araby

1

Araby

JamesJoyce

NorthRichmondStreet,beingblind,wasaquietstreetexceptatthehourwhentheChristian

Brothers'habitedhouoftwostoriesstoodattheblindend,

erhousofthestreet,consciousofdecent

liveswithinthem,gazedatoneanotherwithbrownimperturbablefaces.

Theformertenantofourhou,apriest,,mustyfrom

havingbeenlongenclod,hunginalltherooms,andthewasteroombehindthekitchenwas

heIfoundafewpaper-coveredbooks,thepagesof

whichwerecurledanddamp:TheAbbot,byWalterScott,TheDevoutCommunicant,andThe

dgardenbehind

thehoucontainedacentralapple-treeandafewstragglingbushes,underoneofwhichIfound

thelatetenant'eenaverycharitablepriest;inhiswillhehadleftall

hismoneytoinstitutionsandthefurnitureofhishoutohissister.

Whentheshortdaysofwintercame,

ceofskyaboveuswasthecolorof

ever-changindair

eerof

ourplaybroughtusthroughthedarkmuddylanesbehindthehous,whereweranthegauntletof

theroughtribesfromthecottages,tothebackdoorsofthedarkodorousstableswhereacoachman

returnedto

thestreet,clewasenturningthe

corner,ngan'ssistercameout

onthedoorsteptocallherbrotherintohistea,wewatchedherfromourshadowpeerupand

edtoewhethershewouldremainorgoinand,ifsheremained,weleft

ourshadowandwalkeduptoMangan'waitingforus,herfigure

theralwaysteadherbeforeheobeyed,

ssswungasshemovedherbody,andthesoft

ropeofherhairtosdfromsidetoside.

ndwaspulled

ecameoutonthedoorstep

thehall,erbrownfigure

alwaysinmyeyeand,whenwecamenearthepointatwhichourwaysdiverged,Iquickenedmy

verspokentoher,exceptfora

2

fewcasualwords,andyethernamewaslikeasummonstoallmyfoolishblood.

rday

ed

throughtheflaringstreets,jostledbydrunkenmenandbargainingwomen,amidthecursof

laborers,theshrilllitaniesofshop-boyswhostoodonguardbythebarrelsofpigs'cheeks,the

nasalchantingofstreet-singers,whosangacome-all-youaboutO'DonovanRossa,oraballad

oisconvergedinasinglensationoflifeforme:I

esprangtomylipsat

wereoften

fulloftears(Icouldnottellwhy)andattimesafloodfrommyheartemedtopouritlfoutinto

tknowwhetherIwouldeverspeaktoherornotor,

ifIspoketoher,odywaslikeaharpand

herwordsandgestureswerelikefingersrunninguponthewires.

dark

honeofthebrokenpanesIheardthe

rainimpingeupontheearth,

nsemedtodesiretoveilthemlvesand,feelingthatIwasabouttoslipfromthem,I

presdthepalmsofmyhandstogetheruntiltheytrembled,murmuring:'Olove!Olove!'many

times.

eaddresdthefirstwordstomeIwassoconfudthatI

twhetherIansweredyes

dbeasplendidbazaar;shesaidshewouldlovetogo.

'Andwhycan'tyou?'Iasked.

ldnotgo,she

said,therandtwootherboys

werefightingfortheircaps,doneofthespikes,bowingher

htfromthelampoppositeourdoorcaughtthewhitecurveofherneck,lit

upherhairthatrestedthereand,falling,overonesideofher

dressandcaughtthewhiteborderofapetticoat,justvisibleasshestoodatea.

'It'swellforyou,'shesaid.

'IfIgo,'Isaid,'Iwillbringyousomething.'

Whatinnumerablefollieslaidwastemywakingandsleepingthoughtsafterthatevening!I

tin

mybedroomandbydayintheclassroomherimagecamebetweenmeandthepageIstroveto

3

lablesofthewordArabywerecalledtomethroughthesilenceinwhichmysoul

forleavetogotothebazaaron

wassurprid,red

edmymaster'sfacepassfromamiabilitytosternness;hehopedI

rdlyany

patiencewiththeriousworkoflifewhich,nowthatitstoodbetweenmeandmydesire,emed

tomechild'splay,uglymonotonouschild'splay.

