尤利西斯Ulysses(中英对照)_派派后花园

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[Novel] 尤利西斯Ulysses(中英对照)

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soneyky

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怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 20楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

英:
9、Chapter 9 Scylla and Charybdis

URBANE, TO COMFORT THEM, THE QUAKER LIBRARIAN PURRED:
-- And we have, have we not, those priceless pages of Wilhelm Meister? A great poet on a great brother poet. A hesitating soul taking arms against a sea of troubles, torn by conflicting doubts, as one sees in real life.
He came a step a sinkapace forward on neatsleather creaking and a step backward a sinkapace on the solemn floor.
A noiseless attendant, setting open the door but slightly, made him a noiseless beck.
-- Directly, said he, creaking to go, albeit lingering. The beautiful ineffectual dreamer who comes to grief against hard facts. One always feels that Goethe's judgments are so true. True in the larger analysis.
Twicreakingly analysis he corantoed off. Bald, most zealous by the door he gave his large ear all to the attendant's words: heard them: and was gone.
Two left.
-- Monsieur de la Palisse, Stephen sneered, was alive fifteen minutes before his death.
-- Have you found those six brave medicals, John Eglinton asked with elder's gall, to write Paradise Lost at your dictation? The Sorrows of Satan he calls it.
Smile. Smile Cranly's smile.
First he tickled her
Then he patted her
Then he passed the female catheter.
For he was a medical
jolly old medi.
-- I feel you would need one more for Hamlet. Seven is dear to the mystic mind. The shining seven W. B. calls them.
Glittereyed, his rufous skull close to his greencapped desklamp sought the face, bearded amid darkgreener shadow, an ollav, holyeyed. He laughed low: a sizar's laugh of Trinity: unanswered.
Orchestral Satan, weeping many a rood
Tears such as angels weep.
Ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta.
He holds my follies hostage.
Cranly's eleven true Wicklowmen to free their sireland. Gaptoothed Kathleen, her four beautiful green fields, the stranger in her house. And one more to hail him: ave, rabbi. The Tinahely twelve. In the shadow of the glen he cooees for them. My soul's youth I gave him, night by night. Godspeed. Good hunting.
Mulligan has my telegram.
Folly. Persist.
-- Our young Irish bards, John Eglinton censured, have yet to create a figure which the world will set beside Saxon Shakespeare's Hamlet though I admire him, as old Ben did, on this side idolatry.
-- All these questions are purely academic, Russell oracled out of his shadow. I mean, whether Hamlet is Shakespeare or James I or Essex. Clergymen's discussions of the historicity of Jesus. Art has to reveal to us ideas, formless spiritual essences. The supreme question about a work of art is out of how deep a life does it spring. The painting of Gustave Moreau is the painting of ideas. The deepest poetry of Shelley, the words of Hamlet bring our mind into contact with the eternal wisdom, Plato's world of ideas. All the rest is the speculation of schoolboys for schoolboys.
A. E. has been telling some yankee interviewer. Wall, tarnation strike me!
-- The schoolmen were schoolboys first, Stephen said superpolitely. Aristotle was once Plato's schoolboy.
-- And has remained so, one should hope, John Eglinton sedately said. One can see him, a model schoolboy with his diploma under his arm.
He laughed again at the now smiling bearded face.
Formless spiritual. Father, Word and Holy Breath. Allfather, the heavenly man. Hiesos Kristos, magician of the beautiful, the Logos who suffers in us at every moment. This verily is that. I am the fire upon the altar. I am the sacrificial butter.
Dunlop, Judge, the noblest Roman of them all, A. E., Arval, the Name Ineffable, in heaven hight, K. H., their master, whose identity is no secret to adepts. Brothers of the great white lodge always watching to see if they can help. The Christ with the bridesister, moisture of light, born of an ensouled virgin, repentant sophia, departed to the plane of buddhi. The life esoteric is not for ordinary person. O. P. must work off bad karma first. Mrs Cooper Oakley once glimpsed our very illustrious sister H. P. B's elemental.
O, fie! Out on't! Pfuiteufel! You naughtn't to look, missus, so you naughtn't when a lady's ashowing of her elemental.
Mr Best entered, tall, young, mild, light. He bore in his hand with grace a notebook, new, large, clean, bright.
-- That model schoolboy, Stephen said, would find Hamlet's musings about the afterlife of his princely soul, the improbable, insignificant and undramatic monologue, as shallow as Plato's.
John Eglinton, frowning, said, waxing wroth:
-- Upon my word it makes my blood boil to hear anyone compare Aristotle with Plato.
-- Which of the two, Stephen asked, would have banished me from his commonwealth?
Unsheathe your dagger definitions. Horseness is the whatness of allhorse. Streams of tendency and eons they worship. God: noise in the street: very peripatetic. Space: what you damn well have to see. Through spaces smaller than red globules of man's blood they creepycrawl after Blake's buttocks into eternity of which this vegetable world is but a shadow. Hold to the now, the here, through which all future plunges to the past.
Mr Best came forward, amiable, towards his colleague.
-- Haines is gone, he said.
-- Is he?
-- I was showing him Jubainville's book. He's quite enthusiastic, don't you know, about Hyde's Lovesongs of Connacht. I couldn't bring him in to hear the discussion. He's gone to Gill's to buy it.
Bound thee forth, my booklet, quick
To greet the callous public.
Writ, I ween, 'twas not my wish
In lean unlovely English.
The peatsmoke is going to his head, John Eglinton opined.
We feel in England. Penitent thief. Gone. I smoked his baccy. Green twinkling stone. An emerald set in the ring of the sea.
-- People do not know how dangerous lovesongs can be, the auric egg of Russell warned occultly. The movements which work revolutions in the world are born out of the dreams and visions in a peasant's heart on the hillside. For them the earth is not an exploitable ground but the living mother. The rarefied air of the academy and the arena produce the sixshilling novel, the musichall song, France produces the finest flower of corruption in Mallarmé but the desirable life is revealed only to the poor of heart, the life of Homer's Ph&Aelig;acians.
From these words Mr Best turned an unoffending face to Stephen.
-- Mallarmé, don't you know, he said, has written those wonderful prose poems Stephen MacKenna used to read to me in Paris. The one about Hamlet. He says: il se promène, lisant au livre de lui-même, don't you know, reading the book of himself. He describes Hamlet given in a French town, don't you know, a provincial town. They advertised it.
His free hand graciously wrote tiny signs in air.
HAMLET
ou
LE DISTRAIT
Pièce de Shakespeare
He repeated to John Eglinton's newgathered frown:
-- Piéce de Shakespeare, don't you know. It's so French, the French point of view. Hamlet ou...
-- The absentminded beggar, Stephen ended.
John Eglinton laughed.
-- Yes, I suppose it would be, he said. Excellent people, no doubt, but distressingly shortsighted in some matters.
Sumptuous and stagnant exaggeration of murder.
-- A deathsman of the soul Robert Greene called him, Stephen said. Not for nothing was he a butcher's son wielding the sledded poleaxe and spitting in his palm. Nine lives are taken off for his father's one, Our Father who art in purgatory. Khaki Hamlets don't hesitate to shoot. The bloodboltered shambles in act five is a forecast of the concentration camp sung by Mr Swinburne.
Cranly, I his mute orderly, following battles from afar.
Whelps and dams of murderous foes whom none
But we had spared...
Between the Saxon smile and yankee yawp. The devil and the deep sea.
-- He will have it that Hamlet is a ghoststory, John Eglinton said for Mr Best's behoof. Like the fat boy in Pickwick he wants to make our flesh creep.
List! List! O List!
My flesh hears him: creeping, hears.
If thou didst ever...
-- What is a ghost? Stephen said with tingling energy. One who has faded into impalpability through death, through absence, through change of manners. Elizabethan London lay as far from Stratford as corrupt Paris lies from virgin Dublin. Who is the ghost from limbo patrum, returning to the world that has forgotten him? Who is king Hamlet?
John Eglinton shifted his spare body, leaning back to judge:
Lifted.
-- It is this hour of a day in mid June, Stephen said, begging with a swift glance their hearing. The flag is up on the playhouse by the bankside. The bear Sackerson growls in the pit near it, Paris garden. Canvasclimbers who sailed with Drake chew their sausages among the groundlings.
Local colour. Work in all you know. Make them accomplices.
-- Shakespeare has left the huguenot's house in Silver street and walks by the swanmews along the riverbank. But he does not stay to feed the pen chivying her game of cygnets towards the rushes. The swan of Avon has other thoughts.
Composition of place. Ignatius Loyola, make haste to help me!
-- The play begins. A player comes on under the shadow, made up in the castoff mail of a court buck, a wellset man with a bass voice. It is the ghost, the king, a king and no king, and the player is Shakespeare who has studied Hamlet all the years of his life which were not vanity in order to play the part of the spectre. He speaks the words to Burbage, the young player who stands before him beyond the rack of cerecloth, calling him by a name:
Hamlet, I am thy father's spirit
bidding him list. To a son he speaks, the son of his soul, the prince, young Hamlet and to the son of his body, Hamnet Shakespeare, who has died in Stratford that his namesake may live for ever.
-- Is it possible that that player Shakespeare, a ghost by absence, and in the vesture of buried Denmark, a ghost by death, speaking his own words to his own son's name (had Hamnet Shakespeare lived he would have been prince Hamlet's twin) is it possible, I want to know, or probable that he did not draw or foresee the logical conclusion of those premises: you are the dispossessed son: I am the murdered father: your mother is the guilty queen. Ann Shakespeare, born Hathaway?
-- But this prying into the family life of a great man, Russell began impatiently.
Art thou there, truepenny?
-- Interesting only to the parish clerk. I mean, we have the plays. I mean when we read the poetry of King Lear what is it to us how the poet lived? As for living, our servants can do that for us, Villiers de l'Isle has said. Peeping and prying into greenroom gossip of the day, the poet's drinking, the poet's debts. We have King Lear: and it is immortal.
Mr Best's face appealed to, agreed.
Flow over them with your waves and with your waters,
Mananaan, Mananaan MacLir...
How now, sirrah, that pound he lent you when you were hungry?
Marry, I wanted it.
Take thou this noble.
Go to! You spent most of it in Georgina Johnson's bed, clergyman's daughter. Agenbite of inwit.
Do you intend to pay it back?
O, yes.
When? Now?
Well... no.
When, then?
I paid my way. I paid my way.
Steady on. He's from beyant Boyne water. The northeast corner. You owe it.
Wait. Five months. Molecules all change. I am other I now. Other I got pound.
Buzz. Buzz.
But I, entelechy, form of forms, am I by memory because under everchanging forms.
I that sinned and prayed and fasted.
A child Conmee saved from pandies.
I, I and I. I.
A.E.I.O.U.
-- Do you mean to fly in the face of the tradition of three centuries? John Eglinton's carping voice asked. Her ghost at least has been laid for ever. She died, for literature at least, before she was born.
-- She died, Stephen retorted, sixtyseven years after she was born. She saw him into and out of the world. She took his first embraces. She bore his children and she laid pennies on his eyes to keep his eyelids closed when he lay on his deathbed.
Mother's deathbed. Candle. The sheeted mirror. Who brought me into this world lies there, bronzelidded, under few cheap flowers. Liliata rutilantium.
I wept alone.
John Eglinton looked in the tangled glowworm of his lamp.
-- The world believes that Shakespeare made a mistake, he said, and got out of it as quickly and as best he could.
-- Bosh! Stephen said rudely. A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.
Portals of discovery opened to let in the quaker librarian, softcreakfooted, bald, eared and assiduous.
-- A shrew, John Eglinton said shrewdly, is not a useful portal of discovery, one should imagine. What useful discovery did Socrates learn from Xanthippe?
-- Dialectic, Stephen answered: and from his mother how to bring thoughts into the world. What he learnt from his other wife Myrto (absit nomen!) Socratididion's Epipsychidion, no man, not a woman, will ever know. But neither the midwife's lore nor the caudlectures saved him from the archons of Sinn Fein and their noggin of hemlock.
-- But Ann Hathaway? Mr Best's quiet voice said forgetfully. Yes, we seem to be forgetting her as Shakespeare himself forgot her.
His look went from brooder's beard to carper's skull, to remind, to chide them not unkindly, then to the baldpink lollard costard, guiltless though maligned.
-- He had a good groatsworth of wit, Stephen said, and no truant memory. He carried a memory in his wallet as he trudged to Romeville whistling The girl I left behind me. If the earthquake did not time it we should know where to place poor Wat, sitting in his form, the cry of hounds, the studded bridle and her blue windows. That memory, Venus and Adonis, lay in the bedchamber of every light-of-love in London. Is Katharine the shrew illfavoured? Hortensio calls her young and beautiful. Do you think the writer of Antony and Cleopatra, a passionate pilgrim, had his eyes in the back of his head that he chose the ugliest doxy in all Warwickshire to lie withal? Good: he left her and gained the world of men. But his boywomen are the women of a boy. Their life, thought, speech are lent them by males. He chose badly? He was chosen, it seems to me. If others have their will Ann hath a way. By cock, she was to blame. She put the comether on him, sweet and twentysix. The greyeyed goddess who bends over the boy Adonis, stooping to conquer, as prologue to the swelling act, is a boldfaced Stratford wench who tumbles in a cornfield a lover younger than herself.
And my turn? When?
Come!
-- Ryefield, Mr Best said brightly, gladly, raising his new book, gladly brightly.
He murmured then with blonde delight for all:
Between the acres of the rye
These pretty countryfolk would lie.
Paris: the wellpleased pleaser.
A tall figure in bearded homespun rose from shadow and unveiled its cooperative watch.
-- I am afraid I am due at the Homestead.
Whither away? Exploitable ground.
-- Are you going, John Eglinton's active eyebrows asked. Shall we see you at Moore's tonight? Piper is coming.
-- Piper! Mr Best piped. Is Piper back?
Peter Piper pecked a peck of pick of peck of pickled pepper.
-- I don't know if I can. Thursday. We have our meeting. If I can get away in time.
Yogibogeybox in Dawson chambers. Isis Unveiled. Their Pali book we tried to pawn. Crosslegged under an umbrel umbershoot he thrones an Aztec logos, functioning on astral levels, their oversoul, mahamahatma. The faithful hermetists await the light, ripe for chelaship, ringroundabout him. Louis H. Victory. T. Caulfield Irwin. Lotus ladies tend them i'the eyes, their pineal glands aglow. Filled with his god he thrones, Buddh under plantain. Gulfer of souls, engulfer. Hesouls, shesouls, shoals of souls. Engulfed with wailing creecries, whirled, whirling, they bewail.
In quintessential triviality
For years in this fleshcase a shesoul dwelt.
-- They say we are to have a literary surprise, the quaker librarian said, friendly and earnest. Mr Russell, rumour has it, is gathering together a sheaf of our younger poets' verses. We are all looking forward anxiously.
Anxiously he glanced in the cone of lamplight where three faces, lighted, shone.
See this. Remember.
Stephen looked down on a wide headless caubeen, hung on his ashplanthandle over his knee. My casque and sword. Touch lightly with two index fingers. Aristotle's experiment. One or two? Necessity is that in virtue of which it is impossible that one can be otherwise. Argai, one hat is one hat.
Listen.
Young Colum and Starkey. George Roberts is doing the commercial part. Longworth will give it a good puff in the Express. O, will he? I liked Colum's Drover. Yes, I think he has that queer thing, genius. Do you think he has genius really? Yeats admired his line: As in wild earth a Grecian vase. Did he? I hope you'll be able to come tonight. Malachi Mulligan is coming too. Moore asked him to bring Haines. Did you hear Miss Mitchell's joke about Moore and Martyn? That Moore is Martyn's wild oats? Awfully clever, isn't it? They remind one of don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Our national epic has yet to be written, Dr Sigerson says. Moore is the man for it. A knight of the rueful countenance here in Dublin. With a saffron kilt? O'Neill Russell? O, yes, he must speak the grand old tongue. And his Dulcinea? James Stephens is doing some clever sketches. We are becoming important, it seems.
Cordelia. Cordoglio. Lir's loneliest daughter.
Nookshotten. Now your best French polish.
-- Thank you very much, Mr Russell, Stephen said, rising. If you will be so kind as to give the letter to Mr Norman...
-- O, yes. If he considers it important it will go in. We have so much correspondence.
-- I understand, Stephen said. Thanks.
Good ild you. The pigs' paper. Bullockbefriending.
-- Synge has promised me an article for Dana too. Are we going to be read? I feel we are. The Gaelic league wants something in Irish. I hope you will come round tonight. Bring Starkey.
Stephen sat down.
The quaker librarian came from the leavetakers. Blushing his mask said:
-- Mr Dedalus, your views are most illuminating.
He creaked to and fro, tiptoing up nearer heaven by the altitude of a chopine, and, covered by the noise of outgoing, said low:
-- Is it your view, then, that she was not faithful to the poet?
Alarmed face asks me. Why did he come? Courtesy or an inward light?
-- Where there is a reconciliation, Stephen said, there must have been first a sundering.
-- Yes.
Christfox in leather trews, hiding, a runaway in blighted treeforks from hue and cry. Knowing no vixen, walking lonely in the chase. Women he won to him, tender people, a whore of Babylon, ladies of justices, bully tapsters' wives. Fox and geese. And in New Place a slack dishonoured body that once was comely, once as sweet, as fresh as cinnamon, now her leaves falling, all, bare, frighted of the narrow grave and unforgiven.
-- Yes. So you think.
The door closed behind the outgoer.
Rest suddenly possessed the discreet vaulted cell, rest of warm and brooding air.
A vestal's lamp.
Here he ponders things that were not: what Caesar would have lived to do had he believed the soothsayer: what might have been: possibilities of the possible as possible: things not known: what name Achilles bore when he lived among women.
Coffined thoughts around me, in mummycases, embalmed in spice of words. Thoth, god of libraries, a birdgod, moonycrowned. And I heard the voice of that Egyptian highpriest. In painted chambers loaded with tilebooks.
They are still. Once quick in the brains of men. Still: but an itch of death is in them, to tell me in my ear a maudlin tale, urge me to wreak their will.
-- Certainly, John Eglinton mused, of all great men he is the most enigmatic. We know nothing but that he lived and suffered. Not even so much. Others abide our question. A shadow hangs over all the rest.
-- But Hamlet is so personal, isn't it? Mr Best pleaded. I mean, a kind of private paper, don't you know, of his private life. I mean I don't care a button, don't you know, who is killed or who is guilty...
He rested an innocent book on the edge of the desk, smiling his defiance. His private papers in the original. Ta an bad ar an tir. Taim imo shagart. Put beurla on it, littlejohn.
Quoth littlejohn Eglinton:
-- I was prepared for paradoxes from what Malachi Mulligan told us but I may as well warn you that if you want to shake my belief that Shakespeare is Hamlet you have a stern task before you.
Bear with me.
Stephen withstood the bane of miscreant eyes, glinting stern under wrinkled brows. A basilisk. E quando vede l'uomo l'attosca. Messer Brunetto, I thank thee for the word.
-- As we, or mother Dana, weave and unweave our bodies, Stephen said, from day to day, their molecules shuttled to and fro, so does the artist weave and unweave his image. And as the mole on my right breast is where it was when I was born, though all my body has been woven of new stuff time after time, so through the ghost of the unquiet father the image of the unliving son looks forth. In the intense instant of imagination, when the mind, Shelley says, is a fading coal, that which I was is that which I am and that which in possibility I may come to be. So in the future, the sister of the past, I may see myself as I sit here now but by reflection from that which then I shall be.
Drummond of Hawthornden helped you at that stile.
-- Yes, Mr Best said youngly, I feel Hamlet quite young. The bitterness might be from the father but the passages with Ophelia are surely from the son.
Has the wrong sow by the lug. He is in my father. I am in his son.
-- That mole is the last to go, Stephen said, laughing.
John Eglinton made a nothing pleasing mow.
-- If that were the birthmark of genius, he said, genius would be a drug in the market. The plays of Shakespeare's later years which Renan admired so much breathe another spirit.
-- The spirit of reconciliation, the quaker librarian breathed.
-- There can be no reconciliation, Stephen said, if there has not been a sundering.
Said that.
-- If you want to know what are the events which cast their shadow over the hell of time of King Lear, Othello, Hamlet, Troilus and Cressida, look to see when and how the shadow lifts. What softens the heart of a man, Shipwrecked in storms dire, Tried, like another Ulysses, Pericles, prince of Tyre?
Head, redconecapped, buffeted, brineblinded.
-- A child, a girl placed in his arms, Marina.
-- The leaning of sophists towards the bypaths of apocrypha is a constant quantity, John Eglinton detected. The highroads are dreary but they lead to the town.
Good Bacon: gone musty. Shakespeare Bacon's wild oats. Cypherjugglers going the highroads. Seekers on the great quest. What town good masters? Mummed in names: A. E., eon: Magee, John Eglinton. East of the sun, west of the moon: Tir na n-og. Booted the twain and staved.
How many miles to Dublin?
Three score and ten, sir.
Will we be there by candlelight?
-- Mr Brandes accepts it, Stephen said, as the first play of the closing period.
-- Does he? What does Mr Sidney Lee, or Mr Simon Lazarus, as some aver his name is, say of it?
-- Marina, Stephen said, a child of storm, Miranda, a wonder, Perdita, that which was lost. What was lost is given back to him: his daughter's child. My dearest wife, Pericles says, was like this maid. Will any man love the daughter it he has not loved the mother?
-- The art of being a grandfather, Mr Best gan murmur. L'art d'être grand...
-- His own image to a man with that queer thing genius is the standard of all experience, material and moral. Such an appeal will touch him. The images of other males of his blood will repel him. He will see in them grotesque attempts of nature to foretell or repeat himself.
The benign forehead of the quaker librarian enkindled rosily with hope.
-- I hope Mr Dedalus will work out his theory for the enlightenment of the public. And we ought to mention another Irish commentator, Mr George Bernard Shaw. Nor should we forget Mr Frank Harris. His articles on Shakespeare in the Saturday Review were surely brilliant. Oddly enough he too draws for us an unhappy relation with the dark lady of the sonnets. The favoured rival is William Herbert, earl of Pembroke. I own that if the poet must be rejected, such a rejection would seem more in harmony with - what shall I say? - our notions of what ought not to have been.
Felicitously he ceased and held a meek head among them, auk's egg, prize of their fray.
He thous and thees her with grave husbandwords. Dost love, Miriam? Dost love thy man?
-- That may be too, Stephen said. There is a saying of Goethe's which Mr Magee likes to quote. Beware of what you wish for in youth because you will get it in middle life. Why does he send to one who is a buonaroba, a bay where all men ride, a maid of honour with a scandalous girlhood, a lordling to woo for him? He was himself a lord of language and had made himself a coistrel gentleman and had written Romeo and Juliet. Why? Belief in himself has been untimely killed. He was overborne in a cornfield first (ryefield, I should say) and he will never be a victor in his own eyes after nor play victoriously the game of laugh and lie down. Assumed dongiovannism will not save him. No later undoing will undo the first undoing. The tusk of the boar has wounded him there-where love lies ableeding. If the shrew is worsted yet there remains to her woman's invisible weapon. There is, I feel in the words, some goad of the flesh driving him into a new passion, a darker shadow of the first, darkening even his own understanding of himself. A life fate awaits him and the two rages commingle in a whirlpool.
They list. And in the porches of their ears I pour.
-- The soul has been before stricken mortally, a poison poured in the porch of a sleeping ear. But those who are done to death in sleep cannot know the manner of their quell unless their Creator endow their souls with that knowledge in the life to come. The poisoning and the beast with two backs that urged it king Hamlet's ghost could not know of were he not endowed with knowledge by his creator. That is why the speech (his lean unlovely English) is always turned elsewhere, backward. Ravisher and ravished, what he would but would not, go with him from Lucrece's bluecircled ivory globes to Imogen's breast, bare, with its mole cinquespotted. He goes back, weary of the creation he has piled up to hide him from himself, an old dog licking an old sore. But, because loss is his gain, he passes on towards eternity in undiminished personality, untaught by the wisdom he has written or by the laws he has revealed. His beaver is up. He is a ghost, a shadow now, the wind by Elsinore's rocks or what you will, the sea's voice, a voice heard only in the heart of him who is the substance of his shadow, the son consubstantial with the father.
-- Amen! responded from the doorway.
Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?
Entr'acte.
A ribald face, sullen as a dean's, Buck Mulligan came forwards then blithe in motley, towards the greeting of their smiles. My telegram.
-- You were speaking of the gaseous vertebrate, if I mistake not? he asked of Stephen.
Primrosevested he greeted gaily with his doffed Panama as with a bauble.
They make him welcome. Was Din verlachst wirst Du noch dienen.
Brodd of mockers: Photius, pseudomalachi, Johann Most.
He Who Himself begot, middler the Holy Ghost, and Himself sent himself, Agenbuyer, between Himself and others, Who, put upon by His fiends, stripped and whipped, was nailed like bat to barndoor, starved on crosstree, Who let Him bury, stood up, harrowed hell, fared into heaven and there these nineteen hundred years sitteth on the right hand of His Own Self but yet shall come in the latter day to doom the quick and dead when all the quick shall be dead already.
He lifts hands. Veils fall. O, flowers! Bells with bells with bells aquiring.
-- Yes, indeed, the quaker librarian said. A most instructive discussion, Mr Mulligan, I'll be bound, has his theory too of the play and of Shakespeare. All sides of life should be represented.
He smiled on all sides equally.
Buck Mulligan thought, puzzled:
-- Shakespeare? he said. I seem to know the name.
A flying sunny smile rayed in his loose features.
-- To be sure, he said, remembering brightly. The chap that writes like Synge.
Mr Best turned to him:
-- Haines missed you, he said. Did you meet him? He'll see you after at the D. B. C. He's gone to Gill's to buy Hyde's Lovesongs of Connacht.
-- I came through the museum, Buck Mulligan said. Was he here?
-- The bard's fellowcountrymen, John Eglinton answered, are rather tired perhaps of our brilliancies of theorising. I hear that an actress played Hamlet for the fourhundredandeighth time last night in Dublin. Vining held that the prince was a woman. Has no-one made him out to be an Irishman? Judge Barton, I believe, is searching for some clues. He swears (His Highness not His Lordship) by saint Patrick.
-- The most brilliant of all is that story of Wilde's, Mr Best said, lifting his brilliant notebook. That Portrait of Mr W. H. where he proves that the sonnets were written by a Willie Hughes, a man all hues.
-- For Willie Hughes, is it not? the quaker librarian asked.
Or Hughie Wills. Mr William Himself. W. H.: who am I?
-- I mean, for Willie Hughes, Mr Best said, amending his gloss easily. Of course it's all paradox, don't you know, Hughes and hews and hues the colour, but it's so typical the way he works it out. It's the very essence of Wilde, don't you know. The light touch.
His glance touched their faces lightly as he smiled, a blond ephebe. Tame essence of Wilde.
You're darned witty. Three drams of usquebaugh you drank with Dan Deasy's ducats.
How much did I spend? O, a few shillings.
For a plump of pressmen. Humour wet and dry.
Wit. You would give your five wits for youth's proud livery he pranks in. Lineaments of gratified desire.
There be many mo. Take her for me. In pairing time. Jove, a cool ruttime send them. Yea, turtledove her.
Eve. Naked wheatbellied sin. A snake coils her, fang in's kiss.
-- Do you think it is only a paradox, the quaker librarian was asking. The mocker is never taken seriously when he is most serious.
They talked seriously of mocker's seriousness.
Buck Mulligan's again heavy face eyed Stephen awhile. Then, his head wagging, he came near, drew a folded telegram from his pocket. His mobile lips read, smiling with new delight.
-- Telegram! he said. Wonderful inspiration! Telegram! A papal bull!
He sat on a corner of the unlit desk, reading aloud joyfully:
-- The sentimentalist is he who would enjoy without incurring the immense debtorship for a thing done. Signed: Dedalus. Where did you launch it from? The kips? No. College Green. Have you drunk the four quid? The aunt is going to call on your unsubstantial father. Telegram! Malachi Mulligan, the Ship, lower Abbey street. O, you peerless mummer! O, you priestified kinchite!
Joyfully he thrust the message and envelope into a pocket but keened in querulous brogue:
-- It's what I'm telling you, mister honey, it's queer and sick we were, Haines and myself, the time himself brought it in. 'Twas murmur we did for a gallus potion would rouse a friar, I'm thinking, and he limp with leching. And we one hour and two hours and three hours in Connery's sitting civil waiting for pints apiece.
He wailed!
-- And we to be there, mavrone, and you to be unbeknownst sending us your conglomerations the way we to have our tongues out a yard long like the drouthy clerics do be fainting for a pussful.
Stephen laughed. Quickly, warningfully Buck Mulligan bent down:
-- The tramper Synge is looking for you, he said, to murder you. He heard you pissed on his halldoor in Glasthule. He's out in pampooties to murder you.
-- Me! Stephen exclaimed. That was your contribution to literature.
Buck Mulligan gleefully bent back, laughing to the dark eavesdropping ceiling.
-- Murder you! he laughed.
Harsh gargoyle face that warred against me over our mess of hash of lights in rue Saint-André-des-Arts. In words of words for words, palabras. Oisin with Patrick. Faunman he met in Clamart woods, brandishing a winebottle, C'est vendredi saint! Murthering Irish. His image, wandering, he met. I mine. I met a fool i' the forest.
-- Mr Lyster, an attendant said from the door ajar.
-- ... in which everyone can find his own. So Mr Justice Madden in his Diary of Master William Silence has found the hunting terms... Yes? What is it?
-- There's a gentleman here, sir, the attendant said, coming forward and offering a card. From the Freeman. He wants to see the files of the Kilkenny People for last year.
-- Certainly, certainly, certainly. Is the gentleman?...
He took the eager card, glanced, not saw, laid down, unglanced, looked, asked, creaked, asked:
-- Is he?... O there!
Brisk in a galliard he was off and out. In the daylit corridor he talked with voluble pains of zeal, in duty bound, most fair, most kind, most honest broadbrim.
-- This gentleman? Freeman's Journal? Kilkenny People? To be sure. Good day, sir. Kilkenny... We have certainly...
A patient silhouette waited, listening.
-- All the leading provincial... Northern Whig, Cork Examiner Enniscorthy Guardian, 1903... Will you please?... Evans, conduct this gentleman... If you just follow the atten... Or please allow me... This way... Please, sir...
Voluble, dutiful, he led the way to all the provincial papers, a bowing dark figure following his hasty heels.
The door closed.
-- The sheeny! Buck Mulligan cried.
He jumped up and snatched the card.
-- What's his name? Ikey Moses? Bloom.
He rattled on.
-- Jehovah, collector of prepuces, is no more. I found him over in the museum when I went to hail the foamborn Aphrodite. The Greek mouth that has never been twisted in prayer. Every day we must do homage to her. Life of life, thy lips enkindle.
Suddenly he turned to Stephen:
-- He knows you. He knows your old fellow. O, I fear me, he is Greeker than the Greeks. His pale Galilean eyes were upon her mesial groove. Venus Kallipyge. O, the thunder of those loins! The god pursuing the maiden hid.
We want to hear more, John Eglinton decided with Mr Best's approval. We begin to be interested in Mrs S. Till now we had thought of her, if at all, as a patient Griselda, a Penelope stayathome.
-- Antisthenes, pupil of Gorgias, Stephen said, took the palm of beauty from Kyrios Menelaus' brooddam, Argive Helen, the wooden mare of Troy in whom a score of heroes slept, and handed it to poor Penelope. Twenty years he lived in London and, during part of that time, he drew a salary equal to that of the lord chancellor of Ireland. His life was rich. His art, more than the art of feudalism, as Walt Whitman called it, is the art of surfeit. Hot herringpies, green mugs of sack, honeysauces, sugar of roses, marchpane, gooseberried pigeons, ringocandies. Sir Walter Raleigh, when they arrested him, had half a million francs on his back including a pair of fancy stays. The gombeen woman Eliza Tudor had underlinen enough to vie with her of Sheba. Twenty years he dallied there between conjugal love and its chaste delights and scortatory love and its foul pleasures. You know Manningham's story of the burgher's wife who bade Dick Burbage to her bed after she had seen him in Richard III and how Shakespeare, overhearing, without more ado about nothing, took the cow by the horns and, when Burbage came knocking at the gate, answered from the capon's blankets: William the conqueror came before Richard III. And the gay lakin, Mistress Fitten, mount and cry O, and his dainty birdsnies, Lady Penelope Rich, a clean quality woman is suited for a player, and the punks of the bankside, a penny a time.
Cours-la-Reine. Encore vingt sous. Nous ferons de petites cochonneries. Minette? Tu veux?
-- The height of fine society. And sir William Davenant of Oxford's mother with her cup of canary for every cockcanary.
Buck Mulligan, his pious eyes upturned, prayed:
-- Blessed Margaret Mary Anycock!
-- And Harry of six wives' daughter and other lady friends from neighbour seats, as Lawn Tennyson, gentleman poet, sings. But all those twenty years what do you suppose poor Penelope in Stratford was doing behind the diamond panes?
Do and do. Thing done. In a rosery of Fetter Lane of Gerard, herbalist, he walks, greyedauburn. An azured harebell like her veins. Lids of Juno's eyes, violets. He walks. One life is all. One body. Do. But do. Afar, in a reek of lust and squalor, hands are laid on whiteness.
Buck Mulligan rapped John Eglinton's desk sharply.
-- Whom do you suspect? he challenged.
-- Say that he is the spurned lover in the sonnets. Once spurned twice spurned. But the court wanton spurned him for a lord, his dearmylove.
Love that dare not speak its name.
-- As an Englishman, you mean, John sturdy Eglinton put in, he loved a lord.
Old wall where sudden lizards flash. At Charenton I watched them.
-- It seems so, Stephen said, when he wants to do for him, and for all other and singular uneared wombs, the holy office an ostler does for the stallion. Maybe, like Socrates, he had a midwife to mother as he had a shrew to wife. But she, the giglot wanton, did not break a bedvow. Two deeds are rank in that ghost's mind: a broken vow and the dullbrained yokel on whom her favour has declined, deceased husband's brother. Sweet Ann I take it, was hot in the blood. Once a wooer twice a wooer.
Stephen turned boldly in his chair.
-- The burden of proof is with you not with me, he said, frowning. If you deny that in the fifth scene of Hamlet he has branded her with infamy, tell me why there is no mention of her during the thirtyfour years between the day she married him and the day she buried him. All those women saw their men down and under: Mary, her goodman John, Ann, her poor
dear Willun, when he went and died on her, raging that he was the first to go, Joan, her four brothers, Judith, her husband and all her sons, Susan, her husband too, while Susan's daughter, Elizabeth, to use granddaddy's words, wed her second, having killed her first.
O yes, mention there is. In the years when he was living richly in royal London to pay a debt she had to borrow forty shillings from her father's shepherd. Explain you then. Explain the swansong too wherein he has commended her to posterity.
He faced their silence.
To whom thus Eglinton:
You mean the will.
That has been explained, I believe, by jurists.
She was entitled to her widow's dower
At common law. His legal knowledge was great
Our judges tell us.
Him Satan fleers,
Mocker:
And therefore he left out her name
From the first draft but he did not leave out
The presents for his granddaughter, for his daughters,
For his sister, for his old cronies in Stratford
And in London. And therefore when he was urged,
As I believe, to name her
He left her his Secondbest
Bed.
Punkt
Leftherhis
Secondbest
Bestabed
Secabest
Leftabed.
Woa!
-- Pretty countryfolk had few chattels then, John Eglinton observed, as they have still if our peasant plays are true to type.
-- He was a rich countrygentleman, Stephen said, with a coat of arms and landed estate at Stratford and a house in Ireland yard, a capitalist shareholder, a bill promoter, a tithefarmer. Why did he not leave her his best bed if he wished her to snore away the rest of her nights in peace?
-- It is clear that there were two beds, a best and a secondbest, Mr Secondbest Best said finely.
-- Separatio a mensa et a thalamo, bettered Buck Mulligan and was smiled on.
-- Antiquity mentions famous beds, Second Eglinton puckered, bedsmiling. Let me think.
-- Antiquity mentions that Stagyrite schoolurchin and bald heathen sage, Stephen said, who when dying in exile frees and endows his slaves, pays tribute to his elders, wills to be laid in earth near the bones of his dead wife and bids his friends be kind to an old mistress (don't forget Nell Gwynn Herpyllis) and let her live in his villa.
-- Do you mean he died so? Mr Best asked with slight concern. I mean...
-- He died dead drunk, Buck Mulligan capped. A quart of ale is a dish for a king. O, I must tell you what Dowden said!
-- What? asked Besteglinton.
William Shakespeare and company, limited. The people's William. For terms apply: E. Dowden, Highfield house...
-- Lovely! Buck Mulligan suspired amorously. I asked him what he thought of the charge of pederasty brought against the bard. He lifted his hands and said: All we can say is that life ran very high in those days. Lovely!
Catamite.
-- The sense of beauty leads us astray, said beautifulinsadness Best to ugling Eglinton.
Steadfast John replied severe:
-- The doctor can tell us what those words mean. You can not eat your cake and have it.
Sayest thou so? Will they wrest from us, from me the palm of beauty?
-- And the sense of property, Stephen said. He drew Shylock out of his own long pocket. The son of a maltjobber and moneylender he was himself a cornjobber and moneylender with ten tods of corn hoarded in the famine riots. His borrowers are no doubt those divers of worship mentioned by Chettle Falstaff who reported his uprightness of dealing. He sued a fellowplayer for the price of a few bags of malt and exacted his pound of flesh in interest for every money lent. How else could Aubrey's ostler and callboy get rich quick? All events brought grist to his mill. Shylock chimes with the jewbaiting that followed the hanging and quartering of the queen's leech Lopez, his jew's heart being plucked forth while the sheeny was yet alive: Hamlet and Macbeth with the coming to the throne of a Scotch philosophaster with a turn for witchroasting. The lost armada is his jeer in Love's Labour Lost. His pageants, the histories, sail fullbellied on a tide of Mafeking enthusiasm. Warwickshire jesuits are tried and we have a porter's theory of equivocation. The Sea Venture comes home from Bermudas and the play Renan admired is written with Patsy Caliban, our American cousin. The sugared sonnets follow Sidney's. As for fay Elizabeth, otherwise carroty Bess, the gross virgin who inspired The Merry Wives of Windsor, let some meinherr from Almany grope his life long for deephid meanings in the depth of the buckbasket.
I think you're getting on very nicely. Just mix up a mixture of theolologicophilolological. Mingo, minxi, mictum, mingere.
-- Prove that he was a jew, John Eglinton dared, expectantly. Your dean of studies holds he was a holy Roman.
Sufflaminandus sum.
-- He was made in Germany, Stephen replied, as the champion French polisher of Italian scandals.
-- A myriadminded man, Mr Best reminded. Coleridge called him myriadminded.
Amplius. In societate humana hoc est maxime necessarium ut sit amicitia inter multos.
-- Saint Thomas, Stephen began...
-- Ora pro nobis, Monk Mulligan groaned, sinking to a chair.
There he keened a wailing rune.
-- Pogue mahone! Asushla machree! It's destroyed we are from this day! It's destroyed we are surely!
All smiled their smiles.
-- Saint Thomas, Stephen, smiling, said, whose gorbellied works I enjoy reading in the original, writing of incest from a standpoint different from that of the new Viennese school Mr Magee spoke of, likens it in his wise and curious way to an avarice of the emotions. He means that the love so given to one near in blood is covetously withheld from some stranger who, it may be, hungers for it. Jews, whom christians tax with avarice, are of all races the most given to inter-marriage. Accusations are made in anger. The christian laws which built up the hoards of the jews (for whom, as for the lollards, storm was shelter) bound their affections too with hoops of steel. Whether these be sins or virtues old Nobodaddy will tell us at doomsday leet. But a man who holds so tightly to what he calls his rights over what he calls his debts will hold tightly also to what he calls his rights over her whom he calls his wife. No sir smile neighbour shall covet his ox or his wife or his manservant or his maidservant or his jackass.
-- Or his jennyass, Buck Mulligan antiphoned.
-- Gentle Will is being roughly handled, gentle Mr Best said gently.
-- Which Will? gagged sweetly Buck Mulligan. We are getting mixed.
-- The will to live, John Eglinton philosophised, for poor Ann, Will's widow, is the will to die.
-- Requiescat! Stephen prayed.
What of all the will to do?
It has vanished long ago...
-- She lies laid out in stark stiffness in that secondbest bed, the mobled queen, even though you prove that a bed in those days was as rare as a motor car is now and that its carvings were the wonder of seven parishes. In old age she takes up with gospellers (one stayed at New Place and drank a quart of sack the town paid for but in which bed he slept it skills not to ask) and heard she had a soul. She read or had read to her his chapbooks preferring them to the Merry Wives and, loosing her nightly waters on the jordan, she thought over Hooks and Eyes for Believers' Breeches and The most Spiritual Snuffbox to Make the Most Devout Souls Sneeze. Venus had twisted her lips in prayer. Agenbite of inwit: remorse of conscience. It is an age of exhausted whoredom groping for its god.
-- History shows that to be true, inquit Eglintonus Chronolologos. The ages succeed one another. But we have it on high authority that a man's worst enemies shall be those of his own house and family. I feel that Russell is right. What do we care for his wife and father? I should say that only family poets have family lives. Falstaff was not a family man. I feel that the fat knight is his supreme creation.
Lean, he lay back. Shy, deny thy kindred, the unco guid. Shy supping with the godless, he sneaks the cup. A sire in Ultonian Antrim bade it him. Visits him here on quarter days. Mr Magee, sir, there's a gentleman to see you. Me? Says he's your father, sir. Give me my Wordsworth. Enter Magee Mor Matthew, a rugged rough rugheaded kern, in strossers with a buttoned codpiece, his nether stocks bemired with clauber of ten forests, a wand of wilding in his hand.
Your own? He knows your old fellow. The widower.
Hurrying to her squalid deathlair from gay Paris on the quayside I touched his hand. The voice, new warmth, speaking. Dr Bob Kenny is attending her. The eyes that wish me well. But do not know me.
-- A father, Stephen said, battling against hopelessness, is a necessary evil. He wrote the play in the months that followed his father's death. If you hold that he, a greying man with two marriageable daughters, with thirtyfive years of life, nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, with fifty of experience, is the beardless undergraduate from Wittenberg then you must hold that his seventyyear old mother is the lustful queen. No. The corpse of John Shakespeare does not walk the night. From hour to hour it rots and rots. He rests, disarmed of fatherhood, having devised that mystical estate upon his son. Boccaccio's Calandrino was the first and last man who felt himself with child. Fatherhood, in the sense of conscious begetting, is unknown to man. It is a mystical estate, an apostolic succession, from only begetter to only begotten. On that mystery and not on the madonna which the cunning Italian intellect flung to the mob of Europe the church is founded and founded irremovably because founded, like the world, macro- and microcosm, upon the void. Upon incertitude, upon unlikelihood. Amor matris, subjective and objective genitive, may be the only true thing in life. Paternity may be a legal fiction. Who is the father of any son that any son should love him or he any son?
What the hell are you driving at?
I know. Shut up. Blast you! I have reasons.
Amplius. Adhuc. Iterum. Postea.
Are you condemned to do this?
-- They are sundered by a bodily shame so steadfast that the criminal annals of the world, stained with all other incests and bestialities, hardly record its breach. Sons with mothers, sires with daughters, lesbic sisters, loves that dare not speak their name, nephews with grandmothers, jailbirds with keyholes, queens with prize bulls. The sun unborn mars beauty: born, he brings pain, divides affection, increases care. He is a male: his growth is his father's decline, his youth his father's envy, his friend his father's enemy.
In rue Monsieur-le-Prince I thought it.
-- What links them in nature? An instant of blind rut. Am I father? If I were?
Shrunken uncertain hand.
-- Sabellius, the African, subtlest heresiarch of all the beasts of the field, held that the Father was Himself His Own Son. The bulldog of Aquin, with whom no word shall be impossible, refutes him. Well: if the father who has not a son be not a father can the son who has not a father be a son? When Rutlandbaconsouthamptonshakespeare or another poet of the same name in the comedy of errors wrote Hamlet he was not the father of his own son merely but, being no more a son, he was and felt himself the father of all his race, the father of his own grandfather, the father of his unborn grandson who, by the same token, never was born for nature, as Mr Magee understands her, abhors perfection.
Eglintoneyes, quick with pleasure, looked up shybrightly. Gladly glancing, a merry puritan, through the twisted eglantine.
Flatter. Rarely. But Flatter.
-- Himself his own father, Sonmulligan told himself. Wait. I am big with child. I have an unborn child in my brain. Pallas Athena! A play! The play's the thing! Let me parturiate!
He clasped his paunchbrow with both birthaiding hands.
-- As for his family, Stephen said, his mother's name lives in the forest of Arden. Her death brought from him the scene with Volumnia in Coriolanus. His boyson's death is the deathscene of young Arthur in King John. Hamlet, the black prince, is Hamnet Shakespeare. Who the girls in The Tempest, in Pericles, in Winter's Tale are we know. Who Cleopatra, fleshpot of Egypt, and Cressid and Venus are we may guess. But there is another member of his family who is recorded.
-- The plot thickens, John Eglinton said.
The quaker librarian, quaking, tiptoed in, quake, his mask, quake, with haste, quake, quack.
Door closed. Cell. Day.
They list. Three. They.
I you he they.
Come, mess.
STEPHEN He had three brothers, Gilbert, Edmund, Richard. Gilbert in his old age told some cavaliers he got a pass for nowt from Maister Gatherer one time mass he did and he seen his brud Maister Wull the playwriter up in Lunnon in a wrastling play wud a man on's back. The playhouse sausage filled Gilbert's soul. He is nowhere: but an Edmund and a Richard are recorded in the works of sweet William.
MAGEEGLINJOHN Names! What's in a name?
BEST That is my name, Richard, don't you know. I hope you are going to say a good word for Richard, don't you know, for my sake.
(Laughter.)
BUCK MULLIGAN (Piano, diminuendo.)
Then outspoke medical Dick
To his comrade medical Davy...
STEPHEN In his trinity of black Wills, the villain shakebags, Iago, Richard Crookback, Edmund in King Lear, two bear the wicked uncles' names. Nay, that last play was written or being written while his brother Edmund lay dying in Southwark.
BEST I hope Edmund is going to catch it. I don't want Richard, my name.
(Laughter.)
QUAKERLYSTER (A tempo.) But he that filches from me my good name...
STEPHEN (Stringendo.) He has hidden his own name, a fair name, William, in the plays, a super here, a clown there, as a painter of old Italy set his face in a dark corner of his canvas. He has revealed it in the sonnets where there is Will in overplus. Like John O'Gaunt his name is dear to him, as dear as the coat of arms he toadied for, on a bend sable a spear or steeled argent, honorificabilitudinitatibus, dearer than his glory of greatest shakescene in the country. What's in a name? That is what we ask ourselves in childhood when we write the name that we are told is ours. A star, a daystar, a firedrake rose at his birth. It shone by day in the heavens alone, brighter than Venus in the night, and by night it shone over delta in Cassiopeia, the recumbent constellation which is the signature of his initial among the stars. His eyes watched it, lowlying on the horizon, eastward of the bear, as he walked by the slumberous summer fields at midnight, returning from Shottery and from her arms.
Both satisfied. I too.
Don't tell them he was nine years old when it was quenched.
And from her arms.
Wait to be wooed and won. Ay, meacock. Who will woo you?
Read the skies. Autontimerumenos. Bonus Stephanoumenos. Where's your configuration? Stephen, Stephen, cut the bread even. S. D.: sua donna. Già: di lui. Gelindo risolve di non amar. S. D.
-- What is that, Mr Dedalus? the quaker librarian asked. Was it a celestial phenomenon?
-- A star by night, Stephen said, a pillar of the cloud by day.
What more's to speak?
Stephen looked on his hat, his stick, his boots.
Stephanos, my crown. My sword. His boots are spoiling the shape of my feet. Buy a pair. Holes in my socks. Handkerchief too.
-- You make good use of the name, John Eglinton allowed. Your own name is strange enough. I suppose it explains your fantastical humour.
Me, Magee and Mulligan.
Fabulous artificer, the hawklike man. You flew. Whereto? Newhaven-Dieppe, steerage passenger. Paris and back. Lapwing. Icarus. Pater, ait. Seabedabbled, fallen, weltering. Lapwing you are. Lapwing he.
Mr Best's eagerquietly lifted his book to say:
-- That's very interesting because that brother motive, don't you know, we find also in the old Irish myths. Just what you say. The three brothers Shakespeare. In Grimm too, don't you know, the fairytales. The third brother that marries the sleeping beauty and wins the best prize.
Best of Best brothers. Good, better, best.
The quaker librarian springhalted near.
-- I should like to know, he said, which brother you... I understand you to suggest there was misconduct with one of the brothers... But perhaps I am anticipating?
He caught himself in the act: looked at all: refrained.
An attendant from the doorway called:
-- Mr Lyster! Father Dineen wants...
-- O! Father Dineen! Directly.
Swiftly rectly creaking rectly rectly he was rectly gone.
John Eglinton touched the foil.
-- Come, he said. Let us hear what you have to say of Richard and Edmund. You kept them for the last, didn't you?
-- In asking you to remember those two noble kinsmen nuncle Richie and nuncle Edmund, Stephen answered, I feel I am asking too much perhaps. A brother is as easily forgotten as an umbrella.
Lapwing.
Where is your brother? Apothecaries' hall. My whetstone. Him, then Cranly, Mulligan: now these. Speech, speech. But act. Act speech. They mock to try you. Act. Be acted on.
Lapwing.
I am tired of my voice, the voice of Esau. My kingdom for a drink.
On.
-- You will say those names were already in the chronicles from which he took the stuff of his plays. Why did he take them rather than others? Richard, a whoreson crookback, misbegotten, makes love to a widowed Ann (what's in a name?), woos and wins her, a whoreson merry widow. Richard the conqueror, third brother, came after William the conquered. The other four acts of that play hang limply from that first. Of all his kings Richard is the only king unshielded by Shakespeare's reverence, the angel of the world. Why is the underplot of King Lear in which Edmund figures lifted out of Sidney's Arcadia and spatchcocked on to a Celtic legend older than history?
-- That was Will's way, John Eglinton defended. We should not now combine a Norse saga with an excerpt from a novel by George Meredith. Que voulez-vous? Moore would say. He puts Bohemia on the seacoast and makes Ulysses quote Aristotle.
-- Why? Stephen answered himself. Because the theme of the false or the usurping or the adulterous brother or all three in one is to Shakespeare, what the poor is not, always with him. The note of banishment, banishment from the heart, banishment from home, sounds uninterruptedly from The Two Gentlemen of Verona onward till Prospero breaks his staff, buries it certain fathoms in the earth and drowns his book. It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe. It repeats itself again when he is near the grave, when his married daughter Susan, chip of the old block, is accused of adultery. But it was the original sin that darkened his understanding, weakened his will and left in him a strong inclination to evil. The words are those of my lords bishops of Maynooth: an original sin and, like original sin, committed by another in whose sin he too has sinned. It is between the lines of his last written words, it is petrified on his tombstone under which her four bones are not to be laid. Age has not withered it. Beauty and peace have not done it away. It is in infinite variety everywhere in the world he has created, in Much Ado about Nothing, twice in As you like It, in The Tempest, in Hamlet, in Measure for Measure, and in all the other plays which I have not read.
He laughed to free his mind from his mind's bondage. Judge Eglinton summed up.
-- The truth is midway, he affirmed. He is the ghost and the prince. He is all in all.
-- He is, Stephen said. The boy of act one is the mature man of act five. All in all. In Cymbeline, in Othello he is bawd and cuckold. He acts and is acted on. Lover of an ideal or a perversion, like José he kills the real Carmen. His unremitting intellect is the hornmad Iago ceaselessly willing that the moor in him shall suffer.
-- Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuck Mulligan clucked lewdly. O word of fear!
Dark dome received, reverbed.
-- And what a character is Iago! undaunted John Eglinton exclaimed. When all is said Dumas fils (or is it Dumas père?) is right. After God Shakespeare has created most.
-- Man delights him not nor woman neither, Stephen said. He returns after a life of absence to that spot of earth where he was born, where he has always been, man and boy, a silent witness and there, his journey of life ended, he plants his mulberrytree in the earth. Then dies. The motion is ended. Gravediggers bury Hamlet pére and Hamlet fils. A king and a prince at last in death, with incidental music. And, what though murdered and betrayed, bewept by all frail tender hearts for, Dane or Dubliner, sorrow for the dead is the only husband from whom they refuse to be divorced. If you like the epilogue look long on it: prosperous Prospero, the good man rewarded, Lizzie, grandpa's lump of love, and nuncle Richie, the bad man taken off by poetic justice to the place where the bad niggers go. Strong curtain. He found in the world without as actual what was in his world within as possible. Maeterlinck says: If Socrates leave his house today he will find the sage seated on his doorstep. If Judas go forth tonight it is to Judas his steps will tend. Every life is many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love. But always meeting ourselves. The playwright who wrote the folio of this world and wrote it badly (He gave us light first and the sun two days later), the lord of things as they are whom the most Roman of catholics call dio boia, hangman god, is doubtless all in all in all of us, ostler and butcher, and would be bawd and cuckold too but that in the economy of heaven, foretold by Hamlet, there are no more marriages, glorified man, an androgynous angel, being a wife unto himself.
-- Eureka! Buck Mulligan cried. Eureka!
Suddenly happied he jumped up and reached in a stride John Eglinton's desk.
-- May I? he said. The Lord has spoken to Malachi.
He began to scribble on a slip of paper.
Take some slips from the counter going out.
-- Those who are married, Mr Best, douce herald, said, all save one, shall live. The rest shall keep as they are.
He laughed, unmarried, at Eglinton Johannes, of arts a bachelor.
Unwed, unfancied, ware of wiles, they fingerponder nightly each his variorum edition of The Taming of the Shrew.
-- You are a delusion, said roundly John Eglinton to Stephen. You have brought us all this way to show us a French triangle. Do you believe your own theory?
-- No, Stephen said promptly.
-- Are you going to write it? Mr Best asked. You ought to make it a dialogue, don't you know, like the Platonic dialogues Wilde wrote.
John Eclecticon doubly smiled.
-- Well, in that case, he said, I don't see why you should expect payment for it since you don't believe it yourself. Dowden believes there is some mystery in Hamlet but will say no more. Herr Bleibtreu, the man Piper met in Berlin, who is working up that Rutland theory, believes that the secret is hidden in the Stratford monument. He is going to visit the present duke, Piper says, and prove to him that his ancestor wrote the plays. It will come as a surprise to his grace. But he believes his theory.
I believe, O Lord, help my unbelief. That is, help me to believe or help me to unbelieve? Who helps to believe? Egomen. Who to unbelieve? Other chap.
-- You are the only contributor to Dana who asks for pieces of silver. Then I don't know about the next number. Fred Ryan wants space for an article on economics.
Fraidrine. Two pieces of silver he lent me. Tide you over. Economics.
-- For a guinea, Stephen said, you can publish this interview.
Buck Mulligan stood up from his laughing scribbling, laughing: and then gravely said, honeying malice:
-- I called upon the bard Kinch at his summer residence in upper Mecklenburgh street and found him deep in the study of the Summa contra Gentiles in the company of two gonorrheal ladies, Fresh Nelly and Rosalie, the coalquay whore.
He broke away.
-- Come, Kinch. Come, wandering &Aelig;ngus of the birds.
Come, Kinch, you have eaten all we left. Ay, I will serve you your orts and offals.
Stephen rose.
Life is many days. This will end.
-- We shall see you tonight, John Eglinton said. Notre ami Moore says Malachi Mulligan must be there.
Buck Mulligan flaunted his slip and panama.
-- Monsieur Moore, he said, lecturer on French letters to the youth of Ireland. I'll be there. Come, Kinch, the bards must drink. Can you walk straight?
Laughing he...
Swill till eleven. Irish nights' entertainment.
Lubber...
Stephen followed a lubber...
One day in the national library we had a discussion. Shakes. After his lub back I followed. I gall his kibe.
Stephen, greeting, then all amort, followed a lubber jester, a wellkempt head, newbarbered, out of the vaulted cell into a shattering daylight of no thoughts.
What have I learned? Of them? Of me?
Walk like Haines now.
The constant readers' room. In the readers' book Cashe Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell parafes his polysyllables. Item: was Hamlet mad? The quaker's pate godlily with a priesteen in booktalk.
-- O please do, sir... I shall be most pleased...
Amused Buck Mulligan mused in pleasant murmur with himself, selfnodding:
-- A pleased bottom.
The turnstile.
Is that?... Blueribboned hat... Idly writing... What? Looked?...
The curving balustrade; smoothsliding Mincius.
Puck Mulligan, panamahelmeted, went step by step, iambing, trolling:
John Eglinton, my jo, John.
Why won't you wed a wife?
He sputtered to the air:
O, the chinless Chinaman! Chin Chon Eg Lin Ton. We went over to their playbox, Haines and I, the plumbers' hall. Our players are creating a new art for Europe like the Greeks or M. Maeterlinck. Abbey theatre! I smell the public sweat of monks.
He spat blank.
Forgot: any more than he forgot the whipping lousy Lucy gave him. And left the femme de trente ans. And why no other children born? And his first child a girl?
Afterwit. Go back.
The dour recluse still there (he has his cake) and the douce youngling, minion of pleasure, Phedo's toyable fair hair.
Eh... I just eh... wanted... I forgot... he...
-- Longworth and M'Curdy Atkinson were there...
I hardly hear the purlieu cry
Or a Tommy talk as I pass one by
Before my thoughts begin to run
On F. M'Curdy Atkinson,
The same that had the wooden leg
And that filibustering fillibeg
That never dared to slake his drouth,
Magee that had the chinless mouth.
Being afraid to marry on earth
They masturbated for all they were worth.
Jest on. Know thyself.
Halted below me, a quizzer looks at me. I halt.
-- Mournful mummer, Buck Mulligan moaned. Synge has left off wearing black to be like nature. Only crows, priests and English coal are black.
A laugh tripped over his lips.
-- Longworth is awfully sick, he said, after what you wrote about that old hake Gregory. O you inquisitional drunken jew jesuit! She gets you a job on the paper and then you go and slate her drivel to Jaysus. Couldn't you do the Yeats touch?
He went on and down, mopping, chanting with waving graceful arms:
-- The most beautiful book that has come out of our country in my time. One thinks of Homer.
He stopped at the stairfoot.
-- I have conceived a play for the mummers, he said solemnly.
The pillared Moorish hall, shadows entwined. Gone the nine men's morrice with caps of indices.
In sweetly varying voices Buck Mulligan read his tablet:
Everyman His own Wife
or
A Honeymoon in the Hand
(a national immorality in three orgasms)
by
Ballocky Mulligan
He turned a happy patch's smirk to Stephen, saying:
-- The disguise, I fear, is thin. But listen.
He read, marcato:
-- Characters:
TOBY TOSTOFF (a ruined Pole)
CRAB (a bushranger)
MEDICAL DICK
and (two birds with one stone)
MEDICAL DAVY
MOTHER GROGAN (a watercarrier)
FRESH NELLY
and
ROSALIE (the coalquay whore)
He laughed, lolling a to and fro head, walking on, followed by Stephen: and mirthfully he told the shadows, souls of men:
-- O, the night in the Camden hall when the daughters of Erin had to lift their skirts to step over you as you lay in your mulberrycoloured, multicoloured, multitudinous vomit!
-- The most innocent son of Erin, Stephen said, for whom they ever lifted them.
About to pass through the doorway, feeling one behind, he stood aside.
Part. The moment is now. Where then? If Socrates leave his house today, if Judas go forth tonight. Why? That lies in space which I in time must come to, ineluctably.
My will: his will that fronts me. Seas between.
A man passed out between them, bowing, greeting.
-- Good day again, Buck Mulligan said.
The portico.
Here I watched the birds for augury. &Aelig;ngus of the birds. They go, they come. Last night I flew. Easily flew. Men wandered. Street of harlots after. A creamfruit melon he held to me. In. You will see.
-- The wandering jew, Buck Mulligan whispered with clown's awe. Did you see his eye? He looked upon you to lust after you. I fear thee, ancient mariner. O, Kinch, thou art in peril. Get thee a breechpad.
Manner of Oxenford.
Day. Wheelbarrow sun over arch of bridge.
A dark back went before them. Step of a pard, down, out by the gateway, under portcullis barbs.
They followed.
Offend me still. Speak on.
Kind air defined the coigns of houses in Kildare street. No birds. Frail from the housetops two plumes of smoke ascended, pluming, and in a flaw of softness softly were blown.
Cease to strive. Peace of the druid priests of Cymbeline, hierophantic: from wide earth an altar.
Laud we the gods
And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils
From our bless'd altars.

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:35重新编辑 ]
soneyky

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等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
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9、为了缓和大家的情绪


