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第21章 Araby（第1页）

第21章Araby

JamesJoyce

NorthRidStreet，beingblind，wasaquietstreetexceptatthehourwheianBrothers'Schoolsettheboysfree。Anuninhabitedhouseoftwostoreysstoodatthebliaitsneighboursiheotherhousesofthestreet，sciousofdetliveswithinthem，gazedatohbrowurbablefaces。

&enantofourhouse，apriest，haddiedinthebag-room。Air，mustyfromhavingbeenlongenginalltherooms，aeroombehiwaslitteredwitholduselesspapers。AmongtheseIfoundafeer-coveredbooks，thepagesofwhichwereddamp:TheAbbot，byWalterScott，TheDevoutunidTheMemoirsofVidocq。Ilikedthelastbestbecauseitsleaveswereyellow。Thewildgardehehouseedatralapple-treearagglingbushes，underoneofwhidthelatetenant'srustybicycle-pump。Hehadbeeablepriest;inhiswillhehadleftallhismoitutioureofhishousetohissister。

&heshortdaysofwintercameduskfellbeforewehadwelleatenourdiihehouseshadgrowhespaceofskyaboveuswasthecolourvioletandtowardsitthelampsofthestreetliftedtheirfeeblelahecusailllowed。Ourshoutsethesilehecareerofourplaybroughtusthroughthedarkmuddylahehouseswherewerahtribesfromthecottages，tothebackdoorsofthedarkdrippinggardenswhereodoursarosefromtheashpits，tothedarkodorousstableswhereaoothedahehorseorshookmusithebuess。Whehtfromthekitdowshadfilledtheareas。Ifmyunclewasseenturningtheer，wehidintheshadowuntilwehadseenhimsafelyhan'ssistercameoutoeptocallherbrotherintohistea，wewatchedherfromourshadowpeerupanddow。Wewaitedtoseewhethershewouldremainoinand，ifsheremaiourshadotoMangan'sstepsresigingfuredefifromthehalf-openeddoor。Herbrotheralwaysteasedherbeforeheobeyed，andIstoodbytherailingslookingather。Herdressswungasshemovedherbody，aropeofherhairtossedfromsidetoside。

EverymIlayontheflooriparlherdoor。TheblindulleddowntowithinaninchofthesashsothatIotbeseeoepmyheartleaped。Irantothehall，seizedmybooksandfollowedher。Ikeptherbrownfigurealwaysinmyeyeand，whehepointatwhichourwaysdiverged，Iquiedmypadpassedher。Thishappenedmafterm。Ihadneverspokeforafewcasualwords，ahernamewaslikeasummonstoallmyfoolishblood。

HerimageaeevehemosthostiletoromaurdayeveweingIhadtogotoeoftheparcels。Wewalkedthroughtheflariledbydrunkenmenandbargaihecursesoflabourers，theshrilllitaniesofshop-boyswhostoodonguardbythebarrelsofpigs'cheeks，thenasalgers，whosangae-all-youaboutO'DonovanRossa，oraballadaboutthetroublesinourhesenoisesvergediionoflifeforme:IimagiIboremychalicesafelythroffoes。HeromylipsatmomentsinstrangeprayersandpraiseswhichImyselfdidand。Myeyeswereoftenfulloftears（Iottellwhy）andattimesafloodfrommyheartseemedtopouritselfoutintomybosom。Ithoughtlittleofthefuture。IdidnotkherIwouldeverspeaktoherornotor，ifIspoketoher，howIcouldtellherofmyfusedadoration。Butmybodyandherwestureswerelikefingersrunninguponthewires。

Oneevehebag-roominwhichthepriesthaddied。Itwasadarkrainyeveningandtherewasnosouhroughohebrokenpaheraiheearth，thefierplayinginthesoddenbeds。Somedistantlamphtedwindowgleamedbelowme。IwasthankfulthatIcouldseesolittle。AllmyseodesiretoveilthemselvesaIwasabouttoslipfromthem，Ipressedthepalmsofmyhailtheytrembled，murmuring:'Olove!Olove!'manytimes。

Atlastshespoketome。WhensheaddressedthefirstwordstomeIwassofusedthatIdidnotknowwhattoanswer。SheaskedmewasIgoingtoAraby。IfotwhetherIansweredyesorno。Itlendidbazaar;shesaidshewouldlovetogo。

"Andos;tyou?"Iasked。

Whileshespokesheturnedasilverbradandrou。Sheotgo，shesaid，becausetherewouldbearetreatthatweeki。HerbrotherandtwootherbhtingfortheirdIwasaloherailings。Sheheldohespikes，bowiowardsme。Thelightfromthelampoppositehtthewhitecurveofherupherhairthatrestedthereand，falling，litupthehandup。Itfelloveronesideofherdressandcaughtthewhiteborderofapetticoat，justvisibleasshestoodatease。

"It'swellforyou，"shesaid。

"IfIgo，"Isaid，"Iwillbringyousomething。"

