the little white bird-第5节
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exquisite oriental rugs； green and white； I think； was the lady's
scheme of colour； something cool； you observe； to keep the sun
under。 The window…curtains were of some rare material and the
colour of the purple clematis； they swept the floor grandly and
suggested a picture of Mary receiving visitors。 The piano we may
ignore； for I knew it to be hired； but there were many dainty
pieces； mostly in green wood； a sofa； a corner cupboard； and a
most captivating desk； which was so like its owner that it could
have sat down at her and dashed off a note。 The writing paper on
this desk had the word Mary printed on it； implying that if there
were other Marys they didn't count。 There were many oil…
paintings on the walls； mostly without frames； and I must mention
the chandelier； which was obviously of fabulous worth； for she
had encased it in a holland bag。
〃I perceive； ma'am；〃 said I to the stout maid； 〃that your master
is in affluent circumstances。〃
She shook her head emphatically； and said something that I failed
to catch。
〃You wish to indicate；〃 I hazarded； 〃that he married a fortune。〃
This time I caught the words。 They were 〃Tinned meats；〃 and
having uttered them she lapsed into gloomy silence。
〃Nevertheless；〃 I said； 〃this room must have cost a pretty
penny。〃
〃She done it all herself；〃 replied my new friend； with
concentrated scorn。
〃But this green floor； so beautifully stained〃
〃Boiling oil；〃 said she； with a flush of honest shame； 〃and a
shillingsworth o' paint。〃
〃Those rugs〃
〃Remnants；〃 she sighed； and showed me how artfully they had been
pieced together。
〃The curtains〃
〃Remnants。〃
〃At all events the sofa〃
She raised its drapery； and I saw that the sofa was built of
packing cases。
〃The desk〃
I really thought that I was safe this time； for could I not see
the drawers with their brass handles； the charming shelf for
books； the pigeon…holes with their coverings of silk？
〃She made it out of three orange boxes；〃 said the lady； at last a
little awed herself。
I looked around me despairingly； and my eye alighted on the
holland covering。 〃There is a fine chandelier in that holland
bag；〃 I said coaxingly。
She sniffed and was raising an untender hand； when I checked her。
〃Forbear； ma'am；〃 I cried with authority； 〃I prefer to believe in
that bag。 How much to be pitied； ma'am； are those who have lost
faith in everything。〃 I think all the pretty things that the
little nursery governess had made out of nothing squeezed my hand
for letting the chandelier off。
〃But； good God； ma'am；〃 said I to madam； 〃what an exposure。〃
She intimated that there were other exposures upstairs。
〃So there is a stair；〃 said I； and then； suspiciously； 〃did she
make it？〃
No； but how she had altered it。
The stair led to Mary's bedroom； and I said I would not look at
that； nor at the studio； which was a shed in the garden。
〃Did she build the studio with her own hands？〃
No； but how she had altered it。
〃How she alters everything；〃 I said。 〃Do you think you are safe；
ma'am？〃
She thawed a little under my obvious sympathy and honoured me
with some of her views and confidences。 The rental paid by Mary
and her husband was not； it appeared； one on which any self…
respecting domestic could reflect with pride。 They got the house
very cheap on the understanding that they were to vacate it
promptly if anyone bought it for building purposes； and because
they paid so little they had to submit to the indignity of the
notice…board。 Mary A detested the words 〃This space to be
sold；〃 and had been known to shake her fist at them。 She was as
elated about her house as if it were a real house； and always
trembled when any possible purchaser of spaces called。
As I have told you my own aphorism I feel I ought in fairness to
record that of this aggrieved servant。 It was on the subject of
art。 〃The difficulty；〃 she said； 〃is not to paint pictures； but
to get frames for them。〃 A home thrust this。
She could not honestly say that she thought much of her master's
work。 Nor； apparently； did any other person。 Result； tinned
meats。
Yes； one person thought a deal of it； or pretended to do so； was
constantly flinging up her hands in delight over it； had even
been caught whispering fiercely to a friend； 〃Praise it； praise
