Apennyforyourthoughts。
What？repliedGertywithasmilereinforcedbythewhitestofteeth。
Iwasonlywonderingwasitlate。
Becauseshewishedtogoodnessthey’dtakethesnottynosedtwinsandtheirbabyhometothemischiefoutofthatsothatwaswhyshejustgaveagentlehintaboutitsbeinglate。AndwhenCissycameupEdyaskedherthetimeandMissCissy，asglibasyoulike，saiditwashalfpastkissingtime，timetokissagain。ButEdywantedtoknowbecausetheyweretoldtobeinearly。
Wait，saidCissy，I’llaskmyunclePeterovertherewhat’sthetimebyhisconundrum。
Soovershewentandwhenhesawhercomingshecouldseehimtakehishandoutofhispocket，gettingnervous，andbeginningtoplaywithhiswatchchain，lookingatthechurch。PassionatenaturethoughhewasGertycouldseethathehadenormouscontroloverhimself。Onemomenthehadbeenthere，fascinatedbyalovelinessthatmadehimgaze，andthenextmomentitwasthequietgravefacedgentleman，selfcontrolexpressedineverylineofhisdistinguishedlookingfigure。
CissysaidtoexcuseherwouldhemindtellingherwhatwastherighttimeandGertycouldseehimtakingouthiswatch，listeningtoitandlookingupandclearinghisthroatandhesaidhewasverysorryhiswatchwasstoppedbuthethoughtitmustbeaftereightbecausethesunwasset。
Hisvoicehadaculturedringinitandthoughhespokeinmeasuredaccentstherewasasuspicionofaquiverinthemellowtones。Cissysaidthanksandcamebackwithhertongueoutandsaidunclesaidhiswaterworkswereoutoforder。
ThentheysangthesecondverseoftheTantumergoandCanonO’HanlongotupagainandcensedtheBlessedSacramentandkneltdownandhetoldFatherConroythatoneofthecandleswasjustgoingtosetfiretotheflowersandFatherConroygotupandsettleditallrightandshecouldseethegentlemanwindinghiswatchandlisteningtotheworksandsheswungherlegmoreinandoutintime。Itwasgettingdarkerbuthecouldseeandhewaslookingallthetimethathewaswindingthewatchorwhateverhewasdoingtoitandthenheputitbackandputhishandsbackintohispockets。ShefeltaKindofasensationrushingalloverherandsheknewbythefeelofherscalpandthatirritationagainstherstaysthatthatthingmustbecomingonbecausethelasttimetoowaswhensheclippedherhaironaccountofthemoon。Hisdarkeyesfixedthemselvesonheragaindrinkinginhereverycontour，literallyworshippingathershrine。Ifevertherewasundisguisedadmirationinaman’spassionategazeitwasthereplaintobeseenonthatman’sface。Itisforyou，GertrudeMacDowell，andyouknowit。
EdybegantogetreadytogoanditwashightimeforherandGertynoticedthatthatlittlehintshegavehadthedesiredeffectbecauseitwasalongwayalongthestrandtowheretherewastheplacetopushupthepushcarandCissytookoffthetwins’capsandtidiedtheirhairtomakeherselfattractiveofcourseandCanonO’HanlonstoodupwithhiscopepokingupathisneckandFatherConroyhandedhimthecardtoreadoffandhereadoutPanemdecloprstitistieisandEdyandCissyweretalkingaboutthetimeallthetimeandaskingherbutGertycouldpaythembackintheirowncoinandshejustansweredwithscathingpolitenesswhenEdyaskedherwassheheartbrokenaboutherbestboythrowingherover。Gertywincedsharply。Abriefcoldblazeshonefromhereyesthatspokevolumesofscornimmeasurable。Ithurt。Oyes，itcutdeepbecauseEdyhadherownquietwayofsayingthingslikethatsheknewwouldwoundliketheconfoundedlittlecatshewas。Gerty’slipspartedswiftlytoframethewordbutshefoughtbackthesobthatrosetoherthroat，soslim，soflawless，sobeautifullymouldeditseemedoneanartistmighthavedreamedof。Shehadlovedhimbetterthanheknew。Lighthearteddeceiverandficklelikeallhissexhewouldneverunderstandwhathehadmeanttoherandforaninstanttherewasintheblueeyesaquickstingingoftears。Theireyeswereprobinghermercilesslybutwithabraveeffortshesparkledbackinsympathyassheglancedathernewconquestforthemtosee。
O，respondedGerty，quickaslightning，laughing，andtheproudheadflashedup，IcanthrowmycapatwhoIlikebecauseit’sleapyear。
