THESISTERS
Therewas
no
nohopeforhimthistime:itwas
el
thethirdstroke.Nightafter
noche
nightIhadpassedthecasa
house(itwasvacationtime)y
andstudiedthelightedsquareofwindow:y
andnightafternightIhabía
hadfounditlightedinla
thesameway,faintlyandevenly.Si
Ifhewasdead,Ipensé
thought,IwouldseethereflectionofcandlesonthedarkenedblindforIsabía
knewthattwocandlesmustbesetatthecabeza
headofacorpse.He
había
hadoftensaidtome:“Iamnot
tiempo
longforthisworld,”andIhadpensado
thoughthiswordsidle.NowI
sabía
knewtheyweretrue.EverynightasIgazedupatthewindowI
decía
saidsoftlytomyselfthepalabra
wordparalysis.Ithadalways
sonado
soundedstrangelyinmyears,como
likethewordgnomonintheEuclidy
andthewordsimonyintheCatechism.Pero
Butnowitsoundedtomecomo
likethenameofsomemaleficenty
andsinfulbeing.Itfilledmewithfear,
y
andyetIlongedtobenearertoity
andtolookuponitsdeadlyobra
work.OldCotterwassittingat
el
thefire,smoking,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.Mientras
Whilemyauntwasladlingoutmystirabouthedijo
said,asifreturningtosomeformerremarkofsu
his:.“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewas
exactamente
exactly...buttherewas
algo
somethingqueer...therewas
algo
somethinguncannyabouthim.I’ll
diré
tellyoumyopinion....”Hebegantopuffathispipe,nodoubtarranginghisopinioninhis
mente
mind.Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenwe
conocimos
knewhimfirstheusedtoberatherinteresting,hablando
talkingoffaintsandworms;pero
butIsoongrewtiredofhimy
andhisendlessstoriesaboutla
thedistillery.“Ihavemyowntheoryaboutit,”he
dijo
said.“Ithinkitwas
uno
oneofthose...peculiarcases....
Pero
Butit’shardtosay....”Hebegantopuff
de nuevo
againathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.Myuncle
vio
sawmestaringandsaidtome
me:.“Well,soyourold
amigo
friendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”“Who?”
dije
saidI.“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehas
acaba
justtoldus.Hewaspassingby
la
thehouse.”IknewthatIwas
bajo
underobservationsoIcontinuedeatingassi
ifthenewshadnotinterestedme.Myuncleexplainedto
viejo
oldCotter.“Theyoungsterandheweregreatfriends.
El
Theoldchaptaughthimagreatdeal,mindyou;y
andtheysayhehadun
agreatwishforhim.”“God
tenga
havemercyonhissoul,”dijo
saidmyauntpiously.OldCotter
miró
lookedatmeforawhile.I
sentí
feltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmepero
butIwouldnotsatisfyhimbymirando
lookingupfrommyplate.He
regresó
returnedtohispipeandfinallyspatrudelyintola
thegrate.“Iwouldn’tlikechildrenofmine,”he
dijo
said,“tohavetoomuchtodijo
saytoamanlikethat.”“Howdoyoumean,MrCotter?”
preguntó
askedmyaunt.“WhatI
decir
meanis,”saidoldCotter,“it’smalo
badforchildren.Myidea
es
is:letayounglad
corra
runaboutandplaywithyoungladsofhisownagey
andnotbe....AmI
razón
right,Jack?”“That’smyprinciple,too,”
dijo
saidmyuncle.“Lethim
aprenda
learntoboxhiscorner.That’swhatI’m
siempre
alwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:takeexercise.
