows rattling all the way, and the
- 8:07Speaker 1: east wind blowing in after we passed Marian. Very jolly
- 8:10Speaker 1: it was, Gretta caught a dreadful cold. Aunt Kate frowned
- 8:14Speaker 1: severely and nodded her head at every word. Quite right, Gabriel,
- 8:18Speaker 1: Quite right, she said, you can't be too careful. But
- 8:21Speaker 1: as for Gretta, there, said Gabriel, she'd walk home in
- 8:23Speaker 1: the snow if she were let missus Conroy laughed. Don't
- 8:27Speaker 1: mind him, Aunt Kate. She said, he's really an awful bother,
- 8:30Speaker 1: what with green shades for Tom's eyes at night, and
- 8:33Speaker 1: making him do the dumb bells, and forcing Eva to
- 8:35Speaker 1: eat the stir about the poor child, and she simply
- 8:38Speaker 1: hates the sight of it. Oh, but you'll never guess
- 8:41Speaker 1: what he makes me wear now? She broke out into
- 8:44Speaker 1: a peal of laughter and glanced at her husband, whose
- 8:47Speaker 1: admiring and happy eyes had been wandering from her dress
- 8:50Speaker 1: to her face and hair. The two aunts laughed heartily, too,
- 8:53Speaker 1: for Gabriel's solicitude was a standing joke with them. Goloshes,
- 8:57Speaker 1: said missus Conroy. That's the latest. When never it's wet underfoot,
- 9:00Speaker 1: I must put on my goloshes to night. Even he
- 9:03Speaker 1: wanted me to put them on, but I wouldn't. The
- 9:05Speaker 1: next thing he'll buy me will be a diving suit.
- 9:08Speaker 1: Gabriel laughed nervously and patted his tie reassuringly, while Aunt
- 9:12Speaker 1: Kate nearly doubled herself so heartily did she enjoy the joke.
- 9:15Speaker 1: The smile soon faded from Aunt Julia's face, and her
- 9:18Speaker 1: mirthless eyes were directed towards her nephew's face. After a pause,
- 9:21Speaker 1: she asked, and what are goloshes, Gabriel? Goloshes? Julia exclaimed
- 9:27Speaker 1: her sister. Goodness me, don't you know what goloshes are?
- 9:30Speaker 1: You wear them over your over your boats, Gretta, isn't it? Yes?
- 9:34Speaker 1: Said missus Conroy guttapercher things. We both have a pair now,
- 9:38Speaker 1: Gabriel says. Every one wears them on the continent. Oh,
- 9:41Speaker 1: on the continent, murmured Aunt Julia, nodding her head slowly.
- 9:46Speaker 1: Gabriel knitted his brows and said, as if he were
- 9:48Speaker 1: slightly angered. It's nothing very wonderful. But Gretta thinks it
- 9:52Speaker 1: very funny, because she says the word reminds her of
- 9:55Speaker 1: Christy minstrels. But tell me, Gabriel, said Aunt Kate, with
- 9:59Speaker 1: brisk tact. Of course, you've seen about the room, Gretta
- 10:03Speaker 1: was saying. Oh, the room is all right, replied Gabriel.
- 10:06Speaker 1: I've taken one in the Gresham, to be sure, said
- 10:09Speaker 1: Aunt Kate, by far the best thing to do. And
- 10:11Speaker 1: the children, Gretta, you're not anxious about them? Oh for
- 10:15Speaker 1: one night, said missus Conroy. Besides, Bessie will look after them,
- 10:19Speaker 1: to be sure, said Aunt Katy. Again, what a comfort
- 10:21Speaker 1: it is to have a girl like that, one you
- 10:23Speaker 1: can depend on. There's that Lily. I'm sure I don't
- 10:25Speaker 1: know what has come over her lately, she thought, the
- 10:27Speaker 1: girl she was at all. Gabriel was about to ask
- 10:30Speaker 1: his aunt some questions on this point. But she broke
- 10:32Speaker 1: off suddenly to gaze after her sister, who had wandered
- 10:34Speaker 1: down the stairs and was craning her neck over the banisters.
- 10:38Speaker 1: Now I ask you, she said, almost testily, where is
- 10:42Speaker 1: Julia going, Julia, Julia, where are you going? Julia, who
- 10:46Speaker 1: had gone half way down one flight, came back and announced, blandly,
- 10:50Speaker 1: here's Freddy. At the same moment, a clapping of hands
- 10:54Speaker 1: and a final flourish of the pianist told that the
- 10:58Speaker 1: waltz had ended. The drawing room door was opened from within,
- 11:02Speaker 1: and some couples came out. Aunt Kate drew Gabriel aside
- 11:05Speaker 1: hurriedly and whispered into his ear, slip down Gabriel like a
- 11:08Speaker 1: good fellow, and see if he's all right, and don't
- 11:10Speaker 1: let him up if he's screwed. I'm sure he's screwed.
- 11:12Speaker 1: I'm sure he is. Gabriel went to the stairs and
- 11:15Speaker 1: listened over the banisters. He could hear two persons talking
- 11:18Speaker 1: in the pantry. Then he recognized Freddy Malin's laugh. He
- 11:22Speaker 1: went down the stairs noisily. It's such a relief, said
- 11:26Speaker 1: Aunt Kate to missus Conroy, that Gabriel is here. I
- 11:29Speaker 1: always feel easier in my mind when he's here. Julia,
- 11:32Speaker 1: there's Miss Daly and Miss Power, will take some refreshment.
- 11:35Speaker 1: Thanks for your beautiful waltz, Miss Daly, it made a
- 11:37Speaker 1: lovely time. A tall, wizzen faced man with a stiff,
- 11:42Speaker 1: grizzled mustache and swarthy skin, who was passing out with
- 11:45Speaker 1: his partner, said, and may we have some refreshment too,
- 11:48Speaker 1: Miss Morkan, Julia said Aunt Kate summarily. And here's mister
- 11:53Speaker 1: Brown and Miss Furlong. Take them in, Julia, with Miss
- 11:56Speaker 1: Daly and Miss Power. I'm the man for the ladies,
- 11:59Speaker 1: said Missters, pursing his lips until his mustache bristled, and
- 12:03Speaker 1: smiling in all his wrinkles. You know, Miss Morkan, the
- 12:06Speaker 1: reason they are so fond of me is he did
- 12:08Speaker 1: not finish his sentence, but, seeing that Aunt Kate was
- 12:11Speaker 1: out of earshot at once, led the three young ladies
- 12:13Speaker 1: into the back room. The middle of the room was
- 12:16Speaker 1: occupied by two square tables placed end to end, and
- 12:19Speaker 1: on these Aunt Julia and the caretaker were straightening and
- 12:22Speaker 1: smoothing a large cloth. On the sideboard were arrayed dishes
- 12:26Speaker 1: and plates and glasses and bundles of knives and forks
- 12:29Speaker 1: and spoons. The top of the closed square piano served
- 12:32Speaker 1: also as a sideboard for viands and sweets at a
- 12:36Speaker 1: smaller sideboard. In one corner, two young men were standing
- 12:39Speaker 1: drinking hop bitters. Mister brown led his charges thither and
- 12:44Speaker 1: invited them all in jest to some ladies punch hot,
- 12:47Speaker 1: strong and sweet. As they said they never took anything strong.
- 12:51Speaker 1: He opened three bottles of lemonade for them. Then he
- 12:54Speaker 1: asked one of the young men to move aside, and
- 12:56Speaker 1: taking hold of the decanter, filled out for himself a
- 12:58Speaker 1: goodly measure of whiskey. The young men eyed him respectfully
- 13:02Speaker 1: while he took a trial's sip. God help me, he said, smiling,
- 13:05Speaker 1: it's the doctor's orders. His wizened face broke into a
- 13:09Speaker 1: broader smile, and the three young ladies laughed in musical
- 13:12Speaker 1: echo to his pleasantry, swaying their bodies to and fro
- 13:15Speaker 1: with nervous jerks of their shoulders. The boldest said, oh, now,
- 13:20Speaker 1: mister Browne, I'm sure the doctor never ordered anything of
- 13:22Speaker 1: the kind. Mister Browne took another sip of his whiskey
- 13:25Speaker 1: and said, with sidling mimicry, well you see I'm like
- 13:30Speaker 1: the famous missus Cassidy, who was reported to have said, now,
- 13:32Speaker 1: Mary Grimes, if I don't take it, make me take
- 13:34Speaker 1: it for I feel I wanted. His hot face had
- 13:37Speaker 1: leaned forward a little too confidentially, and he had assumed
- 13:40Speaker 1: a very low doublin accent, so that the young ladies,
- 13:43Speaker 1: with one instinct received his speech in silence. Miss Furlong,
- 13:48Speaker 1: who was one of Mary Jane's pupils, asked Miss Daly
- 13:51Speaker 1: what was the name of the pretty waltz she had played?
- 13:53Speaker 1: And mister Browne, seeing that he was ignored, turned promptly
- 13:56Speaker 1: to the two young men who were more appreciative. A
- 14:00Speaker 1: red faced young woman dressed in pansy came into the
- 14:03Speaker 1: room excitedly, clapping her hands and crying quite eels, quite els.
- 14:08Speaker 1: Close on her heels came Aunt Kate, crying, two gentlemen
- 14:11Speaker 1: and three ladies. Mary Jane, Oh, the here's mister Bergin
- 14:15Speaker 1: and mister Kerrigan, said Mary Jane. Mister Kerrigan, will you
- 14:18Speaker 1: take Miss Power and Miss Furlong? May I get you
- 14:20Speaker 1: a partner? Mister Bergin. Oh that'll just do now, three ladies,
- 14:25Speaker 1: Mary Jane, said Aunt Kate. The two young gentlemen asked
- 14:29Speaker 1: the ladies if they might have the pleasure, and Mary
- 14:31Speaker 1: Jane turned to Miss Daly. Oh, Miss Daly, you're really
- 14:34Speaker 1: awfully good after playing for the last two dances. But
- 14:38Speaker 1: really we're so short of ladies to night. I don't
- 14:41Speaker 1: mind in the least Miss Morkan, but I've a nice
- 14:44Speaker 1: partner for you, mister Bartell D'Arcy, the tenor. I'll get
- 14:47Speaker 1: him to sing later on. All Dublin is raving about him.
- 14:50Speaker 1: Lovely voice, lovely voice, said Aunt Kate, as the piano
- 14:55Speaker 1: had twice begun the prelude to the first figure. Mary
- 14:57Speaker 1: Jane led her recruits quickly from the room. They had
- 15:00Speaker 1: hardly gone when Aunt Julia wandered slowly into the room,
- 15:02Speaker 1: looking behind her at something. What is the matter, Julia,
- 15:05Speaker 1: said Aunt Kate anxiously. Who is it? Julia, who was
- 15:09Speaker 1: carrying in the column of table napkins, turned to his
- 15:12Speaker 1: sister and said, simply, as if the question had surprised her,
- 15:16Speaker 1: It's only Freddy Kate and Gabriel with him. In fact,
- 15:20Speaker 1: right behind her, Gabriel could be seen piloting Freddy Malins
- 15:22Speaker 1: across the landing. The latter, a young man of about forty,
- 15:26Speaker 1: was of Gabriel's size and built with very round shoulders.
- 15:29Speaker 1: His face was fleshy and pallid, touched with color only
- 15:32Speaker 1: at the thick, hanging lobes of his ears and at
- 15:34Speaker 1: the wide wings of his nose. He had coarse features,
- 15:38Speaker 1: a blunt nose, a convex and receding brow, tumid and
- 15:42Speaker 1: protruded lips. His heavy lidded eyes, and the disorder of
- 15:46Speaker 1: his scanty hair made him look sleepy. He was laughing
- 15:50Speaker 1: heartily in a high key at a story which he
- 15:52Speaker 1: had been telling Gabriel on the stairs, and at the
- 15:54Speaker 1: same time rubbing the knuckles of his left fist backwards
- 15:57Speaker 1: and forwards into his left eye. Good evening, Freddy, said,
- 16:02Speaker 1: Aunt Julia. Freddy Malins bade the Missus Morgan good evening,
- 16:06Speaker 1: in what seemed an offhand fashion by reason of the
- 16:08Speaker 1: habitual catch in his voice, And then, seeing that mister
- 16:11Speaker 1: Brown was grinning at him from the sideboard, crossed the
- 16:14Speaker 1: room on rather shaky legs, and began to repeat in
- 16:16Speaker 1: an undertone the story he had just told to Gabriel.
- 16:20Speaker 1: He's not so bad, is he? Stent Kate to Gabriel.
- 16:23Speaker 1: Gabriel's browns were dark, but he raised them quickly and answered,
- 16:27Speaker 1: oh no, hardly noticeable. Now, isn't he a terrible fellow?
- 16:31Speaker 1: She said, And his poor mother made him take the
- 16:33Speaker 1: pledge of New Year's Eve, But come on Gabriel into
- 16:36Speaker 1: the drawing room. Before leaving the room with Gabriel, she
- 16:39Speaker 1: signaled to mister Brown by frowning and shaking her forefinger
- 16:43Speaker 1: in warning too and fro. Mister Brown nodded in answer,
- 16:46Speaker 1: and when she had gone, said to Freddy Malins, now, then, Teddy,
- 16:49Speaker 1: I'm going to fill you out a good glass lemonade,
- 16:51Speaker 1: just to book you up. Freddy Malins, who was nearing
- 16:55Speaker 1: the climax of his story, waved the offer aside impatiently.
