Коллекционер

           IhopetheLordwillforgivemebutthishasbeenagreatexperienceandyouwouldn’tknowMabel,sheisbrowninthesunhere,itisverynice,butIdon’tlikethedust.Everythinggetsdirtyandtheyliveinadifferentwaytowhatwedoathome,theyspeakEnglishmorelikeAmericans(evenUncleSteve)thanus.Ishan’tbesorrytogethometoBlackstoneRd,itworriesmetothinkofthedampandthedirt,IhopeyoudidwhatIsaidandairedalltheroomsandlinenlikeIsaidandgotagoodcleaningwomaninlikeIsaidthesameaswithyou,Ihope.

           FredIamworriedwithallthatmoneyyouwon’tloseyourhead,therearealotofcleverdishonestpeople(shemeanswomen,hesaid)aboutthesedays,IbroughtyouupaswellasIcouldandifyoudowrongit’sthesameasifIdid.Ishan’tshowthistoMabelshesaysyoudon’tlikeit.Iknowyouareoverage(over21,shemeans,hesaid)butIworryaboutyoubecauseofallthathappened(shemeansmebeinganorphan,hesaid).

           WelikedMelbourne,itisabigtown.NextweekwearegoingtoBrisbanetostaywithBobagainandhiswife.Shewroteaniceletter.Theywillmeetusatthestation.UncleSteve,Gertandthechildrensendtheirlove.SodoesMabelandyoureverloving.

           ThenshesaysIneedn’tworryaboutmoney,it’slastingverywell.ThenshehopesIgotawomanwhowillwork,shesaystheyoungonesdon’tcleanpropernowadays.

           (Therewasalongsilencethen.)

           M.Doyouthinkit’saniceletter?

           C.Shealwayswriteslikethat.

           M.