为了缓和大家的情绪,公谊会教徒[1]-图书馆长文质彬彬地轻声说道:“球门不是还有《威廉·迈斯特》那珍贵的篇章吗?一位伟大的诗人对另一位弟兄般的大诗人加以论述。[2]一具犹豫不决的灵魂,被相互矛盾的疑惑所撕扯,挺身反抗人世无边的苦难[3],就像我们在现实生活中所看到的那样。”
他踏着橐橐作响的牛皮鞋[4],跳着五步舞[5]前进一步,又跳着五步舞[6],在肃穆的地板上后退一步。
一名工役悄悄地把门开了个缝儿,默默地朝他做了个手势。
“马上就来,”他说,踏着橐橐作响的鞋正要走开,却又踟蹰不前。“充满绮丽幻想而又不实际的梦想家,面临严峻的现实,就只有一败涂地。[7]我们读到这里,总觉得歌德的论断真是对极了。他的宏观分析是正确的。”
像是听了倍加响亮的分析,他踩着“科兰多”舞步[8]走开了。歇顶的他,在门旁耸起那双大耳朵,倾听着工役的每一句话,然后就走了。
只剩下两个人。
“德·拉帕利斯先生,”斯蒂芬冷笑着说,“直到死前一刻钟还活着。[9]”
“你找到那六个勇敢的医科学生了吗?”约翰·埃格林顿[10]以长者的刻薄口气问道,“好叫他们把《失乐园》[11]笔录下来。他管这叫作《魔鬼之烦恼》。[12]”
微笑吧。露出克兰利[13]微笑吧。
起初他为她搔痒,
接着就抚摩她,
并捅进一根女用导尿管。
因为他是个医科学生,
爽朗快活的老医……
“倘若是写《哈姆莱特》的话,我觉得你还需要再添上一个人物。对神秘主义者来说,七是个可贵的数字。威·巴把它叫作灿烂的七。[14]”
他目光炯炯,将长着赤褐色头发的脑袋挨近绿灯罩的台灯,在暗绿的阴影下,寻觅着胡子拉碴的脸——长着圣者的眼睛的奥拉夫般的脸。[15]他低声笑了。这是三一学院工读生[16]的笑。没有人理睬他。
管弦乐队的魔鬼痛哭,
淌下了天使般的眼泪。[17]
然而他以自己的屁股代替了号筒。[18]
他抓住我的愚行当作了把柄。
克兰利手下那十一名土生土长的威克洛[19]男子有志于解放祖国。豁牙子凯思林,她那四片美丽的绿野,她家里的陌生人。[20]还有一个向他致意的:“你好,拉比。[21]蒂那依利市[22]的十二个人。在狭谷的阴影下,他吹口哨吆唤他们。一个又一个夜晚,我把灵魂的青春献给了他。祝你一路平安。好猎手。[23]
穆利根收到了我的电报。[24]
愚行。一不做,二不休。
“咱们爱尔兰的年轻诗人们,”约翰·埃格林顿告诫说,“还得塑造出一位将被世人誉为能与萨克逊佬莎士比亚的哈姆莱特相媲美的人物。尽管我和老本[25]一样佩服他,并且对他崇拜得五体投地。”
“这些纯粹属于学术问题,”拉塞尔从阴影里发表宏论。“我指的是哈姆莱特究竟是莎士比亚还是詹姆斯一世[26],抑或是艾塞克斯伯爵[27]这样的问题,就像是由教士们来讨论耶稣在历史上的真实性一样。艺术必须向我们昭示某种观念——无形的精神真髓[28]。关于一部艺术作品首要的问题是:它究竟是从怎样深邃的生命中涌现出来的。古斯塔夫·莫罗[29]的绘画表达了意念。雪莱最精深的诗句,哈姆莱特的话语,都能够使我们的心灵接触到永恒的智慧,接触到柏拉图的观念世界。其他左不过是学生们之间的空想而已。”
A·E·曾对前来采访的美国记者这么说过。[30]唉,该死的!
“学者也得先当学生呀,”斯蒂芬极其客气地说,“亚理斯多德就曾经是柏拉图的学生。”
“而且他始终是那样,像我们所希望的,”约翰·埃格林顿安详地说,“我们仿佛总可以看到他那副腋下夹着文凭的模范生的样子。”
他又朝着现在正泛着微笑的那张胡子拉碴的脸,笑了笑。
无形的精神上的。父,道,圣息。万灵之父,天人[31]。希稣斯·克利斯托斯[32],美的魔术师,不断地在我们内心里受苦受难的逻备斯[33]。这确实就是那个。我是祭坛上的火。我是供牺牲的黄油。[34]
邓洛普[35],贾奇[36],在他们那样人当中最高贵的罗马人[37],A·E·阿尔瓦尔[38],高高在天上的那个应当避讳的名字:库·胡·[39]——那是他们的大师,消息灵通人士都晓得其真实面目。大白屋支部[40]的成员们总是观察着,留意他们能否出一臂之力。基督携带着新娘子修女[41],润湿的光,受胎于圣灵的处女,忏悔的神之智慧[42],死后进入佛陀的境界。秘教的生活不适宜一般人。芸芸众生必须先赎清宿孽。库珀·奥克利夫人[43]有一次瞥见了我们那位大名鼎鼎的姊妹海·佩·勃的原始状态。
哼!哼!呸!呸![44]可耻,冒失鬼![45]你不应该看,太太。当一个女人露出原始状态的时候,那是不许看的。
贝斯特[46]先生进来了。个子高高的,年轻,温和,举止安详。他手里文雅地拿着一本又新又大、洁净而颜色鲜艳的笔记本。
“那个模范学生会认为,”斯蒂芬说,“哈姆莱特王子针对自己灵魂的来世所作的冥想,那难以置信、毫不足取、平淡无奇的独白,简直跟柏拉图一样浅薄。”[47]
约翰·埃格林顿皱起眉头,怒气冲冲地说:
“说实在的,一听见有人把亚理斯多德跟柏拉图相比较,我就气炸了肺。”
“想把我赶出理想国的,”斯蒂芬问,“是他们两个当中的哪一个呢?”[48]
亮出你那匕首般的定义吧。马性者,一切马匹之本质也。他们崇敬升降流和伊涌[49]。神:街上的喊叫。逍遥学派[50]味道十足。空间:那是你非看不可的东西。穿过比人血中的红血球还小的空间,追在布莱克的臀部后面,他们慢慢爬行到永恒。这个植物世界仅只是它的影子。[51]紧紧地把握住此时此地,未来的一切都将经由这里涌入过去。[52]
贝斯特先生和蔼可亲地走向他的同僚。
“海恩斯走掉啦,”他说。
“是吗?”
“我给他看朱班维尔[53]的书来着。要知道,他完全热衷于海德的《康诺特情歌》。我没能把他拉到这儿来听听大家的议论,他到吉尔书店买这本书去了。”
我的小册子,快快前去,
向麻木的公众致意,
写作用贫乏寒伦的英语,
决不是我的原意。[54]
“泥炭烟上了他的大脑,”约翰·埃格林顿议论道。
我们英国人觉得……[55]悔悟的窃贼。[56]走掉啦。我吸了他的纸烟。一颗璀璨的绿色宝石。镶嵌在海洋这指环上的绿宝石。[57]
“人们不晓得情歌有多么危险,”金蛋[58]拉塞尔用诡谲的口吻警告说,“在世界上引起的革命运动,原是在山麓间,在一个庄稼汉的梦境和幻象中产生的。 对他们来说,大地不是可供开拓的土壤,而是位活生生的母亲。 学院和街心广场那稀薄的空气会产生六先令一本的小说和沸艺场的小调。法国通过乌拉梅[59]创造了最精致的颓废之花,然而惟有灵性贫乏者[60],才能获得理想生活的启迪。比方说荷马笔下的腓依基人的生活。”
听罢这番话,贝斯特先生将那张不冲撞人的脸转向斯蒂芬。
“要知道,乌拉梅写下的那些精彩的散文诗,”他说,“在巴黎的时候,斯蒂芥·麦克纳[61]常朗读给我听。有一首是关于《哈姆莱特》的。[62]他说: 他边读一本写他自己的书,边漫步。[63]要知道:边读一本写他自己的书。他描述了一个法国镇子上演《哈姆莱特》的情景。要知道,是内地的一个镇子。他们还登了广告。”
他用那只空着的手优雅地比比画画,在虚空中写下小小的字:
哈姆莱特
或者
心神恍惚的男子
莎士比亚的剧作[64]
他对约翰·埃格林顿那再一次皱起来的眉头重复了一遍:
“要知道,莎士比亚的戏剧[65]哩。法国味十足。法国人的观点。哈姆莱特或者……[66]”
“心神恍惚的乞丐[67],”斯蒂芥替他把话结束了。
约翰·埃格林顿笑了。
“对,依我看就是这样,”他说,“毫无疑问,那是个优秀的民族,可在某些事物上,目光又短浅得令人厌烦。”[68]
豪华而情节呆板、内容夸张的凶杀剧。[69]
“罗伯特·格林曾称他作‘灵魂的刽子手’[70],”斯蒂芬说,“他真不愧为屠夫的儿子,[71]在手心上啐口唾沫,就抡起磨得锃亮的杀牛斧。[72]为了他父亲这一条命,葬送掉了九条[73]。我们在炼狱中的父亲。[74]身着土黄色军服的哈姆莱特们毫不迟疑地开熗。[75]第五幕那浴血的惨剧[76]乃是斯温伯恩先生在诗中歌颂过的集中营的前奏[77]。”
克兰利,我是他的一名沉默寡言的传令兵,离得远远地观望着战斗。
对凶恶敌人之妇孺,
只有我们予以宽恕……
夹在萨克逊人的微笑与美国佬的饶舌之间。魔鬼与深渊之间。
“他想把《哈姆莱特》说成是个鬼怪故事,”约翰·埃格林顿替贝斯特先生解释说,“像《匹克威克》里的胖小子似的,他想把我们吓得毛骨悚然。[78]
听着,听着,啊,听着![79]
我的肉身倾听着他的话,胆战心惊地听着。
要是你曾经……[80]
“什么是鬼魂?”斯蒂芬精神抖擞地说,“那不外乎就是一个人由于死亡,由于不在,由于形态的变化而消失到虚无飘渺中去。伊丽莎白女王时代的伦敦与斯特拉特福[81]相距之远,一如今天堕落的巴黎之于纯洁的都柏林。谁是那个离开了幽禁祖先的所在[82]而返回到己把他遗忘了的世界上来的鬼魂呢?谁是哈姆莱特王呢?”
约翰·埃格林顿挪动了一下他那瘦小的身躯,向后靠了靠,在做出判断。
情绪激昂了。
“那是六月中旬的一天,就在这个时辰,”斯蒂芬迅疾地扫视了大家一眼,好让人们注意倾听他的话,“河滨的剧场升起了旗子。旁边的巴黎园里,萨克逊大熊在栏中吼叫着。跟德雷克一道航过海的老水手们,混在池座的观众当中,嚼着香肠。[83]”
地方色彩。把自己晓得的统统揉进去。让他们做同谋者。
“莎士比亚离开了西尔弗街那所胡格诺派教徒的房子,沿着排列在河岸上的天鹅槛定去。然而他并不停下脚步来喂那赶着成群小天鹅朝灯心草丛中走去的母天鹅。埃文河的天鹅[84]别有心思。”
场子的构图。[85]依纳爵·罗耀拉啊,赶快来帮助我吧!
“戏开台了。一个演员从暗处[86]踱了过来。他身披宫廷里哪位花花公子穿剩的铠甲,体格魁悟,有着一副男低音的嗓子。这就是鬼魂,是国王,又不是国王,[87]演员乃是莎士比亚。[88]他毕生的岁月不曾虚度,都倾注在研究《哈姆莱特》上了,以便扮演幽灵这个角色。他隔着绷了一层蜡布[89]的架子,呼唤着站在自己对面的年轻演员伯比奇[90]的名字:
哈姆莱特。啊,我是你父亲的阴魂……[91]
并吩咐他听着。他是对儿子,自己的灵魂之子——王子,年轻的哈姆莱恃——说话;也对内身之子哈姆奈特[92]·莎士比亚说话——他死在斯特拉特福,以便让他的同名者获得永生。”
身为演员的莎士比亚,由于外出而做了鬼魂,身穿死后做了鬼魂的墓中的丹麦先王的服装[93],他可不可能就是在对亲生儿子的名字(倘若哈姆奈特·莎士比亚不曾夭折,他就成为哈姆莱特王子的双生兄弟了),说着自己的台词呢?我倒是想知道,他可不可能,有没有理由相信:他并不曾从这些前提中得出或并不曾预见到符合逻辑的结论:你是被废黜的儿子,我是被杀害的父亲,你母亲就是那有罪的王后,[94]娘家姓哈撒韦的安·莎士比亚?
“但是像这样来窥探一个伟大人物的家庭生活,那可……”拉塞尔不耐烦地开了腔。
你在那儿吗,老实人?[95]
“只有教区执事才对这有兴趣。我的意思是说,我们有剧本在手。也就是说,当我们读《李尔王》的诗篇时,该诗作者究竟是怎样生活过来的,干我们什么事?维利耶·德利尔曾说,我们的仆人们可以替我们活下去。[96]窥视并刺探演员当天在休息室里的飞短流长:诗人怎么酗酒啦,诗人如何负债啦。我们有《李尔王》,而那是不朽的。”
这话是说给贝斯特先生听的,他露出赞同的神色。
用你的波浪,你的海洋淹没他们吧,
马南南啊,马南南·麦克李尔……[97]
喂,老兄,你饿肚子的时候他借给你的那一镑钱哪儿去啦?[98]
哎唷,我需要那笔钱来着。
把这枚诺布尔[99]拿去吧。
去你的吧!你把大部分钱都花在牧师的女儿乔冶娜·约翰逊[100]的床上啦。内心的呵责。
你打算偿还吗?
嗯,当然。
什么时候?现在吗?
喏……不。
那么,什么时候?
我没欠过债。我没欠过债。
要镇定。他是从博伊恩河彼岸来的。在东北角上。[101]你欠了他钱。
且慢。已经过了五个月。分子统统起了变化。现在的我已换了个人。钱是另外那个我欠下的。
早过时啦![102]
然而我,生命原理,形态的形态,由于形态是不断变化的,在记忆之中,我恢然是我。[103]
我,曾经犯过罪,祈祷过,也守过斋戒。
康米从体罚中拯救过的一个孩子。[104]
我,我和我,我。
A·E·I·O·U·
“难道你想违反已经延续了三个世纪的传统吗?”约翰·埃格林顿用吹毛求疵的腔调问道,“至少她的亡灵已永远安息了。至少就文学来说,她还没出生之前就已去世。”
“她是在出生六十七年之后去世的,”斯蒂芥反驳说,“她看到他出世,以及离开人间。[105]她接受了他第一次的拥抱。她生下了他的娃娃们。在他弥留之际,她曾把几枚便士放在他眼睑上,好让他瞑目。”
母亲临终卧在床上。蜡烛。用布单罩起来的镜子。把我生到这世上的人躺在那里,眼睑上放着青铜币,在寥寥几朵廉价的花儿下。饰以百合的光明……[106]
我独自哭泣。
约翰·埃格林顿瞧着他那盏火苗纠缠在一起发出萤光的灯。[107]
“世人相信莎士比亚做错了一件事,”他说,“并尽快她用最巧妙的办法脱了身。”[108]
“那是胡扯!”斯蒂芬鲁莽地说,“天才是不会做错事的。他是明知故犯,那是认识之门。”
认识之门打开了,公谊会教徒——图书馆长走了进来,脚下的鞋轻轻地吱吱响着。他已歇顶,竖起耳朵,兢兢业业。
“很难想像,”约翰·埃格林顿卓有见识地说,“泼妇会是个有用的认识之门。苏格拉底从赞蒂贝[109]身上又认识到了什么呢?”
“辩证法[110]嘛,”斯蒂芬说,“还从他母亲那儿学会了怎样把思想带到人间。[111]他从另一个老婆默尔托[112](名字是无所谓的![113])——也就是说,‘好苏格拉底[114]的灵魂的分身[115]’——那儿学到了什么,任何男人或女人都永远不得而知。然而‘助产术’也罢,闺训[116]也罢,都末能从新芬党[117]的执政官与他们那杯毒芹下救他一命。[118]”
“可是安·哈澈韦呢?”贝斯特先生像是心不在焉似地以安详的口吻说,“是啊,我们好像忘记了她,正如莎士比亚本人也把她遗忘了。”
他的视线从冥思着的那个人的胡子扫到吹毛求疵者的脑壳,宛若在提醒他们,和颜悦色地责备他们,然后又转向那尽管无辜却受到迫害的罗拉德派[119]那粉红色的秃脑袋。
“他颇有点儿机智,”斯蒂芬说,“记忆力也不含糊。当他用口哨吹着《我撇下的姑娘》[120],朝罗马维尔[121]吃力地走着的时候,他的行囊里就装有记忆。即便那场地震不曾记载下来[122], 我们也应知道,该把蹲在窝里的可怜的小兔,猎犬的吠声,镂饰的缰绳,她那蓝色的窗户,[123]放在他一生的哪个时期。《维纳斯与阿都尼》中所描绘的那番记忆[124], 存在于伦敦每个荡妇的寝室里。悍妇凯瑟丽娜[125]长得丑吗?霍坦西奥说她又年轻又漂亮。难道你以为《安东尼与克莉奥佩特拉》的作者,一个热情的香客[126], 两眼竟长在脑后,单挑沃里克郡最丑的淫妇来跟自已睡觉吗?不错,他撇下了她,而获得了男人的世界[127]。然而由男童所扮演的女角儿们[128]是从一个男童 [129] 眼中看到的女人们。她们的生活、思想、语言,都是男人所赋予的。 难道他没选好吗?我觉得毋宁说他是被选的。[130]倘若其他女人能够从心所欲[131],安自有她的办法。[132]的的确确,她该受责难。[133]是她这个二十六岁的甜姐儿[134]对他进行引诱的。好比是美妙的开场白[135],灰眼女神[136]伏在少年阿都尼身上,屈就取胜。这就是厚脸皮的斯特拉特福荡妇,她曾把比自己年轻的情人[137]压翻在麦田里[138]。”
轮到我?什么时候?
来吧!
“裸麦地,”贝斯特先生欣喜快活地说,并且欣喜地、快活地高举着他那本新书。
然后,他喃喃地吟诵起来;那头金发使大家赏心悦目。
裸麦地的田垄间,
俊俏乡男村女眠。[139]
帕里斯,陶醉了的诱惑者。[140]
身穿毛茸茸的家织布衣的高个子[141]从阴影里站起来,掀开了他从合作社头来的怀表的盖子。
“看来我得到《家园报》去啦。”
去哪儿?到可开拓的土地上去。
“你要走了吗?”约翰·埃格林顿挑起眉毛问,“今儿晚上咱们在穆尔[142]家见面,好吗?派珀[143]要来哩。”
“派珀!”贝斯特先生尖声说,“派珀回来了吗?”
彼得·派珀噼噼啪啪地一点点挑选着啄食盐汁胡椒。[144]
“这就难说了。这是星期四嘛,我们还有会呢,要是我能及时脱身的话……”
道森套房里那间通神学家们的瑜伽魔室[145]。《揭去面纱的伊希斯》。[146]我们曾试图把他们这本巴利语[147]著作送进当铺。在暗褐色华盖的遮阴下,他盘腿坐在宝座上;在星界发挥机能的阿兹特克族的逻各斯[148],他们的超灵[149],大我[150]。已够入门资格的虔诚的秘义信徒们环绕着他,等待着启示。路易斯·H·维克托里[151]。T·考尔菲尔德·艾尔温[152]。莲花净土的少女们不断地注视着他们。[153]他们的松果体[154]熠熠发光。他内心里充满了神,登上宝座。芭蕉树下的佛陀。[155]吞入灵魂者,吞没者。[156]他的幽魂,她的幽魂,成群的幽魂。[157]他们呜呜哀号,被卷入漩涡,边旋转,边痛哭。[158]
万物精髓之琐事,
肉牢经年女魂栖。[159]
“他们说在文艺方面将有一桩惊人之举,”公谊会教徒一图书馆长友好而诚挚地说,“听说拉塞尔先生正在把我们年轻诗人的作品收成集子。[160]大家都在翘首企盼着哪。”
他借那圆锥形的灯光热切地扫视着。在灯光映照下,三张脸发着亮。
看吧,并且记在脑子里。
斯蒂芬俯视着横挂在他膝头的那根梣木手杖柄上的宽檐平顶帽。我的盔和剑。用两根食指轻轻地摸一下。亚理斯多德的试验。一个还是两个?必然性就在于此。人只能是自己,不可能是其他任何东西。[161]所以,一顶帽子就是一顶帽子。[162]
听着。[163]
年轻的科拉姆和斯塔基[164]。乔治·罗伯茨[165]负责商务方面。朗沃思[166]会在《快邮报》上把它大棒一通的。噢,他会吗?我喜欢科拉姆的《牲畜商》。对,我认为他具有那种古怪的东西——天才。你认为他真有天才吗?叶芝曾赞美过他这句诗:宛如一只埋在荒漠中的希腊瓶。[167]是吗?我希望今天晚上你能够来。玛拉基·穆利根也要来的。穆尔托他把海恩斯带来。你听到过米切尔小姐讲的关于穆尔和马丁的笑话吗?她说,穆尔是马丁的浪荡儿。[168]讲得真是巧妙,令人联想到堂吉诃德和桑丘·潘沙。西格尔逊博士[169]说,我们民族的史诗至今还没写出来。穆尔正是适当的人选。他是都柏林这里的一位愁容骑士[170]。奥尼尔·拉塞尔[171]穿一条桔黄色百褶短裙[172]吗?啊,对,他一定会讲庄重的古语。还有他那位杜尔西尼娅[173]呢?詹姆斯·斯蒂芬斯[174]正在写俏皮的小品文。看来我们变得越来越重要了。
考狄利娅。考德利奥。李尔那最孤独的女儿。[175]
偏僻荒蛮。现在该上你最拿手的法国磨光漆了。[176]
“非常感谢你,拉塞尔先生,”斯蒂芬边站起身来边说,“劳驾请把这封信交给诺曼先生……”
“啊,好的。假若他认为这重要,就会刊用的。我们的读者来稿踊跃极了。”
“我知道,”斯蒂芬说,“谢谢啦。”
天老爷犒劳你。[177]猪猡的报纸[178]。阉牛之友派。
辛格也曾答应我,要为《达娜》杂志[179]写篇稿子。我们的文章会有读者吗?我认为会有的。盖尔语联盟[180]要点用爱尔兰语写的东西。我希望今天晚上你肯来。把斯塔基也带来吧。
斯蒂芬坐了下来。
公谊会教徒-图书馆长向那些告辞的人们打完招呼之后,就走过来了。他泛红着假面具般的脸说:
“迪达勒斯先生,你的观点极有启发性。”
他踮起脚尖,脚步声橐橐地踱来踱去,鞋跟有多么厚,离天就靠近了多少[181]。然后在往外走的一片嘈杂声的掩盖下,他低声说:
“那么,你认为她对诗人不忠贞吗?”
那张神色惊愕的脸问我。他为什么走过来呢?是出于礼貌,还是得到了什么内心之光?[182]
“既然有和解,”斯蒂芬说,“当初想必就有过纷争。”
“可不是嘛。”
穿着鞣皮紧身裤的基督狐。一个亡命徒,藏到枯树杈里,躲避着喧嚣。他没同母狐狸打过交道。孑然一身,被追逐着。他赢得了女人们的心,都是些软心肠的人们:有个巴比伦娼妇,还有法官夫人们,以及胖墩墩的酒馆掌柜的娘儿们。[183]“狐入鹅群”[184]。在“新地”大宅[185],有个慵懒的浪荡女人。想当初她曾经像肉桂那么鲜艳、娇嫩、可人,而今全部枝叶都已凋落,一丝不挂,对窄小的墓穴心怀畏惧,并且未得到宽恕。
“可不是嘛。那么,你认为……”
门在走出去的人们背后关上了。
一片静寂突然笼罩了这间幽深的拱顶斗室。是温暖和沉滞的空气带来的静寂。
维斯太[186]的一盏灯。
在这里,他冥想着一些莫须有的事,倘若恺撒相信预言家的警告而活下来的话,[187]那么他究竟会做些什么事呢?有可能发生的事。可能发生的、可能的情况的种种可能性。[188]不可知的事情。当阿戏留生活在女辈中间时,他用的是什么名字呢?[189]
我周围是封闭起来的思想,装在木乃伊匣里,填上语言香料保存起来。透特[190],图书馆的神,头戴月冠的鸟神。我听见那位埃及祭司长的声音[191]:在那一间间堆满泥板书的彩屋里。
这些思维是沉寂的。它们在人的头脑里却曾经十分活跃。沉寂,但是它们内部却怀着对死亡的渴望,在我耳际讲个感伤的故事,敦促我表露他们的愿望。
“毫无疑问,”约翰·埃格林顿沉吟一下说,“在所有的伟人中间,他是最难以理解的。除了他曾生活过并且苦恼过而外,我们对他一无所知。不,连这一点也不清楚。旁人经受我们的置疑[192]。其余的都遮在阴影之下[193]。”
“然而《哈姆莱特》这个作品多么富于个人色彩啊,对吗?”贝斯特先生申辩说,“要知道,我是说,这是有关他的私生活的一种个人手记——我是说,他的生平。至于谁被杀或是谁是凶手,我倒丝毫也不在意……”
他把清白无辜的笔记本放在桌边上,面上泛着挑战似的微笑。用盖尔语所撰写的他的个人记录。船在陆上。我是个僧侣。[194]把它译成英文[195]吧,小个子约翰。[196]
小个子约翰·埃格林顿说:
“根据我听玛拉基·穆利根所谈起过的,对于这些奇谈怪论我是有准备的。不过我不妨忠告你,倘若你想动摇我对于莎士比亚就是哈姆莱特这一信念,那可不是轻而易举的。”
原谅我。[197]
斯蒂芬忍受着在皱起的眉毛下,严厉地闪着邪光的那双眼睛的剧毒。小王[198]。而一经它盯视,人就被蛊惑致死。[199]布鲁涅托[200]先生,我要为这句话而感谢你。
“正像我们,或母亲达娜[201],一天天地编织再拆散我们的身子,[202]”斯蒂芬说,“肉体的分子来来回回穿梭;一位艺术家也这样把自己的人物形象编织起来再拆散。尽管我的肉身反复用新的物质编织起来,我右胸上那颗胎里带来的痣[203]还在原先的地方。同样地,没有生存在世上的儿子的形象,通过得不到安息的父亲的亡灵,在向前望着。想象力迸发的那一瞬间,用雪莱的话来说,当精神化为燃烧殆尽的煤[204]那一瞬间,过去的我成为现在的我,还可能是未来的我。因此,在未来(它是过去的姊妹)中,我可以看到当前坐在这里的自己,但反映的却是未来的我。”
霍索恩登的德拉蒙德[205]帮助你度过了难关。
“是啊,”贝斯特先生兴致勃勃地说,“我觉得哈姆莱特十分年轻。[206]他对世事那股子激愤可能来自他父亲,可是跟奥菲利娅的那些段落肯定来自他本人。”
这可就大错特错啦。他在我的父亲之中,我在他的儿子之中。
“那颗疮是无从消失的,[207]”斯蒂芬笑着说。
约翰·埃格林顿绷着脸皱起眉头。
“倘若那是天才的胎记,”他说,“天才就成了市场上的滞销货啦。勒南[208]所称赞不已的莎士比亚晚年的戏剧,呈现出的可是另一种精神。”
“和解的精神,”公谊会教徒一图书馆长低声说。
“和解又从何谈起,”斯蒂芬说,“除非先有过纷争。”
话就说到这里。
“倘若你想知道,《李尔王》、《奥瑟罗》、《哈姆莱特》和《特洛伊罗斯与克瑞西达》的可怕时刻,究竟被哪些事件罩上了阴影,你就得先留意这个阴影是什么时候和怎样消失的。在一场场可怕的风暴中,泰尔亲王配力克里斯的船翻了,他像另一个尤利西斯那样受尽磨难。[209]是什么给他的心带来慰藉呢?”
头戴红尖帽,受尽折磨,被泪水遮住了视线。[210]
“一个娃娃——放在他怀里的女孩儿玛丽娜[211]。”
“智者派容易误入外典[212]这一歧途的倾向是一条永恒不变的规律,”约翰·埃格林顿一语道破,“大道[213]固然冷清,然而它通向城市。”
好样儿的培根[214]。已经发了霉。莎士比亚即培根这一牵强附会的说法。[215]用密码来变戏法的[216]走在大道上。从事宏伟的探索的人们。到哪座城市去呀,各位好老爷?隐姓埋名:A·E·,永恒。马吉是约翰·埃格林顿[217]。太阳之东,月亮之西,[218]长生不老国[219]。两个人都脚蹬长靴,拄着拐杖。[220]
离都柏林[211]还有多远?
先生,还得走七十英里。
掌灯时分能到吗?
“布兰代斯认定,”斯蒂芬说,“它是晚期的头一部剧本。[222]”
“是吗?关于这一点,西德尼·李[223]先生——或照某些人的说法,原名叫西蒙·拉扎勒斯的——又怎么说呢?”
“玛丽娜是风暴的孩子[224],米兰达是奇迹[225],潘狄塔是失去了[226]。丢失了的,又还给他了;他女儿的娃娃。[227]配力克里斯曾说:‘我的最亲爱的妻子正像这个女郎一样。’[228]任何一个男人,倘若没有爱过母亲,他会爱女儿吗?[229]”
“做爷爷的艺术,”贝斯特先生开始咕哝道,“变得伟大的艺术……[230]”
[“他会不会参照自己年轻时代的记忆,在她身上看到另一个形象的新生呢?”
你知道自己在说些什么吗?爱——是的。大家都晓得的字眼。[231]爱乃由于给予对方之欲望,使之幸福。要某物,则属对自己愿望之满足。][232]
“对于一个具有那种叫作天才的古怪东西的人来说,他的形象就是一切经验的基准,不论是物质还是精神方面的。这样的共鸣会触动他的心弦。跟他同一血统的其他男子的形象,会引起他的反感。他会从中看到大自然预示或重复他自己的那种不伦不类的尝试。”
公谊会教徒-图书馆长那宽厚的前额被希望点燃了,泛着玫瑰色。
“为了启发大家,我希望迪达勒斯先生会完成他的这一学说。我们还必须提到另一位爱尔兰注释者乔治·萧伯纳[233]先生。我们也不可忘记弗兰克·哈里斯[234]先生。他在《星期六评论》上所发表的关于莎士比亚的论文着实精彩。说也奇怪,他也为我们描述了《十四行诗》[235]的作者和‘黑夫人’之间不幸的关系。受到这位女人青睐的情敌是彭布罗克伯爵-威廉·赫伯特[236]。我认为,倘若诗人非遭到拒绝不可,那么这样的拒绝——怎么说好呢?——似乎是和我们对于本来不应有的情况所抱观点毋宁是一致的。”[237]
他说完这番措词恰当的话之后,就在众人当中昂起温顺的头——一枚海雀蛋[238],大家争夺的猎物。
他使用丈夫那种老式辞句——就像浑家啦,内助啦。卿爱否,米莉亚姆?[239]爱汝夫否?[240]
“这也可能吧,”斯蒂芬说,“马吉喜欢引用歌德的一句话:“当心你年轻时所抱的愿望,因为到了中年就会变为现实。[241]他为什么派一个小贵族[242] 去向一个花姑娘[243]求婚呢?她是人人行驶的海湾[244],少女时代声名狼藉[245]的宫女。他本人是个语言贵族[246],成为一位卑微的绅士,他还写了《罗密欧与朱丽叶》。为什么?他的自信心过早地被扼杀了。首先,他曾被压翻在麦田(可以说是裸麦地)里。打那以后,他在自己眼中再也不是赢者了,更不能在笑而躺下的游戏[247] 中取胜。不论怎样以唐磺[248]自居,也无济于事。后来再怎么弥补,也无法挽回最初的失败。他被野猪的獠牙咬伤了[249],悍妇即使输了, 她手中也还有那看不见的女性武器。我感觉,他的言词中有着刺激肉身使其陷入新的激情的东西。 这是比最初的激情还要晦暗的影子,甚至使他对自己的认识都模糊起来。 同样的命运在等待着他,两种狂乱汇成一股漩涡。
他们在倾听。我往他们的耳腔内注入。
“灵魂已经受到了致命的一击,睡觉的时候,毒草汁被注入耳腔。[250]然而在睡眠中遇害的人不可能了解自己是怎样被害的,除非造物主赋予他们的灵魂以洞察来世的本事。倘若造物主不曾让他晓得,哈姆莱特王的鬼魂不可能知道毒杀以及促使这一行动的双背禽兽[251]的事。正因为如此,他的言辞(贫乏而且寒伧的英语[252])总是转到旁的方面,转到后面。既是凌辱者又是被凌辱者,既愿意又不愿意[253],从鲁克丽丝那蓝纹纵横的象牙球般的双乳[254],到伊摩琴袒露着的胸脯上那颗梅花形的痣[255],一直紧紧缠绕着他。为了逃避自己,他积累起一大堆创作。如今对这些都已厌倦了,就像一只舔着旧时伤口的老狗似的折回去了。然而,由于失对他来说就是得,他就带着丝毫不曾减弱的人性步入永恒。他所写下的智慧也罢,他所阐明的法则也罢,都没有使他受到教益。他的脸甲掀起来了。[256]如今他成为亡灵,成为阴影;他成为从艾尔西诺的峰岩间刮过去的风;或是各遂所愿[257],成了海洋的声音——只有作为影子的实体的那个人,与父同体的儿子,才听得见的声音。”
“啊们!”有个声音在门口回答说。
我的冤家呀,你找到我了吗?[258]
幕间休息[259]。
这时,形容猥琐、神态像副主教那样阴沉的勃克·穆利根身穿色彩斑斓的小丑服装,愉快地向笑脸相迎的人们走来。我的电报。[260]
“假若我没听错的话,你在谈论设有实质的脊椎动物[261]吧?”他问斯蒂芬。
他穿着淡黄色背心,把他摘下的巴拿马草帽当作丑角的帽子似的抡着,快活地致意。
大家向他表示欢迎。你尽管嘲弄他,也还是得侍奉他[262]。
一样嘲弄者,佛提乌,冒牌的小先知,[263]约翰·莫斯特[264]。
他,自我诞生之神,以圣灵为媒介,自己委派自己为赎罪者,来到自己和旁人之间,他受仇敌欺骗,被剥光衣服,遭到鞭笞,被钉在十字架上饿死,宛若蝙蝠钉于谷仓门上,听任自己被埋葬,重新站起,征服了地狱,[265]升入天堂。一千九百年来,坐于自己的实体之右。当生者全部死亡之日,将从彼而来,审判生死者。[266]
天 主 受 享 荣 福 于——天。[267]
他举起双手。圣器的帷幕垂下来了。啊,成簇的花儿!一座又一座又一座钟,响成一片。
“是呀,确实是,”公谊会教徒-图书馆长说,“那是一场最令人受教益的讨论。穆利根先生想必对莎士比亚的戏剧也自有他的高见。应该把人生的各个方面都谈一谈。”
他一视同仁地朝四面八方微笑着。
勃克·穆利根困惑地左思右想。
“莎士比亚?”他说,“我好像听说过这个名字。”
他那皮肉松弛的脸上闪过一丝开朗的微笑。
“没错儿,”他恍然大悟了,“就是写得像辛格[268]的那位老兄。”
贝斯特先生转向他。
“海恩斯找你哪,”他说,“你碰上他了吗?回头他要在都柏林面包公司跟你见面。他到吉尔书店买海德的《康纳特情歌》去了。”
“我是从博物馆穿过来的,”勃克·穆利根说,“他来过这儿吗?”
“‘大诗人’的同胞们也许对咱们这精彩的议论颇感厌烦了,”约翰·埃格林顿回答说,“我听说昨天晚上在都柏林,一位女演员[269]第四百零人次演出 《哈姆莱特》。维宁[270]提出,这位王子是个女的。有没有人发现他是个爱尔兰人呢?我相信审判官巴顿[271]正在查找什么线索。他(指王子殿下,而不是审判官大人) 曾凭着圣帕特里克的名义起过誓[272]。”
“最妙的是王水德的故事《威·休先生的肖像》,”贝斯特先生举起他那出色的笔记本说,“他在其中证明《十四行诗》是一个名叫威利·休斯的八面玲珑的人写的。”[273]
“那不是献给威利·休斯的吗?”公谊会教徒-图书馆长问。
要不就是休依·威尔斯?威廉先生本人。[274]W·H。我是谁?
“我认为是为威利·休斯而写的,”贝斯特先生顺口纠正自己的谬误说,“当然喽,这全是些似是而非的话。要知道,就像休斯和砍伐和色彩,[275]他的写法独特。要知道,这才是王尔德的精髓呢。落笔轻松。”
他泛着微笑,轻轻地扫视大家一眼。白肤金发碧眼的年轻小伙子。王尔德那柔顺的精髓。[276]
你着实鬼得很。用堂迪希的钱[277]喝了三杯威士忌。
我花了多少?哦,不过几个先令。
为了让一样新闻记者喝上一通。讲那些干净的和不干净的笑话。机智。为了把他打扮自己的那身青春的华服弄到手,你不惜舍弃你的五种机智。[278] 欲望得到满足的面貌。[279]
机会是很多的。交情的时候,把她让给你吧。天神啊,让他们过一个凉快的交尾期吧。[280]对,把她当作斑鸠那样地疼爱吧。
夏娃在赤裸的小麦色肚皮下面犯的罪孽。一条蛇盘绕着她,龇着毒牙跟她接吻。[281]
“你认为这不过是谬论吗?”公谊会教徒-图书馆长在问,“当嘲弄者最认真的时候,却从未被认真对待过。”
他们严肃地讨论起嘲弄者的真诚。
勃克·穆利根又把脸一耷拉,朝斯蒂芬瞅了几眼。然后摇头晃脑地凑过来,从兜里掏出一封折叠着的电报。他那灵活的嘴唇读时露出微笑,带着新的喜悦。
“电报!”他说,“了不起的灵感!电报!罗马教皇的训渝!”
他坐在桌子灯光照不到的一角,兴高采烈地大声读着:
“伤感主义者乃只顾享受而对所做之事不深觉歉疚之火。[282]署名:迪达勒斯。你是打哪儿打的电报?窑子吗?不。学院公园?你把四镑钱都喝掉了吧?姑妈说是要去拜访你那位非同体的父亲。电报!玛拉基·穆利根。下阿贝街‘船记’酒馆。噢,你这个举世无双的滑稽演员!哦,你这个以教士自居的混蛋金赤!”
他乐呵呵地将电报和封套塞到兜里,却又用爱尔兰土腔气冲冲地说:
“是这么回事。好兄弟,当海恩斯亲自把电报拿进来的时候,他和我都正觉得苦恼烦闷来着。我们曾嘟囔说,要足足地喝上它一杯,让行乞的修士都会起魔障。我正转着这个念头,他呢,跟姑娘们黏糊起来了。我们就乖乖儿地坐在康纳里[283]那儿,一个钟头,两个钟头,三个钟头地等下去,指望着每人喝上五六杯呢。”
他唉声叹气地说:
“我们就呆在那儿,乖乖[284],把舌头耷拉得一码长,活像那想酒想得发昏的干嗓子教士。你呢,也不知道躲到哪儿去了,居然还给我们送来了这么个玩艺儿。”
斯蒂芬笑了。
勃克·穆利根像是要提出警告似地弯下腰去。
“流浪汉辛格[285]正在找你哪,”他说,“好把你宰了。他听说你曾往他那坐落在格拉斯特赫尔的房子的正门上撒尿。他趿拉着一双破鞋到处走, 说是要把你宰了。”
“我!”斯蒂芬喊道,“那可是你对文学做出的一桩贡献呀。”
勃克·穆利根开心地向后仰着,朝那黑咕隆咚偷听着的天花板大笑。
“宰了你!”他笑道。
在圣安德烈艺术街上,我一边吃着下水杂烩,一边望着那些严厉的怪兽形面孔。[286]用那对语言报以语言的语言,讲一通话。[287]莪相和帕特里克。[288]他在克拉玛尔森林遇见了抡着酒瓶的牧羊神。[289]那是圣星期五!杀人凶手爱尔兰人。他遇见了自己游荡着的形象。我遇见了我的。我在林中遇见一个傻子。[290]
“利斯特[291]先生,”一个工役从半掩着的门外招呼说。
“……每个人都能在其中找到自己的形象。审判官先生马登在他的《威廉·赛伦斯少爷日记》中找到了狞猎术语……[292]啊,什么事?”
“老爷,来了一位先生,”工役走过来,边递上名片边说,“是《自由人报》社的。他是想看看去年的《基尔肯尼民众报》[293]合订本。”
“好的,好的,好的。这位先生在……?”
他接过那张殷勤地递过来的名片,带看不看地瞥了一眼,放下来,并没有读,只是瞟着,边问边把鞋踩得橐橐作响。又问:
“他在……?哦,在那儿哪!”
他快步跳着五步舞[294]出去了。在浴满阳光的走廊上,他不辞劳苦,热情地、口若悬河地谈着,极其公正、极其和蔼地尽着本分,不愧为一名最忠诚的“宽边帽”[295]。
“是这位先生吗?《自由人报》?《基尔肯尼民众报》?对。您好,先生。《基尔肯尼……》……我们当然有喽……”
一个男子的侧影耐心地等待着,耹听着。
“主要的地方报纸全都有……《北方辉格》、《科克观察报》、《恩尼斯科尔西卫报》[296]。去年。一九0三……请您……埃文斯,给这位先生领路……您只要跟着这个工役……要么,还是我自己……这边……先生,请您……”
口若悬河,尽着本分,他领先到放着所有地方报纸的所在。一个鞠着躬的黑影儿尾随着他那匆忙的脚后跟。
门关上了。
“犹太佬!”勃克·穆利根大声说。
他一跃而起,一把抓住名片。
“他叫什么名字?艾克依·摩西[297]吗?布卢姆。”
他喋喋不休地讲下去:
“包皮的搜集者[298]耶和华已经不在了。刚才我在博物馆里遇见过他。我到那儿是去向海泡里诞生的阿佛洛狄忒致意的。这位希腊女神从来没有歪起嘴来祷告过。咱们每天都得向她致敬。生命的生命,你的嘴唇点燃起火焰。[299]”
他突然转向斯蒂芬:
“他认识你。他认识你的老头子。哦,我怕他,他比希腊人还要希腊化。他那双淡色的加利利[300]眼睛总盯着女神中央那道沟沟。美臀维纳斯。[301]啊,她有着怎样一副腰肢啊!天神追逐,女郎躲藏。[302]”
“我们还想再听听,”约翰·埃格林顿征得贝斯特先生的赞同后说,“我们开始对莎[303]太太感兴趣了。在这之前,即便我们想到过她, 也不过把她看作是一位有耐心的克雨雪达[304],留守家中的潘奈洛佩[305]。”
“戈尔吉亚的弟子安提西尼[306],”斯蒂芬说,“从曼涅劳王的妻子、阿凯人海伦手里把美的标志棕榈枝拿过来,交给了可怜的潘奈洛佩。二十位英雄在特洛伊那匹母木马[307]里睡过觉。他[308]在伦敦住了二十年, 其间有个时期领的薪水跟爱尔兰总督一样多。他的生活是丰裕的。他的艺术超越了沃尔特·惠特曼所说的封建主义艺术,[309]乃是饱满的艺术。热腾腾的鲜鱼馅饼、 绿杯里斟得满满的白葡萄酒、蜂蜜酱、蜜饯玫瑰、杏仁糖、醋栗填鸽、刺芹糖块。沃尔特·雷利爵士[310]被捕的时候,身上穿着值五十万法郎的衣服,包括一件精致的胸衣。放高利贷的伊丽莎·都铎[311]的内衣之多,赛得过示巴女王。[312]足足有二十年之久, 他徘徊在夫妻那纯洁缠绵的恩爱与娼妇淫荡的欢乐之间。你们可晓得曼宁汉姆那个关于一个市民老婆的故事吧,她看了迪克[313]·伯比奇在《理查三位》中的演出,就邀请他上自己的床。莎士比亚无意中听到了,没费多大力气[314]就制服了母牛。当伯比奇前来敲门的时候,他从阉鸡[315]的毯子下面回答说:‘征服者威廉已比理查三世捷足先登啦。’[316]快活的小夫人、情妇菲顿[317]噢的一声就骑了上去。[318]还有他那娇滴滴的婆娘潘奈洛佩·里奇。[319]这位端庄的上流夫人适合做个演员;而河堤上的娼妇,一回只要一便士。”
王后大道。再出二十苏吧。给你搞点小花样儿。玩小猫味?你愿意吗?[320]
“上流社会的精华。还有牛津的威廉·戴夫南特爵士[321]的母亲,只要是长得像金丝雀那样俊秀的男人,她就请他喝杯加那利酒[322]。”
勃克·穆利根虔诚地抬起两眼祷告道:
“圣女玛格丽特·玛丽·安尼科克[323]!”
“还有换过六个老婆的哈利的女儿。[324]再就是草地· 丁尼生、绅士诗人所唱的:附近邸舍的高贵女友。[325]这漫长的二十年间,你们猜猜,斯特拉持福的潘奈洛佩[326]在菱形窗玻璃后面都干什么来着?”
干吧,干吧,[327]干出成绩。他在药用植物学家杰勒德那座位于费特小巷的玫瑰花圃[328]里散步,赤褐色的头发已灰白了。像她的脉管一样蓝的风信子。[329]朱诺的艰睑,紫罗兰。[330]他散步。人生只有一次,肉体只有一具。干吧。专心致志地干。近处,在淫荡和污浊的臭气中,一双手放在白净的肉身上。
勃克·穆利根使劲敲着约翰·埃格林顿的桌子。
“你猜疑谁呢?”[331]他盘问。
“假定他是《十四行诗》里那位被舍弃的情人吧。被舍弃一回,就有第二回。然而宫廷里的那个水性扬花的女子是为了一个贵族——他的好友——而舍弃他的。[332]”
不敢说出口的爱。[333]
“你的意思是说,”刚毅的约翰·埃格林顿插进嘴去,“作为一个英国人,他爱上了一位贵族。”
蜥蜴们沿着古老的墙壁一闪而过。我在查伦顿[334]仔细观察过它们。
“好像是的,”斯蒂芬说,“为了这位贵族,并为所有其他特定的、未被耕耘过的处女的胎,[335]他想尽尽马夫对种马所尽的那种神圣职责。也许跟苏格拉底一样,不仅妻子是个悍妇,母亲也是个产婆呢。然而她,那个喜欢痴笑的水性扬花的女子,并不曾撕毁床头盟。[336]鬼魂[337]满脑子都是那两档子事:誓盟被破坏了,她移情于那个迟钝的乡巴佬——亡夫的兄弟身上。我相信可爱的安是情欲旺盛的。她向男人求过一次爱,就会求第二次。”
斯蒂芬在椅子上果敢地转了个身。
“证明这一点的责任在你们而不在我,”他皱着眉头说,“倘若你们否认他在《哈姆莱特》第五场里就给她打上了不贞的烙印,那么告诉我,为什么在他们结婚三十四年间,从迎娶那天直到她给他送殡,她始终只字没被提到过。这些女人统统为男人送了葬,玛丽送走了她的当家人约翰[338],安送走了她那可怜的、亲爱的威伦[339];尽管对于比她先走感到愤懑,他还是死在她前头了。琼送走了她的四个弟弟。[340]朱迪斯[341]送走了她丈夫和所有的儿子。苏珊也送走了她丈夫。[342]苏珊的女儿伊丽莎白呢,用爷爷的话说:先把头一个丈夫杀了,再嫁给第二个。[343]哦,对啦。有人提到过。当他在京都伦敦过着豪华的生活时,她不得不向她父亲的牧羊人借四十先令来还债。[344]你们解释好了。还解释一下‘天鹅之歌’[345],作者在诗中向后世颂扬了她。”
他面对着大家的沉默。
埃格林顿对他这么说:
你指的是遗嘱。
然而我相信法律家已做了诠释。
按照不成文法,她作为遗孀,
有权利继承遗产。法官们告诉我们,
他具有丰富的法律知识。
恶魔嘲弄他。
嘲弄者:
因此,他把她的名字
从最初的草稿中勾销了;然而他并未勾销对外孙女
和女儿们的赠予,
赠予他妹妹以及他在斯特拉特福和伦敦的挚友们的
礼物。因此,据我所知,
当他被提醒说,不要漏掉她的名儿
他才留给她
次好的
床。[346]
要点。[347]
留给她他那
次好的床
留给她他那
顶刮刮的床
次好的床
留给一张床。
喔啊!
“当时连俊俏的乡男村女[348]都几乎没什么家当,”约翰·埃格林顿说,“倘若我们的农民戏[349]反映得真实的话,他们至今也还是没有多少。”
“他是个富有的乡绅,”斯蒂芬说,“有着盾形纹章,还在斯特拉福德拥有一座庄园,在爱尔兰庭园有一栋房屋。他是个资本家和股东,证券发起人,还是个交纳什一税的农场主。倘若他希望她能在鼾声中平安地度过余生的话,为什么不把自己最好的床留给她呢?”
“他显然有两张床,一张最好的,另一张是次好的,”次好的贝斯特先生[350]乖巧地说。
“向饭桌和寝室告别,[351]”勃克·穆利根说得更透彻些,博得了大家一笑。
“关于一张张有名的床,古人说过不少话,”其次的埃格林顿噘起嘴来,像在床上那样地笑着,“让找想想看。”
“古人记载着那个斯塔基莱特的顽童和秃头的异教贤人的事,”斯蒂芬说,“他在流亡中弥留时,释放了他的奴隶们,留给他们资财,颂扬祖先, 在遗嘱中要求把自已合葬在亡妻的遗骨旁边,并托付友人好生照顾他生前的情妇(不要忘记内尔·格温·赫尔派利斯),让她住在他的别墅里。[352]”
“你认为他是这么死的吗?”贝斯特先生略表关切地问道,“我是说……”
“他是喝得烂醉而死的,”勃克·穆利根劈头就说,“一夸脱浓啤酒,就连国王也喜爱。[353]哦,我得告诉你们多顿[354]说了些什么!”
“说了什么?”最好的埃格林顿[355]问。
威廉、莎士比亚股份有限公司。[356]人民的威廉。详情可询:爱·多顿,海菲尔德寓所……[357]
“真可爱!”勃克·穆利根情意绵绵地叹息说,“我问他, 关于人们指责那位大诗人有鸡奸行为,他做何感想。他举起双手说,我们所能说的仅仅是,当时的生活中充满了欣喜欢乐。[358]真可爱!
娈童。
“对美的意识使我们误人歧途,”沉浸在哀愁美中的贝斯特对正在变丑的埃格林顿说。
坚定的约翰严峻地回答道:
“博士可以告诉咱们那话是什么意思。你不能既吃了点心又还拿在手里。”[359]
你这么说吗?难道他们要从我们——从我这里夺去美的标志——棕搁枝[360]吗?
“还有对财产的意识,”斯蒂芬说,“他把夏洛克从他自己的长口袋[361]里拽了出来。作为啤酒批发商和放高利贷者的儿子,他本人也是个小麦批发商和放高利贷的。当由于闹饥荒而引发那场暴动时,他手里存有十托德[362]小麦。毫无疑问,向他借钱的那帮人是切特尔·福斯塔夫所说的信仰各种教派的人。他们都说,他公平交易。为了讨回几袋麦芽的款,他和同一个剧团的演员打官司,作为贷款的利息,索取对方的一磅肉。不然的话,奥布里[363]所说的那个马夫兼剧场听差怎么能这么快地就发迹了呢?为了赚钱,他什么都干得出。女王的侍医、犹太佬洛佩斯[364]那颗犹太心脏被活生生地剜出来,在上绞刑架之后,大解八块,紧接着就是一场对犹太人的迫害。这和夏洛克事件不谋而合。《哈姆莱特》和《麦克白》与有着焚烧女巫的嗜好的伪哲学家的即位赶在同一个时期。[365]在《爱的徒劳》中,被击败的无敌舰队[366]成了他嘲笑的对象。他的露天演出——也就是历史剧,在马弗京的一片狂热[367]中,粉墨登场了。当沃里克郡的耶稣会士受审判后,我们就听到过一个门房关于暧昧不清的说法。[368]‘海洋冒险号’从百慕大驶回国时,[369]勒南所称赞过的以我们的美国堂弟帕齐·凯列班[370]为主人公的那出戏写成了。继锡德尼之后,他也写了罄美的十四行诗组诗。[371]关于仙女伊丽莎白(又名红发贝斯),那位胖处女授意而写成的《温莎的风流娘儿们》,就让哪位德国绅士耗用毕生心血去从洗衣筐的尽底儿上搜集吧,以便探明它的深邃含义。[372]”
我觉得自己颇有领会。那么,把神学论理学语言学什么学掺合在一起再看看。撒着尿,撒了尿,撒着尿的,撒尿。[373]
“证明他是个犹太人吧,”约翰·埃格林顿有所期待地将了一军,“你们学院的院长说他是个罗马天主教徒。”[374]
“我应该受到抑制。”[375]
“他是德国制造的[376]——”斯蒂芬回答说,“是一位用法国磨光漆[377]来涂饰意大利丑闻的高手。”
“一位拥有万众之心的人,”贝斯特先生提醒道,“柯尔律治[378]说他是一位拥有万众之心的人。”
泛言之,人类社会中,让众人之间存在友情,乃是至关重要的。[379]
“圣托马斯,”斯蒂芬开始说……
“为我等祈[380],”僧侣穆利根边瘫坐在椅子上,边呻吟道。
从那儿,他凄凉地吟起北欧古哀诗来:
“吻我屁股!我心脏的搏动![381]从今天起,咱们毁灭啦!咱们确实毁灭啦!”[382]
大家各自泛出微笑。
“圣托马斯……”斯蒂芬笑眯眯地说,“那部卷帙繁多的书,我是从原文披阅并赞赏的。他是站在不同于马吉先生所提到的新维也纳学派[383]的立场上,来谈乱伦的问题的。他以他持有的睿智而奇待的方法,把乱伦比作在情感方面的贪得无厌。他指出,血统相近者之间滋生的这种爱情,对于那些可能渴望它的陌生人,却贪婪地被抑制住了。基督教徒谴责犹太人贪婪,而犹太人是所有的民族中最倾向于近亲通婚的。这一谴责是愤怒地发出的。基督教戒律使犹太人成为巨富(对他们来说,正如对罗拉德派一样,风暴为他们提供了避难所),也用钢圈箍在他们的感情上。[384]这些戒律究竟是罪恶还是美德,神老爹[385]会在世界末日告诉我们的。然而一个人如此执着于债权,也同样会执着于所谓夫权。任何笑眯眯的邻居[386]也不可去贪图他的母牛、他的妻子、他的碑文或公驴。[387]
“或是他的母驴,”勃克·穆利根接着说道。
“温和的威尔[388]遭到了粗暴的对待,”温和的贝斯特先生温和地说。
“哪个威尔呀?”勃克·穆利根亲切地打了句诨,“简直都掺混不清了。”
“活下去的意志,”约翰·埃格林顿用哲理解释道,“对威尔的遗孀——可怜的安来说,就是为了迎接死亡的遗嘱。”[389]
“安息吧![390]”斯蒂芬祷告说。
当年雄心壮志何在?
早已烟消云散。[391]
“尽管你们证明当时的床就像今天的汽车那样珍贵,而床上的雕饰也令七个教区感到惊异;却不能改变她——那蒙面皇后[392]穿着青衣僵硬地挺在那次好的床上这一事实。在晚年,她跟那些传福音的打得火热——其中的一个跟她一道住在‘新地’大宅,共饮那由镇议会付款的一夸脱白葡萄酒。然而,他究竟睡在哪张床上,就不得而知了。她听说自己有个灵魂。她读(或者请旁人读给她听)他那些沿街叫卖的廉价小册子。她喜欢它们更甚于《温莎的风流娘儿们》。她每天晚上跨在尿盆上撒尿,[393]驰想着《信徒长裤上的钩子和扣眼》以及《使最虔诚的信徒打喷嚏的最神圣的鼻烟盒》。[394]维纳斯歪起嘴唇祷告着。内心的呵责。悔恨之心。这是一个精疲力竭的淫妇衰老后在寻觅着神的时代。”
“历史表示这是真实的,”编年学家埃格林顿引证说,[395]“时代不断地更迭。然而一个人最大的仇敌乃是他自己家里的人和家族[396],这话是有可靠根据的。我觉得拉塞尔是对的。我们何必去管他的老婆或者父亲的事呢?依我说,只有家庭诗人才过家庭生活。福斯塔夫并不是个守在家里的人。我觉得这个胖骑士才是他所创造的绝妙的人物。”
瘦骨嶙嶙的他往椅背上靠了靠。出于羞涩,否定你的同族吧,[397]你这个自命清高的人。[398]他羞涩地跟那些不信神的人一道吃饭,还偷酒杯。[399]这是住在阿尔斯特省安特里姆[400]的一位先生这样嘱咐他的。每年四季结帐时就来找他。马吉先生,有位先生要来见您。我?他说他是您的父亲,先生。请把我的华兹华斯[401]领进来。大马吉·马修[402]进来了。这是个满脸皱纹、粗鲁、蓬头乱发的庄稼汉[403],穿着胯间有个前兜的紧身短裤,[404]布袜子[405]上沾了十座树林的泥污,[406]手里拿着野生苹果木杖。[407]
你自己的呢?他认得你那老头子[408]——一个鳏夫。
我从繁华的巴黎朝临终前的她那肮脏的床头赶去。在码头上摸了摸他的手。他说着话儿,嗓音里含着新的温情。鲍勃·肯尼大夫[409]在护理她。那双眼睛向我祝福,然而并不了解我。
“一个父亲,”斯蒂芬说,“在抑制着绝望情绪,这是无可避免的苦难。他是在父亲去世数月之后写的那出戏。[410]这位头发开始花白、有着两个已届婚龄的女儿[411]的年方三十五岁的男子,正当人生的中途,[412]却已有了五十岁的人的阅历。倘若你认为他就是威登堡那个没长胡子的大学生,[413]那么你就必须把他那位七十岁的老母看作淫荡的王后。不,约翰·莎士比亚的尸体并不在夜晚到处徘徊。[414]它一小时一小时地腐烂下去。[415]他把那份神秘的遗产[416]留给儿子之后,就摆脱了为父的职责,开始安息了。卜伽丘的卡拉特林[417]是空前绝后的一个自己认为有了身孕的男人。从有意识地生育这个意义上来说,男人是缺乏父性这一概念的。那是从唯一的父到唯一的子之间的神秘等级,是使徒所继承下来的。教会不是建立在乖巧的意大利智慧所抛给欧洲芸芸众生的那座圣母像上,而是建立在这种神秘上——牢固地建立在这上面。因为正如世界,正如大宇宙和小宇宙,它是建立在虚空之上,建立在无常和不定之上的。主生格和宾生格的母爱[418]也许是人生中唯一真实的东西。[419]父性可能是法律上的假定。谁是那位受儿子的爱戴,或是疼爱儿子的为人之父呢?”
你究竟要扯些什么呢?
我晓得。闭嘴。该死的。我自有道理。
越发。更加。再者。其后[420]。
你注定要这么做吗?
“难以自拔的肉体上的耻辱使父子之间产生隔阂。世上的犯罪年鉴虽被所有其他乱伦与兽奸的记录所玷污,却几乎还没记载过这类越轨行为。子与母、父与女、姐妹之间的同性恋,难以说出口的爱,侄子与祖母,囚犯与钥匙孔,皇后与良种公牛。[421]儿子未出世前便损害了美。出世之后,带来痛苦,分散爱情,增舔操劳。他是个新的男性:他的成长乃是他父亲的衰老;他的青春乃是他父亲的妒嫉;他的朋友乃是他父亲的仇敌。”
在王子街[422]上,我想过此事。
“在自然界,是什么把这二者结合起来的呢?是盲目发情的那一瞬间。”
我是个父亲吗?倘若我是的话?
皱缩了的、没有把握的手。
“非洲的撒伯里乌[423],野生动物中最狡猾的异教的开祖,坚持说,圣父乃是他自己的圣子。没有不能驾御的语言的斗犬阿奎那[424]驳斥了他。那么,倘若没有儿子的父亲就不成其为父亲,那么没有父亲的儿子能成真为儿子吗?当拉特兰·培根·南安普敦·莎士比亚[425]或错误的喜剧里的另一个同名[426]诗人撰写《哈姆莱特》的时候,他不仅是自己的儿子之父,而且还由于他不再是儿子了,他就成为、自己也感到成为整个家庭之父——他自己的祖父之父,他那末出世的孙儿之父。顺便提一下,那个孙儿从未诞生过,因为照马吉先生的理解,大自然是讨厌完美无缺的。[427]”
埃格林顿两眼洋溢着喜悦,羞怯而恍然似有所悟地抬头望着。这个愉快的清教徒隔着盘绕在一起的野蔷薇,[428]乐呵呵地望着。
恭维一番。极偶然地。然而恭维一番吧。
“他本人就是他自己的父亲,[429]”儿子穆利根喃喃自语。 “且慢。我怀孕了。我脑中有个尚未出世的娃娃。明智女神雅典娜[430]!一出戏!关键在于这出戏![431]让我分娩吧!”
他用那双接生的手抱住自已突出的前额。
“至于他的家庭,”斯蒂芬说,“他母亲的名字还活在亚登森林里。[432]她的死促使他在《科利奥兰纳斯》中写出伏伦妮姬的场景。[433]《约翰王》中少年亚瑟咽气的场面就描述了他的幼子之死。身着丧服的哈姆莱特王子是哈姆奈特·莎士比亚。我们晓得《暴风雨》、《配力克里斯》、《冬天的故事》中的少女们都是谁。埃及的肉锅克莉奥佩特拉[434]和克瑞西达[435]以及维纳斯都是谁,我们也猜得出。 然而他的眷属中还有一个被记载下来的人。”
“情节变得复杂啦,”约翰·埃格林顿说。
公谊会教徒-图书馆长震颤着,悄悄地走了进来。颤着他那张没有表情的脸,很快地颤着,颤着,颤着。[436]
门关上了。斗室。白昼。
他们倾听着。三个。他们。
我、你、他、他们。
来吧,开饭啦。
斯蒂芬
他有三个弟兄,吉尔伯持、埃德蒙、理查[437]。吉尔伯特进入老年后,对几个绅士说,有一次他去望弥撒,教堂收献金的送了他一张免票。于是他就去了,瞅见他哥哥——剧作家伍尔在伦敦上演一出打斗戏,背上还骑着个男人。[438]戏园子里的香肠[439]吉尔伯特吃得可开心啦。哪儿也见不到他。然而可爱的威廉却在作品里记下了一个埃德蒙和一个理查。
马吉·埃格林、约翰
姓名!姓名有什么意义?[440]
贝斯特
理查就是我的名字,你晓得吗?我希望你替理查说句好话。要知道,是为了我的缘故。
(笑声)
勃克·穆利根
(轻柔地,渐弱)[441]
于是,医科学生迪克
对他的医科同学戴维说了……[442]
斯蒂芬
他笔下的黑心肠的三位一体——那帮恶棍扒手:伊阿古、罗锅儿理查和《李尔王》中的爱德蒙,其中两个的名字都跟他们那坏蛋叔叔一样。何况当他写成或者正在撰写这最后一部戏的时候,他的胞弟爱德蒙正奄奄一息地躺在萨瑟克[443]。
贝斯特
我巴不得爱德蒙遭殃,我不要理查这个名字……
(笑声)
公谊会教徒利斯特
(恢复原速)可是他偷去了我的好名声……[444]
斯蒂芬
(渐快)他把自己的名字——威廉这个美好的名字,隐藏在戏里。这出戏里是配角,那出戏里又是丑角。就像从前的意大利画家在画布的昏暗角落里画上了自己的肖像似的,他在满是“威尔”字样的《十四行诗》[445]里, 表明了这一点。就像冈特·欧·约翰[446]一样,对他来说姓名是宝贵的, 就像他拼命巴结到手的纹章——黑地右斜线[447]上绘有象征荣誉的[448]矛或银刃的纹章——那样宝贵。比当上本国最伟大的剧作家这一荣誉还更要宝贵。姓名有什么意义?[449]那正是当我们幼时被告知自己的姓名,并把它写下来之际,所问过自己的。他诞生的时候,出现了一颗星[450],一颗晨星,一条喷火龙[451]。白天,它在太空中独自闪烁着,比夜间的金星还要明亮。夜里,它照耀在标志着他的首字W[452]、横卧于群星中的仙后座那三角形上。午夜,当他离开安·哈撒韦的怀抱,从肖特利[453]回去时, 他一边走在困倦的夏天田野上, 一边放眼望着那低低地躺在大熊座东边的地平线上的这颗星。
两个人都感到满意,我也满意。
不要告诉他们,当那颗星消失的时候,他年方九岁[454]。
而且从她的怀抱当中。
等待着被求爱并占有。[455]哎,你这个懦夫,[456]谁会向你求爱呢?
读一读天空吧。虐己者。[457]斯蒂芬的公牛精神。[458]你的星座在哪里?斯蒂芬,斯蒂芬,面包要切匀。S·D·他的情妇。不错——他的。杰林多打定主意不去恋慕S·D·[459]
“迪达勒斯先生,那是什么呀?”公谊会教徒——图书馆长问道,“是天体现象吗?”
“夜间有星宿,”斯蒂芬说,“白天有云柱。”[460]
此外还有什么可说的呢?
斯蒂芬瞅了瞅自己的帽子、手杖和靴子。
斯蒂法诺斯[461],我的王冠。我的剑。他的靴子使我的脚变了形。买一双吧。我的短袜净是窟窿。手绢也一样。
“你善于在名字上做文章,”约翰·埃格林顿承认道,“你自己的名字也够别致的了。我看这就正好说明你这个喜欢幻想的性格。”
我、马吉和穆利根。
神话中的工匠。[462]长得像鹰的人。你飞走了。飞向哪里?从纽黑文到迪耶普[463],统舱客。往返巴黎。风头麦鸡。[464]伊卡洛斯。[465]父亲啊,帮助我吧。[466]被海水溅湿,一头栽下去,翻滚着。你是一只风头麦鸡,变成一只风头麦鸡。
贝斯特先生热切地、安详地举起他的笔记本来说:
“那非常有趣儿。因为,要知道,在爱尔兰传说中,我们也能找到弟兄这一主题。跟你讲的一模一样。莎士比亚哥儿仨。格林[467]里也有。要知道,那些童话里,三弟总是跟睡美人结婚,并获得头奖。”
贝斯特弟兄们当中最好[468]的。好,更好,最好。
公谊会教徒-图书馆长来到旁边,像弹簧松了似的突然站住了。
“我想打听一下,”他说,“是你的哪一位弟兄……假若我没理解错的话,你曾暗示说,你们弟兄当中有一个行为不轨……然而,也许我理解得过了头?”
他察觉到自己失言了,四下里望望大家,把底下的话咽了下
去。
一个工役站在门口嚷道:
“利斯特先生!迪宁神父[469]要见……”
“澳,迪宁神父!马上就来。”
他立刻把皮鞋踩得囊囊响,随即径直走了出去。
约翰·埃格林顿提出了挑战。
“喂,”他说,“咱们听听足下关于理查和爱德蒙有何高见。你不是把他们留到最后吗?”
“我曾请你们记住那两位高贵的亲族[470]——里奇叔叔和爱德蒙叔叔,”斯蒂芬回答说,“我觉得我也许要求得过多了。弟兄正像一把伞一样,很容易就被人忘记。”
风头麦鸡。
你的弟弟在哪儿?在药剂师的店里。[471]砥砥我者,他,还有克兰利,穆利根。[472]现在是这帮人。夸夸其谈。然而要采取行动。把言语付诸实践。他们嘲弄你是为了考验你。采取行动吧。让他们在你身上采取行动。
风头麦鸡。
我对自己的声音感到厌烦了,对以扫的声音感到厌烦了。[473]愿用我的王位换一杯酒。[474]
继续说下去吧。
“你会说,这些名字早就写在被他当作戏剧素材的纪年记里了。他为什么不采用旁的,而偏偏采用这些呢?理查,一个娘子养的畸形的罗锅儿,向寡妇安(姓名有什么意义?)求婚并赢得了她——一个婊子养的风流寡妇。三弟——征服者理查,继被征服者威廉之后而来。这个剧本的其他四幕,松松散散地接在第一幕后面。在莎士比亚笔下所有的国王中,理查是世界上的天使[475]中他唯一不曾怀着崇敬心情加以庇护的。《李尔王》中爱德蒙登场的插话取自锡德尼的《阿卡迪亚》,为什么要把它填补到比历史还古老的凯尔特传说中去呢?”[476]
“那是威尔惯用的手法,”约翰·埃格林顿辩护说,“我们现在就不可能把北欧神话和乔治·梅瑞狄斯的长篇小说的摘录连结在一起。穆尔就会说:‘这有什么办法呢?’[477]他把波希米亚搬到海边,[478]让尤利西斯引用亚理斯多德。”[479]
“为什么呢?”斯蒂芬自问自答,“因为对莎士比亚来说,撒谎的弟兄、篡位的弟兄、通奸的弟兄,或者三者兼而有之的弟兄,是总也离不开的题材,而穷人却不常跟他在一起。[480]从心里被放逐,从家园被放逐,自《维洛那二绅士》起,这个放逐的旋律一直不间断地响下去,直到普洛斯彼罗折断他那根杖,将它埋在地下数噚深处,并把他的书抛到海里。[481]他进入中年后,这个旋律的音量加强了一倍,反映到另一个人生,照序幕、展开部、最高潮部、结局[482]来复奏一遍。当他行将就木时,这个旋律又重奏一遍。有其母必有其女。那时,他那个已出嫁的女儿苏珊娜被指控以通奸罪。[483]然而使他的头脑变得糊涂、削弱他的意志、促使他强烈地倾向于邪恶的,乃是原罪。照梅努斯的主教大人们说来,原罪者,正因为是原罪,尽管系旁人所犯,其中也自有他的一份罪愆。[484]在他的临终遗言里,透露了这一点。这话铭刻在他的墓石上。她的遗骨不得葬在下面。[485]岁月不曾使它磨灭。美与和平也不曾使它消失。在他所创造的世界各个角落,都变幻无穷地存在着。[486]在《爱的徒劳》中,两次在《皆大欢喜》中,在《暴风雨》中,《哈姆莱特》中,《一报还一报》中——以及其他所有我还没读过的剧作中。”
为了把心灵从精神的羁绊中解放出来,他笑了。
审判官埃格林顿对此加以概括。
“真理在两者之间,”他斩钉截铁地说,“他是圣灵,又是王子。他什么都是。”[487]
“可不是嘛,”斯蒂芬说,“第一幕里的少年就是第五幕中的那个成熟的男人。他什么都是。在《辛白林》,在《奥瑟罗》中,他是老鸨[488],给戴上了绿头巾,他采取行动,也让别人在他身上采取行动。他抱有理想,或趋向堕落,就像荷西那样杀死那活生生的嘉尔曼。[489]他那冷酷严峻的理性就有如狂怒的依阿古,不断地巴望自己内心的摩尔人[490]会受折磨。”
“咕咕!咕咕!”穆利根用淫猥的声调啼叫着,“啊,可怕的声音!”[491]
黑暗的拱形顶棚接受了这声音,发出回响。[492]
“伊阿古是怎样的一个人物啊!”无所畏惧的约翰·埃格林顿喊叫着说,“归根结底,小仲马(也许是大仲马[493]吧?”说得对:天主之外,莎士比亚创造的最多。”
“男人不能使他感到喜悦;不,女人也不能使他感到喜悦,[494]”斯蒂芬说,“离开一辈子后,他又回到自己出生的那片土地上。从小到大[495],他始终是那个地方的一名沉默的目击者。在那里,他走完了人生的旅途。他在地里栽下自己的那棵桑树,[496]然后溘然长逝。呼吸停止了。[497]掘墓者埋葬了大哈姆莱特和小哈姆莱特。[498]国王和王子在音乐伴奏下终于死去了。遭到谋杀也罢,被陷害也罢,又有何干?因为不论他是丹麦人还是都柏林人,所有那些柔软心肠的人们都会为之哀泣,悼念死者的这份悲伤乃是她们不肯与之离婚的唯一的丈夫。倘若你喜欢尾声,那么就仔细端详一下吧。幸福的普洛斯彼罗[499]是得到好报的善人、丽齐[500]是外公的宝贝疙瘩;里奇叔叔这个歹徒按照因果报应的原则被送进坏黑人注定去的地方了。[501]结局圆满,幕终。他发现,内在世界有可能实现的,外在世界就己经成为现实了。梅特林克说:‘倘若苏格拉底今天离家,他会发现贤人就坐在他门口的台阶上。倘若犹大今晚外出,他的脚会把他引到犹大那儿去。’[502]每一个人的一生都是许多时日,一天接一天。我们从自我内部穿行[503],遇见强盗,鬼魂,巨人,老者,小伙子,妻子,遗蠕,恋爱中的弟兄们,然而,我们遇见的总是我们自己。编写世界这部大书而且写得很蹩脚的那位剧作家(他先给了我们光,隔了两天才给太阳[504]),也就是被天主教徒当中罗马味最足的家伙称之为煞神[505]——绞刑吏之神的万物之主宰;毫无疑问,他什么都是,[506]存在于我们一切人当中:既是马夫,又是屠夫,也是老鸨,并被戴上了绿头巾。然而倘若在天堂实行节约,像哈姆莱特所预言的那样,那么就再也不要什么婚娶;或者有什么光彩的人,半阴半阳的天使,将成为自己的妻子。”[507]
“我发现啦!”[508]勃克·穆利根大声说,“我发现啦?”
他突然高兴了,跳起来,一个箭步窜到约翰·埃格林顿的书桌跟前。
“可以吗?”弛说,“玛拉基接受了神谕。[509]”
他在一片纸上胡乱涂写起来。
往外走的时候,从柜台上拿几张纸条儿吧。
“已经结婚的,”安详的使者贝斯特先生说,“除了一个人,都将活下去。没有结婚的,不准再结婚。”[510]
他这个未婚者对独身的文学士埃格林顿·约翰尼斯笑了笑。
他们没有家室,没有幻想,存着戒心,每天晚上边摸索各自那部有诸家注释的《驯悍记》,边在沉思。
“你这是谬论,”约翰·埃格林顿率直地对斯蒂芬说,“你带着我们兜了半天圈子,不过是让我们看到一个法国式的三角关系。你相信自己的见解吗?”
“不,”斯蒂芬马上说。
“你打算把它写下来吗?”贝斯特先生问,“你应该写成问答体。知道吧,就像王尔德所写的柏拉图式的对话录。”
约翰·埃克列克提康[511]露出暖昧的笑容。
“喏,倘若是那样,”他说,“既然连你自己都不相信,我就不明白你怎么还能指望得到报酬呢。多顿[512]相信《哈姆莱特》中有些神秘之处,然而他只说到这里为止。派珀在柏林遇见的勃莱布楚先生正在研究关于拉特兰[513]的学说,他相信个中秘密隐藏在斯特拉特福的纪念碑里。派珀说,他即将去拜访当前这位公爵,并向公爵证明,是他的祖先写下了那些戏剧。这会出乎公爵大人的意料,然而勃莱布楚相信自己的见解。
“我信,噢,主啊,但是我的信心不足,求您帮助我”[514]就是说,帮助我去信,或者帮助我不去信。谁来帮助我去信?我自己。[515]谁来帮助我不去信呢?另一个家伙。
“在给《达娜》[516]撰稿的人当中,你是唯一要求付酬的。像这样的话,下一期如何就难说了。弗雷德·瑞安[517]还要保留些篇幅来刊登一篇有关经济学的文章呢。”
弗莱德琳。他借给过我两枚银币。好歹应付一下吧。经济学。
“要是付一基尼,”斯蒂芬说,“你就可以发表这篇访问记了。”
面带笑容正在潦潦草草写着什么的勃克·穆利根,这时边笑边站起来,然后笑里藏刀,一本正经地说:
“我到‘大诗人’金赤在上梅克伦堡街的夏季别墅那里去拜访过他,发现他正和两个生梅毒的女人——新手内莉和煤炭码头上的婊子罗莎莉[518]——一道埋头研究《反异教大全》[519]呢。”
他把话顿了一顿。
“来吧,金赤,来吧,飘忽不定的飞鸟之神安古斯[520]。”
出来吧,金赤,你把我们剩的都吃光了。[521]嗯,我把残羹剩饭和下水赏给你吃。
斯蒂芬站起来了。
人生不外乎一天接一天。今天即将结束了。
“今天晚上见,”约翰·埃格林顿说,“我们的朋友[522]穆尔说,务必请勃克·穆利根来。”
勃克·穆利根挥着那纸片和巴拿马帽。
“穆尔先生,[523]”他说,“爱尔兰青年的法国文学讲师。我去。来吧,金赤,‘大诗人’们非喝酒不可。你不用扶能走吗?”
他边笑着,边……
痛饮到十一点,爱尔兰的夜宴。
傻大个儿……
斯蒂芬跟在一个傻大个儿后面……
有一天,我们在国立图书馆讨论过一次。莎士。[524]然后,我跟在傻乎乎的他背后走。我和他的脚后跟挨得那么近,简直可以蹭破那上面的冻疮了。[525]
斯蒂芬向大家致意,然后垂头丧气地[526]跟着那个新理过发、头梳得整整齐齐、爱说笑话的傻大个儿,从拱顶斗室走入没有思想的灿烂骄阳中去。
我学到了什么?关于他们?关于我自己?
眼下就像海恩斯那样走吧。
长期读者阅览室。在阅览者签名簿上,卡什尔·博伊尔·奥康纳·菲茨莫里斯·菲斯德尔·法雷尔用龙飞凤舞的字体写下了他那多音节的名字。研究项目:哈姆莱特发疯了吗?歇顶的公谊会教徒正在跟一个小教士虔诚地谈论着书本。
“啊,请您务必……那我真是太高兴啦……”
勃克·穆利根觉得有趣,自己点点头,愉快地咕哝道:
“心满意足的波顿。[527]”
旋转栅门。
难道是……?饰有蓝绸带的帽子……?胡乱涂写着……?什么?……看见了吗?
弧形扶栏。明契乌斯河缓缓流着,一平如镜。[528]
迫克[529]·穆利根,头戴巴拿马盔,一边走着,一边忽高忽低地唱着:
约翰·埃格林顿,我的乖,约翰,[530]
你为啥不娶个老婆?
他朝半空中啐了一口,唾沫飞溅。
“噢,没下巴的中国佬!靳张艾林唐[531]。我们曾到过他们那戏棚子,海恩斯和我,在管子工会的会馆。我们的演员们正在像希腊人或梅特林克先生那样,为欧洲创造一种新艺术。阿贝剧院!我闻见了僧侣们阴部的汗臭味。”[532]
他漠然地啐了口唾沫。
一古脑儿全抛在脑后了,就像忘记了可恶的路希那顿鞭子一样。[533]也忘记了撇下那个三十岁的女人[534]的事。为什么没再生个娃娃呢?而且,为什么头胎是个女孩儿呢?
事后聪明。从头来一遍。
倔强的隐士依然在那儿呢(他把点心拿在乎里[535]),还有那个文静的小伙子,小乖乖[536],菲多那囝囝般的金发。[537]
呃……我只是呃……曾经想要……我忘记了……呃……
“朗沃思和麦考迪·阿特金森也在那儿[538]……”
迫克·穆利根合辙押韵,颤声吟着:
每逢喊声传邻里,
或听街头大兵语,
我就忽然间想起,
弗·麦考迪·阿特金森,
一条木腿是假的,
穿着短裤不讲道理,
渴了不敢把酒饮,
嘴缺下巴的马吉,
活了一世怕娶妻,
二人成天搞手淫。[539]
继续嘲弄吧。认识自己。[540]
一个嘲弄者在我下面停下脚步,望着我。我站住了。
“愁眉苦脸的戏子,”勃克·穆利根慨叹道,“辛格为了活得更自然,不再穿丧服了。只有老鸨、教士和英国煤炭才是黑色的。”[541]
他唇边掠过一丝微笑。
“自从你写了那篇关于狗鳕婆子格雷戈里的文章,”他说,“朗沃思就感到非常烦闷。哦,你这个好窥人隐私、成天酗酒的犹太耶稣会士!她在报馆里替你谋一份差事,你却骂她是蹩脚演员,写了那些蠢话。你难道不能学点叶芝的笔法吗?[542]”
他歪鼻子斜眼地走下楼梯,优雅地抡着胳膊吟诵着:
“我国当代一部最美的书。它令人想到荷马。”
他在楼梯下止住了步子。
“我为哑剧演员们构思了一出戏,”他认真地说。
有着圆柱的摩尔式大厅,阴影交错。九个头戴有标志的帽子的男人跳的摩利斯舞[543]结束了。
勃克·穆利根用他那甜润、抑扬顿挫的嗓音读着那个法
版:[544]
人人是各自的妻

到手的蜜月
(由三次情欲亢进构成的、国民不道德剧)
作者
巴洛基·穆利根[545]
他朝斯蒂芬装出一脸快乐的傻笑,说:
“就怕伪装得不够巧妙。可是且听下去。”
他读道,清晰地:[546]
登场人物
托比·托斯托夫(破了产的波兰人)
克雷布(土匪)[547]
医科学生迪克
和一石二鸟
医科学生戴维
老枢葛罗甘(送水者)
新手内莉
以及
罗莎莉(煤炭码头上的婊子)
他摇头晃脑地笑了,继续往前走,斯蒂芬跟在后面。他对着影子——对着人们的灵魂快快乐乐地说着话儿:
“啊,坎姆顿会堂[548]的那个夜晚啊!——你躺在桑椹色的、五彩续纷的大量呕吐物当中。为了从你身上迈过去,爱琳[549]的女儿们得撩起她们的裙子!”
“她们为之撩起裙子的,”斯蒂芬说,“是爱琳最天真无邪的儿子。”
正要走出门口的当儿,他觉出背后有人,便往旁边一闪。
走吧。现在正是时机。那么,去哪儿呢?倘若苏格拉底今天离开家,倘若犹大今晚外出。为什么?它横在我迟早会无可避免地要到达的空间。
我的意志。与我遥遥相对的是他的意志。中间隔着汪洋大海。
一个男人边鞠躬边致意,从他们之间穿过。
“又碰见了,”勃克·穆利根说。
有圆柱的门廊。
为了占卜凶吉,我曾在这里眺望过鸟群。[550]飞鸟之神安古斯。它们飞去又飞来。昨天晚上我飞了。飞得自由自在。人们感到惊异。随后就是娼妓街。他捧着一只淡黄色蜜瓜朝我递过来。进来吧。随你挑[551]。
“一个流浪的犹太人,[552]”勃克、穆利根战战兢兢地装出一副小丑的样子悄悄地说,“你瞅见他的眼神了吗?他色迷迷地盯着你哩。我怕你,老水手。[553]哦,金赤。你的处境危险呀。去买条结实的裤衩吧。”
牛津派头。
白昼。拱形桥的上空,悬着状似独轮手车的太阳。
黑色的脊背方着豹一般的步伐,走在他们前面,从吊门的[554]倒刺下边钻了出去。
他们跟在后面。
继续对我大放厥词吧,说下去。
柔和的空气使基尔戴尔街的房屋外角轮廓鲜明。没有鸟儿。两缕轻烟从房顶袅袅上升,形成羽毛状,被一阵和风柔和地刮走。
别再厮斗了。辛白林的德鲁伊特祭司们的安宁,阐释秘义:在辽阔的大地上筑起一应祭坛。
让我们赞美神明;
让袅袅香烟从我们神圣的祭坛

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:36重新编辑 ]
soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
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中:
9、为了缓和大家的情绪