Herwordsrangoutcrystalclear，moremusicalthanthecooingoftheringdove，buttheycutthesilenceicily。Therewasthatinheryoungvoicethattoldthatshewasnotaonetobelightlytrifledwith。AsforMrReggywithhisswankandhisbitofmoneyshecouldjustchuckhimasideasifhewassomuchfilthandneveragainwouldshecastasmuchasasecondthoughtonhimandtearhissillypostcardintoadozenpieces。
Anditeverafterhedaredtopresumeshecouldgivehimonelookofmeasuredscornthatwouldmakehimshriveluponthespot。MisspunylittleEdy’scountenancefelltonoslightextentandGertycouldseebyherlookingasblackasthunderthatshewassimplyinatoweringragethoughshehidit，thelittlekinnatt，becausethatshafthadstruckhomeforherpettyjealousyandtheybothknewthatshewassomethingaloof，apartinanothersphere，thatshewasnotofthemandtherewassomebodyelsetoothatknewitandsawitsotheycouldputthatintheirpipeandsmokeit。
EdystraightenedupbabyBoardmantogetreadytogoandCissytuckedintheballandthespadesandbucketsanditwashightimetoobecausethesandmanwasonhiswayforMasterBoardmanjuniorandCissytoldhimtoothatBillyWinkswascomingandthatbabywastogodeedawandbabylookedjusttooducky，laughingupoutofhisgleefuleyes，andCissypokedhimlikethatoutoffuninhisweefattummyandbaby，withoutasmuchasbyyourleave，sentuphiscomplimentsontohisbrandnewdribblingbib。
Omy！Puddenypie！protestedCiss。Hehashisbibdestroyed。
Theslightcontretempsclaimedherattentionbutintwotwosshesetthatlittlemattertorights。
GertystifledasmotheredexclamationandgaveanervouscoughandEdyaskedwhatandshewasjustgoingtotellhertocatchitwhileitwasflyingbutshewaseverladylikeinherdeportmentsoshesimplypasseditoffwithconsummatetactbysayingthatthatwasthebenedictionbecausejustthenthebellrangoutfromthesteepleoverthequietseashorebecauseCanonO’HanlonwasuponthealtarwiththeveilthatFatherConroyputroundhimroundhisshouldersgivingthebenedictionwiththeblessedSacramentinhishands。
Howmovingthescenethereinthegatheringtwilight，thelastglimpseofErin，thetouchingchimeofthoseeveningbellsandatthesametimeabatflewforthfromtheiviedbelfrythroughthedusk，hither，thither，withatinylostcry。AndshecouldseefarawaythelightsofthelighthousessopicturesqueshewouldhavelovedtodowithaboxofpaintsbecauseitwaseasierthantomakeamanandsoonthelamplighterwouldbegoinghisroundspastthepresbyterianchurchgroundsandalongbyshadyTritonvilleavenuewherethecoupleswalkedandlightingthelampnearherwindowwhereReggyWylieusedtoturnhisfreewheellikeshereadinthatbookTheLamplighterbyMissCummins，authorofMabelVaughanandothertales。ForGertyhadherdreamsthatno-oneknewof。ShelovedtoreadpoetryandwhenshegotakeepsakefromBerthaSuppleofthatlovelyconfessionalbumwiththecoralpinkcovertowriteherthoughtsinshelaiditinthedrawerofhertoilettablewhich，thoughitdidnoterronthesideofluxury，wasscrupulouslyneatandclean。Itwasthereshekepthergirlishtreasurestrove，thetortoiseshellcombs，herchildofMarybadge，thewhiterosescent，theeyebrowleine，heralabasterpouncetboxandtheribbonstochangewhenherthingscamehomefromthewashandthereweresomebeautifulthoughtswritteninitinvioletinkthatsheboughtinHely’sofDameStreetforshefeltthatshetoocouldwritepoetryifshecouldonlyexpressherselflikethatpoemthatappealedtohersodeeplythatshehadcopiedoutofthenewspapershefoundoneeveningroundthepotherbs。Artthoureal，myideal？itwascalledbyLouisJ。Walsh，Magherafelt，andaftertherewassomethingabouttwilight，wiltthouever？andofttimesthebeautyofpoetry，sosadinitstransientloveliness，hadmistedhereyeswithsilenttearsthattheyearswereslippingbyforher，onebyone，andbutforthatoneshortcomingsheknewsheneedfearnocompetitionandthatwasanaccidentcomingdownDalkeyhillandshealwaystriedtoconcealit。Butitmustendshefelt。Ifshesawthatmagiclureinhiseyestherewouldbenoholdingbackforher。Lovelaughsatlocksmiths。
