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關燈
ublesoon,eh,Polly?'askedonegoodladyofanother. 'Oh,IreckonI'vegotanothertwomonthstergoyet,'answeredPolly. 'Well,'saidathird.'Iwouldn't'avethoughtyou'dgosolongbythelookofyer!' 'I'opeyou'llhaveiteasierthistime,mydear,'saidaverystoutoldperson,awomanofgreatimportance. 'Shesaidshewasn'tgoin'to'avenomore,whenthelastonecome.'ThisremarkcamefromPolly'shusband. 'Ah,'saidthestoutoldlady,whowasinthebusiness,andboastedvastexperience.'That'swottheyallsaysbut,Lor'blessyer,theydon'tmeanit.' 'Well,I'vegotthree,andI'mnotgoin'to'avenomorebli'meifIwill'tain'tgoodenough—that'swotIsays.' 'You'reabahtrightthere,olegal,'saidPolly,'Myword,'Arry,ifyou'aveanymoreI'llgitadivorce,thatIwill.' Atthatmomentanorgan-grinderturnedthecornerandcamedownthestreet. 'Goodbiz'ere'sanorgan!'criedhalfadozenpeopleatonce. Theorgan-manwasanItalian,withashockofblackhairandaferociousmoustache.Drawinghisorgantoafavourablespot,hestopped,releasedhisshoulderfromtheleatherstrapsbywhichhedraggedit,andcockinghislargesofthatonthesideofhishead,beganturningthehandle.Itwasalivelytune,andinlessthannotimealittlecrowdhadgatheredroundtolisten,chieflytheyoungmenandthemaidens,forthemarriedladieswereneverinafitstatetodance,andthereforedisinclinedtotroublethemselvestostandroundtheorgan.Therewasamoment'shesitationatopeningtheballthenonegirlsaidtoanother: 'Comeon,Florrie,youandmeain'tshywe'llbegin,andbustit!' Thetwogirlstookholdofoneanother,oneactinggentleman,theotherladythreeorfourmorepairsofgirlsimmediatelyjoinedthem,andtheybeganawaltz.Theyheldthemselvesveryuprightandwithanairofgravedignitywhichwasquiteimpressive,glidedslowlyabout,makingtheirstepswiththeutmostprecision,bearingthemselveswithsufficientdecorumforacourtball.Afterawhilethemenbegantoitchforaturn,andtwoofthem,takingholdofoneanotherinthemostapprovedfashion,waltzedroundthecirclewiththegravityofjudges. Allatoncetherewasacry:'There'sLiza!'Andseveralmembersofthegroupturnedandcalledout:'Oo,lookatLiza!' Thedancersstoppedtoseethesight,andtheorgan-grinder,havingcometotheendofhistune,ceasedturningthehandleandlookedtoseewhatwastheexcitement. 'Oo,Liza!'theycalledout.'LookatLizaoo,Isy!' Itwasayounggirlofabouteighteen,withdarkeyes,andanenormousfringe,puffed-outandcurledandfrizzed,coveringherwholeforeheadfromsidetoside,andcomingdowntomeethereyebrows.Shewasdressedinbrillia