Why,
cuando
whenIwasanippertodas las
everymorningofmylifeIhadun
acoldbath,winterandsummer.Y
Andthat’swhatstandstomeahora
now.Educationisallveryfine
y
andlarge....MrCottermight
tomar
takeapickofthatlegmutton,”headdedtomyaunt.“No,
no
no,notforme,”saidviejo
oldCotter.Myauntbroughtthedishfromthe
caja fuerte
safeandputitonthetable.“But
por qué
whydoyouthinkit’snotbueno
goodforchildren,MrCotter?”she
preguntó
asked.“It’sbadforchildren,”
dijo
saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.Cuando
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,yousabes
know,ithasaneffect....”Icrammedmymouth
con
withstiraboutforfearIpudiera
mightgiveutterancetomyanger.Tiresome
viejo
oldred-nosedimbecile!Itwas
tarde
latewhenIfellasleep.Aunque
ThoughIwasangrywithviejo
oldCotterforalludingtomeasun
achild,Ipuzzledmycabeza
headtoextractmeaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.Inthedarkofmy
habitación
roomIimaginedthatIver
sawagaintheheavygreyrostro
faceoftheparalytic.Idrewtheblanketsovermy
cabeza
headandtriedtothinkofChristmas.Pero
Butthegreyfacestillseguía
followedme.Itmurmured;
andI
entendí
understoodthatitdesiredtoconfessalgo
something.Ifeltmysoulrecedingintosomepleasant
y
andviciousregion;andthere
de nuevo
againIfounditwaitingforme.Itbegantoconfesstomein
una
amurmuringvoiceandIwonderedpor qué
whyitsmiledcontinuallyandpor qué
whythelipsweresomoistcon
withspittle.ButthenI
recordé
rememberedthatithaddiedofparalysisy
andIfeltthatItambién
toowassmilingfeeblyassi
iftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.La
ThenextmorningafterbreakfastIver
wentdowntolookatla
thelittlehouseinGreatBritainCalle
Street.Itwasanunassumingshop,registered
bajo
underthevaguenameofDrapery.Las
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteesy
andumbrellas;andonordinarydays
un
anoticeusedtohanginla
thewindow,saying:UmbrellasRe-covered.
Nonoticewasvisible
ahora
nowfortheshutterswereup.Acrapebouquetwastiedto
la
thedoor-knockerwithribbon.Twopoorwomen
y
andatelegramboywereleyendo
readingthecardpinnedonthecrape.I
también
alsoapproachedandread:.July1st,1895TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’sChurch,Meath
Calle
Street),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.La
Thereadingofthecardpersuadedmethathewasmuerto
deadandIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcheck.Hadhenotbeen
muerto
deadIwouldhavegoneintola
thelittledarkroombehindla
theshoptofindhimsentado
sittinginhisarm-chairbyla
thefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.Tal vez
Perhapsmyauntwouldhavedado
givenmeapacketofHighToastforhimy
andthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.Itwas
siempre
alwaysIwhoemptiedthepacketintohisblacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembleddemasiado
toomuchtoallowhimtohacer
dothiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffsobre
aboutthefloor.Evenasheraisedhislargetrembling
mano
handtohisnoselittlecloudsofsmokedribbleda través de
throughhisfingersovertheparte delantera
frontofhiscoat.It
pueden
mayhavebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichdieron
gavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheirgreenfadedlookfortherojo
redhandkerchief,blackened,asitsiempre
alwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofuna
aweek,withwhichhetrataba
triedtobrushawaythefallengrains,wasbastante
quiteinefficacious.Iwishedtogoin
y
andlookathimbutItuve
hadnotthecouragetoknock.Iwalkedawayslowly
a lo largo
alongthesunnysideofthecalle
street,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIiba
went.IfounditstrangethatneitherInor
el
thedayseemedinamourningmoody
andIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfasensationoffreedomassi
ifIhadbeenfreedfromalgo
somethingbyhisdeath.Iwonderedat
esto
thisfor,asmyunclehabía
hadsaidthenightbefore,hehabía
hadtaughtmeagreatdeal.He
había
hadstudiedintheIrishcollegeinRomey
andhehadtaughtmetopronounceLatinproperly.He
había
hadtoldmestoriesaboutthecatacombsy
andaboutNapoleonBonaparte,andhehabía
hadexplainedtomethesignificado
meaningofthedifferentceremoniesoftheMassy
andofthedifferentvestmentswornbythepriest.Sometimeshe
había
hadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,preguntas
askingmewhatoneshouldhacer
doincertaincircumstancesorwhethersuchy
andsuchsinsweremortalo
orvenialoronlyimperfections.Hisquestions
mostraron
showedmehowcomplexandmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsoftheChurchwhichIhabía
hadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharist
y
andtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessionalseemedsogravetomethatIwonderedcómo
howanybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;y
andIwasnotsurprisedcuando
whenhetoldmethatthefathersoftheChurchhabían
hadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOficina
OfficeDirectoryandascloselyprintedastheley
lawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingtodas
alltheseintricatequestions.Often
cuando
whenIthoughtofthisIpodía
couldmakenoanswerorsólo
onlyaveryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedtosmiley
andnodhisheadtwiceo
orthrice.Sometimesheusedtoputme
a través de
throughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehabía
hadmademelearnbyheart;y
and,asIpattered,heusedtosmilepensivelyy
andnodhishead,nowy
andthenpushinghugepinchesofsnuffupcada
eachnostrilalternately.Whenhesmiledheusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteeth
y
andlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitwhichhabía
hadmademefeeluneasyinthebeginningofouracquaintancebeforeIknewhimbien
well.AsIwalkedalonginthesunIremembered
viejo
oldCotter’swordsandtriedtorecordar
rememberwhathadhappenedafterwardsinthesueño
dream.IrememberedthatI
había
hadnoticedlongvelvetcurtainsy
andaswinginglampofantiquefashion.I
sentí
feltthatIhadbeenmuy
veryfaraway,insomelanddonde
wherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Ipensé
thought....ButIcouldnot
recordar
remembertheendofthesueño
dream.Intheeveningmyaunt
llevó
tookmewithhertovisitla
thehouseofmourning.Itwasaftersunset;
pero
butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatmiraban
lookedtothewestreflectedthetawnygoldofun
agreatbankofclouds.Nanniereceivedusin
el
thehall;and,asit
sido
wouldhavebeenunseemlytohabría
haveshoutedather,myauntshookhandswithherfortodos
all.Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogatively
y
and,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupthenarrowstaircasebeforenosotros
us,herbowedheadbeingscarcelyabovethelevelofthebanister-rail.Atthe
primer
firstlandingshestoppedandbeckonedusforwardencouraginglytowardstheopenpuerta
doorofthedead-room.Myaunt
viendo
wentinandtheoldwoman,viendo
seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,begantobeckontomede nuevo
againrepeatedlywithherhand.I
fui
wentinontiptoe.The
habitación
roomthroughthelaceendoftheblindwassuffusedwithduskygoldenlightamidcual
whichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.He
había
hadbeencoffined.Nanniegavethelead
y
andwethreekneltdownatthefootofthecama
bed.Ipretendedtopray
pero
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsporque
becausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.Inoticed
cómo
howclumsilyherskirtwashookedattheatrás
backandhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendownalltoun
oneside.Thefancycametomethatthe
viejo
oldpriestwassmilingasheyacía
laythereinhiscoffin.Pero
Butno.Whenwerosey
andwentuptothecabeza
headofthebedIvi
sawthathewasnotsmiling.Allí
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforel
thealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingun
achalice.Hisfacewas
muy
verytruculent,greyandmassive,con
withblackcavernousnostrilsandcircledbyun
ascantywhitefur.Therewas
un
aheavyodourintheroom—theflowers.Weblessedourselves
y
andcameaway.Inthelittle
habitación
roomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairinstate.Igropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairin
la
thecornerwhileNanniewenttola
thesideboardandbroughtoutun
adecanterofsherryandalgunas
somewine-glasses.Shesettheseon
la
thetableandinvitedustotomar
takealittleglassofwine.Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglasses
y
andpassedthemtous.Shepressedmeto
tomara
takesomecreamcrackersalsopero
butIdeclinedbecauseIpensé
thoughtIwouldmaketoomuchnoiseeatingthem.Sheseemedtobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusal
y
andwentoverquietlytothesofadonde
whereshesatdownbehindherhermana
sister.Noonespoke:
we
todos
allgazedattheemptyfireplace.Myaunt
esperó
waiteduntilElizasighedandthendijo
said:.“Ah,well,he’sgoneto
un
abetterworld.”Elizasighed
de nuevo
againandbowedherheadinassent.Myauntfingeredthestemofherwine-glassbeforesipping
un
alittle.“Didhe...
peacefully?”
she
preguntó
asked.“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”
dijo
saidEliza.“Youcouldn’ttellwhen
el
thebreathwentoutofhim.He
tuvo
hadabeautifuldeath,Godbepraised.”“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’Rourkewasin
con
withhimaTuesdayandanointedhimy
andpreparedhimandall.”“He
sabía
knewthen?”“Hewasquiteresigned.”
