Девять рассказов
De Daumier-Smith’s Blue Period
Hehandedsomethingtome—handedittomeasimpersonallyastheaveragewaiterdistributesmenus.ItwasaletterfromtheMotherSuperiorofSisterIrma’sconvent,informingM.YoshotothatFatherZimmermann,throughcircumstancesoutsidehiscontrol,wasforcedtoalterhisdecisiontoallowSisterIrmatostudyatLesAmisDesVieuxMaitres.Thewritersaidshedeeplyregrettedanyinconveniencesorconfusionsthischangeofplansmightcausetheschool.Shesincerelyhopedthatthefirsttuitionpaymentoffourteendollarsmightberefundedtothediocese.
Themouse,I’vebeensureforyears,limpshomefromthesiteoftheburningferriswheelwithabrand-new,airtightplanforkillingthecat.AfterI’dreadandrereadandthen,forgreat,longminutes,staredattheMotherSuperior’sletter,Isuddenlybrokeawayfromitandwroteletterstomyfourremainingstudents,advisingthemtogiveuptheideaofbecomingartists.Itoldthem,individually,thattheyhadabsolutelynotalentworthdevelopingandthattheyweresimplywastingtheirownvaluabletimeaswellastheschool’s.IwroteallfourlettersinFrench.WhenIwasfinished,Iimmediatelywentoutandmailedthem.Thesatisfactionwasshort-lived,butvery,verygoodwhileitlasted.
Whenitcametimetojointheparadetothekitchenfordinner,Iaskedtobeexcused.IsaidIwasn’tfeelingwell.(Ilied,in1939,withfargreaterconvictionthanItoldthetruth—soIwaspositivethatM.YoshotolookedatmewithsuspicionwhenIsaidIwasn’tfeelingwell.)
