A Pair of Silk StockingsLittle Mrs.

A Pair of Silk Stockings
Little Mrs. Sommers one day found herself the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars. It seemed to her a very large amount of money, and the way in which it stuffed and bulged her worn old porte-monnaie gave her a feeling of importance such as she had not enjoyed for years.

The question of investment was one that occupied her greatly. For a day or two she walked about apparently in a dreamy state, but really absorbed in speculation and calculation. She did not wish to act hastily, to do anything she might afterward regret. But it was during the still hours of the night when she lay awake revolving plans in her mind that she seemed to see her way clearly toward a proper and judicious use of the money.

A dollar or two should be added to the price usually paid for Janie's shoes, which would insure their lasting an appreciable time longer than they usually did. She would buy so and so many yards of percale for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and Mag. She had intended to make the old ones do by skilful patching. Mag should have another gown. She had seen some beautiful patterns, veritable bargains in the shop windows. And still there would be left enough for new stockings--two pairs apiece--and what darning that would save for a while! She would get caps for the boys and sailor-hats for the girls. The vision of her little brood looking fresh and dainty and new for once in their lives excited her and made her restless and wakeful with anticipation.

The neighbors sometimes talked of certain "better days" that little Mrs. Sommers had known before she had ever thought of being Mrs. Sommers. She herself indulged in no such morbid retrospection. She had no time--no second of time to devote to the past. The needs of the present absorbed her every faculty. A vision of the future like some dim, gaunt monster sometimes appalled her, but luckily to-morrow never comes.

Mrs. Sommers was one who knew the value of bargains; who could stand for hours making her way inch by inch toward the desired object that was selling below cost. She could elbow her way if need be; she had learned to clutch a piece of goods and hold it and stick to it with persistence and determination till her turn came to be served, no matter when it came.

But that day she was a little faint and tired. She had swallowed a light luncheon--no! when she came to think of it, between getting the children fed and the place righted, and preparing herself for the shopping bout, she had actually forgotten to eat any luncheon at all!

She sat herself upon a revolving stool before a counter that was comparatively deserted, trying to gather strength and courage to charge through an eager multitude that was besieging breastworks of shirting and figured lawn. An all-gone limp feeling had come over her and she rested her hand aimlessly upon the counter. She wore no gloves. By degrees she grew aware that her hand had encountered something very soothing, very pleasant to touch. She looked down to see that her hand lay upon a pile of silk stockings. A placard near by announced that they had been reduced in price from two dollars and fifty cents to one dollar and ninety-eight cents; and a young girl who stood behind the counter asked her if she wished to examine their line of silk hosiery. She smiled, just as if she had been asked to inspect a tiara of diamonds with the ultimate view of purchasing it. But she went on feeling the soft, sheeny luxurious things--with both hands now, holding them up to see them glisten, and to feel them glide serpent-like through her fingers.

Two hectic blotches came suddenly into her pale cheeks. She looked up at the girl.

"Do you think there are any eights-and-a-half among these?"

There were any number of eights-and-a-half. In fact, there were more of that size than any other. Here was a light-blue pair; there were some lavender, some all black and various shades of tan and gray. Mrs. Sommers selected a black pair and looked at them very long and closely. She pretended to be examining their texture, which the clerk assured her was excellent.

"A dollar and ninety-eight cents," she mused aloud. "Well, I'll take this pair." She handed the girl a five-dollar bill and waited for her change and for her parcel. What a very small parcel it was! It seemed lost in the depths of her shabby old shopping-bag.

Mrs. Sommers after that did not move in the direction of the bargain counter. She took the elevator, which carried her to an upper floor into the region of the ladies' waiting-rooms. Here, in a retired corner, she exchanged her cotton stockings for the new silk ones which she had just bought. She was not going through any acute mental process or reasoning with herself, nor was she striving to explain to her satisfaction the motive of her action. She was not thinking at all. She seemed for the time to be taking a rest from that laborious and fatiguing function and to have abandoned herself to some mechanical impulse that directed her actions and freed her of responsibility.