it； praise it！〃 This was when the painter was sunk in gloom。
Never； as I could well believe； was such a one as Mary for luring
a man back to cheerfulness。
〃A dangerous woman；〃 I said； with a shudder； and fell to
examining a painting over the mantel…shelf。 It was a portrait of
a man； and had impressed me favourably because it was framed。
〃A friend of hers；〃 my guide informed me； 〃but I never seed him。〃
I would have turned away from it； had not an inscription on the
picture drawn me nearer。 It was in a lady's handwriting； and
these were the words： 〃Fancy portrait of our dear unknown。〃
Could it be meant for me？ I cannot tell you how interested I
suddenly became。
It represented a very fine looking fellow； indeed； and not a day
more than thirty。
〃A friend of hers； ma'am； did you say？〃 I asked quite shakily。
〃How do you know that； if you have never seen him？〃
〃When master was painting of it；〃 she said； 〃in the studio； he
used to come running in here to say to her such like as； 'What
colour would you make his eyes？'〃
〃And her reply； ma'am？〃 I asked eagerly。
〃She said； 'Beautiful blue eyes。' And he said； 'You wouldn't
make it a handsome face； would you？' and she says； 'A very
handsome face。' And says he； 'Middle…aged？' and says she；
'Twenty…nine。' And I mind him saying； 'A little bald on the top？'
and she says； says she； 'Not at all。'〃
The dear； grateful girl； not to make me bald on the top。
〃I have seed her kiss her hand to that picture；〃 said the maid。
Fancy Mary kissing her hand to me！ Oh； the pretty love！
Pooh！
I was staring at the picture； cogitating what insulting message I
could write on it； when I heard the woman's voice again。 〃I
think she has known him since she were a babby；〃 she was saying；
〃for this here was a present he give her。〃
She was on her knees drawing the doll's house from beneath the
sofa； where it had been hidden away； and immediately I thought；
〃I shall slip the insulting message into this。〃 But I did not；
and I shall tell you why。 It was because the engaging toy had
been redecorated by loving hands； there were fresh gowns for all
the inhabitants； and the paint on the furniture was scarcely dry。
The little doll's house was almost ready for further use。
I looked at the maid； but her face was expressionless。 〃Put it
back；〃 I said； ashamed to have surprised Mary's pretty secret；
and I left the house dejectedly； with a profound conviction that
the little nursery governess had hooked on to me again。
IV
A Night…Piece
There came a night when the husband was alone in that street
waiting。 He can do nothing for you now； little nursery
governess； you must fight it out by yourself； when there are
great things to do in the house the man must leave。 Oh； man；
selfish； indelicate； coarse…grained at the best； thy woman's hour
has come； get thee gone。
He slouches from the house； always her true lover I do believe；
chivalrous； brave； a boy until to…night； but was he ever unkind
to her？ It is the unpardonable sin now； is there the memory of
an unkindness to stalk the street with him to…night？ And if not
an unkindness； still might he not sometimes have been a little
kinder？
Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight： always to try to
be a little kinder than is necessary？
Poor youth； she would come to the window if she were able； I am
sure； to sign that the one little unkindness is long forgotten；
to send you a reassuring smile till you and she meet again； and；
if you are not to meet again； still to send you a reassuring；
trembling smile。
Ah； no； that was for yesterday； it is too late now。 He wanders
the streets thinking of her tonight； but she has forgotten him。
In her great hour the man is nothing to the woman； their love is
trivial now。
He and I were on opposite sides of the street； now become
familiar ground to both of us； and divers pictures rose before me
in which Mary A walked。 Here was the morning after my only
entry into her house。 The agent had promised me to have the
obnoxious notice…board removed； but I apprehended that as soon as
the letter announcing his intention reached her she would remove
it herself； and when I passed by in the morning there she was on
a chair and a foot…stool pounding lustily at it with a hammer。
When it fell she gave it such a vicious little kick。
There were the nights when her husband came out to watch for the
postman。 I su
