Text B Araby（第1页）

TextBAraby

JamesJoyce

[1]NorthRidStreet，beingblind，wasaquietstreetexceptatthehourwheianBrothers’Schoolsettheboysfree。Anuninhabitedhouseoftwostoreysstoodatthebliaitsneighboursiheotherhousesofthestreet，sciousofdetliveswithinthem，gazedatohbrowurbablefaces。

[2]Theformertenantofourhouse，apriest，haddiedinthebag-room。Air，mustyfromhavingbeenlongenclosed，hunginalltherooms，aeroombehiwaslitteredwitholduselesspapers。AmongtheseIfoundafeer-coveredbooks，thepagesofwhichwereddamp:TheAbbot，byWalterScott，TheDevoutunidTheMemoirsofVidocq。Ilikedthelastbestbecauseitsleaveswereyellow。Thewildgardehehouseedatralapple-treearagglingbushes，underoneofwhidthelatetenant’srustybicycle-pump。Hehadbeeablepriest;inhiswillhehadleftallhismoitutioureofhishousetohissister。

[3]Whedaysofwintercame，duskfellbeforewehadwelleatenourdiihehouseshadgrowhespaceofskyaboveuswasthecolourvioletandtowardsitthelampsofthestreetliftedtheirfeeblelahecusailllowed。Ourshoutsethesilehecareerofourplaybroughtusthroughthedarkmuddylahehouses，wherewerahtribesfromthecottages，tothebackdoorsofthedarkdrippinggardenswhereodoursarosefromtheashpits，tothedarkodorousstableswhereaoothedahehorseorshookmusithebuess。Whehtfromthekitdowshadfilledtheareas。Ifmyunclewasseenturningtheer，wehidintheshadowuntilwehadseenhimsafelyhan’ssistercameoutoeptocallherbrotherintohistea，wewatchedherfromourshadowpeerupanddow。Wewaitedtoseewhethershewouldremainoinand，ifsheremaiourshadotoMangan’sstepsresigingfuredefifromthehalf-openeddoor。Herbrotheralwaysteasedherbeforeheobeyed，andIstoodbytherailingslookingather。Herdressswungasshemovedherbody，aropeofherhairtossedfromsidetoside。

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

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

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

[7]Atlastshespoketome。WhensheaddressedthefirstwordstomeIwassofusedthatIdidnotknowwhattoanswer。SheaskedmewasIgoingtoAraby。IfotwhetherIansweredyesorno。Itlendidbazaar;shesaidshewouldlovetogo。

[8]—Andwhy’tyou?Iasked。

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

[10]—It’swellforyou，shesaid。

[11]—IfIgo，Isaid，Iwillbringyousomething。

[12]Whatinnumerablefollieslaidwastemyingthoughtsafterthatevening!Iwishedtoaedidays。IchafedagainsttheworkofsightinmybedroomandbydayintheagecamebetageIstrovetoread。ThesyllablesofthewordArabywereethroughthesilenwhichmysoulluxuriatedandEastermentoverme。Iaskedforleavetogotothebazaarht。Myauntrised，awasnotsomeFreemasonaffair。Iaionsinclass。Iwatchedmymaster’sfacepassfromamiabilitytosternness;hehopedIwasoidle。Iywahoughtstogether。Ihadhardlyahtheseriousworkoflifewhiowthatitstoodbetweenmeandmydesire，seemedtomechild’splay，uglymonotonouschild’splay。

[13]OnSaturdaymIremindedmyuIwishedtogotothebazaarintheevening。Hewasfussiand，looki-brush，aly:

[14]—Yes，boy，Iknow。

[15]AshewasinthehallIotgoiparlourahewihehouseinbadhumourandwalkedslowlytowardstheschool。Theairitilesslyrawandalreadymyheartmisgaveme。

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

[17]WheairsagainIfouingatthefire。Shewasanold，garrulousawnbroker’shocollectedusedstampsforsomepiouspurpose。Ihadtossipofthetea-table。Themealrolongedbeyondanhourandstillmyuercerstooduptogo:shewassorryshe’twaitawasaftereighto’dshedidobeoutlate，asthenightairwasbadforher。Whenshehadgooanddowntheroom，gmyfists。Myauntsaid:

[18]—I’mafraidyoumayputoffyourbazaarfhtofOurLord。

[19]Atnineo’clockIheardmyuthehalldoor。Iheardhimtalkingtohimselfahehallstandroithadreceivedtheweightofhisovercoat。Iterpretthesesigns。aythroughhisdinogivemethemoothebazaar。Hehadfotten。

[20]—Thepeopleareiertheirfirstsleepno>

[21]Ididsaidtetically:

[22]—’tyougivehimthemohimgo?You’vekepthimlateenoughasitis。

[23]Myunclesaidhewasverysorryhehadfotten。Hesaidhebelievedintheoldsaying:AlllaymakesJackadullboy。HeaskedmewhereIwasgoingaoldhimasee，heaskedmedidIknowTheArab’sFarewelltohisSteed。Whehekithewasabouttorecitetheopehepieyaunt。

[24]IheldaflhtlyinmyhandasIstrodedownBughamStreettowardsthestatioofthestreetsthrohbuyersandglaringwithgasreethepurposeofmyjourookmyseatinathird-classcarriageofadesertedtraiolerabledelaythetraiofthestationslowly。ItongruinoushousesawinklilandRowStationacrowdofpeoplepressedtedoors;buttheportersmovedthembagthatiteforthebazaar。Iremaihebarecarriage。Iesthetraindrewupbesideanimprovisedassedoutontotheroadandsawbythelighteddialofaclockthatitwasteen。Infrontofmewasalargebuildingwhichdisplayedthemagiame。

[25]Iotfindarand，fearingthatthebazaarwouldbeclosed，Ipassedinquicklythroughaturnstile，handingashillingtman。Ifoundmyselfinabighallgirdedathalfitsheightbyagallery。Nearlyallthestallsweredthegreaterpartofthehallwasindarkness。Ireizedasilewhichpervadesachurchafteraservice。Iwalkedihebazaartimidly。Afewpeatheredaboutthestallswhichwerestillopeaihewordstaeninps，twomeingmoneyoehefallofthes。

[26]RememberingwithdifficultywhyIhade，Iweooallsandexaminedporvasesas。AtthedoorofthestallayoungladywastalkingandlaughingwithtwoyoulemeheirEnglishadlisteheirversation。