- 16:58Speaker 1: But mister Brown, have first called Freddy Malins attention to
- 17:01Speaker 1: a disarray in his dress, filled out and handed him
- 17:04Speaker 1: a full glass of lemonade. Freddy Malin's left hand accepted
- 17:07Speaker 1: the glass mechanically, his right hand being engaged in the
- 17:11Speaker 1: mechanical readjustment of his dress. Mister Brown, whose face was
- 17:15Speaker 1: once more wrinkling with mirth, poured out for himself a
- 17:18Speaker 1: glass of whiskey, while Freddy Malins exploded before he had
- 17:21Speaker 1: well reached the climax of his story in a kink
- 17:23Speaker 1: of high pitched, bronchitic laughter, and setting down his untasted
- 17:28Speaker 1: and overflowing glass, began to rub the knuckles of his
- 17:30Speaker 1: left fist backwards and forwards into his left eye, repeating
- 17:34Speaker 1: words of his last phrase as well as his fit
- 17:37Speaker 1: of laughter would allow him end of Part one Part
- 17:46Speaker 1: two of the Dead. Gabriel could not listen while Mary
- 17:49Speaker 1: Jane was playing her academy piece full of runs and
- 17:52Speaker 1: difficult passages to the hushed drawing room. He liked music,
- 17:57Speaker 1: but the piece she was playing had no melody for him,
- 17:59Speaker 1: and doubted whether that any melody for the other listeners,
- 18:02Speaker 1: though they had begged Mary Jane to play something. The
- 18:05Speaker 1: four young men who had come from the refreshment room
- 18:08Speaker 1: to stand in a doorway at the sound of the
- 18:09Speaker 1: piano had gone away quietly in couples. After a few minutes.
- 18:13Speaker 1: The only persons who seemed to follow the music were
- 18:15Speaker 1: Mary Jane herself, her hands racing along the keyboard or
- 18:19Speaker 1: lifted from it at the pauses like those of a
- 18:21Speaker 1: priestess in momentary imprecation, and Aunt Kate standing at her
- 18:25Speaker 1: elbow to turn the page Gabriel's eyes irritated by the floor,
- 18:30Speaker 1: which glittered with bees wax. Under a heavy chandelier wandered
- 18:34Speaker 1: to the wall above the piano. A picture of the
- 18:37Speaker 1: balcony scene in Romeo and Juliette hung there, and beside
- 18:40Speaker 1: it was the picture of the two murdered princes in
- 18:42Speaker 1: the Tower, which Aunt Julia had worked in red, blue
- 18:45Speaker 1: and brown wools when she was a girl, probably in
- 18:49Speaker 1: the school they had gone to as girls that kind
- 18:51Speaker 1: of work had been taught for one year. His mother
- 18:55Speaker 1: had worked for him as they bret the present, a
- 18:57Speaker 1: waistcoat of purple tabinet with little box's heads upon it,
- 19:01Speaker 1: lined with brown satin, and having round mulberry buttons. It
- 19:05Speaker 1: was strange that his mother had had no musical talent,
- 19:08Speaker 1: though Aunt Kate used to call her the brains carrier
- 19:11Speaker 1: of the Morkan family. Both she and Julia had always
- 19:14Speaker 1: seemed a little proud of their serious and matronly sister.
- 19:18Speaker 1: Her photographs stood before the peer glass. She held an
- 19:20Speaker 1: open book on her knees and was pointing out something
- 19:23Speaker 1: in it to Constantine, who dressed in a man O
- 19:25Speaker 1: war suit, lay at her feet. It was she who
- 19:28Speaker 1: had chosen the name of her sons, for she was
- 19:31Speaker 1: very sensible of the dignity of family life. Thanks to her,
- 19:34Speaker 1: Constantine was now senior Curate in Balbrigan, and thanks to her,
- 19:38Speaker 1: Gabriel himself had taken his degree in the Royal University.
- 19:42Speaker 1: A shadow passed over his face as he remembered her
- 19:44Speaker 1: sullen opposition to his marriage. Some slighting phrases she had
- 19:48Speaker 1: used still rankled in his memory. She had once spoken
- 19:52Speaker 1: of Greta as being country cute, and that was not
- 19:55Speaker 1: true Regretta at all. It was Greta who had nursed
- 19:57Speaker 1: her during her last long illness in their house, said Monkstown.
- 20:02Speaker 1: He knew that Mary Jane must be near the end
- 20:04Speaker 1: of her piece, for she was playing again the opening melody,
- 20:07Speaker 1: with runs of scales after every bar, and while he
- 20:09Speaker 1: waited for the end, the resentment died down in his heart.
- 20:14Speaker 1: The piece ended with a trill of octaves in the
- 20:16Speaker 1: treble and a final deep octave in the bass. Great
- 20:20Speaker 1: applause greeted Mary Jane as blushing and rolling up her
- 20:23Speaker 1: music nervously, she escaped from the room. The most vigorous
- 20:27Speaker 1: clapping came from the four young men in the doorway,
- 20:29Speaker 1: who had gone away to the refreshment room at the
- 20:31Speaker 1: beginning of the piece, but had come back when the
- 20:33Speaker 1: piano had stopped. Lancers were arranged. Gabriel found himself partnered
- 20:39Speaker 1: with miss Ivors. She was a frank, mannered, talked of
- 20:42Speaker 1: young lady with a freckled face and prominent brown eyes.
- 20:46Speaker 1: She did not wear a low cut bodice, and the
- 20:48Speaker 1: large brooch which was fixed in the front of her
- 20:50Speaker 1: collar bore on it an Irish device and motto. When
- 20:54Speaker 1: they had taken their places, she said abruptly, I have
- 20:57Speaker 1: a crow to pluck with you. With me, said Gabriel.
- 21:01Speaker 1: She nodded her head gravely. What is it, said Gabriel,
- 21:04Speaker 1: smiling at her solemn manner. Who is g c answered
- 21:09Speaker 1: Miss Ivers, turning her eyes upon him. Gabriel colored and
- 21:13Speaker 1: was about in it his brows, as if he did
- 21:14Speaker 1: not understand when she said bluntly, oh, innocent Damie, I
- 21:18Speaker 1: have found out that you're right for the Daily Express.
- 21:21Speaker 1: Now aren't you ashamed of yourself? Why should I be
- 21:24Speaker 1: ashamed of myself? Asked Gabriel, blinking his eyes and trying
- 21:27Speaker 1: to smile. Well, I am ashamed of you, said Miss Ivers.
- 21:31Speaker 1: Frankly to say you'd write for a paper like that,
- 21:33Speaker 1: I didn't think you were a West Britain. A look
- 21:37Speaker 1: of perplexity appeared on Gabriel's face. It was true that
- 21:40Speaker 1: he wrote literary column every Wednesday in the Daily Express,
- 21:43Speaker 1: for which he was paid fifteen shillings, but that did
- 21:46Speaker 1: not make him a West Britain. Surely, the books he
- 21:49Speaker 1: received for review were almost more welcome than the paltry check.
- 21:53Speaker 1: He loved to feel the covers and turn over the
- 21:55Speaker 1: pages of newly printed books. Nearly every day when his
- 21:58Speaker 1: teaching in the college was he used to wander down
- 22:01Speaker 1: the keys to the second hand booksellers two Hickeys on
- 22:05Speaker 1: Bachelor's Walk, to Webb's or Massey's on Ashton's Key, or
- 22:08Speaker 1: to Accohasse's in the Bye Street. He did not know
- 22:11Speaker 1: how to meet her charge. He wanted to say that
- 22:14Speaker 1: literature was above politics, but they were friends of many
- 22:17Speaker 1: years standing, and their careers had been parallel, first at
- 22:20Speaker 1: the university and then as teachers. He could not risk
- 22:23Speaker 1: a grandiose phrase with her. He continued blinking his eyes
- 22:27Speaker 1: and trying to smile, and murmured lamely that he saw
- 22:29Speaker 1: nothing political in writing reviews of books. When their turn
- 22:33Speaker 1: to cross had come, he was still perplexed and inattentive.
- 22:36Speaker 1: Miss Ivers promptly took his hand in a warm grasp
- 22:39Speaker 1: and said, in a soft, friendly tone, of course, I
- 22:41Speaker 1: was only joking. Come on, cross now. When they were
- 22:45Speaker 1: together again, she spoke of the university question, and Gabriel
- 22:48Speaker 1: felt more at ease. A friend of hers had shown
- 22:51Speaker 1: her his review of Browning's poems. That was how she
- 22:55Speaker 1: had found out the secret. But she liked the review immensely.
- 22:58Speaker 1: Then she said suddenly, Oh, mister Conroy, will you come
- 23:01Speaker 1: for an excourge into the Aarron Isles this summer. We're
- 23:04Speaker 1: going to stay there a whole month. It will be
- 23:06Speaker 1: a splendid out in the Atlantic. You ought to come.
- 23:08Speaker 1: Mister Clancy is coming, and mister Kilkelly and Kathleen Carney.
- 23:12Speaker 1: It would be splendid for Gretta too if she'd come.
- 23:14Speaker 1: She's from Connach, isn't she. Her people are, said Gabriel shortly.
- 23:18Speaker 1: But you will come, won't ye, said Miss Ivers, laying
- 23:21Speaker 1: her warm hand eagerly on his arm. The fact is,
- 23:25Speaker 1: said Gabriel, I have just arranged to go. Go where?
- 23:29Speaker 1: Asked Miss Ivers? Well, you know every year ago for
- 23:32Speaker 1: a cycling tour with some fellows and so. But where
- 23:36Speaker 1: asked miss Ivers. Well, we usually go to France or Belgium,
- 23:40Speaker 1: or perhaps Germany, said Gabriel awkwardly. But why do you
- 23:44Speaker 1: go to France and Belgium, said miss Ivers, instead of
- 23:47Speaker 1: visiting your own land? Well, said Gabriel. It's partly to
- 23:51Speaker 1: keep in touch with the languages, and partly for change
- 23:55Speaker 1: and haf into your own language. To keep in touch
- 23:57Speaker 1: with Irish, said miss Ivers. Well, said Gabriel. If it
- 24:02Speaker 1: comes to that, you know, Irish is not my language.
- 24:06Speaker 1: Their neighbors had turned to listen to the cross examination.
- 24:09Speaker 1: Gabriel glanced right and left nervously and tried to keep
- 24:12Speaker 1: his good humor under the ordeal, which was making a
- 24:14Speaker 1: blush invade his forehead. And haven't your own land to visit?
- 24:18Speaker 1: Continued Miss Ivers, That you know nothing of your own
- 24:21Speaker 1: people and your own country. Oh, to tell ye the truth,
- 24:25Speaker 1: retorted Gabriel. Suddenly I'm sick of my own country. Sick
- 24:28Speaker 1: of it? Why, asked Miss Ivers. Gabriel did not answer
- 24:33Speaker 1: for his retort. Had heeded him? Why? Repeated miss Ivers?
- 24:38Speaker 1: They had to go visiting together. And as he had
- 24:41Speaker 1: not answered her, miss Ivers said warmly, of course you've
- 24:45Speaker 1: no answer. Gabriel tried to cover his agitation by taking
- 24:49Speaker 1: part in the dance with great energy. He avoided her eyes,
- 24:53Speaker 1: for he had seen a sour expression on her face,
- 24:56Speaker 1: But when they met in a long chain, he was
- 24:58Speaker 1: surprised to feel his hand firm pressed. She looked at
- 25:01Speaker 1: him from under her brows for a moment, quizzically until
- 25:04Speaker 1: he smiled. Then, just as the chain was about to
- 25:07Speaker 1: start again, she stood on tiptoe and whispered into his
- 25:10Speaker 1: ear West Britain. When the lancers were over, Gabriel went
- 25:16Speaker 1: away to a remote corner of the room where Freddy
- 25:18Speaker 1: Malin's mother was sitting. She was a stout, feeble old
- 25:21Speaker 1: woman with white hair. Her voice had a catch in
- 25:23Speaker 1: it like her son's, and she stuttered slightly. She had
- 25:27Speaker 1: been told that Freddy had come and that he was
- 25:29Speaker 1: nearly all right. Gabriel asked her whether she had had
- 25:32Speaker 1: a good crossing. She lived with her married daughter in
- 25:34Speaker 1: Glasgow and came to Dublin on a visit once a year.
- 25:37Speaker 1: She answered placidly that she had had a beautiful crossing,
- 25:40Speaker 1: and that the captain had been most attentive to her.
- 25:43Speaker 1: She spoke also of the beautiful house her daughter kept
- 25:45Speaker 1: in Glasgow, and of all the friends they had there.
- 25:49Speaker 1: While her tongue rambled on, Gabriel tried to banish from
- 25:52Speaker 1: his mind all memory of the unpleasant incident with Miss Ivers.
- 25:56Speaker 1: Of course, the girl or woman or whatever she was
- 25:59Speaker 1: wasn't use, he asked, But there was a time for
- 26:01Speaker 1: all things. Perhaps he ought not to have answered her
- 26:04Speaker 1: like that, But she had no right to call him
- 26:06Speaker 1: a West Britain before people, even in joke. She had
- 26:10Speaker 1: tried to make him ridiculous before people, heckling him and
- 26:12Speaker 1: staring at him with her rabbit siyes. He saw his
- 26:16Speaker 1: wife making her way towards him through the waltz and couples.
- 26:20Speaker 1: When she reached him, she said into his ear, Gabriel,
- 26:24Speaker 1: Aunt Kate wants to know. Won't you carve the goose
- 26:26Speaker 1: as usual? Miss Daly will carve the harm and I'll
- 26:28Speaker 1: do the puddin', all right, said Gabriel. She's sending in
- 26:32Speaker 1: the younger ones first as soon as this waltz is over,
- 26:35Speaker 1: so that we'll have the table to ourselves. Were ye dancing,
- 26:38Speaker 1: asked Gabriel. Of course, I was didn't you see me?