OnSaturdaymorningIremindedmyunclethatIwishedtogotothebazaarintheevening.

Hewasfussingatthehallstand,lookingforthehat-brush,andansweredmecurtly:

'Yes,boy,Iknow.'

he

waspitilesslyrawandalready

myheartmisgaveme.

aring

attheclockforsometimeand,whenitstickingbegantoirritateme,edthe

h,cold,empty,gloomyroomsliberated

efrontwindowIsawmycompanionsplaying

riesreachedmeweakenedandindistinctand,leaningmyforehead

againstthecoolglass,vestoodtherefor

anhour,eingnothingbutthebrown-cladfigurecastbymyimagination,toucheddiscreetlyby

thelamplightatthecurvedneck,atthehandupontherailingsandattheborderbelowthedress.

anold,

garrulouswoman,apawnbroker'swidow,whocollectedudstampsforsomepiouspurpo.I

lwasprolongedbeyondanhourandstillmy

stooduptogo:shewassorryshecouldn'twaitanylonger,butit

wasaftereighto'clockandshedidnotliketobeoutlate,

shehadgoneIbegantowalkupanddowntheroom,said:

'I'mafraidyoumayputoffyourbazaarforthisnightofOurLord.'

Atnineo'clockIheardmyuncle'himtalkingtohimlf

andinterpret

wasmidwaythroughhisdinnerIaskedhimtogivemethemoneytogoto

orgotten.

'Thepeopleareinbedandaftertheirfirstsleepnow,'hesaid.

saidtohimenergetically:

'Can'tyougivehimthemoneyandlethimgo?You'vekepthimlateenoughasitis.'

4

hebelievedintheoldsaying:'All

workandnoplaymakesJackadullboy.'HeaskedmewhereIwasgoingand,whenItoldhima

condtime,heaskedmedidIknowTheArab'eftthekitchenhe

wasabouttorecitetheopeninglinesofthepiecetomyaunt.

IheldaflorintightlyinmyhandasIstrodedownBuckinghamStreettowardsthestation.

Thesightofthestreetsthrongedwithbuyersandglaringwithgasrecalledtomethepurpoof

nintolerabledelay

tonwardamongruinoushousandoverthe

landRowStationacrowdofpeoplepresdtothecarriagedoors;butthe

portersmovedthemback,nedaloneinthe

d

outontof

mewasalargebuildingwhichdisplayedthemagicalname.

Icouldnotfindanysixpennyentranceand,fearingthatthebazaarwouldbeclod,Ipasd

inquicklythroughaturnstile,mylfinabig

allthestallswereclodandthegreaterpartof

nizedasilencelikethatwhichpervadesachurchafterarvice.I

opleweregatheredaboutthestallswhich

acurtain,overwhichthewordsCaféChantantwerewrittenincolored

lamps,nedtothefallofthecoins.

RememberingwithdifficultywhyIhadcome,Iwentovertooneofthestallsandexamined

oorofthestallayoungladywastalkingand

kedtheirEnglishaccentsandlistenedvaguelytotheir

conversation.

'O,Ineversaidsuchathing!'

'O,butyoudid!'

'O,butIdidn't!'

'Didn'tshesaythat?'

'her.'

'O,there'sa...fib!'

Obrvingme,e

ofhervoicewasnotencouraging;sheemedtohavespokentomeoutofanofduty.I

lookedhumblyatthegreatjarsthatstoodlikeeasternguardsateithersideofthedarkentranceto

thestallandmurmured:

'No,thankyou.'

5

Theyoungladychangedthepositionofoneofthevasandwentbacktothetwoyoungmen.

twicetheyoungladyglancedatmeoverher

shoulder.

Ilingeredbeforeherstall,thoughIknewmystaywasuless,tomakemyinterestinher

urnedawayslowlyandwalkeddownthemiddleofthebazaar.I

avoicecallfromone

erpartofthehallwasnowcompletelydark.

GazingupintothedarknessIsawmylfasacreaturedrivenandderidedbyvanity;andmy

eyesburnedwithanguishandanger.