为了缓和大家的情绪,公谊会教徒[1]-图书馆长文质彬彬地轻声说道:“球门不是还有《威廉·迈斯特》那珍贵的篇章吗?一位伟大的诗人对另一位弟兄般的大诗人加以论述。[2]一具犹豫不决的灵魂,被相互矛盾的疑惑所撕扯,挺身反抗人世无边的苦难[3],就像我们在现实生活中所看到的那样。”
他踏着橐橐作响的牛皮鞋[4],跳着五步舞[5]前进一步,又跳着五步舞[6],在肃穆的地板上后退一步。
一名工役悄悄地把门开了个缝儿,默默地朝他做了个手势。
“马上就来,”他说,踏着橐橐作响的鞋正要走开,却又踟蹰不前。“充满绮丽幻想而又不实际的梦想家,面临严峻的现实,就只有一败涂地。[7]我们读到这里,总觉得歌德的论断真是对极了。他的宏观分析是正确的。”
像是听了倍加响亮的分析,他踩着“科兰多”舞步[8]走开了。歇顶的他,在门旁耸起那双大耳朵,倾听着工役的每一句话,然后就走了。
只剩下两个人。
“德·拉帕利斯先生,”斯蒂芬冷笑着说,“直到死前一刻钟还活着。[9]”
“你找到那六个勇敢的医科学生了吗?”约翰·埃格林顿[10]以长者的刻薄口气问道,“好叫他们把《失乐园》[11]笔录下来。他管这叫作《魔鬼之烦恼》。[12]”
微笑吧。露出克兰利[13]微笑吧。
起初他为她搔痒,
接着就抚摩她,
并捅进一根女用导尿管。
因为他是个医科学生,
爽朗快活的老医……
“倘若是写《哈姆莱特》的话,我觉得你还需要再添上一个人物。对神秘主义者来说,七是个可贵的数字。威·巴把它叫作灿烂的七。[14]”
他目光炯炯,将长着赤褐色头发的脑袋挨近绿灯罩的台灯,在暗绿的阴影下,寻觅着胡子拉碴的脸——长着圣者的眼睛的奥拉夫般的脸。[15]他低声笑了。这是三一学院工读生[16]的笑。没有人理睬他。
管弦乐队的魔鬼痛哭,
淌下了天使般的眼泪。[17]
然而他以自己的屁股代替了号筒。[18]
他抓住我的愚行当作了把柄。
克兰利手下那十一名土生土长的威克洛[19]男子有志于解放祖国。豁牙子凯思林,她那四片美丽的绿野,她家里的陌生人。[20]还有一个向他致意的:“你好,拉比。[21]蒂那依利市[22]的十二个人。在狭谷的阴影下,他吹口哨吆唤他们。一个又一个夜晚,我把灵魂的青春献给了他。祝你一路平安。好猎手。[23]
穆利根收到了我的电报。[24]
愚行。一不做,二不休。
“咱们爱尔兰的年轻诗人们,”约翰·埃格林顿告诫说,“还得塑造出一位将被世人誉为能与萨克逊佬莎士比亚的哈姆莱特相媲美的人物。尽管我和老本[25]一样佩服他,并且对他崇拜得五体投地。”
“这些纯粹属于学术问题,”拉塞尔从阴影里发表宏论。“我指的是哈姆莱特究竟是莎士比亚还是詹姆斯一世[26],抑或是艾塞克斯伯爵[27]这样的问题,就像是由教士们来讨论耶稣在历史上的真实性一样。艺术必须向我们昭示某种观念——无形的精神真髓[28]。关于一部艺术作品首要的问题是:它究竟是从怎样深邃的生命中涌现出来的。古斯塔夫·莫罗[29]的绘画表达了意念。雪莱最精深的诗句,哈姆莱特的话语,都能够使我们的心灵接触到永恒的智慧,接触到柏拉图的观念世界。其他左不过是学生们之间的空想而已。”
A·E·曾对前来采访的美国记者这么说过。[30]唉,该死的!
“学者也得先当学生呀,”斯蒂芬极其客气地说,“亚理斯多德就曾经是柏拉图的学生。”
“而且他始终是那样,像我们所希望的,”约翰·埃格林顿安详地说,“我们仿佛总可以看到他那副腋下夹着文凭的模范生的样子。”
他又朝着现在正泛着微笑的那张胡子拉碴的脸,笑了笑。
无形的精神上的。父,道,圣息。万灵之父,天人[31]。希稣斯·克利斯托斯[32],美的魔术师,不断地在我们内心里受苦受难的逻备斯[33]。这确实就是那个。我是祭坛上的火。我是供牺牲的黄油。[34]
邓洛普[35],贾奇[36],在他们那样人当中最高贵的罗马人[37],A·E·阿尔瓦尔[38],高高在天上的那个应当避讳的名字:库·胡·[39]——那是他们的大师,消息灵通人士都晓得其真实面目。大白屋支部[40]的成员们总是观察着,留意他们能否出一臂之力。基督携带着新娘子修女[41],润湿的光,受胎于圣灵的处女,忏悔的神之智慧[42],死后进入佛陀的境界。秘教的生活不适宜一般人。芸芸众生必须先赎清宿孽。库珀·奥克利夫人[43]有一次瞥见了我们那位大名鼎鼎的姊妹海·佩·勃的原始状态。
哼!哼!呸!呸![44]可耻,冒失鬼![45]你不应该看,太太。当一个女人露出原始状态的时候,那是不许看的。
贝斯特[46]先生进来了。个子高高的,年轻,温和,举止安详。他手里文雅地拿着一本又新又大、洁净而颜色鲜艳的笔记本。
“那个模范学生会认为,”斯蒂芬说,“哈姆莱特王子针对自己灵魂的来世所作的冥想,那难以置信、毫不足取、平淡无奇的独白,简直跟柏拉图一样浅薄。”[47]
约翰·埃格林顿皱起眉头,怒气冲冲地说:
“说实在的,一听见有人把亚理斯多德跟柏拉图相比较,我就气炸了肺。”
“想把我赶出理想国的,”斯蒂芬问,“是他们两个当中的哪一个呢?”[48]
亮出你那匕首般的定义吧。马性者,一切马匹之本质也。他们崇敬升降流和伊涌[49]。神:街上的喊叫。逍遥学派[50]味道十足。空间:那是你非看不可的东西。穿过比人血中的红血球还小的空间,追在布莱克的臀部后面,他们慢慢爬行到永恒。这个植物世界仅只是它的影子。[51]紧紧地把握住此时此地,未来的一切都将经由这里涌入过去。[52]
贝斯特先生和蔼可亲地走向他的同僚。
“海恩斯走掉啦,”他说。
“是吗?”
“我给他看朱班维尔[53]的书来着。要知道,他完全热衷于海德的《康诺特情歌》。我没能把他拉到这儿来听听大家的议论,他到吉尔书店买这本书去了。”
我的小册子,快快前去,
向麻木的公众致意,
写作用贫乏寒伦的英语,
决不是我的原意。[54]
“泥炭烟上了他的大脑,”约翰·埃格林顿议论道。
我们英国人觉得……[55]悔悟的窃贼。[56]走掉啦。我吸了他的纸烟。一颗璀璨的绿色宝石。镶嵌在海洋这指环上的绿宝石。[57]
“人们不晓得情歌有多么危险,”金蛋[58]拉塞尔用诡谲的口吻警告说,“在世界上引起的革命运动,原是在山麓间,在一个庄稼汉的梦境和幻象中产生的。 对他们来说,大地不是可供开拓的土壤,而是位活生生的母亲。 学院和街心广场那稀薄的空气会产生六先令一本的小说和沸艺场的小调。法国通过乌拉梅[59]创造了最精致的颓废之花,然而惟有灵性贫乏者[60],才能获得理想生活的启迪。比方说荷马笔下的腓依基人的生活。”
听罢这番话,贝斯特先生将那张不冲撞人的脸转向斯蒂芬。
“要知道,乌拉梅写下的那些精彩的散文诗,”他说,“在巴黎的时候,斯蒂芥·麦克纳[61]常朗读给我听。有一首是关于《哈姆莱特》的。[62]他说: 他边读一本写他自己的书,边漫步。[63]要知道:边读一本写他自己的书。他描述了一个法国镇子上演《哈姆莱特》的情景。要知道,是内地的一个镇子。他们还登了广告。”
他用那只空着的手优雅地比比画画,在虚空中写下小小的字:
哈姆莱特
或者
心神恍惚的男子
莎士比亚的剧作[64]
他对约翰·埃格林顿那再一次皱起来的眉头重复了一遍:
“要知道,莎士比亚的戏剧[65]哩。法国味十足。法国人的观点。哈姆莱特或者……[66]”
“心神恍惚的乞丐[67],”斯蒂芥替他把话结束了。
约翰·埃格林顿笑了。
“对,依我看就是这样,”他说,“毫无疑问,那是个优秀的民族,可在某些事物上,目光又短浅得令人厌烦。”[68]
豪华而情节呆板、内容夸张的凶杀剧。[69]
“罗伯特·格林曾称他作‘灵魂的刽子手’[70],”斯蒂芬说,“他真不愧为屠夫的儿子,[71]在手心上啐口唾沫,就抡起磨得锃亮的杀牛斧。[72]为了他父亲这一条命,葬送掉了九条[73]。我们在炼狱中的父亲。[74]身着土黄色军服的哈姆莱特们毫不迟疑地开熗。[75]第五幕那浴血的惨剧[76]乃是斯温伯恩先生在诗中歌颂过的集中营的前奏[77]。”
克兰利,我是他的一名沉默寡言的传令兵,离得远远地观望着战斗。
对凶恶敌人之妇孺,
只有我们予以宽恕……
夹在萨克逊人的微笑与美国佬的饶舌之间。魔鬼与深渊之间。
“他想把《哈姆莱特》说成是个鬼怪故事,”约翰·埃格林顿替贝斯特先生解释说,“像《匹克威克》里的胖小子似的,他想把我们吓得毛骨悚然。[78]
听着,听着,啊,听着![79]
我的肉身倾听着他的话,胆战心惊地听着。
要是你曾经……[80]
“什么是鬼魂?”斯蒂芬精神抖擞地说,“那不外乎就是一个人由于死亡,由于不在,由于形态的变化而消失到虚无飘渺中去。伊丽莎白女王时代的伦敦与斯特拉特福[81]相距之远,一如今天堕落的巴黎之于纯洁的都柏林。谁是那个离开了幽禁祖先的所在[82]而返回到己把他遗忘了的世界上来的鬼魂呢?谁是哈姆莱特王呢?”
约翰·埃格林顿挪动了一下他那瘦小的身躯,向后靠了靠,在做出判断。
情绪激昂了。
“那是六月中旬的一天,就在这个时辰,”斯蒂芬迅疾地扫视了大家一眼,好让人们注意倾听他的话,“河滨的剧场升起了旗子。旁边的巴黎园里,萨克逊大熊在栏中吼叫着。跟德雷克一道航过海的老水手们,混在池座的观众当中,嚼着香肠。[83]”
地方色彩。把自己晓得的统统揉进去。让他们做同谋者。
“莎士比亚离开了西尔弗街那所胡格诺派教徒的房子,沿着排列在河岸上的天鹅槛定去。然而他并不停下脚步来喂那赶着成群小天鹅朝灯心草丛中走去的母天鹅。埃文河的天鹅[84]别有心思。”
场子的构图。[85]依纳爵·罗耀拉啊,赶快来帮助我吧!
“戏开台了。一个演员从暗处[86]踱了过来。他身披宫廷里哪位花花公子穿剩的铠甲,体格魁悟,有着一副男低音的嗓子。这就是鬼魂,是国王,又不是国王,[87]演员乃是莎士比亚。[88]他毕生的岁月不曾虚度,都倾注在研究《哈姆莱特》上了,以便扮演幽灵这个角色。他隔着绷了一层蜡布[89]的架子,呼唤着站在自己对面的年轻演员伯比奇[90]的名字:
哈姆莱特。啊,我是你父亲的阴魂……[91]
并吩咐他听着。他是对儿子,自己的灵魂之子——王子,年轻的哈姆莱恃——说话;也对内身之子哈姆奈特[92]·莎士比亚说话——他死在斯特拉特福,以便让他的同名者获得永生。”
身为演员的莎士比亚,由于外出而做了鬼魂,身穿死后做了鬼魂的墓中的丹麦先王的服装[93],他可不可能就是在对亲生儿子的名字(倘若哈姆奈特·莎士比亚不曾夭折,他就成为哈姆莱特王子的双生兄弟了),说着自己的台词呢?我倒是想知道,他可不可能,有没有理由相信:他并不曾从这些前提中得出或并不曾预见到符合逻辑的结论:你是被废黜的儿子,我是被杀害的父亲,你母亲就是那有罪的王后,[94]娘家姓哈撒韦的安·莎士比亚?
“但是像这样来窥探一个伟大人物的家庭生活,那可……”拉塞尔不耐烦地开了腔。
你在那儿吗,老实人?[95]
“只有教区执事才对这有兴趣。我的意思是说,我们有剧本在手。也就是说,当我们读《李尔王》的诗篇时,该诗作者究竟是怎样生活过来的,干我们什么事?维利耶·德利尔曾说,我们的仆人们可以替我们活下去。[96]窥视并刺探演员当天在休息室里的飞短流长:诗人怎么酗酒啦,诗人如何负债啦。我们有《李尔王》,而那是不朽的。”
这话是说给贝斯特先生听的,他露出赞同的神色。
用你的波浪,你的海洋淹没他们吧,
马南南啊,马南南·麦克李尔……[97]
喂,老兄,你饿肚子的时候他借给你的那一镑钱哪儿去啦?[98]
哎唷,我需要那笔钱来着。
把这枚诺布尔[99]拿去吧。
去你的吧!你把大部分钱都花在牧师的女儿乔冶娜·约翰逊[100]的床上啦。内心的呵责。
你打算偿还吗?
嗯,当然。
什么时候?现在吗?
喏……不。
那么,什么时候?
我没欠过债。我没欠过债。
要镇定。他是从博伊恩河彼岸来的。在东北角上。[101]你欠了他钱。
且慢。已经过了五个月。分子统统起了变化。现在的我已换了个人。钱是另外那个我欠下的。
早过时啦![102]
然而我,生命原理,形态的形态,由于形态是不断变化的,在记忆之中,我恢然是我。[103]
我,曾经犯过罪,祈祷过,也守过斋戒。
康米从体罚中拯救过的一个孩子。[104]
我,我和我,我。
A·E·I·O·U·
“难道你想违反已经延续了三个世纪的传统吗?”约翰·埃格林顿用吹毛求疵的腔调问道,“至少她的亡灵已永远安息了。至少就文学来说,她还没出生之前就已去世。”
“她是在出生六十七年之后去世的,”斯蒂芥反驳说,“她看到他出世,以及离开人间。[105]她接受了他第一次的拥抱。她生下了他的娃娃们。在他弥留之际,她曾把几枚便士放在他眼睑上,好让他瞑目。”
母亲临终卧在床上。蜡烛。用布单罩起来的镜子。把我生到这世上的人躺在那里,眼睑上放着青铜币,在寥寥几朵廉价的花儿下。饰以百合的光明……[106]
我独自哭泣。
约翰·埃格林顿瞧着他那盏火苗纠缠在一起发出萤光的灯。[107]
“世人相信莎士比亚做错了一件事,”他说,“并尽快她用最巧妙的办法脱了身。”[108]
“那是胡扯!”斯蒂芬鲁莽地说,“天才是不会做错事的。他是明知故犯,那是认识之门。”
认识之门打开了,公谊会教徒——图书馆长走了进来,脚下的鞋轻轻地吱吱响着。他已歇顶,竖起耳朵,兢兢业业。
“很难想像,”约翰·埃格林顿卓有见识地说,“泼妇会是个有用的认识之门。苏格拉底从赞蒂贝[109]身上又认识到了什么呢?”
“辩证法[110]嘛,”斯蒂芬说,“还从他母亲那儿学会了怎样把思想带到人间。[111]他从另一个老婆默尔托[112](名字是无所谓的![113])——也就是说,‘好苏格拉底[114]的灵魂的分身[115]’——那儿学到了什么,任何男人或女人都永远不得而知。然而‘助产术’也罢,闺训[116]也罢,都末能从新芬党[117]的执政官与他们那杯毒芹下救他一命。[118]”
“可是安·哈澈韦呢?”贝斯特先生像是心不在焉似地以安详的口吻说,“是啊,我们好像忘记了她,正如莎士比亚本人也把她遗忘了。”
他的视线从冥思着的那个人的胡子扫到吹毛求疵者的脑壳,宛若在提醒他们,和颜悦色地责备他们,然后又转向那尽管无辜却受到迫害的罗拉德派[119]那粉红色的秃脑袋。
“他颇有点儿机智,”斯蒂芬说,“记忆力也不含糊。当他用口哨吹着《我撇下的姑娘》[120],朝罗马维尔[121]吃力地走着的时候,他的行囊里就装有记忆。即便那场地震不曾记载下来[122], 我们也应知道,该把蹲在窝里的可怜的小兔,猎犬的吠声,镂饰的缰绳,她那蓝色的窗户,[123]放在他一生的哪个时期。《维纳斯与阿都尼》中所描绘的那番记忆[124], 存在于伦敦每个荡妇的寝室里。悍妇凯瑟丽娜[125]长得丑吗?霍坦西奥说她又年轻又漂亮。难道你以为《安东尼与克莉奥佩特拉》的作者,一个热情的香客[126], 两眼竟长在脑后,单挑沃里克郡最丑的淫妇来跟自已睡觉吗?不错,他撇下了她,而获得了男人的世界[127]。然而由男童所扮演的女角儿们[128]是从一个男童 [129] 眼中看到的女人们。她们的生活、思想、语言,都是男人所赋予的。 难道他没选好吗?我觉得毋宁说他是被选的。[130]倘若其他女人能够从心所欲[131],安自有她的办法。[132]的的确确,她该受责难。[133]是她这个二十六岁的甜姐儿[134]对他进行引诱的。好比是美妙的开场白[135],灰眼女神[136]伏在少年阿都尼身上,屈就取胜。这就是厚脸皮的斯特拉特福荡妇,她曾把比自己年轻的情人[137]压翻在麦田里[138]。”
轮到我?什么时候?
来吧!
“裸麦地,”贝斯特先生欣喜快活地说,并且欣喜地、快活地高举着他那本新书。
然后,他喃喃地吟诵起来;那头金发使大家赏心悦目。
裸麦地的田垄间,
俊俏乡男村女眠。[139]
帕里斯,陶醉了的诱惑者。[140]
身穿毛茸茸的家织布衣的高个子[141]从阴影里站起来,掀开了他从合作社头来的怀表的盖子。
“看来我得到《家园报》去啦。”
去哪儿?到可开拓的土地上去。
“你要走了吗?”约翰·埃格林顿挑起眉毛问,“今儿晚上咱们在穆尔[142]家见面,好吗?派珀[143]要来哩。”
“派珀!”贝斯特先生尖声说,“派珀回来了吗?”
彼得·派珀噼噼啪啪地一点点挑选着啄食盐汁胡椒。[144]
“这就难说了。这是星期四嘛,我们还有会呢,要是我能及时脱身的话……”
道森套房里那间通神学家们的瑜伽魔室[145]。《揭去面纱的伊希斯》。[146]我们曾试图把他们这本巴利语[147]著作送进当铺。在暗褐色华盖的遮阴下,他盘腿坐在宝座上;在星界发挥机能的阿兹特克族的逻各斯[148],他们的超灵[149],大我[150]。已够入门资格的虔诚的秘义信徒们环绕着他,等待着启示。路易斯·H·维克托里[151]。T·考尔菲尔德·艾尔温[152]。莲花净土的少女们不断地注视着他们。[153]他们的松果体[154]熠熠发光。他内心里充满了神,登上宝座。芭蕉树下的佛陀。[155]吞入灵魂者,吞没者。[156]他的幽魂,她的幽魂,成群的幽魂。[157]他们呜呜哀号,被卷入漩涡,边旋转,边痛哭。[158]
万物精髓之琐事,
肉牢经年女魂栖。[159]
“他们说在文艺方面将有一桩惊人之举,”公谊会教徒一图书馆长友好而诚挚地说,“听说拉塞尔先生正在把我们年轻诗人的作品收成集子。[160]大家都在翘首企盼着哪。”
他借那圆锥形的灯光热切地扫视着。在灯光映照下,三张脸发着亮。
看吧,并且记在脑子里。
斯蒂芬俯视着横挂在他膝头的那根梣木手杖柄上的宽檐平顶帽。我的盔和剑。用两根食指轻轻地摸一下。亚理斯多德的试验。一个还是两个?必然性就在于此。人只能是自己,不可能是其他任何东西。[161]所以,一顶帽子就是一顶帽子。[162]
听着。[163]
年轻的科拉姆和斯塔基[164]。乔治·罗伯茨[165]负责商务方面。朗沃思[166]会在《快邮报》上把它大棒一通的。噢,他会吗?我喜欢科拉姆的《牲畜商》。对,我认为他具有那种古怪的东西——天才。你认为他真有天才吗?叶芝曾赞美过他这句诗:宛如一只埋在荒漠中的希腊瓶。[167]是吗?我希望今天晚上你能够来。玛拉基·穆利根也要来的。穆尔托他把海恩斯带来。你听到过米切尔小姐讲的关于穆尔和马丁的笑话吗?她说,穆尔是马丁的浪荡儿。[168]讲得真是巧妙,令人联想到堂吉诃德和桑丘·潘沙。西格尔逊博士[169]说,我们民族的史诗至今还没写出来。穆尔正是适当的人选。他是都柏林这里的一位愁容骑士[170]。奥尼尔·拉塞尔[171]穿一条桔黄色百褶短裙[172]吗?啊,对,他一定会讲庄重的古语。还有他那位杜尔西尼娅[173]呢?詹姆斯·斯蒂芬斯[174]正在写俏皮的小品文。看来我们变得越来越重要了。
考狄利娅。考德利奥。李尔那最孤独的女儿。[175]
偏僻荒蛮。现在该上你最拿手的法国磨光漆了。[176]
“非常感谢你,拉塞尔先生,”斯蒂芬边站起身来边说,“劳驾请把这封信交给诺曼先生……”
“啊,好的。假若他认为这重要,就会刊用的。我们的读者来稿踊跃极了。”
“我知道,”斯蒂芬说,“谢谢啦。”
天老爷犒劳你。[177]猪猡的报纸[178]。阉牛之友派。
辛格也曾答应我,要为《达娜》杂志[179]写篇稿子。我们的文章会有读者吗?我认为会有的。盖尔语联盟[180]要点用爱尔兰语写的东西。我希望今天晚上你肯来。把斯塔基也带来吧。
斯蒂芬坐了下来。
公谊会教徒-图书馆长向那些告辞的人们打完招呼之后,就走过来了。他泛红着假面具般的脸说:
“迪达勒斯先生,你的观点极有启发性。”
他踮起脚尖,脚步声橐橐地踱来踱去,鞋跟有多么厚,离天就靠近了多少[181]。然后在往外走的一片嘈杂声的掩盖下,他低声说:
“那么,你认为她对诗人不忠贞吗?”
那张神色惊愕的脸问我。他为什么走过来呢?是出于礼貌,还是得到了什么内心之光?[182]
“既然有和解,”斯蒂芬说,“当初想必就有过纷争。”
“可不是嘛。”
穿着鞣皮紧身裤的基督狐。一个亡命徒,藏到枯树杈里,躲避着喧嚣。他没同母狐狸打过交道。孑然一身,被追逐着。他赢得了女人们的心,都是些软心肠的人们:有个巴比伦娼妇,还有法官夫人们,以及胖墩墩的酒馆掌柜的娘儿们。[183]“狐入鹅群”[184]。在“新地”大宅[185],有个慵懒的浪荡女人。想当初她曾经像肉桂那么鲜艳、娇嫩、可人,而今全部枝叶都已凋落,一丝不挂,对窄小的墓穴心怀畏惧,并且未得到宽恕。
“可不是嘛。那么,你认为……”
门在走出去的人们背后关上了。
一片静寂突然笼罩了这间幽深的拱顶斗室。是温暖和沉滞的空气带来的静寂。
维斯太[186]的一盏灯。
在这里,他冥想着一些莫须有的事,倘若恺撒相信预言家的警告而活下来的话,[187]那么他究竟会做些什么事呢?有可能发生的事。可能发生的、可能的情况的种种可能性。[188]不可知的事情。当阿戏留生活在女辈中间时,他用的是什么名字呢?[189]
我周围是封闭起来的思想,装在木乃伊匣里,填上语言香料保存起来。透特[190],图书馆的神,头戴月冠的鸟神。我听见那位埃及祭司长的声音[191]:在那一间间堆满泥板书的彩屋里。
这些思维是沉寂的。它们在人的头脑里却曾经十分活跃。沉寂,但是它们内部却怀着对死亡的渴望,在我耳际讲个感伤的故事,敦促我表露他们的愿望。
“毫无疑问,”约翰·埃格林顿沉吟一下说,“在所有的伟人中间,他是最难以理解的。除了他曾生活过并且苦恼过而外,我们对他一无所知。不,连这一点也不清楚。旁人经受我们的置疑[192]。其余的都遮在阴影之下[193]。”
“然而《哈姆莱特》这个作品多么富于个人色彩啊,对吗?”贝斯特先生申辩说,“要知道,我是说,这是有关他的私生活的一种个人手记——我是说,他的生平。至于谁被杀或是谁是凶手,我倒丝毫也不在意……”
他把清白无辜的笔记本放在桌边上,面上泛着挑战似的微笑。用盖尔语所撰写的他的个人记录。船在陆上。我是个僧侣。[194]把它译成英文[195]吧,小个子约翰。[196]
小个子约翰·埃格林顿说:
“根据我听玛拉基·穆利根所谈起过的,对于这些奇谈怪论我是有准备的。不过我不妨忠告你,倘若你想动摇我对于莎士比亚就是哈姆莱特这一信念,那可不是轻而易举的。”
原谅我。[197]
斯蒂芬忍受着在皱起的眉毛下,严厉地闪着邪光的那双眼睛的剧毒。小王[198]。而一经它盯视,人就被蛊惑致死。[199]布鲁涅托[200]先生,我要为这句话而感谢你。
“正像我们,或母亲达娜[201],一天天地编织再拆散我们的身子,[202]”斯蒂芬说,“肉体的分子来来回回穿梭;一位艺术家也这样把自己的人物形象编织起来再拆散。尽管我的肉身反复用新的物质编织起来,我右胸上那颗胎里带来的痣[203]还在原先的地方。同样地,没有生存在世上的儿子的形象,通过得不到安息的父亲的亡灵,在向前望着。想象力迸发的那一瞬间,用雪莱的话来说,当精神化为燃烧殆尽的煤[204]那一瞬间,过去的我成为现在的我,还可能是未来的我。因此,在未来(它是过去的姊妹)中,我可以看到当前坐在这里的自己,但反映的却是未来的我。”
霍索恩登的德拉蒙德[205]帮助你度过了难关。
“是啊,”贝斯特先生兴致勃勃地说,“我觉得哈姆莱特十分年轻。[206]他对世事那股子激愤可能来自他父亲,可是跟奥菲利娅的那些段落肯定来自他本人。”
这可就大错特错啦。他在我的父亲之中,我在他的儿子之中。
“那颗疮是无从消失的,[207]”斯蒂芬笑着说。
约翰·埃格林顿绷着脸皱起眉头。
“倘若那是天才的胎记,”他说,“天才就成了市场上的滞销货啦。勒南[208]所称赞不已的莎士比亚晚年的戏剧,呈现出的可是另一种精神。”
“和解的精神,”公谊会教徒一图书馆长低声说。
“和解又从何谈起,”斯蒂芬说,“除非先有过纷争。”
话就说到这里。
“倘若你想知道,《李尔王》、《奥瑟罗》、《哈姆莱特》和《特洛伊罗斯与克瑞西达》的可怕时刻,究竟被哪些事件罩上了阴影,你就得先留意这个阴影是什么时候和怎样消失的。在一场场可怕的风暴中,泰尔亲王配力克里斯的船翻了,他像另一个尤利西斯那样受尽磨难。[209]是什么给他的心带来慰藉呢?”
头戴红尖帽,受尽折磨,被泪水遮住了视线。[210]
“一个娃娃——放在他怀里的女孩儿玛丽娜[211]。”
“智者派容易误入外典[212]这一歧途的倾向是一条永恒不变的规律,”约翰·埃格林顿一语道破,“大道[213]固然冷清,然而它通向城市。”
好样儿的培根[214]。已经发了霉。莎士比亚即培根这一牵强附会的说法。[215]用密码来变戏法的[216]走在大道上。从事宏伟的探索的人们。到哪座城市去呀,各位好老爷?隐姓埋名:A·E·,永恒。马吉是约翰·埃格林顿[217]。太阳之东,月亮之西,[218]长生不老国[219]。两个人都脚蹬长靴,拄着拐杖。[220]
离都柏林[211]还有多远?
先生,还得走七十英里。
掌灯时分能到吗?
“布兰代斯认定,”斯蒂芬说,“它是晚期的头一部剧本。[222]”
“是吗?关于这一点,西德尼·李[223]先生——或照某些人的说法,原名叫西蒙·拉扎勒斯的——又怎么说呢?”
“玛丽娜是风暴的孩子[224],米兰达是奇迹[225],潘狄塔是失去了[226]。丢失了的,又还给他了;他女儿的娃娃。[227]配力克里斯曾说:‘我的最亲爱的妻子正像这个女郎一样。’[228]任何一个男人,倘若没有爱过母亲,他会爱女儿吗?[229]”
“做爷爷的艺术,”贝斯特先生开始咕哝道,“变得伟大的艺术……[230]”
[“他会不会参照自己年轻时代的记忆,在她身上看到另一个形象的新生呢?”
你知道自己在说些什么吗?爱——是的。大家都晓得的字眼。[231]爱乃由于给予对方之欲望,使之幸福。要某物,则属对自己愿望之满足。][232]
“对于一个具有那种叫作天才的古怪东西的人来说,他的形象就是一切经验的基准,不论是物质还是精神方面的。这样的共鸣会触动他的心弦。跟他同一血统的其他男子的形象,会引起他的反感。他会从中看到大自然预示或重复他自己的那种不伦不类的尝试。”
公谊会教徒-图书馆长那宽厚的前额被希望点燃了,泛着玫瑰色。
“为了启发大家,我希望迪达勒斯先生会完成他的这一学说。我们还必须提到另一位爱尔兰注释者乔治·萧伯纳[233]先生。我们也不可忘记弗兰克·哈里斯[234]先生。他在《星期六评论》上所发表的关于莎士比亚的论文着实精彩。说也奇怪,他也为我们描述了《十四行诗》[235]的作者和‘黑夫人’之间不幸的关系。受到这位女人青睐的情敌是彭布罗克伯爵-威廉·赫伯特[236]。我认为,倘若诗人非遭到拒绝不可,那么这样的拒绝——怎么说好呢?——似乎是和我们对于本来不应有的情况所抱观点毋宁是一致的。”[237]
他说完这番措词恰当的话之后,就在众人当中昂起温顺的头——一枚海雀蛋[238],大家争夺的猎物。
他使用丈夫那种老式辞句——就像浑家啦,内助啦。卿爱否,米莉亚姆?[239]爱汝夫否?[240]
“这也可能吧,”斯蒂芬说,“马吉喜欢引用歌德的一句话:“当心你年轻时所抱的愿望,因为到了中年就会变为现实。[241]他为什么派一个小贵族[242] 去向一个花姑娘[243]求婚呢?她是人人行驶的海湾[244],少女时代声名狼藉[245]的宫女。他本人是个语言贵族[246],成为一位卑微的绅士,他还写了《罗密欧与朱丽叶》。为什么?他的自信心过早地被扼杀了。首先,他曾被压翻在麦田(可以说是裸麦地)里。打那以后,他在自己眼中再也不是赢者了,更不能在笑而躺下的游戏[247] 中取胜。不论怎样以唐磺[248]自居,也无济于事。后来再怎么弥补,也无法挽回最初的失败。他被野猪的獠牙咬伤了[249],悍妇即使输了, 她手中也还有那看不见的女性武器。我感觉,他的言词中有着刺激肉身使其陷入新的激情的东西。 这是比最初的激情还要晦暗的影子,甚至使他对自己的认识都模糊起来。 同样的命运在等待着他,两种狂乱汇成一股漩涡。
他们在倾听。我往他们的耳腔内注入。
“灵魂已经受到了致命的一击,睡觉的时候,毒草汁被注入耳腔。[250]然而在睡眠中遇害的人不可能了解自己是怎样被害的,除非造物主赋予他们的灵魂以洞察来世的本事。倘若造物主不曾让他晓得,哈姆莱特王的鬼魂不可能知道毒杀以及促使这一行动的双背禽兽[251]的事。正因为如此,他的言辞(贫乏而且寒伧的英语[252])总是转到旁的方面,转到后面。既是凌辱者又是被凌辱者,既愿意又不愿意[253],从鲁克丽丝那蓝纹纵横的象牙球般的双乳[254],到伊摩琴袒露着的胸脯上那颗梅花形的痣[255],一直紧紧缠绕着他。为了逃避自己,他积累起一大堆创作。如今对这些都已厌倦了,就像一只舔着旧时伤口的老狗似的折回去了。然而,由于失对他来说就是得,他就带着丝毫不曾减弱的人性步入永恒。他所写下的智慧也罢,他所阐明的法则也罢,都没有使他受到教益。他的脸甲掀起来了。[256]如今他成为亡灵,成为阴影;他成为从艾尔西诺的峰岩间刮过去的风;或是各遂所愿[257],成了海洋的声音——只有作为影子的实体的那个人,与父同体的儿子,才听得见的声音。”
“啊们!”有个声音在门口回答说。
我的冤家呀,你找到我了吗?[258]
幕间休息[259]。
这时,形容猥琐、神态像副主教那样阴沉的勃克·穆利根身穿色彩斑斓的小丑服装,愉快地向笑脸相迎的人们走来。我的电报。[260]
“假若我没听错的话,你在谈论设有实质的脊椎动物[261]吧?”他问斯蒂芬。
他穿着淡黄色背心,把他摘下的巴拿马草帽当作丑角的帽子似的抡着,快活地致意。
大家向他表示欢迎。你尽管嘲弄他,也还是得侍奉他[262]。
一样嘲弄者,佛提乌,冒牌的小先知,[263]约翰·莫斯特[264]。
他,自我诞生之神,以圣灵为媒介,自己委派自己为赎罪者,来到自己和旁人之间,他受仇敌欺骗,被剥光衣服,遭到鞭笞,被钉在十字架上饿死,宛若蝙蝠钉于谷仓门上,听任自己被埋葬,重新站起,征服了地狱,[265]升入天堂。一千九百年来,坐于自己的实体之右。当生者全部死亡之日,将从彼而来,审判生死者。[266]
天 主 受 享 荣 福 于——天。[267]
他举起双手。圣器的帷幕垂下来了。啊,成簇的花儿!一座又一座又一座钟,响成一片。
“是呀,确实是,”公谊会教徒-图书馆长说,“那是一场最令人受教益的讨论。穆利根先生想必对莎士比亚的戏剧也自有他的高见。应该把人生的各个方面都谈一谈。”
他一视同仁地朝四面八方微笑着。
勃克·穆利根困惑地左思右想。
“莎士比亚?”他说,“我好像听说过这个名字。”
他那皮肉松弛的脸上闪过一丝开朗的微笑。
“没错儿,”他恍然大悟了,“就是写得像辛格[268]的那位老兄。”
贝斯特先生转向他。
“海恩斯找你哪,”他说,“你碰上他了吗?回头他要在都柏林面包公司跟你见面。他到吉尔书店买海德的《康纳特情歌》去了。”
“我是从博物馆穿过来的,”勃克·穆利根说,“他来过这儿吗?”
“‘大诗人’的同胞们也许对咱们这精彩的议论颇感厌烦了,”约翰·埃格林顿回答说,“我听说昨天晚上在都柏林,一位女演员[269]第四百零人次演出 《哈姆莱特》。维宁[270]提出,这位王子是个女的。有没有人发现他是个爱尔兰人呢?我相信审判官巴顿[271]正在查找什么线索。他(指王子殿下,而不是审判官大人) 曾凭着圣帕特里克的名义起过誓[272]。”
“最妙的是王水德的故事《威·休先生的肖像》,”贝斯特先生举起他那出色的笔记本说,“他在其中证明《十四行诗》是一个名叫威利·休斯的八面玲珑的人写的。”[273]
“那不是献给威利·休斯的吗?”公谊会教徒-图书馆长问。
要不就是休依·威尔斯?威廉先生本人。[274]W·H。我是谁?
“我认为是为威利·休斯而写的,”贝斯特先生顺口纠正自己的谬误说,“当然喽,这全是些似是而非的话。要知道,就像休斯和砍伐和色彩,[275]他的写法独特。要知道,这才是王尔德的精髓呢。落笔轻松。”
他泛着微笑,轻轻地扫视大家一眼。白肤金发碧眼的年轻小伙子。王尔德那柔顺的精髓。[276]
你着实鬼得很。用堂迪希的钱[277]喝了三杯威士忌。
我花了多少?哦,不过几个先令。
为了让一样新闻记者喝上一通。讲那些干净的和不干净的笑话。机智。为了把他打扮自己的那身青春的华服弄到手,你不惜舍弃你的五种机智。[278] 欲望得到满足的面貌。[279]
机会是很多的。交情的时候,把她让给你吧。天神啊,让他们过一个凉快的交尾期吧。[280]对,把她当作斑鸠那样地疼爱吧。
夏娃在赤裸的小麦色肚皮下面犯的罪孽。一条蛇盘绕着她,龇着毒牙跟她接吻。[281]
“你认为这不过是谬论吗?”公谊会教徒-图书馆长在问,“当嘲弄者最认真的时候,却从未被认真对待过。”
他们严肃地讨论起嘲弄者的真诚。
勃克·穆利根又把脸一耷拉,朝斯蒂芬瞅了几眼。然后摇头晃脑地凑过来,从兜里掏出一封折叠着的电报。他那灵活的嘴唇读时露出微笑,带着新的喜悦。
“电报!”他说,“了不起的灵感!电报!罗马教皇的训渝!”
他坐在桌子灯光照不到的一角,兴高采烈地大声读着:
“伤感主义者乃只顾享受而对所做之事不深觉歉疚之火。[282]署名:迪达勒斯。你是打哪儿打的电报?窑子吗?不。学院公园?你把四镑钱都喝掉了吧?姑妈说是要去拜访你那位非同体的父亲。电报!玛拉基·穆利根。下阿贝街‘船记’酒馆。噢,你这个举世无双的滑稽演员!哦,你这个以教士自居的混蛋金赤!”
他乐呵呵地将电报和封套塞到兜里,却又用爱尔兰土腔气冲冲地说:
“是这么回事。好兄弟,当海恩斯亲自把电报拿进来的时候,他和我都正觉得苦恼烦闷来着。我们曾嘟囔说,要足足地喝上它一杯,让行乞的修士都会起魔障。我正转着这个念头,他呢,跟姑娘们黏糊起来了。我们就乖乖儿地坐在康纳里[283]那儿,一个钟头,两个钟头,三个钟头地等下去,指望着每人喝上五六杯呢。”
他唉声叹气地说:
“我们就呆在那儿,乖乖[284],把舌头耷拉得一码长,活像那想酒想得发昏的干嗓子教士。你呢,也不知道躲到哪儿去了,居然还给我们送来了这么个玩艺儿。”
斯蒂芬笑了。
勃克·穆利根像是要提出警告似地弯下腰去。
“流浪汉辛格[285]正在找你哪,”他说,“好把你宰了。他听说你曾往他那坐落在格拉斯特赫尔的房子的正门上撒尿。他趿拉着一双破鞋到处走, 说是要把你宰了。”
“我!”斯蒂芬喊道,“那可是你对文学做出的一桩贡献呀。”
勃克·穆利根开心地向后仰着,朝那黑咕隆咚偷听着的天花板大笑。
“宰了你!”他笑道。
在圣安德烈艺术街上,我一边吃着下水杂烩,一边望着那些严厉的怪兽形面孔。[286]用那对语言报以语言的语言,讲一通话。[287]莪相和帕特里克。[288]他在克拉玛尔森林遇见了抡着酒瓶的牧羊神。[289]那是圣星期五!杀人凶手爱尔兰人。他遇见了自己游荡着的形象。我遇见了我的。我在林中遇见一个傻子。[290]
“利斯特[291]先生,”一个工役从半掩着的门外招呼说。
“……每个人都能在其中找到自己的形象。审判官先生马登在他的《威廉·赛伦斯少爷日记》中找到了狞猎术语……[292]啊,什么事?”
“老爷,来了一位先生,”工役走过来,边递上名片边说,“是《自由人报》社的。他是想看看去年的《基尔肯尼民众报》[293]合订本。”
“好的,好的,好的。这位先生在……?”
他接过那张殷勤地递过来的名片,带看不看地瞥了一眼,放下来,并没有读,只是瞟着,边问边把鞋踩得橐橐作响。又问:
“他在……?哦,在那儿哪!”
他快步跳着五步舞[294]出去了。在浴满阳光的走廊上,他不辞劳苦,热情地、口若悬河地谈着,极其公正、极其和蔼地尽着本分,不愧为一名最忠诚的“宽边帽”[295]。
“是这位先生吗?《自由人报》?《基尔肯尼民众报》?对。您好,先生。《基尔肯尼……》……我们当然有喽……”
一个男子的侧影耐心地等待着,耹听着。
“主要的地方报纸全都有……《北方辉格》、《科克观察报》、《恩尼斯科尔西卫报》[296]。去年。一九0三……请您……埃文斯,给这位先生领路……您只要跟着这个工役……要么,还是我自己……这边……先生,请您……”
口若悬河,尽着本分,他领先到放着所有地方报纸的所在。一个鞠着躬的黑影儿尾随着他那匆忙的脚后跟。
门关上了。
“犹太佬!”勃克·穆利根大声说。
他一跃而起,一把抓住名片。
“他叫什么名字?艾克依·摩西[297]吗?布卢姆。”
他喋喋不休地讲下去:
“包皮的搜集者[298]耶和华已经不在了。刚才我在博物馆里遇见过他。我到那儿是去向海泡里诞生的阿佛洛狄忒致意的。这位希腊女神从来没有歪起嘴来祷告过。咱们每天都得向她致敬。生命的生命,你的嘴唇点燃起火焰。[299]”
他突然转向斯蒂芬:
“他认识你。他认识你的老头子。哦,我怕他,他比希腊人还要希腊化。他那双淡色的加利利[300]眼睛总盯着女神中央那道沟沟。美臀维纳斯。[301]啊,她有着怎样一副腰肢啊!天神追逐,女郎躲藏。[302]”
“我们还想再听听,”约翰·埃格林顿征得贝斯特先生的赞同后说,“我们开始对莎[303]太太感兴趣了。在这之前,即便我们想到过她, 也不过把她看作是一位有耐心的克雨雪达[304],留守家中的潘奈洛佩[305]。”
“戈尔吉亚的弟子安提西尼[306],”斯蒂芬说,“从曼涅劳王的妻子、阿凯人海伦手里把美的标志棕榈枝拿过来,交给了可怜的潘奈洛佩。二十位英雄在特洛伊那匹母木马[307]里睡过觉。他[308]在伦敦住了二十年, 其间有个时期领的薪水跟爱尔兰总督一样多。他的生活是丰裕的。他的艺术超越了沃尔特·惠特曼所说的封建主义艺术,[309]乃是饱满的艺术。热腾腾的鲜鱼馅饼、 绿杯里斟得满满的白葡萄酒、蜂蜜酱、蜜饯玫瑰、杏仁糖、醋栗填鸽、刺芹糖块。沃尔特·雷利爵士[310]被捕的时候,身上穿着值五十万法郎的衣服,包括一件精致的胸衣。放高利贷的伊丽莎·都铎[311]的内衣之多,赛得过示巴女王。[312]足足有二十年之久, 他徘徊在夫妻那纯洁缠绵的恩爱与娼妇淫荡的欢乐之间。你们可晓得曼宁汉姆那个关于一个市民老婆的故事吧,她看了迪克[313]·伯比奇在《理查三位》中的演出,就邀请他上自己的床。莎士比亚无意中听到了,没费多大力气[314]就制服了母牛。当伯比奇前来敲门的时候,他从阉鸡[315]的毯子下面回答说:‘征服者威廉已比理查三世捷足先登啦。’[316]快活的小夫人、情妇菲顿[317]噢的一声就骑了上去。[318]还有他那娇滴滴的婆娘潘奈洛佩·里奇。[319]这位端庄的上流夫人适合做个演员;而河堤上的娼妇,一回只要一便士。”
王后大道。再出二十苏吧。给你搞点小花样儿。玩小猫味?你愿意吗?[320]
“上流社会的精华。还有牛津的威廉·戴夫南特爵士[321]的母亲,只要是长得像金丝雀那样俊秀的男人,她就请他喝杯加那利酒[322]。”
勃克·穆利根虔诚地抬起两眼祷告道:
“圣女玛格丽特·玛丽·安尼科克[323]!”
“还有换过六个老婆的哈利的女儿。[324]再就是草地· 丁尼生、绅士诗人所唱的:附近邸舍的高贵女友。[325]这漫长的二十年间,你们猜猜,斯特拉持福的潘奈洛佩[326]在菱形窗玻璃后面都干什么来着?”
干吧,干吧,[327]干出成绩。他在药用植物学家杰勒德那座位于费特小巷的玫瑰花圃[328]里散步,赤褐色的头发已灰白了。像她的脉管一样蓝的风信子。[329]朱诺的艰睑,紫罗兰。[330]他散步。人生只有一次,肉体只有一具。干吧。专心致志地干。近处,在淫荡和污浊的臭气中,一双手放在白净的肉身上。
勃克·穆利根使劲敲着约翰·埃格林顿的桌子。
“你猜疑谁呢?”[331]他盘问。
“假定他是《十四行诗》里那位被舍弃的情人吧。被舍弃一回,就有第二回。然而宫廷里的那个水性扬花的女子是为了一个贵族——他的好友——而舍弃他的。[332]”
不敢说出口的爱。[333]
“你的意思是说,”刚毅的约翰·埃格林顿插进嘴去,“作为一个英国人,他爱上了一位贵族。”
蜥蜴们沿着古老的墙壁一闪而过。我在查伦顿[334]仔细观察过它们。
“好像是的,”斯蒂芬说,“为了这位贵族,并为所有其他特定的、未被耕耘过的处女的胎,[335]他想尽尽马夫对种马所尽的那种神圣职责。也许跟苏格拉底一样,不仅妻子是个悍妇,母亲也是个产婆呢。然而她,那个喜欢痴笑的水性扬花的女子,并不曾撕毁床头盟。[336]鬼魂[337]满脑子都是那两档子事:誓盟被破坏了,她移情于那个迟钝的乡巴佬——亡夫的兄弟身上。我相信可爱的安是情欲旺盛的。她向男人求过一次爱,就会求第二次。”
斯蒂芬在椅子上果敢地转了个身。
“证明这一点的责任在你们而不在我,”他皱着眉头说,“倘若你们否认他在《哈姆莱特》第五场里就给她打上了不贞的烙印,那么告诉我,为什么在他们结婚三十四年间,从迎娶那天直到她给他送殡,她始终只字没被提到过。这些女人统统为男人送了葬,玛丽送走了她的当家人约翰[338],安送走了她那可怜的、亲爱的威伦[339];尽管对于比她先走感到愤懑,他还是死在她前头了。琼送走了她的四个弟弟。[340]朱迪斯[341]送走了她丈夫和所有的儿子。苏珊也送走了她丈夫。[342]苏珊的女儿伊丽莎白呢,用爷爷的话说:先把头一个丈夫杀了,再嫁给第二个。[343]哦,对啦。有人提到过。当他在京都伦敦过着豪华的生活时,她不得不向她父亲的牧羊人借四十先令来还债。[344]你们解释好了。还解释一下‘天鹅之歌’[345],作者在诗中向后世颂扬了她。”
他面对着大家的沉默。
埃格林顿对他这么说:
你指的是遗嘱。
然而我相信法律家已做了诠释。
按照不成文法,她作为遗孀,
有权利继承遗产。法官们告诉我们,
他具有丰富的法律知识。
恶魔嘲弄他。
嘲弄者:
因此,他把她的名字
从最初的草稿中勾销了;然而他并未勾销对外孙女
和女儿们的赠予,
赠予他妹妹以及他在斯特拉特福和伦敦的挚友们的
礼物。因此,据我所知,
当他被提醒说,不要漏掉她的名儿
他才留给她
次好的
床。[346]
要点。[347]
留给她他那
次好的床
留给她他那
顶刮刮的床
次好的床
留给一张床。
喔啊!
“当时连俊俏的乡男村女[348]都几乎没什么家当,”约翰·埃格林顿说,“倘若我们的农民戏[349]反映得真实的话,他们至今也还是没有多少。”
“他是个富有的乡绅,”斯蒂芬说,“有着盾形纹章,还在斯特拉福德拥有一座庄园,在爱尔兰庭园有一栋房屋。他是个资本家和股东,证券发起人,还是个交纳什一税的农场主。倘若他希望她能在鼾声中平安地度过余生的话,为什么不把自己最好的床留给她呢?”
“他显然有两张床,一张最好的,另一张是次好的,”次好的贝斯特先生[350]乖巧地说。
“向饭桌和寝室告别,[351]”勃克·穆利根说得更透彻些,博得了大家一笑。
“关于一张张有名的床,古人说过不少话,”其次的埃格林顿噘起嘴来,像在床上那样地笑着,“让找想想看。”
“古人记载着那个斯塔基莱特的顽童和秃头的异教贤人的事,”斯蒂芬说,“他在流亡中弥留时,释放了他的奴隶们,留给他们资财,颂扬祖先, 在遗嘱中要求把自已合葬在亡妻的遗骨旁边,并托付友人好生照顾他生前的情妇(不要忘记内尔·格温·赫尔派利斯),让她住在他的别墅里。[352]”
“你认为他是这么死的吗?”贝斯特先生略表关切地问道,“我是说……”
“他是喝得烂醉而死的,”勃克·穆利根劈头就说,“一夸脱浓啤酒,就连国王也喜爱。[353]哦,我得告诉你们多顿[354]说了些什么!”
“说了什么?”最好的埃格林顿[355]问。
威廉、莎士比亚股份有限公司。[356]人民的威廉。详情可询:爱·多顿,海菲尔德寓所……[357]
“真可爱!”勃克·穆利根情意绵绵地叹息说,“我问他, 关于人们指责那位大诗人有鸡奸行为,他做何感想。他举起双手说,我们所能说的仅仅是,当时的生活中充满了欣喜欢乐。[358]真可爱!
娈童。
“对美的意识使我们误人歧途,”沉浸在哀愁美中的贝斯特对正在变丑的埃格林顿说。
坚定的约翰严峻地回答道:
“博士可以告诉咱们那话是什么意思。你不能既吃了点心又还拿在手里。”[359]
你这么说吗?难道他们要从我们——从我这里夺去美的标志——棕搁枝[360]吗?
“还有对财产的意识,”斯蒂芬说,“他把夏洛克从他自己的长口袋[361]里拽了出来。作为啤酒批发商和放高利贷者的儿子,他本人也是个小麦批发商和放高利贷的。当由于闹饥荒而引发那场暴动时,他手里存有十托德[362]小麦。毫无疑问,向他借钱的那帮人是切特尔·福斯塔夫所说的信仰各种教派的人。他们都说,他公平交易。为了讨回几袋麦芽的款,他和同一个剧团的演员打官司,作为贷款的利息,索取对方的一磅肉。不然的话,奥布里[363]所说的那个马夫兼剧场听差怎么能这么快地就发迹了呢?为了赚钱,他什么都干得出。女王的侍医、犹太佬洛佩斯[364]那颗犹太心脏被活生生地剜出来,在上绞刑架之后,大解八块,紧接着就是一场对犹太人的迫害。这和夏洛克事件不谋而合。《哈姆莱特》和《麦克白》与有着焚烧女巫的嗜好的伪哲学家的即位赶在同一个时期。[365]在《爱的徒劳》中,被击败的无敌舰队[366]成了他嘲笑的对象。他的露天演出——也就是历史剧,在马弗京的一片狂热[367]中,粉墨登场了。当沃里克郡的耶稣会士受审判后,我们就听到过一个门房关于暧昧不清的说法。[368]‘海洋冒险号’从百慕大驶回国时,[369]勒南所称赞过的以我们的美国堂弟帕齐·凯列班[370]为主人公的那出戏写成了。继锡德尼之后,他也写了罄美的十四行诗组诗。[371]关于仙女伊丽莎白(又名红发贝斯),那位胖处女授意而写成的《温莎的风流娘儿们》,就让哪位德国绅士耗用毕生心血去从洗衣筐的尽底儿上搜集吧,以便探明它的深邃含义。[372]”
我觉得自己颇有领会。那么,把神学论理学语言学什么学掺合在一起再看看。撒着尿,撒了尿,撒着尿的,撒尿。[373]
“证明他是个犹太人吧,”约翰·埃格林顿有所期待地将了一军,“你们学院的院长说他是个罗马天主教徒。”[374]
“我应该受到抑制。”[375]
“他是德国制造的[376]——”斯蒂芬回答说,“是一位用法国磨光漆[377]来涂饰意大利丑闻的高手。”
“一位拥有万众之心的人,”贝斯特先生提醒道,“柯尔律治[378]说他是一位拥有万众之心的人。”
泛言之,人类社会中,让众人之间存在友情,乃是至关重要的。[379]
“圣托马斯,”斯蒂芬开始说……
“为我等祈[380],”僧侣穆利根边瘫坐在椅子上,边呻吟道。
从那儿,他凄凉地吟起北欧古哀诗来:
“吻我屁股!我心脏的搏动![381]从今天起,咱们毁灭啦!咱们确实毁灭啦!”[382]
大家各自泛出微笑。
“圣托马斯……”斯蒂芬笑眯眯地说,“那部卷帙繁多的书,我是从原文披阅并赞赏的。他是站在不同于马吉先生所提到的新维也纳学派[383]的立场上,来谈乱伦的问题的。他以他持有的睿智而奇待的方法,把乱伦比作在情感方面的贪得无厌。他指出,血统相近者之间滋生的这种爱情,对于那些可能渴望它的陌生人,却贪婪地被抑制住了。基督教徒谴责犹太人贪婪,而犹太人是所有的民族中最倾向于近亲通婚的。这一谴责是愤怒地发出的。基督教戒律使犹太人成为巨富(对他们来说,正如对罗拉德派一样,风暴为他们提供了避难所),也用钢圈箍在他们的感情上。[384]这些戒律究竟是罪恶还是美德,神老爹[385]会在世界末日告诉我们的。然而一个人如此执着于债权,也同样会执着于所谓夫权。任何笑眯眯的邻居[386]也不可去贪图他的母牛、他的妻子、他的碑文或公驴。[387]
“或是他的母驴,”勃克·穆利根接着说道。
“温和的威尔[388]遭到了粗暴的对待,”温和的贝斯特先生温和地说。
“哪个威尔呀?”勃克·穆利根亲切地打了句诨,“简直都掺混不清了。”
“活下去的意志,”约翰·埃格林顿用哲理解释道,“对威尔的遗孀——可怜的安来说,就是为了迎接死亡的遗嘱。”[389]
“安息吧![390]”斯蒂芬祷告说。
当年雄心壮志何在?
早已烟消云散。[391]
“尽管你们证明当时的床就像今天的汽车那样珍贵,而床上的雕饰也令七个教区感到惊异;却不能改变她——那蒙面皇后[392]穿着青衣僵硬地挺在那次好的床上这一事实。在晚年,她跟那些传福音的打得火热——其中的一个跟她一道住在‘新地’大宅,共饮那由镇议会付款的一夸脱白葡萄酒。然而,他究竟睡在哪张床上,就不得而知了。她听说自己有个灵魂。她读(或者请旁人读给她听)他那些沿街叫卖的廉价小册子。她喜欢它们更甚于《温莎的风流娘儿们》。她每天晚上跨在尿盆上撒尿,[393]驰想着《信徒长裤上的钩子和扣眼》以及《使最虔诚的信徒打喷嚏的最神圣的鼻烟盒》。[394]维纳斯歪起嘴唇祷告着。内心的呵责。悔恨之心。这是一个精疲力竭的淫妇衰老后在寻觅着神的时代。”
“历史表示这是真实的,”编年学家埃格林顿引证说,[395]“时代不断地更迭。然而一个人最大的仇敌乃是他自己家里的人和家族[396],这话是有可靠根据的。我觉得拉塞尔是对的。我们何必去管他的老婆或者父亲的事呢?依我说,只有家庭诗人才过家庭生活。福斯塔夫并不是个守在家里的人。我觉得这个胖骑士才是他所创造的绝妙的人物。”
瘦骨嶙嶙的他往椅背上靠了靠。出于羞涩,否定你的同族吧,[397]你这个自命清高的人。[398]他羞涩地跟那些不信神的人一道吃饭,还偷酒杯。[399]这是住在阿尔斯特省安特里姆[400]的一位先生这样嘱咐他的。每年四季结帐时就来找他。马吉先生,有位先生要来见您。我?他说他是您的父亲,先生。请把我的华兹华斯[401]领进来。大马吉·马修[402]进来了。这是个满脸皱纹、粗鲁、蓬头乱发的庄稼汉[403],穿着胯间有个前兜的紧身短裤,[404]布袜子[405]上沾了十座树林的泥污,[406]手里拿着野生苹果木杖。[407]
你自己的呢?他认得你那老头子[408]——一个鳏夫。
我从繁华的巴黎朝临终前的她那肮脏的床头赶去。在码头上摸了摸他的手。他说着话儿,嗓音里含着新的温情。鲍勃·肯尼大夫[409]在护理她。那双眼睛向我祝福,然而并不了解我。
“一个父亲,”斯蒂芬说,“在抑制着绝望情绪,这是无可避免的苦难。他是在父亲去世数月之后写的那出戏。[410]这位头发开始花白、有着两个已届婚龄的女儿[411]的年方三十五岁的男子,正当人生的中途,[412]却已有了五十岁的人的阅历。倘若你认为他就是威登堡那个没长胡子的大学生,[413]那么你就必须把他那位七十岁的老母看作淫荡的王后。不,约翰·莎士比亚的尸体并不在夜晚到处徘徊。[414]它一小时一小时地腐烂下去。[415]他把那份神秘的遗产[416]留给儿子之后,就摆脱了为父的职责,开始安息了。卜伽丘的卡拉特林[417]是空前绝后的一个自己认为有了身孕的男人。从有意识地生育这个意义上来说,男人是缺乏父性这一概念的。那是从唯一的父到唯一的子之间的神秘等级,是使徒所继承下来的。教会不是建立在乖巧的意大利智慧所抛给欧洲芸芸众生的那座圣母像上,而是建立在这种神秘上——牢固地建立在这上面。因为正如世界,正如大宇宙和小宇宙,它是建立在虚空之上,建立在无常和不定之上的。主生格和宾生格的母爱[418]也许是人生中唯一真实的东西。[419]父性可能是法律上的假定。谁是那位受儿子的爱戴,或是疼爱儿子的为人之父呢?”
你究竟要扯些什么呢?
我晓得。闭嘴。该死的。我自有道理。
越发。更加。再者。其后[420]。
你注定要这么做吗?
“难以自拔的肉体上的耻辱使父子之间产生隔阂。世上的犯罪年鉴虽被所有其他乱伦与兽奸的记录所玷污,却几乎还没记载过这类越轨行为。子与母、父与女、姐妹之间的同性恋,难以说出口的爱,侄子与祖母,囚犯与钥匙孔,皇后与良种公牛。[421]儿子未出世前便损害了美。出世之后,带来痛苦,分散爱情,增舔操劳。他是个新的男性:他的成长乃是他父亲的衰老;他的青春乃是他父亲的妒嫉;他的朋友乃是他父亲的仇敌。”
在王子街[422]上,我想过此事。
“在自然界,是什么把这二者结合起来的呢?是盲目发情的那一瞬间。”
我是个父亲吗?倘若我是的话?
皱缩了的、没有把握的手。
“非洲的撒伯里乌[423],野生动物中最狡猾的异教的开祖,坚持说,圣父乃是他自己的圣子。没有不能驾御的语言的斗犬阿奎那[424]驳斥了他。那么,倘若没有儿子的父亲就不成其为父亲,那么没有父亲的儿子能成真为儿子吗?当拉特兰·培根·南安普敦·莎士比亚[425]或错误的喜剧里的另一个同名[426]诗人撰写《哈姆莱特》的时候,他不仅是自己的儿子之父,而且还由于他不再是儿子了,他就成为、自己也感到成为整个家庭之父——他自己的祖父之父,他那末出世的孙儿之父。顺便提一下,那个孙儿从未诞生过,因为照马吉先生的理解,大自然是讨厌完美无缺的。[427]”
埃格林顿两眼洋溢着喜悦,羞怯而恍然似有所悟地抬头望着。这个愉快的清教徒隔着盘绕在一起的野蔷薇,[428]乐呵呵地望着。
恭维一番。极偶然地。然而恭维一番吧。
“他本人就是他自己的父亲,[429]”儿子穆利根喃喃自语。 “且慢。我怀孕了。我脑中有个尚未出世的娃娃。明智女神雅典娜[430]!一出戏!关键在于这出戏![431]让我分娩吧!”
他用那双接生的手抱住自已突出的前额。
“至于他的家庭,”斯蒂芬说,“他母亲的名字还活在亚登森林里。[432]她的死促使他在《科利奥兰纳斯》中写出伏伦妮姬的场景。[433]《约翰王》中少年亚瑟咽气的场面就描述了他的幼子之死。身着丧服的哈姆莱特王子是哈姆奈特·莎士比亚。我们晓得《暴风雨》、《配力克里斯》、《冬天的故事》中的少女们都是谁。埃及的肉锅克莉奥佩特拉[434]和克瑞西达[435]以及维纳斯都是谁,我们也猜得出。 然而他的眷属中还有一个被记载下来的人。”
“情节变得复杂啦,”约翰·埃格林顿说。
公谊会教徒-图书馆长震颤着,悄悄地走了进来。颤着他那张没有表情的脸,很快地颤着,颤着,颤着。[436]
门关上了。斗室。白昼。
他们倾听着。三个。他们。
我、你、他、他们。
来吧,开饭啦。
斯蒂芬
他有三个弟兄,吉尔伯持、埃德蒙、理查[437]。吉尔伯特进入老年后,对几个绅士说,有一次他去望弥撒,教堂收献金的送了他一张免票。于是他就去了,瞅见他哥哥——剧作家伍尔在伦敦上演一出打斗戏,背上还骑着个男人。[438]戏园子里的香肠[439]吉尔伯特吃得可开心啦。哪儿也见不到他。然而可爱的威廉却在作品里记下了一个埃德蒙和一个理查。
马吉·埃格林、约翰
姓名!姓名有什么意义?[440]
贝斯特
理查就是我的名字,你晓得吗?我希望你替理查说句好话。要知道,是为了我的缘故。
(笑声)
勃克·穆利根
(轻柔地,渐弱)[441]
于是,医科学生迪克
对他的医科同学戴维说了……[442]
斯蒂芬
他笔下的黑心肠的三位一体——那帮恶棍扒手:伊阿古、罗锅儿理查和《李尔王》中的爱德蒙,其中两个的名字都跟他们那坏蛋叔叔一样。何况当他写成或者正在撰写这最后一部戏的时候,他的胞弟爱德蒙正奄奄一息地躺在萨瑟克[443]。
贝斯特
我巴不得爱德蒙遭殃,我不要理查这个名字……
(笑声)
公谊会教徒利斯特
(恢复原速)可是他偷去了我的好名声……[444]
斯蒂芬
(渐快)他把自己的名字——威廉这个美好的名字,隐藏在戏里。这出戏里是配角,那出戏里又是丑角。就像从前的意大利画家在画布的昏暗角落里画上了自己的肖像似的,他在满是“威尔”字样的《十四行诗》[445]里, 表明了这一点。就像冈特·欧·约翰[446]一样,对他来说姓名是宝贵的, 就像他拼命巴结到手的纹章——黑地右斜线[447]上绘有象征荣誉的[448]矛或银刃的纹章——那样宝贵。比当上本国最伟大的剧作家这一荣誉还更要宝贵。姓名有什么意义?[449]那正是当我们幼时被告知自己的姓名,并把它写下来之际,所问过自己的。他诞生的时候,出现了一颗星[450],一颗晨星,一条喷火龙[451]。白天,它在太空中独自闪烁着,比夜间的金星还要明亮。夜里,它照耀在标志着他的首字W[452]、横卧于群星中的仙后座那三角形上。午夜,当他离开安·哈撒韦的怀抱,从肖特利[453]回去时, 他一边走在困倦的夏天田野上, 一边放眼望着那低低地躺在大熊座东边的地平线上的这颗星。
两个人都感到满意,我也满意。
不要告诉他们,当那颗星消失的时候,他年方九岁[454]。
而且从她的怀抱当中。
等待着被求爱并占有。[455]哎,你这个懦夫,[456]谁会向你求爱呢?
读一读天空吧。虐己者。[457]斯蒂芬的公牛精神。[458]你的星座在哪里?斯蒂芬,斯蒂芬,面包要切匀。S·D·他的情妇。不错——他的。杰林多打定主意不去恋慕S·D·[459]
“迪达勒斯先生,那是什么呀?”公谊会教徒——图书馆长问道,“是天体现象吗?”
“夜间有星宿,”斯蒂芬说,“白天有云柱。”[460]
此外还有什么可说的呢?
斯蒂芬瞅了瞅自己的帽子、手杖和靴子。
斯蒂法诺斯[461],我的王冠。我的剑。他的靴子使我的脚变了形。买一双吧。我的短袜净是窟窿。手绢也一样。
“你善于在名字上做文章,”约翰·埃格林顿承认道,“你自己的名字也够别致的了。我看这就正好说明你这个喜欢幻想的性格。”
我、马吉和穆利根。
神话中的工匠。[462]长得像鹰的人。你飞走了。飞向哪里?从纽黑文到迪耶普[463],统舱客。往返巴黎。风头麦鸡。[464]伊卡洛斯。[465]父亲啊,帮助我吧。[466]被海水溅湿,一头栽下去,翻滚着。你是一只风头麦鸡,变成一只风头麦鸡。
贝斯特先生热切地、安详地举起他的笔记本来说:
“那非常有趣儿。因为,要知道,在爱尔兰传说中,我们也能找到弟兄这一主题。跟你讲的一模一样。莎士比亚哥儿仨。格林[467]里也有。要知道,那些童话里,三弟总是跟睡美人结婚,并获得头奖。”
贝斯特弟兄们当中最好[468]的。好,更好,最好。
公谊会教徒-图书馆长来到旁边,像弹簧松了似的突然站住了。
“我想打听一下,”他说,“是你的哪一位弟兄……假若我没理解错的话,你曾暗示说,你们弟兄当中有一个行为不轨……然而,也许我理解得过了头?”
他察觉到自己失言了,四下里望望大家,把底下的话咽了下
去。
一个工役站在门口嚷道:
“利斯特先生!迪宁神父[469]要见……”
“澳,迪宁神父!马上就来。”
他立刻把皮鞋踩得囊囊响,随即径直走了出去。
约翰·埃格林顿提出了挑战。
“喂,”他说,“咱们听听足下关于理查和爱德蒙有何高见。你不是把他们留到最后吗?”
“我曾请你们记住那两位高贵的亲族[470]——里奇叔叔和爱德蒙叔叔,”斯蒂芬回答说,“我觉得我也许要求得过多了。弟兄正像一把伞一样,很容易就被人忘记。”
风头麦鸡。
你的弟弟在哪儿?在药剂师的店里。[471]砥砥我者,他,还有克兰利,穆利根。[472]现在是这帮人。夸夸其谈。然而要采取行动。把言语付诸实践。他们嘲弄你是为了考验你。采取行动吧。让他们在你身上采取行动。
风头麦鸡。
我对自己的声音感到厌烦了,对以扫的声音感到厌烦了。[473]愿用我的王位换一杯酒。[474]
继续说下去吧。
“你会说,这些名字早就写在被他当作戏剧素材的纪年记里了。他为什么不采用旁的,而偏偏采用这些呢?理查,一个娘子养的畸形的罗锅儿,向寡妇安(姓名有什么意义?)求婚并赢得了她——一个婊子养的风流寡妇。三弟——征服者理查,继被征服者威廉之后而来。这个剧本的其他四幕,松松散散地接在第一幕后面。在莎士比亚笔下所有的国王中,理查是世界上的天使[475]中他唯一不曾怀着崇敬心情加以庇护的。《李尔王》中爱德蒙登场的插话取自锡德尼的《阿卡迪亚》,为什么要把它填补到比历史还古老的凯尔特传说中去呢?”[476]
“那是威尔惯用的手法,”约翰·埃格林顿辩护说,“我们现在就不可能把北欧神话和乔治·梅瑞狄斯的长篇小说的摘录连结在一起。穆尔就会说:‘这有什么办法呢?’[477]他把波希米亚搬到海边,[478]让尤利西斯引用亚理斯多德。”[479]
“为什么呢?”斯蒂芬自问自答,“因为对莎士比亚来说,撒谎的弟兄、篡位的弟兄、通奸的弟兄,或者三者兼而有之的弟兄,是总也离不开的题材,而穷人却不常跟他在一起。[480]从心里被放逐,从家园被放逐,自《维洛那二绅士》起,这个放逐的旋律一直不间断地响下去,直到普洛斯彼罗折断他那根杖,将它埋在地下数噚深处,并把他的书抛到海里。[481]他进入中年后,这个旋律的音量加强了一倍,反映到另一个人生,照序幕、展开部、最高潮部、结局[482]来复奏一遍。当他行将就木时,这个旋律又重奏一遍。有其母必有其女。那时,他那个已出嫁的女儿苏珊娜被指控以通奸罪。[483]然而使他的头脑变得糊涂、削弱他的意志、促使他强烈地倾向于邪恶的,乃是原罪。照梅努斯的主教大人们说来,原罪者,正因为是原罪,尽管系旁人所犯,其中也自有他的一份罪愆。[484]在他的临终遗言里,透露了这一点。这话铭刻在他的墓石上。她的遗骨不得葬在下面。[485]岁月不曾使它磨灭。美与和平也不曾使它消失。在他所创造的世界各个角落,都变幻无穷地存在着。[486]在《爱的徒劳》中,两次在《皆大欢喜》中,在《暴风雨》中,《哈姆莱特》中,《一报还一报》中——以及其他所有我还没读过的剧作中。”
为了把心灵从精神的羁绊中解放出来,他笑了。
审判官埃格林顿对此加以概括。
“真理在两者之间,”他斩钉截铁地说,“他是圣灵,又是王子。他什么都是。”[487]
“可不是嘛,”斯蒂芬说,“第一幕里的少年就是第五幕中的那个成熟的男人。他什么都是。在《辛白林》,在《奥瑟罗》中,他是老鸨[488],给戴上了绿头巾,他采取行动,也让别人在他身上采取行动。他抱有理想,或趋向堕落,就像荷西那样杀死那活生生的嘉尔曼。[489]他那冷酷严峻的理性就有如狂怒的依阿古,不断地巴望自己内心的摩尔人[490]会受折磨。”
“咕咕!咕咕!”穆利根用淫猥的声调啼叫着,“啊,可怕的声音!”[491]
黑暗的拱形顶棚接受了这声音,发出回响。[492]
“伊阿古是怎样的一个人物啊!”无所畏惧的约翰·埃格林顿喊叫着说,“归根结底,小仲马(也许是大仲马[493]吧?”说得对:天主之外,莎士比亚创造的最多。”
“男人不能使他感到喜悦;不,女人也不能使他感到喜悦,[494]”斯蒂芬说,“离开一辈子后,他又回到自己出生的那片土地上。从小到大[495],他始终是那个地方的一名沉默的目击者。在那里,他走完了人生的旅途。他在地里栽下自己的那棵桑树,[496]然后溘然长逝。呼吸停止了。[497]掘墓者埋葬了大哈姆莱特和小哈姆莱特。[498]国王和王子在音乐伴奏下终于死去了。遭到谋杀也罢,被陷害也罢,又有何干?因为不论他是丹麦人还是都柏林人,所有那些柔软心肠的人们都会为之哀泣,悼念死者的这份悲伤乃是她们不肯与之离婚的唯一的丈夫。倘若你喜欢尾声,那么就仔细端详一下吧。幸福的普洛斯彼罗[499]是得到好报的善人、丽齐[500]是外公的宝贝疙瘩;里奇叔叔这个歹徒按照因果报应的原则被送进坏黑人注定去的地方了。[501]结局圆满,幕终。他发现,内在世界有可能实现的,外在世界就己经成为现实了。梅特林克说:‘倘若苏格拉底今天离家,他会发现贤人就坐在他门口的台阶上。倘若犹大今晚外出,他的脚会把他引到犹大那儿去。’[502]每一个人的一生都是许多时日,一天接一天。我们从自我内部穿行[503],遇见强盗,鬼魂,巨人,老者,小伙子,妻子,遗蠕,恋爱中的弟兄们,然而,我们遇见的总是我们自己。编写世界这部大书而且写得很蹩脚的那位剧作家(他先给了我们光,隔了两天才给太阳[504]),也就是被天主教徒当中罗马味最足的家伙称之为煞神[505]——绞刑吏之神的万物之主宰;毫无疑问,他什么都是,[506]存在于我们一切人当中:既是马夫,又是屠夫,也是老鸨,并被戴上了绿头巾。然而倘若在天堂实行节约,像哈姆莱特所预言的那样,那么就再也不要什么婚娶;或者有什么光彩的人,半阴半阳的天使,将成为自己的妻子。”[507]
“我发现啦!”[508]勃克·穆利根大声说,“我发现啦?”
他突然高兴了,跳起来,一个箭步窜到约翰·埃格林顿的书桌跟前。
“可以吗?”弛说,“玛拉基接受了神谕。[509]”
他在一片纸上胡乱涂写起来。
往外走的时候,从柜台上拿几张纸条儿吧。
“已经结婚的,”安详的使者贝斯特先生说,“除了一个人,都将活下去。没有结婚的,不准再结婚。”[510]
他这个未婚者对独身的文学士埃格林顿·约翰尼斯笑了笑。
他们没有家室,没有幻想,存着戒心,每天晚上边摸索各自那部有诸家注释的《驯悍记》,边在沉思。
“你这是谬论,”约翰·埃格林顿率直地对斯蒂芬说,“你带着我们兜了半天圈子,不过是让我们看到一个法国式的三角关系。你相信自己的见解吗?”
“不,”斯蒂芬马上说。
“你打算把它写下来吗?”贝斯特先生问,“你应该写成问答体。知道吧,就像王尔德所写的柏拉图式的对话录。”
约翰·埃克列克提康[511]露出暖昧的笑容。
“喏,倘若是那样,”他说,“既然连你自己都不相信,我就不明白你怎么还能指望得到报酬呢。多顿[512]相信《哈姆莱特》中有些神秘之处,然而他只说到这里为止。派珀在柏林遇见的勃莱布楚先生正在研究关于拉特兰[513]的学说,他相信个中秘密隐藏在斯特拉特福的纪念碑里。派珀说,他即将去拜访当前这位公爵,并向公爵证明,是他的祖先写下了那些戏剧。这会出乎公爵大人的意料,然而勃莱布楚相信自己的见解。
“我信,噢,主啊,但是我的信心不足,求您帮助我”[514]就是说,帮助我去信,或者帮助我不去信。谁来帮助我去信?我自己。[515]谁来帮助我不去信呢?另一个家伙。
“在给《达娜》[516]撰稿的人当中,你是唯一要求付酬的。像这样的话,下一期如何就难说了。弗雷德·瑞安[517]还要保留些篇幅来刊登一篇有关经济学的文章呢。”
弗莱德琳。他借给过我两枚银币。好歹应付一下吧。经济学。
“要是付一基尼,”斯蒂芬说,“你就可以发表这篇访问记了。”
面带笑容正在潦潦草草写着什么的勃克·穆利根,这时边笑边站起来,然后笑里藏刀,一本正经地说:
“我到‘大诗人’金赤在上梅克伦堡街的夏季别墅那里去拜访过他,发现他正和两个生梅毒的女人——新手内莉和煤炭码头上的婊子罗莎莉[518]——一道埋头研究《反异教大全》[519]呢。”
他把话顿了一顿。
“来吧,金赤,来吧,飘忽不定的飞鸟之神安古斯[520]。”
出来吧,金赤,你把我们剩的都吃光了。[521]嗯,我把残羹剩饭和下水赏给你吃。
斯蒂芬站起来了。
人生不外乎一天接一天。今天即将结束了。
“今天晚上见,”约翰·埃格林顿说,“我们的朋友[522]穆尔说,务必请勃克·穆利根来。”
勃克·穆利根挥着那纸片和巴拿马帽。
“穆尔先生,[523]”他说,“爱尔兰青年的法国文学讲师。我去。来吧,金赤,‘大诗人’们非喝酒不可。你不用扶能走吗?”
他边笑着,边……
痛饮到十一点,爱尔兰的夜宴。
傻大个儿……
斯蒂芬跟在一个傻大个儿后面……
有一天,我们在国立图书馆讨论过一次。莎士。[524]然后,我跟在傻乎乎的他背后走。我和他的脚后跟挨得那么近,简直可以蹭破那上面的冻疮了。[525]
斯蒂芬向大家致意,然后垂头丧气地[526]跟着那个新理过发、头梳得整整齐齐、爱说笑话的傻大个儿,从拱顶斗室走入没有思想的灿烂骄阳中去。
我学到了什么?关于他们?关于我自己?
眼下就像海恩斯那样走吧。
长期读者阅览室。在阅览者签名簿上,卡什尔·博伊尔·奥康纳·菲茨莫里斯·菲斯德尔·法雷尔用龙飞凤舞的字体写下了他那多音节的名字。研究项目:哈姆莱特发疯了吗?歇顶的公谊会教徒正在跟一个小教士虔诚地谈论着书本。
“啊,请您务必……那我真是太高兴啦……”
勃克·穆利根觉得有趣,自己点点头,愉快地咕哝道:
“心满意足的波顿。[527]”
旋转栅门。
难道是……?饰有蓝绸带的帽子……?胡乱涂写着……?什么?……看见了吗?
弧形扶栏。明契乌斯河缓缓流着,一平如镜。[528]
迫克[529]·穆利根,头戴巴拿马盔,一边走着,一边忽高忽低地唱着:
约翰·埃格林顿,我的乖,约翰,[530]
你为啥不娶个老婆?
他朝半空中啐了一口,唾沫飞溅。
“噢,没下巴的中国佬!靳张艾林唐[531]。我们曾到过他们那戏棚子,海恩斯和我,在管子工会的会馆。我们的演员们正在像希腊人或梅特林克先生那样,为欧洲创造一种新艺术。阿贝剧院!我闻见了僧侣们阴部的汗臭味。”[532]
他漠然地啐了口唾沫。
一古脑儿全抛在脑后了,就像忘记了可恶的路希那顿鞭子一样。[533]也忘记了撇下那个三十岁的女人[534]的事。为什么没再生个娃娃呢?而且,为什么头胎是个女孩儿呢?
事后聪明。从头来一遍。
倔强的隐士依然在那儿呢(他把点心拿在乎里[535]),还有那个文静的小伙子,小乖乖[536],菲多那囝囝般的金发。[537]
呃……我只是呃……曾经想要……我忘记了……呃……
“朗沃思和麦考迪·阿特金森也在那儿[538]……”
迫克·穆利根合辙押韵,颤声吟着:
每逢喊声传邻里,
或听街头大兵语,
我就忽然间想起,
弗·麦考迪·阿特金森,
一条木腿是假的,
穿着短裤不讲道理,
渴了不敢把酒饮,
嘴缺下巴的马吉,
活了一世怕娶妻,
二人成天搞手淫。[539]
继续嘲弄吧。认识自己。[540]
一个嘲弄者在我下面停下脚步,望着我。我站住了。
“愁眉苦脸的戏子,”勃克·穆利根慨叹道,“辛格为了活得更自然,不再穿丧服了。只有老鸨、教士和英国煤炭才是黑色的。”[541]
他唇边掠过一丝微笑。
“自从你写了那篇关于狗鳕婆子格雷戈里的文章,”他说,“朗沃思就感到非常烦闷。哦,你这个好窥人隐私、成天酗酒的犹太耶稣会士!她在报馆里替你谋一份差事,你却骂她是蹩脚演员,写了那些蠢话。你难道不能学点叶芝的笔法吗?[542]”
他歪鼻子斜眼地走下楼梯,优雅地抡着胳膊吟诵着:
“我国当代一部最美的书。它令人想到荷马。”
他在楼梯下止住了步子。
“我为哑剧演员们构思了一出戏,”他认真地说。
有着圆柱的摩尔式大厅,阴影交错。九个头戴有标志的帽子的男人跳的摩利斯舞[543]结束了。
勃克·穆利根用他那甜润、抑扬顿挫的嗓音读着那个法
版:[544]
人人是各自的妻

到手的蜜月
(由三次情欲亢进构成的、国民不道德剧)
作者
巴洛基·穆利根[545]
他朝斯蒂芬装出一脸快乐的傻笑,说:
“就怕伪装得不够巧妙。可是且听下去。”
他读道,清晰地:[546]
登场人物
托比·托斯托夫(破了产的波兰人)
克雷布(土匪)[547]
医科学生迪克
和一石二鸟
医科学生戴维
老枢葛罗甘(送水者)
新手内莉
以及
罗莎莉(煤炭码头上的婊子)
他摇头晃脑地笑了,继续往前走,斯蒂芬跟在后面。他对着影子——对着人们的灵魂快快乐乐地说着话儿:
“啊,坎姆顿会堂[548]的那个夜晚啊!——你躺在桑椹色的、五彩续纷的大量呕吐物当中。为了从你身上迈过去,爱琳[549]的女儿们得撩起她们的裙子!”
“她们为之撩起裙子的,”斯蒂芬说,“是爱琳最天真无邪的儿子。”
正要走出门口的当儿,他觉出背后有人,便往旁边一闪。
走吧。现在正是时机。那么,去哪儿呢?倘若苏格拉底今天离开家,倘若犹大今晚外出。为什么?它横在我迟早会无可避免地要到达的空间。
我的意志。与我遥遥相对的是他的意志。中间隔着汪洋大海。
一个男人边鞠躬边致意,从他们之间穿过。
“又碰见了,”勃克·穆利根说。
有圆柱的门廊。
为了占卜凶吉,我曾在这里眺望过鸟群。[550]飞鸟之神安古斯。它们飞去又飞来。昨天晚上我飞了。飞得自由自在。人们感到惊异。随后就是娼妓街。他捧着一只淡黄色蜜瓜朝我递过来。进来吧。随你挑[551]。
“一个流浪的犹太人,[552]”勃克、穆利根战战兢兢地装出一副小丑的样子悄悄地说,“你瞅见他的眼神了吗?他色迷迷地盯着你哩。我怕你,老水手。[553]哦,金赤。你的处境危险呀。去买条结实的裤衩吧。”
牛津派头。
白昼。拱形桥的上空,悬着状似独轮手车的太阳。
黑色的脊背方着豹一般的步伐,走在他们前面,从吊门的[554]倒刺下边钻了出去。
他们跟在后面。
继续对我大放厥词吧,说下去。
柔和的空气使基尔戴尔街的房屋外角轮廓鲜明。没有鸟儿。两缕轻烟从房顶袅袅上升,形成羽毛状,被一阵和风柔和地刮走。
别再厮斗了。辛白林的德鲁伊特祭司们的安宁,阐释秘义:在辽阔的大地上筑起一应祭坛。
让我们赞美神明;
让袅袅香烟从我们神圣的祭坛

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:36重新编辑 ]
soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
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英:
10、Chapter 10 Wandering Rocks

