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。