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E-Books (english-e-reader), The Silk (2)

The Silk (2)

She cut the last thread and put away the needle.

'That's it, Herb,' she said, showing him her work.

He tried to lift his head. 'Bring them over here,' he said.

'Well - what do you think?' As she brought the pyjamas closer, he saw them clearly and he smiled.

'Try them on?' he said.

She shook her head. 'I measured you carefully,' she said. 'They'll fit.'

'We should make sure,' he said.

Why didn't she want him to try them on? She couldn't find a reason. 'All right,' she said, turning on the heater. 'Just to make sure the buttons are right.'

She took off his thick pyjamas and put on the silk. She stepped back to look at him.

'Well, I have to say that's a fine job. I could move the top button a little bit, but really they fir beautifully.'

He smiled at her. 'Light, aren't they?' He looked all down his body and moved his toes. 'All the way from China. I kept with me day and night. Know that, Amy?'

'Do you like them?'

He tried not to look too pleased. 'All right. A little bit small.'

'They are not, and you know it,' Mrs Blackie said crossly. 'It wouldn't hurt to say thank you. Here, put your hands down and I'll change you before you get cold.'

He crossed his arms. 'You did a really good job, Amy. Think I'll keep them on for a bit.'

'No.' She picked up his thick pyjamas.

'Why not?'

'Because you can't,' she said. 'It - it's not the right thing to do. And the nurse will be here soon.'

'Oh, you and your ideas.' He was too weak to stop her, but as she changed him, he still could not take his eyes away from the silk. 'Wonder who made it?'

She didn't answer, but a picture came to her of a Chinese woman sitting at a machine making silk. She was dressed in beautiful Eastern clothes, and although she had Eastern eyes, she looked like Mrs Blackie.

'Do you think there are places like that?' Mr Blackie asked.

She picked the pyjamas up quickly and put them in the box. 'You're the one who's been to the East,' she said. 'Now get some rest or you'll be tired when the nurse arrives.'

The district nurse did not come that afternoon. Nor in the evening. It was half-past three the next morning when Mrs Blackie heard the nurse's footsteps, and the doctor's, outside the house.

She was in the kitchen, waiting. She sat with straight back and dry eyes, with one hand resting on top of the other.

'Mrs Blackie, I'm sorry-'

She didn't answer and turned to the doctor. 'He didn't say goodbye,' she said, her voice angry. 'Just before I phoned. His hand was over the side of the bed. I touched it. It was cold.'

The doctor nodded.

'No sound of any kind,' she said. 'He was fine last night.'

Again, the doctor nodded. He put his hand on her shoulder for a moment, then went into the bedroom. A minute later, he returned, closing his bag, speaking kindly.

Mrs Blackie sat still, hearing words. Peacefully. Brave. The words dropped onto her. They didn't seem to mean anything.

'He didn't say goodbye.' She shook her head. 'Not a word.'

'But look, Mrs Blackie,' the nurse said gently. 'It was going to happen. You know that. He was-'

'I know, I know.' She turned away crossly. Why didn't they understand? 'I just wanted him to say goodbye. That's all.'

The doctor offered her something to help her sleep but she pushed it away. And she refused the cup of tea that the district nurse put in front of her. When they picked up their bags and went towards the bedroom, she followed them.

'In a few minutes,' the doctor said. 'If you'll leave us -'

'I'm getting his pyjamas,' she said. 'I need to change a button. I can do it now.'

When she entered the room, she looked at Mr Blackie's bed and saw that the doctor had pulled up the sheet. Quickly she lifted the wooden box, took a needle, thread, scissors, her glasses, and went back to the kitchen. Through the door, she heard the nurse's voice, 'Poor old thing,' and she knew that they were not talking about her.

She sat down at the table to thread the needle. Her eyes were clear, but for a long time her hands refused to obey her. At last, her needle and thread ready, she opened the wooden box. The beauty of the silk always surprised her. As she arranged the pyjamas on the table, she was filled with a strong, warm feeling, the first good feeling that she had had that morning. The silk was real. The light above the table filled everything with life. Trees moved above the water, peacocks danced with white fire in their tails. And the little bridges...

Mrs Blackie took off her glasses, cleaned them, put them on again. She sat down and touched one bridge with her finger, then another. And another. She turned over the pyjama coat and looked carefully at the back. It was there, on every bridge; something she hadn't noticed before. She got up and fetched her magnifying glass.

As the bridge in the pattern on the silk grew, the little group of threads, which had been no bigger than a grain of rice, became a man.

Mrs Blackie forgot about the button, and the quiet voices in the bedroom. She brought the magnifying glass nearer her eyes.

It was a man, and he was standing with one arm held out on the highest part of the bridge between two islands. Mrs Blackie studied him for a long time, then she sat up and smiled. Yes, he was waving. Or perhaps, she thought, he was calling her to join him.

- THE END -


The Silk (2) Die Seide (2) La Seda (2) La soie (2) シルク (2) The Silk (2) Шовк (2)

She cut the last thread and put away the needle.

'That's it, Herb,' she said, showing him her work.

He tried to lift his head. 'Bring them over here,' he said.