THE SUPERIOR, THE VERY REVEREND JOHN CONMEE S. J, RESET HIS smooth watch in his interior pocket as he came down the presbytery steps. Five to three. Just nice time to walk to Artane. What was that boy's name again? Dignam, yes. Vere dignum et justum est. Brother Swan was the person to see. Mr Cunningham's letter. Yes. Oblige him, if possible. Good practical catholic: useful at mission time.
A onelegged sailor, swinging himself onward by lazy jerks of his crutches, growled some notes. He jerked short before the convent of the sisters of charity and held out a peaked cap for aims towards the very reverend John Conmee S. J. Father Conmee blessed him in the sun for his purse held, he knew, one silver crown.
Father Conmee crossed to Mountjoy square. He thought, but not for long, of soldiers and sailors, whose legs had been shot off by cannonballs, ending their days in some pauper ward, and of cardinal Wolsey's words: If I had served my God as I have served my king He would not have abandoned me in my old days. He walked by the treeshade of sunnywinking leaves and towards him came the wife of Mr David Sheehy M. P.
-- Very well, indeed, father. And you father?
Father Conmee was wonderfully well indeed. He would go to Buxton probably for the waters. And her boys, were they getting on well at Belvedere? Was that so? Father Conmee was very glad indeed to hear that. And Mr Sheehy himself? Still in London. The house was still sitting, to be sure it was. Beautiful weather it was, delightful indeed. Yes, it was very probable that Father Bernard Vaughan would come again to preach. O, yes: a very great success. A wonderful man really.
Father Conmee was very glad to see the wife of Mr David Sheehy M. P. looking so well and he begged to be remembered to Mr David Sheehy M. P. Yes, he would certainly call.
-- Good afternoon, Mrs Sheehy.
Father Conmee doffed his silk hat, as he took leave, at the jet beads of her mantilla inkshining in the sun. And smiled yet again in going. He had cleaned his teeth, he knew, with arecanut paste.
Father Conmee walked and, walking, smiled for he thought on Father Bernard Vaughan's droll eyes and cockney voice.
-- Pilate! Wy don't you old back that owlin mob?
A zealous man, however. Really he was. And really did great good in his way. Beyond a doubt. He loved Ireland, he said, and he loved the Irish. Of good family too would one think it? Welsh, were they not?
O, lest he forget. That letter to father provincial.
Father Conmee stopped three little schoolboys at the corner of Mountjoy square. Yes: they were from Belvedere. The little house: Aha. And were they good boys at school? O. That was very good now. And what was his name? Jack Sohan. And his name? Ger. Gallaher. And the other little man? His name was Brunny Lynam. O, that was a very nice name to have.
Father Conmee gave a letter from his breast to master Brunny Lynam and pointed to the red pillarbox at the corner of Fitzgibbon street.
-- But mind you don't post yourself into the box, little man, he said.
The boys sixeyed Father Conmee and laughed.
-- O, sir.
-- Well, let me see if you can post a letter, Father Conmee said.
Master Brunny Lynam ran across the road and put Father Conmee's letter to father provincial into the mouth of the bright red letterbox, Father Conmee smiled and nodded and smiled and walked along Mountjoy square east.
Mr Denis J. Maginni, professor of dancing, &c., in silk hat, slate frockcoat with silk facings, white kerchief tie, tight lavender trousers, canary gloves and pointed patent boots, walking with grave deportment most respectfully took the curbstone as he passed lady Maxwell at the corner of Dignam's court.
Was that not Mrs M'Guinness?
Mrs M'Guinness, stately, silverhaired, bowed to Father Conmee from the farther footpath along which she smiled. And Father Conmee smiled and saluted. How did she do?
A fine carriage she had. Like Mary, queen of Scots, something. And to think that she was a pawnbroker. Well, now! Such a... what should he say?... such a queenly mien.
Father Conmee walked down Great Charles street and glanced at the shutup free church on his left. The reverend T. R. Green B. A. will (D. V.) speak. The incumbent they called him. He felt it incumbent on him to say a few words. But one should be charitable. Invincible ignorance. They acted according to their lights.
Father Conmee turned the corner and walked along the North Circular road. It was a wonder that there was not a tramline in such an important thoroughfare. Surely, there ought to be.
A band of satchelled schoolboys crossed from Richmond street. All raised untidy caps. Father Conmee greeted them more than once benignly. Christian brother boys.
Father Conmee smelled incense on his right hand as he walked. Saint Joseph's church, Portland row. For aged and virtuous females. Father Conmee raised his hat to the Blessed Sacrament. Virtuous: but occasionally they were also badtempered.
Near Aldborough house Father Conmee thought of that spendthrift nobleman. And now it was an office or something.
Father Conmee began to walk along the North Strand road and was saluted by Mr William Gallagher who stood in the doorway of his shop. Father Conmee saluted Mr William Gallagher and perceived the odours that came from baconflitches and ample cools of butter. He passed Grogan's the tobacconist against which newsboards leaned and told of a dreadful catastrophe in New York. In America those things were continually happening. Unfortunate people to die like that, unprepared. Still, an act of perfect contrition.
Father Conmee went by Daniel Bergin's publichouse against the window of which two unlabouring men lounged. They saluted him and were saluted.
Father Conmee passed H. J. O'Neill's funeral establishment where Corny Kelleher totted figures in the daybook while he chewed a blade of hay. A constable on his beat saluted Father Conmee and Father Conmee saluted the constable. In Youkstetter's, the pork-butcher's, Father Conmee observed pig's puddings, white and black and red, lying neatly curled in tubes.
Moored under the trees of Charleville Mall Father Conmee saw a turf barge, a towhorse with pendent head, a bargeman with a hat of dirty straw seated amidships, smoking and staring at a branch of poplar above him. It was idyllic: and Father Conmee reflected on the providence of the Creator who had made turf to be in bogs where men might dig it out and bring it to town and hamlet to make fires in the houses of poor people.
On Newcomen bridge the very reverend John Conmee S. J. of saint Francis Xavier's church, upper Gardiner street, stepped on to an outward bound tram.
Off an inward bound tram stepped the reverend Nicholas Dudley C. C. of saint Agatha's church, north William street, on to Newcomen bridge.
At Newcomen bridge Father Conmee stepped into an outward bound tram for he disliked to traverse on foot the dingy way past Mud Island.
Father Conmee sat in a corner of the tramcar, a blue ticket tucked with care in the eye of one plump kid glove, while four shillings, a sixpence and five pennies chuted from his other plump glovepalm into his purse. Passing the ivy church he reflected that the ticket inspector usually made his visit when one had carelessly thrown away the ticket. The solemnity of the occupants of the car seemed to Father Conmee excessive for a journey so short and cheap. Father Conmee liked cheerful decorum.
It was a peaceful day. The gentleman with the glasses opposite Father Conmee had finished explaining and looked down. His wife, Father Conmee supposed. A tiny yawn opened the mouth of the wife of the gentleman with the glasses. She raised her small gloved fist, yawned ever so gently, tiptapping her small gloved fist on her opening mouth and smiled tinily, sweetly.
Father Conmee perceived her perfume in the car. He perceived also that the awkward man at the other side of her was sitting on the edge of the seat.
Father Conmee at the altarrails placed the host with difficulty in the mouth of the awkward old man who had the shaky head.
At Annesley bridge the tram halted and, when it was about to go, an old woman rose suddenly from her place to alight. The conductor pulled the bellstrap to stay the car for her. She passed out with her basket and a market net: and Father Conmee saw the conductor help her and net and basket down: and Father Conmee thought that, as she had nearly passed the end of the penny fare, she was one of those good souls who had always to be told twice bless you, my child, that they have been absolved, pray for me. But they had so many worries in life, so many cares, poor creatures.
From the hoardings Mr Eugene Stratton grinned with thick niggerlips at Father Conmee.
Father Conmee thought of the souls of black and brown and yellow men and of his sermon of saint Peter Claver S. J. and the African mission and of the propagation of the faith and of the millions of black and brown and yellow souls that had not received the baptism of water when their last hour came like a thief in the night. That book by the Belgian jesuit, Le Nombre des élus, seemed to Father Conmee a reasonable plea. Those were millions of human souls created by God in His Own likeness to whom the faith had not (D. V.) been brought. But they were God's souls created by God. It seemed to Father Conmee a pity that they should all be lost, a waste, if one might say.
At the Howth road stop Father Conmee alighted, was saluted by the conductor and saluted in his turn.
The Malahide road was quiet. It pleased Father Conmee, road and name. The joybells were ringing in gay Malahide. Lord Talbot de Malahide, immediate hereditary lord admiral of Malahide and the seas adjoining. Then came the call to arms and she was maid, wife and widow in one day. Those were oldworldish days, loyal times in joyous townlands, old times in the barony.
Father Conmee, walking, thought of his little book Old Times in the Barony and of the book that might be written about jesuit houses and of Mary Rochfort, daughter of lord Molesworth, first countess of Belvedere.
A listless lady, no more young, walked alone the shore of lough Ennel, Mary, first countess of Belvedere, listlessly walking in the evening, not startled when an otter plunged. Who could know the truth? Not the jealous lord Belvedere and not her confessor if she had not committed adultery fully, eiaculatio seminis inter vas naturale mulieris, with her husband's brother? She would half confess if she had not all sinned as women did. Only God knew and she and he, her husband's brother.
Father Conmee thought of that tyrannous incontinence, needed however for men's race on earth, and of the ways of God which were not our ways.
Don John Conmee walked and moved in times of yore. He was humane and honoured there. He bore in mind secrets confessed and he smiled at smiling noble faces in a beeswaxed drawingroom, ceiled with full fruit clusters. And the hands of a bride and of a bridegroom, noble to noble, were impalmed by don John Conmee.
It was a charming day.
The lychgate of a field showed Father Conmee breadths of cabbages, curtseying to him with ample underleaves. The sky showed him a flock of small white clouds going slowly down the wind. Moutonner, the French said. A homely and just word.
Father Conmee, reading his office, watched a flock of muttoning clouds over Rathcoffey. His thinsocked ankles were tickled by the stubble of Clongowes field. He walked there, reading in the evening, and heard the cries of the boys' lines at their play, young cries in the quiet evening. He was their rector: his reign was mild.
Father Conmee drew off his gloves and took his rededged breviary out. An ivory bookmark told him the page.
Nones. He should have read that before lunch. But lady Maxwell had come.
Father Conmee read in secret Pater and Ave and crossed his breast. Deus in adiutorium.
He wamked calmly and read mutely the nones, walking and reading till he came to Res in Beati immaculati: Principium verborum tuotum veritas: in eternum omnia iudicia iustitu tu&Aelig;.
A flushed young man came from a gap of a hedge and after him came a young woman with wild nodding daisies in her hand. The young man raised his cap abruptly: the young woman abruptly bent and with slow care detached from her light skirt a clinging twig.
Father Conmee blessed both gravely and turned a thin page of his breviary. Sin: Principes persecuti sunt me gratis: et a verbis tuis formidavit cor meum.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corny Kelleher closed his long daybook and glanced with his drooping eye at a pine coffinlid sentried in a corner. He pulled himself erect, went to it and, spinning it on its axle, viewed its shape and brass furnishings. Chewing his blade of hay he laid the coffinlid by and came to the doorway. There he tilted his hatbrim to give shade to his eyes and leaned against the doorcase, looking idly out.
Father John Conmee stepped into the Dollymount tram on Newcomen bridge.
Corny Kelleher locked his largefooted boots and gazed, his hat downtilted, chewing his blade of hay.
Constable 57C, on his beat, stood to pass the time of day.
-- That's a fine day, Mr Kelleher.
-- Ay, Corny Kelleher said.
-- It's very close, the constable said.
Corny Kelleher sped a silent jet of hayjuice arching from his mouth while a generous white arm from a window in Eccles street flung forth a coin.
-- What's the best news? he asked.
-- I seen that particular party last evening, the constable said with bated breath.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A onelegged sailor crutched himself round MacConnell's corner, skirting Rabaiotti's icecream car, and jerked himself up Eccles street. Towards Larry O'Rourke, in shirtsleeves in his doorway, he growled unamiably
-- For England...
He swung himself violently forward past Katey and Boody Dedalus, halted and growled:
-- home and beauty.
J.J. O'Molloy's white careworn face was told that Mr Lambert was in the warehouse with a visitor.
A stout lady stopped, took a copper coin from her purse and dropped it into the cap held out to her. The sailor grumbled thanks and glanced sourly at the unheeding windows, sank his head and swung himself forward four strides.
He halted and growled angrily:
-- For England...
Two barefoot urchins, sucking long liquorice laces, halted near him, gaping at his stump with their yellow-slobbered mouths.
He swung himself forward in vigorous jerks, halted, lifted his head towards a window and bayed deeply:
-- home and beauty.
The gay sweet chirping whistling within went on a bar or two, ceased. The blind of the window was drawn aside. A card Unfurnished Apartments slipped from the sash and fell.
A plump bare generous arm shone, was seen, held forth from a white petticoatbodice and taut shiftstraps. A woman's hand flung forth a coin over the area railings. It fell on the path.
One of the urchins ran to it, picked it up and dropped it into the minstrel's cap, saying:
-- There, sir.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Katey and Boody Dedalus shoved in the door of the closesteaming kitchen.
-- Did you put in the books? Boody asked.
Maggy at the range rammed down a greyish mass beneath bubbling suds twice with her potstick and wiped her brow.
-- They wouldn't give anything on them, she said.
Father Conmee walked through Clongowes fields, his thinsocked ankles tickled by stubble.
-- Where did you try? Boody asked.
-- M'Guinness's.
Body stamped her foot and threw her satchel on the table.
-- Bad cess to her big face! she cried.
Katey went to the range and peered with squinting eyes.
-- What's in the pot? she asked.
-- Shirts, Maggy said.
Boody cried angrily:
-- Crickey, is there nothing for us to eat?
Katey, lifting the kettlelid in a pad of her stained skirt, asked:
-- And what's in this?
A heavy fume gushed in answer.
-- Peasoup, Maggy said.
-- Where did you get it? Katey asked.
-- Sister Mary Patrick, Maggy said.
The lacquey rang his bell.
-- Barang!
Boody sat down at the table and said hungrily:
-- Give us it here!
Maggy poured yellow thick soup from the kettle into a bowl. Katey, sitting opposite Boody, said quietly, as her fingertip lifted to her mouth random crumbs.
-- A good job we have that much. Where's Dilly?
-- Gone to meet father, Maggy said.
Boody, breaking big chunks of bread into the yellow soup, added:
-- Our father who art not in heaven.
Maggy, pouring yellow soup in Katey's bowl, exclaimed:
-- Boody! For shame!
A skiff, a crumpled throwaway, Elijah is coming, rode lightly down the Liffey, under Loopline bridge, shooting the rapids where water chafed around the bridgepiers, sailing eastward past hulls and anchorchains, between the Customhouse old dock and George's quay.
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The blonde girl in Thornton's bedded the wicker basket with rustling fibre. Blazes Boylan handed her the bottle swathed in pink tissue paper and a small jar.
-- Put these in first, will you? he said.
-- Yes, sir, the blond girl said, and the fruit on top.
-- That'll do, game ball, Blazes Boylan said.
She bestowed fat pears neatly, head by tail, and among them ripe shamefaced peaches.
Blazes Boylan walked here and there in new tan shoes about the fruitsmelling shop, lifting fruits, young juicy crinkled and plump red tomatoes, sniffing smells.
H. E. L. Y.'S. filed before him, tallwhitehatted, past Tangier lane, plodding towards their goal.
He turned suddenly from a chip of strawberries, drew a gold watch from his fob and held it at its chain's length.
-- Can you send them by tram? Now?
A darkbacked figure under Merchants' arch scanned books on the hawker's car.
-- Certainly, sir. Is it in the city?
-- O, yes, Blazes Boylan said. Ten minutes.
The blond girl handed him a docket and pencil.
-- Will you write the address, sir?
Blazes Boylan at the counter wrote and pushed the docket to her.
-- Send it at once, will you? he said. It's for an invalid.
-- Yes, sir. I will, sir.
Blazes Boylan rattled merry money in his trousers' pocket.
-- What's the damage? he asked.
The blond girl's slim fingers reckoned the fruits.
Blazes Boylan looked into the cut of her blouse. A young pullet. He took a red carnation from the tall stemglass.
-- This for me? he asked gallantly.
The blond girl glanced sideways at him, got up regardless, with his tie a bit crooked, blushing.
-- Yes, sir, she said.
Bending archly she reckoned again fat pears and blushing peaches.
Blazes Boylan looked in her blouse with more favour, the stalk of the red flower between his smiling teeth.
-- May I say a word to your telephone, missy? he asked roguishly.
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-- Ma! Almidano Artifoni said.
He gazed over Stephen's shoulder at Goldsmith's knobby poll.
Two carfuls of tourists passed slowly, their women sitting fore, gripping frankly the handrests. Pale faces. Men's arms frankly round their stunted forms. They looked from Trinity to the blind columned porch of the bank of Ireland where pigeons roocoocooed.
-- Anch'io ho avuto di queste idee, Almidano Artifoni said, quand' ero giovine come Lei. Eppoi mi sono convinto che il mondo è una bestia. è peccato. Perche la sua voce... sarebbe un cespite di rendita, via. Invece, Lei si sacrifica.
-- Sacrifizio incruento, Stephen said smiling, swaying his ashplant in slow swingswong from its midpoint, lightly.
-- Speriamo, the round mustachioed face said pleasantly. Ma, dia retta a me. Ci rifletta.
By the stern stone hand of Grattan, bidding halt, an Inchicore tram unloaded straggling Highland soldiers of a band.
-- Ci riflettò, Stephen said, glancing down the solid trouser-leg.
-- Ma, sul serio, eh? Almidano Artifoni said.
His heavy hand took Stephen's firmly. Human eyes. They gazed curiously an instant and turned quickly towards a Dalkey tram.
-- Eccolo, Almidano Artifoni said in friendly haste. Venga a trovarmi e ci pensi. Addio, caro.
-- Arrivederla, maestro, Stephen said, raising his hat when his hand was freed. E grazie.
-- Di che? Almidano Artifoni said. Scusi, eh? Tante belle cose!
Almidano Artifoni, holding up a baton of rolled music as a signal, trotted on stout trousers after the Dalkey tram. In vain he trotted, signalling in vain among the rout of bare-kneed gillies smuggling implements of music through Trinity gates.
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Miss Dunne hid the Capel street library copy of The Woman in White far back in her drawer and rolled a sheet of gaudy notepaper into her typewriter.
Too much mystery business in it. Is he in love with that one, Marion? Change it and get another by Mary Cecil Haye.
The disk shot down the groove, wobbled a while, ceased and ogled them: six.
Miss Dunne clicked on the keyboard:
-- 16 June 1904.
Five tallwhitehatted sandwichmen between Monypeny's corner and the slab where Wolfe Tone's statue was not, eeled themselves turning H. E. L. Y.'S and plodded back as they had come.
Then she stared at the large poster of Marie Kendall, charming soubrette, and, listlessly lolling, scribbled on the jotter sixteens and capital esses. Mustard hair and dauby cheeks. She's not nicelooking, is she? The way she is holding up her bit of a skirt. Wonder will that fellow be at the band tonight. If I could get that dressmaker to make a concertina skirt like Susy Nagle's. They kick out grand. Shannon and all the boatclub swells never took his eyes off her. Hope to goodness he won't keep me here till seven.
The telephone rang rudely by her ear.
-- Hello. Yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, sir. I'll ring them up after five. Only those two, sir, for Belfast and Liverpool. All right, sir. Then I can go after six if you're not back. A quarter after. Yes, sir. Twentyseven and six. I'll tell him. Yes: one, seven, six.
She scribbled three figures on an envelope.
-- Mr Boylan l Hello! That gentleman from Sport was in looking for you. Mr Lenehan, yes. He said he'll be in the Ormond at four. No, sir. Yes, sir. I'll ring them up after five.
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Two pink faces turned in the flare of the tiny torch.
-- Who's that? Ned Lambert asked. Is that Crotty?
-- Ringabella and Crosshaven, a voice replied, groping for foothold.
-- Hello, Jack, is that yourself? Ned Lambert said, raising in salute his pliant lath among the flickering arches. Come on. Mind your steps there.
The vesta in the clergyman's uplifted hand consumed itself In a long soft flame and was let fall. At their feet its red speck died: and mouldy air closed round them.
-- How interesting! a refined accent said in the gloom.
-- Yes, sir, Ned Lambert said heartily. We are standing in the historic council chamber of saint Mary's abbey where silken Thomas proclaimed himself a rebel in 1534. This is the most historic spot in all Dublin. O'Madden Burke is going to write something about it one of these days. The old bank of Ireland was over the way till the time of the union and the original jews' temple was here too before they built their synagogue over in Adelaide road. You were never here before, Jack, were you?
-- No, Ned.
-- He rode down through Dame walk, the refined accent said, if my memory serves me. The mansion of the Kildares was in Thomas court.
-- That's right, Ned Lambert said. That's quite right, sir.
-- If you will be so kind then, the clergyman said, the next time to allow me perhaps .
-- Certainly, Ned Lambert said. Bring the camera whenever you like. I'll get those bags cleared away from the windows. You can take it from here or from here.
In the still faint light he moved about, tapping with his lath the piled seedbags and points of vantage on the floor.
From a long face a beard and gaze hung on a chessboard.
-- I'm deeply obliged, Mr Lambert, the clergyman said. I won't trespass on your valuable time...
-- You're welcome, sir, Ned Lambert said. Drop in whenever you like. Next week, say. Can you see?
-- Yes, yes. Good afternoon, Mr Lambert. Very pleased to have met you.
-- Pleasure is mine, sir, Ned Lambert answered.
He followed his guest to the outlet and then whirled his lath away among the pillars. With J.J. O'Molloy he came forth slowly into Mary's abbey where draymen were loading floats with sacks of carob and palmnut meal, O'Connor, Wexford.
He stood to read the card in his hand.
-- The reverend Hugh C. Love, Rathcoffey. Present address: Saint Michael's, Sallins. Nice young chap he is. He's writing a book about the Fitzgeralds he told me. He's well up in history, faith.
The young woman with slow care detached from her light skirt a clinging twig.
-- I thought you were at a new gunpowder plot, J.J. O'Molloy said.
Ned Lambert cracked his fingers in the air.
-- God, he cried. I forgot to tell him that one about the earl of Kildare after he set fire to Cashel cathedral. You know that one? I'm bloody sorry I did it, says he, but I declare to God I thought the archbishop was inside. He mightn't like it, though. What? God, I'll tell him anyhow. That was the great earl, the Fitzgerald Mor. Hot members they were all of them, the Geraldines.
The horses he passed started nervously under their slack harness. He slapped a piebald haunch quivering near him and cried:
-- Woa, sonny!
He turned to J.J. O'Molloy and asked:
-- Well, Jack. What is it? What's the trouble? Wait a while. Holdhard.
With gaping mouth and head far back he stood still and, after an instant, sneezed loudly.
-- Chow! he said. Blast you!
-- The dust from those sacks, J.J. O'Molloy said politely.
-- No, Ned Lambert gasped, I caught a... cold night before ... blast your soul... night before last... and there was a hell of a lot of draught...
He held his handkerchief ready for the coming...
-- I was... this morning... poor little... what do you call him... Chow!... Mother of Moses!
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Tom Rochford took the top disk from the pile he clasped against his claret waistcoat.
-- See? he said. Say it's turn six. In here, see. Turn Now On.
He slid it into the left slot for them. It shot down the groove, wobbled a while, ceased, ogling them: six.
Lawyers of the past, haughty, pleading, beheld pass from the consolidated taxing office to Nisi Prius court Richie Goulding carrying the costbag of Goulding, Collis and Ward and heard rustling from the admiralty division of King's bench to the court of appeal an elderly female with false teeth smiling incredulously and a black silk skirt of great amplitude.
-- See? he said. See now the last one I put in is over here. Turns Over. The impact. Leverage, see?
He showed them the rising column of disks on the right.
-- Smart idea, Nosey Flynn said, snuffling. So a fellow coming in late can see what turn is on and what turns are over.
-- See? Tom Rochford said.
He slid in a disk for himself: and watched it shoot, wobble, ogle, stop: four. Turn Now On.
-- I'll see him now in the Ormond, Lenehan said, and sound him. One good turn deserves another.
-- Do, Tom Rochford said. Tell him I'm Boylan with impatience.
-- Goodnight, M'Coy said abruptly, when you two begin.
Nosey Flynn stooped towards the lever, snuffling at it.
-- But how does it work here, Tommy? he asked.
-- Tooraloo, Lenehan said, see you later.
He followed M'Coy out across the tiny square of Crampton court.
-- He's a hero, he said simply.
-- I know, M'Coy said. The drain, you mean.
-- Drain? Lenehan said. It was down a manhole.
They passed Dan Lowry's musichall where Marie Kendall, charming soubrette, smiled on them from a poster a dauby smile.
Going down the path of Sycamore street beside the Empire musichall Lenehan showed M'Coy how the whole thing was. One of those manholes like a bloody gaspipe and there was the poor devil stuck down in it half choked with sewer gas. Down went Tom Rochford anyhow, booky's vest and all, with the rope round him. And be damned but he got the rope round the poor devil and the two were hauled up.
-- The act of a hero, he said.
At the Dolphin they halted to allow the ambulance car to gallop past them for Jervis street.
-- This way, he said, walking to the right. I want to pop into Lynam's to see Sceptre's starting price. What's the time by your gold watch and chain?
M'Coy peered into Marcus Tertius Moses' sombre office, then at O'Neill's clock.
-- After three, he said. Who's riding her?
-- O. Madden, Lenehan said. And a game filly she is.
While he waited in Temple bar M'Coy dodged a banana peel with gentle pushes of his toe from the path to the gutter. Fellow might damn easy get a nasty fall there coming along tight in the dark.
The gates of the drive opened wide to give egress to the vice-regal cavalcade.
-- Even money, Lenehan said returning. I knocked against Bantam Lyons in there going to back a bloody horse someone gave him that hasn't an earthly. Through here.
They went up the steps and under Merchants' arch. A dark-backed figure scanned books on the hawker's cart.
-- There he is, Lenehan said.
-- Wonder what he is buying, M'Coy said, glancing behind.
-- Leopoldo or the Bloom is on the Rye, Lenehan said.
-- He's dead nuts on sales, M'Coy said. I was with him one day and he bought a book from an old one in Liffey street for two bob. There were fine plates in it worth double the money, the stars and the moon and comets with long tails. Astronomy it was about.
Lenehan laughed.
-- I'll tell you a damn good one about comets' tails, he said. Come over in the sun.
They crossed to the metal bridge and went along Wellington quay by the river wall.
Master Patrick Aloysius Dignam came out of Mangan's, late Fehrenbach's, carrying a pound and a half of porksteaks.
-- There was a big spread out at Glencree reformatory, Lenehan said eagerly. The annual dinner you know. Boiled shirt affair. The lord mayor was there, Val Dillon it was, and sir Charles Cameron and Dan Dawson spoke and there was music. Bartell D'Arcy sang and Benjamin Dollard.
-- I know, M'Coy broke in. My missus sang there once.
-- Did she? Lenehan said.
A card Unfurnished Apartments reappeared on the windowsash of number 7 Eccles street.
He checked his tale a moment but broke out in a wheezy laugh.
-- But wait till I tell you, he said. Delahunt of Camden street had the catering and yours truly was chief bottlewasher. Bloom and the wife were there. Lashings of stuff we put up: port wine and sherry and cura?ao to which we did ample justice. Fast and furious it was. After liquids came solids. Cold joints galore and mince pies.
-- I know, M'Coy said. The year the missus was there...
Lenehan linked his arm warmly.
-- But wait till I tell you, he said. We had a midnight lunch too after all the jollification and when we sallied forth it was blue o'clock the morning after the night before. Coming home it was a gorgeous winter's night on the Featherbed Mountain. Bloom and Chris Callinan were on one side of the car and I was with the wife on the other. We started singing glees and duets: Lo, the early beam of morning. She was well primed with a good load of Delahunt's port under her bellyband. Every jolt the bloody car gave I had her bumping up against me. Hell's delights! She has a fine pair, God bless her. Like that.
He held his caved hands a cubit from him, frowning:
-- I was tucking the rug under her and settling her boa all the time. Know what I mean?
His hands moulded ample curves of air. He shut his eyes tight in delight, his body shrinking, and blew a sweet chirp from his lips.
-- The lad stood to attention anyhow, he said with a sigh. She's a gamey mare and no mistake. Bloom was pointing out all the stars and the comets in the heavens to Chris Callinan and the jarvey: the great bear and Hercules and the dragon and the whole jingbang lot. But, by God, I was lost, so to speak, in the milky way. He knows them all, faith. At last she spotted a weeny weeshy one miles away. And what star is that, Poldy? says she. By God, she had Bloom cornered. That one, is it? says Chris Callinan, sure that's only what you might call a pinprick. By God, he wasn't far wide of the mark.
Lenehan stopped and leaned on the riverwall, panting with soft laughter.
-- I'm weak, he gasped.
M'Coy's white face smiled about it at instants and grew grave. Lenehan walked on again. He lifted his yachtingcap and scratched his hindhead rapidly. He glanced sideways in the sunlight at M'Coy.
-- He's a cultured allroundman, Bloom is, he said seriously. He's not one of your common or garden... you know... There's a touch of the artist about old Bloom.
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Mr Bloom turned over idly pages of The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, then of Aristotle's Masterpiece. Crooked botched print. Plates: infants cuddled in a ball in bloodred wombs like livers of slaughtered cows. Lots of them like that at this moment all over the world. All butting with their skulls to get out of it. Child born every minute somewhere. Mrs Purefoy.
He laid both books aside and glanced at the third: Tales of the Ghetto by Leopold von Sacher Masoch.
-- That I had, he said, pushing it by.
The shopman let two volumes fall on the counter.
-- Them are two good ones, he said.
Onions of his breath came across the counter out of his ruined mouth. He bent to make a bundle of the other books, hugged them against his unbuttoned waistcoat and bore them off behind the dingy curtain.
On O'Connell bridge many persons observed the grave deportment and gay apparel of Mr Denis J. Maginni, professor of dancing &c.
Mr Bloom, alone, looked at the titles. Fair Tyrants by James Lovebirch. Know the kind that is. Had it? Yes.
He opened it. Thought so.
A woman's voice behind the dingy curtain. Listen: The man.
No: she wouldn't like that much. Got her it once.
He read the other title: Sweets of Sin. More in her line. Let us see.
He read where his finger opened.
-- All the dollarbills her husband gave her were spent in the stores on wondrous gowns and costliest frillies. For him! For Raoul!
Yes. This. Here. Try.
-- Her mouth glued on his in a luscious voluptuous kiss while his hands felt for the opulent curves inside her déshabillé.
Yes. Take this. The end.
-- You are late, he spoke hoarsely, eyeing her with a suspicious glare. The beautiful woman threw off her sabletrimmed wrap, displaying her queenly shoulders and heaving embonpoint. An imperceptible smile played round her perfect lips as she turned to him calmly.
Mr Bloom read again: The beautiful woman.
Warmth showered gently over him, cowing his flesh. Flesh yielded amid rumpled clothes. Whites of eyes swooning up. His nostrils arched themselves for prey. Melting breast ointments (For him! For Raoul!). Armpits' oniony sweat. Fishgluey slime (her heaving embonpoint!). Feel! Press! Crushed! Sulphur dung of lions!
Young! Young!
An elderly female, no more young, left the building of the courts of chancery, king's bench, exchequer and common pleas, having heard in the lord chancellor's court the case in lunacy of Potterton, in the admiralty division the summons, exparte motion, of the owners of the Lady Cairns versus the owners of the barque Mona, in the court of appeal reservation of judgment in the case of Harvey versus the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation.
Phlegmy coughs shook the air of the bookshop, bulging out the dingy curtains. The shopman's uncombed grey head came out and his unshaven reddened face, coughing. He raked his throat rudely, spat phlegm on the floor. He put his boot on what he had spat, wiping his sole along it and bent, showing a rawskinned crown, scantily haired.
Mr Bloom beheld it.
Mastering his troubled breath, he said:
-- I'll take this one.
The shopman lifted eyes bleared with old rheum.
-- Sweets of Sin, he said, tapping on it. That's a good one.
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The lacquey by the door of Dillon's auctionrooms shook his handbell twice again and viewed himself in the chalked mirror of the cabinet.
Dilly Dedalus, listening by the curbstone, heard the beats of the bell, the cries of the auctioneer within. Four and nine. Those lovely curtains. Five shillings. Cosy curtains. Selling new at two guineas. Any advance on five shillings? Going for five shillings.
The lacquey lifted his handbell and shook it:
-- Barang!
Bang of the lastlap bell spurred the halfmile wheelmen to their sprint. J. A. Jackson, W. E. Wylie, A. Munro and H. T. Gahan, their stretched necks wagging, negotiated the curve by the College Library.
Mr Dedalus, tugging a long moustache, came round from Williams's row. He halted near his daughter.
-- It's time for you, she said.
-- Stand up straight for the love of the Lord Jesus, Mr Dedalus said. Are you trying to imitate your uncle John the cornetplayer, head upon shoulders? Melancholy God!
Dilly shrugged her shoulders. Mr Dedalus placed his hands on them and held them back.
-- Stand up straight, girl, he said. You'll get curvature of the spine. Do you know what you look like?
He let his head sink suddenly down and forward, hunching his shoulders and dropping his underjaw.
-- Give it up, father, Dilly said. All the people are looking at you.
Mr Dedalus drew himself upright and tugged again at his moustache.
-- Did you get any money? Dilly asked.
-- Where would I get money? Mr Dedalus said. There is no-one in Dublin would lend me fourpence.
-- You got some, Dilly said, looking in his eyes.
-- How do you know that? Mr Dedalus asked, his tongue in his cheek.
Mr Kernan, pleased with the order he had booked, walked boldly along James's street.
-- I know you did, Dilly answered. Were you in the Scotch house now?
-- I was not then, Mr Dedalus said, smiling. Was it the little nuns taught you to be so saucy? Here.
He handed her a shilling.
-- See if you can do anything with that, he said.
-- I suppose you got five, Dilly said. Give me more than that.
-- Wait awhile, Mr Dedalus said threateningly. You're like the rest of them, are you? An insolent pack of little bitches since your poor mother died. But wait awhile. You'll all get a short shrift and a long day from me. Low blackguardism! I'm going to get rid of you. Wouldn't care if I was stretched out stiff. He's dead. The man upstairs is dead.
He left her and walked on. Dilly followed quickly and pulled his coat.
-- Well, what is it? he said, stopping.
The lacquey rang his bell behind their backs.
-- Barang!
-- Curse your bloody blatant soul, Mr Dedalus cried, turning on him.
The lacquey, aware of comment, shook the lolling clapper of his bell but feebly:
-- Bang!
Mr Dedalus stared at him.
-- Watch him, he said. It's instructive. I wonder will he allow us to talk.
-- You got more than that, father, Dilly said.
-- I'm going to show you a little trick, Mr Dedalus said. I'll leave you all where Jesus left the jews. Look, that's all I have. I got two shillings from Jack Power and I spent twopence for a shave for the funeral.
He drew forth a handful of copper coins nervously.
-- Can't you look for some money somewhere? Dilly said.
Mr Dedalus thought and nodded.
-- I will, he said gravely. I looked all along the gutter in O'Connell street. I'll try this one now.
-- You're very funny, Dilly said, grinning.
-- Here, Mr Dedalus said, handing her two pennies. Get a glass of milk for yourself and a bun or a something. I'll be home shortly.
He put the other coins in his pocket and started to walk on.
The viceregal cavalcade passed, greeted by obsequious policemen, out of Parkgate.
-- I'm sure you have another shilling, Dilly said.
The lacquey banged loudly.
Mr Dedalus amid the din walked off, murmuring to himself with a pursing mincing mouth:
-- The little nuns! Nice little things! O, sure they wouldn't do anything! O, sure they wouldn't really! Is it little sister Monica!
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From the sundial towards James's Gate walked Mr Kernan pleased with the order he had booked for Pulbrook Robertson boldly along James's street, past Shackleton's offices. Got round him all right. How do you do, Mr Crimmins? First rate, sir. I was afraid you might be up in your other establishment in Pimlico. How are things going? Just keeping alive. Lovely weather we are having. Yes, indeed. Good for the country. Those farmers are always grumbling. I'll just take a thimbleful of your best gin, Mr Crimmins. A small gin, sir. Yes, sir. Terrible affair that General Slocum explosion. Terrible, terrible! A thousand casualties. And heartrending scenes. Men trampling down women and children. Most brutal thing. What do they say was the cause? Spontaneous combustion: most scandalous revelation. Not a single lifeboat would float and the firehose all burst. What I can't understand is how the inspectors ever allowed a boat like that... Now you are talking straight, Mr Crimmins. You know why? Palmoil. Is that a fact? Without a doubt. Well now, look at that. And America they say is the land of the free. I thought we were bad here.
I smiled at him. America, I said, quietly, just like that. What is it? The sweepings of every country including our own. Isn't that true? That's a fact.
Graft, my dear sir. Well, of course, where there's money going there's always someone to pick it up.
Saw him looking at my frockcoat. Dress does it. Nothing like a dressy appearance. Bowls them over.
-- Hello, Simon, Father Cowley said. How are things?
-- Hello, Bob, old man, Mr Dedalus answered stopping.
Mr Kernan halted and preened himself before the sloping mirror of Peter Kennedy, hairdresser. Stylish coat, beyond a doubt. Scott of Dawson street. Well worth the half sovereign I gave Neary for it. Never built under three guineas. Fits me down to the ground. Some Kildare street club toff had it probably. John Mulligan, the manager of the Hibernian bank, gave me a very sharp eye yesterday on Carlisle bridge as if he remembered me.
Aham! Must dress the character for those fellows. Knight of the road. Gentleman. And now, Mr Crimmins, may we have the honour of your custom again, sir. The cup that cheers but not inebriates, as the old saying has it.
North wall and sir John Rogerson's quay, with hulls and anchorchains, sailing westward, sailed by a skiff, a crumpled throwaway, rocked on the ferry-wash, Elijah is coming.
Mr Kernan glanced in farewell at his image. High colour, of course. Grizzled moustache. Returned Indian officer. Bravely he bore his stumpy body forward on spatted feet, squaring his shoulders. Is that Lambert's brother over the way, Sam? What? Yes. He's as like it as damn it. No. The windscreen of that motorcar in the sun there. Just a flash like that. Damn like him.
Aham! Hot spirit of juniper juice warmed his vitals and his breath. Good drop of gin, that was. His frocktails winked in bright sunshine to his fat strut.
Down there Emmet was hanged, drawn and quartered. Greasy black rope. Dogs licking the blood off the street when the lord lieutenant's wife drove by in her noddy.
Let me see. Is he buried in saint Michan's? Or no, there was a midnight burial in Glasnevin. Corpse brought in through a secret door in the wall. Dignam is there now. Went out in a puff. Well, well. Better turn down here. Make a detour.
Mr Kernan turned and walked down the slope of Watling street by the corner of Guinness's visitors' waitingroom. Outside the Dublin Distillers Company's stores an outside car without fare or jarvey stood, the reins knotted to the wheel. Damn dangerous thing. Some Tipperary bosthoon endangering the lives of the citizens. Runaway horse.
Denis Breen with his tomes, weary of having waited an hour in John Henry Menton's office, led his wife over O'Connell bridge, bound for the office of Messrs Collis and Ward.
Mr Kernan approached Island street.
Times of the troubles. Must ask Ned Lambert to lend me those reminiscences of sir Jonah Barrington. When you look back on it all now in a kind of retrospective arrangement. Gaming at Daly's. No cardsharping then. One of those fellows got his hand nailed to the table by a dagger. Somewhere here Lord Edward Fitzgerald escaped from major Sirr. Stables behind Moira house.
Damn good gin that was.
Fine dashing young nobleman. Good stock, of course. That ruffian, that sham squire, with his violet gloves, gave him away. Course they were on the wrong side. They rose in dark and evil days. Fine poem that is: Ingram. They were gentlemen. Ben Dollard does sing that ballad touchingly. Masterly rendition.
At the siege of Ross did my father fall.
A cavalcade in easy trot along Pembroke quay passed, outriders leaping, leaping in their, in their saddles. Frockcoats. Cream sunshades.
Mr Kernan hurried forward, blowing pursily.
His Excellency! Too bad! Just missed that by a hair. Damn it! What a pity!
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Stephen Dedalus watched through the webbed window the lapidary's fingers prove a timedulled chain. Dust webbed the window and the showtrays. Dust darkened the toiling fingers with their vulture nails. Dust slept on dull coils of bronze and silver, lozenges of cinnabar, on rubies, leprous and winedark stones.
Born all in the dark wormy earth, cold specks of fire, evil lights shining in the darkness. Where fallen archangels flung the stars of their brows. Muddy swinesnouts, hands, root and root, gripe and wrest them.
She dances in a foul gloom where gum burns with garlic. A sailorman, rustbearded, sips from a beaker rum and eyes her. A long and seafed silent rut. She dances, capers, wagging her sowish haunches and her hips, on her gross belly flapping a ruby egg.
Old Russell with a smeared shammy rag burnished again his gem, turned it and held it at the point of his Moses' beard. Grandfather ape gloating on a stolen hoard.
And you who wrest old images from the burial earth! The brainsick words of sophists: Antisthenes. A lore of drugs. Orient and immortal wheat standing from everlasting to everlasting.
Two old women fresh from their whiff of the briny trudged through Irishtown along London bridge road, one with a sanded umbrella, one with a midwife's bag in which eleven cockles rolled.
The whirr of flapping leathern bands and hum of dynamos from the powerhouse urged Stephen to be on. Beingless beings. Stop! Throb always without you and the throb always within. Your heart you sing of. I between them. Where? Between two roaring worlds where they swirl, I. Shatter them, one and both. But stun myself too in the blow. Shatter me you who can. Bawd and butcher, were the words. I say! Not yet awhile. A look around.
Yes, quite true. Very large and wonderful and keeps famous time. You say right, sir. A Monday morning, 'twas so, indeed.
Stephen went down Bedford row, the handle of the ash clacking against his shoulderblade. In Clohissey's window a faded 1860 print of Heenan boxing Sayers held his eye. Staring backers with square hats stood round the roped prizering. The heavyweights in light loincloths proposed gently each to other his bulbous fists. And they are throbbing: heroes' hearts.
He turned and halted by the slanted bookcart.
-- Twopence each, the huckster said. Four for sixpence.
Tattered pages. The Irish Beekeeper. Life and Miracles of the Curé of Ars. Pocket Guide to Killarney.
I might find here one of my pawned schoolprizes. Stephano Dedalo, alumno optimo, palmam ferenti.
Father Conmee, having read his little hours, walked through the hamlet of Donnycarney, murmuring vespers.
Binding too good probably, what is this? Eighth and ninth book of Moses. Secret of all secrets. Seal of King David. Thumbed pages: read and read. Who has passed here before me? How to soften chapped hands. Recipe for white wine vinegar. How to win a woman's love. For me this. Say the following talisman three times with hands folded:
-- Se et yilo nebrakada femininum! Amor me solo! Sanktus! Amen.
Who wrote this? Charms and invocations of the most blessed abbot Peter Salanka to all true believers divulged. As good as any other abbot's charms, as mumbling Joachim's. Down, baldynoddle, or we'll wool your wool.
-- What are you doing here, Stephen.
Dilly's high shoulders and shabby dress.
Shut the book quick. Don't let see.
-- What are you doing? Stephen said.
A Stuart face of nonesuch Charles, lank locks falling at its sides. It glowed as she crouched feeding the fire with broken boots. I told her of Paris. Late lieabed under a quilt of old overcoats, fingering a pinchbeck bracelet, Dan Kelly's token. Nebrakada femininum.
-- What have you there? Stephen asked.
-- I bought it from the other cart for a penny, Dilly said, laughing nervously. Is it any good?
My eyes they say she has. Do others see me so? Quick, far and daring. Shadow of my mind.
He took the coverless book from her hand. Chardenal's French primer.
-- What did you buy that for? he asked. To learn French?
She nodded, reddening and closing tight her lips.
Show no surprise. Quite natural.
-- Here, Stephen said. It's all right. Mind Maggy doesn't pawn it on you. I suppose all my books are gone.
-- Some, Dilly said. We had to.
She is drowning. Agenbite. Save her. Agenbite. All against us. She will drown me with her, eyes and hair. Lank coils of seaweed hair around me, my heart, my soul. Salt green death.
We.
Agenbite of inwit. Inwit's agenbite.
Misery! Misery!
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-- Hello, Simon, Father Cowley said. How are things?
-- Hello, Bob, old man, Mr Dedalus answered, stopping.
They clasped hands loudly outside Reddy and Daughter's. Father Cowley brushed his moustache often downward with a scooping hand.
-- What's the best news? Mr Dedalus said.
-- Why then not much, Father Cowley said. I'm barricaded up, Simon, with two men prowling around the house trying to effect an entrance.
-- Jolly, Mr Dedalus said. Who is it?
-- O, Father Cowley said. A certain gombeen man of our acquaintance.
-- With a broken back, is it? Mr Dedalus asked.
-- The same, Simon, Father Cowley answered. Reuben of that ilk. I'm just waiting for Ben Dollard. He's going to say a word to Long John to get him to take those two men off. All I want is a little time.
He looked with vague hope up and down the quay, a big apple bulging in his neck.
-- I know, Mr Dedalus said, nodding. Poor old bockedy Ben! He's always doing a good turn for someone. Hold hard!
He put on his glasses and gazed towards the metal bridge an instant.
-- There he is, by God, he said, arse and pockets.
Ben Dollard's loose blue cutaway and square hat above large slops crossed the quay in full gait from the metal bridge. He came towards them at an amble, scratching actively behind his coattails.
As he came near Mr Dedalus greeted:
-- Hold that fellow with the bad trousers.
-- Hold him now, Ben Dollard said.
Mr Dedalus eyed with cold wandering scorn various points of Ben Dollard's figure. Then, turning to Father Cowley with a nod, he muttered sneeringly:
-- That's a pretty garment, isn't it, for a summer's day?
-- Why, God eternally curse your soul, Ben Dollard growled furiously, I threw out more clothes in my time than you ever saw.
He stood beside them beaming on them first and on his roomy clothes from points of which Mr Dedalus flicked fluff, saying:
-- They were made for a man in his health, Ben, anyhow.
-- Bad luck to the jewman that made them, Ben Dollard said. Thanks be to God he's not paid yet.
-- And how is that basso profondo, Benjamin? Father Cowley asked.
Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell, murmuring, glasseyed, strode past the Kildare street club.
Ben Dollard frowned and, making suddenly a chanter's mouth, gave forth a deep note.
-- Aw! he said.
-- That's the style, Mr Dedalus said, nodding to its drone.
-- What about that? Ben Dollard said. Not too dusty? What? He turned to both.
-- That'll do, Father Cowley said, nodding also.
The reverend Hugh C. Love walked from the old Chapterhouse of saint Mary's abbey past James and Charles Kennedy's, rectifiers, attended by Geraldines tall and personable, towards the Tholsel beyond the Ford of Hurdles.
Ben Dollard with a heavy list towards the shopfronts led them forward, his joyful fingers in the air.
-- Come along with me to the subsheriff's office, he said. I want to show you the new beauty Rock has for a bailiff. He's a cross between Lobengula and Lynchehaun. He's well worth seeing, mind you. Come along. I saw John Henry Menton casually in the Bodega just now and it will cost me a fall if I don't... wait awhile... We're on the right lay, Bob, believe you me.
-- For a few days tell him, Father Cowley said anxiously.
Ben Dollard halted and stared, his loud orifice open, a dangling button of his coat wagging brightbacked from its thread as he wiped away the heavy shraums that clogged his eyes to hear aright.
-- What few days? he boomed. Hasn't your landlord distrained for rent?
-- He has, Father Cowley said.
-- Then our friend's writ is not worth the paper it's printed on, Ben Dollard said. The landlord has the prior claim. I gave him all the particulars. 29 Windsor avenue. Love is the name?
-- That's right, Father Cowley said. The reverend Mr Love. He's a minister in the country somewhere. But are you sure of that?
-- You can tell Barabbas from me, Ben Dollard said, that he can put that writ where Jacko put the nuts.
He led Father Cowley boldly forward linked to his bulk.
-- Filberts I believe they were, Mr Dedalus said, as he dropped his glasses on his coatfront, following them.
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-- The youngster will be all right, Martin Cunningham said, as they passed out of the Castleyard gate.
The policeman touched his forehead.
-- God bless you, Martin Cunningham said, cheerily.
He signed to the waiting jarvey who chucked at the reins and set on towards Lord Edward street.
Bronze by gold, Miss Kennedy's head by Miss Douce's head, appeared above the crossblind of the Ormond hotel.
Yes, Martin Cunningham said, fingering his beard. I wrote to Father Conmee and laid the whole case before him.
-- You could try our friend, Mr Power suggested backward.
-- Boyd? Martin Cunningham said shortly. Touch me not.
John Wyse Nolan, lagging behind, reading the list, came after them quickly down Cork hill.
On the steps of the City hall Councillor Nannetti, descending, hailed Alderman Cowley and Councillor Abraham Lyon ascending.
The castle car wheeled empty into upper Exchange street.
-- Look here Martin, John Wyse Nolan said, overtaking them at the Mail office. I see Bloom put his name down for five shillings.
-- Quite right, Martin Cunningham said, taking the list. And put down the five shillings too.
-- Without a second word either, Mr Power said.
-- Strange but true, Martin Cunningham added.
John Wyse Nolan opened wide eyes.
-- I'll say there is much kindness in the jew, he quoted elegantly.
They went down Parliament street.
-- There's Jimmy Henry, Mr Power said, just heading for Kavanagh's.
-- Righto, Martin Cunningham said. Here goes.
Outside la Maison Claire Blazes Boylan waylaid Jack Mooney's brother-in-law, humpy, tight, making for the liberties.
John Wyse Nolan fell back with Mr Power, while Martin Cunningham took the elbow of a dapper little man in a shower of hail suit who walked uncertainly with hasty steps past Micky Anderson's watches.
-- The assistant town clerk's corns are giving him some trouble, John Wyse Nolan told Mr Power.
They followed round the corner towards James Kavanagh's winerooms. The empty castle car fronted them at rest in Essex gate. Martin Cunningham, speaking always, showed often the list at which Jimmy Henry did not glance.
-- And Long John Fanning is here too, John Wyse Nolan said, as large as life.
The tall form of Long John Fanning filled the doorway where he stood.
-- Good day, Mr Subsheriff, Martin Cunningham said, as all halted and greeted.
Long John Fanning made no way for them. He removed his large Henry Clay decisively and his large fierce eyes scowled intelligently over all their faces.
-- Are the conscript fathers pursuing their peaceful deliberations? he said, with rich acrid utterance to the assistant town clerk.
Hell open to christians they were having, Jimmy Henry said pettishly, about their damned Irish language. Where was the marshal, he wanted to know, to keep order in the council chamber. And old Barlow the macebearer laid up with asthma, no mace on the table, nothing in order, no quorum even and Hutchinson, the lord mayor, in Llandudno and little Lorcan Sherlock doing locum tenens for him. Damned Irish language, of our forefathers.
Long John Fanning blew a plume of smoke from his lips.
Martin Cunningham spoke by turns, twirling the peak of his beard, to the assistant town clerk and the subsheriff, while John Wyse Nolan held his peace.
-- What Dignam was that? Long John Fanning asked.
Jimmy Henry made a grimace and lifted his left foot.
-- O, my corns! he said plaintively. Come upstairs for goodness' sake till I sit down somewhere. Uff! Ooo! Mind!
Testily he made room for himself beside Long John Fanning's flank and passed in and up the stairs.
-- Come on up, Martin Cunningham said to the subsheriff. I don't think you knew him or perhaps you did, though.
With John Wyse Nolan Mr Power followed them in.
-- Decent little soul he was, Mr Power said to the stalwart back of Long John Fanning ascending towards Long John Fanning in the mirror.
-- Rather lowsized, Dignam of Menton's office that was, Martin Cunningham said.
Long John Fanning could not remember him.
Clatter of horsehoofs sounded from the air.
-- What's that? Martin Cunningham said.
All turned where they stood; John Wyse Nolan came down again. From the cool shadow of the doorway he saw the horses pass Parliament street, harness and glossy pasterns in sunlight shimmering. Gaily they went past before his cool unfriendly eyes, not quickly. In saddles of the leaders, leaping leaders, rode outriders.
-- What was it? Martin Cunningham asked, as they went on up the staircase.
-- The lord lieutenant general and general governor of Ireland, John Wyse Nolan answered from the stairfoot.
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As they trod across the thick carpet Buck Mulligan whispered behind his panama to Haines.
-- Parnell's brother. There in the corner.
They chose a small table near the window opposite a long-faced man whose beard and gaze hung intently down on a chessboard.
-- Is that he? Haines asked, twisting round in his seat.
-- Yes, Mulligan said. That's John Howard, his brother, our city marshal.
John Howard Parnell translated a white bishop quietly and his grey claw went up again to his forehead whereat it rested.
An instant after, under its screen, his eyes looked quickly, ghostbright, at his foe and fell once more upon a working corner.
-- I'll take a mélange, Haines said to the waitress.
-- Two mélanges, Buck Mulligan said. And bring us some scones and butter and some cakes as well.
When she had gone he said, laughing:
-- We call it D. B. C. because they have damn bad cakes. O, but you missed Dedalus on Hamlet.
Haines opened his newbought book.
-- I'm sorry, he said. Shakespeare is the happy huntingground of all minds that have lost their balance.
The onelegged sailor growled at the area of 14 Nelson street:
-- England expects...
Buck Mulligan's primrose waistcoat shook gaily to his laughter.
-- You should see him, he said, when his body loses its balance. Wandering &Aelig;ngus I call him.
-- I am sure he has an idée fixe, Haines said, pinching his chin thoughtfully with thumb and forefinger. Now I am speculating what it would be likely to be. Such persons always have.
Buck Mulligan bent across the table gravely.
-- They drove his wits astray, he said, by visions of hell. He will never capture the Attic note. The note of Swinburne, of all poets, the white death and the ruddy birth. That is his tragedy. He can never be a poet. The joy of creation.
-- Eternal punishment, Haines said, nodding curtly. I see. I tackled him this morning on belief. There was something on his mind, I saw. It's rather interesting because Professor Pokorny of Vienna makes an interesting point out of that.
Buck Mulligan's watchful eyes saw the waitress come. He helped her to unload her tray.
-- He can find no trace of hell in ancient Irish myth, Haines said, amid the cheerful cups. The moral idea seems lacking, the sense of destiny, of retribution. Rather strange he should have just that fixed idea. Does he write anything for your movement?
He sank two lumps of sugar deftly longwise through the whipped cream. Buck Mulligan slit a steaming scone in two and plastered butter over its smoking pith. He bit off a soft piece hungrily.
-- Ten years, he said, chewing and laughing. He is going to write something in ten years.
-- Seems a long way off, Haines said, thoughtfully lifting his spoon. Still, I shouldn't wonder if he did after all.
He tasted a spoonful from the creamy cone of his cup.
-- This is real Irish cream I take it, he said with forbearance. I don't want to be imposed on.
Elijah, skiff, light crumpled throwaway, sailed eastward by flanks of ships and trawlers, amid an archipelago of corks, beyond new Wapping street past Benson's ferry, and by the three-masted schooner Rosevean from Bridgwater with bricks.
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Almidano Artifoni walked past Holles street, past Sewell's yard. Behind him Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell with stickumbrelladustcoat dangling, shunned the lamp before Mr Law Smith's house and, crossing, walked along Merrion square. Distantly behind him a blind stripling tapped his way by the wall of College Park.
Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell walked as far as Mr Lewis Werner's cheerful windows, then turned and strode back along Merrion square, his stickumbrelladustcoat dangling.
At the corner of Wilde's he halted, frowned at Elijah's name announced on the Metropolitan Hall, frowned at the distant pleasance of duke's lawn. His eyeglass flashed frowning in the sun. With ratsteeth bared he muttered:
-- Coactus volui.
He strode on for Clare street, grinding his fierce word.
As he strode past Mr Bloom's dental windows the sway of his dustcoat brushed rudely from its angle a slender tapping cane and swept onwards, having buffeted a thewless body. The blind stripling turned his sickly face after the striding form.
-- God's curse on you, he said sourly, whoever you are! You're blinder nor I am, you bitch's bastard!
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Opposite Ruggy O'Donohoe's Master Patrick Aloysius Dignam, pawing the pound and half of Mangan's, late Fehrenbach's, porksteaks he had been sent for, went along warm Wicklow street dawdling. It was too blooming dull sitting in the parlour with Mrs Stoer and Mrs Quigley and Mrs MacDowell and the blind down and they all at their sniffles and sipping sups of the superior tawny sherry uncle Barney brought from Tunney's. And they eating crumbs of the cottage fruit cake jawing the whole blooming time and sighing.
After Wicklow lane the window of Madame Doyle, court dress milliner, stopped him. He stood looking in at the two puckers stripped to their pelts and putting up their props. From the sidemirrors two mourning Masters Dignam gaped silently. Myler Keogh, Dublin's pet lamb, will meet sergeant-major Bennett, the Portobello bruiser, for a purse of fifty sovereigns, God, that'd be a good pucking match to see. Myler Keogh, that's the chap sparring out to him with the green sash. Two bar entrance, soldiers half price. I could easy do a bunk on ma. Master Dignam on his left turned as he turned. That's me in mourning. When is it? May the twenty-second. Sure, the blooming thing is all over. He turned to the right and on his right Master Dignam turned, his cap awry, his collar sticking up. Buttoning it down, his chin lifted, he saw the image of Marie Kendall, charming soubrette, beside the two puckers. One of them mots that do be in the packets of fags Stoer smokes that his old fellow welted hell out of him for one time he found out.
Master Dignam got his collar down and dawdled on. The best pucker going for strength was Fitzsimons. One puck in the wind from that fellow would knock you into the middle of next week, man. But the best pucker for science was Jem Corbet before Fitzsimons knocked the stuffings out of him, dodging and all.
In Grafton street Master Dignam saw a red flower in a toff's mouth and a swell pair of kicks on him and he listening to what the drunk was telling him and grinning all the time.
No Sandymount tram.
Master Dignam walked along Nassau street, shifted the porksteaks to his other hand. His collar sprang up again and he tugged it down. The blooming stud was too small for the buttonhole of the shirt, blooming end to it. He met schoolboys with satchels. I'm not going tomorrow either, stay away till Monday. He met other schoolboys. Do they notice I'm in mourning? Uncle Barney said he'd get it into the paper tonight. Then they'll all see it in the paper and read my name printed and pa's name.
His face got all grey instead of being red like it was and there was a fly walking over it up to his eye. The scrunch that was when they were screwing the screws into the coffin: and the bumps when they were bringing it downstairs.
Pa was inside it and ma crying in the parlour and uncle Barney telling the men how to get it round the bend. A big coffin it was, and high and heavylooking. How was that? The last night pa was boosed he was standing on the landing there bawling out for his boots to go out to Tunney's for to boose more and he looked butty and short in his shirt. Never see him again. Death, that is. Pa is dead. My father is dead. He told me to be a good son to ma. I couldn't hear the other things he said but I saw his tongue and his teeth trying to say it better. Poor pa. That was Mr Dignam, my father. I hope he is in purgatory now because he went to confession to father Conroy on Saturday night.
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William Humble, earl of Dudley, and Lady Dudley, accompanied by lieutenantcolonel Hesseltine, drove out after luncheon from the viceregal lodge. In the following carriage were the honourable Mrs Paget, Miss de Courcy and the honourable Gerald Ward, A. D. C. in attendance.
The cavalcade passed out by the lower gate of Phoenix Park saluted by obsequious policemen and proceeded past Kingsbridge along the northern quays. The viceroy was most cordially greeted on his way through the metropolis. At Bloody bridge Mr Thomas Kernan beyond the river greeted him vainly from afar. Between Queen's and Whitworth bridges Lord Dudley's viceregal carriages passed and were unsaluted by Mr Dudley White, B. L., M. A., who stood on Arran Quay outside Mrs M. E. White's, the pawnbroker's, at the corner of Arran street west stroking his nose with his forefinger, undecided whether he should arrive at Phibsborough more quickly by a triple change of tram or by hailing a car or on foot through Smithfield, Constitution hill and Broadstone terminus. In the porch of Four Courts Richie Goulding with the costsbag of Goulding, Collis and Ward saw him with surprise. Past Richmond bridge at the doorstep of the office of Reuben J. Dodd, solicitor, agent for the Patriotic Insurance Company, an elderly female about to enter changed her plan and retracing her steps by King's windows smiled credulously on the representative of His Majesty. From its sluice in Wood quay wall under Tom Devan's office Poddle river hung out in fealty a tongue of liquid sewage. Above the crossblind of the Ormond Hotel, gold by bronze, Miss Kennedy's head by Miss Douce's head watched and admired. On Ormond quay Mr Simon Dedalus, steering his way from the greenhouse for the subsheriff's office, stood still in midstreet and brought his hat low. His Excellency graciously returned Mr Dedalus' greeting. From Cahill's corner the reverend Hugh C. Love, M. A., made obeisance unperceived, mindful of lords deputies whose hands benignant had held of yore rich advowsons. On Grattan bridge Lenehan and M'Coy, taking leave of each other, watched the carriages go by. Passing by Roger Greene's office and Dollard's big red printing house Gerty MacDowell, carrying the Catesby's cork lino letters for her father who was laid up, knew by the style it was the lord and lady lieutenant but she couldn't see what Her Excellency had on because the tram and Spring's big yellow furniture van had to stop in front of her on account of its being the lord lieutenant. Beyond Lundy Foot's from the shaded door of Kavanagh's winerooms John Wyse Nolan smiled with unseen coldness towards the lord lieutenantgeneral and general governor of Ireland. The Right Honourable William Humble, earl of Dudley, G. C. V. O., passed Micky Anderson's all times ticking watches and Henry and James's wax smartsuited freshcheeked models, the gentleman Henry, dernier cri James. Over against Dame gate Tom Rochford and Nosey Flynn watched the approach of the cavalcade. Tom Rochford, seeing the eyes of lady Dudley on him, took his thumbs quickly out of the pockets of his claret waistcoat and doffed his cap to her. A charming soubrette, great Marie Kendall, with dauby cheeks and lifted skirt, smiled daubily from her poster upon William Humble, earl of Dudley, and upon lieutenantcolonel H. G. Hesseltine and also upon the honourable Gerald Ward A. D. C. From the window of the D. B. C. Buck Mulligan gaily, and Haines gravely, gazed down on the viceregal equipage over the shoulders of eager guests, whose mass of forms darkened the chessboard whereon John Howard Parnell looked intently. In Fownes's street, Dilly Dedalus, straining her sight upward from Chardenal's first French primer, saw sunshades spanned and wheelspokes spinning in the glare John Henry Menton, filling the doorway of Commercial Buildings, stared from winebig oyster eyes, holding a fat gold hunter watch not looked at in his fat left hand not feeling it. Where the foreleg of King Billy's horse pawed the air Mrs Breen plucked her hastening husband back from under the hoofs of the outriders. She shouted in his ear the tidings. Understanding, he shifted his tomes to his left breast and saluted the second carriage. The honourable Gerald Ward A. D. C., agreeably surprised, made haste to reply. At Ponsonby's corner a jaded white flagon H. halted and four tallhatted white flagons halted behind him, E. L. Y.'S., while outriders pranced past and carriages. Opposite Pigott's music warerooms Mr Denis J. Maginni professor of dancing &c, gaily apparelled, gravely walked, outpassed by a viceroy and unobserved. By the provost's wall came jauntily Blazes Boylan, stepping in tan shoes and socks with skyblue clocks to the refrain of My girl's a Yorkshire girl.
Blazes Boylan presented to the leaders' skyblue frontlets and high action a skyblue tie, a widebrimmed straw hat at a rakish angle and a suit of indigo serge. His hands in his jacket pockets forgot to salute but he offered to the three ladies the bold admiration of his eyes and the red flower between his lips. As they drove along Nassau street His Excellency drew the attention of his bowing consort to the programme of music which was being discoursed in College park. Unseen brazen highland laddies blared and drumthumped after the cortége:
But though she's a factory lass
And wears no fancy clothes.
Baraabum.
Yet I've a sort of a
Yorkshire relish for
My little Yorkshire rose.
Baraabum.
Thither of the wall the quartermile flat handicappers, M. C. Green, H. Thrift, T. M. Patey, C. Scaife, J. B. Jeffs, G. N. Morphy, F. Stevenson, C. Adderly, and W. C. Huggard started in pursuit. Striding past Finn's hotel, Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell stared through a fierce eyeglass across the carriages at the head of Mr E. M. Solomons in the window of the Austro-Hungarian viceconsulate. Deep in Leinster street, by Trinity's postern, a loyal king's man, Horn-blower, touched his tallyho cap. As the glossy horses pranced by Merrion square Master Patrick Aloysius Dignam, waiting, saw salutes being given to the gent with the topper and raised also his new black cap with fingers greased by porksteak paper. His collar too sprang up. The viceroy, on his way to inaugurate the Mirus bazaar in aid of funds for Mercer's hospital, drove with his following towards Lower Mount street. He passed a blind stripling Opposite Broadbent's. In Lower Mount street a pedestrian in a brown macintosh, eating dry bread, passed swiftly and unscathed across the viceroy's path. At the Royal Canal bridge, from his hoarding, Mr Eugene Stratton, his blub lips agrin, bade all comers welcome to Pembroke township. At Haddington road corner two sanded women halted themselves, an umbrella and a bag in which eleven cockles rolled to view with wonder the lord mayor and lady mayoress without his golden chain. On Northumberland and Landsdowne roads His Excellency acknowledged punctually salutes from rare male walkers, the salute of two small schoolboys at the garden gate of the house said to have been admired by the late queen when visiting the Irish capital with her husband, the prince consort, in 1849, and the salute of Almidano Artifoni's sturdy trousers swallowed by a closing door.

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10、Chapter 10 Wandering Rocks

