Bertha and Felix had been a strange couple. You owe it to pure coincidence that their paths crossed. Although they in common except their huge appetite, absolutely nothing, had the two close friends have become.James Joyce's "A Little Cloud"
July 16, 2009 by storybus
his desk and of his fellow-clerks punctiliously. He emerged from under the feudal arch of the King's Inns, a neat modest figure, and walked swiftly down Henrietta Street. The golden sunset was waning and the air had grown sharp. A horde of grimy children populated the street. They stood or ran in the roadway or crawled up the steps before the gaping doors or squatted like mice upon the thresholds. Little Chandler gave them no thought. He picked his way deftly through all that minute vermin-like life and under the shadow of the gaunt spectral mansions in which the old nobility of Dublin had roystered. No memory of the past touched him, for his mind was full of a present joy.
He had never been in Corless's but he knew the value of the name. He knew that people went there after the theatre to eat oysters and drink liqueurs; and he had heard that the waiters there spoke French and German. Walking swiftly by at night he had seen cabs drawn up before the door and richly dressed ladies, escorted by cavaliers, alight and enter quickly. They wore noisy dresses and many wraps. Their faces were powdered and they caught up their dresses, when they touched earth, like alarmed Atalantas. He had always passed without turning his head to look. It was his habit to walk swiftly in the street even by day and whenever he found himself in the city late at night he hurried on his way apprehensively and excitedly. Sometimes, however, he courted the causes of his fear. He chose the darkest and narrowest streets and, as he walked boldly forward, the silence that was spread about his footsteps troubled him, the wandering, silent figures troubled him; and at times a sound of low fugitive laughter made him tremble like a leaf.
He turned to the right towards Capel Street. Ignatius Gallaher on the London Press! Who would have thought it possible eight years before? Still, now that he reviewed the past, Little Chandler could remember many signs of future greatness in his friend. People used to say that Ignatius Gallaher was wild Of course, he did mix with a rakish set of fellows at that time, drank freely and borrowed money on all sides. In the end he had got mixed up in some shady affair, some money transaction: at least, that was one version of his flight. But nobody denied him talent. There was always a certain... something in Ignatius Gallaher that impressed you in spite of yourself. Even when he was out at elbows and at his wits' end for money he kept up a bold face. Little Chandler remembered (and the remembrance brought a slight flush of pride to his cheek) one of Ignatius Gallaher's sayings when he was in a tight corner:
"Half time now, boys," he used to say light-heartedly. "Where's my considering cap?"
That was Ignatius Gallaher all out; and, damn it, you couldn't but admire him for it.
Little Chandler quickened his pace.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
Permalink
Pages of The Story
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 1
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 2
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 3
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 4
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 5
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 6
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 7
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 8
- James Joyce's "A Little Cloud" - Page 9
Popular Stories
- Amy Foster (17,361)
- Green Tea (13,320)
- THE BANANA SEASONS OVER (11,018)
- Clarimonde (7,734)
- An Imaginnative Woman (6,318)
Story Archive
- April 2009 (15)
- May 2009 (37)
- June 2009 (22)
- July 2009 (11)
- August 2009 (7)
- September 2009 (1)
- December 2009 (11)
- January 2010 (3)
- February 2010 (6)
- March 2010 (4)
Who's new
- mczbdvwkef
- 89
- kumarlena
- 39
- 14
Today's popular short story
Tags for James Joyce's "A Little Cloud"
Who's online
There are currently 0 users and 1 guest online.