- 26:41Speaker 1: What row had you with? Molly Ivers? No raw? Why
- 26:45Speaker 1: did she say so something like that. I'm trying to
- 26:49Speaker 1: get mister Darcy to sing. He's full of conceit. I
- 26:51Speaker 1: think there was no row, said Gabriel moodily. Only she
- 26:55Speaker 1: wanted me to go for a trip to the west
- 26:57Speaker 1: of Ireland, and I said I wouldn't. His wife clasped
- 27:00Speaker 1: her hands excitedly and gave a little jump. Oh do
- 27:03Speaker 1: call Gabriel, she cried, I'd love to see Galway again.
- 27:07Speaker 1: You can go if you like, said Gabriel coldly. She
- 27:11Speaker 1: looked at him for a moment, then turned to Missus
- 27:13Speaker 1: Mallins and said, there's a nice husband for you, Missus Mallins,
- 27:18Speaker 1: While she was threading her way back across the room.
- 27:21Speaker 1: Missus Mallins, without adverting to the interruption, went on to
- 27:24Speaker 1: tell Gabriel what beautiful places they were in Scotland and
- 27:27Speaker 1: beautiful scenery. Her son in law brought them every year
- 27:30Speaker 1: to the lakes and they used to go fishing. Her
- 27:33Speaker 1: son in law was a splendid fisher. One day he
- 27:36Speaker 1: caught a beautiful big fish and the man at a
- 27:37Speaker 1: hotel cooked it for their dinner, Gabriel hardly heard what
- 27:42Speaker 1: she said. Now that supper was coming near, he began
- 27:45Speaker 1: to think again about his speech and about the quotation.
- 27:50Speaker 1: When he saw Freddy Malins coming across the room to
- 27:52Speaker 1: visit his mother. Gabriel left the chair free for him
- 27:54Speaker 1: and retired into the embrasure of the window. The room
- 27:58Speaker 1: had already cleared, and from the back room came the
- 28:01Speaker 1: clatter of plates and knives. Those who still remained in
- 28:04Speaker 1: a drawing room seemed tired of dancing and were conversing
- 28:07Speaker 1: quietly in little groups. Gabriel's warm, trembling fingers tapped the
- 28:11Speaker 1: cold pine of the window. How cool it must be outside,
- 28:15Speaker 1: How pleasant it would be to walk out alone, first
- 28:18Speaker 1: long by the river, and then through the park. The
- 28:20Speaker 1: snow would be lying in the branches of the trees
- 28:23Speaker 1: and forming a bright cap on the top of the
- 28:25Speaker 1: Wellington Monument. How much more pleasant it would be there
- 28:28Speaker 1: than at the supper table. He ran over the headings
- 28:32Speaker 1: of his speech, Irish hospitality, sad memories, the tree graces Paris,
- 28:39Speaker 1: the quotation from Browning. He repeated to himself a phrase
- 28:43Speaker 1: he had written in his review. One feels that one
- 28:46Speaker 1: is listening to a thought tormented music. Miss Divers had
- 28:50Speaker 1: praised the review. Was she sincere? Had she really any
- 28:54Speaker 1: life of her own? Behind all her propagandism. There had
- 28:58Speaker 1: never been any ill feeling between them until that night.
- 29:01Speaker 1: It unnerved him to think that she would be at
- 29:03Speaker 1: the supper table looking up at him while he spoke,
- 29:06Speaker 1: with her critical, quizzing eyes. Perhaps she would not be
- 29:10Speaker 1: sorry to see him fail in his speech. An idiac
- 29:13Speaker 1: come into his mind and gave him courage, he would say,
- 29:16Speaker 1: alluding to Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia, ladies and gentlemen.
- 29:19Speaker 1: The generation which is now on the wane among us
- 29:21Speaker 1: may have had its faults, But for my part, I
- 29:23Speaker 1: think it had certain qualities of hospitality, a humor of humanity,
- 29:27Speaker 1: which the new and very serious and hyper educated generation
- 29:31Speaker 1: that is growing up around us seems to me to lack.
- 29:35Speaker 1: Very good That was one for Miss Ivers. What did
- 29:38Speaker 1: he care that his aunts were only two ignorant old women.
- 29:43Speaker 1: A murmur in the room attracted his attention. Mister Brown
- 29:46Speaker 1: was advancing from the door, gallantly escorting Aunt Julia, who
- 29:50Speaker 1: leaned upon his arm, smiling and hanging her head. An
- 29:54Speaker 1: irregular musketry of applause escorted her also as far as
- 29:57Speaker 1: the piano, and then as Mary Jane seated herself on
- 30:00Speaker 1: the stool, and Aunt Julia, no longer smiling, half turned
- 30:03Speaker 1: so as to pitch her voice fairly into the room,
- 30:06Speaker 1: gradually ceased. Gabriel recognized the prelude. It was that of
- 30:11Speaker 1: an old song of Aunt Julia's, arrayed for the bridle,
- 30:15Speaker 1: her voice strong and clear in tone, attacked with great
- 30:18Speaker 1: spirit the runs which embellished the air, and though she
- 30:21Speaker 1: sang very rapidly, she did not miss even the smallest
- 30:24Speaker 1: of the grace notes. To follow the voice without looking
- 30:28Speaker 1: at the singer's face was to feel and share the
- 30:31Speaker 1: excitement of swift and secure flight. Gabriel plodded loudly with
- 30:36Speaker 1: all the others at the close of the song, and
- 30:38Speaker 1: loud applause was borne in from the invisible supper table.
- 30:42Speaker 1: It sounded so genuine that little color struggled into Aunt
- 30:44Speaker 1: Julia's face as she bent to replace in the music
- 30:47Speaker 1: stand the old leather bound song book that had her
- 30:50Speaker 1: initials on the cover. Freddy Malins, who had listened with
- 30:53Speaker 1: his head perched sideways to hear her better, was still
- 30:56Speaker 1: applauding when everyone else had ceased and talking animatedly to
- 30:59Speaker 1: a mother who nodded her head gravely and slowly in acquiescence.
- 31:04Speaker 1: At last, when he could clap no more, he stood
- 31:07Speaker 1: up suddenly and hurried across the room to Aunt Julia,
- 31:09Speaker 1: whose hand he seized and held in both his hands,
- 31:12Speaker 1: shaking it when words failed him, where the catch in
- 31:15Speaker 1: his voice proved too much for him. I was just
- 31:18Speaker 1: telling my mother, he said, I never heard you sing
- 31:21Speaker 1: so well. Never. No, I never heard your voice as
- 31:23Speaker 1: good as this night. Now, would you believe that? Now?
- 31:25Speaker 1: That's the truth. Upon my word, and Donner, that's the truth.
- 31:28Speaker 1: I never heard your voice sound so fresh and so
- 31:32Speaker 1: so clear and so fresh never. Aunt Julius smiled broadly
- 31:37Speaker 1: and murmured something but compliments. As she released her hand
- 31:39Speaker 1: from his grasp. Mister Browne extended his up and hands
- 31:42Speaker 1: towards her and said, to those who were near him,
- 31:45Speaker 1: in the manner of a showman introducing a prodigy to
- 31:48Speaker 1: an audience, Miss Julia Morkan, my latest discovery. He was
- 31:54Speaker 1: laughing very heartily at this himself, when Freddy Malins turned
- 31:57Speaker 1: to him and said, well, brown if you're serious, you
- 32:00Speaker 1: might make a worse discovery all I can say is
- 32:03Speaker 1: I never heard her sing half so well as long
- 32:05Speaker 1: as I am coming here, And that's the honest truth.
- 32:09Speaker 1: Neither did I said mister Brown. I think her voice
- 32:12Speaker 1: has greatly improved. Aunt Julia shrugged her shoulders and said,
- 32:16Speaker 1: with meek pride, thirty years ago, I hadn't a bad voice,
- 32:20Speaker 1: as voices go, I often told. Julia said Aunt Kate emphatically,
- 32:25Speaker 1: that she was simply thrown away in that choir, but
- 32:28Speaker 1: she never would be said by me. She turned, as
- 32:31Speaker 1: if to appeal to the good sense of the others
- 32:33Speaker 1: against a refractory child, while Aunt Julia gazed in front
- 32:36Speaker 1: of her, a vague smile of reminiscence playing on her face. No,
- 32:41Speaker 1: continued Aunt Kate, she wouldn't be said or led by
- 32:44Speaker 1: any one slaving there in that choir night and day,
- 32:46Speaker 1: night and day six o'clock on Christmas mornin', and all
- 32:50Speaker 1: for what well? Isn't it for the honor of God?
- 32:54Speaker 1: Aunt Kate asked Mary Jane, twisting round at a piano
- 32:57Speaker 1: stool and smiling. And Kate turned fiercely on her niece
- 33:01Speaker 1: and said, I know all about the honor of God,
- 33:04Speaker 1: Mary Jane, but I think it's not at all honorable
- 33:07Speaker 1: for the Pope to turn out the women out of
- 33:08Speaker 1: the choirs that have slaved there all their lives and
- 33:11Speaker 1: put little whipper snappers of boys over their heads. I
- 33:14Speaker 1: suppose it is for the good of the church if
- 33:15Speaker 1: the Pope does it, but it's not just Mary Jane,
- 33:18Speaker 1: and it's not right. She had worked herself into a
- 33:21Speaker 1: passion and would have continued in defense of her sister,
- 33:24Speaker 1: for it was a sore subject with her, But Mary Jane,
- 33:27Speaker 1: seeing that all the dancers had come back, intervened pacifically. Now,
- 33:32Speaker 1: Aunt Kate, you're giving scandal to mister Brown, who is
- 33:35Speaker 1: of the other persuasion. Aunt Kate turned to mister Brown,
- 33:39Speaker 1: who was grinning at this allusion to his religion, and said, hastily, Oh,
- 33:43Speaker 1: I don't question the Pope's beIN right. I'm only a
- 33:46Speaker 1: stupid old woman, and I wouldn't presume to do such
- 33:48Speaker 1: a thing. But they're such a thing as common every
- 33:50Speaker 1: day politeness and gratitude. And if I were in Julia's place,
- 33:53Speaker 1: I'd tell that father he ly straight up to his face.
- 33:56Speaker 1: And besides, Aunt Kate said, Mary Jane, we really are
- 34:00Speaker 1: all hungry, and when we are hungry, we are all
- 34:02Speaker 1: very quarrelsome, and when we are thirsty, we are all
- 34:05Speaker 1: so quarrelsome, added mister Brown. So that we had better
- 34:10Speaker 1: go to supper, said Mary Jane, and finished a discussion. Afterwards,
- 34:15Speaker 1: on the landing outside the drawing room, Gabriel found his
- 34:18Speaker 1: wife and Mary Jane trying to persuade Miss Ivers to
- 34:21Speaker 1: stay for supper. But miss Ivers, who had put on
- 34:23Speaker 1: her hat and was buttoning her cook would not stay.
- 34:28Speaker 1: She did not feel in the least hungry, and she
- 34:30Speaker 1: had already overstayed her time, but only for ten minutes.
- 34:33Speaker 1: Molly said, missus Conroy, that won't delay you to take
- 34:37Speaker 1: a pick itself, said Mary Jane. After all you're dancin.
- 34:41Speaker 1: Oh I really couldn't, said Miss Ivers. I'm afraid you
- 34:44Speaker 1: didn't enjoy yourself at all, said Mary Jane, hopelessly, ever
- 34:47Speaker 1: so much, I assure ye, said Miss Ivers. But you
- 34:50Speaker 1: really must let me run off now. But how can
- 34:53Speaker 1: ye get home? Asked missus Conroy. Oh, it's only two
- 34:57Speaker 1: steps up the quay. Gabriel hesitated a moment and said,
- 35:01Speaker 1: if you will allow me, miss Ivers, I'll see you home.
- 35:03Speaker 1: If you really are obliged to go, but Miss Ivers
- 35:06Speaker 1: broke away from them. I won't hear of it, she cried,
- 35:09Speaker 1: For goodness sake, go into your suppers and don't mind me.
- 35:12Speaker 1: I'm quite well able to take care of myself. Qull,
- 35:16Speaker 1: you're the comical girl, Molly, said missus Conroy frankly. Bannach Live,
- 35:21Speaker 1: cried miss Ivers with a laugh as she ran down
- 35:24Speaker 1: the staircase. Mary Jane gazed after her, a moody, puzzled
- 35:28Speaker 1: expression on her face, while missus Conroy leaned over the
- 35:31Speaker 1: banisters to listen for the hall door. Gabriel asked himself
- 35:34Speaker 1: was he the cause of her abrupt departure? But she
- 35:37Speaker 1: did not seem to be an ill humor she'd gone
- 35:39Speaker 1: away laughing, He stared blankly down the staircase. At the moment,
- 35:44Speaker 1: Aunt Kate came toddling out of the supper room, almost
- 35:47Speaker 1: wringing her hands in despair. Where is Gabriel, she cried,
- 35:51Speaker 1: Where on earth is Gabriel? There's every one waiting in
- 35:54Speaker 1: their stage to let and nobody to carve the goose.