“Helooksquiteresigned,”
dijo
saidmyaunt.“That’swhat
la
thewomanwehadintowashhimdijo
said.Shesaidhejustlookedasifhewasasleep,helookedthatpeaceful
y
andresigned.Noonewould
pensaría
thinkhe’dmakesuchahermoso
beautifulcorpse.”“Yes,indeed,”saidmyaunt.
Shesipped
un
alittlemorefromherglassy
andsaid:.“Well,MissFlynn,at
cualquier
anyrateitmustbeun
agreatcomfortforyoutosaber
knowthatyoudidallyoucouldforhim.Youwere
ambos
bothverykindtohim,Idebo
mustsay.”Elizasmoothedherdress
sobre
overherknees.“Ah,poorJames!”
she
dijo
said.“Godknowswedone
todo
allwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tveríamos
seehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”Nannie
había
hadleanedherheadagainstthesofa-pillowy
andseemedabouttofallasleep.“There’s
pobre
poorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.Todo
Alltheworkwehad,shey
andme,gettinginthemujer
womantowashhimandthenlayinghimouty
andthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.Sólo
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tsé
knowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.Itwashim
trajo
broughtusallthemflowersy
andthemtwocandlesticksoutofthechapely
andwroteoutthenoticefortheFreeman’sGeneraly
andtookchargeofallthepapersforthecemeteryy
andpoorJames’sinsurance.”“Wasn’tthat
bueno
goodofhim?”saidmyaunt.
Eliza
cerró
closedhereyesandshookhercabeza
headslowly.“Ah,there’snofriends
como
liketheoldfriends,”shesaid,“whentodo
allissaidanddone,no
nofriendsthatabodypueda
cantrust.”“Indeed,that’strue,”
dijo
saidmyaunt.“AndI’m
seguro
surenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’tolvidará
forgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”“Ah,
pobre
poorJames!”saidEliza.
“Hewas
no
nogreattroubletous.Youwouldn’t
escucharías
hearhiminthehouseanymás
morethannow.Still,I
sé
knowhe’sgoneandalltothat....”“It’s
cuando
whenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”dijo
saidmyaunt.“Iknowthat,”
dijo
saidEliza.“Iwon’tbe
traeré
bringinghiminhiscupofbeef-teaanymore,noryou,ma’am,enviará
sendinghimhissnuff.Ah,
pobre
poorJames!”Shestopped,as
si
ifshewerecommuningwithel
thepastandthensaidshrewdly:.“Mindyou,Inoticedtherewas
algo
somethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.WheneverI’d
traía
bringinhissouptohimallí
thereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviarycaído
fallentothefloor,lyingbackinthechairy
andhismouthopen.”Shelaid
un
afingeragainsthernosey
andfrowned:thenshecontinued:.
“Butstill
y
andallhekeptondiciendo
sayingthatbeforethesummerwasoverhe’dver
gooutforadriveonefinedía
dayjusttoseetheoldcasa
houseagainwhereweweretodos
allborndowninIrishtowny
andtakemeandNanniecon
withhim.Ifwecould
sólo
onlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthathacen
makesnonoisethatFatherO’Rourkedijo
toldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthedía
daycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaytherey
anddriveoutthethreeofusjuntos
togetherofaSundayevening.He
tenía
hadhismindsetoneso
that....PoorJames!”
“TheLord
tenga
havemercyonhissoul!”dijo
saidmyaunt.Elizatookoutherhandkerchief
y
andwipedhereyeswithit.Thenshe
puso
putitbackagaininherpockety
andgazedintotheemptygrateforsometiempo
timewithoutspeaking.