Read Online The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne by Brian Moore - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Brian Moore
Tags: Literary, Psychological, Literature & Fiction, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction, Single Women, British & Irish
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income, station in life, it made no difference: you all went to Mass, said the same prayers and listened to the same sermons. Miss Hearne put loneliness aside on a Sunday morning.
And on Sunday afternoons there was the visit to the O’Neills, the big event of the week. It began with a long tram ride to their house which gave you plenty of time to rehearse the things you could tell them, interesting things that would make them smile and be glad you had come. And then there was the house itself, big and full of children, all shapes and sizes, and to think you had known even the big ones since they were so high. It was as though you were a sort of unoffidal aunt. Almost.
On her first Sunday morning in Camden Street, Miss Hearne decided to go to eleven o’clock Mass. After all, Saint Finbar’s was now her new parish and it would be nice to see the other parishioners. She would wear her very best. Besides, some of the boarders might be going to eleven. Mr Madden, perhaps.
But when Mr Madden came down to breakfast, she saw that he looked ill, or (because she knew the dreadful signs of it) as if he had been drinking. Still, he said good morning to her very pleasantly. Although it was embarrassing the way he said it. Because all the others were there and Mr Madden did not speak to any of them.
Bernard said good morning to his uncle, unusually polite, Miss Hearne thought. But Mr Madden gave Bernard a very odd glance. As for Mr Lenehan, you could see he was still angry about what Mr Madden had said yesterday.
But thank heavens Mrs Henry Rice carried the conversation with a complaint about how, when she came home from
eight o’clock Mass, she found that Mary had run off” to nine o’clock and left her with the breakfast to make.
‘And with kippers to fry,’ Mrs Henry Rice said, passing a kippered herring and a slice of fried bread along to Miss Hearne. ‘It wouldn’t be any other morning she’d take it into her head to go to early Mass. No, she has to do it on Sunday and me left here with the biggest breakfast of the week.’
Miss Hearne agreed that you couldn’t be after the maids nowadays, they had it far too much their own way.
Miss Friel closed her book. ‘It’s a good thing the girl is attentive to her religious duties. It’s when they start missing Mass and Holy Communion that you should be worried. That’s when they’re up half the night with boys.’
‘No fear of Mary getting mixed up with boys,’ Mrs Hcnry Rice said. ‘Sure, she’s only a child, just out of school.’
‘This is a nice piece of kipper,’ Mr Madden said. ‘Nice to have a change. I mean, instead of toast and tea.’
Nobody could say ailything to that, agree or disagree, without insulting Mrs Henry It.ice to her face. So nobody said anything. The meal continued in silence, Mr Madden being the first to stop eating. He wiped his lips like an actor finishing a stage meal and put his napkin down in great satisfaction.
‘Do you have the time, by any chance, Miss Hearne?’
She blushed. Of course the little wristlet watch was not working, only there for show, and she hadn’t the faintest.
‘O, I’m sorry, but my watch must have stopped. I forgot to wind it.’
‘I think the clock’s right,’ Bernard said. ‘It’s twenty to eleven.’
Miss Hearne put down her napkin. ‘Goodness, I must hurry. I’ll miss the eleven o’clock if I don’t get a move on.’
‘I’m going to eleven o’clock Mass myself,’ Mr Madden said. ‘Mind if I walk along with you?’
‘O, not at all. I’ll be very glad of the company.’
Mrs Henry Rice looked at Bernard. ‘Are you going to eleven, Bernie?’
I’ll go to twelve,’ Bernard said, and the way he said it, Miss Hearne knew he had no intention of going at all. No wonder he talked like an atheist.
She and Mr Madden went upstairs to get their coats and hats. They met in the hall a few minutes later and he opened the front door for her, offering his arm as they went down the
And on Sunday afternoons there was the visit to the O’Neills, the big event of the week. It began with a long tram ride to their house which gave you plenty of time to rehearse the things you could tell them, interesting things that would make them smile and be glad you had come. And then there was the house itself, big and full of children, all shapes and sizes, and to think you had known even the big ones since they were so high. It was as though you were a sort of unoffidal aunt. Almost.
On her first Sunday morning in Camden Street, Miss Hearne decided to go to eleven o’clock Mass. After all, Saint Finbar’s was now her new parish and it would be nice to see the other parishioners. She would wear her very best. Besides, some of the boarders might be going to eleven. Mr Madden, perhaps.
But when Mr Madden came down to breakfast, she saw that he looked ill, or (because she knew the dreadful signs of it) as if he had been drinking. Still, he said good morning to her very pleasantly. Although it was embarrassing the way he said it. Because all the others were there and Mr Madden did not speak to any of them.
Bernard said good morning to his uncle, unusually polite, Miss Hearne thought. But Mr Madden gave Bernard a very odd glance. As for Mr Lenehan, you could see he was still angry about what Mr Madden had said yesterday.
But thank heavens Mrs Henry Rice carried the conversation with a complaint about how, when she came home from
eight o’clock Mass, she found that Mary had run off” to nine o’clock and left her with the breakfast to make.
‘And with kippers to fry,’ Mrs Henry Rice said, passing a kippered herring and a slice of fried bread along to Miss Hearne. ‘It wouldn’t be any other morning she’d take it into her head to go to early Mass. No, she has to do it on Sunday and me left here with the biggest breakfast of the week.’
Miss Hearne agreed that you couldn’t be after the maids nowadays, they had it far too much their own way.
Miss Friel closed her book. ‘It’s a good thing the girl is attentive to her religious duties. It’s when they start missing Mass and Holy Communion that you should be worried. That’s when they’re up half the night with boys.’
‘No fear of Mary getting mixed up with boys,’ Mrs Hcnry Rice said. ‘Sure, she’s only a child, just out of school.’
‘This is a nice piece of kipper,’ Mr Madden said. ‘Nice to have a change. I mean, instead of toast and tea.’
Nobody could say ailything to that, agree or disagree, without insulting Mrs Henry It.ice to her face. So nobody said anything. The meal continued in silence, Mr Madden being the first to stop eating. He wiped his lips like an actor finishing a stage meal and put his napkin down in great satisfaction.
‘Do you have the time, by any chance, Miss Hearne?’
She blushed. Of course the little wristlet watch was not working, only there for show, and she hadn’t the faintest.
‘O, I’m sorry, but my watch must have stopped. I forgot to wind it.’
‘I think the clock’s right,’ Bernard said. ‘It’s twenty to eleven.’
Miss Hearne put down her napkin. ‘Goodness, I must hurry. I’ll miss the eleven o’clock if I don’t get a move on.’
‘I’m going to eleven o’clock Mass myself,’ Mr Madden said. ‘Mind if I walk along with you?’
‘O, not at all. I’ll be very glad of the company.’
Mrs Henry Rice looked at Bernard. ‘Are you going to eleven, Bernie?’
I’ll go to twelve,’ Bernard said, and the way he said it, Miss Hearne knew he had no intention of going at all. No wonder he talked like an atheist.
She and Mr Madden went upstairs to get their coats and hats. They met in the hall a few minutes later and he opened the front door for her, offering his arm as they went down the
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