THE SUPERIOR, THE VERY REVEREND JOHN CONMEE S. J, RESET HIS smooth watch in his interior pocket as he came down the presbytery steps. Five to three. Just nice time to walk to Artane. What was that boy's name again? Dignam, yes. Vere dignum et justum est. Brother Swan was the person to see. Mr Cunningham's letter. Yes. Oblige him, if possible. Good practical catholic: useful at mission time.
A onelegged sailor, swinging himself onward by lazy jerks of his crutches, growled some notes. He jerked short before the convent of the sisters of charity and held out a peaked cap for aims towards the very reverend John Conmee S. J. Father Conmee blessed him in the sun for his purse held, he knew, one silver crown.
Father Conmee crossed to Mountjoy square. He thought, but not for long, of soldiers and sailors, whose legs had been shot off by cannonballs, ending their days in some pauper ward, and of cardinal Wolsey's words: If I had served my God as I have served my king He would not have abandoned me in my old days. He walked by the treeshade of sunnywinking leaves and towards him came the wife of Mr David Sheehy M. P.
-- Very well, indeed, father. And you father?
Father Conmee was wonderfully well indeed. He would go to Buxton probably for the waters. And her boys, were they getting on well at Belvedere? Was that so? Father Conmee was very glad indeed to hear that. And Mr Sheehy himself? Still in London. The house was still sitting, to be sure it was. Beautiful weather it was, delightful indeed. Yes, it was very probable that Father Bernard Vaughan would come again to preach. O, yes: a very great success. A wonderful man really.
Father Conmee was very glad to see the wife of Mr David Sheehy M. P. looking so well and he begged to be remembered to Mr David Sheehy M. P. Yes, he would certainly call.
-- Good afternoon, Mrs Sheehy.
Father Conmee doffed his silk hat, as he took leave, at the jet beads of her mantilla inkshining in the sun. And smiled yet again in going. He had cleaned his teeth, he knew, with arecanut paste.
Father Conmee walked and, walking, smiled for he thought on Father Bernard Vaughan's droll eyes and cockney voice.
-- Pilate! Wy don't you old back that owlin mob?
A zealous man, however. Really he was. And really did great good in his way. Beyond a doubt. He loved Ireland, he said, and he loved the Irish. Of good family too would one think it? Welsh, were they not?
O, lest he forget. That letter to father provincial.
Father Conmee stopped three little schoolboys at the corner of Mountjoy square. Yes: they were from Belvedere. The little house: Aha. And were they good boys at school? O. That was very good now. And what was his name? Jack Sohan. And his name? Ger. Gallaher. And the other little man? His name was Brunny Lynam. O, that was a very nice name to have.
Father Conmee gave a letter from his breast to master Brunny Lynam and pointed to the red pillarbox at the corner of Fitzgibbon street.
-- But mind you don't post yourself into the box, little man, he said.
The boys sixeyed Father Conmee and laughed.
-- O, sir.
-- Well, let me see if you can post a letter, Father Conmee said.
Master Brunny Lynam ran across the road and put Father Conmee's letter to father provincial into the mouth of the bright red letterbox, Father Conmee smiled and nodded and smiled and walked along Mountjoy square east.
Mr Denis J. Maginni, professor of dancing, &c., in silk hat, slate frockcoat with silk facings, white kerchief tie, tight lavender trousers, canary gloves and pointed patent boots, walking with grave deportment most respectfully took the curbstone as he passed lady Maxwell at the corner of Dignam's court.
Was that not Mrs M'Guinness?
Mrs M'Guinness, stately, silverhaired, bowed to Father Conmee from the farther footpath along which she smiled. And Father Conmee smiled and saluted. How did she do?
A fine carriage she had. Like Mary, queen of Scots, something. And to think that she was a pawnbroker. Well, now! Such a... what should he say?... such a queenly mien.
Father Conmee walked down Great Charles street and glanced at the shutup free church on his left. The reverend T. R. Green B. A. will (D. V.) speak. The incumbent they called him. He felt it incumbent on him to say a few words. But one should be charitable. Invincible ignorance. They acted according to their lights.
Father Conmee turned the corner and walked along the North Circular road. It was a wonder that there was not a tramline in such an important thoroughfare. Surely, there ought to be.
A band of satchelled schoolboys crossed from Richmond street. All raised untidy caps. Father Conmee greeted them more than once benignly. Christian brother boys.
Father Conmee smelled incense on his right hand as he walked. Saint Joseph's church, Portland row. For aged and virtuous females. Father Conmee raised his hat to the Blessed Sacrament. Virtuous: but occasionally they were also badtempered.
Near Aldborough house Father Conmee thought of that spendthrift nobleman. And now it was an office or something.
Father Conmee began to walk along the North Strand road and was saluted by Mr William Gallagher who stood in the doorway of his shop. Father Conmee saluted Mr William Gallagher and perceived the odours that came from baconflitches and ample cools of butter. He passed Grogan's the tobacconist against which newsboards leaned and told of a dreadful catastrophe in New York. In America those things were continually happening. Unfortunate people to die like that, unprepared. Still, an act of perfect contrition.
Father Conmee went by Daniel Bergin's publichouse against the window of which two unlabouring men lounged. They saluted him and were saluted.
Father Conmee passed H. J. O'Neill's funeral establishment where Corny Kelleher totted figures in the daybook while he chewed a blade of hay. A constable on his beat saluted Father Conmee and Father Conmee saluted the constable. In Youkstetter's, the pork-butcher's, Father Conmee observed pig's puddings, white and black and red, lying neatly curled in tubes.
Moored under the trees of Charleville Mall Father Conmee saw a turf barge, a towhorse with pendent head, a bargeman with a hat of dirty straw seated amidships, smoking and staring at a branch of poplar above him. It was idyllic: and Father Conmee reflected on the providence of the Creator who had made turf to be in bogs where men might dig it out and bring it to town and hamlet to make fires in the houses of poor people.
On Newcomen bridge the very reverend John Conmee S. J. of saint Francis Xavier's church, upper Gardiner street, stepped on to an outward bound tram.
Off an inward bound tram stepped the reverend Nicholas Dudley C. C. of saint Agatha's church, north William street, on to Newcomen bridge.
At Newcomen bridge Father Conmee stepped into an outward bound tram for he disliked to traverse on foot the dingy way past Mud Island.
Father Conmee sat in a corner of the tramcar, a blue ticket tucked with care in the eye of one plump kid glove, while four shillings, a sixpence and five pennies chuted from his other plump glovepalm into his purse. Passing the ivy church he reflected that the ticket inspector usually made his visit when one had carelessly thrown away the ticket. The solemnity of the occupants of the car seemed to Father Conmee excessive for a journey so short and cheap. Father Conmee liked cheerful decorum.
It was a peaceful day. The gentleman with the glasses opposite Father Conmee had finished explaining and looked down. His wife, Father Conmee supposed. A tiny yawn opened the mouth of the wife of the gentleman with the glasses. She raised her small gloved fist, yawned ever so gently, tiptapping her small gloved fist on her opening mouth and smiled tinily, sweetly.
Father Conmee perceived her perfume in the car. He perceived also that the awkward man at the other side of her was sitting on the edge of the seat.
Father Conmee at the altarrails placed the host with difficulty in the mouth of the awkward old man who had the shaky head.
At Annesley bridge the tram halted and, when it was about to go, an old woman rose suddenly from her place to alight. The conductor pulled the bellstrap to stay the car for her. She passed out with her basket and a market net: and Father Conmee saw the conductor help her and net and basket down: and Father Conmee thought that, as she had nearly passed the end of the penny fare, she was one of those good souls who had always to be told twice bless you, my child, that they have been absolved, pray for me. But they had so many worries in life, so many cares, poor creatures.
From the hoardings Mr Eugene Stratton grinned with thick niggerlips at Father Conmee.
Father Conmee thought of the souls of black and brown and yellow men and of his sermon of saint Peter Claver S. J. and the African mission and of the propagation of the faith and of the millions of black and brown and yellow souls that had not received the baptism of water when their last hour came like a thief in the night. That book by the Belgian jesuit, Le Nombre des élus, seemed to Father Conmee a reasonable plea. Those were millions of human souls created by God in His Own likeness to whom the faith had not (D. V.) been brought. But they were God's souls created by God. It seemed to Father Conmee a pity that they should all be lost, a waste, if one might say.
At the Howth road stop Father Conmee alighted, was saluted by the conductor and saluted in his turn.
The Malahide road was quiet. It pleased Father Conmee, road and name. The joybells were ringing in gay Malahide. Lord Talbot de Malahide, immediate hereditary lord admiral of Malahide and the seas adjoining. Then came the call to arms and she was maid, wife and widow in one day. Those were oldworldish days, loyal times in joyous townlands, old times in the barony.
Father Conmee, walking, thought of his little book Old Times in the Barony and of the book that might be written about jesuit houses and of Mary Rochfort, daughter of lord Molesworth, first countess of Belvedere.
A listless lady, no more young, walked alone the shore of lough Ennel, Mary, first countess of Belvedere, listlessly walking in the evening, not startled when an otter plunged. Who could know the truth? Not the jealous lord Belvedere and not her confessor if she had not committed adultery fully, eiaculatio seminis inter vas naturale mulieris, with her husband's brother? She would half confess if she had not all sinned as women did. Only God knew and she and he, her husband's brother.
Father Conmee thought of that tyrannous incontinence, needed however for men's race on earth, and of the ways of God which were not our ways.
Don John Conmee walked and moved in times of yore. He was humane and honoured there. He bore in mind secrets confessed and he smiled at smiling noble faces in a beeswaxed drawingroom, ceiled with full fruit clusters. And the hands of a bride and of a bridegroom, noble to noble, were impalmed by don John Conmee.
It was a charming day.
The lychgate of a field showed Father Conmee breadths of cabbages, curtseying to him with ample underleaves. The sky showed him a flock of small white clouds going slowly down the wind. Moutonner, the French said. A homely and just word.
Father Conmee, reading his office, watched a flock of muttoning clouds over Rathcoffey. His thinsocked ankles were tickled by the stubble of Clongowes field. He walked there, reading in the evening, and heard the cries of the boys' lines at their play, young cries in the quiet evening. He was their rector: his reign was mild.
Father Conmee drew off his gloves and took his rededged breviary out. An ivory bookmark told him the page.
Nones. He should have read that before lunch. But lady Maxwell had come.
Father Conmee read in secret Pater and Ave and crossed his breast. Deus in adiutorium.
He wamked calmly and read mutely the nones, walking and reading till he came to Res in Beati immaculati: Principium verborum tuotum veritas: in eternum omnia iudicia iustitu tu&Aelig;.
A flushed young man came from a gap of a hedge and after him came a young woman with wild nodding daisies in her hand. The young man raised his cap abruptly: the young woman abruptly bent and with slow care detached from her light skirt a clinging twig.
Father Conmee blessed both gravely and turned a thin page of his breviary. Sin: Principes persecuti sunt me gratis: et a verbis tuis formidavit cor meum.
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Corny Kelleher closed his long daybook and glanced with his drooping eye at a pine coffinlid sentried in a corner. He pulled himself erect, went to it and, spinning it on its axle, viewed its shape and brass furnishings. Chewing his blade of hay he laid the coffinlid by and came to the doorway. There he tilted his hatbrim to give shade to his eyes and leaned against the doorcase, looking idly out.
Father John Conmee stepped into the Dollymount tram on Newcomen bridge.
Corny Kelleher locked his largefooted boots and gazed, his hat downtilted, chewing his blade of hay.
Constable 57C, on his beat, stood to pass the time of day.
-- That's a fine day, Mr Kelleher.
-- Ay, Corny Kelleher said.
-- It's very close, the constable said.
Corny Kelleher sped a silent jet of hayjuice arching from his mouth while a generous white arm from a window in Eccles street flung forth a coin.
-- What's the best news? he asked.
-- I seen that particular party last evening, the constable said with bated breath.
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A onelegged sailor crutched himself round MacConnell's corner, skirting Rabaiotti's icecream car, and jerked himself up Eccles street. Towards Larry O'Rourke, in shirtsleeves in his doorway, he growled unamiably
-- For England...
He swung himself violently forward past Katey and Boody Dedalus, halted and growled:
-- home and beauty.
J.J. O'Molloy's white careworn face was told that Mr Lambert was in the warehouse with a visitor.
A stout lady stopped, took a copper coin from her purse and dropped it into the cap held out to her. The sailor grumbled thanks and glanced sourly at the unheeding windows, sank his head and swung himself forward four strides.
He halted and growled angrily:
-- For England...
Two barefoot urchins, sucking long liquorice laces, halted near him, gaping at his stump with their yellow-slobbered mouths.
He swung himself forward in vigorous jerks, halted, lifted his head towards a window and bayed deeply:
-- home and beauty.
The gay sweet chirping whistling within went on a bar or two, ceased. The blind of the window was drawn aside. A card Unfurnished Apartments slipped from the sash and fell.
A plump bare generous arm shone, was seen, held forth from a white petticoatbodice and taut shiftstraps. A woman's hand flung forth a coin over the area railings. It fell on the path.
One of the urchins ran to it, picked it up and dropped it into the minstrel's cap, saying:
-- There, sir.
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Katey and Boody Dedalus shoved in the door of the closesteaming kitchen.
-- Did you put in the books? Boody asked.
Maggy at the range rammed down a greyish mass beneath bubbling suds twice with her potstick and wiped her brow.
-- They wouldn't give anything on them, she said.
Father Conmee walked through Clongowes fields, his thinsocked ankles tickled by stubble.
-- Where did you try? Boody asked.
-- M'Guinness's.
Body stamped her foot and threw her satchel on the table.
-- Bad cess to her big face! she cried.
Katey went to the range and peered with squinting eyes.
-- What's in the pot? she asked.
-- Shirts, Maggy said.
Boody cried angrily:
-- Crickey, is there nothing for us to eat?
Katey, lifting the kettlelid in a pad of her stained skirt, asked:
-- And what's in this?
A heavy fume gushed in answer.
-- Peasoup, Maggy said.
-- Where did you get it? Katey asked.
-- Sister Mary Patrick, Maggy said.
The lacquey rang his bell.
-- Barang!
Boody sat down at the table and said hungrily:
-- Give us it here!
Maggy poured yellow thick soup from the kettle into a bowl. Katey, sitting opposite Boody, said quietly, as her fingertip lifted to her mouth random crumbs.
-- A good job we have that much. Where's Dilly?
-- Gone to meet father, Maggy said.
Boody, breaking big chunks of bread into the yellow soup, added:
-- Our father who art not in heaven.
Maggy, pouring yellow soup in Katey's bowl, exclaimed:
-- Boody! For shame!
A skiff, a crumpled throwaway, Elijah is coming, rode lightly down the Liffey, under Loopline bridge, shooting the rapids where water chafed around the bridgepiers, sailing eastward past hulls and anchorchains, between the Customhouse old dock and George's quay.
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The blonde girl in Thornton's bedded the wicker basket with rustling fibre. Blazes Boylan handed her the bottle swathed in pink tissue paper and a small jar.
-- Put these in first, will you? he said.
-- Yes, sir, the blond girl said, and the fruit on top.
-- That'll do, game ball, Blazes Boylan said.
She bestowed fat pears neatly, head by tail, and among them ripe shamefaced peaches.
Blazes Boylan walked here and there in new tan shoes about the fruitsmelling shop, lifting fruits, young juicy crinkled and plump red tomatoes, sniffing smells.
H. E. L. Y.'S. filed before him, tallwhitehatted, past Tangier lane, plodding towards their goal.
He turned suddenly from a chip of strawberries, drew a gold watch from his fob and held it at its chain's length.
-- Can you send them by tram? Now?
A darkbacked figure under Merchants' arch scanned books on the hawker's car.
-- Certainly, sir. Is it in the city?
-- O, yes, Blazes Boylan said. Ten minutes.
The blond girl handed him a docket and pencil.
-- Will you write the address, sir?
Blazes Boylan at the counter wrote and pushed the docket to her.
-- Send it at once, will you? he said. It's for an invalid.
-- Yes, sir. I will, sir.
Blazes Boylan rattled merry money in his trousers' pocket.
-- What's the damage? he asked.
The blond girl's slim fingers reckoned the fruits.
Blazes Boylan looked into the cut of her blouse. A young pullet. He took a red carnation from the tall stemglass.
-- This for me? he asked gallantly.
The blond girl glanced sideways at him, got up regardless, with his tie a bit crooked, blushing.
-- Yes, sir, she said.
Bending archly she reckoned again fat pears and blushing peaches.
Blazes Boylan looked in her blouse with more favour, the stalk of the red flower between his smiling teeth.
-- May I say a word to your telephone, missy? he asked roguishly.
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-- Ma! Almidano Artifoni said.
He gazed over Stephen's shoulder at Goldsmith's knobby poll.
Two carfuls of tourists passed slowly, their women sitting fore, gripping frankly the handrests. Pale faces. Men's arms frankly round their stunted forms. They looked from Trinity to the blind columned porch of the bank of Ireland where pigeons roocoocooed.
-- Anch'io ho avuto di queste idee, Almidano Artifoni said, quand' ero giovine come Lei. Eppoi mi sono convinto che il mondo è una bestia. è peccato. Perche la sua voce... sarebbe un cespite di rendita, via. Invece, Lei si sacrifica.
-- Sacrifizio incruento, Stephen said smiling, swaying his ashplant in slow swingswong from its midpoint, lightly.
-- Speriamo, the round mustachioed face said pleasantly. Ma, dia retta a me. Ci rifletta.
By the stern stone hand of Grattan, bidding halt, an Inchicore tram unloaded straggling Highland soldiers of a band.
-- Ci riflettò, Stephen said, glancing down the solid trouser-leg.
-- Ma, sul serio, eh? Almidano Artifoni said.
His heavy hand took Stephen's firmly. Human eyes. They gazed curiously an instant and turned quickly towards a Dalkey tram.
-- Eccolo, Almidano Artifoni said in friendly haste. Venga a trovarmi e ci pensi. Addio, caro.
-- Arrivederla, maestro, Stephen said, raising his hat when his hand was freed. E grazie.
-- Di che? Almidano Artifoni said. Scusi, eh? Tante belle cose!
Almidano Artifoni, holding up a baton of rolled music as a signal, trotted on stout trousers after the Dalkey tram. In vain he trotted, signalling in vain among the rout of bare-kneed gillies smuggling implements of music through Trinity gates.
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Miss Dunne hid the Capel street library copy of The Woman in White far back in her drawer and rolled a sheet of gaudy notepaper into her typewriter.
Too much mystery business in it. Is he in love with that one, Marion? Change it and get another by Mary Cecil Haye.
The disk shot down the groove, wobbled a while, ceased and ogled them: six.
Miss Dunne clicked on the keyboard:
-- 16 June 1904.
Five tallwhitehatted sandwichmen between Monypeny's corner and the slab where Wolfe Tone's statue was not, eeled themselves turning H. E. L. Y.'S and plodded back as they had come.
Then she stared at the large poster of Marie Kendall, charming soubrette, and, listlessly lolling, scribbled on the jotter sixteens and capital esses. Mustard hair and dauby cheeks. She's not nicelooking, is she? The way she is holding up her bit of a skirt. Wonder will that fellow be at the band tonight. If I could get that dressmaker to make a concertina skirt like Susy Nagle's. They kick out grand. Shannon and all the boatclub swells never took his eyes off her. Hope to goodness he won't keep me here till seven.
The telephone rang rudely by her ear.
-- Hello. Yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, sir. I'll ring them up after five. Only those two, sir, for Belfast and Liverpool. All right, sir. Then I can go after six if you're not back. A quarter after. Yes, sir. Twentyseven and six. I'll tell him. Yes: one, seven, six.
She scribbled three figures on an envelope.
-- Mr Boylan l Hello! That gentleman from Sport was in looking for you. Mr Lenehan, yes. He said he'll be in the Ormond at four. No, sir. Yes, sir. I'll ring them up after five.
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Two pink faces turned in the flare of the tiny torch.
-- Who's that? Ned Lambert asked. Is that Crotty?
-- Ringabella and Crosshaven, a voice replied, groping for foothold.
-- Hello, Jack, is that yourself? Ned Lambert said, raising in salute his pliant lath among the flickering arches. Come on. Mind your steps there.
The vesta in the clergyman's uplifted hand consumed itself In a long soft flame and was let fall. At their feet its red speck died: and mouldy air closed round them.
-- How interesting! a refined accent said in the gloom.
-- Yes, sir, Ned Lambert said heartily. We are standing in the historic council chamber of saint Mary's abbey where silken Thomas proclaimed himself a rebel in 1534. This is the most historic spot in all Dublin. O'Madden Burke is going to write something about it one of these days. The old bank of Ireland was over the way till the time of the union and the original jews' temple was here too before they built their synagogue over in Adelaide road. You were never here before, Jack, were you?
-- No, Ned.
-- He rode down through Dame walk, the refined accent said, if my memory serves me. The mansion of the Kildares was in Thomas court.
-- That's right, Ned Lambert said. That's quite right, sir.
-- If you will be so kind then, the clergyman said, the next time to allow me perhaps .
-- Certainly, Ned Lambert said. Bring the camera whenever you like. I'll get those bags cleared away from the windows. You can take it from here or from here.
In the still faint light he moved about, tapping with his lath the piled seedbags and points of vantage on the floor.
From a long face a beard and gaze hung on a chessboard.
-- I'm deeply obliged, Mr Lambert, the clergyman said. I won't trespass on your valuable time...
-- You're welcome, sir, Ned Lambert said. Drop in whenever you like. Next week, say. Can you see?
-- Yes, yes. Good afternoon, Mr Lambert. Very pleased to have met you.
-- Pleasure is mine, sir, Ned Lambert answered.
He followed his guest to the outlet and then whirled his lath away among the pillars. With J.J. O'Molloy he came forth slowly into Mary's abbey where draymen were loading floats with sacks of carob and palmnut meal, O'Connor, Wexford.
He stood to read the card in his hand.
-- The reverend Hugh C. Love, Rathcoffey. Present address: Saint Michael's, Sallins. Nice young chap he is. He's writing a book about the Fitzgeralds he told me. He's well up in history, faith.
The young woman with slow care detached from her light skirt a clinging twig.
-- I thought you were at a new gunpowder plot, J.J. O'Molloy said.
Ned Lambert cracked his fingers in the air.
-- God, he cried. I forgot to tell him that one about the earl of Kildare after he set fire to Cashel cathedral. You know that one? I'm bloody sorry I did it, says he, but I declare to God I thought the archbishop was inside. He mightn't like it, though. What? God, I'll tell him anyhow. That was the great earl, the Fitzgerald Mor. Hot members they were all of them, the Geraldines.
The horses he passed started nervously under their slack harness. He slapped a piebald haunch quivering near him and cried:
-- Woa, sonny!
He turned to J.J. O'Molloy and asked:
-- Well, Jack. What is it? What's the trouble? Wait a while. Holdhard.
With gaping mouth and head far back he stood still and, after an instant, sneezed loudly.
-- Chow! he said. Blast you!
-- The dust from those sacks, J.J. O'Molloy said politely.
-- No, Ned Lambert gasped, I caught a... cold night before ... blast your soul... night before last... and there was a hell of a lot of draught...
He held his handkerchief ready for the coming...
-- I was... this morning... poor little... what do you call him... Chow!... Mother of Moses!
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Tom Rochford took the top disk from the pile he clasped against his claret waistcoat.
-- See? he said. Say it's turn six. In here, see. Turn Now On.
He slid it into the left slot for them. It shot down the groove, wobbled a while, ceased, ogling them: six.
Lawyers of the past, haughty, pleading, beheld pass from the consolidated taxing office to Nisi Prius court Richie Goulding carrying the costbag of Goulding, Collis and Ward and heard rustling from the admiralty division of King's bench to the court of appeal an elderly female with false teeth smiling incredulously and a black silk skirt of great amplitude.
-- See? he said. See now the last one I put in is over here. Turns Over. The impact. Leverage, see?
He showed them the rising column of disks on the right.
-- Smart idea, Nosey Flynn said, snuffling. So a fellow coming in late can see what turn is on and what turns are over.
-- See? Tom Rochford said.
He slid in a disk for himself: and watched it shoot, wobble, ogle, stop: four. Turn Now On.
-- I'll see him now in the Ormond, Lenehan said, and sound him. One good turn deserves another.
-- Do, Tom Rochford said. Tell him I'm Boylan with impatience.
-- Goodnight, M'Coy said abruptly, when you two begin.
Nosey Flynn stooped towards the lever, snuffling at it.
-- But how does it work here, Tommy? he asked.
-- Tooraloo, Lenehan said, see you later.
He followed M'Coy out across the tiny square of Crampton court.
-- He's a hero, he said simply.
-- I know, M'Coy said. The drain, you mean.
-- Drain? Lenehan said. It was down a manhole.
They passed Dan Lowry's musichall where Marie Kendall, charming soubrette, smiled on them from a poster a dauby smile.
Going down the path of Sycamore street beside the Empire musichall Lenehan showed M'Coy how the whole thing was. One of those manholes like a bloody gaspipe and there was the poor devil stuck down in it half choked with sewer gas. Down went Tom Rochford anyhow, booky's vest and all, with the rope round him. And be damned but he got the rope round the poor devil and the two were hauled up.
-- The act of a hero, he said.
At the Dolphin they halted to allow the ambulance car to gallop past them for Jervis street.
-- This way, he said, walking to the right. I want to pop into Lynam's to see Sceptre's starting price. What's the time by your gold watch and chain?
M'Coy peered into Marcus Tertius Moses' sombre office, then at O'Neill's clock.
-- After three, he said. Who's riding her?
-- O. Madden, Lenehan said. And a game filly she is.
While he waited in Temple bar M'Coy dodged a banana peel with gentle pushes of his toe from the path to the gutter. Fellow might damn easy get a nasty fall there coming along tight in the dark.
The gates of the drive opened wide to give egress to the vice-regal cavalcade.
-- Even money, Lenehan said returning. I knocked against Bantam Lyons in there going to back a bloody horse someone gave him that hasn't an earthly. Through here.
They went up the steps and under Merchants' arch. A dark-backed figure scanned books on the hawker's cart.
-- There he is, Lenehan said.
-- Wonder what he is buying, M'Coy said, glancing behind.
-- Leopoldo or the Bloom is on the Rye, Lenehan said.
-- He's dead nuts on sales, M'Coy said. I was with him one day and he bought a book from an old one in Liffey street for two bob. There were fine plates in it worth double the money, the stars and the moon and comets with long tails. Astronomy it was about.
Lenehan laughed.
-- I'll tell you a damn good one about comets' tails, he said. Come over in the sun.
They crossed to the metal bridge and went along Wellington quay by the river wall.
Master Patrick Aloysius Dignam came out of Mangan's, late Fehrenbach's, carrying a pound and a half of porksteaks.
-- There was a big spread out at Glencree reformatory, Lenehan said eagerly. The annual dinner you know. Boiled shirt affair. The lord mayor was there, Val Dillon it was, and sir Charles Cameron and Dan Dawson spoke and there was music. Bartell D'Arcy sang and Benjamin Dollard.
-- I know, M'Coy broke in. My missus sang there once.
-- Did she? Lenehan said.
A card Unfurnished Apartments reappeared on the windowsash of number 7 Eccles street.
He checked his tale a moment but broke out in a wheezy laugh.
-- But wait till I tell you, he said. Delahunt of Camden street had the catering and yours truly was chief bottlewasher. Bloom and the wife were there. Lashings of stuff we put up: port wine and sherry and cura?ao to which we did ample justice. Fast and furious it was. After liquids came solids. Cold joints galore and mince pies.
-- I know, M'Coy said. The year the missus was there...
Lenehan linked his arm warmly.
-- But wait till I tell you, he said. We had a midnight lunch too after all the jollification and when we sallied forth it was blue o'clock the morning after the night before. Coming home it was a gorgeous winter's night on the Featherbed Mountain. Bloom and Chris Callinan were on one side of the car and I was with the wife on the other. We started singing glees and duets: Lo, the early beam of morning. She was well primed with a good load of Delahunt's port under her bellyband. Every jolt the bloody car gave I had her bumping up against me. Hell's delights! She has a fine pair, God bless her. Like that.
He held his caved hands a cubit from him, frowning:
-- I was tucking the rug under her and settling her boa all the time. Know what I mean?
His hands moulded ample curves of air. He shut his eyes tight in delight, his body shrinking, and blew a sweet chirp from his lips.
-- The lad stood to attention anyhow, he said with a sigh. She's a gamey mare and no mistake. Bloom was pointing out all the stars and the comets in the heavens to Chris Callinan and the jarvey: the great bear and Hercules and the dragon and the whole jingbang lot. But, by God, I was lost, so to speak, in the milky way. He knows them all, faith. At last she spotted a weeny weeshy one miles away. And what star is that, Poldy? says she. By God, she had Bloom cornered. That one, is it? says Chris Callinan, sure that's only what you might call a pinprick. By God, he wasn't far wide of the mark.
Lenehan stopped and leaned on the riverwall, panting with soft laughter.
-- I'm weak, he gasped.
M'Coy's white face smiled about it at instants and grew grave. Lenehan walked on again. He lifted his yachtingcap and scratched his hindhead rapidly. He glanced sideways in the sunlight at M'Coy.
-- He's a cultured allroundman, Bloom is, he said seriously. He's not one of your common or garden... you know... There's a touch of the artist about old Bloom.
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Mr Bloom turned over idly pages of The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, then of Aristotle's Masterpiece. Crooked botched print. Plates: infants cuddled in a ball in bloodred wombs like livers of slaughtered cows. Lots of them like that at this moment all over the world. All butting with their skulls to get out of it. Child born every minute somewhere. Mrs Purefoy.
He laid both books aside and glanced at the third: Tales of the Ghetto by Leopold von Sacher Masoch.
-- That I had, he said, pushing it by.
The shopman let two volumes fall on the counter.
-- Them are two good ones, he said.
Onions of his breath came across the counter out of his ruined mouth. He bent to make a bundle of the other books, hugged them against his unbuttoned waistcoat and bore them off behind the dingy curtain.
On O'Connell bridge many persons observed the grave deportment and gay apparel of Mr Denis J. Maginni, professor of dancing &c.
Mr Bloom, alone, looked at the titles. Fair Tyrants by James Lovebirch. Know the kind that is. Had it? Yes.
He opened it. Thought so.
A woman's voice behind the dingy curtain. Listen: The man.
No: she wouldn't like that much. Got her it once.
He read the other title: Sweets of Sin. More in her line. Let us see.
He read where his finger opened.
-- All the dollarbills her husband gave her were spent in the stores on wondrous gowns and costliest frillies. For him! For Raoul!
Yes. This. Here. Try.
-- Her mouth glued on his in a luscious voluptuous kiss while his hands felt for the opulent curves inside her déshabillé.
Yes. Take this. The end.
-- You are late, he spoke hoarsely, eyeing her with a suspicious glare. The beautiful woman threw off her sabletrimmed wrap, displaying her queenly shoulders and heaving embonpoint. An imperceptible smile played round her perfect lips as she turned to him calmly.
Mr Bloom read again: The beautiful woman.
Warmth showered gently over him, cowing his flesh. Flesh yielded amid rumpled clothes. Whites of eyes swooning up. His nostrils arched themselves for prey. Melting breast ointments (For him! For Raoul!). Armpits' oniony sweat. Fishgluey slime (her heaving embonpoint!). Feel! Press! Crushed! Sulphur dung of lions!
Young! Young!
An elderly female, no more young, left the building of the courts of chancery, king's bench, exchequer and common pleas, having heard in the lord chancellor's court the case in lunacy of Potterton, in the admiralty division the summons, exparte motion, of the owners of the Lady Cairns versus the owners of the barque Mona, in the court of appeal reservation of judgment in the case of Harvey versus the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation.
Phlegmy coughs shook the air of the bookshop, bulging out the dingy curtains. The shopman's uncombed grey head came out and his unshaven reddened face, coughing. He raked his throat rudely, spat phlegm on the floor. He put his boot on what he had spat, wiping his sole along it and bent, showing a rawskinned crown, scantily haired.
Mr Bloom beheld it.
Mastering his troubled breath, he said:
-- I'll take this one.
The shopman lifted eyes bleared with old rheum.
-- Sweets of Sin, he said, tapping on it. That's a good one.
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The lacquey by the door of Dillon's auctionrooms shook his handbell twice again and viewed himself in the chalked mirror of the cabinet.
Dilly Dedalus, listening by the curbstone, heard the beats of the bell, the cries of the auctioneer within. Four and nine. Those lovely curtains. Five shillings. Cosy curtains. Selling new at two guineas. Any advance on five shillings? Going for five shillings.
The lacquey lifted his handbell and shook it:
-- Barang!
Bang of the lastlap bell spurred the halfmile wheelmen to their sprint. J. A. Jackson, W. E. Wylie, A. Munro and H. T. Gahan, their stretched necks wagging, negotiated the curve by the College Library.
Mr Dedalus, tugging a long moustache, came round from Williams's row. He halted near his daughter.
-- It's time for you, she said.
-- Stand up straight for the love of the Lord Jesus, Mr Dedalus said. Are you trying to imitate your uncle John the cornetplayer, head upon shoulders? Melancholy God!
Dilly shrugged her shoulders. Mr Dedalus placed his hands on them and held them back.
-- Stand up straight, girl, he said. You'll get curvature of the spine. Do you know what you look like?
He let his head sink suddenly down and forward, hunching his shoulders and dropping his underjaw.
-- Give it up, father, Dilly said. All the people are looking at you.
Mr Dedalus drew himself upright and tugged again at his moustache.
-- Did you get any money? Dilly asked.
-- Where would I get money? Mr Dedalus said. There is no-one in Dublin would lend me fourpence.
-- You got some, Dilly said, looking in his eyes.
-- How do you know that? Mr Dedalus asked, his tongue in his cheek.
Mr Kernan, pleased with the order he had booked, walked boldly along James's street.
-- I know you did, Dilly answered. Were you in the Scotch house now?
-- I was not then, Mr Dedalus said, smiling. Was it the little nuns taught you to be so saucy? Here.
He handed her a shilling.
-- See if you can do anything with that, he said.
-- I suppose you got five, Dilly said. Give me more than that.
-- Wait awhile, Mr Dedalus said threateningly. You're like the rest of them, are you? An insolent pack of little bitches since your poor mother died. But wait awhile. You'll all get a short shrift and a long day from me. Low blackguardism! I'm going to get rid of you. Wouldn't care if I was stretched out stiff. He's dead. The man upstairs is dead.
He left her and walked on. Dilly followed quickly and pulled his coat.
-- Well, what is it? he said, stopping.
The lacquey rang his bell behind their backs.
-- Barang!
-- Curse your bloody blatant soul, Mr Dedalus cried, turning on him.
The lacquey, aware of comment, shook the lolling clapper of his bell but feebly:
-- Bang!
Mr Dedalus stared at him.
-- Watch him, he said. It's instructive. I wonder will he allow us to talk.
-- You got more than that, father, Dilly said.
-- I'm going to show you a little trick, Mr Dedalus said. I'll leave you all where Jesus left the jews. Look, that's all I have. I got two shillings from Jack Power and I spent twopence for a shave for the funeral.
He drew forth a handful of copper coins nervously.
-- Can't you look for some money somewhere? Dilly said.
Mr Dedalus thought and nodded.
-- I will, he said gravely. I looked all along the gutter in O'Connell street. I'll try this one now.
-- You're very funny, Dilly said, grinning.
-- Here, Mr Dedalus said, handing her two pennies. Get a glass of milk for yourself and a bun or a something. I'll be home shortly.
He put the other coins in his pocket and started to walk on.
The viceregal cavalcade passed, greeted by obsequious policemen, out of Parkgate.
-- I'm sure you have another shilling, Dilly said.
The lacquey banged loudly.
Mr Dedalus amid the din walked off, murmuring to himself with a pursing mincing mouth:
-- The little nuns! Nice little things! O, sure they wouldn't do anything! O, sure they wouldn't really! Is it little sister Monica!
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From the sundial towards James's Gate walked Mr Kernan pleased with the order he had booked for Pulbrook Robertson boldly along James's street, past Shackleton's offices. Got round him all right. How do you do, Mr Crimmins? First rate, sir. I was afraid you might be up in your other establishment in Pimlico. How are things going? Just keeping alive. Lovely weather we are having. Yes, indeed. Good for the country. Those farmers are always grumbling. I'll just take a thimbleful of your best gin, Mr Crimmins. A small gin, sir. Yes, sir. Terrible affair that General Slocum explosion. Terrible, terrible! A thousand casualties. And heartrending scenes. Men trampling down women and children. Most brutal thing. What do they say was the cause? Spontaneous combustion: most scandalous revelation. Not a single lifeboat would float and the firehose all burst. What I can't understand is how the inspectors ever allowed a boat like that... Now you are talking straight, Mr Crimmins. You know why? Palmoil. Is that a fact? Without a doubt. Well now, look at that. And America they say is the land of the free. I thought we were bad here.
I smiled at him. America, I said, quietly, just like that. What is it? The sweepings of every country including our own. Isn't that true? That's a fact.
Graft, my dear sir. Well, of course, where there's money going there's always someone to pick it up.
Saw him looking at my frockcoat. Dress does it. Nothing like a dressy appearance. Bowls them over.
-- Hello, Simon, Father Cowley said. How are things?
-- Hello, Bob, old man, Mr Dedalus answered stopping.
Mr Kernan halted and preened himself before the sloping mirror of Peter Kennedy, hairdresser. Stylish coat, beyond a doubt. Scott of Dawson street. Well worth the half sovereign I gave Neary for it. Never built under three guineas. Fits me down to the ground. Some Kildare street club toff had it probably. John Mulligan, the manager of the Hibernian bank, gave me a very sharp eye yesterday on Carlisle bridge as if he remembered me.
Aham! Must dress the character for those fellows. Knight of the road. Gentleman. And now, Mr Crimmins, may we have the honour of your custom again, sir. The cup that cheers but not inebriates, as the old saying has it.
North wall and sir John Rogerson's quay, with hulls and anchorchains, sailing westward, sailed by a skiff, a crumpled throwaway, rocked on the ferry-wash, Elijah is coming.
Mr Kernan glanced in farewell at his image. High colour, of course. Grizzled moustache. Returned Indian officer. Bravely he bore his stumpy body forward on spatted feet, squaring his shoulders. Is that Lambert's brother over the way, Sam? What? Yes. He's as like it as damn it. No. The windscreen of that motorcar in the sun there. Just a flash like that. Damn like him.
Aham! Hot spirit of juniper juice warmed his vitals and his breath. Good drop of gin, that was. His frocktails winked in bright sunshine to his fat strut.
Down there Emmet was hanged, drawn and quartered. Greasy black rope. Dogs licking the blood off the street when the lord lieutenant's wife drove by in her noddy.
Let me see. Is he buried in saint Michan's? Or no, there was a midnight burial in Glasnevin. Corpse brought in through a secret door in the wall. Dignam is there now. Went out in a puff. Well, well. Better turn down here. Make a detour.
Mr Kernan turned and walked down the slope of Watling street by the corner of Guinness's visitors' waitingroom. Outside the Dublin Distillers Company's stores an outside car without fare or jarvey stood, the reins knotted to the wheel. Damn dangerous thing. Some Tipperary bosthoon endangering the lives of the citizens. Runaway horse.
Denis Breen with his tomes, weary of having waited an hour in John Henry Menton's office, led his wife over O'Connell bridge, bound for the office of Messrs Collis and Ward.
Mr Kernan approached Island street.
Times of the troubles. Must ask Ned Lambert to lend me those reminiscences of sir Jonah Barrington. When you look back on it all now in a kind of retrospective arrangement. Gaming at Daly's. No cardsharping then. One of those fellows got his hand nailed to the table by a dagger. Somewhere here Lord Edward Fitzgerald escaped from major Sirr. Stables behind Moira house.
Damn good gin that was.
Fine dashing young nobleman. Good stock, of course. That ruffian, that sham squire, with his violet gloves, gave him away. Course they were on the wrong side. They rose in dark and evil days. Fine poem that is: Ingram. They were gentlemen. Ben Dollard does sing that ballad touchingly. Masterly rendition.
At the siege of Ross did my father fall.
A cavalcade in easy trot along Pembroke quay passed, outriders leaping, leaping in their, in their saddles. Frockcoats. Cream sunshades.
Mr Kernan hurried forward, blowing pursily.
His Excellency! Too bad! Just missed that by a hair. Damn it! What a pity!
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Stephen Dedalus watched through the webbed window the lapidary's fingers prove a timedulled chain. Dust webbed the window and the showtrays. Dust darkened the toiling fingers with their vulture nails. Dust slept on dull coils of bronze and silver, lozenges of cinnabar, on rubies, leprous and winedark stones.
Born all in the dark wormy earth, cold specks of fire, evil lights shining in the darkness. Where fallen archangels flung the stars of their brows. Muddy swinesnouts, hands, root and root, gripe and wrest them.
She dances in a foul gloom where gum burns with garlic. A sailorman, rustbearded, sips from a beaker rum and eyes her. A long and seafed silent rut. She dances, capers, wagging her sowish haunches and her hips, on her gross belly flapping a ruby egg.
Old Russell with a smeared shammy rag burnished again his gem, turned it and held it at the point of his Moses' beard. Grandfather ape gloating on a stolen hoard.
And you who wrest old images from the burial earth! The brainsick words of sophists: Antisthenes. A lore of drugs. Orient and immortal wheat standing from everlasting to everlasting.
Two old women fresh from their whiff of the briny trudged through Irishtown along London bridge road, one with a sanded umbrella, one with a midwife's bag in which eleven cockles rolled.
The whirr of flapping leathern bands and hum of dynamos from the powerhouse urged Stephen to be on. Beingless beings. Stop! Throb always without you and the throb always within. Your heart you sing of. I between them. Where? Between two roaring worlds where they swirl, I. Shatter them, one and both. But stun myself too in the blow. Shatter me you who can. Bawd and butcher, were the words. I say! Not yet awhile. A look around.
Yes, quite true. Very large and wonderful and keeps famous time. You say right, sir. A Monday morning, 'twas so, indeed.
Stephen went down Bedford row, the handle of the ash clacking against his shoulderblade. In Clohissey's window a faded 1860 print of Heenan boxing Sayers held his eye. Staring backers with square hats stood round the roped prizering. The heavyweights in light loincloths proposed gently each to other his bulbous fists. And they are throbbing: heroes' hearts.
He turned and halted by the slanted bookcart.
-- Twopence each, the huckster said. Four for sixpence.
Tattered pages. The Irish Beekeeper. Life and Miracles of the Curé of Ars. Pocket Guide to Killarney.
I might find here one of my pawned schoolprizes. Stephano Dedalo, alumno optimo, palmam ferenti.
Father Conmee, having read his little hours, walked through the hamlet of Donnycarney, murmuring vespers.
Binding too good probably, what is this? Eighth and ninth book of Moses. Secret of all secrets. Seal of King David. Thumbed pages: read and read. Who has passed here before me? How to soften chapped hands. Recipe for white wine vinegar. How to win a woman's love. For me this. Say the following talisman three times with hands folded:
-- Se et yilo nebrakada femininum! Amor me solo! Sanktus! Amen.
Who wrote this? Charms and invocations of the most blessed abbot Peter Salanka to all true believers divulged. As good as any other abbot's charms, as mumbling Joachim's. Down, baldynoddle, or we'll wool your wool.
-- What are you doing here, Stephen.
Dilly's high shoulders and shabby dress.
Shut the book quick. Don't let see.
-- What are you doing? Stephen said.
A Stuart face of nonesuch Charles, lank locks falling at its sides. It glowed as she crouched feeding the fire with broken boots. I told her of Paris. Late lieabed under a quilt of old overcoats, fingering a pinchbeck bracelet, Dan Kelly's token. Nebrakada femininum.
-- What have you there? Stephen asked.
-- I bought it from the other cart for a penny, Dilly said, laughing nervously. Is it any good?
My eyes they say she has. Do others see me so? Quick, far and daring. Shadow of my mind.
He took the coverless book from her hand. Chardenal's French primer.
-- What did you buy that for? he asked. To learn French?
She nodded, reddening and closing tight her lips.
Show no surprise. Quite natural.
-- Here, Stephen said. It's all right. Mind Maggy doesn't pawn it on you. I suppose all my books are gone.
-- Some, Dilly said. We had to.
She is drowning. Agenbite. Save her. Agenbite. All against us. She will drown me with her, eyes and hair. Lank coils of seaweed hair around me, my heart, my soul. Salt green death.
We.
Agenbite of inwit. Inwit's agenbite.
Misery! Misery!
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-- Hello, Simon, Father Cowley said. How are things?
-- Hello, Bob, old man, Mr Dedalus answered, stopping.
They clasped hands loudly outside Reddy and Daughter's. Father Cowley brushed his moustache often downward with a scooping hand.
-- What's the best news? Mr Dedalus said.
-- Why then not much, Father Cowley said. I'm barricaded up, Simon, with two men prowling around the house trying to effect an entrance.
-- Jolly, Mr Dedalus said. Who is it?
-- O, Father Cowley said. A certain gombeen man of our acquaintance.
-- With a broken back, is it? Mr Dedalus asked.
-- The same, Simon, Father Cowley answered. Reuben of that ilk. I'm just waiting for Ben Dollard. He's going to say a word to Long John to get him to take those two men off. All I want is a little time.
He looked with vague hope up and down the quay, a big apple bulging in his neck.
-- I know, Mr Dedalus said, nodding. Poor old bockedy Ben! He's always doing a good turn for someone. Hold hard!
He put on his glasses and gazed towards the metal bridge an instant.
-- There he is, by God, he said, arse and pockets.
Ben Dollard's loose blue cutaway and square hat above large slops crossed the quay in full gait from the metal bridge. He came towards them at an amble, scratching actively behind his coattails.
As he came near Mr Dedalus greeted:
-- Hold that fellow with the bad trousers.
-- Hold him now, Ben Dollard said.
Mr Dedalus eyed with cold wandering scorn various points of Ben Dollard's figure. Then, turning to Father Cowley with a nod, he muttered sneeringly:
-- That's a pretty garment, isn't it, for a summer's day?
-- Why, God eternally curse your soul, Ben Dollard growled furiously, I threw out more clothes in my time than you ever saw.
He stood beside them beaming on them first and on his roomy clothes from points of which Mr Dedalus flicked fluff, saying:
-- They were made for a man in his health, Ben, anyhow.
-- Bad luck to the jewman that made them, Ben Dollard said. Thanks be to God he's not paid yet.
-- And how is that basso profondo, Benjamin? Father Cowley asked.
Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell, murmuring, glasseyed, strode past the Kildare street club.
Ben Dollard frowned and, making suddenly a chanter's mouth, gave forth a deep note.
-- Aw! he said.
-- That's the style, Mr Dedalus said, nodding to its drone.
-- What about that? Ben Dollard said. Not too dusty? What? He turned to both.
-- That'll do, Father Cowley said, nodding also.
The reverend Hugh C. Love walked from the old Chapterhouse of saint Mary's abbey past James and Charles Kennedy's, rectifiers, attended by Geraldines tall and personable, towards the Tholsel beyond the Ford of Hurdles.
Ben Dollard with a heavy list towards the shopfronts led them forward, his joyful fingers in the air.
-- Come along with me to the subsheriff's office, he said. I want to show you the new beauty Rock has for a bailiff. He's a cross between Lobengula and Lynchehaun. He's well worth seeing, mind you. Come along. I saw John Henry Menton casually in the Bodega just now and it will cost me a fall if I don't... wait awhile... We're on the right lay, Bob, believe you me.
-- For a few days tell him, Father Cowley said anxiously.
Ben Dollard halted and stared, his loud orifice open, a dangling button of his coat wagging brightbacked from its thread as he wiped away the heavy shraums that clogged his eyes to hear aright.
-- What few days? he boomed. Hasn't your landlord distrained for rent?
-- He has, Father Cowley said.
-- Then our friend's writ is not worth the paper it's printed on, Ben Dollard said. The landlord has the prior claim. I gave him all the particulars. 29 Windsor avenue. Love is the name?
-- That's right, Father Cowley said. The reverend Mr Love. He's a minister in the country somewhere. But are you sure of that?
-- You can tell Barabbas from me, Ben Dollard said, that he can put that writ where Jacko put the nuts.
He led Father Cowley boldly forward linked to his bulk.
-- Filberts I believe they were, Mr Dedalus said, as he dropped his glasses on his coatfront, following them.
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-- The youngster will be all right, Martin Cunningham said, as they passed out of the Castleyard gate.
The policeman touched his forehead.
-- God bless you, Martin Cunningham said, cheerily.
He signed to the waiting jarvey who chucked at the reins and set on towards Lord Edward street.
Bronze by gold, Miss Kennedy's head by Miss Douce's head, appeared above the crossblind of the Ormond hotel.
Yes, Martin Cunningham said, fingering his beard. I wrote to Father Conmee and laid the whole case before him.
-- You could try our friend, Mr Power suggested backward.
-- Boyd? Martin Cunningham said shortly. Touch me not.
John Wyse Nolan, lagging behind, reading the list, came after them quickly down Cork hill.
On the steps of the City hall Councillor Nannetti, descending, hailed Alderman Cowley and Councillor Abraham Lyon ascending.
The castle car wheeled empty into upper Exchange street.
-- Look here Martin, John Wyse Nolan said, overtaking them at the Mail office. I see Bloom put his name down for five shillings.
-- Quite right, Martin Cunningham said, taking the list. And put down the five shillings too.
-- Without a second word either, Mr Power said.
-- Strange but true, Martin Cunningham added.
John Wyse Nolan opened wide eyes.
-- I'll say there is much kindness in the jew, he quoted elegantly.
They went down Parliament street.
-- There's Jimmy Henry, Mr Power said, just heading for Kavanagh's.
-- Righto, Martin Cunningham said. Here goes.
Outside la Maison Claire Blazes Boylan waylaid Jack Mooney's brother-in-law, humpy, tight, making for the liberties.
John Wyse Nolan fell back with Mr Power, while Martin Cunningham took the elbow of a dapper little man in a shower of hail suit who walked uncertainly with hasty steps past Micky Anderson's watches.
-- The assistant town clerk's corns are giving him some trouble, John Wyse Nolan told Mr Power.
They followed round the corner towards James Kavanagh's winerooms. The empty castle car fronted them at rest in Essex gate. Martin Cunningham, speaking always, showed often the list at which Jimmy Henry did not glance.
-- And Long John Fanning is here too, John Wyse Nolan said, as large as life.
The tall form of Long John Fanning filled the doorway where he stood.
-- Good day, Mr Subsheriff, Martin Cunningham said, as all halted and greeted.
Long John Fanning made no way for them. He removed his large Henry Clay decisively and his large fierce eyes scowled intelligently over all their faces.
-- Are the conscript fathers pursuing their peaceful deliberations? he said, with rich acrid utterance to the assistant town clerk.
Hell open to christians they were having, Jimmy Henry said pettishly, about their damned Irish language. Where was the marshal, he wanted to know, to keep order in the council chamber. And old Barlow the macebearer laid up with asthma, no mace on the table, nothing in order, no quorum even and Hutchinson, the lord mayor, in Llandudno and little Lorcan Sherlock doing locum tenens for him. Damned Irish language, of our forefathers.
Long John Fanning blew a plume of smoke from his lips.
Martin Cunningham spoke by turns, twirling the peak of his beard, to the assistant town clerk and the subsheriff, while John Wyse Nolan held his peace.
-- What Dignam was that? Long John Fanning asked.
Jimmy Henry made a grimace and lifted his left foot.
-- O, my corns! he said plaintively. Come upstairs for goodness' sake till I sit down somewhere. Uff! Ooo! Mind!
Testily he made room for himself beside Long John Fanning's flank and passed in and up the stairs.
-- Come on up, Martin Cunningham said to the subsheriff. I don't think you knew him or perhaps you did, though.
With John Wyse Nolan Mr Power followed them in.
-- Decent little soul he was, Mr Power said to the stalwart back of Long John Fanning ascending towards Long John Fanning in the mirror.
-- Rather lowsized, Dignam of Menton's office that was, Martin Cunningham said.
Long John Fanning could not remember him.
Clatter of horsehoofs sounded from the air.
-- What's that? Martin Cunningham said.
All turned where they stood; John Wyse Nolan came down again. From the cool shadow of the doorway he saw the horses pass Parliament street, harness and glossy pasterns in sunlight shimmering. Gaily they went past before his cool unfriendly eyes, not quickly. In saddles of the leaders, leaping leaders, rode outriders.
-- What was it? Martin Cunningham asked, as they went on up the staircase.
-- The lord lieutenant general and general governor of Ireland, John Wyse Nolan answered from the stairfoot.
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As they trod across the thick carpet Buck Mulligan whispered behind his panama to Haines.
-- Parnell's brother. There in the corner.
They chose a small table near the window opposite a long-faced man whose beard and gaze hung intently down on a chessboard.
-- Is that he? Haines asked, twisting round in his seat.
-- Yes, Mulligan said. That's John Howard, his brother, our city marshal.
John Howard Parnell translated a white bishop quietly and his grey claw went up again to his forehead whereat it rested.
An instant after, under its screen, his eyes looked quickly, ghostbright, at his foe and fell once more upon a working corner.
-- I'll take a mélange, Haines said to the waitress.
-- Two mélanges, Buck Mulligan said. And bring us some scones and butter and some cakes as well.
When she had gone he said, laughing:
-- We call it D. B. C. because they have damn bad cakes. O, but you missed Dedalus on Hamlet.
Haines opened his newbought book.
-- I'm sorry, he said. Shakespeare is the happy huntingground of all minds that have lost their balance.
The onelegged sailor growled at the area of 14 Nelson street:
-- England expects...
Buck Mulligan's primrose waistcoat shook gaily to his laughter.
-- You should see him, he said, when his body loses its balance. Wandering &Aelig;ngus I call him.
-- I am sure he has an idée fixe, Haines said, pinching his chin thoughtfully with thumb and forefinger. Now I am speculating what it would be likely to be. Such persons always have.
Buck Mulligan bent across the table gravely.
-- They drove his wits astray, he said, by visions of hell. He will never capture the Attic note. The note of Swinburne, of all poets, the white death and the ruddy birth. That is his tragedy. He can never be a poet. The joy of creation.
-- Eternal punishment, Haines said, nodding curtly. I see. I tackled him this morning on belief. There was something on his mind, I saw. It's rather interesting because Professor Pokorny of Vienna makes an interesting point out of that.
Buck Mulligan's watchful eyes saw the waitress come. He helped her to unload her tray.
-- He can find no trace of hell in ancient Irish myth, Haines said, amid the cheerful cups. The moral idea seems lacking, the sense of destiny, of retribution. Rather strange he should have just that fixed idea. Does he write anything for your movement?
He sank two lumps of sugar deftly longwise through the whipped cream. Buck Mulligan slit a steaming scone in two and plastered butter over its smoking pith. He bit off a soft piece hungrily.
-- Ten years, he said, chewing and laughing. He is going to write something in ten years.
-- Seems a long way off, Haines said, thoughtfully lifting his spoon. Still, I shouldn't wonder if he did after all.
He tasted a spoonful from the creamy cone of his cup.
-- This is real Irish cream I take it, he said with forbearance. I don't want to be imposed on.
Elijah, skiff, light crumpled throwaway, sailed eastward by flanks of ships and trawlers, amid an archipelago of corks, beyond new Wapping street past Benson's ferry, and by the three-masted schooner Rosevean from Bridgwater with bricks.
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Almidano Artifoni walked past Holles street, past Sewell's yard. Behind him Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell with stickumbrelladustcoat dangling, shunned the lamp before Mr Law Smith's house and, crossing, walked along Merrion square. Distantly behind him a blind stripling tapped his way by the wall of College Park.
Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell walked as far as Mr Lewis Werner's cheerful windows, then turned and strode back along Merrion square, his stickumbrelladustcoat dangling.
At the corner of Wilde's he halted, frowned at Elijah's name announced on the Metropolitan Hall, frowned at the distant pleasance of duke's lawn. His eyeglass flashed frowning in the sun. With ratsteeth bared he muttered:
-- Coactus volui.
He strode on for Clare street, grinding his fierce word.
As he strode past Mr Bloom's dental windows the sway of his dustcoat brushed rudely from its angle a slender tapping cane and swept onwards, having buffeted a thewless body. The blind stripling turned his sickly face after the striding form.
-- God's curse on you, he said sourly, whoever you are! You're blinder nor I am, you bitch's bastard!
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Opposite Ruggy O'Donohoe's Master Patrick Aloysius Dignam, pawing the pound and half of Mangan's, late Fehrenbach's, porksteaks he had been sent for, went along warm Wicklow street dawdling. It was too blooming dull sitting in the parlour with Mrs Stoer and Mrs Quigley and Mrs MacDowell and the blind down and they all at their sniffles and sipping sups of the superior tawny sherry uncle Barney brought from Tunney's. And they eating crumbs of the cottage fruit cake jawing the whole blooming time and sighing.
After Wicklow lane the window of Madame Doyle, court dress milliner, stopped him. He stood looking in at the two puckers stripped to their pelts and putting up their props. From the sidemirrors two mourning Masters Dignam gaped silently. Myler Keogh, Dublin's pet lamb, will meet sergeant-major Bennett, the Portobello bruiser, for a purse of fifty sovereigns, God, that'd be a good pucking match to see. Myler Keogh, that's the chap sparring out to him with the green sash. Two bar entrance, soldiers half price. I could easy do a bunk on ma. Master Dignam on his left turned as he turned. That's me in mourning. When is it? May the twenty-second. Sure, the blooming thing is all over. He turned to the right and on his right Master Dignam turned, his cap awry, his collar sticking up. Buttoning it down, his chin lifted, he saw the image of Marie Kendall, charming soubrette, beside the two puckers. One of them mots that do be in the packets of fags Stoer smokes that his old fellow welted hell out of him for one time he found out.
Master Dignam got his collar down and dawdled on. The best pucker going for strength was Fitzsimons. One puck in the wind from that fellow would knock you into the middle of next week, man. But the best pucker for science was Jem Corbet before Fitzsimons knocked the stuffings out of him, dodging and all.
In Grafton street Master Dignam saw a red flower in a toff's mouth and a swell pair of kicks on him and he listening to what the drunk was telling him and grinning all the time.
No Sandymount tram.
Master Dignam walked along Nassau street, shifted the porksteaks to his other hand. His collar sprang up again and he tugged it down. The blooming stud was too small for the buttonhole of the shirt, blooming end to it. He met schoolboys with satchels. I'm not going tomorrow either, stay away till Monday. He met other schoolboys. Do they notice I'm in mourning? Uncle Barney said he'd get it into the paper tonight. Then they'll all see it in the paper and read my name printed and pa's name.
His face got all grey instead of being red like it was and there was a fly walking over it up to his eye. The scrunch that was when they were screwing the screws into the coffin: and the bumps when they were bringing it downstairs.
Pa was inside it and ma crying in the parlour and uncle Barney telling the men how to get it round the bend. A big coffin it was, and high and heavylooking. How was that? The last night pa was boosed he was standing on the landing there bawling out for his boots to go out to Tunney's for to boose more and he looked butty and short in his shirt. Never see him again. Death, that is. Pa is dead. My father is dead. He told me to be a good son to ma. I couldn't hear the other things he said but I saw his tongue and his teeth trying to say it better. Poor pa. That was Mr Dignam, my father. I hope he is in purgatory now because he went to confession to father Conroy on Saturday night.
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William Humble, earl of Dudley, and Lady Dudley, accompanied by lieutenantcolonel Hesseltine, drove out after luncheon from the viceregal lodge. In the following carriage were the honourable Mrs Paget, Miss de Courcy and the honourable Gerald Ward, A. D. C. in attendance.
The cavalcade passed out by the lower gate of Phoenix Park saluted by obsequious policemen and proceeded past Kingsbridge along the northern quays. The viceroy was most cordially greeted on his way through the metropolis. At Bloody bridge Mr Thomas Kernan beyond the river greeted him vainly from afar. Between Queen's and Whitworth bridges Lord Dudley's viceregal carriages passed and were unsaluted by Mr Dudley White, B. L., M. A., who stood on Arran Quay outside Mrs M. E. White's, the pawnbroker's, at the corner of Arran street west stroking his nose with his forefinger, undecided whether he should arrive at Phibsborough more quickly by a triple change of tram or by hailing a car or on foot through Smithfield, Constitution hill and Broadstone terminus. In the porch of Four Courts Richie Goulding with the costsbag of Goulding, Collis and Ward saw him with surprise. Past Richmond bridge at the doorstep of the office of Reuben J. Dodd, solicitor, agent for the Patriotic Insurance Company, an elderly female about to enter changed her plan and retracing her steps by King's windows smiled credulously on the representative of His Majesty. From its sluice in Wood quay wall under Tom Devan's office Poddle river hung out in fealty a tongue of liquid sewage. Above the crossblind of the Ormond Hotel, gold by bronze, Miss Kennedy's head by Miss Douce's head watched and admired. On Ormond quay Mr Simon Dedalus, steering his way from the greenhouse for the subsheriff's office, stood still in midstreet and brought his hat low. His Excellency graciously returned Mr Dedalus' greeting. From Cahill's corner the reverend Hugh C. Love, M. A., made obeisance unperceived, mindful of lords deputies whose hands benignant had held of yore rich advowsons. On Grattan bridge Lenehan and M'Coy, taking leave of each other, watched the carriages go by. Passing by Roger Greene's office and Dollard's big red printing house Gerty MacDowell, carrying the Catesby's cork lino letters for her father who was laid up, knew by the style it was the lord and lady lieutenant but she couldn't see what Her Excellency had on because the tram and Spring's big yellow furniture van had to stop in front of her on account of its being the lord lieutenant. Beyond Lundy Foot's from the shaded door of Kavanagh's winerooms John Wyse Nolan smiled with unseen coldness towards the lord lieutenantgeneral and general governor of Ireland. The Right Honourable William Humble, earl of Dudley, G. C. V. O., passed Micky Anderson's all times ticking watches and Henry and James's wax smartsuited freshcheeked models, the gentleman Henry, dernier cri James. Over against Dame gate Tom Rochford and Nosey Flynn watched the approach of the cavalcade. Tom Rochford, seeing the eyes of lady Dudley on him, took his thumbs quickly out of the pockets of his claret waistcoat and doffed his cap to her. A charming soubrette, great Marie Kendall, with dauby cheeks and lifted skirt, smiled daubily from her poster upon William Humble, earl of Dudley, and upon lieutenantcolonel H. G. Hesseltine and also upon the honourable Gerald Ward A. D. C. From the window of the D. B. C. Buck Mulligan gaily, and Haines gravely, gazed down on the viceregal equipage over the shoulders of eager guests, whose mass of forms darkened the chessboard whereon John Howard Parnell looked intently. In Fownes's street, Dilly Dedalus, straining her sight upward from Chardenal's first French primer, saw sunshades spanned and wheelspokes spinning in the glare John Henry Menton, filling the doorway of Commercial Buildings, stared from winebig oyster eyes, holding a fat gold hunter watch not looked at in his fat left hand not feeling it. Where the foreleg of King Billy's horse pawed the air Mrs Breen plucked her hastening husband back from under the hoofs of the outriders. She shouted in his ear the tidings. Understanding, he shifted his tomes to his left breast and saluted the second carriage. The honourable Gerald Ward A. D. C., agreeably surprised, made haste to reply. At Ponsonby's corner a jaded white flagon H. halted and four tallhatted white flagons halted behind him, E. L. Y.'S., while outriders pranced past and carriages. Opposite Pigott's music warerooms Mr Denis J. Maginni professor of dancing &c, gaily apparelled, gravely walked, outpassed by a viceroy and unobserved. By the provost's wall came jauntily Blazes Boylan, stepping in tan shoes and socks with skyblue clocks to the refrain of My girl's a Yorkshire girl.
Blazes Boylan presented to the leaders' skyblue frontlets and high action a skyblue tie, a widebrimmed straw hat at a rakish angle and a suit of indigo serge. His hands in his jacket pockets forgot to salute but he offered to the three ladies the bold admiration of his eyes and the red flower between his lips. As they drove along Nassau street His Excellency drew the attention of his bowing consort to the programme of music which was being discoursed in College park. Unseen brazen highland laddies blared and drumthumped after the cortége:
But though she's a factory lass
And wears no fancy clothes.
Baraabum.
Yet I've a sort of a
Yorkshire relish for
My little Yorkshire rose.
Baraabum.
Thither of the wall the quartermile flat handicappers, M. C. Green, H. Thrift, T. M. Patey, C. Scaife, J. B. Jeffs, G. N. Morphy, F. Stevenson, C. Adderly, and W. C. Huggard started in pursuit. Striding past Finn's hotel, Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell stared through a fierce eyeglass across the carriages at the head of Mr E. M. Solomons in the window of the Austro-Hungarian viceconsulate. Deep in Leinster street, by Trinity's postern, a loyal king's man, Horn-blower, touched his tallyho cap. As the glossy horses pranced by Merrion square Master Patrick Aloysius Dignam, waiting, saw salutes being given to the gent with the topper and raised also his new black cap with fingers greased by porksteak paper. His collar too sprang up. The viceroy, on his way to inaugurate the Mirus bazaar in aid of funds for Mercer's hospital, drove with his following towards Lower Mount street. He passed a blind stripling Opposite Broadbent's. In Lower Mount street a pedestrian in a brown macintosh, eating dry bread, passed swiftly and unscathed across the viceroy's path. At the Royal Canal bridge, from his hoarding, Mr Eugene Stratton, his blub lips agrin, bade all comers welcome to Pembroke township. At Haddington road corner two sanded women halted themselves, an umbrella and a bag in which eleven cockles rolled to view with wonder the lord mayor and lady mayoress without his golden chain. On Northumberland and Landsdowne roads His Excellency acknowledged punctually salutes from rare male walkers, the salute of two small schoolboys at the garden gate of the house said to have been admired by the late queen when visiting the Irish capital with her husband, the prince consort, in 1849, and the salute of Almidano Artifoni's sturdy trousers swallowed by a closing door.

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:41重新编辑 ]
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10、耶稣会会长,十分可敬的...