How good was the touch of the raw silk to her flesh! She felt like lying back in the cushioned chair and reveling for a while in the luxury of it. She did for a little while. Then she replaced her shoes, rolled the cotton stockings together and thrust them into her bag. After doing this she crossed straight over to the shoe department and took her seat to be fitted.

She was fastidious. The clerk could not make her out; he could not reconcile her shoes with her stockings, and she was not too easily pleased. She held back her skirts and turned her feet one way and her head another way as she glanced down at the polished, pointed-tipped boots. Her foot and ankle looked very pretty. She could not realize that they belonged to her and were a part of herself. She wanted an excellent and stylish fit, she told the young fellow who served her, and she did not mind the difference of a dollar or two more in the price so long as she got what she desired.

It was a long time since Mrs. Sommers had been fitted with gloves. On rare occasions when she had bought a pair they were always "bargains," so cheap that it would have been preposterous and unreasonable to have expected them to be fitted to the hand.

Now she rested her elbow on the cushion of the glove counter, and a pretty, pleasant young creature, delicate and deft of touch, drew a long-wristed "kid" over Mrs. Sommers's hand. She smoothed it down over the wrist and buttoned it neatly, and both lost themselves for a second or two in admiring contemplation of the little symmetrical gloved hand. But there were other places where money might be spent.

There were books and magazines piled up in the window of a stall a few paces down the street. Mrs. Sommers bought two high-priced magazines such as she had been accustomed to read in the days when she had been accustomed to other pleasant things. She carried them without wrapping. As well as she could she lifted her skirts at the crossings. Her stockings and boots and well fitting gloves had worked marvels in her bearing--had given her a feeling of assurance, a sense of belonging to the well-dressed multitude.

She was very hungry. Another time she would have stilled the cravings for food until reaching her own home, where she would have brewed herself a cup of tea and taken a snack of anything that was available. But the impulse that was guiding her would not suffer her to entertain any such thought.

There was a restaurant at the corner. She had never entered its doors; from the outside she had sometimes caught glimpses of spotless damask and shining crystal, and soft-stepping waiters serving people of fashion.

When she entered her appearance created no surprise, no consternation, as she had half feared it might. She seated herself at a small table alone, and an attentive waiter at once approached to take her order. She did not want a profusion; she craved a nice and tasty bite--a half dozen blue-points, a plump chop with cress, a something sweet--a creme-frappee, for instance; a glass of Rhine wine, and after all a small cup of black coffee.

While waiting to be served she removed her gloves very leisurely and laid them beside her. Then she picked up a magazine and glanced through it, cutting the pages with a blunt edge of her knife. It was all very agreeable. The damask was even more spotless than it had seemed through the window, and the crystal more sparkling. There were quiet ladies and gentlemen, who did not notice her, lunching at the small tables like her own. A soft, pleasing strain of music could be heard, and a gentle breeze, was blowing through the window. She tasted a bite, and she read a word or two, and she sipped the amber wine and wiggled her toes in the silk stockings. The price of it made no difference. She counted the money out to the waiter and left an extra coin on his tray, whereupon he bowed before her as before a princess of royal blood.

There was still money in her purse, and her next temptation presented itself in the shape of a matinee poster.

It was a little later when she entered the theatre, the play had begun and the house seemed to her to be packed. But there were vacant seats here and there, and into one of them she was ushered, between brilliantly dressed women who had gone there to kill time and eat candy and display their gaudy attire. There were many others who were there solely for the play and acting. It is safe to say there was no one present who bore quite the attitude which Mrs. Sommers did to her surroundings. She gathered in the whole--stage and players and people in one wide impression, and absorbed it and enjoyed it. She laughed at the comedy and wept--she and the gaudy woman next to her wept over the tragedy. And they talked a little together over it. And the gaudy woman wiped her eyes and sniffled on a tiny square of filmy, perfumed lace and passed little Mrs. Sommers her box of candy.