- 35:58Speaker 1: Here I am, Aunt Kate, cried Gabriel with sudden animation,
- 36:01Speaker 1: ready to carve a flock of gease if necessary. A
- 36:06Speaker 1: fat brown goose lay at one end of the table,
- 36:09Speaker 1: and at the other end, on a bed of creased
- 36:11Speaker 1: paper strewn with sprigs of parsley, lay a great ham
- 36:15Speaker 1: stripped of its outer skin and peppered over with crust crumbs,
- 36:19Speaker 1: a neat paper frill round its shin, and beside this
- 36:23Speaker 1: was a round of spiced beef. Between these rival ends
- 36:27Speaker 1: ran parallel lines of side dishes. Two little ministers of
- 36:32Speaker 1: jelly red and yellow, a shallow dish full of blocks
- 36:35Speaker 1: of blanc muge and red jam. A large green leafed
- 36:39Speaker 1: shaped dish with a stalk shaped handle, on which lay
- 36:42Speaker 1: bunches of purple reinsins and peeled almonds. A companion dish,
- 36:47Speaker 1: on which lay a solid rectangle of Smyrna figs, a
- 36:51Speaker 1: dish of custard topped with grated nutmeg, a small bowl
- 36:55Speaker 1: full of chocolates and sweets wrapped in gold and silver papers,
- 36:58Speaker 1: and a glass vase in which stood some tall celery stocks.
- 37:03Speaker 1: In the center of the table, there stood as sentries
- 37:06Speaker 1: to a fruit stand which upheld a pyramid of oranges
- 37:09Speaker 1: and American apples. Two squat old fashioned decanters of cut glass,
- 37:13Speaker 1: one containing port and the other dark sherry on the
- 37:17Speaker 1: closed square piano, A putting in a huge yellow dish
- 37:20Speaker 1: lay in waiting, and behind it were three squads of
- 37:23Speaker 1: bottles of stout and dale and minerals, drawn up according
- 37:26Speaker 1: to the colors of their uniforms, the first two black
- 37:29Speaker 1: with brown and red labels, the third and smallest squad
- 37:33Speaker 1: white with transverse screen sashes. Gabriel took his seat boldly
- 37:39Speaker 1: at the head of the table, and, having looked to
- 37:42Speaker 1: the edge of the carver, plunged his fork firmly into
- 37:45Speaker 1: the goose. He felt quite at ease now, for he
- 37:47Speaker 1: was an expert carver and liked nothing better than to
- 37:49Speaker 1: find himself at the head of a well laden table.
- 37:52Speaker 1: Miss Furlong, what shall I send you, he asked, A
- 37:55Speaker 1: wing or a slice of the breast, Just a small
- 37:57Speaker 1: slice of the breast, Miss Higan, What for you, oh,
- 38:01Speaker 1: anything at all, Mister Conroy. While Gabriel and Miss Daly
- 38:06Speaker 1: exchanged plates of goose and plates of ham and spiced beef,
- 38:10Speaker 1: lily went from guest to guest with a dish of
- 38:12Speaker 1: hot floury potatoes wrapped in a white napkin. This was
- 38:16Speaker 1: Mary Jane's idea, and she had also suggested apple sauce
- 38:19Speaker 1: for the goose, but Aunt Kate had said that plain
- 38:21Speaker 1: roast goose without any apple sauce had always been good
- 38:24Speaker 1: enough for her, and she hoped she might never eat worse.
- 38:27Speaker 1: Mary Kate waited on her pupils and saw that they
- 38:30Speaker 1: got the best slices. And Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia
- 38:33Speaker 1: opened and carried across from the piano bottles of stout
- 38:36Speaker 1: and dale for the gentlemen, and bottles of minerals for
- 38:38Speaker 1: the ladies. There was a great deal of confusion and
- 38:42Speaker 1: laughter and noise, the noise of orders and counter orders,
- 38:46Speaker 1: of knives and forks, of corks and glass stoppers. Gabriel
- 38:51Speaker 1: began to carve second helpings as soon as he had
- 38:53Speaker 1: finished the first round, without serving himself. Everyone protested loudly,
- 38:57Speaker 1: so that he compromised by taking the long draft of stuff,
- 39:00Speaker 1: for he had found the carving hot work. Mary Jane
- 39:03Speaker 1: settled down quietly to her supper, but Aunt Kate and
- 39:06Speaker 1: Aunt Julia were still toddling round the table, walking on
- 39:09Speaker 1: each other's heels, getting in each other's way, and giving
- 39:12Speaker 1: each other unheeded orders. Mister Brown begged of them to
- 39:16Speaker 1: sit down and eat their suppers, and so did Gabriel.
- 39:19Speaker 1: But they said there was time enough, so that at
- 39:21Speaker 1: last Freddy Malins stood up, and, capturing Aunt Kate, plumped
- 39:25Speaker 1: her down on her chair amid general laughter. When every
- 39:29Speaker 1: one had been well served, Gabriel said, smiling, now, if
- 39:33Speaker 1: any one wants a little more of what vulgar people
- 39:35Speaker 1: call stuffing, let him or horse speak. A chorus of
- 39:39Speaker 1: voices invited him to begin his own supper, and Lily
- 39:42Speaker 1: came forward with three potatoes, which she had reserved for him.
- 39:46Speaker 1: Very well, said Gabriel amiably, as he took another preparatory draft.
- 39:51Speaker 1: Kindly forget my existence, ladies and gentlemen, for a few minutes.
- 39:56Speaker 1: He set to his supper and took no part in
- 39:58Speaker 1: the conversation with which the table covered Lily's removal of
- 40:01Speaker 1: the plates. The subject of talk was the opera company
- 40:05Speaker 1: which was then at the Theater Royal. Mister Bartell D'Arcy,
- 40:08Speaker 1: the tenor, a dark complexioned young man with a smart mustache,
- 40:12Speaker 1: praised very highly the leading contralto of the company, but
- 40:15Speaker 1: Miss Furlong thought she had a rather vulgar style of production.
- 40:20Speaker 1: Freddy Malins said there was a negro chieftain singing in
- 40:24Speaker 1: the second part of the Gayety Pantomime, who had one
- 40:26Speaker 1: of the finest tenor voices he had ever heard. Have
- 40:30Speaker 1: you heard him, he asked mister Bartell Darcy across the table. No,
- 40:35Speaker 1: answered mister Bartell Darcy carelessly, because Freddy Malins explained, now,
- 40:40Speaker 1: I'd be curious to hear your opinion of him. I
- 40:42Speaker 1: think he's a grand voice. It takes Teddy to find
- 40:46Speaker 1: out the really good things, said mister Brown familiarly to
- 40:49Speaker 1: the table. And why couldn't he have a voice, too,
- 40:53Speaker 1: asked Freddy Malins sharply. Is it because he's only a black?
- 40:57Speaker 1: Nobody answered this question, and marriage Yane led the table
- 41:01Speaker 1: back to legitimate opera. One of her pupils had given
- 41:03Speaker 1: her a pass for Mignon. Of course it was very fine,
- 41:07Speaker 1: she said, but it made her think of poor Georgina Burns.
- 41:10Speaker 1: Mister Brown could go back farther still to the old
- 41:13Speaker 1: Italian companies that used to come to Dublin, Tiegins, Ilma
- 41:17Speaker 1: de Murska, Campanini, the great Trebelli, Guglini, Rivelli, Armburo. Those
- 41:24Speaker 1: were the days, he said, when there was something like
- 41:27Speaker 1: singing to be heard in Dublin. He told too, of
- 41:30Speaker 1: how the top gallery of the Old Royal used to
- 41:33Speaker 1: be packed night after night, of how one night an
- 41:36Speaker 1: Italian tenor had sung five encorees to let me like
- 41:39Speaker 1: a soldier fall, introducing a high sea every time, And
- 41:43Speaker 1: of how the gallery boys would, sometimes, in their enthusiasm,
- 41:47Speaker 1: unyoke the horses from the carriage of some great prima
- 41:49Speaker 1: donna and pull her themselves through the streets to her hotel.
- 41:53Speaker 1: Why did they never play the grand old operas now,
- 41:56Speaker 1: he asked Dinora Lucrezia Borgia, because they could not get
- 42:01Speaker 1: the voices to sing them. That was why. Oh, well,
- 42:05Speaker 1: said mister Bartell Darcy. I presume there are as good
- 42:09Speaker 1: singers to day as there were. Then where are they,
- 42:12Speaker 1: asked mister Browne defiantly in London? Paris, my man, said
- 42:17Speaker 1: mister Bartell Darcy warmly. I suppose Crusoe, for example, is
- 42:21Speaker 1: quite as good, if not better, than any of the
- 42:23Speaker 1: men you have mentioned. Maybe so, said mister Browne, But
- 42:27Speaker 1: I may tell you I doubt it strongly. Oh I'd
- 42:31Speaker 1: give anything to hear Carusoe's sing, said Mary Jane. For me,
- 42:35Speaker 1: said Aunt Kate, who had been picking a bone there
- 42:38Speaker 1: was only one tenor to please me. I mean, but
- 42:40Speaker 1: I suppose none of you ever heard of him. Who
- 42:44Speaker 1: was he, miss Morgan, asked mister Bartell Darcy politely. His name,
- 42:49Speaker 1: said Aunt Kate, was Parkinson. I heard him when he
- 42:51Speaker 1: was in his prime, and I think he had then
- 42:54Speaker 1: the purest tenor voice that ever was put into a
- 42:56Speaker 1: man's throat. Strange, said mister Bartell Darle. I never even
- 43:01Speaker 1: heard of him. Yes, yes, Miss Morgan is right, said
- 43:05Speaker 1: mister Brown. I remember hearing of old Parkinson, but he's
- 43:08Speaker 1: too far back for me. A beautiful, pure, sweet, mellow
- 43:13Speaker 1: English tenor, said Aunt Kate with enthusiasm. Gabriel, having finished
- 43:18Speaker 1: the huge pudding, was transferred to the table. The clatter
- 43:22Speaker 1: of forks and spoons began again. Gabriel's wife served out
- 43:25Speaker 1: spoonfuls of the pudding and passed the plates down the table.
- 43:29Speaker 1: Midway down they were held up by Mary Jane, who
- 43:31Speaker 1: replenished them with raspberry or orange jelly, or with blancmange
- 43:35Speaker 1: and jam. The pudding was of Aunt Julia's making, and
- 43:38Speaker 1: she received praises for it from all quarters. She herself
- 43:41Speaker 1: said that it was not quite brown enough. Well, I hope.
- 43:45Speaker 1: Miss Morkan said mister brown that I'm brown enough for you,
- 43:48Speaker 1: because you know I'm all brown. All the gentlemen except Gabriel,
- 43:53Speaker 1: ate some of the pudding out of compliment to Aunt Julia,
- 43:56Speaker 1: as Gabriel never ate sweets. The celery had been left
- 43:59Speaker 1: for him. Freddy Malins also took a stock of celery
- 44:02Speaker 1: and ate it with his pudding. He had been told
- 44:04Speaker 1: that celery was a capital thing for the blood, and
- 44:07Speaker 1: he was just then under doctor's care. Missus Malins, who
- 44:11Speaker 1: had been silent all through the supper, said that her
- 44:13Speaker 1: son was going down to Mount Mellory in a week
- 44:16Speaker 1: or so. The table then spoke of Mount Mellory, how
- 44:19Speaker 1: bracing the air was down there, how hospitable the monks were,
- 44:22Speaker 1: and how they never asked for a penny piece from
- 44:24Speaker 1: their guests. And do you mean to say, asked mister
- 44:28Speaker 1: Browne incredulously, that the chap can go down there and
- 44:31Speaker 1: put up there as if it were a hotel, and
- 44:32Speaker 1: live off the fat of the land, and then come
- 44:34Speaker 1: away without paying anything. Oh, most people give some donation
- 44:38Speaker 1: to the monastery when they leave, said Mary Jane. I
- 44:42Speaker 1: wish we had an institution like that. In our church,
- 44:44Speaker 1: said mister Browne candidly. He was astonished to hear that
- 44:47Speaker 1: the monks never spoke, got up at two in the
- 44:49Speaker 1: morning and slept in their coffins. He asked what they
- 44:52Speaker 1: did it for, That's the rule of the arder, said
- 44:55Speaker 1: aunt Kate firmly yes, But why, asked mister brown aunt
- 45:00Speaker 1: Kate repeated that it was the rule that was all.
- 45:02Speaker 1: Mister Browne still seems not to understand. Freddy Malins explained
- 45:06Speaker 1: to him as best he could that the monks were
- 45:08Speaker 1: trying to make up for the sins committed by all
- 45:10Speaker 1: the sinners in the outside world. The explanation was not
- 45:14Speaker 1: very clear for mister brown grinned and said, I liked
- 45:17Speaker 1: that idea very much, but wouldn't a comfortable spring bed
- 45:20Speaker 1: do them as well as a coffin. The coffin, said
- 45:23Speaker 1: Mary Jane, is to remind them of their last end.
- 45:28Speaker 1: As the subject had grown lugubrious, it was buried in
- 45:31Speaker 1: a silence of the table, during which Missus Malins could
- 45:34Speaker 1: be heard saying to her neighbor in an indistinct undertone,
- 45:37Speaker 1: they are very good men, the monks, very pious men.
- 45:41Speaker 1: The raisins and almonds and figs, and apples and oranges,
- 45:44Speaker 1: and chocolates and sweets were now passed about the table,
- 45:47Speaker 1: and Aunt Julia invited all the guests to have either
- 45:49Speaker 1: port or sherry. At first, mister Bartell D'Arcy refused to
- 45:53Speaker 1: take either, but one of his neighbors nudged him and
- 45:56Speaker 1: whispered something to him, upon which he allowed his glass
- 45:59Speaker 1: to be filled. Gradually, as the last glasses were being filled,
- 46:03Speaker 1: the conversation ceased, a pause, followed broken only by the
- 46:06Speaker 1: noise of the wine and by unsettlings of chairs. The
- 46:10Speaker 1: Missus Morkan. All three looked down at the tablecloth. Some
- 46:13Speaker 1: one coughed once or twice, and then a few gentlemen
- 46:16Speaker 1: patted the table gently as a signal for silence. The
- 46:20Speaker 1: silence came, and Gabriel pushed back his chair. The patting
- 46:25Speaker 1: at once grew louder in encouragement, and then ceased altogether.