耶稣会会长,十分可敬的约翰·康米[1]边迈下神父住宅的台阶,边把光滑的怀表揣回内兜。差五分三点。还来得及,正好走到阿坦[2]。那个男孩儿姓什么来着?迪格纳穆。对。着实恰当而正确[3]。应该去见见斯旺修士[4]。还有一封坎宁翰[5]先生的来信呢。是啊,尽可能满足他的要求吧。这是位善良而能干的天主教徒。布教的时候能派上用场。
一个独腿水手,架着双拐,无精打采地一步一挪地往前悠荡,嘴里哼唱着什么曲调。他悠荡到仁爱会修女院前面,蓦地停了下来,朝着耶稣会这位十分可敬的约翰·康米伸过一顶鸭舌帽,求他施舍。康米神父在阳光下祝福了他,因为神父知道自己的钱包里只有一克朗银币。
康米神父横过马路,跨过蒙乔伊广场。他想了一下被炮弹炸断了腿的士兵和水手怎样在贫民救济所里结束余生的事,又想起红衣主教沃尔西的话:“如果我用为国王效劳的热诚来侍奉天主,他也不会在我垂老之年抛弃我。”[6]他沿着树荫,走在闪烁着阳光的树叶底下;议会议员戴维·希伊先生的太太[7]迎面而来。
“我很好,真的,神父。您呢,神父?”
康米神父确实非常健康。他也许会到巴克斯顿[8]去洗洗矿泉澡。她的公子们在贝尔维迪尔[9]念得蛮好吧?是吗?康米神父听到这情况,的确很高兴。希伊先生本人呢?还在伦敦。议会仍在开会,可不是嘛。多好的天气啊,真让人心旷神怡。是啊,伯纳德·沃恩[10]神父极可能会再来讲一次道。啊,可不,了不起的成功。的确是位奇才。
康米神父看到议会议员戴维·希伊先生的太太显得那么健康,高兴极了,他恳请她代为向议会议员戴维·希伊先生致意。是的,他准登门去拜访。
“那么,再见吧,希伊太太。”
康米神父脱下大礼帽告别,朝着她面纱上那些在阳光下闪着墨光的乌珠芜尔一笑。一边走开一边又漾出微笑。他晓得自己曾用槟榔果膏把牙刷得干干净净。
康米神父踱着,边走边泛出微笑,因为他记起伯纳德·沃恩神父那逗乐儿的眼神和带伦敦土腔的口音。
“彼拉多!你咋不赶走那些起哄的家伙?”[11]
不管怎么说,他是个热心肠的人。这一点不假。以他独特的方式,确实做过不少好事。这是毫无疑问的。他说他热爱爱尔兰,也热爱爱尔兰人。谁能相信他还出身于世家呢?是威尔士人吧?
哦,可别忘了。那封给管辖教区的神父的信。
在蒙乔伊广场的角落里,康米神父拦住三个小学童。对,他们是贝尔维迪尔的学生。呃,班次很低。他们在学校里都是好学生吗?哦,那就好极啦。那么,他叫什么名字呢?杰克·索恩。他叫什么?杰尔[12]·加拉赫。另一个小不点儿呢?他的名字叫布鲁尼·莱纳姆。哦,起了个多么好的名字。
康米神父从前胸掏出一封信来,递给少年布鲁尼·莱纳姆,并指了指菲茨吉本街拐角处的红色邮筒。
“可是留点儿神,别把你自个儿也投进邮筒里去,小不点儿,”他说。
孩子们的六只眼睛盯着康米神父,大声笑了起来:
“哦,您哪。”
“喏,让我瞧瞧你会不会投邮,”康米神父说。
少年布鲁尼·莱纳姆跑到了马路对面,将康米神父那封写给管辖教区神父的信塞进红艳艳的邮筒口里。康米神父泛着微笑,点了点头。然后又笑了笑,就沿着蒙乔伊广场向东踱去。
舞蹈等课程的教师丹尼斯·杰·马金尼[13]先生头戴丝质大礼帽,身穿滚着绸边的暗蓝灰色长礼服,系着雪白的蝴蝶结,下面是淡紫色紧腿裤;戴着鲜黄色手套,脚登尖头漆皮靴。他举止端庄地走着,来到迪格纳穆庭院的角上。这时,马克斯韦尔夫人擦身而过,他赶紧毕恭毕敬地闪到边石上去。
那不是麦吉尼斯太太[14]吗?
满头银发、仪表堂堂的麦吉尼斯太太在对面的人行道上款款而行。她朝康米神父点头致意。康米神父含笑施礼。她近来可好?
夫人风度忧雅,颇有点儿像苏格兰女王玛丽[15]。想想看,她竟然是个当铺老板娘!哟,真是的!这么一派……该怎么说呢?……这么一派女王风度。
康米神父沿着大查尔斯街前行,朝左侧那紧闭着门的自由教会[16]瞟了一眼。可敬的文学士T·R·格林将(按照神的旨意)[17]布道。他们称他作教区牧师。他呢,认为讲上几句儿乃是义不容辞的[18]。然而,得对他们宽大为怀。不可克服的愚昧。他们毕竟也是根据自己的见解行事的啊。
康米神父拐了弯,沿着北环路踱去。奇怪,这样一条重要的通衢大道,竟然没铺设电车路。肯定应该铺设。
一样背着书包的学童从里奇蒙大街那边跨过马路而来。个个扬起肮里肮脏的便帽。康米神父一次又一次慈祥地朝他们还礼。这都是些公教弟兄会[19]的孩子们。
康米神父一路走着,闻到右侧飘来一股烟香。波特兰横街的圣约瑟教堂。那是给贞节的老妪们开设的。[20]神父冲着圣体[21]摘下帽子。她们固然操守高尚,只是,有时脾气挺坏。
来到奥尔德勃勒邸第附近,康米神父想起那位挥金如土的贵族。而今,这里改成了公事房还是什么的。[22]
康米神父开始开始顺着北滩路走去,站在自己那爿商号门口的威廉·加拉赫先生朝他施礼。康米神父向威廉·加拉赫先生还礼,并嗅到了成条的腌猪肋骨肉和桶里装得满满的冰镇黄油的气味。他走边葛洛根烟草铺,店前斜靠着一块块张贴新闻的告示板,报道发生在纽约的一桩惨案[23]。在美国,这类事件层出不穷。倒楣的人们毫无准备地就那么送了命。不过,彻底悔罪也能获得赦免[24]。
康米神父走边丹尼尔·伯金的酒馆儿。两个没找到活儿干的男人在闲倚着窗口消磨时光。他们向他行礼,他也还了礼。
康米神父走过H·J·奥尼尔殡仪馆。科尼·凯莱赫正一边嚼着一片枯草,一边在流水帐簿上划算着。一个巡逻的警察向康米神父致敬,康米神父也回敬了一下。走边尤克斯泰特猪肉店,康米神父瞧见里面整整齐齐地摆着黑白红色的猪肉香肠,像是弯曲的管子。在查尔维尔林荫道的树底下,康米神父瞅见一艘泥炭船,一匹拉纤的马低垂着脑袋,头戴脏草帽的船老大坐在船中央,抽着烟,目不转睛地望着头顶上一根白杨树枝。真是一派田园诗意。康米神父琢磨着造物主的旨意:让沼泽里产生泥炭,供人们来挖掘,运到城市和村庄。于是,穷人家里就生得起火了。
来到纽科门桥上,上加德纳街圣方济各·沙勿略教堂的这位十分可敬的耶稣会会长约翰·康米跨上一辆驶往郊外的电车。
一辆驶往市内的电车在纽科门桥这一站停住了。圣阿加莎教堂的本堂神父、至尊的尼古拉斯·达德利下了车。
康米神父是由于讨厌徒步跋涉泥岛[25]那段脏路,才在纽科门桥搭乘这趟驶往郊外的电车的。
康米神父在电车的一角落座。他仔细地把一张蓝色车票掖在肥大的小山羊皮手套的扣眼间;而四先令和一枚六便士以及五枚一便士[26]则从他的另一只戴了小山羊皮手套的巴掌上,斜着滑进他的钱包。当电车从爬满常春藤的教堂前驰过的时候,他想道:通常总是刚一粗心大意地扔掉车票,查票的就来了。康米神父觉得,就如此短暂而便宜的旅途而言,车上的乘客未免过于一本正经了。康米神父喜欢过得既愉快而又事事得体。
这是个宁静的日子。坐在康米神父对面那位戴眼镜的绅士解释完了什么,朝下望去。康米神父猜想,那准是他的妻子。
一个小哈欠使那位戴眼镜的绅士的妻子启开了口。她举起戴着手套的小拳头,十分文雅地打了个哈欠,用戴了手套的小拳头轻轻碰了碰启开的嘴,甜甜地泛出一丝微笑。
康米神父觉察出车厢里散发着她那香水的芬芳。他还发觉,挨着她另一边的一个男子局促不安地坐在座位的边沿上。[27]
康米神父曾经在祭坛栏杆边上吃力地把圣体送进一个动作拙笨的老人嘴里。那人患有摇头症。
电车在安斯利桥停了下来。正要开动时,一个老妪抽冷子从她的座位上站了起来。她要下车。售票员拽了一下铃绳,叫刹车,好让她下去。她挎着篮子,提了网兜,踱出车厢。康米神父望见售票员将她连篮子带网兜扶下车去。康米神父思忖,她那一便士车钱都差点儿坐过了头。从这一点来看,她是那种善良人中间的一个,你得一再告诉她们说,己经被赦免了:“祝福你,我的孩子,为我祈祷吧。”[28]然而她们在生活中有那么多忧虑,那么多操心的事儿,可怜的人们。
广告牌上的尤金·斯特拉顿[29]先生咧着黑人的厚嘴唇,朝康米神父作出一副怪相。
康米神父想到黑、棕、黄色人种的灵魂啦,他所做的有关耶稣会的圣彼得·克莱佛尔[30]和非洲传教事业的宣讲啦,传播信仰啦,还有那数百万黑、棕、黄色的灵魂。当大限像夜里的小偷那样忽然来到[31]时,他们却尚未接受洗礼。康米神父认为,那位比利时耶稣会会士所著《选民之人数》[32]一书中的主张,还是入情入理的。那数百万人的灵魂是天主照自己的形象创造[33]的。然而他们不曾(按照神的旨意[34])获得信仰。但他们毕竟是天主的生灵,是天主所创造的。依康米神父看来,让他们统统沉沦未免太可惜了,而且也可以说是一种浪费。
康米神父在豪斯路那一站下了车。售票员向他致敬,他也还了礼。
马拉海德路一片寂静。这条路和它的名字很合康米神父的心意。马拉海德喜洋洋,庆祝钟声响啊响。[35]马拉海德的塔尔伯特勋爵,马拉海德和毗邻海域世袭海军司令的直系继承者。紧接着,征召令下来了。在同一天,她从处女一变而为妻子和遗孀[36]。那是世风古朴的半月,乡区里一片欢快,是效忠爵爷领地的古老时代。
康米神父边走边思索着自己所著的那本小书《爵爷领地的古老时代》[37]以及另一本值得一写的书,关于耶稣会修道院以及莫尔斯沃思勋爵之女——第一代贝尔弗迪尔伯爵夫人玛丽·罗奇福特[38]。
一个青春已逝、神色倦怠的夫人,沿着艾乃水湖[39]畔踽踽独行。第一代贝尔弗迪尔伯爵夫人神色倦怠地在苍茫暮色中仿徨。当一只水獭跃进水里时,她也木然无所动。谁晓得实情呢?正在吃醋的贝尔弗迪尔爵爷不可能,听她忏悔的神父也不可能知道她曾否与小叔子完全通奸,曾否被他往自己那女性天然器官内射精[40]吧?按照妇女的常情,倘若她没有完全犯罪,她只须不痛不痒地忏悔一番。知道实情的,只有天主、她本人以及他——她那位小叔子。
康米神父想到了那种暴虐的纵欲,不管怎么说,为了人类在地球上繁衍生息,那是不可或缺的。也想到了我们的所作所为迥乎不同于天主。
唐约翰[4]·康米边走路迫在往昔的岁月里徘徊。在那儿,他以慈悲为怀,备受尊重。他把人们所忏悔的桩桩隐秘都铭记在心头;在一间天花板上吊着累累果实、用蜜蜡打磨的客厅里,他以笑脸迎迓贵人们一张张笑容可掬的脸。新郎和新娘的手,贵族和贵族,都通过唐约翰·康米,将掌心叠放在一起了。
这是令人心旷神怡的日子。
隔着教堂墓地的停柩门,康米神父望到一畦畦的卷心菜,它们摊开宽绰的下叶向他行着屈膝礼。天空,一小簇白云彩映入眼帘,正徐徐随风飘下。法国人管这叫毛茸茸的[42]。这个词儿恰当而又朴实。
康米神父边诵读日课[43],边眺望拉思科非[44]上空那簇羊毛般的云彩。他那穿着薄短袜的脚脖子被克朗戈伍斯田野里的残梗乱茬刺得痒痒的。他一面诵着晚课,一面倾听分班排游戏的学童们的喊叫声——稚嫩的嗓音划破傍晚的静谧。当年他曾经当过他们的校长。他管理得很宽厚。[45]
康米神父脱掉手套,掏出红边的《圣教日课》。一片象牙书签标示着该读哪一页。
九时课[46]。按说应该在午饭前诵读的。可是马克斯韦尔夫人来了。
康米神父悄悄地诵毕《天主经》和《圣母经》[47],在胸前面个十字:天主啊,求你快快拯救我![48]
他安详地踱步,默诵着九时课,边走边诵,一直诵到心地纯洁的人有福了[49]的第Res[50]节:
你法律的中心乃是真理;
你一切公正的诫律永远长存![51]
一个涨红了脸的小伙子[52]从篱笆缝隙间钻了出来。 跟着又钻出一个年轻姑娘,手里握着一束摇曳不停的野雏菊。小伙子突然举帽行了个礼,年轻姑娘赶忙弯下腰去,缓慢仔细地将巴在她那轻飘飘的裙子上的一截小树枝摘掉。
康米神父庄重地祝福了他们俩,然后翻开薄薄的一页《圣教日课》:Sin[53]。
有权势的人无故逼迫我,但我尊重你的法律。[54]
* * *
科尼·凯莱赫合上他那本长方形的流水帐簿,用疲惫的目光扫了扫那宛如哨兵般立在角落里的松木棺材盖儿一眼。他挺直了身子,走到棺材盖儿跟前,以它的一角为轴心,旋转了一下,端详着它的形状和铜饰。他边嚼着那片干草,边放回棺材盖儿,来到门口。他在那儿把帽檐往下一拉,好让眼睛有个遮荫,然后倚着门框懒洋洋地朝外面望着。
约翰·康米神父在纽科门桥上了驶往多利山的电车。
科尼·凯莱赫交叉着那双穿了大皮靴子的大脚,帽檐拉得低低的,定睛望着,嘴里还咀嚼着那片干草。
正在巡逻的丙五十七号警察停下脚步,跟他寒喧。
“今儿个天气不错,凯莱赫先生。”
“可不是嘛,”科尼·凯莱赫说。
“闷热得厉害,”警察说。
科尼·凯莱赫一声不响地从嘴里啐出一口干草汁,它以弧形线飞了出去。就在这当儿,一只白晳的胳膊从埃克尔斯街上的一扇窗户里慷慨地丢出一枚硬币。[55]
“有什么最好的消息?”他问。
“昨儿晚上我看到了那个特别的聚会,”警察压低嗓门说。
* * *
一个独腿水手架着丁字拐,在麦康内尔药房跟前拐了个弯,绕过拉白奥蒂的冰淇淋车,一颠一颠地进了埃克尔斯街。拉里·奥罗克[56]只穿了件衬衫站在门口,水手就朝着他毫不友善地吼叫:
为了英国……
他猛地往前悠荡了儿步,从凯蒂和布棣·迪达勒斯身边走过,并站住,吼了一声:
为了家园和丽人。[57]
从杰·杰·奥莫洛伊那张苍白愁苦的脸可以知道,兰伯特先生正在库房里接见来客。
一位胖太太停下来,从手提包里掏出一枚铜币,丢在伸到她跟前的便帽里。水手喃喃地表示谢意,愠怒地朝那些对他置之不理的窗户狠狠地盯了一眼,把脑袋一耷拉,又向前悠荡了四步。
他停下来,怒冲冲地咆哮着:
为了英国……
两个打赤脚的顽童嚼着长长的甘草根,在他身旁站下来,嘴里淌着黄糊糊的涎水,呆呆望着他那残肢。
他使劲朝前悠荡了几步,停下来,冲着一扇窗户扬起头,用拖长的深沉嗓音吼道:
为了家园和丽人。
窗内发出小鸟鸣啭般的圆润快活的口哨声,持续了一两节才止住。窗帘拉开了。一张写着“房间出租,自备家具”字样的牌子打窗框上滑落下去。窗口露出一只丰腴赤裸、乐善好施的胳膊,是从连着衬裙的白色乳搭那绷得紧紧的吊带间伸出的。一只女人[58]的手隔着地下室前的栏杆掷出一枚硬币。它落在人行道上了。
一个顽童朝这枚硬币跑去,拾了起来,把它投进这位歌手的便帽时,嘴里说着:
“喏,大叔。”
* * *
凯蒂和布棣·迪达勒斯推开门,走进那狭窄、蒸气弥漫的厨房。
“你把书当出去了吗?”布棣问。
玛吉站在铁灶[59]跟前,两次用搅锅的棍儿把一团发灰的什么许进冒泡的肥皂水里,然后擦了擦前额。
“他们一个便士也不给,”她说。
康米神父走边克朗戈伍斯田野,他那双穿着薄短袜的脚脖子被残茬扎得痒痒的。
“你到哪家去试的?”布棣问。
“麦吉尼斯当铺。”
布棣跺了跺脚,把书包往桌上一惯。
“别自以为了不起,叫她遭殃去吧!”她嚷道。
凯蒂走到铁灶跟前,眯起眼睛凝视着。
“锅里是什么呀?”她问。
“衬衫,”玛吉说。
布棣气恼地嚷道:
“天哪!难道咱们什么吃的也没有了吗?”
凯蒂用自己的脏裙子垫着手,掀开汤锅的盖儿问:
“这里面是什么?”
锅里喷出的一股热气就回答她了。
“豌豆汤,”玛吉说。
“你打哪儿弄来的?”凯蒂问。
“玛丽·帕特里克修女那儿,”玛吉说。
打杂的摇了一下铃。
叮啷啷!
布棣在桌前落座,饿着肚子说:“端到这儿来!”
玛吉把稠糊糊的汤从锅里倒进了碗。坐在布棣对面的凯蒂边用指尖将面包渣塞进嘴里,边安详地说:
“咱们有这么多吃的就蛮好了。迪丽哪儿去啦?”
“接父亲去了,”玛吉说。
布棣边把面包大块儿大块儿地掰到黄汤里,边饶上一句:
“我们不在天上的父亲……”[60]
玛吉过往凯蒂的碗里倒黄汤,边嚷道:
“布棣!不许这么胡说八道!”
一叶小舟——揉成一团丢掉的“以利亚来了”[61],浮在利菲河上,顺流而下。穿过环道桥[62],冲出桥墩周围翻滚的激流,绕过船身和锚链,从海关旧船坞与乔冶码头之间向东漂去。
* * *
桑顿鲜花水果店的金发姑娘正往柳条筐里铺着窸窣作响的纤丝。布莱泽斯·博伊兰递给她一只裹在粉红色薄绉纸里的瓶子以及一个小罐子。
“把这些先放进去,好吗?”他说。
“好的,先生,”金发姑娘说,“上面放水果。”
“行,这样挺好,”布莱泽斯·博伊兰说。
她把圆滚滚的梨头尾交错地码得整整齐齐,还在夹缝儿里撂上羞红了脸的熟桃。
布莱泽斯·博伊兰脚上登着棕黄色新皮鞋,在果香扑鼻的店堂里踱来踱去,拿起那鲜嫩、多汁、带褶纹的水果,又拿起肥大、红艳艳的西红柿,嗅了嗅。
头戴白色高帽的H·E·L·Y'S[63]从他面前列队而行;穿过坦吉尔巷,朝着目的地吃力地走去。
他从托在薄木片上的一簇草莓跟前蓦地掉过房来,由表兜里拽出一块金怀表,将表链抻直。
“你们可以搭电车送去吗?马上?”
在商贾拱廊内,一个黑糊糊的背影正在翻看着小贩车上的书。[64]
“先生,管保给你送到。是在城里吗?”
“可不,”布莱泽斯·博伊兰说,“十分钟。”
金发姑娘递给他标签和铅笔。
“先生,劳您驾写下地址好吗?”
布莱泽斯·博伊兰在柜台上写好标签,朝她推过去。
“马上送去,可以吗?”他说,“是给一位病人的。”
“好的,先生。马上就送,先生。”
布莱泽斯·博伊兰在裤兜里摆弄着钱,发出一片快乐的声响。
“要多少钱?”他问。
金发姑娘用纤指数着水果。
布莱泽斯·博伊兰朝她衬衫的敞口处望了一眼,小雏儿。他从高脚杯里拈起一朵红艳艳的麝香石竹。
“这是给我的吧?”他调情地问。
金发姑娘斜瞟了他一眼,见他不惜花费地打扮,领带稍微歪斜的那副样子,不觉飞红了脸。
“是的,先生,”她说。
她灵巧地弯下腰去,数了数圆滚滚的梨和羞红的桃子。
布莱泽斯·博伊兰越发心荡神驰地瞅着她那衬衫敞口处,用牙齿叼着红花的茎,嘻笑着。
“可以用你的电话说句话儿吗?”他流里流气地问。
* * *
“不过![65]”阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼[66]说。
他隔着斯蒂芬的肩膀,凝视着哥尔德斯密斯[67]那疙疙瘩瘩的脑袋。
两辆满载游客的马车徐徐经过,妇女们紧攥着扶手坐在前面。一张张苍白的脸。[68]男子的胳膊坦然地搂着女人矮小的身子。一行人把视线从三一学院移到爱尔兰银行那耸立着圆柱、大门紧闭的门厅。那里,鸽群正咕咕咕地叫着。
“像你这样年轻的时候,”[69]阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼说,“我也曾这么想过。当时我确信这个世界简直像个猪圈。太糟糕啦。因为你这副嗓子……可以成为你的财源,明白吗?然而你在做着自我牺牲。”[70]
“不流血的牺牲,”[71]斯蒂芬笑眯眯地说。他攥着梣木手杖的中腰,缓慢地轻轻地来回摆动着。
“但愿如此,”[72]蓄着口髭的圆脸蛋儿愉快地说,“可是,我的话你也听听才好。考虑考虑吧。”[73]
从印契科驰来的一辆电车,服从了格拉顿用严厉的石手[74]发出的停车信号。一群隶属于军乐队的苏格兰高原士兵从车上七零八落地下来了。
“我仔细想一想,”[75]斯蒂芬说,低头瞥了一眼笔挺的裤腿。
“你这话是当真的吧,呃?”[76]阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼说。
他用那厚实的手紧紧握住斯蒂芬的手。一双富于人情味的眼睛朝他好奇地凝视了一下,接着就转向一辆驰往多基的电车。
“来啦,”匆忙中,阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼友善地说,“到我那儿去坐坐,再想想吧。再见,老弟。”[77]
“再见,大师,”斯蒂芬说,他腾出手来掀了掀帽子说,“谢谢您啦!”[78]
“客气什么?”阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼说,“原谅我,呃?祝你健康!”[79]
阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼把乐谱卷成指挥棒形,打了打招呼,迈开结实耐穿的裤腿去赶搭那趟驶往多基的电车。他被卷进那群身着短裤、裸着膝盖的高原士兵——他们偷偷携带着乐器,正在乱哄哄地拥进三一学院的大门[80]——所以他白跑了一趟,招呼也白打了。
* * *
邓恩小姐[81]把那本从卡佩尔大街图书馆借来的《白衣女》[82]藏在抽屉尽里边,将一张花哨的信纸卷进打字机。
里面故弄玄虚的地方大多了。他爱上了那位玛莉恩没有呢?换
上一本玛丽·塞西尔·海依[83]的吧。
圆盘[84]顺着槽溜下去。晃了一阵才停住,朝他们飞上一眼:六。
邓恩小姐把打字机键盘敲得咯嗒咯嗒地响着:
“一九0四年六月十六日。”
五个头戴白色高帽的广告人来到莫尼彭尼商店的街角和还不曾竖立沃尔夫·托恩[85]雕像的石板之间,他们那H·E·L·Y’S的蜿蜒队形就掉转过来, 拖着沉重的脚步沿着原路走回去。
随后,她定睛望着专门扮演轻佻风骚角色的漂亮女演员玛丽·肯德尔[86]的大幅海报,慵懒地倚在桌上,在杂记本上胡乱涂写几个十六和大写的字母S。 芥末色的头发。抹得花里胡哨的脸颊。她并不俊俏,对吗?瞧她捏着裙角那副样子!我倒想知道,那个人今晚到不到乐队去[87]。我要是能叫裁缝给我做一条苏西·内格尔那样的百褶裙该有多好。走起来多有气派。香农和划船俱乐部[88]里所有那些时髦人物眼睛简直都离不开她了。真希望他今天不要把我一直留到七点。
电话铃在她耳边猛地响了起来。
“喂!对,先生。没有,先生。是的,先生。五点以后我给他们打电话。 只有那两封——一封寄到贝尔法斯特[89],一封寄到利物浦。好的,先生。那么,如果您不回来,过六点我就可以走了吧。六点一刻。好,先生。二十七先令六。我会告诉他的。对,一镑七先令六。”
她在一个信封上潦草地写下三个数字。
“博伊兰先生!喂!《体育报》那位先生来找过您。对,是利内翰先生。他说,四点钟他要到奥蒙德饭店去。没有,先生。是的,先生。过五点我给他们打电话。”
* * *
两张粉红色的脸借着小小火把的光亮出现了。[90]
“谁呀?”内德·兰伯特问,“是克罗蒂吗?”
“林加贝拉和克罗斯黑文,”正在用脚探着路的一个声音说。
“嘿,杰克,是你吗?”内德·兰伯特说着,在摇曳的火光所映照的拱顶下,扬了扬软木条打着招呼。“过来吧,当心脚底下。”
教士高举着的手里所攥的涂蜡火柴映出一道长长的柔和火焰燃尽了,掉了下去。红色斑点在他们脚跟前熄灭,周围弥漫着发霉的空气。
“多有趣!”昏暗中一个文雅的口音说。
“是啊,神父,”内德·兰伯特热切地说,“如今咱们正站在圣玛丽修道院的会议厅里。这是一个有历史意义的遗迹。一五三四年,绢骑士托马斯[91]就是在这里宣布造反的。这是整个都柏林最富于历史意义的地方了。关于这事,总有一天奥马登·勃克会写点什么的。合并[92]以前,老爱尔兰银行就在马路对面。犹太人的圣殿原先也设在这儿。后来他们在阿德莱德路盖起了自己的会堂。杰克,你从来没到这儿来过吧?”
“没有过,内德。”
“他[93]是骑马沿着戴姆人行道来的,”那个文雅的口音说,“倘若我没记错的话,基尔代尔一家人的宅第就在托马斯大院里。”
“可不是嘛,”内德·兰伯特说,“一点儿也不错,神父。”
“承蒙您的好意,”教士说,“下次可不可以允许我……”
“当然可以,”内德·兰伯特说,“什么时候您高兴,就尽管带着照相机来吧。我会叫人把窗口那些口袋清除掉。您可以从这儿,要么从这儿照。”
他在宁静的微光中踱来踱去,用手中的木条敲敲那一袋装堆得高高的种籽,并指点着地板上取景的好去处。
一张长脸蛋上的胡子和视线,部落在一方棋盘上。[94]
“深深感谢,兰伯特先生,”教士说,“您的时间宝贵,我不打扰了……”
“欢迎您光临,神父,”内德·兰伯特说,“您愿意什么时候光临都行。比方说,下周吧。瞧得见吗?”
“瞧得见,瞧得见。那么我就告辞了,兰伯特先生。见到您,我十分高兴。”
“我才高兴呢,神父,”内德·兰伯特回答。
他把来客送到出口,随手把木条旋转着掷到圆柱之间。他和杰·杰·奥莫洛伊一道慢悠悠地走进玛丽修道院街。那里,车夫们正往一辆辆平板车上装着一麻袋一麻袋角豆面和椰子粉,韦克斯福德的奥康内尔。[95]
他停下脚步来读手里的名片。
“休·C·洛失神父,拉思柯非。[96]现住:萨林斯[97]的圣迈克尔教堂。一个蛮好的年轻人。他告诉我,他正在写一本关于菲茨杰拉德家族[98]的书。他对历史了如指掌,的的确确。”
那个年轻姑娘仔细缓慢地将巴在她那轻飘飘的裙子上的一载小树枝摘掉。[99]
“我还只当你在策划另一次火药阴谋[100]呢,”杰·杰·奥莫洛伊说。
内德·兰伯特用手指在空中打了个响榧子。
“唉呀!”他失声叫道,“我忘记告诉他基尔代尔伯爵[101]放火烧掉卡舍尔大教堂后所说的那番话了。你晓得他说了什么吗?‘我干了这档子事实在觉得过意不去,’他说,‘然而天主在上,我确实以为大主教正在里面呢。’不过,他也许并不爱听。什么?天哪,不管怎样,我也得告诉他。这就是伟大的伯爵,大[102]菲茨杰拉德。他们统统是火暴性子,杰拉德家族这些人。”
当他走过去时,挽具松了的那些马受了惊,一副紧张的样子。他拍了拍挨着他的那匹花斑马的颤抖的腰腿,喊了声:
“吁!好小子!”
他掉过脸来问杰·杰·奥莫洛伊:
“呃,杰克。什么事呀?遇到什么麻烦啦?等一会儿。站住。”
他张大了嘴,脑袋使劲朝后仰着,凝然不动地站住,旋即大声打了个喷嚏。
“哈哧!”他说,“该死!”
“都怪这些麻袋上的灰尘,”杰·杰·奥莫洛伊彬彬有礼地说。
“不是,”内德·兰伯特气喘吁吁地说,“我着了……凉,前天……该死……前天晚上……而且,那地方的贼风真厉害……”
他拿好手绢,准备着打下一个……
“今天早晨……我到……葛拉斯涅文去了……可怜的小……他叫什么来着……哈哧!……摩西他娘啊!
* * *
穿深红色背心的汤姆·罗赤福特手托一摞圆盘,顶在胸前,另一只手拿起最上面的那个。
“瞧,”他说,“比方说,这是第六个节目。从这儿进去,瞧。眼下节目正在进行。”
他把圆盘塞进左边的口子给他们看。它顺着槽溜下去,晃了一阵才停住,朝他们飞上一眼:六。[103]
当年的律师[104]趾高气扬,慷慨陈词。他们看见里奇·古尔丁携带着古尔丁-科利斯-沃德律师事务所的帐目公文包,从统一审计办公室一路走到民事诉讼法庭。然后听到一位上了岁数的妇女身穿宽大的丝质黑裙,窸窸窣窣地走出高等法院[105]海事法庭,进了上诉法庭,她面上泛着半信半疑的微笑,露出假牙。
“瞧,”他说,“瞧,我最后放进去的那个已经到这儿来了:节目结束。冲击力。杠杆作用。明白了吗?”
他让他们看右边那越摞越高的圆盘。
“高明的主意,”大鼻子弗林抽着鼻孔说,“那么来晚了的人就能知道哪个节目正在进行,哪些己经结束了。”
“瞧明白了吧?”汤姆·罗赤福特说。
他自己塞进了一个圆盘,望着它溜下去,晃动,飞上一眼,停住:四。正在进行的节目。
“我这就到奥蒙德饭店去跟他见面,”利内翰说,“探探口气。好心总会有好报。”
“去吧,”汤姆·罗赤福特说,“告诉他,我等博伊兰都等急啦。”
“晚安,”麦科伊抽冷子说,“当你们两个人着手干起来的时候…”
大鼻子弗林朝那杠杆弯下身去,嗅着。
“可是这地方是怎么活动的呢,汤米?”他问道。
“吐啦噜[106],”利内翰说,“回头见。”
他跟着麦科伊走了出去,穿过克兰普顿大院的小方场。
“他是个英雄,”他毫不迟疑地说。
“我晓得,”麦科伊说,“你指的是排水沟吧。”
“排水沟?”利内翰说,“是阴沟的检修口。”
他们走过丹·劳里游艺场,专演风骚角色的妖媚女演员玛丽·肯德尔从海报上朝他们投以画得很蹩脚的微笑。
他们来到锡卡莫街,沿着帝国游艺场旁的人行道走着,利内翰把事情的来龙去脉讲给麦科伊听。有个阴沟口,就像那讨厌的煤气管一样,卡住了一个可怜的家伙。阴沟里的臭气已把他熏个半死。汤姆·罗赤福特连那件经纪人背心也来不及脱,身上系了根绳子,就不顾一切地下去了。还真行,他用绳子套住那可怜的家伙,两个人就都给拽了上来[107]。
“真是英雄的壮举,”他说。
奔杰维斯街。
“这边走,”他一面朝右边走一面说,“我要到莱纳姆那儿去瞧瞧‘权杖’[108]的起价。你那块带金链儿的金表几点啦?”
麦科伊窥伺了一下马库斯·特蒂乌斯·摩西那幽暗的办事处,接着又瞧了瞧奥尼尔茶叶店的挂钟。
“三点多啦,”他说,“谁骑‘权杖’?”
“奥马登”,利内翰说,“那是匹精神十足的小母马。”
在圣殿酒吧前等候的时候,麦科伊躲开一条香蕉皮,然后用脚夹把它轻轻挑到人行道的阴沟里去。谁要是喝得烂醉黑咕隆咚地走到这儿,会很容易就摔个跟头。
为了让总督出行的车马经过,车道[109]前的大门敞开了。
“一博一,”利内翰回来说,“我在那儿碰见了班塔穆·莱昂斯。他打算押一匹别人教给他的破马,它压根儿就没有过赢的希望。打这儿穿过去。”
他们拾级而上。在商贾拱廊内,一个黑糊糊的背影正在翻阅着小贩车上的书。
“他在那儿呢,”利内翰说。
“不晓得他在买什么,”麦科伊说着,回头瞥了一眼。
“《利奥波德或稞麦花儿开》[110],”利内翰说。
“他是买减价书的能手,”麦科伊说,“有一天我和他在一起,他在利菲街花两先令从一个老头那儿买了一本书。里面有精采的图片,足足值一倍钱。星星啦,月亮啦,带长尾巴的慧星啦。是一部关于天文学的书。”
利内翰笑了。
“我讲给你听一个关于慧星尾巴的极有趣儿的故事,”他说,“站到太阳地儿来。”
他们横过马路来到铁桥跟前,沿着河堤边的惠灵顿码头走去。
少年帕特里克·阿洛伊修斯·迪格纳穆[111]拿着一磅半猪排,从曼根的(原先是费伦巴克的)店里走了出来。
“那一次格伦克里的感化院举行了盛大的宴会[112],”利内翰起劲地说,“要知道,那是一年一度的午餐会。得穿那种浆洗得笔挺的衬衫。市长大人出席了——当时是维尔·狄龙。查尔斯·卡梅伦爵士和丹·道森讲了话,还有音乐。巴特尔·达西演唱了,还有本杰明·多拉德……”
“我晓得,”麦科伊插了嘴,“我太太也在那儿唱过一次。”
“是吗?”利内翰说。
一张写有“房间出租,自备家具”字样的牌子,又出现在埃克尔斯街七号的窗框上[113]。
他把话打住片刻,接着又喝哧喝哧地喘着气笑开了。
“等等,容我来告诉你,”他说,“卡姆登街的德拉亨特包办酒菜,鄙人是勤杂司令。布卢姆夫妇也在场。我们供应的东西可海啦:红葡萄酒、雪利酒、陈皮酒,我们也十分对得起那酒,放开量畅饮一通。喝足了才吃,大块的冷冻肘子有的是,还有百果馅饼[114]……”
“我晓得,”麦科伊说,“那一年我太太也在场……”
利内翰兴奋地挽住他的胳膊。
“等一等,我来告诉你,”他说,“寻欢作乐够了,我们还吃了一顿夜宵。当我们走出来时,己经是第二天的凌晨几点[115]啦。回家的路上翻过羽床山, 好个出色的冬夜啊,布卢姆和克里斯·卡利南坐在马车的一边,我和他太太坐另一边。我们唱起来了,无伴奏的男声合唱,二重唱。看啊,清晨的微曦[116]。 她那肚带下面灌满了德拉亨特的红葡萄酒。那该死的车子每颠簸一次,她都撞在我身上。那真开心到家啦!她那一对儿可真棒,上主保佑她。像这样的。”
他凹起掌心,将双手伸到胸前一腕尺的地方,蹙着眉头说。
“我不停地为她把车毯往腿下掖,并且整一整她披的那条袭皮围巾。明白我的意思吗?”
他用两只手在半空比划出丰满曲线的造型。他快乐得双目紧闭,浑身倦缩着,嘴里吹出悦耳的小鸟啁啾声。
“反正那小子直挺挺地竖起来了,”他叹了口气说,“没错儿,那娘儿们是个浪母马。布卢姆把天上所有的星星和慧星都指给克里斯·卡利南和车把式看:什么大熊座啦,武仙座啦,天龙座啦,和其他繁星。可是,对上主发誓,我可以说是身心都沉浸在银河里了。说真格的,他全都认得出。她终于找到一颗很远很远一丁点儿大的小不点儿。‘那是什么星呀,波尔迪?’她说,上主啊,她可给布卢姆出了个难题。‘那一颗吗?’克里斯·卡利南说,‘没错儿,那说得上是个小针眼儿[117]。哎呀,他说的倒是八九不离十。”
利内翰停下脚步,身倚河堤,低声笑得上气不接下气。
“我实在支持不住啦,”他气喘吁吁地说。
麦科伊那张白脸不时地对此泛出一丝微笑,随即神情又变得严肃起来。利内翰又往前走着。他摘下游艇帽,匆匆地挠挠后脑勺。沐浴在阳光下,他斜睨了麦科伊一眼。
“他真是有教养有见识的人,布卢姆是这样的一位,”他一本正经地说,“他不是你们那种凡夫俗子……要知道……老布卢姆身上有那么一股艺术家气质。”
* * *
布卢姆先生漫不经心地翻着《玛丽亚·蒙克的骇人秘闻》[118],然后又拿起亚理斯多德的《杰作》。印刷得歪七扭八,一塌糊涂。插图有:胎儿蜷缩在一个个血红的子宫里,恰似屠宰后的母牛的肝脏。如今,全世界到处都是。统统想用脑壳往外冲撞。每一分钟都会有娃娃在什么地方诞生。普里福伊太太[119]。
他把两本书都撂在一劳,视线移到第三本上:利奥波德·封·扎赫尔-马索赫所著《犹太人区的故事》[120]。
“这本我读过,”他说着,把它推开。
书摊老板另撂了两本在柜台上。
“这两本可好咧,”他说。
隔着柜台,一股葱头气味从他那牙齿残缺不全的嘴里袭来。他弯下腰去,将其余的书捆起来,顶着没系钮扣的背心摞了摞,然后就抱到肮里肮脏的帷幕后面去丁。
奥康内尔桥上,好多人在望着舞蹈等课程的教师丹尼斯·杰·马金尼先生。他一派端庄的仪态,却穿着花里胡哨的服装。
布卢姆独自在看着书名。詹姆斯·洛夫伯奇[121]的《美丽的暴君们》。晓得是哪一类的书。有过吧?有过。
他翻了翻。果不其然。
从肮里肮脏的帷幕后面传出来女人的嗓音。听:那个男人。
不行,这么厉害的不会中她的意。曾经给她弄到过一本。
他读着另一本的书名:《偷情的快乐》。这会更合她的胃口。拿来看看。
他随手翻到一页就读起来:
她丈夫给她的那一张张一元钞票,她都花在店铺里那些
华丽的长衫和昂贵无比的镶有褶边的裙子上了。为了他!为
了拉乌尔[122]!
对。就这一本。怎么样?试试看。
她的嘴紧紧嘬住地的嘴,淫亵放荡地狂吻着;他呢,这当
儿把双手伸进她的衫襟,去抚摩她那丰满的曲线。
对。就要这一本吧。它的结尾是:
“你来迟了,”他嗓音嗄哑地说,用炯炯的怀疑目光瞪着
她。
那位美女把她那镶边的貉皮大氅脱下来甩在一边,裸露
出王后般的双肩和一起一伏的丰腴魁力。她安详地朝他掉转
过来,无比可爱的唇边泛着一丝若隐若现的微笑。
布卢姆先生又读了一遍,那位美女……
一股暖流悄悄地浸透他全身,镇慑着他的肉体。在揉皱了的衣服里面,肉体彻头彻尾地屈服了。眼白神魂颠倒般地往上一翻。 他的鼻孔像是在寻觅猎物一般拱了起来。涂在乳房上的油膏(为了他!为了拉乌尔!)融化了。腋窝下的汗水发出葱头般的气味。鱼胶般的黏液(她那一起一伏的丰腴魅力!)摸摸看!按一按!粉碎啦!两头狮子那硫磺气味的粪!
青春!青春!
一位上了岁数、不再年轻的妇女正从大法院、高等法院、税务法庭和高级民事法院共用的大厦里踱了出来。她刚在大法官主持的法庭里旁听了波特顿神经错乱案;在海事法庭上聆听了“凯恩斯夫人号”船主们对“莫纳号”三桅帆船船主们一案的申诉以及当事者一方的辩解;在上诉法庭,倾听了法庭所做关于暂缓审判哈维与海洋事故保险公司一案的决定。
一阵含痰的咳嗽声在书摊的空气中回荡着, 把肮里肮脏的帷幕都震得鼓鼓的。摊主咳嗽着走出来了。他那灰白脑袋不曾梳理过,涨红了的脸也没刮过。他粗鲁地清着喉咙,往地板上吐了口黏痰。然后,伸出靴子来踩住自己吐出的,并且弯下腰去,用靴底蹭了蹭。这样,就露出他那剩下不几根毛的秃瓢。
布卢姆先生望到了。
他抑制着恶心的感觉,说:
“我要这一本。”
摊主抬起那双被积下的眼屎弄得视力模糊的眼睛。
“《偷情的快乐》,”他边敲着书边说,“这是本好书。”
* * *
站在狄龙拍卖行门旁的伙计又摇了两遍手铃,并且对着用粉笔做了记号的大衣柜镜子照了照自己这副尊容。
呆在人行道边石上的迪丽·迪达勒斯听到铃声和里面拍卖商的吆喝声。四先令九。那些可爱的帘子。五先令。使人感到舒适的帘子。新的值两基尼哪。五先令还有加的吗?五先令成交啦。
伙计举起手铃摇了摇:
“当啷!”
最后一圈的铃声响起时,这半英里自行车赛[123]的选手们冲刺起来。J·A·杰克逊、W·E·怀利、A·芒罗和H·T·加恩,都伸长了脖子,东摇西摆, 巧妙地驰过了学院图书馆旁的弯道。
迪达勒斯先生捋着长长的八字胡,从威廉斯横街拐了过来。他在女儿身边停下脚步。
“来得正是时候,”她说。
“求求你啦,站直了吧,”迪达勒斯先生说,“难道你想学你那吹短号的约翰舅舅[124],把脑袋缩在肩膀上吗?瞧你这副样子!”
迪丽耸了耸肩。迪达勒斯先生双手按住她的肩膀往后扳。
“站得直直的,丫头,”他说,“不然你会害上脊椎弯曲病的。你晓得自已像个什么样儿吗?”
他蓦地垂下脑袋,往前一伸,并拱起肩,把下颚向下一耷拉。
“别这样,爹”,迪丽说,“大家都在望着你哪。”
迪达勒斯先生直起身子,又去捋他那八字胡。
“你弄到点钱了吗?”迪丽问。
“我上哪儿弄钱去?”迪达勒斯先生说,“在都柏林,没人肯借给我四便士。”
“你准弄到了点儿,”迪丽盯着他的眼睛说。
“你怎么晓得?”迪达勒斯先生用舌头顶着腮帮子说。
克南[125]先生对自已揽到的这笔订货踌躇满志,正沿着詹姆斯大街高视阔步。
“我晓得你弄到啦,”迪丽回答说,“刚才你呆在苏格兰酒家里来着吧?”
“我没去呀,”、迪达勒斯先生笑吟吟地说,“是那些小尼姑把你教得这么调皮吧?拿去。”
他递给她一先令。
“看看这够你顶什么用的,”他说。
“我猜你准弄到了五先令,”迪丽说,“再给我点儿吧。”
“等一会儿,”迪达勒斯先生用恐吓的口吻说,“你跟那几个都是一路货,对吧?自从你们那可怜的妈咽气以后,你们就成了一帮不知天高地厚的小母狗啦。可是等着瞧吧。迟早我会把你们彻头彻尾摆脱掉的。满口下流的脏话!我会甩掉你们的。 哪怕我硬挺挺地抻丁腿儿,你们也无动于衷。说什么:‘他死啦,楼上那家伙咽气拉。’”
他撇下她,往前走去。迪丽赶忙跟上去,拽住他的上衣。
“喂,干吗呀?”他停下脚步来说。
伙计在他们背后摇铃。
“当啷啷!”
“叫你这吵吵闹闹的混帐家伙挨天罚!”迪达勒斯先生掉过身去冲他嚷着。
伙计意识到这话是朝他来的,就很轻很轻地摇着那耷拉下来的铃舌。
“当!”
迪达勒斯先生狠狠地盯了他一眼。
“瞧瞧这个人,”他说,“真有点儿意思。我倒想知道他还让不让咱们说话啦。”
“爹,你弄到的钱不止这么些,”迪丽说。
“我要玩个小花招儿给你们看,”迪达勒斯先生说,“我要撇下你们这一帮,就像当年耶稣撇下犹太人那样。[126]瞧,我统共只有这么多。 我从杰克·鲍尔那儿弄到了两先令,为了参加葬礼,还花两便士刮了一下脸。”
他局促不安地掏出一把铜币。
“难道你不能从什么地方寻摸俩钱儿来吗?”迪丽说。
迪达勒斯先生沉吟了一阵,点了点头。
“好吧,”他认认真真地说,“我是沿着奥康内尔大街的明沟一路寻摸过来的。这会子我再去这条街试试看。”
“你滑稽透了,”迪丽说,她笑得露出了牙齿。
“喏,”说着,迪达勒斯先生递给她两便士,“去弄杯牛奶喝,再买个小圆甜面包什么的。我马上就回家。”
他把其他硬币揣回兜里,继续往前走。
总督的车马队在警察卑躬屈膝的敬礼下,穿过公园大门。
“你准还有一先令,”迪丽说。
伙计把铃摇得山响。
迪达勒斯先生在一片喧嚣中走开了。他噘起嘴来轻声喃喃自语着,
“小尼姑们!有趣的小妞儿们!噢,她们准不会帮忙的!噢,她们确实不会帮的!是小莫妮卡修女[127]吧!”
* * *
克南先生从日晷台走向詹姆斯门,异常得意自己从普尔布鲁克·罗伯逊那儿揽到的订货,沿着詹姆斯大街高视阔步地走过莎克尔顿面粉公司营业处。 总算把他说服了。您好吗,克里敏斯[128]先生?好极啦,先生。我还担心您到平利科那另一家公司去了呢。生意怎么样?对付着糊口罢咧。这天气多好哇。可不是嘛。 对农村是再好不过嘞。那些庄稼汉总是发牢骚。给我来一点点您上好的杜松子酒吧, 克里敏斯先生。一小杯杜松子酒吗,先生?是的,先生。“斯洛克姆将军”号爆炸事件[129]太可怕啦。可怕呀,可怕呀!死伤一千人。一派惨绝人寰的景象。一些汉子把妇女和娃娃都踩在脚底下。简直是禽兽。关于肇事原因,他们是怎么说来着?说是自动爆炸。暴露出来的情况真令人震惊。水上竟然没有一只救生艇,水龙带统统破裂了。我简直不明白,那些检验员怎么竟允许像那样一艘船……喏,您说得有道理,克里敏斯先生。您晓得个中底细吗?行了贿呗。是真的吗?毫无疑问。嗯,瞧瞧吧。还说美国是个自由的国度哩。我本来以为糟糕的只是咱们这里呢。
我[130]对他笑了笑。“美国嘛,”我像这样安详地说,“这又算得了什么?这是从包括敝国在内的各国扫出来的垃圾。不就是这么回事吗?”确实是这样的。
贪污,我亲爱的先生。喏,当然喽,只要金钱在周转,必定就会有人把它捞到手。
我发现他在打量我的大礼服。人就靠服装。再也没有比体面的衣着更起作用的了。能够镇住他们。
“你好,西蒙,”考利神父[131]说,“近来怎么样?”
“你好,鲍勃,老伙计,”迪达勒斯先生停下脚步,回答说。
克南先生站在理发师彼得·肯尼迪那面倾斜的镜子前梳妆打扮了一番。毫无疑问,这是件款式新颖的上衣。道森街的斯科特[132]。我付了尼亚利半镑钱, 蛮值得。要是订做一件的话,起码也得三基尼。穿上哪儿哪儿都可身。原先多半是基尔代尔街俱乐部[133]哪位花花公子的。昨天在卡莱尔桥上,爱尔兰银行经理约翰·穆利根用锐利的目光好盯了我两眼,他好像认出了我似的。
哎嘿!在这些人面前就得讲究穿戴。马路骑士[134]。绅士。就这么样,克里敏斯先生,希望以后继续光顾。俗话说得好,这是使人提神而又不醉的饮料[135]。
北堤和布满了一个个船体、一条条锚链的约翰·罗杰森[136]爵士码头;一叶小舟——揉成一团丢下去的传单,在摆渡驶过后的尾流中颠簸着,向西漂去了。 “以利亚未了。”[137]
克南先生临别对镜顾影自怜。脸色黑红,当然喽。花白胡髭。活像是曾在印度服役回国的军官。他端着膀子,迈着戴鞋罩的脚,雄赳赳地移动那矮粗身躯。马路对面那人是内德·兰伯特的弟弟萨姆吧?怎么?是的。可真像他哩。不对,是那边阳光底下那辆汽车的挡风玻璃,那么一闪。活脱儿像是他。
哎嘿!含杜松液的烈酒使他的内脏和呼出来的气都暖烘烘的。 那可是一杯好杜松子酒。肥肥胖胖的他,大摇大摆地走着,燕尾礼服随着他的步伐在骄阳下闪闪发光。
埃米特[138]就是在前面那个地方被绞死的,掏出五脏六腑之后还肢解。油腻腻、黑魁魁的绳子。当总督夫人乘双轮马车经过的时候,几只狗正在街上舔着鲜血哩。[139]
那可是邪恶横行的时代。算啦,算啦。过去了,总算结束啦。又都是大酒鬼。个个能喝上四瓶。
我想想看。他是葬在圣迈肯教堂的吗?啊不,葛拉斯涅文倒是在午夜里埋过一次。尸体是从墙上的一道暗门弄进去的。如今迪格纳穆就在那儿哩。像是被一阵风卷走的。哎呀呀。不如在这儿拐个弯。绕点儿路吧。
克南先生掉转了方向。从古尼斯啤酒公司接待室的拐角,沿着华特灵大道的下坡路走去。都柏林制酒公司的栈房外面停着一辆游览车[140],既没有乘客,也没有车把式,缰绳系在车轱辘上。这么做,好险呀。准是从蒂珀雷里[141]来的哪个笨蛋在拿市民的命开玩笑。倘若马脱了缰呢?
丹尼斯·布林夹着他那两部大书,在约翰·亨利·门顿的事务所等了一个小时。然后腻烦了,就带着妻子踱过奥康内尔桥,直奔考立斯-沃德法律事务所。
克南先生来到岛街附近了。那是多事之秋。得向内德·兰伯特借借乔纳·巴林顿[142]爵士回忆录。回首往事,回忆录读来就把过去的一切都井井有条地排列起来。在达利俱乐部赌博来着。当时还不兴玩牌时作弊。其中一个家伙被人用匕首把手钉在牌桌上了。爱德华·菲茨杰拉德勋爵[143]就是在这左近甩掉塞尔少校,逃之夭夭的。莫伊拉邸第后面的马厩[144]。
那杜松子可真是好酒。
那是个英姿潇洒的贵公子。当然是出自名门喽。那个恶棍,那戴紫罗兰色手套的冒牌乡绅,把他出卖了。当然他们站到错误的一边。他们是在黑暗邪恶的日子里挺身而出的。那是一首好诗,英格拉姆[145]作的。他们是君子。那首歌谣本·多拉德唱起来确实感人。天衣无缝的表演。
罗斯包围战,我爹勇捐躯。[146]
一队车马从从容容地走边彭布罗克码头[147],骑在马上簇拥着车辆的侍卫们,在鞍上颠簸着,颠簸着。大礼服。嫩黄色的旱伞。
克南先生匆匆朝前赶去,一路气喘吁吁。
总督阁下!糟糕透啦!刚好失之交臂。真该死!太可惜啦!
* * *
斯蒂芬·迪达勒斯隔着罩了铁丝网的窗户,注视着宝石匠[148]的手指在检验一条被岁月磨乌了的链子。尘土像丝网般密布在窗户和陈列盘上。指甲酷似鹰爪的勤劳的手指,也给尘土弄得发暗了。一盘盘颜色晦暗的青铜丝和银丝,菱形的朱砂、红玉以及那些带鳞状斑纹的和绛色的宝石上,都蒙着厚厚的积尘。
这些统统产于黑暗而蠕动着蚯蚓的土壤。火焰的冰冷颗粒,不祥之物,在黑暗中发光。沉沦的大天使把他们额上的星星丢在这儿了。满是泥泞的猪鼻子啊,手啊,又是拱,又是掘,把它们紧紧攥住,吃力地弄到手里。
这里,橡胶与大蒜一道燃着。在一片昏暗中,她翩翩起舞。一个留着赤褐色胡子的水手,边呷着大酒杯里的甘蔗酒,边盯着她。长期的航海生涯不知不觉地使他淫欲旺盛起来。她跳啊蹦啊,扭动着她那母猪般的腰腿和臀部。卵状红玉在肥大的肚皮上摆动着。
老拉塞尔又用一块污迹斑斑的麂皮揩拭出宝石的光泽,把它旋转一下,举到摩西式长胡子梢那儿去端详。猴爷爷贪婪地盯着偷来的珍藏。[149]
而你这个从墓地刨出古老形象的人,又当如何?诡辩家的狂言谵语:安提西尼。推销不出去的学识。光辉夺目、长生不朽的小麦,从亘古到永远。[150]
两个老妪[151]刚被含有潮水气味的风吹拂了一阵。她们拖着沉重的脚步沿着伦敦桥路穿过爱尔兰区,一个握着巴满沙子的破旧雨伞,另一个提着产婆用的手提包,里面滚动着十一只蛤蜊。
电力站发出的皮带旋转的噼噼啪啪声以及发电机的隆隆声催促着斯蒂芬赶路。无生命的生命。等一等!外界那无休止的搏动和内部这无休止的搏动。[152]你咏唱的是你那颗心。我介于它们之间?在哪儿?就在两个喧哗、回旋的世界之间——我。砸烂它们算了,两个都砸烂。可是一拳下去,把我也打昏过去吧。谁有力气,尽管把我砸烂了吧。说来既是老鸨,又是屠夫。[153]且慢!一时还定不下来。四下里望望再说。
对,真是这样。大极了,好得很,非常准时。[154]先生,你说得不错。在星期一早晨。正是正是。[155]
斯蒂芬边顺着贝德福德横街走去,边用梣木手杖的柄磕打着肩胛骨。克罗希赛书店橱窗里一幅一八六0年晒印的褪了色的版画吸引了他的目光。 那是希南对塞耶斯的拳击比赛[156]。头戴大礼帽的助威者瞪大了眼睛站在圈了绳子的拳击场周围。两个重量级拳击手穿着紧身小裤衩,彼此把球茎状的拳头柔和地伸向对方。然而它们——英雄们的心脏——正在怦怦直跳。
他掉过身去,在斜立着的书车跟前站了下来。
“两便士一本,”摊主说,“六便士四本。”
净是些破破烂烂的。《爱尔兰养蜂人》[157]、《阿尔斯教士传记及奇迹》[158]、《基拉尼导游手册》。
兴许能在这儿找到一本我在学校获得后又典当了的奖品。年级奖:奖给优等生斯蒂芬·迪达勒斯。[159]
康米神父已诵读完了九时课,他边喃喃地作着晚祷,边穿过唐尼卡尼小村。
装帧好像太讲究了,这是什么书啊?《摩西经书》第八、第九卷。[160]大卫王的御玺[161]。书页上还沾着拇指痕迹,准是一遍又一遍地被读过的。 在我之前是谁打这儿经过的?怎样能使皲裂的手变得柔软。用白葡萄酒酿造醋的秘方。 怎样赢得女性的爱情。这对我合适。双手合十,将下列咒语念诵三遍:
受天主保佑的女性的小天堂!请只爱我一人!
神圣的!啊们![162]
这是谁写的?最圣洁的修道院院长彼得·萨兰卡[163]的咒语和祷文,公诸于所有信男信女。赛得过任何一位修道院院长的咒语,譬如说话含糊不清的约阿基姆。下来吧,秃瓢儿,不然就薅光你的毛。[164]
“你在这儿干什么哪,斯蒂芬?”
迪丽那高耸的双肩和槛褛的衣衫。
快合上书,别让她瞧见。
“你干什么哪?”斯蒂芬说。
最显赫的查理般的斯图尔特[165]脸庞,长长的直发披到肩上。当她蹲下去,把破靴子塞到火里当燃料的时候,两颊被映红了。我对她讲巴黎的事。她喜欢躺在床上睡懒觉,把几件旧大衣当被子盖,抚弄着丹·凯利送的纪念品———只金色黄铜手镯。天主保佑的女性。
“你拿着什么?”斯蒂芬问。
“我花一便士从另外那辆车上买的,”迪丽怯生生地笑着说,“值得一看吗?”
人家都说她这双眼睛活脱儿像我。在别人眼里,我是这样的吗?敏捷,神情恍惚,果敢。我心灵的影子。
他从她手里拿过那本掉了封皮的书。夏登纳尔的《法语初级读本》。
“你干吗要买它?”他问,“想学法语吗?”
她点点头,飞红了脸,把嘴抿得紧紧的。
不要露出惊讶的样子。事情十分自然。
“给你,”斯蒂芬说,“这还行。留神别让玛吉给你当掉了。我的书大概统统光了。”
“一部分,”迪丽说,“我们也是不得已啊。”
她快淹死了。内心的苛责。救救她吧。内心的苛责。一切都跟我们作对。她会使我同她一道淹死的,连眼睛带头发。又长又柔软的海藻头发缠绕着我,我的心,我的灵魂。咸绿的死亡。
我们。
内心的苛责。内心受到苛责。
苦恼!苦恼!
* * *
“你好,西蒙,”考利神父说,“近来怎么样?”
“你好,鲍勃,老伙计,”迪达勒斯先生停下脚步,回答说。
他们在雷迪父女古董店外面吵吵嚷嚷地握手。考利神父勾拢着手背频频朝下捋着八字胡。
“有什么最好的消息?”迪达勒斯先生问。
“没什么了不起的,”考利神父说,“我被围困住了,西蒙,有两个人在我家周围荡来荡去,拼命想闯进来。”
“真逗,”迪达勒斯先生说,“是谁指使的呀?”
“哦,”考利神父说,“是咱们认识的一个放高利货的。”
“那个罗锅儿吧,是吗?”迪达勒斯先生问。
“就是他,”考利神父回答说,“那个民族[166]的吕便。我正在等候本·多拉德。他这就去跟高个儿约翰[167]打声招呼,请他把那两个人打发掉。我只要求宽限一段时间。”
他抱着茫然的期待上上下下打量着码头,挺大的喉结在脖颈上凸了出来。
“我明白,”迪达勒斯先生点点头说,“本这个可怜的老罗圈腿!
他一向总替人作好事。紧紧抓住本吧!”
他戴上眼镜,朝铁桥瞥了一眼。
“他来了,”他说,“没错儿,连屁股带兜儿都来啦。”
穿着宽松的蓝色常礼服、头戴大礼帽、下面是肥大裤子的本·多拉德的身姿,迈着大步从铁桥那边穿过码头走了过来。他一面溜溜达达地朝他们踱来,一面在上衣后摆所遮住的部位起劲地挠着。
当他走近后,迪达勒斯先生招呼说:
“抓住这个穿不像样子的裤子的家伙。”
“现在就抓吧,”本·多拉德说。
迪达勒斯先生以冷峭的目光从头到脚审视本·多拉德一通,随后掉过身去朝考利神父点了点头,讥讽地咕哝道:
“夏天穿这么一身,倒蛮标致哩,对吧?”
“哼,但愿你的灵魂永遭天罚,”本·多拉德怒不可遏地吼道:
“我当年丢掉的衣服比你所曾见过的还多哩。”
他站在他们旁边,先朝他们,接着又朝自己那身松松垮垮的衣服眉飞色舞地望望。迪达勒斯先生一面从他的衣服上边东一处西一处地掸掉绒毛,一面说:
“无论如何,本,这身衣服是做给身强体健的汉子穿的。”
“让那个做衣服的犹太佬遭殃,”本·多拉德说,“谢天谢地,他还没拿到工钱哪。”
“本杰明,你那最低音[168]怎么样啦?”考利神父问。
卡什尔·傅伊尔·奥康内尔·菲茨莫里斯·蒂斯代尔·法雷尔戴着副眼镜,嘴里念念有词,大步流星地从基尔代尔街俱乐部前走过。
本·多拉德皱起眉头,突然以领唱者的口型,发出个深沉的音符。
“噢!”他说。
“就是这个腔调,”迪达勒斯先生说,点头对这声单调的低音表示赞许。
“怎么样?”本·多拉德说,“还不赖吧?怎么样?”
他掉过身去对着他们两个人。
“行啊,”考利神父也点了点头,说。
休·C。洛夫神父从圣玛利修道院那古老的教士会堂踱出来,在杰拉尔丁家族那些高大英俊的人们陪伴下,经过詹姆斯与查理·肯尼迪合成酒厂,穿过围栏渡口,朝索尔塞尔走去。[169]
本·多拉德把沉甸甸的身子朝那排商店的门面倾斜着,手指在空中快乐地比比划划,领着他们前行。
“跟我一道到副行政长官的办事处去,”他说,“我要让你们开开眼,让你们看看罗克[177]新任命为法警的那个美男子。那家伙是罗本古拉和林奇豪恩[171]的混合物。你们听着,他值得一瞧。来吧。刚才我在博德加[172]偶然碰见了约翰·亨利·门顿。除非我……等一等……否则我会栽跟头的。咱们的路子走对了,鲍勃,你相信我好啦。”
“告诉他,只消宽限几天,”考利神父忧心忡忡他说。
本·多拉德站住了,两眼一瞪,张大了音量很大的嘴,为了听得真切一些,伸手去抠掉厚厚地巴在眼睛上的眼屎。这当儿,上衣的一颗钮扣露着锃亮的背面, 吊在仅剩的一根线上,晃啊晃的。
“什么几天?”他声音洪亮地问,“你的房东不是扣押了你的财物来抵偿房租吗?”
“可不是嘛,”考利神父说。
“那么,咱们那位朋友的传票就还不如印它的那张纸值钱呢,”本·多拉德说,“房东有优先权。我把细目统统告诉他了。温泽大街二十九号,姓洛夫吧?”
“对呀,”考利神父说,“洛夫神父。他在乡下某地传教。可是,你对这有把握吗?”
“你可以替我告诉巴拉巴[173],”本·多拉德说,“说他最好把那张传票收起来,就好比猴子把坚果收藏起来一样。”
他勇敢地领着考利神父朝前走去,就像是把神父拴在自己那庞大的身躯上似的。
“我相信那是榛子,”迪达勒斯先生边说边让夹鼻眼镜耷拉在上衣胸前,跟随他们而去。
* * *
“小家伙们总会得到妥善安置的,”当他们迈出城堡大院的大门时,马丁·坎宁翰说。
警察行了个举手礼。
“辛苦啦,”马丁·坎宁翰欣然说。
他向等候着的车夫打了个手势,车夫甩了甩缰绳,直奔爱德华勋爵街而去。
揭发挨着金发,肯尼迪小姐的头挨着杜丝小姐的头,双双出现在奥蒙德饭店的半截儿窗帘上端。[174]
“是啊,”马丁·坎宁翰用手指捋着胡子说,“我给康米神父写了封信,向他和盘托出了。”
“你不妨找咱们的朋友试试看,”鲍尔先生怯生生地建议。
“博伊德[175] ?”马丁·坎宁翰干干脆脆他说,“算了吧。”
约翰·怀斯·诺兰落在后面看名单,然后沿着科克山的下坡路匆匆赶了上来。
在市政府门前的台阶上,正往下走着的市政委员南尼蒂同往上走的市参议员考利以及市政委员亚伯拉罕·莱昂打了招呼。
总督府的车空空荡荡地开进了交易所街。
“喂,马丁,”约翰·怀斯·诺兰在《邮报》报社门口赶上了他们,说,“我看到布卢姆马上认捐五先令哩。”
“正是这样!”马丁·坎宁翰接过名单来说,“还当场拍出这五先令。”
“而且二句话没说,”鲍尔先生说。
“真不可思议,然而的确如此,”马丁·坎宁翰补上一句。
约翰·怀斯惊奇地睁大了眼睛。
“我认为这个犹太人的心肠倒不坏呢,[176]” 他文雅地引用了这么一句话。
他们沿着议会街走去。
“看,吉米·亨利[177] 在那儿哪,”鲍尔先生说,“他正朝着卡瓦纳的酒吧走呢。”
“果不其然,”马丁·坎宁翰说,“快去!”
克莱尔屋外面,布莱泽斯·博伊兰截住杰克·穆尼的内弟[ 178] ——这个筋骨隆起的人正醉醺醺地走向自由区。
约翰·怀斯·诺兰和鲍尔先生落在后面,马丁·坎宁翰则挽住一位身穿带白斑点的深色衣服、整洁而短小精悍的人,那个人正迈着急促的脚步趔趔趄趄地从米基·安德森的钟表铺前走过。
“副秘书长[179] )脚上长的鸡眼可给了他点儿苦头吃,”约翰·怀斯·诺兰告诉鲍尔先生。
他们跟在后头拐过街角,走向詹姆斯·卡瓦纳的酒馆。总督府那辆空车就在他们前方,停在埃塞克斯大门里。马丁·坎宁翰说个不停,频频打开那张名单,吉米·亨利却不屑一顾。
“高个儿约翰·范宁也在这里,”约翰·怀斯·诺兰说,“千真万确。”
高个儿约翰·范宁站在门口,他这个庞然大物把甬道整个给堵住了。
“您好,副长官先生,”当大家停下来打招呼时,马丁·坎宁翰说。
高个儿约翰·范宁并不为他们让路。他毅然取下叼在嘴里的那一大支亨利·克莱[180] ,他那双严峻的大眼睛机智地怒视着他们每个人的脸。
“立法议会议员们还在心平气和地继续协商着吧?”他用充满讥讽的口吻对副秘书长说。
吉米·亨利不耐烦他说,给他们那该死的爱尔兰语[181] 闹腾得地狱都为基督教徒裂开了口。[182] 他倒是想知道,市政典礼官究竟哪儿去啦,[183] 怎么不来维持一下市政委员会会场上的秩序。而执权杖的老巴洛因哮喘发作病倒了。 桌上没有权杖,秩序一片混乱,连法定人数都不足。哈钦森市长在兰迪德诺[184]呢, 由小个子洛坎·舍罗克作他的临时代理[185]。该死的爱尔兰语,咱们祖先的语言。
高个儿约翰·范宁从唇间喷出一口羽毛状的轻烟。
马丁·坎宁翰捻着胡子梢,轮流向副秘书长和副长官搭讪着,约翰·怀斯·诺兰则闷声不响。
“那个迪格纳穆叫什么名字来着?”高个儿约翰·范宁问。
吉米·亨利愁眉苦脸地抬起左脚。
“哎呀,我的鸡眼啊!”他哀求着说,“行行好,咱们上楼来谈吧,我好找个地方儿坐坐。唔!噢!当心点儿!”
他烦躁地从高个子约翰·范宁身旁挤过去,一径上了楼梯。
“上来吧,”马丁·坎宁翰对副长官说,“您大概跟他素不相识,不过,兴许您认识他。”
鲍尔先生跟约翰·怀斯·诺兰一道走了进去。
高个儿约翰·范宁正朝着映在镜中的高个儿约翰·范宁走上楼梯。鲍尔先生对那魁梧的背影说:“他曾经是个矮小的老好人。”
“个子相当矮小。门顿事务所的那个迪格纳穆,”马丁·坎宁翰说。
高个儿约翰·范宁记不得他了。
外面传来了嘚嘚的马蹄声。
“是什么呀?”马丁·坎宁翰说。
大家都就地回过头去。约翰·怀斯·诺兰又走了下来。他从门道的荫凉处瞧见马队正经过议会街,挽具和润泽光滑的马脚在太阳映照下闪闪发着光。它们快活地从他那冷漠而不友好的视线下徐徐走过。领头的那匹往前跳跳窜窜,鞍上骑着开路的侍从们。
“怎么回事呀?”
当大家重新走上楼梯的时候,马丁·坎宁翰问道。
“那是陆军中将——爱尔兰总督大人,”约翰·怀斯·诺兰从楼梯脚下回答说。
* * *
当他们从厚实的地毯上走过的时候,勃克·穆利根在巴拿马帽的遮荫下小声对海恩斯说:
“瞧,巴涅儿的弟弟。在那儿,角落里。”
他们选择了靠窗的一张小桌子,面对着一个长脸蛋的人——他的胡须和视线都专注在棋盘上。
“就是那个人吗?”海恩斯在座位上扭过身去,问道。
“对,”穆利根说,“那就是他弟弟约翰·霍华德,咱们的市政典礼官”
约翰·霍华德·巴涅尔沉静地挪动了一只白主教,然后举起那灰不溜秋的爪子去托住脑门子。转瞬之间,在手掌的遮掩下,他两眼闪出妖光,朝自己的对手倏地瞥了一下,再度俯视那鏖战的一角。
“我要一客奶油什锦水果[186], ”海恩斯对女侍说。
“两客奶油什锦水果[187] ,”勃克·穆利根说,“还给咱们来点烤饼、黄油和一些糕点。”
她走后,他笑着说:
“我们管这家叫作糟糕公司,因为他们供应糟透了的糕点[188] 。哎,可惜你没听到迪达勒斯的《哈姆莱特》论。”
海恩斯打开他那本新买来的书。
“真可惜,”他说,“对所有那些头脑失掉平衡的人[189] 来说,莎士比亚都是个最过瘾的猎场。”
独腿水手朝着纳尔逊街十四号[190] 地下室前那块空地嚷道:
英国期待着……
勃克·穆利根笑得连身上那件淡黄色背心都快活地直颤悠。
“真想让你看看,”他说,“他的身体失去平衡的那副样子。我管他叫作飘忽不定的安古斯[191] )。”
“我相信他有个固定观念[192] ,”海恩斯用大拇指和食指沉思地掐着下巴说,“眼下我正在揣测着其中有什么内涵。这号人素来是这样的。”
勃克·穆利根一本正经地从桌子对面探过身去。
“关于地狱的幻影,”他说,“使他的思路紊乱了。他永远也捕捉不到古希腊的格调。所有那些诗人当中斯温伯恩的格调——苍白的死亡和殷红的诞[193]。 这是他的悲剧。他永远也当不成诗人。[194] 创造的欢乐……”
“无止无休的惩罚,”海恩斯马马虎虎地点了点头说,“我晓得了。今儿早晨我跟他争辩过信仰问题。我看出他有点心事。挺有趣儿的是,因为关于这个问题, 维也纳的波科尔尼[195] 教授提出了个饶有趣味的论点。”
勃克·穆利根那双机灵的眼睛注意到女侍来了。他帮助她取下托盘上的东西。
“他在古代爱尔兰神话中找不到地狱的痕迹,”海恩斯边快活地饮着酒边说,“好像缺乏道德观念、宿命感、因果报应意识。有点儿不可思议的是,他偏偏有这么个固定观念。他为你们的运动写些文章吗?”
他把两块方糖灵巧地侧着放进起着泡沫的奶油里。勃克·穆利根将一个冒着热气的烤饼掰成两半,往热气腾腾的饼心里涂满了黄油,狼吞虎咽地咬了一口松软的饼心。
“十年,”他边嚼边笑着说,“十年之内,他一定要写出点什么。”[196]
“好像挺遥远的,”海恩斯若有所思地举起羹匙说,“不过,我并不怀疑他终究会写得出来的。”
他舀了一匙子杯中那圆锥形的奶油,品尝了一下。
“我相信这是真正的爱尔兰奶油,”他以容忍的口吻说,“我可不愿意上当。”
以利亚这叶小舟,揉成一团丢掉的轻飘飘的传单,向东航行,沿着一艘艘海轮和拖网渔船的侧腹驶去。它从群岛般的软木浮子[197]当中穿行,将新瓦平街甩在后面[198],经过本森渡口,并擦过从布里奇沃特运砖来的罗斯韦恩号三桅纵帆船。[199]
* * *
阿尔米达诺·阿蒂弗尼踱过霍利斯街,踱过休厄尔场院。跟在他后面的是卡什尔·博伊尔·奥康内尔·菲茨莫里斯·蒂斯代尔·法雷尔,夹在腑下的防尘罩衣、拐杖和雨伞晃荡着。他避开劳·史密斯先生家门前的路灯,穿过街道,沿着梅里恩方场走去。远远地在他后头,一个盲青年正贴着学院校园的围墙,轻敲着地面摸索前行。
卡什尔·博伊尔·奥康内尔·菲茨莫里斯·蒂斯代尔·法雷尔一直走到刘易斯·沃纳先生那快乐的窗下,随后掉转身,跨大步沿着梅里恩方场折回来。一路上晃荡着风衣、拐杖和雨伞。
他在王尔德商号拐角处站住了,朝着张贴在大都市会堂的以利亚[200]这个名字皱了皱眉,又朝远处公爵草坪上的游园地皱了皱眉。镜片在阳光的反射下,他又皱了皱眉。他龇出老鼠般的牙齿,嘟囔道:
“我是被迫首肯的。”[201]
他咬牙切齿地咀嚼着这句愤慨的话语,大步流星地向克莱尔街走去。
当他路过布卢姆[202] 先生的牙科诊所窗前时,他那晃晃荡荡的风衣粗暴地蹭着一根正斜敲着探路的细手杖,继续朝前冲去,撞上了一个赢弱的身躯。 盲青年将带着病容的脸掉向他那扬长而去的背影。
“天打雷劈的,”他愠怒他说,“不管你是谁,你总比我还瞎呢,你这婊子养的杂种!”[203]
* * *
在拉基·奥多诺荷律师事务所对面,少年帕特里克·阿洛伊修斯·迪格纳穆手里摸着家里打发他从曼根的店(原先是费伦巴克的店)买来的一磅半猪排,在暖洋洋的威克洛街上不急不忙地溜达着。跟斯托尔太太、奎格利太太和麦克道尔太太一道坐在客厅里,太厌烦无聊了;百叶窗拉得严严实实的,她们全部抽着鼻子,一点点地啜饮着巴尼舅舅从膝尼[204] 的店里取来的黄褐色上等雪利酒。她们吃着乡村风味果仁糕饼的碎屑,靠磨嘴皮子来消磨讨厌的光阴,唉声叹气着。
走过威克洛巷后,来到多伊尔夫人朝服女帽头饰店的橱窗前。他停下了脚步,站在那儿,望着窗里两个裸体拳师向对方屈臂伸出拳头。两个身穿孝服的少年迪格纳穆,从两侧的镜子里,一声不响地张口呆看。都柏林的宠儿迈勒·基奥跟贝内特军士长——贝洛港的职业拳击家[205] 较量,奖金五十英镑。嘿,这场比赛好带劲儿,有瞧头!迈勒·基奥就是这个腰系绿色饰带迎面扑来的汉子。门票两先令,军人减半。我蛮可以把妈糊弄过去。当他转过身时,左边的少年迪格纳穆也跟着转。那就是穿孝服的我喽。什么时候?五月二十二号。当然,这讨厌的比赛总算全过去啦。他转向右边,右面的少年迪格纳穆也转了过来:歪戴行便帽,硬领翘了起来。他抬起下巴,把领口扣平,就瞅见两个拳师旁边还有玛丽·肯德尔(专演风骚角色的妩媚女演员)的肖像。斯托尔抽的纸烟盒子上就印着这号娘儿们。有一回他正抽着,给他老爹撞见了,狠狠地揍了他一顿
少年迪格纳穆把领口扣平贴了之后,又溜溜达达往前走。菲茨西蒙斯是天下最有力气的拳击手了。要是那家伙嗖地朝你的腰上来一拳,就得叫你躺到下星期,不含糊!可是论技巧,最棒的拳击手还要数詹姆·科贝特[206]。但是不论他怎样躲闪,终于还是被菲茨西蒙斯揍扁了。
在格拉夫顿街,少年迪格纳穆瞥见一条装束如时的男人嘴里叼着红花,还有他穿的那条漂亮的长裤。他正在倾听着一个酒鬼的唠叨,一个劲儿地咧嘴笑着。
没有驶往沙丘的电车。
少年迪格纳穆将猪排换到另一只手里,沿着纳索街前行。他的领子又翘了起来,他使劲往下掖了掖。这讨厌的钮扣比衬衫上的扣眼小得多,所以才这么别扭。他碰见一群背书包的学童们。连明天我都不上学,一直缺课到星期一。他又遇到了另外一些学童。他们可曾理会我戴着孝?巴尼舅舅说,今儿晚上他就要登在报上。那么他们就统统可以在报上看到了。讣告上将印着我的名字,还有爹的。
他的脸整个儿变成灰色的了,不像往日那样红润。一只苍蝇在上面爬,一直爬到眼睛上。在往棺材里拧螺丝的时候,只听到嘎吱嘎吱的响声。把棺材抬下楼梯的当儿,又发出咕咚咕咚的声音。
爹躺在里面,而妈呢,在客厅里哭哪。巴尼舅舅正在关照抬棺的人怎样拐弯。老大一口棺材,高而且沉重。怎么搞的呢?最后那个晚上爹喝得醉醺醺的。他站在楼梯平台那儿,喊人给他拿靴子;他要到滕尼的店里去再灌上几杯。他只穿了件衬衫,看上去又矬又矮,像一只酒桶。可那以后就再也看不见他了。死亡就是这样的。爹死啦。我父亲死了。他嘱咐我要当妈的乖儿子。他还说了些旁的话,我没听清,可我看得出他的舌头和牙在试着把话说得清楚一些。可怜的爹。那就是迪格纳穆先生,我的父亲。但愿眼下他在炼狱里哪,因为星期六晚上他找康罗伊神父做过忏悔。
* * *
达德利伯爵威廉·亨勃尔[207]和达德利夫人用完午膳,就在赫塞尔廷中校伴随下,从总督府乘车外出。跟随在后面的那辆马车里坐着尊贵的佩吉特太太、德库西小组和侍从副官尊贵的杰拉尔德·沃德。
这支车队从凤凰公园南大门出来,一路受到卑恭屈膝的警察的敬礼。跨过国王桥[208] ,沿着北岸码头走去。总督经过这座大都会时,到处都受到极其热烈的欢迎。在血泊桥[209] 畔,托马斯·克南先生从河对岸徒劳地遥遥向他致敬。达德利爵爷的总督府车队打王后桥与惠特沃思桥[210] 之间穿行时,从法学学士、文学硕士达特利·怀特先生身边走过。此公却没向他致敬,只是伫立在阿伦街西角M. E. 怀特太太那爿当铺外面的阿伦码头上,用食指抚摩着鼻子。为了及早抵达菲布斯巴勒街,他拿不定主意究竟是该换三次电车呢,还是雇一辆马车;要么就步行,穿过史密斯菲尔德、宪法山和布洛德斯通终点站。在高等法院的门廊里,里奇·古尔丁正夹着古尔丁一科利斯一沃德律师事务所的帐目公文包,见到他有些吃惊。跨过里奇蒙桥之后,在爱国保险公司代理人吕便·杰·多德律师事务所门口台阶上,一位上了年纪的妇女正要走进去,却又改变了主意。她沿着王记商号的橱窗折回来,对国王陛下的代表投以轻信的微笑。伍德码头堤岸的水闸就在汤姆·德万事务所的下边,波德尔河从这里耷拉着一条效忠的污水舌头。在奥蒙德饭店的半截儿窗帘上端,褐色挨着金色;肯尼迪小姐的头挨着杜丝小姐的头,正一道儿在注视井欣赏着。在奥蒙德码头上,刚好从公共厕所走向副长官办事处的西蒙·迪达勒斯先生,就在街心止步,脱帽深打一躬。总督阁下谦和地向迪达勒斯先生还了礼。文学硕士休·C。洛夫神父从卡希尔印刷厂的拐角处施了一礼,总督却不曾理会。洛夫念念不忘的是:有俸圣职推举权从前都掌握在宽厚的代理国王的诸侯手中。在格拉但桥上,利内翰和麦科伊正在一边相互告别,一边望着马车经过。格蒂·麦克道维尔[211] 替她那缠绵病榻的父亲取来凯茨比公司关于软木亚麻油毡的函件,正走过罗杰·格林律师事务所和多拉德印刷厂的大红厂房。从那气派,她晓得那就是总督夫妇了,却看不到夫人究竟怎样打扮,因为一辆电车和斯普林家具店的一辆大型黄色家具搬运车给总督大人让道,刚好停在她跟前。伦迪·福特烟草店再过去,从卡瓦纳酒吧那被遮住的门口,约翰·怀斯·诺兰朝着国王陛下的代表、爱尔兰总督阁下淡然一笑,但是无人目睹到其神情之冷漠。维多利亚大十字勋章佩带者、达德利伯爵威廉·亨勃尔大人一路走过米基·安德森店里那众多嘀嘀嗒嗒响个不停的钟表,以及亨利- 詹姆斯那些衣着时髦、脸蛋儿鲜艳的蜡制模特儿——绅士亨利与最潇洒的詹姆斯。[212] 汤姆·罗赤福特和大鼻子弗林面对着戴姆大门,观看车队渐渐走近。汤姆·罗赤福特发现达德利夫人两眼盯着他,就连忙把插在紫红色背心兜里的两个大拇指伸出来,摘下便帽给她深打一躬。专演风骚角色的妩媚女演员——杰出的玛丽·肯德尔,脸颊上浓妆艳抹,撩起裙子,从海报上朝着达德利伯爵威廉·亨勃尔,也朝着H·G·赫塞尔廷中校,还朝着侍从副官、尊贵的杰拉尔德·沃德嫣然笑着。神色愉快的勃克·穆利根和表情严肃的海恩斯,隔着那些全神贯注的顾客们的肩膀,从都柏林面包公司的窗口定睛俯视着。簇拥在窗口的形影遮住了约翰·霍华德·巴涅尔的视线。而他正专心致志地注视着棋盘。在弗恩斯街上,迪丽·迪达勒斯从她那本夏登纳尔的《法语初级读本》抬起眼睛使劲往四下里望,一把把撑开来的遮阳伞以及在眩目的阳光下一些旋转着的车轱辘辐条映入眼帘。约翰·亨利·门侧堵在商业大厦门口,瞪着一双用酒浸大了般的牡蛎眼睛,肥肥的左手搽着一块厚实的双盖金表[213],他并不看表,对它也无所察觉,在比利王的坐骑[214] 抬起前蹄抓挠虚空的地方,布林太太一把拽回她丈夫——他差点儿匆匆地冲到骑马侍从的马蹄底下。她对着他的耳朵大声把这消息嚷给他听。他明白了,于是就把那两本大书挪到左胸前,向第二辆马车致敬。这出乎侍从副官尊贵的杰拉尔德·沃德的意外,就赶忙欣然还礼。在庞森比书店的拐角处,精疲力竭的白色大肚酒瓶H站住了,四个戴高帽子的白色大肚酒瓶——E. L. Y’S[215] ,也在他身后停下脚步。骑在马上的侍从们拥着车辆,神气十足地打他们跟前奔驰而去。在皮戈特公司乐器栈房对面,舞蹈等课程的教师丹尼斯·杰·马金尼先生被总督赶在前头。后者却不曾理会他那花里胡哨的服装和端庄的步履。沿着学院院长住宅的围墙,布莱泽斯·博伊兰洋洋得意地踩着乐曲《我的意中人是位约克郡姑娘》[216]迭句的节拍走来。——他脚登棕黄色皮鞋,短袜跟上还绣着天蓝色的花纹。先导马缀着天蓝色额饰,一副趾高气扬的样子;布莱泽斯·博伊兰则向它们夸示自己这条天蓝色领带、这顶放荡地歪戴着的宽檐草帽和身上穿的这套靛青色哔叽衣服。他双手揣在上衣兜里,忘记行礼了,却向三位淑女大胆献出赞美的目光和他唇间所衔的那朵红花。当车队驶经纳索街的时候,总督大人提醒他那位正在点头还礼的伴侣去留意学院校园中正在演奏着的音乐节目。不见形影的高原小伙子们正肆无忌惮地[217] 用嘟嘟嘟的铜号声和咚咚咚的鼓声为车队行列送行:
她虽是工厂姑娘,
并不穿花哨衣裳,
吧啦嘣。
我以约克郡口味,
对约克郡小玫瑰,
倒怀有一种偏爱,
吧啦嘣。
围墙里面,四分之一英里平路障碍赛[218] 的参加者M. C.格林、H. 施里夫特、T. M. 帕蒂、C. 斯凯夫J.B杰夫斯、G. N. 莫菲、F. 斯蒂文森、C. 阿德利和w. C. 哈葛德开始了角逐。正跨着大步从芬恩饭店前经过的卡什尔·傅伊尔·奥康内尔·菲茨莫里斯·蒂斯代尔·法雷尔隔着单片眼镜射出来的凶恶目光,越过那些马车,凝视着奥匈帝国副领事馆窗内M. E. 所罗门斯[ 219] 先生那颗脑袋。在莱因斯特街深处,三一学院的后门旁边,保王派霍恩布洛尔手扶嗬嗬帽[220] 。当那些皮毛光润的马从梅里恩广场上奔驰而过的时候,等在那儿的少年帕特里克·阿洛伊修斯·迪格纳穆瞧见人们都向那位头戴大礼帽的绅士致敬,就也用自己那只被猪排包装纸弄得满是油腻的手,举起黑色新便帽。他的领子也翘了起来。为默塞尔医院募款的迈勒斯义卖会[221] 快要开始了,总督率领着随从们驰向下蒙特街,前往主持开幕式。他在布洛德本特那家店铺对面,从一个年轻盲人身边走过。在下蒙特街,一个身穿棕色胶布雨衣的行人[222] ,边啃着没有抹黄油的面包,边从总督的车马前面迅速地穿过马路,没磕也没碰着。在皇家运河桥头,广告牌上的尤金·斯特拉顿先生咧着厚厚嘴唇,对一切前来彭布罗克区[223]的人都笑脸相迎。在哈丁顿路口,两个浑身是沙子的女人停下脚步,手执雨伞和里面滚动着十一只蛤蜊的提包;她们倒要瞧瞧没挂金链条的市长[224] 大人和市长夫人是个啥样。在诺森伯兰和兰斯多恩两条路上,总督大人郑重其事地对那些向他致敬的人们一一回礼;其中包括稀稀拉拉的男性行人,站在一栋房子的花园门前的两个小学童——据说一八四九年已故女工[225] 偕丈夫前来访问爱尔兰首府时,这座房子承蒙她深表赞赏。还有被一扇正在关闭着的门所吞没的、穿着厚实长裤的阿尔米达诺·阿尔蒂弗尼的敬礼。

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:42重新编辑 ]
soneyky

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等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 26楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

