搜索
Eveline（伊芙林）Shesatatthewindowwatchingtheeveninginvadetheavenue.Herheadwasleanedagainstthewindowcurtainsandinhernostrilswastheodourofdustycretonne.Shewastired.Fewpeoplepassed.Themanoutofthelasthousepassedonhiswayhome；sheheardhisfootstepsclackingalongtheconcretepavementandafterwardscrunchingonthecinderpathbeforethenewredhouses.Onetimethereusedtobeafieldthereinwhichtheyusedtoplayeveryeveningwithotherpeople'schildren.ThenamanfromBelfastboughtthefieldandbuilthousesinit——notliketheirlittlebrownhousesbutbrightbrickhouseswithshiningroofs.Thechildrenoftheavenueusedtoplaytogetherinthatfield——theDevines，theWaters，theDunns，littleKeoghthecripple，sheandherbrothersandsisters.Ernest，however，neverplayed：hewastoogrownup.Herfatherusedoftentohunttheminoutofthefieldwithhisblackthornstick；butusuallylittleKeoghusedtokeepnixandcalloutwhenhesawherfathercoming.Stilltheyseemedtohavebeenratherhappythen.Herfatherwasnotsobadthen；andbesides，hermotherwasalive.Thatwasalongtimeago；sheandherbrothersandsisterswereallgrownuphermotherwasdead.TizzieDunnwasdead，too，andtheWatershadgonebacktoEngland.Everythingchanges.Nowshewasgoingtogoawayliketheothers，toleaveherhome.Home！Shelookedroundtheroom，reviewingallitsfamiliarobjectswhichshehaddustedonceaweekforsomanyyears，wonderingwhereonearthallthedustcamefrom.Perhapsshewouldneverseeagainthosefamiliarobjectsfromwhichshehadneverdreamedofbeingdivided.AndyetduringallthoseyearsshehadneverfoundoutthenameofthepriestwhoseyellowingphotographhungonthewallabovethebrokenharmoniumbesidethecolouredprintofthepromisesmadetoBlessedMargaretMaryAlacoque.Hehadbeenaschoolfriendofherfather.Wheneverheshowedthephotographtoavisitorherfatherusedtopassitwithacasualword：“HeisinMelbournenow.”Shehadconsentedtogoaway，toleaveherhome.Wasthatwise？Shetriedtoweigheachsideofthequestion.Inherhomeanywayshehadshelterandfood；shehadthosewhomshehadknownallherlifeabouther.Ofcourseshehadtoworkhard,bothinthehouseandatbusiness.WhatwouldtheysayofherintheStoreswhentheyfoundoutthatshehadrunawaywithafellow?Sayshewasafool，perhaps；andherplacewouldbefilledupbyadvertisement.MissGavanwouldbeglad.Shehadalwayshadanedgeonher，especiallywhenevertherewerepeoplelistening.“MissHill，don'tyouseetheseladiesarewaiting？”“Looklively，MissHill，please.”ShewouldnotcrymanytearsatleavingtheStores.Butinhernewhome，inadistantunknowncountry，itwouldnotbelikethat.Thenshewouldbemarried——she，Eveline.Peoplewouldtreatherwithrespectthen.Shewouldnotbetreatedashermotherhadbeen.Evennow，thoughshewasovernineteen，shesometimesfeltherselfindangerofherfather'sviolence.Sheknewitwasthatthathadgivenherthepalpitations.WhentheyweregrowinguphehadnevergoneforherlikeheusedtogoforHarryandErnest，becauseshewasagirlbutlatterlyhehadbeguntothreatenherandsaywhathewoulddotoheronlyforherdeadmother'ssake.Andnoshehadnobodytoprotecther.ErnestwasdeadandHarry，whowasinthechurchdecoratingbusiness，wasnearlyalwaysdownsomewhereinthecountry.Besides，theinvariablesquabbleformoneyonSaturdaynightshadbeguntowearyherunspeakably.Shealwaysgaveherentirewages——sevenshillings——andHarryalwayssentupwhathecouldbutthetroublewastogetanymoneyfromherfather.Hesaidsheusedtosquanderthemoney，thatshehadnohead，thathewasn'tgoingtogiveherhishard-earnedmoneytothrowaboutthestreets，andmuchmore，forhewasusuallyfairlybadonSaturdaynight.IntheendhewouldgiveherthemoneyandaskherhadsheanyintentionofbuyingSunday'sdinner.Thenshehadtorushoutasquicklyasshecouldanddohermarketing，holdingherblackleatherpursetightlyinherhandassheelbowedherwaythroughthecrowdsandreturninghomelateunderherloadofprovisions.Shehadhardworktokeepthehousetogetherandtoseethatthetwoyoungchildrenwhohadbeenlefttohrchargewenttoschoolregularlyandgottheirmealsregularly.Itwashardwork——ahardlife——butnowthatshewasabouttoleaveitshedidnotfinditawhollyundesirablelife.ShewasabouttoexploreanotherlifewithFrank.Frankwasverykind，manly，open-hearted.Shewastogoawaywithhimbythenight-boattobehiswifeandtolivewithhiminBuenosAyreswherehehadahomewaitingforher.Howwellsherememberedthefirsttimeshehadseenhim；hewaslodginginahouseonthemainroadwheresheusedtovisit.Itseemedafewweeksago.Hewasstandingatthegate，hispeakedcappushedbackonhisheadandhishairtumbledforwardoverafaceofbronze.Thentheyhadcometoknoweachother.HeusedtomeetheroutsidetheStoreseveryeveningandseeherhome.HetookhertoseeTheBohemianGirlandshefeltelatedasshesatinanunaccustomedpartofthetheatrewithhim.Hewasawfullyfondofmusicandsangalittle.Peopleknewthattheywerecourtingand，whenhesangaboutthelassthatlovesasailor，shealwaysfeltpleasantlyconfused.HeusedtocallherPoppensoutoffun.Firstofallithadbeenanexcitementforhertohaveafellowandthenshehadbeguntolikehim.Hehadtalesofdistantcountries.HehadstartedasadeckboyatapoundamonthonashipoftheAllanLinegoingouttoCanada.Hetoldherthenamesoftheshipshehadbeenonandthenamesofthedifferentservices.HehadsailedthroughtheStraitsofMagellanandhetoldherstoriesoftheterriblePatagonians.HehadfallenonhisfeetinBuenosAyres，hesaid，andhadcomeovertotheoldcountryjustforaholiday.Ofcourse，herfatherhadfoundouttheaffairandhadforbiddenhertohaveanythingtosaytohim.“Iknowthese