- 46:28Speaker 1: Gabriel leaned his ten trembling fingers on the tablecloth and
- 46:32Speaker 1: smiled nervously at the company, meeting a row of upturned
- 46:35Speaker 1: face as he raised his eyes to the chandelier. The
- 46:38Speaker 1: piano was playing a waltz tune, and he could hear
- 46:40Speaker 1: the skirts sweeping against the drawing room door. People perhaps
- 46:44Speaker 1: were standing in the snow on the quay outside, gazing
- 46:47Speaker 1: up at the lighted windows and listening to the waltz music.
- 46:51Speaker 1: The air was pure. There in the distance lay the park,
- 46:55Speaker 1: where the trees were weighted with snow. The Wellington Monument
- 46:59Speaker 1: wore it gleaming cap of snow that flashed westward over
- 47:02Speaker 1: the white field of fifteen acres. He began, Ladies and gentlemen,
- 47:09Speaker 1: it has fallen to my lot this evening, as in
- 47:11Speaker 1: years past, to perform a very pleasing task, but a
- 47:15Speaker 1: task for which I am afraid my poor powers as
- 47:18Speaker 1: a speaker are all too inadequate. No, no, said mister Brown.
- 47:24Speaker 1: But however that may be, I can only ask you
- 47:27Speaker 1: to night to take the will for the deed, and
- 47:29Speaker 1: to lend me your attention for a few moments while
- 47:31Speaker 1: I endeavor to express to you in words what my
- 47:34Speaker 1: feelings are on this occasion. Ladies and gentlemen, it is
- 47:38Speaker 1: not the first time that we have gathered together under
- 47:40Speaker 1: this hospitable roof, around this hospitable board. It is not
- 47:45Speaker 1: the first time that we have been the recipient, Or
- 47:48Speaker 1: perhaps I had better say the victims of the hospitality
- 47:51Speaker 1: of certain good ladies. He made a circle in the
- 47:54Speaker 1: ear with his arm and paused. Every one laughed or
- 47:57Speaker 1: smiled at Aunt Kate, and Aunt Julia and Mary Jane,
- 48:00Speaker 1: who all turned crimson with pleasure. Gabriel went on more boldly.
- 48:05Speaker 1: I feel more strongly with every recurring year, that our
- 48:08Speaker 1: country has no tradition which does it so much honor,
- 48:11Speaker 1: and which it should guard so jealously as that of
- 48:14Speaker 1: its hospitality. It is a tradition that is unique as
- 48:17Speaker 1: far as my experience goes, and I have visited not
- 48:20Speaker 1: a few places abroad among the modern nations. Some would say,
- 48:25Speaker 1: perhaps that with us it is rather a failing than
- 48:28Speaker 1: anything to be boasted of. But granted even that, it is,
- 48:31Speaker 1: to my mind a princely failing, and one that I
- 48:34Speaker 1: trust will long be cultivated among us. Of one thing
- 48:38Speaker 1: at least, I am sure as long as this one
- 48:41Speaker 1: roof shelters the good ladies AfOR said, and I wish
- 48:44Speaker 1: from my heart it may do so for many and
- 48:46Speaker 1: many a long year to come. The tradition of genuine,
- 48:49Speaker 1: warm hearted, courteous Irish hospitality, which our forefathers have handed
- 48:53Speaker 1: down to us, and which we in turn must hand
- 48:56Speaker 1: down to our descendants, is still alive among us. A
- 49:01Speaker 1: hearty murmur of assent ran round the table. It shot
- 49:04Speaker 1: through Gabriel's mind that Miss Ivers would not there, and
- 49:07Speaker 1: that she had gone away discourteously, and he said, with
- 49:10Speaker 1: confidence in himself, ladies and gentlemen, a new generation is
- 49:14Speaker 1: growing up in our midst, a generation actuated by new
- 49:18Speaker 1: ideas and new principles. It is serious and enthusiastic for
- 49:23Speaker 1: these new ideas, and its enthusiasm, even when it is misdirected.
- 49:27Speaker 1: Is I believe in the main sincere. But we are
- 49:31Speaker 1: living in a skeptical and, if I may use the phrase,
- 49:35Speaker 1: a thought tormented age. And sometimes I fear that this
- 49:38Speaker 1: new generation, educated or hyper educated as it is, will
- 49:42Speaker 1: lack those qualities of humanity, of hospitality, of kindly humor
- 49:46Speaker 1: which belonged to an older day. Listening tonight to the
- 49:50Speaker 1: names of all those great singers of the past, it
- 49:53Speaker 1: seemed to me I must confess that we were living
- 49:56Speaker 1: in a less spacious age. Those days might, without exaggeration,
- 50:01Speaker 1: be called spacious days. And if they are gone beyond recall,
- 50:05Speaker 1: let us hope at least that in gatherings such as this,
- 50:08Speaker 1: we shall still speak of them with pride and affection,
- 50:11Speaker 1: still cherish in our hearts the memory of those dead
- 50:14Speaker 1: and gone, great ones whose fame the world will not
- 50:17Speaker 1: willingly let die. Hear hear, said mister Brown loudly, but
- 50:23Speaker 1: yet continued Gabriel, his voice falling into a softer inflection.
- 50:27Speaker 1: There are always, in gatherings such as this, sadder thoughts
- 50:31Speaker 1: that will recur to our minds, thoughts of the past,
- 50:34Speaker 1: of youth, of changes of absent faces that we miss
- 50:38Speaker 1: here to night. Our path through life is strewn with
- 50:41Speaker 1: many such sad memories, and were we to brood upon
- 50:47Speaker 1: them always, we could not find the heart to go
- 50:49Speaker 1: on bravely with our work among the living. We have,
- 50:53Speaker 1: all of us, living duties and living affections which claim
- 50:56Speaker 1: and rightly claim our strenuous endeavors. Therefore, I will not
- 51:01Speaker 1: linger on the past. I will not let any gloomy
- 51:04Speaker 1: moralizing intrude upon us. Here to night. Here we are
- 51:07Speaker 1: gathered together for a brief moment from the bustle and
- 51:10Speaker 1: rush of our everyday routine. We are met here as friends,
- 51:14Speaker 1: in the spirit of good fellowship, as colleagues. Also, to
- 51:18Speaker 1: a certain extent, in the true spirit of camaraderie, and
- 51:22Speaker 1: as the guests of what shall I call them, the
- 51:25Speaker 1: three graces of the Dublin musical world. The table burst
- 51:29Speaker 1: into applause and laughter. At this allusion. Aunt Julia vainly
- 51:33Speaker 1: asked each of her neighbors in turn to tell her
- 51:35Speaker 1: what Gabriel had said. He says, we are the three Graces,
- 51:39Speaker 1: Aunt Julia, said Mary Jane. Aunt Julia did not understand,
- 51:43Speaker 1: but she looked up smiling at Gabriel, who continued in
- 51:46Speaker 1: the same vein, ladies and gentlemen, I will not attempt
- 51:50Speaker 1: to play to night the part that Paris played on
- 51:52Speaker 1: another occasion. I will not attempt to choose between them.
- 51:56Speaker 1: The task would be an invidious one, and one beyond
- 51:59Speaker 1: my poor powers. For when I view them in turn,
- 52:02Speaker 1: whether it be our chief hostess herself, whose good heart,
- 52:06Speaker 1: whose too good heart has become a bye word with
- 52:09Speaker 1: all who know her, or her sister, who seems to
- 52:12Speaker 1: be gifted with perennial youth, and whose singing must have
- 52:15Speaker 1: been a surprise and a revelation to us all to night,
- 52:18Speaker 1: or last, but not least, when I consider our youngest hostess, talented, cheerful, hard,
- 52:24Speaker 1: working and the best of nieces. I confess ladies and gentlemen,
- 52:28Speaker 1: that I do not know to which of them I
- 52:29Speaker 1: should award the prize. Gabriel glanced down at his ants, and,
- 52:34Speaker 1: seeing the large smile in Aunt Julia's face and the
- 52:37Speaker 1: tears which had risen to Aunt Kate's eyes, hastened to
- 52:40Speaker 1: his clothes. He raised his glass of port gallantly, while
- 52:43Speaker 1: every member of the company fingered a glass expectantly and
- 52:46Speaker 1: said loudly, let us toast them all three together. Let
- 52:51Speaker 1: us drink to their health, wealth, long life, happiness and prosperity.
- 52:56Speaker 1: And may they long continue to hold the proud and
- 53:00Speaker 1: self one position which they hold in their profession, and
- 53:03Speaker 1: the position of honor and affection which they hold in
- 53:06Speaker 1: our hearts. All the guests stood up, glass in hand,
- 53:11Speaker 1: and turning towards the three seated ladies, sang in unison,
- 53:14Speaker 1: with mister Brown as leader. For they are jolly gayfel os,
- 53:19Speaker 1: For they are jolly gayfel lowes. For they are jolly
- 53:23Speaker 1: gayfer hellos, which nobody can deny. Aunt Kate was making
- 53:29Speaker 1: frank use of her handkerchief, and even Aunt Julia seemed moved.
- 53:33Speaker 1: Freddy Malins beat time with his pudding fork, and the
- 53:36Speaker 1: singers turned towards one another as if in melodious conference,
- 53:40Speaker 1: while they sang with emphasis unless he tells the lie,
- 53:44Speaker 1: unless he tell the lie. Then, turning once more towards
- 53:48Speaker 1: their hostesses, they sang, for they are jolly gayfelose, for
- 53:52Speaker 1: they are jolly gayfelse, for they are jolly gayfer helloes,
- 53:59Speaker 1: which no mony can deny. The acclamation which followed was
- 54:05Speaker 1: taken up beyond the door of the supper room by
- 54:08Speaker 1: many of the other guests, and renewed time after time.
- 54:11Speaker 1: Freddy Malins, acting as officer with his fork on high,
- 54:20Speaker 1: and of Part two Part three of the Dead by
- 54:26Speaker 1: James Joyce. The piercing morning air came into the hall
- 54:30Speaker 1: where they were standing, so that Aunt Kate said, close
- 54:33Speaker 1: the door. Somebody, missus Mallins will get her death of cold.
- 54:37Speaker 1: Brown is out there, aunt Kate said, Mary Jane. Brown
- 54:41Speaker 1: is everywhere, said Aunt Kate, lowering her voice. Mary Jane
- 54:45Speaker 1: laughed at her tone. Really, she said archly, he is
- 54:49Speaker 1: very attentive. He has been laid on here like the gas,
- 54:53Speaker 1: said Aunt Kate in the same tone all during the Christmas.
- 54:57Speaker 1: She laughed herself this time good humoredly, and then added quickly,
- 55:01Speaker 1: but tell him to come in, Mary Jane and close
- 55:03Speaker 1: the door. I hope to goodness he didn't hear me.
- 55:06Speaker 1: At that moment, the hall door was opened, and mister
- 55:08Speaker 1: Brown came in from the doorstep, laughing as if his
- 55:11Speaker 1: heart would break. He was dressed in a long green
- 55:14Speaker 1: overcoat with mock astrackend cuffs and color, and wore on
- 55:17Speaker 1: his head an oval forrror cap. He pointed down the
- 55:21Speaker 1: snow covered key, from where the sound of shrill prolonged
- 55:24Speaker 1: whistling was borne in teddy, we'll have all the cabs
- 55:28Speaker 1: in Dublin out, he said. Gabriel advanced from the little
- 55:33Speaker 1: pantry behind the office, struggling into his overcoat and looking
- 55:37Speaker 1: round the hall, said Gretta, not down yet, she's getting
- 55:41Speaker 1: on her things, Gabriel said. Aunt Kate, who's playing up there?
- 55:45Speaker 1: Asked Gabriel. Nobody they're all gone? Oh no, Aunt Kate,
- 55:49Speaker 1: said Mary Jane, Bartle Darcy and miss O'Callahan aren't gone yet.
- 55:54Speaker 1: Some one is fooling at the piano, anyhow, said Gabriel.
- 55:58Speaker 1: Mary Jane glanced at Gabriel and mister Brown and said
- 56:00Speaker 1: with a shiver. It makes me feel cold to look
- 56:03Speaker 1: at you two gentlemen muffled up like that. I wouldn't
- 56:06Speaker 1: like to face your journey home at this hour. I'd
- 56:10Speaker 1: like nothing better this minute, said mister Brown, stoutly than
- 56:13Speaker 1: a rattling, fine walk in the country, or a fast
- 56:15Speaker 1: drive with a good spanking door between the shafts. We
- 56:20Speaker 1: used to have a very good horse and trap at home,
- 56:22Speaker 1: said Aunt Julia, sadly, the never to be forgotten Johnny,
- 56:26Speaker 1: said Mary Jane, laughing. Aunt Kate and Gabriel laughed too.
- 56:31Speaker 1: Why what was wonderful about Johnny, asked mister Brown. The
- 56:35Speaker 1: late lamented Patrick Morkan our grandfather, that is, explained Gabriel,
- 56:39Speaker 1: the commonly known in his later years as the Old Gentleman,
- 56:42Speaker 1: was a glue boiler. Oh now, Gabriel, said Aunt Kate, laughing.
- 56:47Speaker 1: He had a starch mill. Well, glue or starch, said Gabriel.
- 56:51Speaker 1: The Old Gentleman had a horse by the name of Johnny,
- 56:54Speaker 1: and Johnnie used to work in the Old Gentleman's mill,
- 56:56Speaker 1: walking round and round in order to drive the mill.