The play was

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 2:

Pasangan dari Silk Stockings
Sedikit Ibu Sommers suatu hari mendapati dirinya dengan pemilik yang tak terduga dari lima belas dolar. Tampaknya dia jumlah yang sangat besar uang, dan cara di mana boneka dan menonjol nya lama usang porte-monnaie memberinya perasaan penting seperti dia tidak menikmati selama bertahun-tahun. Pertanyaan investasi adalah salah satu yang diduduki nya sangat. Untuk satu atau dua hari dia berjalan sekitar tampaknya dalam keadaan mimpi, tapi benar-benar diserap dalam spekulasi dan perhitungan. Dia tidak ingin bertindak tergesa-gesa, untuk melakukan apa pun yang mungkin sesudahnya menyesal. Tapi itu selama jam masih malam ketika dia berbaring rencana bergulir terjaga dalam benaknya bahwa dia sepertinya melihat jalan dengan jelas ke arah penggunaan yang tepat dan bijaksana uang. Satu atau dua dolar harus ditambahkan ke harga biasanya dibayar untuk sepatu Janie, yang akan menjamin berlangsung waktu yang cukup lama dari biasanya mereka yang mereka lakukan. Dia akan membeli begitu dan begitu banyak meter dari percale untuk pinggang baju baru untuk anak-anak dan Janie dan Mag. Dia berniat untuk membuat yang lama lakukan dengan terampil patching. Mag harus memiliki gaun lain. Dia telah melihat beberapa pola yang indah, tawar-menawar luas di jendela toko. Dan masih ada akan ditinggalkan cukup untuk stoking baru - dua pasang masing-masing - dan apa penjerumat yang akan menghemat untuk sementara waktu! Dia akan mendapatkan topi untuk anak-anak dan pelaut-topi untuk anak-anak. Visi induk kecilnya terlihat segar dan cantik dan baru sekali dalam hidup mereka bersemangat dan membuatnya gelisah dan terjaga dengan antisipasi. Para tetangga kadang-kadang berbicara tertentu "hari yang lebih baik" yang sedikit Mrs. Sommers tahu sebelum ia pernah berpikir menjadi Mrs. Sommers. Dia sendiri tidak terlibat dalam retrospeksi mengerikan seperti itu. Dia tidak punya waktu - tidak ada kedua waktu untuk mencurahkan ke masa lalu. Kebutuhan saat ini diserap dia setiap fakultas. Sebuah visi masa depan seperti beberapa redup, kurus rakasa kadang-kadang terkejut, tapi untungnya besok tidak pernah datang. Ibu Sommers adalah salah satu yang tahu nilai tawar-menawar; yang bisa berdiri selama berjam-jam membuat jalan inch nya dengan inci menuju objek yang diinginkan yang menjual di bawah biaya. Dia bisa siku perjalanan jika perlu; ia telah belajar untuk kopling sepotong barang dan tahan dan menempel dengan kegigihan dan tekad sampai gilirannya datang untuk dilayani, tidak peduli ketika datang. Tapi hari itu dia sedikit samar dan lelah. Dia telah menelan makan siang ringan - tidak ada! ketika ia datang untuk memikirkan itu, antara mendapatkan anak-anak makan dan tempat dikoreksi, dan mempersiapkan diri untuk pertarungan belanja, ia benar-benar lupa untuk makan setiap makan siang sama sekali! Dia duduk sendiri di atas bangku bergulir sebelum counter yang relatif sepi, mencoba untuk mengumpulkan kekuatan dan keberanian untuk mengisi melalui banyak bersemangat yang mengepung breastworks dari kain kaus dan rumput pikir. Perasaan lemas semua pergi telah datang dan dia beristirahat tangannya tanpa tujuan di atas meja. Dia tidak mengenakan sarung tangan. Dengan derajat ia tumbuh sadar bahwa tangannya telah mengalami sesuatu yang sangat menenangkan, sangat menyenangkan untuk disentuh. Dia menunduk untuk melihat bahwa tangannya berbaring di atas tumpukan stoking sutra. Sebuah plakat dekat dengan mengumumkan bahwa mereka telah mengurangi harga