A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Dubliners - James Joyce [200]
They both kissed Gabriel frankly. He was their favourite nephew, the son of their dead elder sister, Ellen, who had married T. J. Conroy of the Port and Docks.
-Gretta tells me you’re not going to take a cab back to Monkstownadu to-night, Gabriel, said Aunt Kate.
-No, said Gabriel, turning to his wife, we had quite enough of that last year, hadn’t we? Don’t you remember, Aunt Kate, what a cold Gretta got out of it? Cab windows rattling all the way, and the east wind blowing in after we passed Merrion.adv Very jolly it was. Gretta caught a dreadful cold.
Aunt Kate frowned severely and nodded her head at every word.
—Quite right, Gabriel, quite right, she said. You can’t be too careful.
-But as for Gretta there, said Gabriel, she’d walk home in the snow if she were let.
Mrs Conroy laughed.
—Don’t mind him, Aunt Kate, she said. He’s really an awful bother, what with green shades for Tom’s eyes at night and making him do the dumb-bells, and forcing Eva to eat the stirabout.adw The poor child! And she simply hates the sight of it! ... 0, but you’ll never guess what he makes me wear now!
She broke out into a peal of laughter and glanced at her husband, whose admiring and happy eyes had been wandering from her dress to her face and hair. The two aunts laughed heartily, too, for Gabriel’s solicitude was a standing joke with them.
—Goloshes! said Mrs Conroy. That’s the latest. Whenever it’s wet underfoot I must put on my goloshes. To-night even, he wanted me to put them on, but I wouldn’t. The next thing he’ll buy me will be a diving suit.
Gabriel laughed nervously and patted his tie reassuringly, while Aunt Kate nearly doubled herself, so heartily did she enjoy the joke. The smile soon faded from Aunt Julia’s face and her mirthless eyes were directed towards her nephew’s face. After a pause she asked:
—And what are goloshes, Gabriel?
-Goloshes, Julia! exclaimed her sister. Goodness me, don’t you know what goloshes are? You wear them over your ... over your boots, Gretta, isn’t it?
-Yes, said Mrs Conroy. Guttaperchaadx things. We both have a pair now. Gabriel says everyone wears them on the continent.
—0, on the continent, murmured Aunt Julia, nodding her head slowly.
Gabriel knitted his brows and said, as if he were slightly angered:
-It’s nothing very wonderful, but Gretta thinks it very funny because she says the word reminds her of Christy Minstrels.ady
-But tell me, Gabriel, said Aunt Kate, with brisk tact. Of course, you’ve seen about the room. Gretta was saying ...
—0, the room is all right, replied Gabriel. I’ve taken one in the Gresham.adz
-To be sure, said Aunt Kate, by far the best thing to do. And the children, Gretta, you’re not anxious about them?
—0, for one night, said Mrs Conroy. Besides, Bessie will look after them.
-To be sure, said Aunt Kate again. What a comfort it is to have a girl like that, one you can depend on! There’s that Lily, I’m sure I don’t know what has come over her lately. She’s not the girl she was at all.
Gabriel was about to ask his aunt some questions on this point, but she broke off suddenly to gaze after her sister, who had wandered down the stairs and was craning her neck over the banisters.
-Now, I ask you, she said almost testily, where is Julia going? Julia! Julia! Where are you going?
Julia, who had gone half way down one flight, came back and announced blandly:
-Here’s Freddy.
At the same moment a clapping of hands and a final flourish of the pianist told that the waltz had ended. The drawing-room door was opened from within and some couples came out. Aunt Kate drew Gabriel aside