Зима тревоги нашей
Chapter 3
Herletters,sweetwithsteadfastness,followedmeeverywhere,round,clearhandwritingindarkblueinkonlightbluepaper,sothatmywholecompanyrecognizedherlettersandeverymanwascuriouslygladforme.EvenifIhadn’twantedtomarryMary,herconstancywouldhaveforcedmetofortheperpetuationoftheworlddreamoffairandfaithfulwomen.
Shehasnotwavered,notinthetransplantingfromBostonIrishtenancytotheoldHawleyhouseonElmStreet.Andsheneverwaveredintheslowdespondencyofmyfailingbusiness,inthebirthofourchildren,orintheparalysisofmylongclerkship.Sheisawaiter—Icanseethatnow.AndIguessshehadatlengthylastgrownwearyofwaiting.Neverbeforehadtheironofherwishesshowedthrough,formyMaryisnomockerandcontemptisnothertool.Shehasbeentoobusymakingthebestoftoomanysituations.Itonlyseemedremarkablethatthepoisoncametoaheadbecauseithadnotbefore.Howquicklythepicturesformedagainstthesoundoffrost-crunchingfootstepsonthenightstreet.
There’snoreasontofeelfurtivewalkingintheearlymorninginNewBaytown.WeeWilliemakeslittlejokesaboutitbutmostpeopleseeingmewalkingtowardthebayatthreeinthemorningwouldsupposeIwasgoingfishingandnotgiveitanotherthought.Ourpeoplehaveallsortsoffishingtheories,someofthemsecretlikefamilyrecipes,andsuchthingsarerespectedandrespectable.
Thestreetlightsmadethehardwhitefrostonthelawnsandsidewalksglintlikemillionsoftinydiamonds.