英:
11、Chapter 11 Sirens

BRONZE BY GOLD HEARD THE HOOFIRONS, STEELYRINING IMPERthnthn thnthnthn.
Chips, picking chips off rocky thumbnail, chips. Horrid! And gold flushed more.
A husky fifenote blew.
Blew. Blue bloom is on the
Gold pinnacled hair.
A jumping rose on satiny breasts of satin, rose of Castille.
Trilling, trilling: I dolores.
Peep! Who's in the... peepofgold?
Tink cried to bronze in pity.
And a call, pure, long and throbbing. Longindying call.
Decoy. Soft word. But look! The bright stars fade. O rose! Notes chirruping answer. Castille. The morn is breaking.
Jingle jingle jaunted jingling.
Coin rang. Clock clacked.
Avowal. Sonnez. I could. Rebound of garter. Not leave thee. Smack. La cloche! Thigh smack. Avowal. Warm. Sweetheart, goodbye!
Jingle. Bloo.
Boomed crashing chords. When love absorbs. War! War! The tympanum.
A sail! A veil awave upon the waves.
Lost. Throstle fluted. All is lost now.
Horn. Hawhorn.
When first he saw. Alas!
Full tup. Full throb.
Warbling. Ah, lure! Alluring.
Martha! Come!
Clapclop. Clipclap. Clappyclap.
Goodgod henev erheard inall.
Deaf bald Pat brought pad knife took up.
A moonlight nightcall: far: far.
I feel so sad. P. S. So lonely blooming.
Listen!
The spiked and winding cold seahorn. Have you the? Each and for other plash and silent roar.
Pearls: when she. Liszt's rhapsodies. Hissss.
You don't?
Did not: no, no: believe: Lidlyd. With a cock with a carra.
Black.
Deepsounding. Do, Ben, do.
Wait while you wait. Hee hee. Wait while you hee.
But wait!
Low in dark middle earth. Embedded ore.
Naminedamine. All gone. All fallen.
Tiny, her tremulous fernfoils of maidenhair.
Amen! He gnashed in fury.
Fro. To, fro. A baton cool protruding.
Bronzelydia by Minagold.
By bronze, by gold, in oceangreen of shadow. Bloom. Old Bloom.
One rapped, one tapped with a carra, with a cock.
Pray for him! Pray, good people!
His gouty fingers nakkering.
Big Benaben. Big Benben.
Last rose Castille of summer left bloom I feel so sad alone. Pwee! Little wind piped wee.
True men. Lid Ker Cow De and Doll. Ay, ay. Like you men. Will lift your tschink with tschunk.
Fff! Oo!
Where bronze from anear? Where gold from afar? Where hoofs?
Rrrpr. Kraa. Kraandl.
Then, not till then. My eppripfftaph. Be pfrwritt.
Done.
Begin!
Bronze by gold, Miss Douce's head by Miss Kennedy's head, over the crossblind of the Ormond bar heard the viceregal hoofs go by, ringing steel.
-- Is that her? asked Miss Kennedy.
Miss Douce said yes, sitting with his ex, pearl grey and eau de Nil.
-- Exquisite contrast, Miss Kennedy said.
When all agog Miss Douce said eagerly:
-- Look at the fellow in the tall silk.
-- Who? Where? gold asked more eagerly.
-- In the second carriage, Miss Douce's wet lips said, laughing in the sun. He's looking. Mind till I see.
She darted, bronze, to the backmost corner, flattening her face against the pane in a halo of hurried breath.
Her wet lips tittered:
-- He's killed looking back.
She laughed:
-- O wept! Aren't men frightful idiots?
With sadness.
Miss Kennedy sauntered sadly from bright light, twining a loose hair behind an ear. Sauntering sadly, gold no more, she twisted twined a hair. Sadly she twined in sauntering gold hair behind a curving ear.
-- It's them has the fine times, sadly then she said.
A man.
Bloowho went by by Moulang's pipes, bearing in his breast the sweets of sin, by Wine's antiques in memory bearing sweet sinful words, by Carroll's dusky battered plate, for Raoul.
The boots to them, them in the bar, them barmaids came. For them unheeding him he banged on the counter his tray of chattering china. And
-- There's your teas, he said.
Miss Kennedy with manners transposed the teatray down to an upturned lithia crate, safe from eyes, low.
-- What is it? loud boots unmannerly asked.
-- Find out, Miss Douce retorted, leaving her spyingpoint.
-- Your beau, is it?
A haughty bronze replied:
-- I'll complain to Mrs de Massey on you if I hear any more of your impertinent insolence.
-- I mperthnthn thnthnthn, bootsnout sniffed rudely, as he retreated as she threatened as he had come.
Bloom.
On her flower frowning Miss Douce said:
-- Most aggravating that young brat is. If he doesn't conduct himself I'll wring his ear for him a yard long.
Ladylike in exquisite contrast.
-- Take no notice, Miss Kennedy rejoined.
She poured in a teacup tea, then back in the teapot tea. They cowered under their reef of counter, waiting on footstools, crates upturned, waiting for their teas to draw. They pawed their blouses, both of black satin, two and nine a yard, waiting for their teas to draw, and two and seven.
Yes, bronze from anear, by gold from afar, heard steel from anear, hoofs ring from afar, and heard steelhoofs ringhoof ringsteel.
-- Am I awfully sunburnt?
Miss Bronze unbloused her neck.
-- No, said Miss Kennedy. It gets brown after. Did you try the borax with the cherry laurel water?
Miss Douce halfstood to see her skin askance in the barmirror gildedlettered where hock and claret glasses shimmered and in their midst a shell.
-- And leave it to my hands, she said.
-- Try it with the glycerine, Miss Kennedy advised.
Bidding her neck and hands adieu Miss Douce
-- Those things only bring out a rash, replied, reseated. I asked that old fogey in Boyd's for something for my skin.
Miss Kennedy, pouring now fulldrawn tea, grimaced and prayed:
-- O, don't remind me of him for mercy'sake!
-- But wait till I tell you, Miss Douce entreated.
Sweet tea Miss Kennedy having poured with milk plugged both two ears with little fingers.
-- No, don't, she cried.
-- I won't listen, she cried.
But Bloom?
Miss Douce grunted in snuffy fogey's tone:
-- For your what? says he.
Miss Kennedy unplugged her ears to hear, to speak: but said, but prayed again:
-- Don't let me think of him or I'll expire. The hideous old wretch! That night in the Antient Concert Rooms.
She sipped distastefully her brew, hot tea, a sip, sipped sweet tea.
-- Here he was, Miss Douce said, cocking her bronze head three quarters, ruffling her nosewings. Hufa! Hufa!
Shrill shriek of laughter sprang from Miss Kennedy's throat. Miss Douce huffed and snorted down her nostrils that quivered imperthnthn like a shout in quest.
-- O! shrieking, Miss Kennedy cried. Will you ever forget bis goggle eye?
Miss Douce chimed in in deep bronze laughter, shouting:
-- And your other eye!
Bloowhose dark eye read Aaron Figatner's name. Why do I always think Figather? Gathering figs I think. And Prosper Loré's huguenot name. By Bassi's blessed virgins Bloom's dark eyes went by. Bluerobed, white under, come to me. God they believe she is: or goddess. Those today. I could not see. That fellow spoke. A student. After with Dedalus' son. He might be Mulligan. All comely virgins. That brings those rakes of fellows in: her white.
By went his eyes. The sweets of sin. Sweet are the sweets.
Of sin.
In a giggling peal young goldbronze voices blended, Douce with Kennedy your other eye. They threw young heads back, bronze gigglegold, to let freefly their laughter, screaming, your other, signals to each Other, high piercing notes.
Ah, panting, sighing. Sighing, ah, fordone their mirth died down.
Miss Kennedy lipped her cup again, raised, drank a sip and giggle-giggled. Miss Douce, bending again over the teatray, ruffled again her nose and rolled droll fattened eyes. Again Kennygiggles, stooping her fair pinnacles of hair, stooping, her tortoise napecomb showed, spluttered out of her mouth her tea, choking in tea and laughter, coughing with choking, crying:
-- O greasy eyes! Imagine being married to a man like that, she cried. With his bit of beard!
Douce gave full vent to a splendid yell, a full yell of full woman, delight, joy, indignation.
-- Married to the greasy nose! she yelled.
Shrill, with deep laughter, after bronze in gold, they urged each other to peal after peal, ringing in changes, bronzegold goldbronze, shrilldeep, to laughter after laughter: And then laughed more. Greasy I knows. Exhausted, breathless their shaken heads they laid, braided and pinnacled by glossycombed, against the counterledge. All flushed (O!), panting, sweating (O!), all breathless.
Married to Bloom, to greaseaseabloom.
-- O saints above! Miss Douce said, sighed above her jumping rose. I wished I hadn't laughed so much. I feel all wet.
-- O, Miss Douce! Miss Kennedy protested. You horrid thing!
And flushed yet more (you horrid!), more goldenly.
By Cantwell's offices roved Greaseabloom, by Ceppi's virgins, bright of their oils. Nannetti's father hawked those things about, wheedling at doors as I. Religion pays. Must see him about Keyes's par. Eat first. I want. Not yet. At four, she said. Time ever passing. Clockhands turning. On. Where eat? The Clarence, Dolphin. On. For Raoul. Eat. If I net five guineas with those ads. The violet silk petticoats. Not yet. The sweets of sin.
Flushed less, still less, goldenly paled.
Into their bar strolled Mr Dedalus. Chips, picking chips off one of his rocky thumbnails. Chips. He strolled.
-- O welcome back, Miss Douce.
He held her hand. Enjoyed her holidays?.
-- Tiptop.
He hoped she had nice weather in Rostrevor.
-- Gorgeous, she said. Look at the holy show I am. Lying out on the strand all day.
Bronze whiteness.
-- That was exceedingly naughty of you, Mr Dedalus told her and pressed her hand indulgently. Tempting poor simple males.
Miss Douce of satin douced her arm away.
-- O go away, she said. You're very simple, I don't think.
He was.
-- Well now, I am, he mused. I looked so simple in the cradle they christened me simple Simon.
-- You must have been a doaty, Miss Douce made answer. And what did the doctor order today?
-- Well now, he mused, whatever you say yourself. I think I'll trouble you for some fresh water and a half glass of whisky.
Jingle.
-- With the greatest alacrity, Miss Douce agreed.
With grace of alacrity towards the mirror gilt Cantrell and Cochrane's she turned herself. With grace she tapped a measure of gold whisky from her crystal keg. Forth from the skirt of his coat Mr Dedalus brought pouch and pipe. Alacrity she served. He blew through the flue two husky fifenotes.
-- By Jove, he mused. I often wanted to see the Mourne mountains. Must be a great tonic in the air down there. But a long threatening comes at last, they say. Yes, yes.
Yes. He fingered shreds of hair, her maidenhair, her mermaid's, into the bowl. Chips. Shreds. Musing. Mute.
None not said nothing. Yes.
Gaily Miss Douce polished a tumbler, trilling:
-- O, Idolores, queen of the eastern seas!
-- Was Mr Lidwell in today?
In came Lenehan. Round him peered Lenehan. Mr Bloom reached Essex bridge. Yes, Mr Bloom crossed bridge of Yessex. To Martha I must write. Buy paper. Daly's. Girl there civil. Bloom. Old Bloom. Blue Bloom is on the rye.
-- He was in at lunchtime, Miss Douce said.
Lenehan came forward.
-- Was Mr Boylan looking for me?
He asked. She answered:
-- Miss Kennedy, was Mr Boylan in while I was upstairs?
She asked. Miss voice of Kennedy answered, a second teacup poised, her gaze upon a page.
-- No. He was not.
Miss gaze of Kennedy, heard not seen, read on. Lenehan round the sandwichbell wound his round body round.
-- Peep! Who's in the corner?
No glance of Kennedy rewarding him he yet made overtures. To mind her stops. To read only the black ones: round o and crooked ess.
Jingle jaunty jingle.
Girlgold she read and did not glance. Take no notice. She took no notice while he read by rote a solfa fable for her, plappering flatly:
-- Ah fox met ah stork. Said thee fox too thee stork: Will you put your bill down inn my troath and pull upp ah bone?
He droned in vain. Miss Douce turned to her tea aside.
He sighed, aside:
-- Ah me! O my!
He greeted Mr Dedalus and got a nod.
-- Greetings from the famous son of a famous father.
-- Who may he be? Mr Dedalus asked.
Lenehan opened most genial arms. Who?
-- Who may he be? he asked. Can you ask? Stephen, the youthful bard.
Dry.
Mr Dedalus, famous fighter, laid by his dry filled pipe.
-- I see, he said. I didn't recognize him for the moment. I hear he is keeping very select company. Have you seen him lately?
He had.
-- I quaffed the nectarbowl with him this very day, said Lenehan. In Mooney's en ville and in Mooney's sur mer. He had received the rhino for the labour of his muse.
He smiled at bronze's teabathed lips, at listening lips and eyes.
-- The élite of Erin hung upon his lips. The ponderous pundit, Hugh MacHugh, Dublin's most brilliant scribe and editor, and that minstrel boy of the wild wet west who is known by the euphonious appellation of the O'Madden Burke.
After an interval Mr Dedalus raised his grog and
-- That must have been highly diverting, said he. I see.
He see. He drank. With faraway mourning mountain eye. Set down his glass.
He looked towards the saloon door.
-- I see you have moved the piano.
-- The tuner was in today, Miss Douce replied, tuning it for the smoking concert and I never heard such an exquisite player.
-- Is that a fact?
-- Didn't he, Miss Kennedy? The real classical, you know. And blind too, poor fellow. Not twenty I'm sure he was.
-- Is that a fact? Mr Dedalus said.
He drank and strayed away.
-- So sad to look at his face, Miss Douce condoled.
God's curse on bitch's bastard.
Tink to her pity cried a diner's bell. To the door of the diningroom came bald Pat, came bothered Pat, came Pat, waiter of Ormond. Lager for diner. Lager without alacrity she served.
With patience Lenehan waited for Boylan with impatience, for jingle jaunty blazes boy.
Upholding the lid he (who?) gazed in the coffin (coffin?) at the oblique triple (piano!) wires. He pressed (the same who pressed indulgently her hand), soft pedalling a triple of keys to see the thicknesses of felt advancing, to hear the muffled hammerfall in action.
Two sheets cream vellum paper on reserve two envelopes when I was in Wisdom Hely's wise Bloom in Daly's Henry Flower bought. Are you not happy in your home? Flower to console me and a pin cuts lo. Means something, language of flow. Was it a daisy? Innocence that is. Respectable girl meet after mass. Tanks awfully muchly. Wise Bloom eyed on the door a poster, a swaying mermaid smoking mid nice waves. Smoke mermaids, coolest whiff of all. Hair streaming: lovelorn. For some man. For Raoul. He eyed and saw afar on Essex bridge a gay hat riding on a jauntingcar. It is. Third time. Coincidence.
Jingling on supple rubbers it jaunted from the bridge to Ormond quay. Follow. Risk it. Go quick. At four. Near now. Out.
-- Two pence, sir, the shopgirl dared to say.
Aha... I was forgetting... Excuse...
And four.
At four she. Winsomely she on Bloohimwhom smiled. Bloo smi qui go. Ternoon. Think you're the only pebble on the beach? Does that to all. For men.
In drowsy silence gold bent on her page.
From the saloon a call came, long in dying. That was a tuningfork the tuner had that he forgot that he now struck. Acall again. That he now poised that it now throbbed. You hear? It throbbed, pure, purer, softly and softlier, its buzzing prongs. Longer in dying call.
Pat paid for diner's popcorked bottle: and over tumbler tray and popcorked bottle ere he went he whispered, bald and bothered, with Miss Douce.
-- The bright stars fade...
A voiceless song sang from within, singing:
-- ... the morn is breaking.
A duodene of birdnotes chirruped bright treble answer under sensitive hands. Brightly the keys, all twinkling, linked, all harpsichording, called to a voice to sing the strain of dewy morn, of youth, of love's leavetaking, life's, love's morn.
-- The dewdrops pearl...
Lenehan's lips over the counter lisped a low whistle of decoy.
-- But look this way, he said, rose of Castille.
Jingle jaunted by the curb and stopped.
She rose and closed her reading, rose of Castille. Fretted forlorn, dreamily rose.
-- Did she fall or was she pushed? he asked her.
She answered, slighting:
-- Ask no questions and you'll hear no lies.
Like lady, ladylike.
Blazes Boylan's smart tan shoes creaked on the barfloor where he strode. Yes, gold from anear by bronze from afar. Lenehan heard and knew and hailed him:
-- See the conquering hero comes.
Between the car and window, warily walking, went Bloom, unconquered hero. See me he might. The seat he sat on: warm. Black wary hecat walked towards Richie Goulding's legal bag, lifted aloft saluting.
-- And I from thee...
-- I heard you were round, said Blazes Boylan.
He touched to fair Miss Kennedy a rim of his slanted straw. She smiled on him. But sister bronze outsmiled her, preening for him her richer hair, a bosom and a rose.
Boylan bespoke potions.
-- What's your cry? Glass of bitter? Glass of bitter, please, and a sloegin for me. Wire in yet?
Not yet. At four he. All said four.
Cowley's red lugs and Adam's apple in the door of the sheriff's office. Avoid. Goulding a chance. What is he doing in the Ormond? Car waiting. Wait.
Hello. Where off to? Something to eat? I too was just. In here. What, Ormond? Best value in Dublin. Is that so? Diningroom. Sit tight there. See, not be seen. I think I'll join you. Come on. Richie led on. Bloom followed bag. Dinner fit for a prince.
Miss Douce reached high to take a flagon, stretching her satin arm, her bust, that all but burst, so high.
-- O! O! jerked Lenehan, gasping at each stretch. O!
But easily she seized her prey and led it low in triumph.
-- Why don't you grow? asked Blazes Boylan.
Shebronze, dealing from her jar thick syrupy liquor for his lips, looked as it flowed (flower in his coat: who gave him?), and syrupped with her voice:
-- Fine goods in small parcels.
That is to say she. Neatly she poured slowsyrupy sloe.
-- Here's fortune, Blazes said.
He pitched a broad coin down. Coin rang.
-- Hold on, said Lenehan, till I...
-- Fortune, he wished, lifting his bubbled ale.
-- Sceptre will win in a canter, he said.
-- I plunged a bit, said Boylan winking and drinking. Not on my own, you know. Fancy of a friend of mine.
Lenehan still drank and grinned at his tilted ale and at Miss Douce's lips that all but hummed, not shut, the oceansong her lips had trilled. Idolores. The eastern seas.
Clock whirred. Miss Kennedy passed their way (flower, wonder who gave), bearing away teatray. Clock clacked.
Miss Douce took Boylan's coin, struck boldly the cashregister. It clanged. Clock clacked. Fair one of Egypt teased and sorted in the till and hummed and handed coins in change. Look to the west. A clack. For me.
-- What time is that? asked Blazes Boylan. Four?
O'clock.
Lenehan, small eyes ahunger on her humming, bust ahumming, tugged Blazes Boylan's elbowsleeve.
-- Let's hear the time, he said.
The bag of Goulding, Collis, Ward led Bloom by ryebloom flowered tables. Aimless he chose with agitated aim, bald Pat attending, a table near the door. Be near. At four. Has he forgotten? Perhaps a trick. Not come: whet appetite. I couldn't do. Wait, wait. Pat, waiter, waited.
Sparkling bronze azure eyed Blazure's skyblue bow and eyes.
-- Go on, pressed Lenehan. There's no-one. He never heard.
-- ... to Flora's lips did hie.
High, a high note, pealed in the treble, clear.
Bronzedouce, communing with her rose that sank and rose, sought Blazes Boylan's flower and eyes.
-- Please, please.
He pleaded over returning phrases of avowal.
-- I could not leave thee...
-- Afterwits, Miss Douce promised coyly.
-- No, now, urged Lenehan. Sonnezlacloche! O do! There's no-one.
She looked. Quick. Miss Kenn out of earshot. Sudden bent. Two kindling faces watched her bend.
Quavering the chords strayed from the air, found it again, lost chord, and lost and found it faltering.
-- Go on! Do! Sonnez!
Bending, she nipped a peak of skirt above her knee. Delayed. Taunted them still, bending, suspending, with wilful eyes.
-- Sonnez!
Smack. She let free sudden in rebound her nipped elastic garter smackwarm against her smackable woman's warmhosed thigh.
-- La cloche! cried gleeful Lenehan. Trained by owner. No sawdust there.
She smilesmirked supercilious (wept! aren't men?), but, lightward gliding, mild she smiled on Boylan.
-- You're the essence of vulgarity, she in gliding said.
Boyland, eyed, eyed. Tossed to fat lips his chalice, drankoff his tiny chalice, sucking the last fat violet syrupy drops. He spellbound eyes went after her gliding head as it went down the bar by mirrors, gilded arch for ginger ale, hock and claret glasses shimmering, a spiky shell, where it concerted, mirrored, bronze with sunnier bronze.
Yes, bronze from anearby.
-- ... Sweetheart, goodbye!
-- I'm off, said Boylan with impatience.
He slid his chalice brisk away, grasped his change.
-- Wait a shake, begged Lenehan, drinking quickly. I wanted to tell you. Tom Rochford...
-- Come on to blazes, said Blazes Boylan, going.
Lenehan gulped to go.
-- Got the horn or what? he said. Wait. I'm coming.
He followed the hasty creaking shoes but stood by nimbly by the threshold, saluting forms, a bulky with a slender.
-- How do you do Mr Dollard?
-- Eh? How do? How do? Ben Dollard's vague bass answered, turning an instant from Father Cowley's woe. He won't give you any trouble, Bob. All Bergan will speak to the long fellow. We'll put a barleystraw in that Judas Iscariot's ear this time.
Sighing, Mr Dedalus came through the saloon, a finger soothing an eyelid.
-- Hoho, we will, Ben Dollard yodled jollily. Come on, Simon, give us a ditty. We heard the piano.
Bald Pat, bothered waiter, waited for drink orders, Power for Richie. And Bloom? Let me see. Not make him walk twice. His corns. Four now. How warm this black is. Course nerves a bit. Refracts (is it?) heat. Let me see. Cider. Yes, bottle of cider.
-- What's that? Mr Dedalus said. I was only vamping, man.
-- Come on, come on, Ben Dollar called. Begone, dull care. Come, Bob.
He ambled Dollard, bulky slops, before them (hold that fellow with the: hold him now) into the saloon. He plumped him Dollard on the stool. His gouty paws plumped chords. Plumped stopped abrupt.
Bald Pat in the doorway met tealess gold returning. Bothered he wanted Power and cider. Bronze by the window watched, bronze from afar.
Jingle a tinkle jaunted.
Bloom heard a jing, a little sound. He's off. Light sob of breath Bloom sighed on the silent bluehued flowers. Jingling. He's gone. Jingle. Hear.
-- Love and war, Ben, Mr Dedalus said. God be with old times.
Miss Douce's brave eyes, unregarded, turned from the crossblind, smitten by sunlight. Gone. Pensive (who knows?), smitten (the smiting light), she lowered the dropblind with a sliding cord. She drew down pensive (why did he go so quick when I?) about her bronze over the bar where bald stood by sister gold, inexquisite contrast, contrast inexquisite nonexquisite, slow cool dim seagreen sliding depth of shadow, eau de Nil.
-- Poor old Goodwin was the pianist that night, Father Cowley reminded them. There was a slight difference of opinion between himself and the Collard grand.
There was.
-- A symposium all his own, Mr Dedalus said. The devil wouldn't stop him. He was a crotchety old fellow in the primary stage of drink.
-- God, do you remember? Ben bulky Dollard said, turning from the punished keyboard. And by Japers I had no wedding garment.
They laughed all three. He had no wed. All trio laughed. No wedding garment.
-- Our friend Bloom turned in handy that night, Mr Dedalus said. Where's my pipe by the way?
He wandered back to the bar to the lost chord pipe. Bald Pat carried two diners' drinks, Richie and Poldy. And Father Cowley laughed again.
-- I saved the situation, Ben, I think.
-- You did, averred Ben Dollard. I remember those tight trousers too. That was a brilliant idea, Bob.
Father Cowley blushed to his brilliant purply lobes. He saved the situa. Tight trou. Brilliant ide.
-- I knew he was on the rocks, he said. The wife was playing the piano in the coffee palace on Saturdays for a very trifling consideration and who was it gave me the wheeze she was doing the other business? Do you remember? We had to search all Holles street to find them till the chap in Keogh's gave us the number. Remember?
Ben remembered, his broad visage wondering.
-- By God she had some luxurious opera cloaks and things there.
Mr Dedalus wandered back, pipe in hand.
-- Merrion square style. Balldresses, by God, and court dresses. He wouldn't take any money either. What? Any God's quantity of cocked hats and boleros and trunkhose. What?
-- Ay, ay, Mr Dedalus nodded. Mrs Marion Bloom has left off clothes of all descriptions.
Jingle haunted down the quays. Blazes sprawled on bounding tyres.
Liver and bacon. Steak and kidney pie. Right, sir. Right, Pat.
Mrs Marion met him pike hoses. Smell of burn of Paul de Kock. Nice name he.
-- What's this her name was? A buxom lassy. Marion.
-- Tweedy.
-- Yes. Is she alive?
-- And kicking.
-- She was a daughter of...
-- Daughter of the regiment.
-- Yes, begad. I remember the old drummajor.
Mr Dedalus struck, whizzed, lit, puffed savoury puff after.
-- Irish? I don't know, faith. Is she, Simon?
Puff after stiff, a puff, strong, savoury, crackling.
-- Buccinator muscle is... What?... Bit rusty... O, she is... My Irish Molly, O.
He puffed a pungent plumy blast.
-- From the rock of Gibraltar... all the way.
They pined in depth of ocean shadow, gold by the beerpull, bronze by maraschino, thoughtful all two, Mina Kennedy, 4 Lismore terrace, Drumcondra with Idolores, a queen, Dolores, silent.
Pat served uncovered dishes. Leopold cut liverslices. As said before he ate with relish the inner organs, nutty gizzards, fried cods' roes while Richie Goulding, Collis, Ward ate steak and kidney, steak then kidney, bite by bite of pie he ate Bloom ate they ate.
Bloom with Goulding, married in silence, ate. Dinners fit for princes.
By Bachelor's walk jogjaunty jingled Blazes Boylan, bachelor, in sun, in heat, mare's glossy rump atrot, with flick of whip, on bounding tyres: sprawled, warmseated, Boylan impatience, ardentbold. Horn. Have you the? Horn. Have you the? Haw haw horn.
Over their voices Dollard bassooned attack, booming over bombarding chords:
-- When love absorbs my ardent soul...
Roll of Bensoulbenjamin rolled to the quivery loveshivery roof-panes.
-- War! War! cried Father Cowley. You're the warrior.
-- So I am, Ben Warrior laughed. I was thinking of your landlord. Love or money.
He stopped. He wagged huge beard, huge face over his blunder huge.
-- Sure, you'd burst the tympanum of her ear, man, Mr Dedalus said through smoke aroma, with an organ like yours.
In bearded abundant laughter Dollard shook upon the keyboard. He would.
-- Not to mention another membrane, Father Cowley added. Half time, Ben. Amoroso ma non troppo. Let me there.
Miss Kennedy served two gentlemen with tankards of cool stout. She passed a remark. It was indeed, first gentleman said, beautiful weather. They drank cool stout. Did she know where the lord lieutenant was going? And heard steelhoofs ringhoof ring. No, she couldn't say. But it would be in the paper. O, she needn't trouble. No trouble. She waved about her outspread Independent, searching, the lord lieutenant, her pinnacles of hair slowmoving, lord lieuten. Too much trouble, first gentleman said. O, not in the least. Way he looked that. Lord lieutenant. Gold by bronze heard iron steel.
-- ... my ardent soul
I care not foror the morrow.
In liver gravy Bloom mashed mashed potatoes. Love and war someone is. Ben Dollard's famous. Night he ran round to us to borrow a dress suit for that concert. Trousers tight as a drum on him. Musical porkers. Molly did laugh when he went out. Threw herself back across the bed, screaming, kicking. With all his belongings on show. O, saints above, I'm drenched! O, the women in the front row! O, I never laughed so many! Well, of course, that's what gives him the base barreltone. For instance eunuchs. Wonder who's playing. Nice touch. Must be Cowley. Musical. Knows whatever note you play. Bad breath he has, poor chap. Stopped.
Miss Douce, engaging, Lydia Douce, bowed to suave solicitor, George Lidwell, gentleman, entering. Good afternoon. She gave her moist, a lady's, hand to his firm clasp. Afternoon. Yes, she was back. To the old dingdong again.
-- Your friends are inside, Mr Lidwell.
George Lidwell, suave, solicited, held a lydiahand.
Bloom ate liv as said before. Clean here at least. That chap in the Burton, gummy with gristle. No-one here: Goulding and I. Clean tables, flowers, mitres of napkins. Pat to and fro, bald Pat. Nothing to do. Best value in Dub.
Piano again. Cowley it is. Way he sits in to it, like one together, mutual understanding. Tiresome shapers scraping fiddles, eye on the bowend, sawing the 'cello, remind you of toothache. Her high long snore. Night we were in the box. Trombone under blowing like a grampus, between the acts, other brass chap unscrewing, emptying spittle. Conductor's legs too, bagstrousers, jiggedy jiggedy. Do right to hide them.
Jiggedy jingle jaunty jaunty.
Only the harp. Lovely gold glowering light. Girl touched it. Poop of a lovely. Gravy's rather good fit for a. Golden ship. Erin. The harp that once or twice. Cool hands. Ben Howth, the rhododendrons. We are their harps. I. He. Old. Young.
-- Ah, I couldn't, man, Mr Dedalus said, shy, listless.
Strongly.
-- Go on, blast you, Ben Dollard growled. Get it out in bits
-- M'appari, Simon, Father Cowley said.
Down stage he strode some paces, grave, tall in affliction, his long arms outheld. Hoarsely the apple of his throat hoarsed softly. Softly he sang to a dusty seascape there: A Last Farewell. A headland, a ship, a sail upon the billows. Farewell. A lovely girl, her veil awave upon the wind upon the headland, wind around her.
Cowley sang:
-- M'appari tutt amor;
Il mio sguardo l'incontr...
She waved, unhearing Cowley, her veil to one departing, dear one, to wind, love, speeding sail, return.
-- Go on, Simon.
-- Ah, sure my dancing days are done, Ben... Well...
Mr Dedalus laid his pipe to rest beside the tuningfork and, sitting, touched the obedient keys.
-- No, Simon, Father Cowley turned. Play it in the original One flat.
The keys, obedient, rose higher, told, faltered, confessed, confused.
Up stage strode Father Cowley.
-- Here, Simon. I'll accompany you, he said. Get up.
By Graham Lemon's pineapple rock, by Elvery's elephant jingle jogged. Steak, kidney, liver, mashed at meat fit for princes sat princes Bloom and Goulding. Princes at meat they raised and drank Power and cider.
Most beautiful tenor air ever written, Richie said: Sonnambula. He heard Joe Maas sing that one night. Ah, that M'Guckin! Yes. In his way. Choirboy style. Maas was the boy. Massboy. A lyrical tenor if you like. Never forget it. Never.
Tenderly Bloom over liverless bacon saw the tightened features strain. Backache he. Bright's bright eye. Next item on the programme. Paying the piper. Pills, pounded bread, worth a guinea a box. Stave it off awhile. Sings too: Down among the dead men. Appropriate. Kidney pie. Sweets to the. Not-making much hand of it. Best value in. Characteristic of him. Power. Particular about his drink. Flaw in the glass, fresh Vartry water. Fecking matches from counters to save. Then squander a sovereign in dribs and drabs. And when he's wanted not a farthing. Screwed refusing to pay his fare. Curious types.
Never would Richie forget that night. As long as he lived, never. In the gods of the old Royal with little Peake. And when the first note.
Speech paused on Richie's lips.
Coming out with a whopper now. Rhapsodies about damn all. Believes his own lies. Does really. Wonderful liar. But want a good memory.
-- Which air is that? asked Leopold Bloom.
-- All is lost now...
Richie cocked his lips apout. A low incipient note sweet banshee murmured all. A thrush. A throstle. His breath, birdsweet, good teeth he's proud of, fluted with plaintive woe. Is lost. Rich sound. Two notes in one there. Blackbird I heard in the hawthorn valley. Taking my motives he twined and turned them. All most too new call is lost in all. Echo. How sweet the answer. How is that done? All lost now. Mournful he whistled. Fall, surrender, lost.
Bloom bent leopold ear, turning a fringe of doyley down under the vase. Order. Yes, I remember. Lovely air. In sleep she went to him. Innocence in the moon. Still hold her back. Brave, don't know their danger. Call name. Touch water. Jingle jaunty. Too late. She longed to go. That's why. Woman. As easy stop the sea. Yes: all is lost.
-- A beautiful air, said Bloom lost Leopold. I know it well.
Never in all his life had Richie Goulding.
He knows it well too. Or he feels. Still harping on his daughter. Wise child that knows her father, Dedalus said. Me?
Bloom askance over liverless saw. Face of the all is lost. Rollicking Richie once. Jokes old stale now. Wagging his ear. Napkinring in his eye. Now begging letters he sends his son with. Crosseyed Walter sir I did sir. Wouldn't trouble only I was expecting some money. Apologise.
Piano again. Sounds better than last time I heard. Tuned probably. Stopped again.
Dollard and Cowley still urged the lingering singer out with it.
-- With it, Simon.
-- It, Simon.
-- Ladies and gentlemen, I am most deeply obliged by your kind solicitations.
-- It, Simon.
-- I have no money but if you will lend me your attention I shall endeavour to sing to you of a heart bowed down.
By the sandwichbell in screening shadow, Lydia her bronze and rose, a lady's grace, gave and withheld: as in cool glaucous eau de Nil Mina to tankards two her pinnacles of gold.
The harping chords of prelude closed. A chord longdrawn, expectant drew a voice away.
-- When first I saw that form endearing.
Richie turned.
-- Si Dedalus' voice, he said.
Braintipped, cheek touched with flame, they listened feeling that flow endearing flow over skin limbs human heart soul spine. Bloom signed to Pat, bald Pat is a waiter hard of hearing, to set ajar the door of the bar. The door of the bar. So. That will do. Pat, waiter, waited, waiting to hear, for he was hard of hear by the door.
-- Sorrow from me seemed to depart.
Through the hush of air a voice sang to them, low, not rain, not leaves in murmur, like no voice of strings of reeds or what doyoucallthem dulcimers, touching their still ears with words, still hearts of their each his remembered lives. Good, good to hear: sorrow from them each seemed to from both depart when first they heard. When first they saw, lost Richie, Poldy, mercy of beauty, heard from a person wouldn't expect it in the least, her first merciful lovesoft oftloved word.
Love that is singing: love's old sweet song. Bloom unwound slowly the elastic band of his packet. Love's old sweet sonnez la gold. Bloom wound a skein round four forkfingers, stretched it, relaxed, and wound it round his troubled double, fourfold, in octave, gyved them fast.
-- Full of hope and all delighted...
Tenors get women by the score. Increase their flow. Throw flower at his feet when will we meet? My head it simply. Jingle all delighted. He can't sing for tall hats. Your head it simply swurls. Perfumed for him. What perfume does your wife? I want to know. Jing. Stop. Knock. Last look at mirror always before she answers the door. The hall. There? How do you? I do well. There? What? Or? Phila of cachous, kissing comfits, in her satchel. Yes? Hands felt for the opulent.
Alas! The voice rose, sighing, changed: loud, full, shining, proud.
-- But alas, 'twas idle dreaming...
Glorious tone he has still. Cork air softer also their brogue. Silly man! Could have made oceans of money. Singing wrong words. Wore out his wife: now sings. But hard to tell. Only the two themselves. If he doesn't break down. Keep a trot for the avenue. His hands and feet sing too. Drink. Nerves overstrung. Must be abstemious to sing. Jenny Lind soup: stock, sage, raw eggs, half pint of cream. For creamy dreamy.
Tenderness it welled: slow, swelling. Full it throbbed. That's the chat. Ha, give! Take! Throb, a throb, a pulsing proud erect.
Words? Music? No: it's what's behind.
Bloom looped, unlooped, noded, disnoded.
Bloom. Flood of warm jimjam lickitup secretness flowed to flow in music out, in desire, dark to lick flow, invading. Tipping her tepping her tapping her topping her. Tup. Pores to dilate dilating. Tup. The joy the feel the warm the. Tup. To pour o'er sluices pouring gushes. Flood, gush, flow, joygush, tupthrop. Now! Language of love.
-- ... ray of hope...
Beaming. Lydia for Lidwell squeak scarcely hear so ladylike the muse unsqueaked a ray of hope.
Martha it is. Coincidence. Just going to write. Lionel's song. Lovely name you have. Can't write. Accept my little pres. Play on her heartstrings pursestrings too. She's a. I called you naughty boy. Still the name: Martha. How strange! Today.
The voice of Lionel returned, weaker but unwearied. It sang again to Richie Poldy Lydia Lidwell also sang to Pat open mouth ear waiting, to wait. How first he saw that form endearing, how sorrow seemed to part, how look, form, word charmed him Gould Lidwell, won Pat Bloom's heart.
Wish I could see his face, though. Explain better. Why the barber in Drago's always looked my face when I spoke his face in the glass. Still hear it better here than in the bar though farther.
-- Each graceful look...
First night when first I saw her at Mat Dillon's in Terenure. Yellow, black lace she wore. Musical chairs. We two the last. Fate. After her. Fate. Round and round slow. Quick round. We two. All looked. Halt. Down she sat. All ousted looked. Lips laughing. Yellow knees.
-- Charmed my eye...
Singing. Waiting she sang. I turned her music. Full voice of perfume of what perfume does your lilactrees. Bosom I saw, both full, throat warbling. First I saw. She thanked me. Why did she me? Fate. Spanishy eyes. Under a peartree alone patio this hour in old Madrid one side in shadow Dolores shedolores. At me. Luring. Ah, alluring.
-- Martha! Ah, Martha!
Quitting all languor Lionel cried in grief, in cry of passion dominant to love to return with deepening yet with rising chords of harmony. In cry of lionel loneliness that she should know, must Martha feel. For only her he waited. Where? Here there try there here all try where. Somewhere.
-- Co-me, thou lost one!
Co-me thou dear one!
Alone. One love. One hope. One comfort me. Martha, chest note, return.
-- Come!
It soared, a bird, it held its flight, a swift pure cry, soar silver orb it leaped serene, speeding, sustained, to come, don't spin it out too long long breath he breath long life, soaring high, high resplendent, aflame, crowned, high in the effulgence symbolistic, high, of the ethereal bosom, high, of the high vast irradiation everywhere all soaring all around about the all, the endlessnessnessness...
-- To me!
Siopold!
Consumed.
Come. Well sung. All clapped. She ought to. Come. To me, to him, to her, you too, me, us.
-- Bravo! Clapclap. Goodman, Simon. Clappyclapclap. Encore! Clapclipclap. Sound as a bell. Bravo, Simon! Clapclopclap. Encore, enclap, said, cried, clapped all, Ben Dollard, Lydia Douce, George Lidwell, Pat, Mina, two gentlemen with two tankards, Cowley, first gent with tank and bronze Miss Douce and gold Miss Mina.
Blazes Boylan's smart tan shoes creaked on the barfloor, said before. Jingle by monuments of sir John Gray, Horatio onehandled Nelson, reverend father Theobald Matthew, jaunted as said before just now. Atrot, in heat, heatseated. Cloche. Sonnez la. Cloche. Sonnez la. Slower the mare went up the hill by the Rotunda, Rutland square. Too slow for Boylan, blazes Boylan, impatience Boylan, joggled the mare.
An afterclang of Cowley's chords closed, died on the air made richer.
And Richie Goulding drank his Power and Leopold Bloom his cider drank, Lidwell his Guinness, second gentleman said they would partake of two tankards if she did not mind. Miss Kennedy smirked, disserving, coral lips, at first, at second. She did not mind.
-- Seven days in jail, Ben Dollard said, on bread and water. Then you'd sing, Simon, like a garden thrush.
Lionel Simon, singer, laughed. Father Bob Cowley played. Mina Kennedy served. Second gentleman paid. Tom Kernan strutted in; Lydia, admired, admired. But Bloom sang dumb.
Admiring.
Richie, admiring, descanted on that man's glorious voice. He remembered one night long ago. Never forget that night. Si sang 'Twas rank and fame: in Ned Lambert's 'twas. Good God he never heard in all his life a note like that he never did then false one we had better part so clear so God he never heard since love lives not a clinking voice ask Lambert he can tell you too.
Goulding, a flush struggling in his pale, told Mr Bloom, face of the night, Si in Ned Lambert's, Dedalus' house, sang 'Twas rank and fame...
He, Mr Bloom, listened while he, Richie Goulding, told him, Mr Bloom of the night he, Richie, heard him, Si Dedalus, sing 'Twas rank and fame in his, Ned Lambert's house.
Brothers-in-law: relations. We never speak as we pass by. Rift in the lute I think. Treats him with scorn. See. He admires him all the more. The nights Si sang. The human voice, two tiny silky cords. Wonderful, more than all the others.
That voice was a lamentation. Calmer now. It's in the silence you feel you hear. Vibrations. Now silent air.
Bloom ungyved his crisscrossed hands and with slack fingers plucked the slender catgut thong. He drew and plucked. It buzzed, it twanged. While Goulding talked of Barraclough's voice production, while Tom Kernan, harking back in a retrospective sort of arrangement, talked to listening Father Cowley who played a voluntary, who nodded as he played. While big Ben Dollard talked with Simon Dedalus lighting, who nodded as he smoked, who smoked.
Thou lost one. All songs on that theme. Yet more Bloom stretched his string. Cruel it seems. Let people get fond of each other: lure them on. Then tear asunder. Death. Explos. Knock on the head. Outtohelloutofthat. Human life. Dignam. Ugh, that rat's tail wriggling! Five bob I gave. Corpus paradisum. Corncrake croaker: belly like a poisoned pup. Gone. They sing. Forgotten. I too. And one day she with. Leave her: get tired. Suffer then. Snivel. Big Spanishy eyes goggling at nothing. Her wavyavyeavyheavyeavyevyevy hair un comb: 'd.
Yet too much happy bores. He stretched more, more. Are you not happy in your? Twang. It snapped.
Jingle into Dorset street.
Miss Douce withdrew her satiny arm, reproachful, pleased.
-- Don't make half so free, said she, till we are better acquainted.
George Lidwell told her really and truly: but she did not believe.
First gentleman told Mina that was so. She asked him was that so. And second tankard told her so. That that was so.
Miss Douce, Miss Lydia, did not believe: Miss Kennedy, Mina, did not believe: George Lidwell, no: Miss Dou did not: the first, the first: gent with the tank: believe, no, no: did not, Miss Kenn: Lidlydiawell: the tank.
Better write it here. Quills in the postoffice chewed and twisted.
Bald Pat at a sign drew nigh. A pen and ink. He went. A pad. He went. A pad to blot. He heard, deaf Pat.
-- Yes, Mr Bloom said, teasing the curling catgut fine. It certainly is. Few lines will do. My present. All that Italian florid music is. Who is this wrote? Know the name you know better. Take out sheet notepaper, envelope: unconcerned. It's so characteristic.
-- Grandest number in the whole opera, Goulding said.
-- It is, Bloom said.
Numbers it is. All music when you come to think. Two multiplied by two divided by half is twice one. Vibrations: chords those are. One plus two plus six is seven. Do anything you like with figures juggling. Always find out this equal to that, symmetry under a cemetery wall. He doesn't see my mourning. Callous: all for his own gut. Musemathematics. And you think you're listening to the ethereal. But suppose you said it like: Martha, seven times nine minus x is thirtyfive thousand. Fall quite flat. It's on account of the sounds it is.
Instance he's playing now. Improvising. Might be what you like till you hear the words. Want to listen sharp. Hard. Begin all right: then hear chords a bit off: feel lost a bit. In and out of sacks over barrels, through wirefences, obstacle race. Time makes the tune. Question of mood you're in. Still always nice to hear. Except scales up and down, girls learning. Two together nextdoor neighbours. Ought to invent dummy pianos for that. Blumenlied I bought for her. The name. Playing it slow, a girl, night I came home, the girl. Door of the stables near Cecilia street. Milly no taste. Queer because we both I mean.
Bald deaf Pat brought quite flat pad ink. Pat set with ink pen quite flat pad. Pat took plate dish knife fork. Pat went.
It was the only language Mr Dedalus said to Ben. He heard them as a boy in Ringabella, Crosshaven, Ringabella, singing their barcaroles. Queenstown harbour full of Italian ships. Walking, you know, Ben, in the moonlight with those earthquake hats. Blending their voices. God, such music, Ben. Heard as a boy. Cross Ringabella haven mooncarole.
Sour pipe removed he held a shield of hand beside his lips that cooed a moonlight nightcall, clear from anear, a call from afar, replying.
Down the edge of his Freeman baton ranged Bloom's your other eye, scanning for where did I see that. Callan, Coleman, Dignam Patrick. Heigho! Heigho! Fawcett. Aha! Just I was looking...
Hope he's not looking, cute as a rat. He held unfurled his Freeman. Can't see now. Remember write Greek ees. Bloom dipped, Bloo mur: dear sir. Dear Henry wrote: dear Mady. Got your lett and flow. Hell did I put? Some pock or oth. It is utterl imposs. Underline imposs. To write today.
Bore this. Bored Bloom tambourined gently with I am just reflecting fingers on flat pad Pat brought.
On. Know what I mean. No, change that ee. Accept my poor little pres enclos. Ask her no answ. Hold on. Five Dig. Two about here. Penny the gulls. Elijah is com. Seven Davy Byrne's. Is eight about. Say half a crown. My poor little pres: p. o. two and six. Write me a long. Do you despise? Jingle, have you the? So excited. Why do you call me naught? You naughty too? O, Mairy lost the pin of her. Bye for today. Yes, yes, will tell you. Want to. To keep it up. Call me that other. Other world she wrote. My patience are exhaust. To keep it up. You must believe. Believe. The tank. It. Is. True.
Folly am I writing? Husbands don't. That's marriage does, their wives. Because I'm away from. Suppose. But how? She must. Keep young. If she found out. Card in my high grade ha. No, not tell all. Useless pain. If they don't see. Woman. Sauce for the gander.
A hackney car, number three hundred and twentyfour, driver Barton James of number one Harmony avenue, Donnybrook, on which sat a fare, a young gentleman, stylishly dressed in an indigoblue serge suit made by George Robert Mesias, tailor and cutter, of number five Eden quay, and wearing a straw hat very dressy, bought of John Plasto of number one Great Brunswick street, hatter. Eh? This is the jingle that joggled and jingled. By Dlugacz' porkshop bright tubes of Agendath trotted a gallantbuttocked mare.
-- Answering an ad? keen Richie's eyes asked Bloom.
-- Yes, Mr Bloom said. Town traveller. Nothing doing, I expect.
Bloom mur: best references. But Henry wrote: it will excite me. You know now. In haste. Henry. Greek ee. Better add postscript. What is he playing now? Improvising intermezzo. P. S. The rum tum tum. How will you pun? You punish me? Crooked skirt swinging, whack by. Tell me I want to. Know. O. Course if I didn't I wouldn't ask. La la la ree. Trails off there sad in minor. Why minor sad? Sign H. They like sad tail at end. P. P. S. La la la ree. I feel so sad today. La ree. So lonely. Dee.
He blotted quick on pad of Pat. Envel. Address. Just copy out of paper. Murmured: Messrs Callan, Coleman and Co, limited. Henry wrote:
Miss Martha Clifford
c/o P. O.
Dolphin's barn lane
Dublin.
Blot over the other so he can't read. Right. Idea prize titbit. Something detective read off blottingpad. Payment at the rate of guinea per col. Matcham often thinks the laughing witch. Poor Mrs Purefoy. U. p.: up.
Too poetical that about the sad. Music did that. Music hath charms Shakespeare said. Quotations every day in the year. To be or not to be. Wisdom while you wait.
In Gerard's rosery of Fetter lane he walks, greyed-auburn. One life is all. One body. Do. But do.
Done anyhow. Postal order stamp. Postoffice lower down. Walk now. Enough. Barney Kiernan's I promised to meet them. Dislike that job. House of mourning. Walk. Pat! Doesn't hear. Deaf beetle he is.
Car near there now. Talk. Talk. Pat! Doesn't. Settling those napkins. Lot of ground he must cover in the day. Paint face behind on him then he'd be two. Wish they'd sing more. Keep my mind off.
Bald Pat who is bothered mitred the napkins. Pat is a waiter hard of his hearing. Pat is a waiter who waits while you wait. Hee hee hee hee. He waits while you wait. Hee hee. A waiter is he. Hee hee hee hee. He waits while you wait. While you wait if you wait he will wait while you wait. Hee hee hee hee. Hoh. Wait while you wait.
Douce now. Douce Lydia. Bronze and rose.
She had a gorgeous, simply gorgeous, time. And look at the lovely shell she brought.
To the end of the bar to him she bore lightly the spiked and winding seahorn that he, George Lidwell, solicitor, might hear.
-- Listen! she bade him.
Under Tom Kernan's ginhot words the accompanist wove music slow. Authentic fact. How Walter Bapty lost his voice. Well, sir, the husband took him by the throat. Scoundrel, said he. You'll sing no more lovesongs. He did, sir Tom. Bob Cowley wove. Tenors get wom. Cowley lay back.
Ah, now he heard, she holding it to his ear. Hear! He heard. Wonderful. She held it to her own and through the sifted light pale gold in contrast glided. To hear.
Tap.
Bloom through the bardoor saw a shell held at their ears. He heard more faintly that that they heard, each for herself alone, then each for other, hearing the plash of waves, loudly, a silent roar.
Bronze by a weary gold, anear, afar, they listened.
Her ear too is a shell, the peeping lobe there. Been to the seaside. Lovely seaside girls. Skin tanned raw. Should have put on coldcream first make it brown. Buttered toast. O and that lotion mustn't forget. Fever near her mouth. Your head it simply. Hair braided over: shell with seaweed. Why do they hide their ears with seaweed hair? And Turks their mouth, why? Her eyes over the sheet, a yashmak. Find the way in. A cave. No admittance except on business.
The sea they think they hear. Singing. A roar. The blood is it. Souse in the ear sometimes. Well, it's a sea. Corpuscle islands.
Wonderful really. So distinct. Again. George Lidwell held its murmur, hearing: then laid it by, gently.
-- What are the wild waves saying? he asked her, smiled.
Charming, seasmiling and unanswering Lydia on Lidwell smiled.
Tap.
By Larry O'Rourke's, by Larry, bold Larry O', Boylan swayed and Boylan turned.
From the forsaken shell Miss Mina glided to her tankard waiting. No, she was not so lonely archly Miss Douce's head let Mr Lidwell know. Walks in the moonlight by the sea. No, not alone. With whom? She nobly answered: with a gentleman friend.
Bob Cowley's twinkling fingers in the treble played again. The landlord has the prior. A little time. Long John. Big Ben Lightly he played a light bright tinkling measure for tripping ladies, arch and smiling, and for their gallants, gentlemen friends. One: one, one, one: two, one, three, four.
Sea, wind, leaves, thunder, waters, cows lowing, the cattle market, cocks, hens don't crow, snakes hissss. There's music everywhere. Ruttledge's door: ee creaking. No, that's noise. Minuet of Don Giovanni he's playing now. Court dresses of all descriptions in castle chambers dancing. Misery. Peasants outside. Green starving faces eating dockleaves. Nice that is. Look: look, look, look, look, look: you look at us.
That's joyful I can feel. Never have written it. Why? My joy is other joy. But both are joys. Yes, joy it must be. Mere fact of music shows you are. Often thought she was in the dumps till she began to lilt. Then know.
M'Coy valise. My wife and your wife. Squealing eat. Like tearing silk. When she talks like the clapper of a bellows. They can't manage men's intervals. Gap in their voices too. Fill me. I'm warm, dark, open. Molly in qui est homo: Mercadante. My ear against the wall to hear. Want a woman who can deliver the goods.
Jog jig jogged stopped. Dandy tan shoe of dandy Boy Ian socks skyblue clocks came light to earth.
O, look we are so! Chamber music. Could make a kind of pun on that. It is a kind of music I often thought when she. Acoustics that is. Tinkling. Empty vessels make most noise. Because the acoustics, the resonance changes according as the weight of the water is equal to the law of falling water. Like those rhapsodies of Liszt's, Hungarian, gipsyeyed. Pearls. Drops. Rain. Diddle iddle addle addle oodle oodle. Hiss. Now. Maybe now. Before.
One rapped on a door, one tapped with a knock, did he knock Paul de Kock, with a loud proud knocker, with a cock carracarracarra cock. Cockcock.
Tap.
-- Qui sdegno, Ben, said Father Cowley.
-- No, Ben, Tom Kernan interfered, The Croppy Boy. Our native Doric.
-- Ay do, Ben, Mr Dedalus said. Good men and true.
-- Do, do, they begged in one.
I'll go. Here, Pat, return. Come. He came, he came, he did not stay. To me. How much?
-- What key? Six sharps?
-- F sharp major, Ben Dollard said.
Bob Cowley's outstretched talons gripped the black deep sounding chords.
Must go prince Bloom told Richie prince. No, Richie said. Yes, must. Got money somewhere. He's on for a razzle backache spree. Much? He seehears lipspeech. One and nine. Penny for yourself. Here. Give him twopence tip. Deaf, bothered. But perhaps he has wife and family waiting, waiting Patty come home. Hee hee hee hee. Deaf wait while they wait.
But wait. But hear. Chords dark. Lugugugubrious. Low. In a cave of the dark middle earth. Embedded ore. Lumpmusic.
The voice of dark age, of unlove, earth's fatigue made grave approach, and painful, come from afar, from hoary mountains, called on good men and true. The priest he sought, with him would he speak a word.
Tap.
Ben Dollard's voice barreltone. Doing his level best to say it. Croak of vast manless moonless womoonless marsh. Other comedown. Big ships' chandler's business he did once. Remember: rosiny ropes, ships' lanterns. Failed to the tune of ten thousand pounds. Now in the Iveagh home. Cubicle number so and so. Number one Bass did that for him.
The priest's at home. A false priest's servant bade him welcome. Step in. The holy father. Curlycues of chords.
Ruin them. Wreck their lives. Then build them cubicles to end their days in. Hushaby. Lullaby. Die, dog. Little dog, die.
The voice of warning, solemn warning, told them the youth had entered a lonely hall, told them how solemn fell his footstep there, told them the gloomy chamber, the vested priest sitting to shrive.
Decent soul. Bit addled now. Thinks he'll win in Answers poets' picture puzzle. We hand you crisp five pound note. Bird sitting hatching in a nest. Lay of the last minstrel he thought it was. See blank tee what domestic animal? Tee dash ar most courageous mariner. Good voice he has still. No eunuch yet with all his belongings.
Listen. Bloom listened. Richie Goulding listened. And by the door deaf Pat, bald Pat, tipped Pat, listened.
The chords harped slower.
The voice of penance and of grief came slow, embellished, tremulous. Ben's contrite beard confessed: in nomine Domini, in God's name. He knelt. He beat his hand upon his breast, confessing: mea culpa.
Latin again. That holds them like birdlime. Priest with the communion corpus for those women. Chap in the mortuary, coffin or coffey, corpusnomine. Wonder where that rat is by now. Scrape.
Tap.
They listened: tankards and Miss Kennedy, George Lidwell eyelid well expressive, fullbusted satin, Kernan, Si.
The sighing voice of sorrow sang. His sins. Since easter he had cursed three 'times. You bitch's bast. And once at masstime he had gone to play. Once by the churchyard he had passed and for his mother's rest he had not prayed. A boy. A croppy boy.
Bronze, listening by the beerpull, gazed far away. Soulfully. Doesn't half know I'm. Molly great dab at seeing anyone looking.
Bronze gazed far sideways. Mirror there. Is that best side of her face? They always know. Knock at the door. Last tip to titivate.
Cockcarracarra.
What do they think when they hear music? Way to catch rattlesnakes. Night Michael Gunn gave us the box. Tuning up. Shah of Persia liked that best. Remind him of home sweet home. Wiped his nose in curtain too. Custom his country perhaps. That's music too. Not as bad as it sounds. Tootling. Brasses braying asses through uptrunks. Doublebasses, helpless, gashes in their sides. Woodwinds mooing cows. Semigrand open crocodile music hath jaws. Woodwind like Goodwin's name.
She looked fine. Her crocus dress she wore, lowcut, belongings on show. Clove her breath was always in theatre when she bent to ask a question. Told her what Spinoza says in that book of poor papa's. Hypnotised, listening. Eyes like that. She bent. Chap in dresscircle, staring down into her with his operaglass for all he was worth. Beauty of music you must hear twice. Nature woman half a look. God made the country man the tune. Met him pike hoses. Philosophy. O rocks!
All gone. All fallen. At the siege of Ross his father, at Gorey all his brothers fell. To Wexford, we are the boys of Wexford, he would. Last of his name and race.
I too, last my race. Milly young student. Well, my fault perhaps. No son. Rudy. Too late now. Or if not? If not? If still?
He bore no hate.
Hate. Love. Those are names. Rudy. Soon I am old.
Big Ben his voice unfolded. Great voice, Richie Goulding said, a flush struggling in his pale, to Bloom, soon old but when was young.
Ireland comes now. My country above the King. She listens. Who fears to speak of nineteen four? Time to be shoving. Looked enough.
-- Bless me, father, Dollard the croppy cried. Bless me and let me go.
Tap.
Bloom looked, unblessed to go. Got up to kill: on eighteen bob a week. Fellows shell out the dibs. Want to keep your weathereye open. Those girls, those lovely. By the sad sea waves. Chorusgirl's romance. Letters read out for breach of promise. From Chickabiddy's own Mumpsypum. Laughter in court. Henry. I never signed it. The lovely name you.
Low sank the music, air and words. Then hastened. The false priest rustling soldier from his cassock. A yeoman captain. They know it all by heart. The thrill they itch for. Yeoman cap.
Tap. Tap.
Thrilled, she listened, bending in sympathy to hear.
Blank face. Virgin should say: or fingered only. Write something on it: page. If not what becomes of them? Decline, despair. Keeps them young. Even admire themselves. See. Play on her. Lip blow. Body of white woman, a flute alive. Blow gentle. Loud. Three holes all women. Goddess I didn't see. They want it: not too much polite. That's why he gets them. Gold in your pocket, brass in your face. With look to look: songs without words. Molly that hurdygurdy boy. She knew he meant the monkey was sick. Or because so like the Spanish. Understand animals too that way. Solomon did. Gift of nature.
Ventriloquise. My lips closed. Think in my stom. What?
Will? You? I. Want. You. To.
With hoarse rude fury the yeoman cursed. Swelling in apoplectic bitch's bastard. A good thought, boy, to come. One hour's your time to live, your last.
Tap. Tap.
Thrill now. Pity they feel. To wipe away a tear for martyrs. For all things dying, want to, dying to, die. For that all things born. Poor Mrs Purefoy. Hope she's over. Because their wombs.
A liquid of womb of woman eyeball gazed under a fence of lashes, calmly, hearing. See real beauty of the eye when she not speaks. On yonder river. At each slow satiny heaving bosom's wave (her heaving embon) red rose rose slowly, sank red rose. Heartbeats her breath: breath that is life. And all the tiny tiny fernfoils trembled of maidenhair.
But look. The bright stars fade. O rose! Castille. The morn. Ha. Lidwell. For him then not for. Infatuated. I like that? See her from here though. Popped corks, splashes of beerfroth, stacks of empties.
On the smooth jutting beerpull laid Lydia hand lightly, plumply, leave it to my hands. All lost in pity for croppy. Fro, to: to, fro: over the polished knob (she knows his eyes, my eyes, her eyes) her thumb and finger passed in pity: passed, repassed and, gently touching, then slid so smoothly, slowly down, a cool firm white enamel baton protruding through their sliding ring.
With a cock with a carra.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I hold this house. Amen. He gnashed in fury. Traitors swing.
The chords consented. Very sad thing. But had to be.
Get out before the end. Thanks, that was heavenly. Where's my hat. Pass by her. Can leave that Freeman. Letter I have. Suppose she were the? No. Walk, walk, walk. Like Cashel Boylo Connoro Coylo Tisdall Maurice Tisntdall Farrell, Waaaaaaalk.
Well, I must be. Are you off? Yrfmstbyes. Blmstup. O'er ryehigh blue. Bloom stood up. Ow. Soap feeling rather sticky behind. Must have sweated: music. That lotion, remember. Well, so long. High grade. Card inside, yes.
By deaf Pat in the doorway, straining ear, Bloom passed.
At Geneva barrack that young man died. At Passage was his body laid. Dolor! O, he dolores! The voice of the mournful chanter called to dolorous prayer.
By rose, by satiny bosom, by the fondling hand, by slops, by empties, by popped corks, greeting in going, past eyes and maidenhair, bronze and faint gold in deepseashadow, went Bloom, soft Bloom, I feel so lonely Bloom.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Pray for him, prayed the bass of Dollard. You who hear in peace. Breathe a prayer, drop a tear, good men, good people. He was the croppy boy.
Scaring eavesdropping boots croppy bootsboy Bloom in the Ormond hallway heard growls and roars of bravo, fat back-slapping, their boots all treading, boots not the boots the boy. General chorus off for a swill to wash it down. Glad I avoided.
-- Come on, Ben, Simon Dedalus said. By God, you're as good as ever you were.
-- Better, said Tomgin Kernan. Most trenchant rendition of that ballad, upon my soul and honour it is.
-- Lablache, said Father Cowley.
Ben Dollard bulkily cachuchad towards the bar, mightily praisefed and all big roseate, on heavyfooted feet, his gouty fingers nakkering castagnettes in the air.
Big Benaden Dollard. Big Benben. Big Benben.
Rrr.
And deepmoved all, Simon trumping compassion from foghorn nose, all laughing, they brought him forth, Ben Dollard, in right good cheer.
-- You're looking rubicund, George Lidwell said.
Miss Douce composed her rose to wait.
-- Ben machree, said Mr Dedalus, clapping Ben's fat back shoulderblade. Fit as a fiddle, only he has a lot of adipose tissue concealed about his person.
Rrrrrrsss.
-- Fat of death, Simon, Ben Dollard growled.
Richie rift in the lute alone sat: Goulding, Collis, Ward. Uncertainly he waited. Unpaid Pat too.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Miss Mina Kennedy brought near her lips to ear of tankardone.
-- Mr Dollard, they murmured low.
-- Dollard, murmured tankard.
Tank one believed: Miss Kenn when she: that doll he was: she doll: the tank.
He murmured that he knew the name. The name was familiar to him, that is to say. That was to say he had heard the name of Dollard, was it? Dollard, yes.
Yes, her lips said more loudly, Mr Dollard. He sang that song lovely, murmured Mina. And The last rose of summer was a lovely song. Mina loved that song. Tankard loved the song that Mina.
'Tis the last rose of summer Dollard left Bloom felt wind wound round inside.
Gassy thing that cider: binding too. Wait. Postoffice near Reuben J's one and eightpence too. Get shut of it. Dodge round by Greek street. Wish I hadn't promised to meet. Freer in air. Music. Gets on your nerves. Beerpull. Her hand that rocks the cradle rules the. Ben Howth. That rules the world.
Far. Far. Far. Far.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Up the quay went Lionelleopold, naughty Henry with letter for Mady, with sweets of sin with frillies for Raoul with met him pike hoses went Poldy on.
Tap blind walked tapping by the tap the curbstone tapping, tap by tap.
Cowley, he stunts himself with it; kind of drunkenness. Better give way only half way the way of a man with a maid. Instance enthusiasts. All ears. Not lose a demisemiquaver. Eyes shut. Head nodding in time. Dotty. You daren't budge. Thinking strictly prohibited. Always talking shop. Fiddlefaddle about notes.
All a kind of attempt to talk. Unpleasant when it stops because you never know exac. Organ in Gardiner street. Old Glynn fifty quid a year. Queer up there in the cockloft alone with stops and locks and keys. Seated all day at the organ. Maunder on for hours, talking to himself or the other fellow blowing the bellows. Growl angry, then shriek cursing (want to have wadding or something in his no don't she cried), then all of a soft sudden wee little wee little pippy wind.
Pwee! A wee little wind piped eeee. In Bloom's little wee.
Was he? Mr Dedalus said, returning, with fetched pipe. I was with him this morning at poor little Paddy Dignam's...
-- Ay, the Lord have mercy on him.
-- By the by there's a tuningfork in there on the...
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
-- The wife has a fine voice. Or had. What? Lidwell asked.
-- O, that must be the tuner, Lydia said to Simonlionel first I saw, forgot it when he was here.
Blind he was she told George Lidwell second I saw. And played so exquisitely, treat to hear. Exquisite contrast: bronzelid minagold.
-- Shout! Ben Dollard shouted, pouring. Sing out!
-- 'lldo! cried Father Cowley.
Rrrrrr.
I feel I want...
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
-- Very, Mr Dedalus said, staring hard at a headless sardine.
Under the sandwichbell lay on a bier of bread one last, one lonely, last sardine of summer. Bloom alone.
-- Very, he stared. The lower register, for choice.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Bloom went by Barry's. Wish I could. Wait. That wonderworker if I had. Twentyfour solicitors in that one house. Litigation. Love one another. Piles of parchment. Messrs Pick and Pocket have power of attorney. Goulding, Collis, Ward.
But for example the chap that wallops the big drum. His vocation: Micky Rooney's band. Wonder how it first struck him. Sitting at home after pig's cheek and cabbage nursing it in the armchair. Rehearsing his band part. Pom. Pompedy. Jolly for the wife. Asses' skins. Welt them through life, then wallop after death. Pom. Wallop. Seems to be what you call yashmak or I mean kismet. Fate.
Tap. Tap. A stripling, blind, with a tapping cane, came taptaptapping by Daly's window where a mermaid, hair all streaming (but he couldn't see), blew whiffs of a mermaid (blind couldn't), mermaid coolest whiff of all.
Instruments. A blade of grass, shell of her hands, then blow. Even comb and tissuepaper you can knock a tune out of. Molly in her shift in Lombard street west, hair down. I suppose each kind of trade made its own, don't you see? Hunter with a horn. Haw. Have you the? Cloche. Sonnez la! Shepherd his pipe. Policeman a whistle. Locks and keys! Sweep! Four o'clock's all's well! Sleep! All is lost now. Drum? Pompedy. Wait, I know. Towncrier, bumbailiff. Long John. Waken the dead. Pom. Dignam. Poor little nominedomine. Pom. It is music, I mean of course it's all pom pom pom very much what they call da capo. Still you can hear. As we march we march along, march along. Pom.
I must really. Fff. Now if I did that at a banquet. Just a question of custom shah of Persia. Breathe a prayer, drop a tear. All the same he must have been a bit of a natural not to see it was a yeoman cap. Muffled up. Wonder who was that chap at the grave in the brown mackin. O, the whore of the lane!
A frowsy whore with black straw sailor hat askew came glazily in the day along the quay towards Mr Bloom. When first he saw that form endearing. Yes, it is. I feel so lonely. Wet night in the lane. Horn. Who had the? Heehaw. Shesaw. Off her beat here. What is she? Hope she. Psst! Any chance of your wash. Knew Molly. Had me decked. Stout lady does be with you in the brown costume. Put you off your stroke. That appointment we made. Knowing we'd never, well hardly ever. Too dear too near to home sweet home. Sees me, does she? Looks a fright in the day. Face like dip. Damn her! O, well, she has to live like the rest. Look in here.
In Lionel Marks's antique saleshop window haughty Henry Lionel Leopold dear Henry Flower earnestly Mr Leopold Bloom envisaged candlestick melodeon oozing maggoty blowbags. Bargain: six bob. Might learn to play. Cheap. Let her pass. Course everything is dear if you don't want it. That's what good salesman is. Make you buy what he wants to sell. Chap sold me the Swedish razor he shaved me with. Wanted to charge me for the edge he gave it. She's passing now. Six bob.
Must be the cider or perhaps the burgund.
Near bronze from anear near gold from afar they chinked their clinking glasses all, brighteyed and gallant, before bronze Lydia's tempting last rose of summer, rose of Castille. First Lid, De, Cow, Ker, Doll, a fifth: Lidwell, Si Dedalus, Bob Cowley, Kernan and Big Ben Dollard.
Tap. A youth entered a lonely Ormond hall.
Bloom viewed a gallant pictured hero in Lionel Marks's window. Robert Emmet's last words. Seven last words. Of Meyerbeer that is.
-- True men like you men.
-- Ay, ay, Ben.
-- Will lift your glass with us.
They lifted.
Tschink. Tschunk.
Tip. An unseeing stripling stood in the door. He saw not bronze. He saw not gold. Nor Ben nor Bob nor Tom nor Si nor George nor tanks nor Richie nor Pat. Hee hee hee hee. He did not see.
Seabloom, greaseabloom viewed last words. Softly. When my country takes her place among.
Prrprr.
Must be the bur.
Fff. Oo. Rrpr.
Nations of the earth. No-one behind. She's passed. Then and not till then. Tram. Kran, kran, kran. Good oppor. Coming. Krandlkrankran. I'm sure it's the burgund. Yes. One, two. Let my epitaph be. Karaaaaaaa. Written. I have.
Pprrpffrrppfff.
Done.

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:44重新编辑 ]
soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
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11、褐色挨着金色