Whatinnumerablefollieslaidwastemyingthoughtsafterthatevenioaedidays。IchafedagainsttheworkofsightinmybedroomandbydayintheagecamebetageIstrovetoread。ThesyllablesofthewordArabywereethroughthesilenwhichmysoulluxuriatedandEastermentoverme。Iaskedforleavetogotothebazaarht。Myauntrised，awasnotsomeFreemasonaffair。Iaionsinclass。Iwatchedmymaster'sfacepassfromamiabilitytosternness;hehopedIwasoidle。Iywahoughtstogether。Ihadhardlyahtheseriousworkoflifewhiowthatitstoodbetweenmeandmydesire，seemedtomechild'splay，uglymonotonouschild'splay。

OnSaturdaymIremindedmyuIwishedtogotothebazaarintheevening。Hewasfussiand，looki-brush，aly:

"Yes，boy，Iknow。"

&hehallIotgoiparlourahewihehouseinbadhumourandwalkedslowlytowardstheschool。Theairitilesslyrawandalreadymyheartmisgaveme。

Wheodinnermyuyetbeewasearly。Isatstaringattheetimeaigbegantoirritateme，Ilefttheroom。Imouairdgaiheupperpartofthehouse。Thehigh，pty，gloomyroomsliberatedmeafromring。Fromthefrontmypanionsplayihestreet。Theircriesreachedmeweakenedandindistind，leaningmyfainstthecoolglass，Ilookedoveratthedarkhousewhereshelived。Imayhavestoodtherefnothingbutthebrown-cladfigurecastbymyimagination，toucheddiscreetlybythelamplightattheeck，atthehandupsandattheborderbelowthedress。

WheairsagainIfouingatthefire。Shewasanold，garrulousaos;shocollectedusedstampsforsomepiouspurpose。Ihadtossipofthetea-table。Themealrolongedbeyondanhourandstillmyuercerstooduptogo:shewassorryshep;apos;twaitawasaftereighto'dshedidobeoutlate，asthenightairwasbadforher。Whenshehadgooanddowntheroom，gmyfists。Myauntsaid:

"I'mafraidyoumayputoffyourbazaarfhtofOurLord。"

Atnineo'clockIheardmyuncle'slatthehalldoor。Iheardhimtalkingtohimselfahehallstandroithadreceivedtheweightofhisovercoat。Iterpretthesesigns。aythroughhisdinogivemethemoothebazaar。Hehadfotten。

"Thepeopleareiertheirfirstsleepnow，"hesaid。

Ididsaidtetically:

"'tyougivehimthemohimgo?You'vekepthimlateenoughasitis。"

Myunclesaidhewasverysorryhehadfotten。Hesaidhebelievedintheoldsaying:"AlllaymakesJackadullboy。"HeaskedmewhereIwasgoioldhimasee，heaskedmedidIknoos;sFarewelltohisSteed。Whehekithewasabouttorecitetheopehepieyaunt。

IheldaflhtlyinmyhandasIstrodedownBughamStreettowardsthestatioofthestreetsthrohbuyersandglaringwithgasreethepurposeofmyjourookmyseatinathird-classcarriageofadesertedtraiolerabledelaythetraiofthestationslowly。ItongruinoushousesawinklilandRowStationacrowdofpeoplepressedtedoors;buttheportersmovedthembagthatiteforthebazaar。Iremaihebarecarriage。Iesthetraindrewupbesideanimprovisedassedoutontotheroadandsawbythelighteddialofaclockthatitwasteen。Infrontofmewasalargebuildingwhichdisplayedthemagiame。

Iotfindarahatthebazaarwouldbeclosed，Ipassedinquicklythroughaturnstile，handingashillingtman。Ifoundmyselfinabighallgirdledathalfitsheightbyagallery。Nearlyallthestallsweredthegreaterpartofthehallwasindarkness。Ireizedasilewhichpervadesachurchafteraservice。Iwalkedihebazaartimidly。Afewpeatheredaboutthestallswhichwerestillopeaihewordstaeniwomeingmoneyoehefallofthes。

RememberingwithdifficultywhyIhade，Iweooallsandexaminedporvasesas。AtthedoorofthestallayoungladywastalkingandlaughingwithtwoyoulemeheirEnglishadlisteheirversation。

"O，Ineversaidsug!"

"O，butyoudid!"

"O，butIdidn't!"

"Didn'tshesaythat?"

"Yes。Iheardher。"

"O，there'sa。。。fib!"

me，theyoungladycameoverandaskedmedidIwishtobuyanythioneofhervoi;sheseemedtohavespokeofasey。Ilookedhumblyatthegreatjarsthatstoodlikeeasternguardsateithersideofthedarkehestallandmurmured:

"No，thankyou。"

Theyoungladygedthepositiohevasesaothetwoyouotalkofthesamesubjeceortwicetheyoungladyglameoverhershoulder。

Ilingeredbeforeherstall，thoughIkaywasuseless，tomakemyiihemorereal。ThenIturnedaalkeddownthemiddleofthebazaar。Iallowedthetwopeofallagainstthesix-penmypocket。Iheardavoiceohegallerythatthelightwasout。Theupperpartofthehallwaselydark。

GazingupintothedarknessIsawmyselfasacreaturedrivenandderidedbyvanity;andmyeyesburhanguishandanger。