araby

jamesjoyce

norhrichmondsree,beingblind,wasaquiesreeexcepahehourwhenhechrisianbrohers’schoolseheboysfreeanuninhabiedhouseofwosoreyssoodaheblindend,deachedfromisneighboursinasquaregroundheoherhousesofhesree,consciousofdecenliveswihinhem,gazedaoneanoherwihbrownimperurbablefaces

heformerenanofourhouse,apries,haddiedinhebackdrawingroomair,musyfromhavingbeenlongenclosed,hunginallherooms,andhewaseroombehindhekichenwaslieredwiholduselesspapersamongheseifoundafewpapercoveredbooks,hepagesofwhichwerecurledanddamp:heabbo,bywalersco,hedevoucommunican,andhememoirsofvidocqilikedhesbesbecauseisleaveswereyellowhewildgardenbehindhehouseconainedacenralapplereeandafewsragglingbushes,underoneofwhichifoundheeenan’srusybicyclepumphehadbeenaverychariablepries;inhiswillhehadlefallhismoneyoinsiuionsandhefurniureofhishouseohissiser

whenheshordaysofwinercameduskfellbeforewehadwelleaenourdi

erswhenwemeinhesreehehouseshadgrownsombrehespaceofskyaboveuswashecolourofeverchangingvioleandowardsihempsofhesreelifedheirfeeblenernshecoldairsungusandwepyedillourbodiesglowedourshousechoedinhesilensreehecareerofourpybroughushroughhedarkmuddynesbehindhehouseswhereweranhegaunleofheroughribesfromhecoages,ohebackdoorsofhedarkdrippinggardenswhereodoursarosefromheashpis,ohedarkodoroussableswhereacoachmansmoohedandcombedhehorseorshookmusicfromhebuckledharnesswhenwereurnedohesree,lighfromhekichenwindowshadfilledheareasifmyunclewasseenurninghecorner,wehidinheshadowunilwehadseenhimsafelyhousedorifmangan’ssisercameouonhedoorsepocallherbroherinohisea,wewachedherfromourshadowpeerupanddownhesreewewaiedoseewhehershewouldremainorgoinand,ifsheremained,welefourshadowandwalkedupomangan’ssepsresignedlyshewaswaiingforus,herfiguredefinedbyhelighfromhehalfopeneddoorherbroheralwayseasedherbeforeheobeyed,andisoodbyherailingslookingaherherdressswungasshemovedherbody,andhesofropeofherhairossedfromsideoside

everymorningiyonhefloorinhefronparlourwachingherdoorheblindwaspulleddownowihinaninchofhesashsohaicouldnobeseenwhenshecameouonhedoorsepmyhearleapediranohehall,seizedmybooksandfollowedherikepherbrownfigurealwaysinmyeyeand,whenwecamenearhepoinawhichourwaysdiverged,iquickenedmypaceandpassedherhishappenedmorningafermorningihadneverspokenoher,excepforafewcasualwords,andyehernamewaslikeasummonsoallmyfoolishblood

herimageaccompaniedmeeveninpceshemoshosileoromanceonsaurdayeveningswhenmyaunwenmarkeingihadogoocarrysomeofheparcelswewalkedhroughhefringsrees,josledbydrunkenmenandbargainingwomen,amidhecursesofbourers,heshrilllianiesofshopboyswhosoodonguardbyhebarrelsofpigs’cheeks,henasalchaningofsreesingers,whosangacomeallyouabouo’donovanrossa,orabaldabouheroublesinournaivendhesenoisesconvergedinasinglesensaionoflifeforme:iimaginedhaiboremychalicesafelyhroughahrongoffoeshernamesprangomylipsamomensinsrangeprayersandpraiseswhichimyselfdidnoundersandmyeyeswereofenfullofears(icouldnoellwhy)andaimesafloodfrommyhearseemedopouriselfouinomybosomihoughlileofhefuureididnoknowwheheriwouldeverspeakoherornoor,ifispokeoher,howicouldellherofmyconfusedadoraionbumybodywaslikeaharpandherwordsandgesureswerelikefingersru

inguponhewires

oneeveningiweninohebackdrawingroominwhichheprieshaddiediwasadarkrainyeveningandherewasnosoundinhehousehroughoneofhebrokenpanesiheardherainimpingeuponheearh,hefineincessanneedlesofwaerpyinginhesoddenbedssomedisanmporlighedwindowgleamedbelowmeiwashankfulhaicouldseesolileallmysensesseemedodesireoveilhemselvesand,feelinghaiwasabouoslipfromhem,ipressedhepalmsofmyhandsogeherunilheyrembled,murmuring:’olove！olove！’manyimes

asshespokeomewhensheaddressedhefirswordsomeiwassoconfusedhaididnoknowwhaoanswersheaskedmewasigoingoarabyiforgowheheriansweredyesornoiwouldbeasplendidbazaar;shesaidshewouldloveogo

“andwhycan’you？”iasked

whileshespokesheurnedasilverbraceleroundandroundherwrisshecouldnogo,shesaid,becauseherewouldbearereahaweekinherconvenherbroherandwooherboyswerefighingforheircaps,andiwasaloneaherailingssheheldoneofhespikes,bowingherheadowardsmehelighfromhempopposieourdoorcaughhewhiecurveofherneck,liupherhairharesedhereand,falling,liuphehanduponherailingifelloveronesideofherdressandcaughhewhieborderofapeicoa,jusvisibleasshesoodaease

“i’swellforyou,”shesaid

“ifigo,”isaid,“iwillbringyousomehing”