dari dua dolar dan lima puluh sen menjadi satu dolar dan sembilan puluh delapan sen; dan seorang gadis muda yang berdiri di belakang meja bertanya apakah dia ingin menguji garis mereka kaus kaki sutra. Dia tersenyum, seolah-olah dia telah diminta untuk memeriksa tiara berlian dengan pandangan akhir pembelian itu. Tapi dia terus merasakan, berkilap hal mewah yang lembut - dengan kedua tangan sekarang, memegang mereka untuk melihat mereka berkilau, dan merasa mereka meluncur ular-seperti melalui jari-jarinya. Dua bercak sibuk datang tiba-tiba ke pipinya yang pucat. Dia menatap gadis itu. "Apakah Anda pikir ada delapan-dan-a-setengah di antara ini?" Ada sejumlah delapan-dan-a-setengah. Bahkan, ada lebih dari itu ukuran dari yang lain. Berikut adalah sepasang muda-biru; ada beberapa lavender, beberapa nuansa hitam dan berbagai tan dan abu-abu. Ibu Sommers memilih sepasang hitam dan memandang mereka sangat lama dan erat. Dia berpura-pura memeriksa tekstur mereka, yang petugas meyakinkannya sangat baik. "Dolar dan sembilan puluh delapan sen," katanya lantang. "Yah, aku akan mengambil pasangan ini." Dia menyerahkan gadis itu uang lima dolar dan menunggu untuk perubahan dan untuk paket nya. Apa yang sangat kecil bungkusan itu! Ini tampak hilang di kedalaman tua belanja-tas lusuh itu. Mrs. Sommers setelah itu tidak bergerak ke arah tawar-menawar counter. Dia mengambil lift, yang membawanya ke lantai atas ke wilayah wanita 'tunggu-kamar. Di sini, di sudut pensiunan, dia bertukar kaus kaki katun nya untuk yang sutra baru yang baru saja dibelinya. Dia tidak akan melalui proses mental yang akut atau penalaran dengan dirinya sendiri, juga tidak dia berjuang untuk menjelaskan kepada kepuasan nya motif tindakannya. Dia tidak berpikir sama sekali. Dia tampak untuk waktu yang akan mengambil istirahat dari fungsi melelahkan dan melelahkan dan telah meninggalkan dirinya untuk beberapa dorongan mekanis yang diarahkan tindakannya dan membebaskannya dari tanggung jawab. Seberapa baik adalah sentuhan sutra mentah daging nya! Dia merasa seperti berbaring di kursi empuk dan menikmatinya untuk sementara dalam kemewahan itu. Dia melakukan untuk sementara waktu. Kemudian dia diganti sepatunya, menggulung stoking kapas bersama-sama dan mendorong mereka ke dalam tasnya. Setelah melakukan hal ini ia menyeberang langsung ke bagian sepatu dan mengambil tempat duduknya untuk dipasang. Dia cerewet. Petugas tidak bisa keluar; ia tidak bisa mendamaikan sepatu dengan kaus kaki, dan dia tidak terlalu senang dengan mudah. Dia menahan roknya dan berbalik kakinya salah satu cara dan kepalanya cara lain saat ia melirik dipoles, menunjuk berujung sepatu. Kaki dan pergelangan kakinya tampak sangat cantik. Dia tidak bisa menyadari bahwa mereka milik dan merupakan bagian dari dirinya. Dia ingin sangat cocok dan bergaya, dia mengatakan kepada orang muda yang melayani dia, dan dia tidak keberatan perbedaan dolar atau dua lebih dalam harga selama ia mendapatkan apa yang ia inginkan. Itu adalah waktu yang lama karena Mrs. Sommers telah dilengkapi dengan sarung tangan. Pada kesempatan langka ketika ia membeli sepasang mereka selalu "tawar-menawar," begitu murah bahwa itu akan menjadi tidak masuk akal dan tidak masuk akal untuk mengharapkan mereka untuk dipasang ke tangan. Sekarang dia beristirahat sikunya di bantal sarung tangan counter, dan cantik, makhluk muda yang menyenangkan, halus dan cekatan sentuhan, menarik panjang wristed "anak" di atas tangan Mrs. Sommers itu. Dia merapikan itu ke bawah pergelangan tangan dan kancing dengan rapi, dan