James-Joyce-The-Dead

TheDeadbyJamesJoyceLILY,thecaretaker'sdaughter,wasliterallyrunoffherfeet.Hardlyhadshebroughtonegentlemanintothelittlepantrybehindtheofficeonthegroundfloorandhelpedhimoffwithhisovercoatthanthewheezyhall-doorbellclangedagainandshehadtoscamperalongthebarehallwaytoletinanotherguest.Itwaswellforhershehadnottoattendtotheladiesalso.ButMissKateandMissJuliahadthoughtofthatandhadconvertedthebathroomupstairsintoaladies'dressing-room.MissKateandMissJuliawerethere,gossipingandlaughingandfussing,walkingaftereachothertotheheadofthestairs,peeringdownoverthebanistersandcallingdowntoLilytoaskherwhohadcome.Itwasalwaysagreataffair,theMissesMorkan'sannualdance.Everybodywhoknewthemcametoit,membersofthefamily,oldfriendsofthefamily,themembersofJulia'schoir,anyofKate'spupilsthatweregrownupenough,andevensomeofMaryJane'spupilstoo.Neveroncehaditfallenflat.Foryearsandyearsithadgoneoffinsplendidstyle,aslongasanyonecouldremember;eversinceKateandJulia,afterthedeathoftheirbrotherPat,hadleftthehouseinStoneyBatterandtakenMaryJane,theironlyniece,tolivewiththeminthedark,gaunthouseonUsher'sIsland,theupperpartofwhichtheyhadrentedfromMr.Fulham,thecorn-factoronthegroundfloor.Thatwasagoodthirtyyearsagoifitwasaday.MaryJane,whowasthenalittlegirlinshortclothes,wasnowthemainpropofthehousehold,forshehadtheorganinHaddingtonRoad.ShehadbeenthroughtheAcademyandgaveapupils'concerteveryyearintheupperroomoftheAntientConcertRooms.Manyofherpupilsbelongedtothebetter-classfamiliesontheKingstownandDalkeyline.Oldastheywere,herauntsalsodidtheirshare.Julia,thoughshewasquitegrey,wasstilltheleadingsopranoinAdamandEve's,andKate,beingtoofeebletogoaboutmuch,gavemusiclessonstobeginnersontheoldsquarepianointhebackroom.Lily,thecaretaker'sdaughter,didhousemaid'sworkforthem.Thoughtheirlifewasmodest,theybelievedineatingwell;thebestofeverything:diamond-bonesirloins,three-shillingteaandthebestbottledstout.ButLilyseldommadeamistakeintheorders,sothatshegotonwellwithherthreemistresses.Theywerefussy,thatwasall.Buttheonlythingtheywouldnotstandwasbackanswers.Ofcourse,theyhadgoodreasontobefussyonsuchanight.Andthenitwaslongafterteno'clockandyettherewasnosignofGabrielandhiswife.BesidestheyweredreadfullyafraidthatFreddyMalinsmightturnupscrewed.TheywouldnotwishforworldsthatanyofMaryJane'spupilsshouldseehimundertheinfluence;andwhenhewaslikethatitwassometimesveryhardtomanagehim.FreddyMalinsalwayscamelate,buttheywonderedwhatcouldbekeepingGabriel:andthatwaswhatbroughtthemeverytwominutestothebanisterstoaskLilyhadGabrielorFreddycome.O,Mr.Conroy,saidLilytoGabrielwhensheopenedthedoorforhim,MissKateandMissJuliathoughtyouwerenevercoming.Good-night,Mrs.Conroy.I'llengagetheydid,saidGabriel,buttheyforgetthatmywifeheretakesthreemortalhourstodressherself.Hestoodonthemat,scrapingthesnowfromhisgoloshes,whileLilyledhiswifetothefootofthestairsandcalledout:MissKate,here'sMrs.Conroy.KateandJuliacametoddlingdownthedarkstairsatonce.BothofthemkissedGabriel'swife,saidshemustbeperishedalive,andaskedwasGabrielwithher.HereIamasrightasthemail,AuntKate!Goonup.I'llfollow,calledoutGabrielfromthedark.Hecontinuedscrapinghisfeetvigorouslywhilethethreewomenwentupstairs,laughing,totheladies'dressing-room.Alightfringeofsnowlaylikeacapeontheshouldersofhisovercoatandliketoecapsonthetoesofhisgoloshes;and,asthebuttonsofhisovercoatslippedwithasqueakingnoisethroughthesnow-stiffenedfrieze,acold,fragrantairfromout-of-doorsescapedfromcrevicesandfolds.Isitsnowingagain,Mr.Conroy?askedLily.Shehadprecededhimintothepantrytohelphimoffwithhisovercoat.Gabrielsmiledatthethreesyllablesshehadgivenhissurnameandglancedather.Shewasaslim;growinggirl,paleincomplexionandwithhay-colouredhair.Thegasinthepantrymadeherlookstillpaler.Gabrielhadknownherwhenshewasachildandusedtositontheloweststepnursingaragdoll.Yes,Lily,heanswered,andIthinkwe'reinforanightofit.Helookedupatthepantryceiling,whichwasshakingwiththestampingandshufflingoffeetonthefloorabove,listenedforamomenttothepianoandthenglancedatthegirl,whowasfoldinghisovercoatcarefullyattheendofashelf.Tellme.Lily,hesaidinafriendlytone,doyoustillgotoschool?Ono,sir,sheanswered.I'mdoneschoolingthisyearandmore.O,then,saidGabrielgaily,Isupposewe'llbegoingtoyourweddingoneofthesefinedayswithyouryoungman,eh?Thegirlglancedbackathimoverhershoulderandsaidwithgreatbitterness:Thementhatisnowisonlyallpalaverandwhattheycangetoutofyou.Gabrielcoloured,asifhefelthehadmadeamistakeand,withoutlookingather,kickedoffhisgoloshesandflickedactivelywithhismufflerathispatent-leathershoes.Hewasastout,tallishyoungman.Thehighcolourofhischeekspushedupwardseventohisforehead,whereitscattereditselfinafewformlesspatchesofpalered;andonhishairlessfacetherescintillatedrestlesslythepolishedlensesandthebrightgiltrimsoftheglasseswhichscreenedhisdelicateandrestlesseyes.Hisglossyblackhairwaspartedinthemiddleandbrushedinalongcurvebehindhisearswhereitcurledslightlybeneaththegrooveleftbyhishat.Whenhehadflickedlustreintohisshoeshestoodupandpulledhiswaistcoatdownmoretightlyonhisplumpbody.Thenhetookacoinrapidlyfromhispocket.OLily,hesaid,thrustingitintoherhands