'Well - what do you think?' As she brought the pyjamas closer, he saw them clearly and he smiled.

'Try them on?' he said.

She shook her head. 그녀는 고개를 절레절레 흔들었다. 'I measured you carefully,' she said. "제가 신중하게 측정했어요." 그녀가 말했습니다. 'They'll fit.'

'We should make sure,' he said.

Why didn't she want him to try them on? 왜 입어보라고 하지 않았을까요? She couldn't find a reason. 그녀는 이유를 찾을 수 없었습니다. 'All right,' she said, turning on the heater. 그녀는 히터를 켜면서 '좋아요'라고 말했습니다. 'Just to make sure the buttons are right.' '버튼이 맞는지 확인하려고요.'

She took off his thick pyjamas and put on the silk. 그녀는 두꺼운 잠옷을 벗고 비단을 입었습니다. She stepped back to look at him.

'Well, I have to say that's a fine job. '정말 훌륭한 직업이라고 말해야겠군요. I could move the top button a little bit, but really they fir beautifully.' Ich könnte den obersten Knopf noch ein bisschen verschieben, aber sie brennen wirklich schön.' 상단 버튼을 조금 움직일 수는 있지만 실제로는 아름답게 고정됩니다.'

He smiled at her. 'Light, aren't they?' '가볍지 않나요?' He looked all down his body and moved his toes. 그는 온몸을 내려다보며 발가락을 움직였습니다. 'All the way from China. '중국에서 왔습니다. I kept with me day and night. Know that, Amy?' 그거 알아, 에이미?'

'Do you like them?' '마음에 드세요?'

He tried not to look too pleased. 'All right. A little bit small.'

'They are not, and you know it,' Mrs Blackie said crossly. "그렇지 않다는 걸 당신도 알잖아요." 블랙키 부인이 단호하게 말했습니다. 'It wouldn't hurt to say thank you. Es würde nicht schaden, sich zu bedanken. '고맙다는 말을 하는 것도 나쁘지 않아요. Here, put your hands down and I'll change you before you get cold.' 자, 손 내려놓으세요 추워지기 전에 옷 갈아입힐게요'.

He crossed his arms. 그는 팔짱을 끼었습니다. 'You did a really good job, Amy. Think I'll keep them on for a bit.' '잠시만 켜둘게요.'

'No.' She picked up his thick pyjamas. 그녀는 그의 두꺼운 잠옷을 집어 들었습니다.

'Why not?'

'Because you can't,' she said. 'It - it's not the right thing to do. '이건 옳은 일이 아닙니다. And the nurse will be here soon.'

'Oh, you and your ideas.' He was too weak to stop her, but as she changed him, he still could not take his eyes away from the silk. 그는 너무 약해서 그녀를 막을 수 없었지만 그녀가 그를 변화시키는 동안 그는 여전히 비단에서 눈을 뗄 수 없었습니다. 'Wonder who made it?'

She didn't answer, but a picture came to her of a Chinese woman sitting at a machine making silk. 그녀는 대답하지 않았지만 비단을 만드는 기계 앞에 앉아 있는 중국 여성의 사진이 떠올랐습니다. She was dressed in beautiful Eastern clothes, and although she had Eastern eyes, she looked like Mrs Blackie. 그녀는 아름다운 동양의 옷을 입고 있었고, 동양의 눈을 가졌지만 블랙키 부인과 닮았습니다.

'Do you think there are places like that?' '그런 곳이 있을까요?' Mr Blackie asked.

She picked the pyjamas up quickly and put them in the box. 'You're the one who's been to the East,' she said. Du bist derjenige, der im Osten gewesen ist", sagte sie. '동방에 가본 사람은 당신이에요'라고 그녀는 말했습니다. 'Now get some rest or you'll be tired when the nurse arrives.' '이제 좀 쉬지 않으면 간호사가 도착했을 때 피곤할 거예요.'

The district nurse did not come that afternoon. Nor in the evening. 저녁에도 마찬가지입니다. It was half-past three the next morning when Mrs Blackie heard the nurse's footsteps, and the doctor's, outside the house.

She was in the kitchen, waiting. She sat with straight back and dry eyes, with one hand resting on top of the other. 그녀는 등을 곧게 펴고 눈이 건조한 채로 앉아 한 손을 다른 손 위에 올려놓았습니다.

'Mrs Blackie, I'm sorry-'

She didn't answer and turned to the doctor. 그녀는 대답하지 않고 의사에게로 향했습니다. 'He didn't say goodbye,' she said, her voice angry. 'Just before I phoned. '전화하기 직전. His hand was over the side of the bed. 그의 손이 침대 옆으로 넘어갔어요. I touched it. It was cold.'

The doctor nodded.

'No sound of any kind,' she said. "어떤 소리도 들리지 않았어요."라고 그녀는 말했습니다. 'He was fine last night.'

Again, the doctor nodded. He put his hand on her shoulder for a moment, then went into the bedroom. A minute later, he returned, closing his bag, speaking kindly. 1분 후, 그는 가방을 닫으며 친절하게 말을 건네며 돌아왔습니다.