keduanya kehilangan diri untuk satu atau dua detik dalam mengagumi kontemplasi kecil simetris tangan bersarung. Tapi ada tempat-tempat lain di mana uang bisa dibelanjakan. Ada buku-buku dan majalah menumpuk di jendela kios beberapa langkah di jalan. Ibu Sommers membeli dua majalah mahal seperti dia telah terbiasa untuk membaca di hari-hari ketika dia telah terbiasa dengan hal-hal lain yang menyenangkan. Dia membawa mereka tanpa pembungkus. Serta dia bisa ia mengangkat roknya di penyeberangan. Stoking dan sepatu bot dan sarung tangan juga pas telah bekerja keajaiban di bantalan nya - telah memberinya perasaan jaminan, rasa milik orang banyak berpakaian rapi. Dia sangat lapar. Lain waktu dia akan terhenti hasrat untuk makanan hingga mencapai rumahnya sendiri, di mana dia akan diseduh dirinya secangkir teh dan dibawa camilan apa pun yang tersedia. Namun dorongan yang membimbing tidak akan menderita dia untuk menghibur pikiran seperti itu. Ada sebuah restoran di sudut. Dia pernah masuk pintu; dari luar dia kadang-kadang melihat sekilas damask bersih dan bersinar kristal, dan melangkah ringan-pelayan yang melayani orang-orang fashion. Ketika dia memasuki penampilannya dibuat tidak mengherankan, tidak ada ketakutan, karena ia setengah takut itu mungkin. Dia duduk sendiri di sebuah meja kecil saja, dan pelayan penuh perhatian sekaligus mendekati untuk mengambil pesanannya. Dia tidak ingin profesi yang; ia mendambakan bagus dan lezat gigitan - setengah lusin biru-poin, memotong gemuk dengan selada, sesuatu yang manis - creme-frappee, misalnya; segelas anggur Rhine, dan setelah semua secangkir kecil kopi hitam. Sambil menunggu untuk dilayani ia membuka sarung tangannya sangat santai dan meletakkannya di sampingnya. Lalu ia mengambil sebuah majalah dan melirik melalui itu, memotong halaman dengan ujung tumpul pisau nya. Itu semua sangat menyenangkan. Damask itu bahkan lebih bersih daripada yang tampak melalui jendela, dan kristal yang lebih berkilau. Ada wanita yang tenang dan gentlemen, yang tidak melihat dia, makan siang di meja kecil seperti dirinya sendiri. Sebuah lembut, saring menyenangkan musik bisa didengar, dan angin sepoi-sepoi, bertiup melalui jendela. Dia merasakan gigitan, dan dia membaca satu atau dua kata, dan ia meneguk anggur dan amber menggoyangkan jarinya di stoking sutra. Harga tidak ada bedanya. Dia menghitung uang kepada pelayan dan meninggalkan koin tambahan atas nampan nya, dimana ia membungkuk di hadapannya seperti sebelumnya seorang putri berdarah biru. Masih ada uang di dompetnya, dan godaan berikutnya muncul dengan sendirinya dalam bentuk pertunjukan siang poster. Itu sedikit kemudian ketika ia memasuki teater, drama telah dimulai dan rumah tampaknya dia akan dikemas. Tapi ada kursi kosong di sana-sini, dan menjadi salah satu dari mereka ia diantar, antara perempuan cemerlang berpakaian yang sudah ada untuk membunuh waktu dan makan permen dan menampilkan pakaian mencolok mereka. Ada banyak orang lain yang berada di sana hanya untuk bermain dan akting. Adalah aman untuk mengatakan tidak ada yang hadir yang melahirkan cukup sikap yang Ibu lakukan Sommers dengan lingkungannya. Dia berkumpul di seluruh - panggung dan pemain dan orang dalam satu kesan luas, dan diserap dan menikmatinya. Dia tertawa di komedi dan menangis - dia dan wanita mencolok sampingnya menangisi tragedi itu. Dan mereka berbicara sedikit bersama-sama di atasnya. Dan wanita mencolok menyeka matanya dan terisak di lapangan kecil filmy, wangi renda dan melewati sedikit Mrs. Sommers kotaknya permen. Drama itu