- 56:59Speaker 1: That was all very well, but now comes the tragic
- 57:01Speaker 1: part about Johnny. One fine day, the old gentleman thought
- 57:04Speaker 1: he'd like to drive out with the quality to a
- 57:07Speaker 1: military review in the park. The Lord have mercy on
- 57:10Speaker 1: his soul, said Aunt Kate compassionately, Amen, said Gabriel. So
- 57:15Speaker 1: the old gentleman, as I said, harnessed Johnny and put
- 57:18Speaker 1: on his very best tall hat and his very best
- 57:20Speaker 1: stock collar, and drove out in grand style from his
- 57:23Speaker 1: ancestral mansion somewhere near brack Lane. I think everyone laughed,
- 57:27Speaker 1: even Missus Malins, at Gabriel's manner, and Aunt Kate said, oh, now, Gabriel,
- 57:32Speaker 1: he didn't live in back Lane, really, only the mill
- 57:34Speaker 1: was there, out from the mansion of his forefathers. Continued Gabriel.
- 57:38Speaker 1: He drove with Johnny, and everything went on beautifully until
- 57:41Speaker 1: Johnny came in sight of King Billy's statue. And whether
- 57:45Speaker 1: he fell in love with the horse King Billy sits on,
- 57:47Speaker 1: or whether he thought he was back again in the mill, anyhow,
- 57:50Speaker 1: he began to walk round the statue. Gabriel paced in
- 57:54Speaker 1: a circle round the hall in his goloshes, amid the
- 57:57Speaker 1: laughter of the others. Round and round he went, said Gabriel.
- 58:01Speaker 1: And the old gentleman, who was a very pompous old
- 58:04Speaker 1: gentleman was highly indignant. Go on, sir, what do you mean,
- 58:07Speaker 1: sir Johnny, Johnny, most extraordinary conduct. Can't understand the horse.
- 58:12Speaker 1: The peal of laughter which followed Gabriel's imitation of the
- 58:15Speaker 1: incident was interrupted by a resounding knock at the hall door.
- 58:19Speaker 1: Mary Jane ran to open it and let in Freddy Malins.
- 58:22Speaker 1: Freddy Malins, with his hat well back on his head
- 58:24Speaker 1: and his shoulders humped with cold, was puffing and steaming
- 58:28Speaker 1: after his exertions. I could only get one cab, he said, Oh,
- 58:32Speaker 1: we'll find another along the key, said Gabriel. Yes, said
- 58:36Speaker 1: Aunt Kate. Better not keep missus Mallin standing in the draft.
- 58:41Speaker 1: Missus Mallins was helped down the front steps by her
- 58:43Speaker 1: son and mister brown and, after many maneuvers, hoisted into
- 58:46Speaker 1: the cab. Freddy Malins clambered in after her and spent
- 58:49Speaker 1: a long time settling her on the seat, mister Browne
- 58:52Speaker 1: helping him with advice. At last she was settled comfortably,
- 58:56Speaker 1: and Freddy Malins invited mister brown into the cab. There
- 58:59Speaker 1: was a good deal of concer used talk, and then
- 59:01Speaker 1: mister Browne got into the cab. The cabman settled his
- 59:03Speaker 1: rug over his knees and bent down for the address.
- 59:06Speaker 1: The confusion grew greater, and the cabman was directed differently
- 59:09Speaker 1: by Freddy Malins and mister brown each of whom had
- 59:12Speaker 1: his head out through the window of the cab. The
- 59:14Speaker 1: difficulty was to know where to drop mister Browne along
- 59:17Speaker 1: the route, and Aunt Kate, Aunt Julia, and Mary Jane
- 59:20Speaker 1: helped the discussion from the doorstep with cross directions at
- 59:22Speaker 1: contradictions and abundance of laughter. As for Freddy Malins, he
- 59:28Speaker 1: was speechless with laughter. He popped his head in and
- 59:31Speaker 1: out of the window every moment to the great danger
- 59:33Speaker 1: of his hat, and told his mother how the discussion
- 59:35Speaker 1: was progressing. Till at last mister Browne shouted to the
- 59:38Speaker 1: bewildered cabman above the din of everybody's laughter. Do you
- 59:41Speaker 1: know Trinity College? Yes, sir, said the cabman. We'll drive
- 59:46Speaker 1: bang up against Trinity College gates, said mister brown and
- 59:49Speaker 1: then we'll tell you where to go. You understand now, yes, sir,
- 59:52Speaker 1: said the cabman. Make like a bird for Trinity College. Right, sir,
- 59:57Speaker 1: said the cabman. The horse was whipped up and the
- 1:00:00Speaker 1: cab rattled off along the key amid a chorus of
- 1:00:02Speaker 1: laughter and adieuze. Gabriel had not gone to the door
- 1:00:06Speaker 1: with the others. He was in a dark part of
- 1:00:09Speaker 1: the hall, gazing up the staircase. A woman was standing
- 1:00:12Speaker 1: near the top of the first flight in the shadow.
- 1:00:14Speaker 1: Also he could not see her face, but he could
- 1:00:17Speaker 1: see the terra cotta and salmon pink panels of her skirt,
- 1:00:21Speaker 1: which the shadow made appear black and white. It was
- 1:00:24Speaker 1: his wife. She was leaning on the banisters, listening to something.
- 1:00:29Speaker 1: Gabriel was surprised at her stillness and strained his ear
- 1:00:33Speaker 1: to listen also, but he could hear little save the
- 1:00:37Speaker 1: noise of laughter and dispute on the front steps, a
- 1:00:39Speaker 1: few chords struck on the piano, and a few notes
- 1:00:42Speaker 1: of a man's voice singing. He stood still in the
- 1:00:46Speaker 1: gloom of the hall, trying to catch the ear of
- 1:00:48Speaker 1: that the voice was singing, and gazing up at his wife.
- 1:00:52Speaker 1: There was grace and mystery in her attitude, as if
- 1:00:56Speaker 1: she were a symbol of something. He asked himself, what
- 1:01:00Speaker 1: is a woman standing on the stairs in a shadow,
- 1:01:03Speaker 1: listening to distant music a symbol of If he were
- 1:01:07Speaker 1: a painter. He would paint her in that attitude. Her
- 1:01:10Speaker 1: blue felt hat would show off the bronze of her
- 1:01:12Speaker 1: hair against the darkness, and the dark panels of her
- 1:01:15Speaker 1: skirt would show off the light ones distant music. He
- 1:01:19Speaker 1: would call the picture if he were a painter. The
- 1:01:24Speaker 1: hall door was closed, and Aunt Kate, Aunt Julia, and
- 1:01:26Speaker 1: Mary Jane came down the hall still laughing. Well, listen,
- 1:01:30Speaker 1: Freddy terrible, said Mary Jane. He is really terrible. Gabriel
- 1:01:35Speaker 1: said nothing, but pointed up the stairs towards where his
- 1:01:37Speaker 1: wife was standing. Now that the hall door was closed,
- 1:01:41Speaker 1: the voice and the piano could be heard more clearly.
- 1:01:43Speaker 1: Gabriel held up his hand for them to be silent.
- 1:01:46Speaker 1: The song seemed to be in the old Irish tonality,
- 1:01:49Speaker 1: and the singer seemed uncertain, both of his words and
- 1:01:52Speaker 1: of his voice. The voice, made plaintive by distance and
- 1:01:56Speaker 1: by the singer's hoarseness, faintly illuminated the cadence of the
- 1:02:00Speaker 1: air with words expressing grief. Oh, the rain falls on
- 1:02:06Speaker 1: my heavy locks, and the dew wets my skin. My
- 1:02:11Speaker 1: babe lies cold, oh, exclaimed Mary Jane. It's Bartle Darcy singing,
- 1:02:18Speaker 1: and he wouldn't sing all the night. Oh, I'll get
- 1:02:20Speaker 1: him to sing a song before he goes. Oh do
- 1:02:23Speaker 1: Mary Jane, eh, said Aunt Kate. Mary Jane brushed past
- 1:02:28Speaker 1: the others and ran to the staircase, but before she
- 1:02:31Speaker 1: reached it, the singing stopped and the piano was closed abruptly.
- 1:02:35Speaker 1: Oh what a pity, she cried, Is he coming down?
- 1:02:37Speaker 1: Greta Gabriel heard his wife answer yes, and saw her
- 1:02:42Speaker 1: come down towards them. A few steps behind her were
- 1:02:45Speaker 1: mister Bartell Darcy and miss O'Callahan. Oh, mister Darcy, cried
- 1:02:49Speaker 1: Mary Jane. It's downright mean of you to break off
- 1:02:52Speaker 1: like that when we were all in raptures listening to you.
- 1:02:56Speaker 1: I have been at him all the evening, said miss Callahan.
- 1:02:59Speaker 1: And missus Conney too, and he told us he had
- 1:03:01Speaker 1: a dreadful cold and couldn't sing. Oh, mister Darcy, said
- 1:03:05Speaker 1: Aunt Kate. Now that was a great fib to tell.
- 1:03:09Speaker 1: Can't you see that I'm as hoarse as a crow,
- 1:03:11Speaker 1: said mister Darcy roughly. He went into the pantry hastily
- 1:03:15Speaker 1: and put on his overcoat. The others, taken aback by
- 1:03:19Speaker 1: his rude speech, could find nothing to say. Aunt Kate
- 1:03:22Speaker 1: wrinkled her brows and made signs to the others to
- 1:03:24Speaker 1: drop the subject. Mister Darcy stood, swathing his neck carefully
- 1:03:29Speaker 1: and frowning. It's the weather, said Aunt Julia, after a pause. Yes,
- 1:03:36Speaker 1: everybody has colds, said Aunt Kate readily. Everybody, they say,
- 1:03:41Speaker 1: said Mary Jane. We haven't had snow like it for
- 1:03:44Speaker 1: thirty years, and I read this morning in the newspapers
- 1:03:47Speaker 1: that the snow is general all over Ireland. I love
- 1:03:51Speaker 1: the look of snow, said Aunt Julia. Sadly, so do
- 1:03:56Speaker 1: I said Miss O'Callaghan. I think Christmas is never really
- 1:03:59Speaker 1: quick smith unless we have the snow on the ground.
- 1:04:03Speaker 1: But poor mister Darcy doesn't like the snow, said Aunt Kate, smiling.
- 1:04:08Speaker 1: Mister Darcy came from the pantry, fully swathed and buttoned,
- 1:04:12Speaker 1: and in a repentant tone, told them the history of
- 1:04:14Speaker 1: his cold. Everyone gave him advice and said it was
- 1:04:17Speaker 1: a great pity, and urged him to be very careful
- 1:04:20Speaker 1: of his throat. In the night air, Gabriel watched his wife,
- 1:04:23Speaker 1: who did not join in the conversation. She was standing
- 1:04:27Speaker 1: right under the dusty fanlight, and the flame of the
- 1:04:30Speaker 1: gas lit up the rich bronze of her hair, which
- 1:04:32Speaker 1: he had seen her drying at the fire a few
- 1:04:34Speaker 1: days before. She was in the same attitude and seemed
- 1:04:38Speaker 1: unaware of the talk about her. At last, she turned
- 1:04:41Speaker 1: towards them, and Gabriel saw that there was color on
- 1:04:44Speaker 1: her cheeks and that her eyes were shining. A sudden
- 1:04:48Speaker 1: tide of joy went leaping out of his heart. Mister Darcy,
- 1:04:54Speaker 1: she said, what is the name of that song you
- 1:04:56Speaker 1: were singing? It's called the Lass of Okram, said mister Darcy,
- 1:05:01Speaker 1: but I couldn't remember it properly. Why do you know
- 1:05:04Speaker 1: it the Lass of Ockram, she repeated. I couldn't think
- 1:05:09Speaker 1: of the name. It's a very nice air, said Mary Jane.
- 1:05:14Speaker 1: I'm sorry you were not in voice to night now,
- 1:05:17Speaker 1: Mary Jane said, Aunt Kate, don't annoy mister Darcy. I
- 1:05:21Speaker 1: won't have him annoyed. Seeing that all were ready to start,
- 1:05:25Speaker 1: she shepherded them to the door, where good night was said. Well,
- 1:05:29Speaker 1: good night, Aunt Kate, and thanks for the pleasant evening.
- 1:05:32Speaker 1: Good night, Gabriel, good night, Gretta, good night, Aunt Kay,
- 1:05:35Speaker 1: and thanks ever so much. Good night, Aunt Julia. Oh,
- 1:05:39Speaker 1: good night, Gretta. I didn't see you. Good night mister Darcy,
- 1:05:42Speaker 1: good night, mister Callahan, good night, Miss Morkan, good night again.
- 1:05:47Speaker 1: Good night, I'll safe home. Good night, good night. The
- 1:05:52Speaker 1: morning was still dark. A dull yellow light brooded over
- 1:05:56Speaker 1: the houses and the river, and the sky seemed to
- 1:05:59Speaker 1: be descending. It was slushy underfoot, and only streaks and
- 1:06:04Speaker 1: patches of snow lay on the roofs, on the parapets
- 1:06:07Speaker 1: of the quay, and on the airy a railings. The
- 1:06:10Speaker 1: lamps were still burning redly in the murky air, and
- 1:06:13Speaker 1: across the river the palace of the four Courts stood
- 1:06:16Speaker 1: out menacingly against the heavy sky. She was walking on
- 1:06:21Speaker 1: before him, with mister Bartell Darcy, her shoes and a
- 1:06:23Speaker 1: brown parcel tucked under one arm, and her hands holding
- 1:06:27Speaker 1: her skirt up from the slush. She had no longer
- 1:06:30Speaker 1: any grace orratitude, but Gabriel's eyes were still bright with happiness.
- 1:06:37Speaker 1: The blood went bounding along his veins, and the thoughts
- 1:06:41Speaker 1: went rioting through his brain. Proud, joyful, tender, valorous. She
- 1:06:50Speaker 1: was walking on before him, so lightly and so erect,
- 1:06:53Speaker 1: that he longed to run after her, noiselessly, catch her
- 1:06:56Speaker 1: by the shoulders and say something foolish and affectionate into her.