Mrs Blackie sat still, hearing words. Peacefully. Brave. Brave. The words dropped onto her. 그 말이 그녀에게 떨어졌습니다. They didn't seem to mean anything. 아무 의미도 없는 것 같았습니다.

'He didn't say goodbye.' She shook her head. 그녀는 고개를 절레절레 흔들었다. 'Not a word.' '한 마디도 안 돼요.

'But look, Mrs Blackie,' the nurse said gently. 'It was going to happen. '이렇게 될 줄 알았어요. You know that. He was-'

'I know, I know.' She turned away crossly. Why didn't they understand? 왜 이해하지 못했을까요? 'I just wanted him to say goodbye. '그냥 작별 인사를 하고 싶었어요. That's all.'

The doctor offered her something to help her sleep but she pushed it away. 의사는 그녀에게 수면에 도움이 되는 약을 권했지만 그녀는 그것을 밀어냈습니다. And she refused the cup of tea that the district nurse put in front of her. When they picked up their bags and went towards the bedroom, she followed them.

'In a few minutes,' the doctor said. 'If you'll leave us -' '만약 당신이 우리를 떠난다면 -'

'I'm getting his pyjamas,' she said. '잠옷을 가져올 거예요'라고 그녀는 말했습니다. 'I need to change a button. '버튼을 변경해야 합니다. I can do it now.'

When she entered the room, she looked at Mr Blackie's bed and saw that the doctor had pulled up the sheet. 방에 들어갔을 때 그녀는 블랙키 씨의 침대를 보았고 의사가 시트를 끌어올린 것을 보았습니다. Quickly she lifted the wooden box, took a needle, thread, scissors, her glasses, and went back to the kitchen. Through the door, she heard the nurse's voice, 'Poor old thing,' and she knew that they were not talking about her. 문 너머로 '불쌍한 늙은이'라는 간호사의 목소리가 들려왔고, 그녀는 그들이 자신에 대해 말하는 것이 아니라는 것을 알았습니다.

She sat down at the table to thread the needle. Her eyes were clear, but for a long time her hands refused to obey her. 그녀의 눈은 맑았지만 오랫동안 그녀의 손은 그녀에게 복종하지 않았습니다. At last, her needle and thread ready, she opened the wooden box. 마침내 바늘과 실이 준비되자 그녀는 나무 상자를 열었습니다. The beauty of the silk always surprised her. 실크의 아름다움은 항상 그녀를 놀라게 했습니다. As she arranged the pyjamas on the table, she was filled with a strong, warm feeling, the first good feeling that she had had that morning. 테이블 위에 잠옷을 정리하는 동안 그녀는 그날 아침 처음으로 느낀 강하고 따뜻한 느낌으로 가득 찼습니다. The silk was real. The light above the table filled everything with life. 테이블 위의 빛이 모든 것을 생기로 가득 채웠습니다. Trees moved above the water, peacocks danced with white fire in their tails. 나무가 물 위로 움직이고 공작새가 꼬리에 하얀 불을 달고 춤을 추었습니다. And the little bridges...

Mrs Blackie took off her glasses, cleaned them, put them on again. 블랙키 부인은 안경을 벗고 깨끗이 닦은 후 다시 착용했습니다. She sat down and touched one bridge with her finger, then another. 그녀는 앉아서 손가락으로 다리 하나를 만진 다음 다른 다리를 만졌습니다. And another. She turned over the pyjama coat and looked carefully at the back. It was there, on every bridge; something she hadn't noticed before. She got up and fetched her magnifying glass. Vstala a přinesla si lupu. 그녀는 일어나서 돋보기를 가져왔습니다.

As the bridge in the pattern on the silk grew, the little group of threads, which had been no bigger than a grain of rice, became a man. Jak se most ve vzoru na hedvábí zvětšoval, z malé skupinky vláken, která nebyla větší než zrnko rýže, se stal člověk. 비단 무늬의 다리가 자라면서 쌀알보다 크지 않던 작은 실 뭉치가 사람이 되었습니다.

Mrs Blackie forgot about the button, and the quiet voices in the bedroom. Paní Blackieová zapomněla na knoflík a tiché hlasy v ložnici. 블랙키 부인은 버튼과 침실의 조용한 목소리를 잊어버렸습니다. She brought the magnifying glass nearer her eyes. Přiblížila si lupu k očím. 그녀는 돋보기를 눈에 더 가까이 가져갔습니다.

It was a man, and he was standing with one arm held out on the highest part of the bridge between two islands. Byl to muž a stál s jednou rukou nataženou na nejvyšší části mostu mezi dvěma ostrovy. 한 남자가 두 섬 사이의 다리 가장 높은 곳에 한쪽 팔을 내밀고 서 있었습니다. Mrs Blackie studied him for a long time, then she sat up and smiled. Paní Blackieová ho dlouho studovala, pak se posadila a usmála se. 블랙키 부인은 오랫동안 그를 연구한 다음 일어나서 웃었습니다. Yes, he was waving. Ano, mával. 네, 손을 흔들고 있었어요. Or perhaps, she thought, he was calling her to join him. Nebo ji možná volá, aby se k němu připojila, pomyslela si.

- THE END -