Shewouldmakethegreatsacrifice。Hereveryeffortwouldbetosharehisthoughts。Dearerthanthewholeworldwouldshebetohimandgildhisdayswithhappiness。Therewastheallimportantquestionandshewasdyingtoknowwasheamarriedmanorawidowerwhohadlosthiswifeorsometragedylikethenoblemanwiththeforeignnamefromthelandofsonghadtohaveherputintoamadhouse，cruelonlytobekind。Butevenif-whatthen？Woulditmakeaverygreatdifference？Fromeverythingintheleastindelicateherfinebrednatureinstinctivelyrecoiled。Sheloathedthatsortofperson，thefallenwomenofftheaccommodationwalkbesidetheDodderthatwentwiththesoldiersandcoarsemen，withnorespectforagirl’shonour，degradingthesexandbeingtakenuptothepolicestation。No，no：notthat。TheywouldbejustgoodfriendslikeabigbrotherandsisterwithoutallthatotherinspiteoftheconventionsofSocietywithabigess。Perhapsitwasanoldflamehewasinmourningforfromthedaysbeyondrecall。Shethoughtsheunderstood。Shewouldtrytounderstandhimbecausemenweresodifferent。Theoldlovewaswaiting，waitingwithlittlewhitehandsstretchedout，withblueappealingeyes。Heartofmine！
Shewouldfollowherdreamoflove，thedictatesofherheartthattoldherhewasherallinall，theonlymaninalltheworldforherforlovewasthemasterguide。Nothingelsemattered。Comewhatmightshewouldbewild，untrammelled，free。
CanonO’HanlonputtheBlessedSacramentbackintothetabernacleandthechoirsangLaudateDominumomnesgentesandthenhelockedthetabernacledoorbecausethebenedictionwasoverandFatherConroyhandedhimhishattoputonandcrosscatEdyaskedwasn’tshecomingbutJackyCaffreycalledout：
O，look，Cissy！
AndtheyalllookedwasitsheetlightningbutTommysawittoooverthetreesbesidethechurch，blueandthengreenandpurple。
It’sfireworks，CissyCaffreysaid。
Andtheyallrandownthestrandtoseeoverthehousesandthechurch，helterskelter，EdywiththepushcarwithbabyBoardmaninitandCissyholdingTommyandJackybythehandsotheywouldn’tfallrunning。
Comeon，Gerty，Cissycalled。It’sthebazaarfireworks。
ButGertywasadamant。Shehadnointentionofbeingattheirbeckandcall。Iftheycouldrunlikerossiesshecouldsitsoshesaidshecouldseefromwhereshewas。Theeyesthatwerefasteneduponhersetherpulsestingling。Shelookedathimamoment，meetinghisglance，andalightbrokeinuponher。Whitehotpassionwasinthatface，passionsilentasthegrave，andithadmadeherhis。Atlasttheywereleftalonewithouttheotherstopryandpassremarksandsheknewhecouldbetrustedtothedeath，steadfast，asterlingman，amanofinflexiblehonourtohisfingertips。
Hishandsandfacewereworkingandatremorwentoverher。Sheleanedbackfartolookupwherethefireworkswereandshecaughtherkneeinherhandssoasnottofallbacklookingupandtherewasnoonetoseeonlyhimandherwhensherevealedallhergracefulbeautifullyshapedlegslikethat，supplysoftanddelicatelyrounded，andsheseemedtohearthepantingofhisheart，hishoarsebreathing，becausesheknewaboutthepassionofmenlikethat，hot-blooded，becauseBerthaSuppletoldheronceindeadsecretandmadeherswearshe’dneveraboutthegentlemanlodgerthatwasstayingwiththemoutoftheCongestedDistrictsBoardthathadpicturescutoutofpapersofthoseskirtdancersandhighkickersandshesaidheusedtodosomethingnotverynicethatyoucouldimaginesometimesinthebed。Butthiswasaltogetherdifferentfromathinglikethatbecausetherewasallthedifferencebecauseshecouldalmostfeelhimdrawherfacetohisandthefirstquickhottouchofhishandsomelips。Besidestherewasabsolutionsolongasyoudidn’tdotheotherthingbeforebeingmarriedandthereoughttobewomenprieststhatwouldunderstandwithoutyourtellingoutandCissyCaffreytoosometimeshadthatdreamykindofdreamylookinhereyessothatshetoo，mydear，andWinnyRippinghamsomadaboutactors’photographsandbesidesitwasonaccountofthatotherthingcomingonthewayitdid。