- 1:07:01Speaker 1: She seemed to him so frail that he longed to
- 1:07:04Speaker 1: defend her against something, and then to be alone with her.
- 1:07:08Speaker 1: Moments of their secret life together burst like stars upon
- 1:07:11Speaker 1: his memory. A heliotrope envelope was lying beside his breakfast cup,
- 1:07:17Speaker 1: and he was caressing it with his hand. Birds were
- 1:07:20Speaker 1: twittering in the ivy, and the sunny web of the
- 1:07:22Speaker 1: curtain was shimmering along the floor. He could not eat
- 1:07:26Speaker 1: for happiness. They were standing on the crowded platform, and
- 1:07:30Speaker 1: he was placing a ticket inside the warm palm of
- 1:07:33Speaker 1: her glove. He was standing with her in the cold,
- 1:07:37Speaker 1: looking in through a grated window at a man making
- 1:07:40Speaker 1: bottles in a roaring furnace. It was very cold. Her face,
- 1:07:45Speaker 1: fragrant in the cold air, was quite close to his.
- 1:07:47Speaker 1: And suddenly he called out to the man at the furnace,
- 1:07:50Speaker 1: it's the fire hot, sir. But the man could not
- 1:07:53Speaker 1: hear with the noise at the furnace. It was just
- 1:07:56Speaker 1: as well, he might have answered rudely. A wave of
- 1:08:01Speaker 1: yet more tender joy escaped from his heart and went
- 1:08:04Speaker 1: coursing in warm flood the crow along his arteries, like
- 1:08:08Speaker 1: the tender fire of stars. Moments of their life together
- 1:08:11Speaker 1: that no one knew of, or whatever knew of, broke
- 1:08:13Speaker 1: upon and illumined his memory. He longed to recall to
- 1:08:18Speaker 1: her those moments, to make her forget that the years
- 1:08:21Speaker 1: of their dull existence together and remember only their moments
- 1:08:24Speaker 1: of ecstasy. For the years he felt had not quenched
- 1:08:28Speaker 1: his soul or hers, their children. His writing her household
- 1:08:33Speaker 1: cares had not quenched all their souls tender fire. In
- 1:08:38Speaker 1: one letter that he had written to her then, he
- 1:08:40Speaker 1: had said, why is it that words like these seemed
- 1:08:43Speaker 1: to me so dull and cold? Is it because there
- 1:08:47Speaker 1: is no word tender enough to be your name? Like
- 1:08:52Speaker 1: distant music, These words that he had written years before,
- 1:08:55Speaker 1: were borne towards him from the past. He longed to
- 1:08:58Speaker 1: be alone with her when the others had gone away,
- 1:09:01Speaker 1: When he and she were in the room in the hotel,
- 1:09:03Speaker 1: then they would be alone together. He would call her softly, Greta.
- 1:09:09Speaker 1: Perhaps she would not hear at once. She would be undressing,
- 1:09:12Speaker 1: then something in his voice would strike her. She would
- 1:09:15Speaker 1: turn and look at him. At the corner of Wine
- 1:09:21Speaker 1: Tavern Street, they met a cab. He was glad of
- 1:09:24Speaker 1: its rattling noise, as it saved him from conversation. She
- 1:09:28Speaker 1: was looking at the window and seemed tired. The others
- 1:09:31Speaker 1: spoke only a few words, pointing out some building or
- 1:09:34Speaker 1: a street. The horse galloped along wearily into the murky
- 1:09:39Speaker 1: morning sky, dragging his old rattling box after his heels,
- 1:09:43Speaker 1: and Gabriel was again in a cab with her, galloping
- 1:09:45Speaker 1: to catch the boat galloping to their honeymoon. As the
- 1:09:51Speaker 1: cab drove across O'Connor Bridge, miss O Callahan said, they
- 1:09:55Speaker 1: say ye never cross O'Connell Bridge without seeing a white horse.
- 1:10:00Speaker 1: I see a white man this time, said Gabriel. Where,
- 1:10:03Speaker 1: asked mister Bartell Darcy. Gabriel pointed to the statue, on
- 1:10:08Speaker 1: which lay patches of snow. Then he nodded familiarly to
- 1:10:11Speaker 1: it and waved his hand good night. Then he said gaily.
- 1:10:18Speaker 1: When the cab drew up before the hotel, Gabriel jumped out, and,
- 1:10:21Speaker 1: in spite of mister Bartell Darcy's protest, paid the driver.
- 1:10:25Speaker 1: He gave the man a shilling over his fare. The
- 1:10:27Speaker 1: man saluted and said, a prosperous new year to yours.
- 1:10:30Speaker 1: Art the same to you, said Gabriel, cordially, she leaned
- 1:10:36Speaker 1: for a moment on his arm in getting out of
- 1:10:38Speaker 1: the cab, and while standing at the curbstone bidding the
- 1:10:40Speaker 1: others good night, she leaned lightly on his arm, as
- 1:10:44Speaker 1: lightly as when she had danced with him a few
- 1:10:46Speaker 1: hours before. He had felt proud and happy, then happy
- 1:10:50Speaker 1: that she was his, proud of her grace and wifely courage.
- 1:10:54Speaker 1: But now, after the kindling again of so many memories,
- 1:10:58Speaker 1: the first touch of her body, musical and strange and perfumed,
- 1:11:02Speaker 1: sent through him a keen pang of lust. Under Cover
- 1:11:07Speaker 1: of her silence, he pressed her arm closely to his side,
- 1:11:10Speaker 1: and as they stood at the hotel door, he felt
- 1:11:13Speaker 1: that they had escaped from their lives and duties, escaped
- 1:11:16Speaker 1: from home and friends, and run away together with wild
- 1:11:19Speaker 1: and radiant hearts, to a new adventure. An old man
- 1:11:25Speaker 1: was dozing in a great hooded chair in the hall.
- 1:11:28Speaker 1: He lit a candle in the office and went before
- 1:11:30Speaker 1: them to the stairs. They followed him in silence, their
- 1:11:33Speaker 1: feet falling in soft thuds on the thickly carpeted stairs.
- 1:11:38Speaker 1: She mounted the stairs behind the porter, Her head bowed
- 1:11:41Speaker 1: in the ascent, her frail shoulders curved as with a
- 1:11:45Speaker 1: burden her skirt girt tightly about her. He could have
- 1:11:50Speaker 1: flung his arms about her hips and held her still,
- 1:11:52Speaker 1: for his arms were trembling with desire to seize her,
- 1:11:55Speaker 1: and only the stress of his nails against the palms
- 1:11:58Speaker 1: of his hands held the wild impulse of his body
- 1:12:01Speaker 1: in check. The porter halted on the stairs to settle
- 1:12:05Speaker 1: his guttering candle. They halted too, on the steps below him.
- 1:12:10Speaker 1: In the silence, Gabriel could hear the falling of the
- 1:12:12Speaker 1: molten wax into the tray and the dumping of his
- 1:12:15Speaker 1: own heart against his ribs. The porter led them along
- 1:12:21Speaker 1: a corridor and opened the door. Then he set his
- 1:12:23Speaker 1: unstable candle down on a toilet table and asked at
- 1:12:26Speaker 1: what hour they were to be called in the morning, Eight,
- 1:12:30Speaker 1: said Gabriel. The porter pointed to the tap of the
- 1:12:33Speaker 1: electric light and began a muttered apology, but Gabriel cut
- 1:12:37Speaker 1: him short. We don't want any light. We've light enough
- 1:12:40Speaker 1: from the street, and I say, he added, pointing to
- 1:12:44Speaker 1: the candle, you might remove that handsome article like a
- 1:12:46Speaker 1: good man. The porter took up his candle again, but slowly,
- 1:12:51Speaker 1: for he was surprised by such a novel idea then
- 1:12:54Speaker 1: he mumbled good night and went out. Gabriel shot the
- 1:12:58Speaker 1: lock too. A ghastly light from the street lamp lay
- 1:13:04Speaker 1: in a long shaft from one window to the door.
- 1:13:08Speaker 1: Gabriel threw his overcoat and hat on a couch and
- 1:13:11Speaker 1: crossed the room towards the window. He looked down into
- 1:13:15Speaker 1: the street in order that his emotion might calm a little.
- 1:13:19Speaker 1: Then he turned and leaned against a chest of drawers
- 1:13:22Speaker 1: with his back to the light. She had taken off
- 1:13:25Speaker 1: her hat and cloak and was standing before a large
- 1:13:28Speaker 1: swinging mirror, unhooking her waist. Gabriel paused for a few moments,
- 1:13:33Speaker 1: watching her, and then said greta. She turned away from
- 1:13:40Speaker 1: the mirror slowly and walked along the shaft of light
- 1:13:43Speaker 1: towards him. Her face looked so serious and weary that
- 1:13:47Speaker 1: the words would not pass Gabriel's lips. No, it was
- 1:13:51Speaker 1: not the moment yet. You look tired, he said, I
- 1:13:56Speaker 1: am a little. She answered, you don't feel weak or ill, No, tired,
- 1:14:02Speaker 1: that's all. She went on to the window and stood
- 1:14:05Speaker 1: there looking out. Gabriel waited again, and then, fearing that
- 1:14:10Speaker 1: diffidence was about to conquer him, he said abruptly by
- 1:14:13Speaker 1: the way, Gretta, what is it you know that poor
- 1:14:17Speaker 1: fellow Mallins, He said quickly, yes, what about him? Well,
- 1:14:22Speaker 1: poor fellow, he's a decent sort of chap after all,
- 1:14:24Speaker 1: continued Gabriel in a false voice. He gave me back
- 1:14:27Speaker 1: that sovereign on entum, and I didn't expect it. Really,
- 1:14:30Speaker 1: it's a pity he wouldn't keep away from that Brown,
- 1:14:32Speaker 1: because he's not a bad fellow. Really, he was trembling
- 1:14:34Speaker 1: now with annoyance. Why did she seem so abstracted? He
- 1:14:39Speaker 1: did not know how he could begin. Was she annoyed
- 1:14:43Speaker 1: too about something? If she would only turn to him,
- 1:14:46Speaker 1: or come to him of her own accord, to take
- 1:14:48Speaker 1: her as she was would be brutal. No, he must
- 1:14:52Speaker 1: see some ardor in her eyes. First. He longed to
- 1:14:56Speaker 1: be master of her strange mood. When did you lend
- 1:15:01Speaker 1: him the pound? She asked? After a pause. Gabriel strove
- 1:15:05Speaker 1: to restrain himself from breaking out into brutal language about
- 1:15:09Speaker 1: the Scottish Malins and his pound. He longed to cry
- 1:15:12Speaker 1: to her from his soul, to crush her body against his,
- 1:15:15Speaker 1: to overmaster her. But he said, oh, at Christmas, when
- 1:15:20Speaker 1: he opened a little Christmas card shop in Henry Street.
- 1:15:25Speaker 1: He was in such a fever of rage and desire
- 1:15:28Speaker 1: that he did not hear her come from the window.
- 1:15:30Speaker 1: She stood before him for an instant, looking at him strangely,
- 1:15:34Speaker 1: then suddenly raising herself on tiptoe and resting her hands
- 1:15:37Speaker 1: lightly on his shoulders, she kissed him. You are a
- 1:15:41Speaker 1: very generous person, Gabriel, she said. Gabriel, trembling with delight
- 1:15:48Speaker 1: at her sudden kiss and at the quaintness of her phrase,
- 1:15:51Speaker 1: put his hands on her hair, and began smoothing it back, scarcely,
- 1:15:54Speaker 1: touching it with his fingers. The washing had made it
- 1:15:58Speaker 1: fine and brilliant. His heart was brimming over with happiness,
- 1:16:03Speaker 1: just when he was wishing for it. She had come
- 1:16:05Speaker 1: to him of her own accord. Perhaps her thoughts had
- 1:16:07Speaker 1: been running with his. Perhaps she had felt the impetuous
- 1:16:10Speaker 1: desire that was in him, and then the yielding mood
- 1:16:13Speaker 1: had come upon her. Now that she had fallen to
- 1:16:16Speaker 1: him so easily, he wondered why he had been so diffident.
- 1:16:19Speaker 1: He stood, holding her head between his hands, then slipping
- 1:16:24Speaker 1: one arm swiftly about her body, and drawing her towards him,
- 1:16:27Speaker 1: He said softly Gretta, dear, what are you thinking about?
- 1:16:33Speaker 1: She did not answer, nor yield wholly to his arm.
- 1:16:36Speaker 1: He said, again, softly, tell me what it is, Greta,
- 1:16:40Speaker 1: I think I know. What is the matter? Do I know?
- 1:16:43Speaker 1: She did not answer at once. Then she said, in
- 1:16:45Speaker 1: an outburst of tears, Oh, I am thinking about that
- 1:16:49Speaker 1: song the lass of Ookram. She broke loose from him
- 1:16:54Speaker 1: and ran to the bed, and, throwing her arms across
- 1:16:57Speaker 1: the bed rail, hid her face. Gabriel stood stock still
- 1:17:02Speaker 1: for a moment in astonishment, and then followed her. As
- 1:17:06Speaker 1: he passed in the way of the cheval glass, he
- 1:17:08Speaker 1: caught sight of himself in full length, his broad well
- 1:17:11Speaker 1: filled shirt front, the face whose expression always puzzled him
- 1:17:15Speaker 1: when he saw it in a mirror, and his glimmering,
- 1:17:18Speaker 1: gilt rimmed eye glasses. He halted a few paces from
- 1:17:22Speaker 1: her and said, what about the song? Why does that
- 1:17:26Speaker 1: make you cry? She raised her head from her arms
- 1:17:30Speaker 1: and dried her eyes with the back of her hand
- 1:17:32Speaker 1: like a child. A kinder note than he had intended
- 1:17:36Speaker 1: went into his voice. Why, Greta, he asked, I am
- 1:17:42Speaker 1: thinking about a person long ago who used to sing
- 1:17:44Speaker 1: that song, and who was the person long ago, asked Gabriel, smiling.
- 1:17:54Speaker 1: It was a person I used to know in Galway
- 1:17:56Speaker 1: when I was living with my grandmother, she said. The
- 1:18:01Speaker 1: smile passed away from Gabriel's face. A dull anger began
- 1:18:05Speaker 1: to gather again at the back of his mind, and
- 1:18:07Speaker 1: the dull fires of his lust began to glow angrily
- 1:18:10Speaker 1: in his veins. Some one you were in love with,
- 1:18:15Speaker 1: he asked ironically. It was a young boy I used
- 1:18:20Speaker 1: to know, she answered, named Michael Fury. He used to
- 1:18:24Speaker 1: sing that song, the Last of Arkram. He was very delicate.
- 1:18:30Speaker 1: Gabriel was silent. He did not wish her to think
- 1:18:33Speaker 1: that he was interested in this delicate boy. I can
- 1:18:38Speaker 1: see him so plainly, she said, after a moment. Such
- 1:18:42Speaker 1: eyes as he had, big dark eyes, and such an
- 1:18:46Speaker 1: expression in them, an expression. Oh, then you were in
- 1:18:51Speaker 1: love with him, said Gabriel. I used to go out
- 1:18:56Speaker 1: walking with him, she said, when I was in Galway.
- 1:19:02Speaker 1: A thought flew across Gabriel's mind. Perhaps that was why
- 1:19:07Speaker 1: you wanted to go to Gawe with that iver's girl,
- 1:19:09Speaker 1: he said coldly. She looked at him and asked, in surprise,
- 1:19:15Speaker 1: what of horror her eyes made Gabriel feel awkward. He
- 1:19:21Speaker 1: shrugged his shoulders and said, how do I know to
- 1:19:24Speaker 1: see him? Perhaps? She looked away from him along the
- 1:19:28Speaker 1: shaft of light towards the window in silence. He is dead,
- 1:19:34Speaker 1: she said at length. He died when he was only seventeen.
- 1:19:39Speaker 1: Isn't it a terrible thing to die so young as dad?
- 1:19:44Speaker 1: What was he asked Gabriel, Still ironically, he was in
- 1:19:49Speaker 1: the gas works, she said. Gabriel felt humiliated by the
- 1:19:56Speaker 1: failure of his irony and by the avocation of this
- 1:19:59Speaker 1: figure from the dead, a boy in the gas works.
- 1:20:03Speaker 1: While he had been full of memories of their secret
- 1:20:05Speaker 1: life together, full of tenderness and joy and desire, she
- 1:20:09Speaker 1: had been comparing him in her mind with another. A
- 1:20:14Speaker 1: shameful consciousness of his own person assailed him. He saw
- 1:20:18Speaker 1: himself as a ludicrous figure, acting as a penny boy
- 1:20:20Speaker 1: for his aunt's, a nervous, well meaning sentimentalist, orating to
- 1:20:25Speaker 1: vulgarians and idealizing his own clownish lusts, the pitiable, fatuous
- 1:20:30Speaker 1: fellow he had caught a glimpse of in the mirror. Instinctively,
- 1:20:35Speaker 1: he turned his back more to the light lest she
- 1:20:38Speaker 1: might see the shame that burned upon his forehead. He
- 1:20:44Speaker 1: tried to keep up his tone of cold interrogation, but
- 1:20:47Speaker 1: his voice when he spoke was humble and indifferent. I
- 1:20:52Speaker 1: suppose you were in love with this Michael Fury Gretta,
- 1:20:55Speaker 1: he said, I was great with him at that time.
- 1:21:01Speaker 1: She said, Her voice was veiled and sad. Gabriel, feeling
- 1:21:08Speaker 1: now how vain it would be to try to lead
- 1:21:10Speaker 1: her whither he had purposed, caressed one of her hands
- 1:21:13Speaker 1: and said, all so sadly, and what did he die of?
- 1:21:17Speaker 1: So young Greta consumption was it? I think he died
- 1:21:22Speaker 1: for me? She answered? A vague terror seized Gabriel at
- 1:21:30Speaker 1: this answer, as if at that hour when he had
- 1:21:33Speaker 1: hoped to triumph, some impalpable and vindictive being was coming
- 1:21:37Speaker 1: against him, gathering forces against him in its vague world.
- 1:21:41Speaker 1: But he shook himself free of it with an effort
- 1:21:44Speaker 1: of reason, and continued to caress her hand. He did
- 1:21:47Speaker 1: not question her again, for he felt that she would
- 1:21:50Speaker 1: tell him of herself. Her hand was warm and moist,
- 1:21:55Speaker 1: It did not respond to his touch, but he continued
- 1:21:58Speaker 1: to caress it, just as he it caressed. Her first
- 1:22:00Speaker 1: letter to him that spring morning. It was in the winter,
- 1:22:07Speaker 1: She said, about the beginning of the winter when I
- 1:22:10Speaker 1: was going to leave my grandmothers and come up here
- 1:22:13Speaker 1: to the convent. And he was ill at the time
- 1:22:16Speaker 1: in his lodgings in Galway and wouldn't be let out.
- 1:22:19Speaker 1: And his people in Utterard were written too. He was
- 1:22:23Speaker 1: in decline, they said, or something like that. I never knew, rightly.
- 1:22:28Speaker 1: She paused for a moment and sighed, poor fellow. She said,
- 1:22:34Speaker 1: he was very fond of me, and he was such
- 1:22:36Speaker 1: a gentle boy. We used to go out together walking,
- 1:22:39Speaker 1: you know. Gabriel like the way to do in the country.
- 1:22:42Speaker 1: He was going to study singing only for his health.
- 1:22:46Speaker 1: He had a very good voice. Poor Michael fury well
- 1:22:51Speaker 1: and then asked Gabriel. And then when it came time
- 1:22:57Speaker 1: for me to leave Galway and come up to the convent,
- 1:22:59Speaker 1: he was much worse and I wouldn't be let see him.
- 1:23:02Speaker 1: So I wrote him a letter saying I was going
- 1:23:04Speaker 1: up to Dublin and we'll be back in the summer,
- 1:23:06Speaker 1: and hoping he would be better. Then she paused for
- 1:23:09Speaker 1: a moment to get her voice under control, and then
- 1:23:11Speaker 1: went on. Then, the night before I left, I was
- 1:23:15Speaker 1: in my grandmother's house in nun silent packing up, and
- 1:23:18Speaker 1: I heard gravel thrown up against the window. The window
- 1:23:22Speaker 1: was so wet I couldn't see, so I ran downstairs
- 1:23:25Speaker 1: as I was and slipped out the back into the garden.
- 1:23:29Speaker 1: And there was the poor fellow at the end of
- 1:23:30Speaker 1: the garden, shivering. And did you not tell him to
- 1:23:34Speaker 1: go back, asked Gabriel. I implored of him to go
- 1:23:38Speaker 1: home at once, and told him would get his death
- 1:23:40Speaker 1: in the rain, But he said he did not want
- 1:23:42Speaker 1: to live. I can see his eyes as well as well.
- 1:23:46Speaker 1: He was standing at the end of the wall where
- 1:23:47Speaker 1: there was a tree. And did he go home, asked Gabriel. Yes,
- 1:23:54Speaker 1: he went home, and when I was only a weak
- 1:23:57Speaker 1: in the convent, he died and was buried neutralar it
- 1:24:00Speaker 1: where his people came from. Oh the day I heard
- 1:24:02Speaker 1: that that he was dead. She stopped choking with sobs, and,
- 1:24:10Speaker 1: overcome by a motion, flung herself face downward on the bed,
- 1:24:13Speaker 1: sobbing in the quilt. Gabriel held her hand for a
- 1:24:17Speaker 1: moment longer, irresolutely, and then, shy of intruding on her grief,
- 1:24:21Speaker 1: let it fall gently and walked quietly to the window.
- 1:24:31Speaker 1: She was fast asleep. Gabriel, leaning on his elbow, looked
- 1:24:37Speaker 1: for a few moments, unresentfully on her tangled hair and
- 1:24:39Speaker 1: half open mouth, listening to her deep drawn breath. So
- 1:24:44Speaker 1: she had had that romance in her life. A man
- 1:24:47Speaker 1: had died for her sake. It hardly pained him now
- 1:24:52Speaker 1: to think how poor a part he her husband, had
- 1:24:55Speaker 1: played in her life. He watched her a while she slept,
- 1:24:59Speaker 1: as though he and she had never lived together as
- 1:25:01Speaker 1: man and wife. His curious eyes rested long upon her
- 1:25:05Speaker 1: face and on her hair, And as he thought of
- 1:25:09Speaker 1: what she must have been then, in that time of
- 1:25:11Speaker 1: her first girlish beauty, a strange, friendly pity for her
- 1:25:15Speaker 1: entered his soul. He did not like to say even
- 1:25:19Speaker 1: to himself that her face was no longer beautiful, but
- 1:25:22Speaker 1: he knew that it was no longer the face for
- 1:25:23Speaker 1: which Michael Fury had braved death. Perhaps she had not
- 1:25:29Speaker 1: told him all the story. His eyes moved to the
- 1:25:35Speaker 1: chair over which she had thrown some of her clothes.
- 1:25:38Speaker 1: A petticoat string dangled to the floor. One boot stood upright,
- 1:25:43Speaker 1: its limp upper fallen down. The fellow of it lay
- 1:25:46Speaker 1: upon its side. He wondered at his riot of emotions
- 1:25:50Speaker 1: of an hour before. From what had it proceeded from
- 1:25:55Speaker 1: his aunt's supper, from his own foolish speech, from the
- 1:25:59Speaker 1: wine and dancing, the merry making when saying good night
- 1:26:02Speaker 1: in the hall, the pleasure of the walk along the
- 1:26:04Speaker 1: river in the snow. Poor Aunt Julia, she too would
- 1:26:11Speaker 1: soon be a shade, with the shade of Patrick Morkan
- 1:26:14Speaker 1: and his horse. He had caught that haggard look upon
- 1:26:18Speaker 1: her face for a moment when she was singing, arrayed
- 1:26:20Speaker 1: for the bridle. Soon, perhaps he would be sitting in
- 1:26:25Speaker 1: that same drawing room, dressed in black, his silk hat
- 1:26:29Speaker 1: on his knees. The blinds would be drawn down, and
- 1:26:33Speaker 1: Aunt Kate would be sitting beside him, crying and blowing
- 1:26:36Speaker 1: her nose and telling him how Julia had died. He
- 1:26:41Speaker 1: would cast about in his mind for some words that
- 1:26:44Speaker 1: might console her, and would find only lame and useless ones. Yes, Yes,
- 1:26:51Speaker 1: that would happen very soon. The air of the room
- 1:26:55Speaker 1: chilled his shoulders. He stretched himself cautiously long under the
- 1:27:01Speaker 1: sheets and lay down beside his wife. One by one,
- 1:27:05Speaker 1: they were all becoming shades. Better passed boldly into that
- 1:27:09Speaker 1: other world, in the full glory of some passion than
- 1:27:12Speaker 1: fade and withered dismally with age. He thought of how
- 1:27:17Speaker 1: she who lay beside him, had locked in her heart
- 1:27:20Speaker 1: for so many years that image of her lover's eyes.
- 1:27:22Speaker 1: When he told her that he did not wish to live,
- 1:27:28Speaker 1: generous tears filled Gabriel's eyes. He had never felt like
- 1:27:32Speaker 1: that himself towards any woman, but he knew that such
- 1:27:36Speaker 1: a feeling must be love. The tears gathered more thickly
- 1:27:41Speaker 1: in his eyes, and in the partial darkness, he imagined
- 1:27:44Speaker 1: he saw the form of a young man standing under
- 1:27:47Speaker 1: a dripping tree. Other forms were near. His soul had
- 1:27:53Speaker 1: approached that region where dwelled the vast hosts of the dead.
- 1:27:58Speaker 1: He was conscious of, but could not apprehend, their wayward
- 1:28:01Speaker 1: and flickering existence. His own identity was fading out into
- 1:28:07Speaker 1: a gray, impalpable world. The solid world itself, which these
- 1:28:13Speaker 1: dead had one time reared and lived in, was dissolving
- 1:28:17Speaker 1: and dwindling. A few light taps upon the pane made
- 1:28:24Speaker 1: him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again.
- 1:28:30Speaker 1: He watched sleepily, the flakes, silver and dark falling obliquely
- 1:28:35Speaker 1: against the lamplight. The time had come for him to
- 1:28:39Speaker 1: set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right.
- 1:28:45Speaker 1: Snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on
- 1:28:49Speaker 1: every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills,
- 1:28:53Speaker 1: falling softly upon the bog of Allen, and farther westward,
- 1:28:57Speaker 1: slowly falling into the dark mutinous anon waves. It was
- 1:29:03Speaker 1: falling too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard, on
- 1:29:06Speaker 1: the hill where Michael Fury lay buried. It lay thickly
- 1:29:11Speaker 1: drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears
- 1:29:14Speaker 1: of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul
- 1:29:20Speaker 1: swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through
- 1:29:23Speaker 1: the universe, and faintly falling like the descent of their
- 1:29:28Speaker 1: last end, upon all the living and the dead, and
- 1:29:42Speaker 1: of the dead.