褐色挨着金色[1],听见了蹄铁声,钢铁零零响。
粗噜噜、噜噜噜[2]。
碎屑,从坚硬的大拇指甲上削下碎屑,碎屑。
讨厌鬼!金色越发涨红了脸。
横笛吹奏出的沙哑音调。
吹奏。花儿蓝。
挽成高髻的金发上。
裹在缎衫里的酥胸上,一朵起伏着的玫瑰,卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰。
颤悠悠,颤悠悠:艾多洛勒斯[3]。
闷儿!谁在那个角落……瞥见了一抹金色?
与怀着怜悯的褐色相配合,丁零一声响了[4]。
清纯、悠长的颤音。好久才息的呼声。
诱惑。温柔的话语。可是,看啊!灿烂的星辰褪了色[5]。
啊,玫瑰!婉转奏出酬答的旋律。卡斯蒂利亚。即将破晓。
辚辚,轻快三轮马车辚辚。
硬币哐啷啷。时钟嗒嗒嗒。
表明心迹。敲响。我舍不得……袜带弹回来的响声……离开你。啪!那口钟[6]!在大腿上啪的一下。表明心迹。温存的。心上人,再见!
辚辚。布卢。
嗡嗡响彻的和弦。爱得神魂颠倒的时候。战争!战争!耳膜。
帆船!面纱随着波涛起伏。
失去。画眉清脆地啭鸣。现在一切都失去啦[7]。
犄角。呜--号角。
当他初见。哎呀!
情欲亢奋。心里怦怦直跳。
颤音歌唱。啊,诱惑!令人陶醉的。
玛尔塔!归来吧![8]
叽叽喳喳,叽叽咕咕,叽哩喳喇。
天哪,他平生从没听到过。
又耳聋又秃头的帕特送来吸墨纸,拿起刀子。
月夜的呼唤:遥远地,遥远地。
我感到那么悲伤。附言:那么无比地孤寂。
听啊!
冰凉的,尖而弯曲的海螺。你有没有?独个儿地,接着又相互之间,波浪的迸溅和沉默的海啸。
一颗颗珍珠。当她。奏起李斯特的狂想曲[9]。嘘嘘嘘。
你不至于吧?
不曾,不、不、相信。莉迪利德。[10]喀呵,咔啦。[11]
黑色的。
深逐的声音。唱吧,本,唱吧。
侍奉的时候就侍奉吧。嘻嘻。嘻嘻笑着侍奉吧。
可是,且慢!
深深地在地底下黑暗处。埋着的矿砂。
因主之名。[12]全都完啦,全都倒下啦。[13]
她的处女发[14]。那颤巍巍的纤叶。
啊们!他气得咬牙切齿。
比方。彼方,此方。一根冰冷的棍子伸了出来。
褐发莉迪亚挨着金发米娜。
挨着褐色,挨着金色,在海绿色荫影下。布卢姆。老布卢姆。
有人笃笃敲,有人砰砰拍,咔啦,喀呵。
为他祷告吧!祷告吧,善良的人们!
他那患痛风症的手指头发出击响板般的声音[15]。
大本钟本。大本本[16]。 夏日最后一朵卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰撇下了布卢姆,我孤零零地感到悲哀[17]。
嘘!微风发出笛子般的声音:嘘!
地道的男子汉。利德·克·考·迪和多拉。哎,哎。
就像诸位那样。咱们一道举杯哧沁喀、哧冲喀吧[18]。
呋呋呋!噢!
褐色从近处到什么地方?金色从近处到什么地方?蹄在什么地方?
噜噗噜。喀啦啦。喀啦得儿。
直到那时,只有到了那时,方为我写下墓志铭。
完了[19]。
开始[20]!
褐色挨着金色,杜丝小姐的头挨着肯尼迪小姐的头。在奥蒙德酒吧的半截儿窗帘上端听见了总督车队奔驰而过,马蹄发出锒锒的钢铁声。
“那是她吗?”肯尼迪小姐问。
杜丝小姐说是啊,和大人并肩坐着,发灰的珍珠色和一片淡绿蓝色[21]。
“绝妙的对照,”肯尼迪小姐说。
这当儿,兴奋极了的杜丝小姐热切地说:
“瞧那个戴大礼帽的家伙[22]。”
“谁?哪儿呀?”金色更加热切地问。
“第二辆马车里,”杜丝小姐欣喜地沐浴着阳光,用湿润的嘴唇说,“他朝四下里望着哪。等一下,容我过去看看。”
她,褐色,一个箭步就蹿到最后边的角落去,急匆匆地哈上一圈儿气,将脸庞紧贴在窗玻璃上。
她那湿润的嘴唇嗤嗤地笑着说:
“他死命地往回瞧哩。”
她朗笑道:
“哎,天哪!男人都是些可怕的傻瓜,你说呢?”
怀着悲戚之情。
肯尼迪小姐悲戚地从明亮的光线底下慢慢腾腾地踱了回来,边捻着散在耳后的一缕乱发。她悲戚地边溜达边连捋带捻着那已不再在太阳下闪着金光的头发。她就这样一面溜达着一面悲戚地把金发捻到曲形的耳后。
“他们可开心啦,”于是她黯然神伤地说。
一个男人。
布卢某怀着偷情的快乐[23],从牟兰那家店的烟斗旁走过;心中索绕着偷情时的甜言蜜语,走边瓦恩那家店的古董;又为了拉乌尔,从卡洛尔宝石店里那磨损并且发乌了的镀金器皿前面踱过。
擦鞋侍役[24]到她们--酒吧里的她们,酒吧女侍--这儿来了。她们不曾理睬他。于是,他便替她们把那一托盘咯嗒咯嗒响的瓷器嘭的一声撂在柜台上,并且说:
“这是给你们的茶。”
肯尼迪小姐扭扭捏捏地把茶盘低低地挪到人们看不见的低处
--放在一只底朝天的柳条筐上,那原是装成瓶的矿泉水用的。
“什么事?”大嗓门的擦鞋侍役粗鲁地问。
“你猜猜看,”杜丝小姐边离开她那侦察点,边回答说。
“是你的意中人,对吧?”
傲慢的褐色回答说:
“我要是再听到你这么粗鲁地侮辱人,我就向德·梅西太太告你的状。”
“粗鲁鲁、噜噜噜,”擦鞋侍役对她这番恐吓粗野地嗤之以鼻,然后沿着原路走回去。
开花[25]。
杜丝小姐朝自己的花皱了皱眉,说:
“那个小子太放肆啦。他要是不放规矩些,我就把他的耳朵扯到一码长。”
一副淑女派头,鲜明的对照。
“理他呢,”?肯尼迪小姐回答说。
她斟了一杯茶,又把茶倒回壶里。她们蜷缩在暗礁般的柜台后面,坐在底朝天的柳条筐上,等待茶泡出味道来。她们各自摆弄着身上的衬衫,那都是黑缎子做的:一件是两先令九便士一码,另一件是两先令七便士一码的。就这样等着茶泡出味儿来。
是啊,褐色从近处,金色从远处听见了。听见了近处钢铁的铿锵,远处的蹄得得。听见了蹄铁铿锵,嚓嚓嗒嗒。
“我晒得厉害吗?”
褐色小姐解开衬衫钮扣,露出脖颈。
“没有,”肯尼迪小姐说,“以后会变成褐色。你试没试过兑上硼砂的樱桃月桂水?”
杜丝小姐欠起身来,在酒吧间的镜子里斜眼照了照自己的皮肤;镜子里盛有白葡萄酒和红葡萄酒的玻璃杯闪闪发光,中间还摆着一只海螺壳。
“连我的手都晒黑了,”她说。
“擦点甘油试试看,”肯尼迪小姐出了个点子。
杜丝小姐同自己的脖子和手告了别,回答说:
“那些玩艺儿不过让人长疙瘩就是了,”她重新坐了下来,“我已经托博伊德那家店里的老古板去给我弄点擦皮肤的东西了。”
肯尼迪小姐边斟着这会子刚泡出味儿来的茶,边皱起眉头央告道:
“求求你啦,可别跟我提他啦。”
“可你听我说呀,”杜丝小姐恳求说。
肯尼迪小姐斟了甜茶,兑上牛奶,并用小指堵起双耳。
“不,别说啦,”她大声说。
“我不要听,”她大声说。
可是,布卢姆呢?
杜丝小姐学着老古板的鼻音瓮声瓮气地说:
“擦在你的什么部位?--他就是这么说的。”
肯尼迪小姐为了倾听和说话,不再堵起耳朵了。可是她又开口说,并且恳求道:
“不要再让我想起他了,不然我会断气儿的。卑鄙讨厌的老家伙!那天晚上在安蒂恩特音乐堂里。”
她吸了一口自己兑好的热茶,不大合她口味。她一点点地吸着甜甜的茶。
“瞧他那个德行!”杜丝小姐说,并且把她那褐发的头抬起四分之三,鼓着鼻翼,“呼哧!呼哧!”
肯尼迪小姐的喉咙里爆出尖锐刺耳的大笑声。杜丝小姐那鼓起的鼻孔喷着气,像正在寻觅猎物的猎犬那样颤动着,粗鲁地发出吭哧吭哧声。
“哎呀!”肯尼迪小姐尖声嚷道,“你怎么能忘掉他那双滴溜溜转的眼睛呢?”
杜丝小姐发出深沉的褐色笑声来帮腔,并嚷道:
“还有你的另一只眼睛[26]!”
布卢姆那黑黑的眼睛读到了艾伦·菲加特纳的名字。我为什么老以为是菲加泽尔呢?大概联想到了采集无花果[27]吧。普罗斯珀·洛尔[28]这个名字必然是个胡格诺派。布卢姆那双黑黑的眼睛从巴希[29]的几座圣母玛利亚像前掠过。白衬衣上罩了蓝袍[30]的人儿呀,到我这儿来吧。人们都相信她是神,或者是女神。今儿个那些女神们。我没能看到那个地方。那家伙谈话来着。是个学生。后来跟迪达勒斯的儿子搞到一块儿去了。他或许就是穆利根吧。这都是些俏丽的处女们。所以才把那些浪荡子弟们都招来了。她那白净的。
他的眼光掠过去了。偷情的快乐。快乐是甜蜜的。
偷情的。
焕发着青春的、金褐色的嗓门交织成一片响亮的痴笑,杜丝和肯尼迪,你那另一只眼睛。她们--褐发和哧哧笑的金发往后仰着年轻的头,开怀大笑,失声大叫,你那另一只,相互使了个眼色,发出尖锐刺耳的声调。
啊,喘着气儿,叹息,叹息。啊,筋疲力尽,她们的欢乐逐渐平息了。
肯尼迪小姐把嘴唇凑到杯边,举杯呷了一口,哧哧地笑着。杜丝小姐朝茶盘弯下腰去,又把鼻子一皱,滴溜溜地转着她那双眼皮厚实、带滑稽意味的眼睛。肯尼迪又哧哧哧地笑着,俯下她那挽成高髻的金发;一俯下去,就露出插在后颈上的一把鳖甲梳子来了。她嘴里喷溅出茶水,给茶水和笑声噎住了,噎得直咳嗽,就嚷着。
“噢,好油腻的眼睛!想想看,竟嫁给那么一个男人!”她嚷道,“还留着一撮小胡子!”
杜丝尽情地喊得很出色,这是个风华正茂的女子的洪亮喊声:喜悦,快乐,愤慨。
“竟嫁给那么个油腻腻的鼻子!”她嚷道。
尖嗓门儿,夹杂着深沉的笑声,金色的紧跟着褐色,你追我赶,一声接一声,变幻着腔调,褐金的,金褐的,尖锐深沉,笑声接连不停。她们又笑了一大阵子。真是油腻腻的哩。耗尽了精力,上气不接下气,她们将晃着的头--那是用有光泽的梳子梳理成辫子并挽成高髻的--倚在柜台边儿上。全都涨红了脸(噢!),气喘吁吁,淌着汗(噢!),都透不过气儿来了。
嫁给布卢姆,嫁给那油腻腻的布卢姆。
“哦,天上的圣徒们!”杜丝小姐说。她低头望了望在自己胸前颤动着的玫瑰,叹了口气:“我从来还没笑得这么厉害过呢。我浑身都湿透了。”
“啊,杜丝小姐!”肯尼迪小姐表示异议,“你个讨厌鬼!”
她越发涨红了脸(你个讨厌鬼!),越发金光焕发。
油腻腻的布卢姆正在坎特维尔的营业处,在塞皮[31]的几座油光闪闪的圣母像旁游荡。南尼蒂的父亲就曾挨门挨户地叫卖过这类货品,像我这样用花言巧语骗人。宗教有赚头。为了凯斯那条广告的事儿,得跟他见一面。先填饱肚子再说。我想要。还不到时候哪。她说过,在四点钟。[32]光阴跑得真快。时针转个不停。向前走。在哪儿吃呀?克拉伦斯[33]。海豚[34]。向前走。为了拉乌尔。如果我能从那些广告上捞到五吉尼。紫罗兰色的丝绸衬裙。还不到时候。偷情的快乐。
脸上的红润消退了,越来越消退了,金黄色变得淡了。
迪达勒斯先生溜溜达达地走进了她们的酒吧。碎屑,从他那两个大拇指的灰指甲上削下碎屑。碎屑。他漫步走来。
“咦,欢迎你回来啦,杜丝小姐。”
他握着她的手,问她假日度得可开心吗?
“再开心不过啦。”
他希望她在罗斯特雷沃[35]赶上了好天气。
“天气好极了,”她说,“瞧瞧我都晒成什么样子啦!成天躺在沙滩上。”
褐中透白。
“那你可太淘气[36]啦,”迪达勒珀先生对她说,并放纵地紧握住她的手,“可怜的傻男人都给你迷住啦。”
身着缎子衬衫的杜丝小姐安详地将自己的胳膊抽了回去。
“哦,你给我走吧!我可不认为你是个非常傻的人。”
可他是傻里傻气的。
“喏,我就是傻,”他沉思了一下,“我在摇篮里就显得那么傻,他们就给我取名叫傻西蒙。[37]”
“那时候你准是挺逗人爱的,”杜丝小姐回答说,“今天大夫要你喝点什么呀?”
“唔,喏,”他沉吟了一忽儿,“凡事都听你的吧。我想麻烦你给我来点清水和半杯威士忌。”
丁零。
“马上就端来,”杜丝小姐答应道。
她风度翩翩地发挥了麻利快这一本事之后,立刻就转向镀有“坎特雷尔与科克伦”一行金字的镜子。她举止娴雅地拔开透明容器的塞子,倒出一份金色的威士忌。迪达勒斯先生从上衣下摆底下掏出烟草袋和烟斗。她敏捷地为他把酒端了来。他用烟斗两次吹出横笛的沙哑音响。
“可不是嘛,”他若有所思地说,“我一直想去看看莫恩山[38]。那儿的空气准有益于健康。但是俗话说得好,久而久之,前兆终究会应验。是啊。是啊。”
是啊。他把一小撮细丝,她的处女发,她的人鱼发[39],塞进烟
斗里。碎屑。一小绺。沉思。缄默无言。
谁都不曾说片言只语。是啊。
杜丝小姐边快活地打磨着平底大酒杯,边颤悠悠地唱了起来:
噢,艾多洛勒斯,东海的女王![40]
“利德维尔先生今天来过吗?”
利内翰走进来了。利内翰四下里打量着。布卢姆先生走到埃塞克珀桥跟前。是啊,布卢姆先生跨过那塞克斯桥[41]。我得给玛莎写封信。买点信纸。达利烟店。那里的女店员挺殷勤的。布卢姆,老布卢姆。稞麦地开蓝花[42]。
“吃午饭的时候他来过,”杜丝小姐说。
利内翰凑近了些。
“博伊兰先生找我来着吗?”
他问。她回答说:
“肯尼迪小姐,我在楼上的时候博伊兰先生来过吗?”
肯尼迪把第二杯茶端稳了,两眼盯着书页,用小姐式的腔调回答她这句问话:
“没有,他没来过。”
肯尼迪虽听见了,却连抬也不抬一下她那小姐派头的目光,继续读下去。利内翰那圆滚滚的身躯绕着放三明治的钟形玻璃罩走了一圈。
“闷儿!谁在那个角落里哪?”[43]
肯尼迪连睬都不曾睬他一眼,可他还是试着向她献殷勤,提醒她要注意句号。教她光读黑字:圆圆的0和弯曲的S。[44]
辚辚,轻快二轮马车辚辚。
金发女侍看着书,连睬都不睬。她不屑一顾。当他凭着记忆用没有抑扬的腔调呆板地背诵浅显的寓言[45]时,她还是不屑一顾:
“一只狐狸遇见了一只鹳。狐狸对鹳说:‘你把嘴伸进我的喉咙,替我拽出一根骨头好不好?,”[46]
他徒然地用单调低沉的声音讲了这么一段。杜丝小姐把脸掉向旁边那杯茶。
他叹了口气,自言自语他说:
“哎呀!啊唷!”
他向迪达勒斯先生致意,对方朝他点了点头。
“一位著名的儿子向他的著名的父亲问候。”
“你指的是谁呀?”迪达勒斯先生说。
利内翰极其和蔼地摊开了双臂。谁呀?
“能是谁呢?”他问,“你还用得着问吗?是斯蒂芬,青年‘大诗人’呀。”
干渴。
著名的父亲迪达勒斯先生将他那填满干烟叶的烟斗撂在一旁。
“原来如此,”他说,“我一时还没悟过来指的是谁呢。我听说他交的朋友都是精心挑选的。你新近见到过他吗?”
他见过。
“今天我还和他一道痛饮过美酒哩,”利内翰说,“城里的穆尼酒馆和海滨上的[47]穆尼酒馆。凭着在诗歌上的努力,他拿到了一笔钱。”
他朝着褐发女侍那被茶水润湿了的嘴唇--倾听着他说话的嘴唇和眼睛,露出了微笑:
“爱琳””的精英们都洗耳恭听。包括都柏林最有才华的新闻记者兼编辑、堂堂的饱学之士休·麦克休,和那位生在荒芜多雨的西部、以奥马登·伯克这一动听的称呼闻名的少年吟游诗人。[49]”
过了一会儿,迪达勒斯先生举起他那杯兑水威士忌。
“那一定挺逗趣儿的,”他说,“我明白了。”
他明白了。他饮着酒。眼睛里露出眺望远处哀伤之山[50]的神色。他将玻璃杯撂下了。
他朝大厅的门望去。
“看来你们把钢琴挪动了位置。”
“今天调音师来了,”杜丝小姐回答说,“是为了举办允许吸烟的音乐会而调的音。我从来没见过像他那样出色的钢琴演奏家。”
“真的吗?”
“他弹得好吧,肯尼迪小姐?要知道,真正的古典弹奏法。他还是个盲人呢,怪可怜的。我敢肯定他还不满二十岁。”
“真的吗?”迪达勒斯先生说。
他喝完了酒,缓步走开了。
“我一看他的脸就觉得难过,”杜丝小姐用同情的口吻说。
天打雷霹的,你这婊子养的杂种![51]
与她表示的怜悯相配合,[52]餐厅的铃铛叮啷一声响了。秃头帕特到酒吧和餐厅的门口来了。聋子帕特来了,奥蒙德饭店的茶房帕特来了。给吃饭的客人预备的陈啤酒[53]。她不慌不忙地端上了陈啤酒。
利内翰耐心地等待着不耐烦的博伊兰,等待着辚辚地驾着轻快二轮马车而来的那个恶魔般的纨绔子[54]。
掀开盖子,他[55](谁?)逼视着木框(棺材?)里那斜绷着的三重(钢琴!)钢丝。他(就是曾经放肆地紧握过她的手的那个人)踩着柔音踏板,按了按三个三和弦音键,试一下油毛毡厚度的变化,听一听用毡子裹住的琴槌敲击出的音响效果。
聪明的布卢姆(亨利·弗罗尔[56])在达利商行买了两张奶油色的仿羔皮纸(一张是备用的),两个信封,边买边回想着自己在威兹德姆·希利的店里工作时的事。你在自己家里不幸福吗?[57]花是为了安慰我,把爱情断送掉的针。[58]花的语言[59]是有含义的。那是一朵雏菊吗?象征着天真无邪。望完弥撒后,跟品行端正的良家少女[60]见面。多谢多谢。聪明的布卢姆望着贴在门上的一张招贴画。一个吸着烟的美人鱼在绮丽的波浪当中扭动着腰肢。吸美人鱼牌香烟吧,吸那无比凉爽的烟吧。头发随波飘荡,害着相思病。为了某个男人。为了拉乌尔。他放眼望去,只见远远地在埃塞克斯桥上,远远地望到一顶花哨的帽子乘着二轮轻快马车。那就是[61]。又碰见了。这是第三回了。巧合。
马车那柔软的胶皮轱辘从桥上辚辚地驰向奥蒙德码头。跟上去。冒一下险。快点儿走。四点钟。如今快到了。走出去吧。
“两便士,先生,”女店员壮起胆子来说。
“啊……我忘记了……对不起……”
“外加四便士。”
四点钟,她。她朝着布卢姆嫣然一笑。布卢、微笑、快、走。[62]再见。难道你以为自己是沙滩上唯一的小石头子儿吗?她对所有的人都这样,只要是男人。
金发女侍昏昏欲睡,默默地朝着她正读着的书页俯下身去。
从大厅里传来一阵声音,拖得长长的,逐渐消失。这是调音师忘下的音叉,他[63]正拿着敲呢。又响了一声。他把它悬空拿着,这次它发出了颤音。你听见了吗?它发出了颤音,清纯,更加清纯;柔和,更加柔和。那营营声拖得长长的。呼唤声拖得越来越悠长,逐渐消失。
帕特替客人叫的那瓶现拔塞子的酒付了款。在离开之前,秃头而面带困惑表情的他,隔着大酒杯、托盘和现拔塞子的那瓶酒,跟杜丝小姐打起耳喳来。
灿烂的星辰褪了色。……[64]
从里面传来“无声歌”[65]的曲调:
……即将破晓。
一双敏感的手下,十二个半音像小鸟鸣啭一般做出快活的最高音区的回应。所有的音键都明亮地闪烁着,相互连结,统统像羽管键琴[66]般轰鸣着,呼吁歌喉去唱那被露水打湿了的早晨,唱青春,唱与情人的离别,唱生命和爱的清晨。
露水如珍珠……
利内翰的嘴唇隔着柜台低低地吹着诱人的口哨。
“可是朝这边望望吧,”他说,“你这朵卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰[67]。”
轻快二轮马车辚辚地驰到人行道的边石那儿停住了。
她站起来,阖上书本。这朵卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰烦恼而孤寂,睡眼惺松地站了起来。
“她””是自甘堕落呢,还是被迫的呢?”他问她。
她以轻蔑口吻回答:
“别问了,你也就听不到瞎话啦。”[68]
像个大家闺秀,摆出大家闺秀的架势。
布莱泽斯·博伊兰那双款式新颖的棕黄色皮鞋在他大踏步走着的酒吧间地板上橐橐响着。是啊,金发女侍从近处,褐发女侍从远处。利内翰听见了,晓得是他,并向他欢呼:
“瞧,英雄的征服者驾到。”[69]
布卢姆这位不可征服的英雄从马车与窗户之间小心翼翼地穿过去。说不定他还瞧见了我呢。他坐过的座位还有股热气儿呢。他像一只谨慎的黑色公猫似的朝着里奇·古尔丁那只举起来向他打招呼的公文包走去。
而我从卿卿……
“我听说你到这儿来啦,”布莱泽斯·博伊兰说。
他用手碰了一下歪戴着的草帽檐儿,向金发的肯尼迪小姐致意。她朝他笑了笑。可是跟她形同姐妹的那个褐发女侍笑得比她还甜,像是在向他夸耀着自己那更加浓密的头发和那插着玫瑰的酥胸。
[潇洒的][70]博伊兰叫了酒。
“你要点儿什么?苦啤酒?请给来一杯苦啤酒。给我野梅红杜松子酒。结果出来了吗?”[71]
还没有。四点钟,他。都说是四点钟。
考利神父那红润的耳朵垂儿和突出的喉结出现在行政司法长官公署的门口。躲开他吧。赶巧碰上了古尔丁。他在奥蒙德干什么哪?还让马车等着。且慢。
喂,你好。到哪儿去呀?要吃点儿什么吗?我也刚好要。就在这儿吧。哦,奥蒙德?在都柏林说得上是最实惠的。哦,是吗?餐厅。就一动不动地坐在那儿。能够看见他,却别让他看见自己。我陪你一道去。来吧。里奇在前面引路。布卢姆跟在他的公文包后边。这饭菜足可以招待王爷。[72]
杜丝小姐伸出她那裹在缎袖中的胳膊去够一只大肚酒瓶,她那胸脯挺得高高的,几乎快绷裂了。
“噢!噢!”她每往上一挺,利内翰就倒吸一口气,并急促地说,“噢!”
然而她顺顺当当地抓到了猎物,洋洋得意地把它撂在低处。
“你为什么不长高点儿呢?”布莱泽斯·博伊兰问。
这位褐发女侍从瓶子里为他的嘴唇倾倒出浓郁的甜酒,望着它哗哗地往外流(他上衣上那朵花儿,是谁送的呢?),然后用甜得像糖浆般的嗓音说:
“好货色总是小包装的。”
这指的是她本人喽。她灵巧地慢慢倾倒着那糖浆状野梅红杜松子酒。
“祝你走运,”布莱泽斯说。
他掷下一枚大硬币。硬币眶啷一响。
“等着吧,”利内翰说,“直到我……”
“交了好运,”他表示自己的愿望,并举起冒泡的淡色浓啤酒。
“‘权杖’[73]不费吹灰之力就能取胜,”他说。
“我下了点儿赌注,”博伊兰边眨眼边喝着酒说,“要知道,不是我本人出的钱。是我的一个朋友心血来潮。”
利内翰继续喝着酒,并且朝自己杯中这倾斜着的啤酒以及杜丝小姐那微启的嘴唇咧嘴笑了笑。她那嘴唇差点儿把刚才颤巍巍地唱过的海洋之歌哼出来。艾多洛勒斯。东海。
时钟在响着。肯尼迪小姐从他们旁边经过(花儿,我纳闷是谁送的?),端走了托盘。时钟喀嗒喀嗒地响着。
杜丝小姐拿起博伊兰的硬币,使劲用它敲了一下现金出纳机。它发出一片眶啷声。时钟喀嗒喀嗒地响着。埃及美女[74]在钱箱里又扒拉又挑拣,嘴里哼唱着,递给了他找头。朝西边望去[75],喀嗒。为了我。
“几点钟啦?”布莱泽斯·博伊兰问,“四点?”
钟。
利内翰那双小眼睛贪婪地盯住正在哼唱着的她,盯住哼唱着的胸脯,并拽拽布莱泽斯·博伊兰的袖管。
“咱们听听那个拍子[76]吧,”他说。
古尔丁- 科利斯- 沃德法律事务所的那只公文包领着布卢姆,从那些裸麦地里开着花的桌子[77]之间穿行。他对自己的目的感到兴奋,在秃头帕特侍奉下,随随便便选了一张靠近门口的桌子。好挨得近一点儿。四点钟。难道他忘记了不成?兴许是玩花样。不来了:吊吊胃口。我可做不到。等啊,等啊。帕特,茶房,侍奉着。
褐发女侍那对闪亮的碧眼瞅着布莱泽斯那天蓝色的蝴蝶领结和一双天蓝色的眼睛。
“来吧,”利内翰苦苦相劝,“谁都不在嘛。他还从来没听过呢。”
……紧步凑向弗萝拉的嘴唇。[78]
高高的、高高的音调--最高音部,清晰地响彻着。
褐发女侍杜丝边跟自己那朵忽沉忽浮的玫瑰谈着心,边渴求布莱泽斯·博伊兰的鲜花和眼睛。
“劳驾啦,劳驾啦。”
为了让她说出表示同意的话,他一再央求着。
我离不开卿卿……[79]
“呆会儿再说,”杜丝小姐羞答答地答应道。
“不,马上就来,”利内翰催促着,“敲响那白钟![88]啥,来吧!谁都不在嘛。”
她瞧了瞧。可得抓紧。从肯小姐[81]所在的地方是听不见的。猛地弯下身去。两张兴奋起来的面庞正凝视着她弯腰。
游离主调的和弦,失去的和弦[82]颤悠悠地重新找到了,接着又失去了,并又找到了震颤的主调。
“来吧!干吧!敲响![8c]”
她弯下身,捏着裙子下摆一直撩到膝盖以上。磨磨蹭蹭地。弯着腰,迟迟疑疑,以胸有成竹的眼神继续挑逗着他们。
“敲响![84]”
啪!她突然撤开捏着松紧袜带的手,让它啪的一声缓缓地碰回到她那包在暖和的长袜里、能够发出声响的女人大腿上。
“那口钟![85]”利内翰极高兴地嚷哔,“老板训练有方。无可挑剔。”
她目空一切地堆出一脸做作的笑容(哭鼻子了!男人不就会这样么!),却朝亮处悄悄溜去,对博伊兰投以柔和的微笑。
“你这个人庸俗透顶,”她边滑也似地走去,边说。
博伊兰以目传神,以目传神。他把厚厚的嘴唇凑在倾着的杯子上,干了那一小杯,吸着杯中最后几滴糖浆般的紫罗兰色浓酒。当她的头从酒吧间里那镀了金字的拱形镜子旁边闪过时,他那双着了迷的眼睛紧紧追随着她;镜中可以望到的盛着姜麦酒、白葡萄酒和红葡萄酒的玻璃杯,以及一只又尖又长的海螺闪了过去,褐发女侍和更加明亮的褐发女侍一时交相辉映。
是啊,褐发女侍从近处走开了。
……情人啊,再见吧!(86)
“我走啦,”博伊兰不耐烦他说。
他精神抖擞地推开杯子,一把抓起找给他的零钱。
“等一会儿,”利内翰赶忙把酒喝了恳求说,“我有话告诉你。托姆·罗赤福特……”
“他就欠下地狱啦,”布莱泽斯·博伊兰边说边提起脚就走。
利内翰为了好跟着他走,把酒一饮而尽。
“难道你长犄角[87]了吗?”他说,“等一等。马上我就来。”
他跟在那双匆匆地橐橐响着的鞋后边走去,然而到了门口就麻利地在一胖一瘦两个互相寒暄着的身影旁边站住了。
“你好,本·多拉德先生。”
“呃?好吗?好吗?”正在听考利神父诉苦的本·多拉德,掉过脸去,用含含糊糊的男低音说,“他不会来找你什么麻烦了,鲍勃。阿尔夫·柏根会跟那高个子[88]谈一谈。这回咱们要往加略人犹大[89]的耳朵里塞根大麦秆。”
迪达勒斯先生叹着气穿过大厅走来了,他用一个指头揉着眼睑。
“嘿,嘿,咱们就是得给他塞,”本·多拉德就像是用约德尔[90]唱法似的兴高采烈他说,“来吧,西蒙。给咱唱个小调儿。我们听到你弹的钢琴喽。”
歇顶的帕特,耳聋的茶房正等着客人们叫饮料。里奇叫的是鲍尔威士忌[91]。布卢姆呢?让我想想看。省得让他跑两趟。他脚上长了鸡眼呢。此刻已经四点钟啦。这身黑衣服穿着多热呀。当然,神经也有些作怪。它折射着(是吗?)热能。让我想想看。苹果酒。对,一瓶苹果酒。
“那算什么呀?”迪达勒斯先生说,“伙计,我不过是凑凑热闹。”
“来吧,来吧,”本·多拉德嚷道,“把忧愁赶走![92]来呀,鲍勃。”
他--多拉德,穿着那条肥大的裤子,领着他们(瞧那个衣着不整的家伙,现在就瞧)缓步走进大厅。他--多拉德,一屁股坐在琴凳上。他那双患痛风症的手咚的一声戳了一下琴键。咚的一声,又嘎然而止。
秃头帕特在门道里碰见手里没有了茶盘的金发女侍走了回来。他面带困惑神色请她端杯鲍尔威士忌和一瓶苹果酒来。褐发女侍在窗畔注视着。褐发女恃从远处。
轻快二轮马车辚辚地驰过。
布卢姆听见辚的一声,轻微的。他走啦。布卢姆对着沉默的蓝色花儿,像鸣咽一般轻轻地叹了口气。辚辚。他走啦。辚辚。听哪。
“《恋爱与战争》[93],本,”迪达勒斯先生说,“天主祝福往昔的岁月。”
杜丝小姐那双大胆的眼睛无人理睬,她受不了阳光的刺激, 就把视线从半截帘子那儿移开了。走掉啦。郁郁不乐(有谁知道呢?), 实在太扎眼(那刺目的阳光!)她拽了拽拉绳,撂下了窗帘。这当儿,褐发下面浮泛着郁郁不乐之色。(他为什么这么匆匆忙忙地就走了开,正当我要?), 款款来到酒吧间。秃头正挨着金发姊妹站在那儿,形成了不协调的对比, 对比起来不协调,全然不协调的对比。徐缓、冰凉、朦胧地滑到阴影深处的海绿色,一片淡绿蓝色[94]。
“那天晚上弹钢琴的是可怜的古德温老爷爷,”考利神父提醒他们说,“他本人和那架科勒德牌三角钢琴[95]不大合得来。”
是这样的。
“光听他一个人说了,”迪达勒斯先生说,“连魔鬼都制止不了他。喝得半醉的时候,他就成了个怪脾气的老家伙。”
“哎唷,你还记得吗?”本,大块头多拉德从受他惩罚的琴键前掉转身来说,“而且他妈的我当时也没有婚礼服呢。”
他们三个人都笑了。他没有结婚。三个全笑了。没有婚礼穿
的礼服。
“那个晚上,咱们的朋友布卢姆可帮了大忙,”迪达勒斯先生说,“哦,我的烟斗哪儿去啦?”
他踱回到酒吧间去找那支失去的和弦烟斗[ 96] 。秃头帕特正给里奇和帕迪两位顾客送饮料。考利神父又笑了一通。
“看来是我给救了急,本。”
“可不就是你嘛,”本·多拉德斩钉截铁他说,“我还记得那条紧巴巴的长裤的事儿。那可是个高明的主意,鲍勃。”
考利神父的脸一直涨红到紫红色的耳垂儿。他打开了局面。紧巴巴的长裤。高明的主意。
“我晓得他手头紧。他老婆每星期六在咖啡宫[97]弹钢琴,挣不了几个钱。是谁来着,透露给我说,她在于着另一种行当。[98] 。为了寻找他们,我们不得不走遍整条霍利斯街,最后还是基奥那家店里的伙计告诉了我们门牌号码。记得吗?”
本记起来了,他那张宽脸盘儿露出诧异的神情。
“哎唷,她尽管住在那样的地方,却还有赴歌剧院的豪华大氅什么的。”
迪达勒斯先生手里拿着烟斗,溜溜达达地走回来了。
“梅里昂方场[99]的款式。好多件舞衣,哎唷,还有不少件宫廷服装。然而他从来不让老婆掏钱。对吧?她有一大堆两端尖的帽子、博莱罗[100]和灯笼裤。对吧?”
“唉,唉,”迪达勒斯先生点了点头,“玛莉恩·布卢姆太太有各式各样不再穿的衣服。[1 01]
轻快二轮马车辚辚地沿着码头奔驰而去。布莱泽斯在富于弹性的轮胎上伸开四肢,颠簸着。
“肝和熏猪肉。牛排配腰子饼。”“好的,先生,好的,”帕特说。
玛莉恩太太。遇见了他尖头胶皮管[1 02]。一股糊味儿,一本保罗·德·科克[103]的。他这个名字多好!
“她叫什么来着?倒是个活泼丰满的姑娘。玛莉恩……?”
“特威迪。”
“对。她还活着吗?”
“活得欢势着哪,”
“她是谁的闺女来着……”
“联队的闺女。”
“对,一点儿不假。我记起那个老鼓手长来了。”
迪达勒斯先生划了根火柴,嚓的一声点燃了,噗地喷出一口馨香的烟,又喷出一口。
“是爱尔兰人吗?我真不知道哩。她是吗,西蒙?”
然后猛吸进一口,强烈,馨香,发出一阵噼啪声。
“脸蛋儿上的肌肉……怎样?……有点儿褪了色……噢,她是……我的爱尔兰妞儿摩莉,噢。[ 104] ”
他吐出一股刺鼻的羽毛状的烟。
“从直布罗陀的岩石那儿……大老远地来的。”
她们在海洋的阴影深处苦苦地恋慕着[ 105] ,金发女侍守在啤酒泵柄旁,褐发女侍挨着野樱桃酒;两个人都陷入沉思。住在德拉姆康德拉[1 06]的利斯英尔高台街四号的米娜·肯尼迪以及艾多洛勒斯,一位女王,多洛勒斯[1 07],都一声不响。
帕特上了菜,把罩子一一掀开。利奥波德切着肝。正如前文[118]所说的,他吃起下水、有嚼头的胗和炸雌鳕卵来真是津津有味。考立斯- 沃德律师事务所的里奇·古尔丁则吃着牛排配腰子饼。他先吃牛排,然后吃腰子。他一口口地吃饼。布卢姆吃着,他们吃着。
布卢姆和古尔丁默默地相互配合,吃了起来。那是一顿足以招待王爷的正餐。
单身汉[1 09]布莱泽斯·博伊兰顶着太阳在溽暑中乘着双轮轻便马车,母马那光滑的臀部被鞭子轻打着,倚靠那富于弹性的轮胎,沿着巴切勒[110] 便道辚辚前进。博伊兰摊开四肢焐暖着座席,心里急不可耐,热切而大胆。犄角。你长那个了吗?犄角。你长了吗?
呜--呜--号角[111]。
多拉德的嗓门像大管[112] 似的冲来,压过他们那炮轰般的和音:
当狂恋使我神魂颠倒之际……
本灵魂本杰明[ 113] 那雷鸣般的声音响震撼屋宇,震得天窗玻璃直颤抖着,爱情的颤抖。
“战争!战争!”考利神父大声在嚷,“你是勇士。”
“正是这样,”勇士本笑着说,“我正想着你的房东[114] 呢。恋爱也罢,金钱也罢。”
他住了口。为了自己犯的大错,他摇晃着大脸盘上的大胡子。
“就凭你这样的声量,”迪达勒斯先生在香烟缭绕中说,“你准会弄破她的膜[115] ,伙计。”
多拉德摇晃着胡子,在键盘上大笑了一通。他是做得到的。
“且别提另一个膜了,”考利神父补充说,“歇口气吧。含情但勿过甚[116]。我来弹吧。”
肯尼迪小姐给两位先生端来两大杯清凉烈性黑啤酒。她寒暄了一声。第一位先生说,这可真是好天气。他们喝着清凉烈性黑啤酒。她可晓得总督大人是到哪儿去吗?可曾听见蹄铁响,马蹄声。不,她说不准。不过,这会儿报的。噢,不用麻烦她啦。不麻烦。她摇晃着那份摊开的《独立报》,她寻找着总督大人。她那高高挽起的发髻慢慢移动着,寻找着总督大人。第一位先生说,太麻烦了。哪里,一点也不费事。喏,他就像那样盯着看。总督大人。金发挨着褐发,听见了蹄铁声,钢铁响。
……我神魂颠倒之际,
顾不得为明天而焦虑。[117]
布卢姆在肝汁里搅拌着土豆泥。恋爱与战争--有人就是这样的。本·多拉德大名鼎鼎。有一天晚上,他跑来向我们借一套为了赴那次音乐会穿的夜礼服。裤子像鼓面那样紧紧地绷在他身上。一头音乐猪。他走出去之后,摩莉大笑了一阵。她仰面往床上一倒,又是尖叫,又是踢踢踹踹。这不是把他的物儿统统都展览出来了吗?啊,天上的圣人们,我真是一身大汗!啊,坐在前排的女客可怎么好!啊,我从来没笑得这么厉害过!喏,就是那样,他才能发得出那低沉的桶音[118] 。比方说,那些阉人。谁在弹琴呢?韵味儿不错。准是考利,有音乐素质。无论奏什么曲调,都能理解。可是他有口臭的毛病,可怜的人。琴声停止了。
富于魅力的杜丝小姐,莉迪亚·杜丝朝着正走进来的一位先生--和蔼可亲的初级律师乔治·利德维尔鞠着躬。您好。她伸出一只湿润的、上流小姐的手,他紧紧地握住。您好。是的,她已经回来啦。又忙忙碌碌地干起来了。
“您的朋友们在里面呢,利德维尔先生。”
乔治·利德维尔,和蔼可亲,像是受诱惑般地握住一只肉感的手。[119]
正如前文说过的,布卢姆吃了肝。这里至少挺清洁。在伯顿饭馆,那家伙用齿龈对付软骨。这里什么人也没有。除了古尔丁和我。干净的桌布,花儿,状似主教冠的餐巾。帕特张罗来张罗去。秃头帕特。无所事事。在都柏林市,这里最物美价廉了。
又弹起钢琴来了。那是考利。当他面对钢琴而坐时,好像和它融为一体,相互理解。那些徒有其表、令人厌烦的乐师们在弦上乱拨一气。盯着琴弓的一头,就像拉锯般地拉起大提琴,使你想起牙疼时的情景。她高声打起长的呼噜。那晚上我们坐在包厢里,幕间休息的时候,长号在下面像海豚般地喘着气:另一个吹铜管乐器的汉子拧了一下螺丝,把积存的唾沫倒出来。指挥的两条腿在松松垮垮的长裤里跳着吉格舞[120]。把他们遮藏起来还是对的。
双轮轻快马车辚辚地疾驰而去。
只有竖琴。可爱灿烂的金光。少女拨弄着它。可爱的臀部,倒很适宜醮上点儿肉汁。黄金的船。爱琳。那竖琴也被摸过一两次。冰凉的手。[121]霍斯山,杜鹃花丛。我们是她们的竖琴。我。他。老的。年轻的。
“啊,我不行,老兄,”迪达勒斯先生畏畏缩缩、无精打采地说
得用强硬的口气。
“弹下去,妈的!”本·多拉德大声嚷道,“一小段一小段地来
“来一段《爱情如今》[122] ,西蒙,”考利神父说。
他朝舞台下首迈了几大步,神情严肃,无限悲伤地摊开了长长的胳膊。他的喉结嘶哑地发出轻微的嘎声。他对着那里的一幅罩满尘土的海景画《最后的诀别》[123] 柔声唱了起来。伸入大海中的岬角,一艘船,随着起伏的孤帆。再见吧。可爱的少女。她的面纱随风围着她刮,它在风中朝着岬角飘动。
考利唱道:
爱情如今造访,
攫住我的目光……
少女不去听考利的歌声。她对那离去的心上人,对风,对恋情,对疾驶的帆,对归去者,摇着她的轻纱。
“弹下去吧,西蒙。”
“哎,我的全盛时期确实已经过去了,[124] 本……喏……”
迪达勒斯先生将自己的烟斗撂在音叉旁边,坐下来,碰了碰那顺从的键盘。
“不,西蒙,”考利神父掉过身来说,“照原来的谱子来弹。一个降号。”[125]
键盘乖乖地变得高昂了,诉说着,踌躇着,表白着,迷惘着。
考利神父朝舞台上首大踏步走去。
“喂,西蒙,我为你伴奏,”他说,“起来吧。”
那辆轻快双轮马车从格雷厄姆·莱蒙店里的菠萝味硬糖果和埃尔韦里的象记商店旁边,辚辚地驰过去。
布卢姆和古尔丁严然像王侯一般坐下来,牛排、腰子、肝、土豆泥,吃那顿适宜给王侯吃的饭。他们像进餐中的王侯似的举杯而饮鲍尔威士忌和苹果酒。
里奇说,这是迄今为男高音写的最优美的曲调:《梦游女》[126] 。一天晚上,他曾听见乔·马斯[127] 演唱过。啊,麦古金[128] 真了不起!对。有他独特的方式。少年唱诗班的味道。那少年名叫马斯。弥撒[129] 少年。可以说他是抒情性的男高音。听了之后永远不会忘记,永远不会。
布卢姆消灭了肝之后,就边吃剩下的牛排,边满怀同情地看着对面那张绷起来的脸上泛出的紧张神色。他背疼。布赖特氏病患者那种明亮的目光[130] 。节目单上下一个项目。付钱给吹笛手。[131]药片,像是用面包渣做成的玩艺儿,一吉尼一匣。拖欠一阵再说。也来唱唱:在死者当中[132] 。腰子饼。好花儿给。[133] 赚不了多少钱。东西倒是值。鲍尔威士忌,喝起酒来挺挑剔:什么玻璃杯有碴儿啦,要换一杯瓦尔特里[134] 水啦。为了省几个钱,就从柜台上捞几盒火柴。然后又去挥霍一金镑。等到该付钱的时候,却又一文也拿不出来了。喝醉了就连马车钱也赖着不给。好古怪的家伙。
里奇永远也不会忘记那个夜晚。只要他活着一天,就绝忘不掉的。在古老的皇家剧场的顶层楼座,还带着小皮克[ 135] 。刚一奏起第一个音符。
里奇把到嘴边儿的话咽回去了。
眼下撒开弥天大谎来了。不论说什么都狂热地夸张。还相信自己的瞎话。真的深信不疑。天字第一号撒谎家。可他缺的是一份好记性。[136]
“那是什么曲子呀?”利奥波德·布卢姆问。
“‘现在一切都失去啦’[137] 。”
里奇噘起嘴来。可爱的狺女[138] 喃喃地唱着音调低沉的序曲:一切。一只画眉。一只画眉鸟。他的呼吸像鸟鸣那样甜美,他引为自豪的一口好牙之间,以长笛般的声音唱出哀愁苦恼。失去了。嗓音圆润。这当儿两个音调融合在一起了。我在山楂谷[139] 听见了画眉的啭鸣。它接过我的基调,将其揉和,变了调。过于新颖的呼声,消失在万有之中。回声。多么婉转悠扬的回音啊![144] 那是怎样形成的呢?现在一切都失去啦。[141]他哀渤地吹着口哨。垮台,降伏,消失。
布卢姆一面把花边桌垫的流苏塞到花瓶底下,一面竖起他那豹子[142]耳朵。秩序。是啊,我记得。可人的曲子。在梦游中她来到他跟前。一位沐浴在月光中的天真烂漫的少女。勇敢。不了解他们所面临的险境。然而还是把她留住吧。呼唤她的名字。摸摸水。[143] 轻快双轮马车辚辚。太迟啦[144] 她巴望着去。正因为如此。女人。拦截海水倒还容易一些。是的,一切都失去啦。
“一支优美的曲子,”布卢姆,忘乎所以的利奥波德说,“我对它很熟悉。”
里奇·古尔丁平生从来不曾……
他对这一点也一清二楚。或许已有所觉察。依然念念不忘地提他的女儿。[145] 迪达勒斯曾说:“只有聪明的女儿才会知道自己的父亲。”[146]我呢?
布卢姆隔着他那只肝儿已经吃光了的盘子,斜眼望去。失去了一切的人的面庞。这位里奇一度也曾沉缅于狂欢作乐。他玩的那些把戏而今都已过时了。什么扇耳朵啦,透过餐巾套环[147] 往外窥伺啦。现在他派儿子送出去几封告帮信。斗鸡眼的沃尔特[148]说,爹,我照办了,爹。我不想麻烦您,但我原是指望能收到一笔钱。替自己辩解。
又弹起钢琴来了。音色比我上次听到的要好些。大概调了音。
又停止了。
多拉德和考利还在催促那个迟迟疑疑的歌手唱起来。
“来吧,西蒙。”
“来,西蒙。”
“女士们,先生们,承蒙各位不弃,我深深表示感谢。”
“来,西蒙。”
“我不称钱,然而您们要是肯听的话,我就为大家唱一支沉痛的心灵之曲[149] 。”
在帘子的遮荫下,钟形三明治容器旁边,莉迪亚胸前插了朵玫瑰。一位褐发淑女的娴雅派头,忽隐忽现;而金发挽成高髻、沉浸在冰凉而银光闪闪的一片淡绿蓝色[150]中的米娜,在两位举着大酒杯的顾客面前也是这样。
前奏旋律结束了。拖得长长的、仿佛有所期待的和弦消失了。
当我初见那绰约身姿时[151]
里奇回过头去。
“西·迪达勒斯的声音,”他说。
他们脑子里充满了兴奋欣喜,涨红了双颊,边听边感受到一股恋慕之情流过肌肤、四肢、心脏、灵魂和脊背。布卢姆朝耳背头秃的帕特打了个手势,叫他把酒吧间的门半开着。酒吧间的门。就是这样。这样就行了。茶房帕特在那儿听候吩咐,因为站在门口听不清楚。
我的悲哀似乎将消失。
一个低沉的声音穿过静寂的空气传了过来。那不是雨,也不是沙沙作响的树叶;既不像是弦音或芦苇声,又不像那叫什么来着——杜西玛琴[152] ;用歌词触碰他们静静的耳朵,在他们各自宁静的心中,勾起往日生活的记忆,好哇,值得一听。他们刚刚一听,两个人的悲哀就好像分别消失了。当他们——里奇和波尔迪——初见美的女神而感到茫然时,他们从丝毫也不曾想到的人儿嘴里,第一次听到温柔眷恋、情意脉脉、无限缠绵的话语。
爱情在歌唱。古老甜蜜的情歌。[153]布卢姆缓缓地解开他那包包上的松紧带。敲响恋人那古老甜蜜的金发。[154]布卢姆将松紧带绕在四根叉开来的指头上,伸开来,松了松,又将它两道、四道、八道地绕在不安的指头上,勒得紧紧的。
胸中充满希望欣喜……
男高音歌手能够把好几十个女人弄到手。这样他们的嗓音就洪亮了。妇女们朝他脚下投鲜花。咱们什么时候能见面呢?[ 155] 简直让我晕头[156] 。辚辚地响着,欢天喜地。他不能专为戴大礼帽的演唱。简直让你晕头转向[157]为他而擦香水。你太太使用哪一种香水。我想知道。辚辚。停下来了。敲门。[158] 在开门之前,她总是先对着镜子照上最后一眼。门厅。啊,来了!你好吗?我很好。那儿吗?什么?要么就是?她的手提包里装着口香片,接吻时吃的糖果。要吗?双手去抚摩她那丰满的……[159]
哎呀,歌声高昂了,叹息着,变了调。洪亮,饱满,辉煌,自豪。
幻梦破灭一场空虚……
他至今仍有着一副极美妙的歌喉。科克人的歌声就是柔和一些,就连土腔都是这样。傻瓜!本来能够挣到海钱的。净唱错歌词。把他老婆活活地累死了。现下他倒唱起来了。然而很难说。只有他们两个[160]在一起。只要他不垮下来。沿着林荫路还能跑出个样儿来。他的四肢也都在歌唱。喝酒吧。神经绷得太紧了。为了唱歌,饮食得有节制。詹妮·林德[161] 式的汤:原汁,洋苏叶,生鸡蛋,半品脱奶油。为了浓郁的、梦幻般的歌喉。
柔情蜜意涌了上来。缓缓地,膨胀着,悸动着。就是那话儿。哈,给啦!接呀!怦怦跳动着,傲然挺立着。
歌词?音乐?不,是那背后的东西。
布卢姆缠上又松开来,结了个活扣儿,又重新解开来。
布卢姆。温吞吞、乐融融、舔光这股秘密热流,化为音乐,化为情欲,任情淌流,为了舔那淌流的东西而侵入。推倒她抚摩她拍拍她压住她。公羊。毛孔膨胀扩大。公羊。那种欢乐,那种感触,那种亲呢,那种。公羊。冲过闸门滚滚而下的激流。洪水,激流,涨潮,欢乐的激流,公羊震动。啊!爱情的语言。
希望的一线曙光,
喜气洋溢。女神莉迪亚一副淑女派头,尖声尖气地对利德维尔说着话。听不见,是由于希望的曙光被尖声压住了。
是《玛尔塔》。巧合。[162]我正要写信呢。莱昂内尔的歌。你这名字挺可爱。不能写。请笑纳我这份小小礼物。拨弄她的心弦,也拨弄钱包的丝带。她是个。我曾称你作淘气鬼。[163] 然而这个名字:玛莎。多么奇怪呀!今天。
莱昂内尔的声音又回来了,比先前减弱了,但并不疲倦。它再一次对里奇、波尔迪、莉迪亚、利德维尔歌唱,也对那边张着嘴竖起耳朵、边等着伺候顾客的帕特歌唱。他是怎样初次瞥见那绰约的身姿,悲哀是怎样似乎消失的,她的眼神、丰韵和谈吐如何使古尔德[164]和利德维尔着迷,如何赢得了帕特。布卢姆的心。
不过,我要是能瞧见他[165]的脸就好了。意思就更清楚了。这下子我明白,当我在德雷格理发店对着镜中理发师的脸说话时,他何以总要望着我的脸了。尽管离得有点儿远,在这儿还是比在酒吧间听得真切一些。
遇见你那温雅明眸……
我在特列纽亚的马特·狄龙[166]家初次见到她的那个夜晚。她身穿黑网眼的嫩黄色衣衫。音乐椅。最后只剩下我们两个。命运。我追在她后面。命运。慢慢腾腾地兜圈子。快点转吧。我们两个人。大家都看着哪。停!她坐了下来。被淘汰的面面相觑。个个咧着嘴笑着。嫩黄色的膝盖。
我的眼睛被迷惑……
歌唱着。她唱的是《等候》[167]。我替她翻乐谱。音域广阔,香气袭人。你的丁香树,什么牌的香水。我看见了胸脯,两边那么丰腴,喉咙颤抖着。当我初见,她向我道谢。她为什么……我呢?缘分。西班牙风韵的眼睛。此时此刻,在古老的马德里……多洛勒斯…”——她,多洛勒斯,在中院儿梨树下的阴影下。望着我。引诱着。啊,诱惑着。
玛尔塔!啊,玛尔塔!
莱昂内尔摆脱了心头的一切郁闷,以愈益深邃而愈益高昂的和谐音调,饱含着强有力的激情,唱起悲歌,呼唤着恋人归来。莱昂内尔那;孤独的呼唤,她是应该能理解的;玛尔塔是应该察觉到的。因为他所等待的只有她一人。在那儿?这儿, 那儿; 试试那儿,这儿;哪儿都试试看。在哪儿。在某处。
回来吧,迷失的你!
回来吧,我亲爱的你!
孤零零的,唯一的爱。唯一的希望。我唯一的慰藉。玛尔塔,胸腔共鸣[170] ,回来吧!
回来吧!
声音飞翔着,一只鸟儿,不停地飞翔,迅疾、清越的叫声。蹁跹吧,银色的球体;它安详地跳跃,迅疾地,持续地来到了。气不要拖得太长,他的底气足,能长寿。高高地翱翔,在高处闪耀,燃烧,头戴王冠,高高地在象征性的光辉中,高高地在上苍的怀抱里,高高地在浩瀚、至高无上的光芒普照中,全都飞翔着,全都环绕着万有而旋转,绵绵无绝期,无绝期,无绝期……
回到我这里![171]
西奥波德!
耗尽了。
哦,唱得好。大家鼓掌。她应该来的。到我这儿,到他那儿,到她那儿,还有你,我,我们。
“妙哇!”啪啪啪。“真了不起,好得很,西蒙。”噼啪噼啪。“再来一个!”噼噼啪啪。很是嘹亮。“妙哇,西蒙!”噼哩啪啦。“再来一个!”再来鼓掌。本·多拉德、莉迪亚·杜丝、乔治·利德维尔、帕特、米娜[ 172] ,面前摆着两只大酒杯的绅士、考利、拥着大酒杯的第一位绅士还有褐发女侍杜丝小姐和金发女侍米娜小姐,个个不住他说啊,叫唤啊,拍手啊。
布莱泽斯·博伊兰那双款式新颖的棕黄色皮鞋橐橐地走在酒吧间地板上,这在前边已说过了。正如适才所说的,轻快双轮马车辚辚地从约翰·格雷爵士、霍雷肖·独臂纳尔逊和可敬的西奥博尔德·马修神父的雕像前驰过。马儿颠颠小跑着,热腾腾的,坐在那儿也热腾腾的。那口钟。敲响。那口钟。敲响。[173] 母马略减速度,沿着拉特兰广场圆堂旁的小丘徐徐前进。母马一颠一摇地向前踱着。对情绪亢奋的博伊兰,急不可待的博伊兰来说,真是太慢了。
考利的伴奏结束了,缭绕的余音消失在充满感兴的空气中。
里奇·古尔丁呢,就饮着他那鲍尔威士忌,利奥波德·布卢姆 呷着他的苹果酒,利德维则啜着他那吉尼斯啤酒。第二位绅士说,倘若她不介意的话,他们很想再喝上两大杯。肯尼迪小姐那珊瑚般的嘴唇对第一位和第二位绅士冷冰冰地露出装腔作势的笑容,说她并不介意。
“把你在牢里关上七天,”本·多拉德说,“光靠面包和水来过活。西蒙,那样你就会唱得像花园里的一只画眉。”
唱莱昂内尔的这个角色——西蒙笑了。鲍勃·考利神父弹琴。米娜·肯尼迪伺候着。第二位绅士会的钞。汤姆·克南大摇大摆地走了进来。莉迪亚既赞赏又博得赞赏。布卢姆唱的却是一支沉默之歌。
赞赏着。
里奇边赞赏边畅谈那个人的非凡的嗓子。他记得多年以前的一个夜晚。他永远也忘不了那个夜晚。那一次,西在内德·兰伯特家演唱《地位名声》[174]。天哪,他平生从没听到过那样的旋律。从来没听到过把“宁可分手,负心人”那句唱得那么美妙。天哪,唱“爱情既已不复存”时,歌喉是那样婉转清越。问冋兰伯特,他也会这么说。
古尔丁那张苍白的脸兴奋得泛红了。他告诉布卢姆先生说,那个夜晚西·迪达勒斯在内德·兰伯特家演唱《地位名声》。
内兄。亲戚。我们擦身而过,彼此从不过话。[175]我想,他们之间有着不和的前兆[176] 。他以轻蔑态度对待他。然而,他对他却越发仰慕。西演唱的那个夜晚。他用喉咙唱出的歌声宛如由两根纤细的丝弦奏出来的,比其他任何人都出色。
那是哀叹的声音。现在平稳一些了。只有在静寂中,你才能感受自己所听到的。震颤。而今是沉默之曲。
布卢姆把十指交叉的双手松开来,用皮肤松弛的指头拨响那细细的肠线[177] 。他将线拽长并拨响,发出嗡嗡声,然后又嘭的一声。这当儿,古尔丁谈起巴勒克拉夫[178] 的发声法。汤姆·克南按照回顾性的编排[179] ,有条不紊地向洗耳恭听着的考利神父谈着往事。神父正即兴弹奏着,边弹边点头。这当儿,身材魁梧的本·多拉德点上烟,和正抽着烟的西蒙·迪达勒斯聊了起来。他抽烟时,西蒙点着头。
失去了的你。[180]这是所有的歌的主题。布卢姆把松紧带拽得更长了。好像挺残酷的。让人们相互钟情,诱使他们越陷越深。然后再把他们拆散。死亡啦。爆炸啦。猛击头部啦。于是,就堕入地狱里去。人的生命。迪格纳穆。唔,老鼠尾巴在扭动着哪!我给了五先令。天堂里的尸体[181]。秧鸡般地咯咯叫着。肚子像是被灌了毒药的狗崽子。走掉了。他们唱歌。被遗忘了。我也如此。迟早有一天,她也。撇下她。腻烦了。她就该痛苦啦。抽抽噎噎地哭泣。那双西班牙式的大眼睛直勾勾地望空干瞪着。她那波- 浪- 状、沉- 甸- 甸的头发不曾梳理。[182]
然而幸福过了头也令人腻烦。他一个劲儿地拽那根松紧带。你在自己家里不幸福吗?它啪的一声绷回去了。
车子辚辚地驶进多尔塞特街。
杜丝小姐抽回她那裹在缎袖里的胳膊,半嗔半喜。
“别这么没深没浅的,”她说,“咱们不过是刚刚相识。”
乔治·利德维尔告诉她,这是千真万确的,然而她不相信。
第一位绅士告诉米娜,确实是这样的。她问他,真是这样的吗?第二个握着大酒杯的人告诉她是这样的。那么就是这样的。
杜丝小姐,莉迪亚小姐,不曾相信。肯尼迪小姐,米娜,不曾相信。乔治·利德维尔,不,杜小姐不曾。第一个,第一个握着大酒杯的绅;相信,不,不;不曾,肯尼小姐,莉迪莉迪亚维尔,大酒杯。[183]
还不如在这里写呢。邮政局里的鹅毛笔不是给嚼瘪了,就是弄弯了。
秃头帕特在示意下凑了过来。要钢笔和墨水。他去了。要吸墨纸本[184]。他去了。吸墨水用的本子。他听见了,耳背的帕特。
“对,”布卢姆先生边摆弄那卷曲的肠线边说,“没错儿。写上几行就行啦。我的礼物。意大利的华丽音乐都是这样的。这是谁写的呀?要是知道那名字,就能理解得更透彻一些。(若无其事地掏出信纸信封)那富于特征。”
“那是整出歌剧中最壮丽的乐章[185] ,”古尔丁说。
“确实是这样,”布卢姆说。
都是数目[186] !想想看,所有的音乐都是如此。二乘二除二分之一等于两个一。[187] 这些是和弦,产生振动。一加二加六等于七。[188]你可以随心所欲地用这些数字变换花样。总能发现这个等于那个。墓地墙下的匀称[189]。他没注意到我的丧服。没有心肝!只关心自己的胃[190] 。冥想数学[191] 。而你还认为自己在倾听天体音乐哪。然而,倘若你这么说:玛莎,七乘九减x 等于三万五千。这就平淡无奇了。那全凭的是音。
比方说,现在他正弹着。是即兴弹奏。听到歌词之前,你还以为正是你自己心爱的曲子呢。你很想留神[192] 聆听。用心听。开头蛮好。接着就有些走调了。觉得有点儿茫然了。钻进麻袋又钻出来,跨过一只只的桶,跨越铁蒺藜,进行一场障碍竞走。时间会谱成曲调。问题在于你的心境[193]如何。总之,听音乐总是愉快的。除了女孩子们的音阶练习而外。隔壁人家,两个女学生一道。应该为她们发明一种不出声的钢琴。米莉不会欣赏音乐。奇怪的是我们两个人都……我的意思是。我为她买过《花赞》[194]。这个谱名[195] 。有个姑娘慢慢地弹奏它,当我晚上回家来的时候,那个姑娘。塞西莉亚街附近那几座马厩的门。
秃头耳背的帕特送来十分扁平[196] 的吸墨纸本和墨水。帕特将十分扁平的吸墨纸本和墨水钢笔一道撂下。帕特拿起盘子刀叉。帕特走了。
“那是唯一的语言,”迪达勒珀先生对本说。他小时候在林加贝拉,克罗斯黑文,林加贝拉[197] 听到过人们唱船歌。王后镇[ 198] 港口挤满了意大利船。喏,本,他们在月光下,头戴地震帽:[199]走来走去。歌声汇在一起。天哪,那可是了不起的音乐。本,我小时听过。穿越林加贝拉港的月夜之歌[200]。
他撂开乏味的烟斗,一只手遮拢在唇边,咕呜呜地发出月光之夜的呼唤,近听清晰,远方有回声。
布卢姆用“另一只眼睛”[201],将卷成指挥棒形的《自由人报)浏览到下端,想查明那是在儿见到的。卡伦、科尔曼、迪格纳穆·帕特里克。嗨嗬!嗨嗬!福西特。哎呀!我要找的就是这个。
但愿他[202]没望见,机敏得像耗子一般。他把《自由人报》打开,竖起,这下子就瞅不见了。记住要写希腊字母“E”[203]。布卢姆蘸了墨水。布卢姆嘟嚷道:“台端。”亲爱的亨利写道:“亲爱的玛迪[204]收到了你的信和花。”见鬼,我把它放在哪儿啦?哪个兜儿里哪。“今天完全不可能。”要在“不可能”下面画个杠杠。“写信。”
这可为难了。面有难色的布卢姆把帕特送来的扁平吸墨纸本当作手鼓似的轻敲着,刀。指头就表示“我正在考虑着”。
写下去。“懂事的意思吧。”不,把那个E换掉。“奉上薄礼,请哂纳。”另要求她写回信。等一下。给了迪格纳穆五先令。在这家店约莫要花上两先令。在海鸥身上花了一便士。以利亚来啦。在戴维。伯恩的酒吧开销了七便士。总计八先令左右。给半克朗吧。“奉上薄礼:价值两先令六便士的邮政汇票。”请给我写一封长信……你不屑于吗?辚辚,难道你长了那个吗?真是兴奋呀。你为什么叫我淘气鬼?你不也是个淘气鬼吗?哦,玛丽亚丢了带子。[206]今天就写到这里为止,再见。是的,是的,会告诉你的。想要。才能不让它脱落。请告诉我那另一个[207]。她写道:那另一个世界。我的耐心耗尽。才能不让它脱落。你一定要相信。相信。大酒杯。那- 是- 真的。
我写的是些蠢话吗?丈夫们不会这么写的。结了婚,有了老婆,就得那样。因为我不在。倘若。可是,怎样能做到呢?她必须,保持青春。倘若她发现了夹在我那顶礼帽里的卡片。不,我才不一古脑儿告诉她呢。无益的痛苦。只要她们没撞上。女人们。半斤八两[208]。
家住多尼布鲁克一哈莫尼大街一号的车夫詹姆斯.巴顿所赶的第三百二十四号出租马车上,坐着一位乘客——一位年轻绅士。他那套款式新颖的靛蓝色哔叽衣服是住在伊登码头区五号的缝纫兼剪裁师乔治·罗伯特·梅西雅斯[209] 做的;头上戴的那顶极其时髦漂亮的草帽子是从大布伦斯维克街一号的帽商约翰·普拉斯托那儿买的。呃?这就是那辆轻轻颠摇着辚辚前进的轻快二轮马车。母马扭动着壮实的屁股,从德鲁加茨猪肉店和阿根达珀公司那锃亮的金属管子旁边驰过。
“是为广告的事写回信吗?”里奇目光锐利地问布卢姆。
“是的,”布卢姆先生说,“是给市内的旅行推销员,我估计搞不出什么名堂来。”
布卢姆嘟哝着:“提供的线索倒都是最好的。[210]”然而亨利却写道:“这会使我兴奋。你晓得个中情况。匆致。亨利。”写希腊字母“E”。最好加个附言。他在弹什么哪?即兴的间奏曲。附言:啷当当。你要怎样来惩罚我?你要惩罚我?[211] 歪歪拧拧的裙子在摇来摆去,嘭嘭。[212] 告诉我,……我想知道。[213]噢,当然喽,假若我不想知道的话,也就不会问了。“拉、拉、拉、来。”进入小调就悲怆地消失了。小调为什么就悲怆呢?签上“H”。女人们都喜欢来个悲怆的结尾。再加个附言:“拉、拉、拉、来。今天我感到那么悲伤。拉、来。那么孤寂。亲[214] 。”
他赶紧用帕特的吸墨纸吸了一下。信封。地址。从报纸上抄一个就是了。他嘴里念念有词:“卡伦- 科尔曼股份有限公司台启。”亨利却写道:
都柏林市
海豚仓巷邮政局收转
玛莎·克利弗德小姐
用已经印有字迹的部分来吸,这样他[215]就认不出了。就这样。蛮好。这可以做《珍闻》悬赏小说的主题。某位侦探从吸墨纸上读到了什么。稿费每栏一基尼。马查姆经常想起……大笑着的魔女[216] 可怜的普里福伊太太。万事休矣。完蛋。[217]
用“悲怆”一词;未免太富有诗意了。这是音乐使然。莎士比亚说过:音乐有一种魔力。[218] 一年到头每天都在引用的名句。生存还是毁灭,这是一个值得考虑的问题。[219] 智慧出自等待。
他在杰勒德那座位于费特小巷的玫瑰花圃里散步,赤褐色的头发已灰白了。人生只有一次,肉体只有一具。干吧。专心致志地干。[220]
反正已经干完啦。邮政汇票,邮票。邮政局还在前面哪。这次走去吧。时间还来得及。我答应在巴尼·基尔南的酒店跟他们见面的;这可不是什么愉快的差事。办丧事的家[221] 。走呀。帕特!听不见。这家伙是个耳聋的笨蛋。
马车快到那儿了。聊聊吧。聊聊吧。“帕特!”听不见。在折叠那些餐巾哪。他每天准得走一大片地。要是在他的后脑勺上画张脸,他就成两个人了。但愿他们再唱些歌儿,我也好排遣一下。
面有难色的秃头帕特将一条条餐巾都折叠成主教冠的形状。帕特是个耳背的茶房。当你等候着时,帕特这位茶房服侍你。嘻嘻嘻嘻。你等候时,他服侍。嘻嘻。他是个茶房。嘻嘻嘻嘻。他服侍,而你在等候。当你等候时,倘若你等候着,他就服侍,在你等候的当儿。嘻嘻嘻嘻。嗬。你等候时,他服侍。[222]
这会子,杜丝。杜丝·莉迪亚。褐发与玫瑰。
她的假日过得好极啦,简直好极啦。瞧瞧她带回来的这枚可爱的贝壳。
她轻悄悄地将那尖而弯曲的海螺拿到酒吧间另一头,好让他——律师乔治·利德维尔,能够听见。
“听啊!”她怂恿他。
随着汤姆·克南那被杜松子酒醺热了的词句,伴奏者缓慢地编织着音乐。确凿的事实。沃尔特·巴普蒂[223] 的嗓子是怎样失灵的。喏,先生,那个做丈夫的一把卡住了他的喉咙。“恶棍,”他说,“再也不让你唱情歌啦。”果不其然,汤姆先生。鲍勃·考利编织着。男高音歌手把女人弄到手。考利把身子往后一仰;
啊,现在他听见了,她捧起海螺对准他的耳朵。听哪!他倾听着。真精彩。她又把它对着自己的耳朵。借着那透过来的光线,淡金色的头发一晃而过,形成对照。听一听。
笃,笃。
布卢姆隔着酒吧间的门,瞥见她们将一枚海螺对准自己的耳朵。他微微听到:她们先是各自、接着又替对方听见了波浪的迸溅,喧噪,以及深沉的海啸。
褐发女侍挨着金发女侍,从近处,从远处,她们聆听着。
她的耳朵也是一枚贝壳,有着耳垂。曾经去过一趟海滨。海滨那些俏丽的姑娘。[224] 皮肤被太阳晒得辣辣作痛。应该先擦点冷霜晒成棕色就好了。涂了奶油的烤面包片。哦,可别忘了那化妆水。她嘴角上长了疱疹。简直让你晕头转向。[225] 头发梳成辫子。贝壳上缠着海藻。她们为什么要用海藻般的头发遮住耳朵呢?而土耳其妇女甚至还遮住嘴。为什么?她那双眼睛露在布巾上面。面纱。找入口。那是个洞穴。闲人免进。
她们自以为能听到海的声音。歌唱着。咆哮。这是血液的声音。有时淌进耳腔。喏,那是海洋。血球群岛。
真了不起。那么清晰。又冲过来了。乔治·利德维尔边听边捕捉着它那低诉,随听随将它轻轻地撂开。
“你说那惊涛骇浪在说着什么?[226]”他笑吟吟地问她。。
娇媚,面上泛着海洋般的微笑,莉迪亚却不回答。她只对利德维尔微笑着。
笃,笃
从拉里·奥罗克那爿酒店旁边,从拉里,果敢的拉里·奥旁边,博伊兰颠簸着走过,博伊兰拐了个弯。
米娜从那被抛弃的海螺旁边翩然来到正等待着她的那大酒杯跟前。不,她并不怎么寂寞,杜丝小姐的头昂然地告诉利德维尔先生。月光下在海滨散步。不,不是一个人。跟谁一道呀?她气势轩昂地回答说:跟一位绅士朋友。
鲍勃·考利那疾迅动着的手指又在高音部弹奏起来了。“房东有优先权。”“只消宽限几天。”[227] 高个子约翰。“大本钟”[228]。他轻轻地弹奏一支轻松明快清脆的调子,为了脚步轻快、调皮而笑容可掬的淑女们,也为了他们的情郎——绅士朋友们。一。一、一、一、一、一、二、一、三、四。
海,风,树叶,雷、河水、哞哞叫的母牛,牲畜市场,公鸡,母鸡不打鸣儿,蛇发出嘶嘶声。世上处处都有音乐。拉特利奇的门吱吱响。不,那只是噪音。他现在正弹着《唐璜》的小步舞曲。在城堡那一间间大厅里翩翩起舞的宫廷那五颜六色的服饰,外面却是悲惨的庄稼人,他们饥肠辘辘,面带菜色,吃的是酸模叶子。多好看。瞧,瞧,瞧,瞧,瞧,瞧。你们朝我们瞧。
我能感觉到那是欢乐的。从来不曾把它写成个曲子。为什么呢?我的欢乐是另一种欢乐。不过,两种都是欢乐。是啊,那无疑是欢乐。单从音乐这一事实来考虑,也能明白这一点。我常常以为她[229]情绪低落,可她又欢唱起来了。这下子我才恍然大悟。
麦科伊的手提箱。我太太和你大太[230]。喵喵叫的猫声。如裂帛。她说起话来舌头就像风箱的响板似的。她们无法掌握男人的音程[ 231] 。她们自己的声音也有漏气的时候。把我填满了吧。我是热乎乎、黑洞洞而且敞着口的。摩莉唱着《什么人……》[232] 梅尔卡丹特[233]。我把耳朵贴在墙上听。要的是一位能孚众望的女性。
马儿缓步前进,颠簸,轻摇,停住。花花公子博伊兰那棕黄色的鞋、短袜、跟部绣着天蓝色花纹,轻盈地踏在地面上。
噢,瞧咱们这副打扮!室内音乐。可以编个双关的俏皮话。当她那个的时候,我常想起这种音乐。那是声学。丁零零。空的容器发出的响声最大。因为从声学上来说,共鸣就像水压相等于液体下降的法则那样起变化的。正如李斯特所作的那些狂想曲。匈牙利味儿,吉卜赛女人的眼睛。珍珠。水滴。雨。快快摇啊,混作一团,一大堆啊,嘘嘘嘘嘘。现在。多半是现在。要么就更早一些。[234]
有人笃笃敲门,有人砰砰拍。他,保罗·德·科克[235] 拍了。用响亮、高傲的门环,喀呵、咔啦咔啦咔啦、喀呵。喀呵喀呵。[236]
敲。笃,笃。
“唱‘这里,愤怒’[237] 吧。”考利神父说。
“不,本,”汤姆·克南插嘴说,“来《推平头的小伙子》,用咱们爱尔兰土腔。”
“啊,本,还是唱吧,”迪达勒斯先生说,“地道的好男儿。[238]”
“唱吧,唱吧,”他们齐声央求着。
我该走啦。喂,帕特,再过来一次。来呀。他来了,他来了。他走过去了。到我这儿来。多少钱?
“什么调?是六个升号吗?
“升F大调,”本·多拉德说。
鲍勃·考利那双摊开来的利爪抓住了低音的黑键。
布卢姆对里奇说,他该走了。不,里奇说。不,非走不可。不知打哪儿弄到了一笔钱。打算纵酒取乐,一直闹到脊背都疼了。多少钱?他听人说话,总是靠观察嘴唇的动作。一先令九便士。其中一便士是给你的。放在这儿啦。给他两便士小费。耳聋,面带困惑神情。然而他的老婆和一家人也许在等候,等候[239]帕特回家来。嘿嘿嘿嘿。一家人等候的当儿,聋子伺候着。
然而等一下。然而听哪。阴暗的和弦。阴- 郁- 的。低低的。在地底下黑暗的洞穴里。埋着的矿砂。大量的音乐。
黑暗时代的声音,无情的声音,大地的疲惫,使得坟墓接近,带来痛苦。那声音来自远方,来自苍白的群山,呼唤善良、地道的人们。
他要找神父。要跟神父说一句话。[240]
笃笃。
本·多拉德的嗓门。低沉的桶音。[241] 使出他浑身的解数来唱。 男人、月亮和女人都没有的辽阔沼泽地,一片蛙叫声。 另一个失落者。 他一度做过海船的船具零售商。还记得那些涂了树脂的绳索和船上的提灯吧。亏空了一万镑。如今住在艾弗救济院[ 242] 里。一间斗室,多少多少号。都怪巴斯厂生产的头号啤酒,把他害到这地步。
神父在家里。一个冒牌神父的仆役把他迎了进去。请进。圣洁的神父。奸细仆役深打一躬。[243] 和弦那缭绕的尾音。
毁了他们。使他们倾家荡产。然后给他们盖点子斗室,让他们在那里了此一生。睡吧,乖乖。唱支摇篮曲。死吧,狗儿。小狗崽,死吧。
警告声,严峻的警告声告诉他们:那个小伙子已走进那间阒然无人的大厅,告诉他们他的脚步声如何庄重地在那儿响着,向他们描述那间昏暗的屋子和那位身着长袍、坐在那里听取忏悔的神父。[244]
正派人。[245] 眼下有几分醉意。他自以为能在诗人画谜活动的《答案》[246]中获奖。我们奉送你一张崭新的五镑纸币。“抱窝的鸟儿。”他认为答案是《最末一个游吟诗人之歌》[247]。“C空白T”,打一只家畜[248]。“T波折号R”是最勇敢的水手。[249] 他依然有副好嗓
子。既然拥有这一切,正说明他还不是个阉人。
听哪。布卢姆在听。里奇·古尔丁在听。而门口,耳聋的帕特,秃头的帕特,拿到了小费的帕特也在听着。
和弦变得缓慢一些了。
忏悔与悲伤的声音徐徐传来,这是被美化了的、发颤的声音。本那副悔悟的胡子做着告解。因天主之名,因天主之名。他跪了下来。用手捶胸,忏悔着:“我的罪过。”[250]
又是拉丁文。那就像粘鸟胶一样鳔住人们。神父手里拿着赐给妇女们的圣体。停尸所里的那个家伙。棺材或者科菲[251] ,因尸体之名。[252] 那只老鼠如今在哪儿哪?嘎吱嘎吱。
笃笃。
他们倾听着。“大酒杯”们和肯尼迪小姐。眼睑富于表情的乔治·利德维尔。乳房丰满的缎子[253] 。克南。西[254] 。
哀伤的声音叹息着唱了起来。罪过。复活节以来他曾诅咒过三次。[ 255] 你这婊子养的杂种![256] 有一次举行弥撤的时候,他却游荡去了。有一次他路过坟地,却不曾为亡母的安息而祈求冥福。一个小伙子。一个推平头的小伙子。
正在啤酒泵旁边倾听的褐发女侍定睛望着远方。全神贯注地。她一点也料不到我正在瞧着她呢。摩莉最有本事发觉瞅自己的人了。
金发女侍斜睨着远处。那儿有一面镜子。那是她最俊俏的半边脸蛋儿吗?她们总是知道的。有人敲门。最后再找补一下。
喀呵咔啦咔啦。
听音乐的时候,她们都想些什么呢?捕追响尾蛇的方法。那天晚上,迈克尔·冈恩[257]让我们坐在包厢里。乐队开始对音。波斯王[258] 最喜欢这支曲子了。 使他联想到《家,可爱的家》[259] 。他还曾用帷幕揩鼻涕。也许是他那个民族的习惯。那也是一种音乐。并不像说得那样糟糕。呜——呜——。铜管乐器朝上的管子发出驴叫般的声音。低音提琴的侧面有着深长的切口[260] ,奄奄一息。木管乐器[261] 像母牛似的哞哞叫。掀起盖子的小三角钢琴有如张着上下颚的鳄鱼,音乐就从那里发出。木管乐器这个名字像是古德温[ 262] 这个姓。
她看上去蛮漂亮。桔黄色的上衣,领子开得低低的,袒露着胸部。当她在剧场里弯下身去问什么的时候,总是发散出一股丁香气味。我把可怜的爸爸那本书里所引的斯宾诺莎[263]那段话,讲给她听了。她仔细听着,就像被催眠了似的。 就是那样的眼神。弯着身子。二楼包厢一个家伙拼命用小望远镜盯着她。音乐的美你得听两次才能领略到。对大自然和女人,只消瞥上半眼。天主创造了田园。人类创造了曲调。[264] 遇见了他尖头胶皮管。[265] 哲学。哦,别转文啦![266]
全都完啦。全都倒下啦。他的父亲死在罗斯包围战[267] 中,他的哥哥们都是在戈雷倒下的。到韦克斯福德去。我们是韦克斯福德的小伙子,他非去不可。他是这个姓氏和家族中最后的一个。
我也一样,是我这个家族的最后一个。米莉,年轻学生。喏,也许怪我。没有儿子。鲁迪。如今已太迟了。哦,要是不太迟呢?要是不呢?要是还成呢?
他没有怨恨。[268]
恨。爱。那些不过是名词而已。鲁迪。我快要老了。
“大本钟”放开了嗓门。里奇·古尔丁那苍白的脸上好不容易泛出了一片红晕,对快要老了的布卢姆说:了不起的嗓子。然而,什么时候又年轻过呢?
爱尔兰的时代到来了。我的国家在国王之上[269] 。她倾听着。谁害怕谈到一九0四年?[270]该开溜啦。看够了。
“祝福我,爸爸,”推平头的小伙子多拉德大声嚷道,“祝福我,让我去吧。”[271]
笃笃。
布卢姆窥伺着不等祝福就溜掉的机会,着意打扮起来,好把人迷住。周薪十八先令。掏腰包的一向是男人们。你时刻可得留神着。那些姑娘, 那些俏丽的[271] 。挨着令人伤感的海浪[273] 。歌剧合唱队女队员的风流韵事。为了证实毁约而在法庭上宣读信件。鸡宝宝的意中人。法庭上哄堂大笑。亨利。我从来没有在那上面签过名。你这个名字有多么可爱。[274]
音乐的曲调和唱词都变得低沉了,随后又转快。冒牌神父窸窸窣窣地脱掉长袍,露出戎装。义勇骑兵队队长。他们全都背下来了。他们所渴望的那阵狂喜。义勇骑兵队队长。
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
她激动地倾听着,探出身子去听,起着共鸣。
脸上毫无表情。该是个处女吧。要么就只是用手指摸过。在上面写点什么:页数。不然的话,她们会怎样呢?衰弱。绝望。让她们青春常在。甚至自我赞赏。瞧吧。在她身上弹奏。用嘴唇来吹。白皙的女人身子,一支活生生的笛子。轻轻地吹。大声地吹。所有的女人都有三个眼儿。那位女神怎样,我没瞧见。 她们要的就是这个。不宜对她们太客气。也正因为这样,他[275] 才能把她们搞到手。 兜里揣着金子,脸皮[276] 要厚。说点儿什么。让她听着。眉来眼去。无词歌[277] 。摩莉和那个年轻的轮擦提琴[278] 手。当他说猴子病了,她晓得他指的是什么。 或许由于那和西班牙语很接近。照这样,对动物也能有所理解。所罗门就理解[279] 。这是天赋的能力。
用腹语术讲话。我的嘴唇是闭着的。在肚子里思考。想些什么呢?
怎么样?你呢?我。要。你。去。
队长粗暴、嘎声愤怒地咒骂着:你这长了肿瘤、中了风、婊子养的杂种。小伙子,你来得好。你还有一个钟头好活,你最后的。[280]
笃笃。笃笃。
此刻心里怦怦地跳着。她们觉得可怜。要揩拭那渴望为死去的殉难者而流下的一滴眼泪。为所有即将死去者,为所有出生者。可怜的普里福伊太太。但愿她已分娩。因为她们的子宫。
用女人那子宫的液体润湿了的眼球,在睫毛的篱笆下安详地注视着, 聆听着。当她不说话的时候,眼睛才显出真正的美。在那边的河上。[281] 每逢裹在缎衣里的酥胸波浪般缓缓地起伏(她那一起一伏的丰腴魅力[282] ),红玫瑰也徐徐升起,红玫瑰又徐徐落下。随着呼吸,她的心脏悸动着。呼吸就是生命。 处女发[283] 所有那些细小、细小的纤叶都颤动着。
可是,瞧!灿烂的星辰褪了色。哦。玫瑰!卡斯蒂莉亚。破晓。[284]
哈。利德维尔。那么,为的是他呀,不是为……[285] 迷上了。我是那个样儿吗?不过,从这儿望望她吧。砰的一声拔掉的瓶塞,迸溅出来的啤酒泡沫儿, 堆积如山的空瓶子。
莉迪亚那丰满的手轻轻地搭在啤酒泵突出来的光滑挺棍上。交给我吧。她完全沉浸在对推平头的那个少年的怜悯中。后,前;前,后。在打磨得锃亮的球形捏手(她晓得他的眼睛、我的眼睛、她的眼睛)上,怀着怜悯搬动着她的大拇指和食指。搬动一下又停下来,文雅地摸了摸,然后极其柔和地顺着那冰冷、坚硬的白色珐琅
质挺棍慢慢滑下去。挺棍从两根手指形成的光滑的环里突了出来。
喀呵的一声,咔啦的一声。
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
我保有这座房子。啊们。他气得咬牙切齿。叛徒们将被绞死。[286]
和弦随声附和了。非常悲戚。然而无可奈何。
别等完就走吧。谢谢,真是不同凡响啊。我的帽子在哪儿? 从她身边走过去。可以把那张《自由人报》撂下。信我带着哪。倘若她对我……[287]? 不会的。步行,步行,步行。像卡什尔·博伊罗·康诺罗·科伊罗·蒂斯代尔·莫里斯·蒂逊代尔·法雷尔。[288] 步——行。
喏,我得走了。你要走了吗?嗯,得告辞啦。布卢姆站了起来。裸麦上空高且蓝[289] 。噢。布卢姆站了起来。屁股后边那块肥皂怪黏糊糊的。准是出汗了。音乐。可别忘记那化妆水。那么,再见。高级帽子。里面夹着卡片。对。
布卢姆从站在门口紧张地竖起耳朵的聋子帕特身边走过去。
小伙子在日内瓦兵营丧命。他的遗体葬在帕塞吉[290] 。悲伤!哦,他感到悲伤![291] 哀恸的领唱人的声音向哀伤的祷告者呼唤。
从玫瑰花、裹在缎衣里的酥胸、爱抚的手、溢出的酒、以及砰的一声崩掉的塞子旁边,布卢姆一面致意一面走过去,经过一双双眼睛, 经过海绿色荫影下的褐色和淡金色的处女发。温柔的布卢姆,我感到很孤寂的布卢姆。
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
多拉德用男低音祷告道:为他祈祷吧。你们这些在平安中聆听的人们。低声祈祷,抹一滴泪,善良的男人,善良的人们。他生前是个推平头的小伙子。[292]
布卢姆把正在那儿偷听的擦鞋侍役——推平头的擦鞋小伙子吓了一跳。他在奥蒙德的门厅里听见叫嚷和喝采的声音和用胖嘟嘟的手拍着脊背的响声以及用靴子跺地板的声音——是靴子,而不是擦鞋侍役。大家异口同声地喊着要狂饮一通。亏得我逃脱了。
“喂,本,来吧,”西蒙·迪达勒斯大声说,“千真万确,你唱得跟过去一样好。”
“更好哩,”正喝着杜松子酒的汤姆·克南说,“我敢担保,再也没有人能把这民歌唱得如此淋漓尽致的了。”
“拉布拉凯”[293],”考利神父说。
本·多拉德像是跳卡丘查舞[294]似的迈着沉重的步子,将他那庞大身躯移向酒吧。盛赞之下,他喜气洋洋,患痛风症的手指仿佛击响板[295]一般,望空摆动着,打出种种节奏。
大本钟本·多拉德。大本本。大本本。[296]
噜噜噜。[297]
大家深为感动。西蒙从他那宛如雾中警号筒的鼻子里哼出表示共鸣的声音,人们朗笑着,把情绪极高的本·多拉德簇拥过来。
“你看上去红光满面,”乔治·利德维尔说。
杜丝小姐先整了整玫瑰花,再来服侍他们。
“我心中的山峰,[298]”迪达勒斯先生拍了拍本那肥厚的后肩胛骨说,“很结实,[299]不过身上藏的脂肪太多了点儿。”
噜噜噜噜噜——嘶——。
“致命的脂肪啊,西蒙,”本·多拉德瓮声瓮气他说。
里奇独自坐在不和的前兆[300]中。古尔丁一科利斯一沃德。他犹豫不决地等在那儿。没有拿到钱的帕特也在等着。
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
米娜·肯尼迪小姐将嘴唇凑到一号“大酒杯”的耳边。
“多拉德先生,”那嘴唇小声咕卿着。
“多拉德,”“大酒杯”咕卿着。
当肯尼迪小姐说那是多拉的时候,一号“大酒杯”相信了。她、多拉。“大酒杯”。
他喃喃地说,他晓得这个名字。那就是说,他对这个名字很熟悉。也即是说,他听说过这个名字。是多拉德吗?多拉德,对。
是的,她的嘴唇说得大声一些:多拉德先生。米娜喃喃他说,那首歌,他——多拉德先生唱得很可爱。而《夏日最后的玫瑰》是一支可爱的歌。米娜爱这支歌。“大酒杯”爱米娜所爱的歌。
那是多拉德撇下的夏日最后的玫瑰。布卢姆感到肠气在腹中回旋。
苹果酒净是气体,还会引起便秘。等一等。吕便·杰家附近的那家邮局。交一先令八便士。把这档子事解决了吧。为了避人耳目,沿着希腊街绕过去。我要是没跟他约会就好了。在户外更自由自在。音乐。刺激你的神经。啤酒泵。她那只推摇篮的手支配着。霍斯山。支配着世界。[301]
遥远。遥远。遥远。遥远。
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
莱昂内尔·利奥波德[302]沿着码头朝上游走去,淘气的亨利揣着写给玛迪的信。波尔迪往前走去,拿着《偷情的快乐》,其中提到为了拉乌尔的那条镶有榴边的裙子[303],还想着“遇见了他尖头胶皮管[304]。
笃笃的盲人,笃笃地敲着走,笃笃地一路敲着边石,笃笃又笃笃。
考利给弄得发晕了。像是喝醉了。男人摆弄姑娘[305],不如适可而止。比方说,那些狂热的听众。全身都是耳朵。连三十二分音符都不肯听漏。双目紧闭。随着节拍不时点着头。神魂颠倒了。你一动也不敢动。切不可思考。三句话不离本行。扯来扯去是关于音调的无聊话。
全都是在试着找个话题。一中断就会引起不快,因为你很难说。加德纳大街上的那架风琴。老格林每年有五十英镑的进项[306]。他好古怪,独自住在那小阁楼里,又是音栓,又是制音器,又是琴键。成天坐在管风琴跟前。[307]一连唠叨[308]上几个钟头,不是自言自语,就是跟那个替他拉风箱[309]的人说话。忽而低声怒吼,忽而尖声咒骂(他要塞进点儿什么,她大声说:不行[310])。接着,突然轻轻地释放出很小很小的噼的一股气。
噼!很小的噼咿咿的一股气。在布卢姆的小不点儿里。
“是他吗?”迪达勒斯先生取回烟斗说,“今天早晨我跟他在一起来着,在可怜的小帕狄·迪格纳穆的……”
“哎,愿天主降仁慈于他。”
“顺便提一下,那上头有个音叉……”
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
“他的老婆有副金嗓子。也许应该说是曾经有过。对吧?”利德维尔问。
“哦,那准是调音师忘掉的,”莉迪亚对头一个看到[311] 音叉的西蒙·莱昂纳尔说,“他刚才到这儿来过。”
她告诉第二个看到音叉的乔治·利德维尔说,那是个盲人。弹得非常精彩,听来很有味道。灿烂的对照:褐发女莉迪亚,米娜金发女。
“大声喊啊!”本·多拉德嚷道,“唱出声来!”
“我来!”考利神父大声说。
噜噜噜噜噜噜。
我觉得我想要……
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
“非常想要,”迪达勒斯先生直勾勾地盯着一只没有头的沙丁鱼说。
在钟形三明治容器下面,在面包搭成的尸架上,停放着夏日最后的一条沙丁鱼,最后的,孤零零的。布卢姆孤零零地[312] 。
“好得很,”他盯着,“尤其是低音区。”
笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。笃笃。
布卢姆贴着巴里服装公司踱去。但愿我能够。等一等。我要是能把那个创造奇迹的人搞到手。这所房子里有二十四个律师。我点过数。诉讼。你们要彼此相爱。[313] 一摞摞的羊皮纸文件。皮克一波克特[314] 法律事务所拥有代理权。古尔丁一科利斯一沃德法律事务所。
然而,就拿那个击大鼓的汉子来说吧。他的职业是:米基·鲁尼乐队。奇怪,起初他是怎么想到干这一行的呢?坐在家里,吃罢猪头肉和包心菜,就坐在扶手椅上,抱着那只鼓,排练起他本人在乐队里演奏的那部分。嘭。嘭噼嘀。老婆听了倒挺开心。驴皮。驴子一辈子挨鞭子抽,死了之后继续挨猛打[315] 。嘭。猛打。这好像是那希麦克[316] ,不,我的意思是基斯麦特[317] 。命运。
笃笃。笃笃。一个双目失明的青年用手杖笃笃地跺路,笃笃、笃笃、笃笃地经过达利的橱窗。那儿有个人鱼,头发整个儿飘动着(不过他瞧不见),噗噗地抽着人鱼的烟(瞎了,瞧不见),沁凉无比的人鱼的烟。
乐器。一片草叶,她双手合十作贝壳状,然后就吹奏。甚至用一把梳子和一张薄绉纸,也能吹出个曲调来。住在西伦巴德街的时候,摩莉穿着衬裙[318] ,披散着头发。我想,各行各业都有自身独特的音乐,你明白吧?猎户有号角。豁!你有角吗?敲响那口钟![319] 牧羊人有他的笛子。噼,小小的,一丁点儿。警察有哨子。“修理锁和钥匙哇!”“扫烟囱咧!”“四点钟,一切正常,睡觉吧!”现在一切都失去啦。[320] 大鼓吗?嘭噼嘀。等一等。我晓得。还有发布员[321] 。小官吏。高个儿约翰。把死者唤醒。嘭。迪格纳穆。可怜小小的因主之名[322] 。嘭。那是音乐。当然,我的意思是这一切都是嘭嘭嘭,很像所谓从头[323] 。你依然可以听到。当我们行进时,我们一路走去,一路走去。嘭。
实在憋不住了。呋呋呋。可是如果在宴会上放了呢?这纯粹是个风俗习惯问题,例如波斯王[324] 。念一声祷文,抹一滴眼泪[355] 。然而,他想必是生来有点傻[326] ,竟没有看出那是个义勇骑兵队队长。整个儿遮起来了。坟地上那个身穿棕色胶布雨衣的到底是什么人呢?哎呀,小巷里的妓女来啦!
一个歪戴着黑色水手草帽、邋里邋遢的妓女,大白天就两眼无神地沿着码头朝布卢姆先生踱了过来。当他初见那绰约的身姿时[327] 。对,可不就是她嘛。我真是感到孤寂。雨夜在小巷子里。角。谁有呢?他有,她瞧见了。这里不是她的地盘。她是什么人?她多半是。您哪,有没有衣服让我洗呢?她认识摩莉。把我甩掉了。一位身穿棕色衣衫、富富态态的女人跟你在一起。弄得你张皇失措。我们约会了,尽管晓得那是永远也不可能,简直是不可能的。[328] 代价太高,离家,可爱的家又太近。她瞧着我吗?白天看上去是个丑八怪。脸像是在水里泡过。讨厌死啦。喔,可是,她也得像旁人那样活下去呀。瞧瞧这儿吧。
在莱昂内尔·马克古董店橱窗里,是高傲的亨利·莱昂内尔·利奥波德,亲爱的亨利·弗罗尔。 利奥波德·布卢姆先生认真地审视着残旧的烛台和那一个个鼓着状似蛆虫般的吹奏袋的谐音手风琴。大贱卖:六先令。不妨买下来学着拉拉。 倒不贵。让她走过去吧。当然喽, 凡是用不着的东西,你都会觉得贵。高明的售货员正好一显身手。他想卖什么, 就让你去买什么。有个家伙用瑞典制造的刀片替我刮了脸,然后我就买下了。他甚至向我讨刮脸费。现在她走过去了。六先令。
想必是苹果酒的关系,要么兴许是那杯勃艮第。
从近处,在褐发女旁;从远处,在金发女旁;在褐发女侍莉迪亚那朵诱人的夏日最后的玫瑰,卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰跟前,他们一个个目光灼灼,大献殷勤,丁零当啷地碰着杯。首先是利德,随后是迪、考、克,第五个是多拉。利德维尔、西·迪达勒斯、鲍勃·考利、克南和大个儿本·多拉德。
笃笃。一个青年走进了阒无一人的奥蒙德的门厅。[329]
布卢姆端详着挂在莱昂内尔·马克橱窗里的那幅豪迈的英雄肖像。罗伯特·埃米特最后的话。最后七句话。引自迈那贝尔的作品。[330]
“诸位地道的男子汉。”
“好哇,好哇,本。”
“咱们一道举杯吧。”、
他们举起杯来。
哧吣喀、哧冲喀。[331]
笃笃。一个双目失明的青年站在门口。他没瞧褐发女,也没瞧金发女,更没瞧本、鲍勃、汤姆、西、乔治、“大酒杯”、里奇、帕特。嘻嘻嘻嘻。他都没有瞧。
腻腻的布卢姆,油腻腻的布卢姆悄悄地读着那最后几句话。当我的祖国在世界各国之间。
噗。
准是那杯勃艮第在作怪。
呋!噢。噜噜。
占有了一席之地。背后一个人也没有。她已经走过去了。直到那时。只有到了那时。电车喀啷喀啷喀啷。好机会。来了。喀啷得喀啷喀啷。我敢说是那杯勃艮第。是的。一、二。方为我写下。喀啦啊啊啊啊啊啊。墓志铭。我的话。
噗噜噜噜噜呋。
完了。 [332]

[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:46重新编辑 ]
soneyky

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12、Chapter 12 Cyclops


I WAS JUST PASSING THE TIME OF DAY WITH OLD TROY O THE D.M.P. at the corner of Arbour hill there and be damned but a bloody sweep came along and he near drove his gear into my eye. I turned around to let him have the weight of my tongue when who should I see dodging along Stony Batter only Joe Hynes.
-- Lo, Joe, says I. How are you blowing? Did you see that bloody chimneysweep near shove my eye out with his brush?
-- Soot's luck, says Joe. Who's the old ballocks you were talking to?
-- Old Troy, says I, was in the force. I'm on two minds not to give that fellow in charge for obstructing the thoroughfare with his brooms and ladders.
-- What are you doing round those parts? says Joe.
-- Devil a much, says I. There is a bloody big foxy thief beyond by the garrison church at the corner of Chicken Lane - old Troy was just giving me a wrinkle about him - lifted any God's quantity of tea and sugar to pay three bob a week said he had a farm in the county Down off a hop of my thumb by the name of Moses Herzog over there near Heytesbury street.
-- Circumcised! says Joe.
-- Ay, says I. A bit off the top. An old plumber named Geraghty. I'm hanging on to his taw now for the past fortnight and I can't get a penny out of him.
-- That the lay you're on now? says Joe.
-- Ay, says I . How are the mighty fallen! Collector of bad and doubtful debts. But that's the most notorious bloody robber you'd meet in a day's walk and the face on him all pockmarks would hold a shower of rain. Tell him, says he, I dare him, says he, and I doubledare him to send you round here again or if he does, says he, I'll have him summonsed up before the court, so will I, for trading without a licence. And he after stuffing himself till he's fit to burst! Jesus, I had to laugh at the little jewy getting his shirt out. He drink me my teas. He eat me my sugars. Because he no pay me my moneys?
For nonperishable goods bought of Moses Herzog, of 13 Saint Kevin's parade, Wood quay ward, merchant, hereinafter called the vendor, and sold and delivered to Michael E. Geraghty, Esquire, of 29 Arbour Hill in the city of Dublin, Arran quay ward, gentleman, hereinafter called the purchaser, videlicet, five pounds avoirdupois of first choice tea at three shillings per pound avoirdupois and three stone avoirdupois of sugar, crushed crystal, at three pence per pound avoirdupois, the said purchaser debtor to the said vendor of one pound five shillings and six pence sterling for value received which amount shall be paid by said purchaser to said vendor in weekly instalments every seven calendar days of three shillings and no pence sterling: and the said nonperishable goods shall not be pawned or pledged or sold or otherwise alienated by the said purchaser but shall be and remain and be held to be the sole and exclusive property of the said vendor to be disposed of at his good will and pleasure until the said amount shall have been duly paid by the said purchaser to the said vendor in the manner herein set forth as this day hereby agreed between the said vendor his heirs, successors, trustees and assigns of the one part and the said purchaser, his heirs, successors, trustees and assigns of the other part.
-- Are you a strict t. t.? says Joe.
-- Not taking anything between drinks, says I.
-- What about paying our respects to our friend? says foe.
-- Who? says I. Sure, he's in John of God's off his head, poor man.
-- Drinking his own stuff? says Joe.
-- Ay, says I. Whisky and water on the brain.
-- Come around to Barney Kiernan's, says Joe. I want to see the citizen.
-- Barney mavourneen's be it, says I. Anything strange or wonderful, Joe?
-- Not a word, says Joe. I was up at that meeting in the City Arms.
-- What was that, Joe? says I.
-- Cattle traders, says Joe, about the foot and mouth disease. I want to give the citizen the hard word about it.
So we went around by the Linenhall barracks and the back of the courthouse talking of one thing or another. Decent fellow Joe when he has it but sure like that he never has it. Jesus, I couldn't get over that bloody foxy Geraghty, the daylight robber. For trading without a licence, says he.
In Inisfail the fair there lies a land, the land of holy Michan. There rises a watchtower beheld of men afar. There sleep the mighty dead as in life they slept, warriors and princes of high renown. A pleasant land it is in sooth of murmuring waters, fishful streams where sport the gunnard, the plaice, the roach, the halibut, the gibbed haddock, the grilse, the dab, the brill, the flounder, the mixed coarse fish generally and other denizens of the aqueous kingdom too numerous to be enumerated. In the mild breezes of the west and of the east the lofty trees wave in different directions their first class foliage, the wafty sycamore, the Lebanonian cedar, the exalted planetree, the eugenic eucalyptus and other ornaments of the arboreal world with which that region is thoroughly well supplied. Lovely maidens sit in close proximity to the roots of the lovely trees singing the most lovely songs while they play with all kinds of lovely objects as for example golden ingots, silvery fishes, crans of herrings, drafts of eels, codlings, creels of fingerlings, purple seagems and playful insects. And heroes voyage from afar to woo them, from Elbana to Slievemargy, the peerless princes of unfettered Munster and of Connacht the just and of smooth sleek Leinster and of Cruachan's land and of Armagh the splendid and of the noble district of Boyle, princes, the sons of kings.
And there rises a shining palace whose crystal glittering roof is seen by mariners who traverse the extensive sea in barks built expressly for that purpose and thither come all herds and fatlings and first fruits of that land for O'Connell Fitzsimon takes toll of them, a chieftain descended from chieftains. Thither the extremely large wains bring foison of the fields, flaskets of cauliflowers, floats of spinach, pineapple chunks, Rangoon beans, strikes of tomatoes, drums of figs, drills of Swedes, spherical potatoes and tallies of iridescent kale, York and Savoy, and trays of onions, pearls of the earth, and punnets of mushrooms and custard marrows and fat vetches and bere and rape and red green yellow brown russet sweet big bitter ripe pomellated apples and chips of strawberries and sieves of gooseberries, pulpy and pelurious, and strawberries fit for princes and raspberries from their canes.
-- I dare him, says he, and I doubledare him. Come out here, Geraghty, you notorious bloody hill and dale robber!
And by that way wend the herds innumerable of bellwethers and flushed ewes and shearling rams and lambs and stubble geese and medium steers and roaring mares and polled calves and longwools and storesheep and Cuffe's prime springers and culls and sowpigs and baconhogs and the various different varieties of highly distinguished swine and Angus heifers and polly bullocks of immaculate pedigree together with prime premiated milchcows and beeves: and there is ever heard a trampling, cackling, roaring, lowing, bleating, bellowing, rumbling, grunting, champing, chewing, of sheep and pigs and heavyhooved kine from pasturelands of Lush and Rush and Carrickmines and from the streamy vales of Thomond, from M'Gillicuddy's reeks the inaccessible and lordly Shannon the unfathomable, and from the gentle declivities of the place of the race of Kiar, their udders distended with superabundance of milk and butts of butter and rennets of cheese and farmer's firkins and targets of lamb and crannocks of corn and oblong eggs, in great hundreds, various in size, the agate with the dun.
So we turned into Barney Kiernan's and there sure enough was the citizen up in the corner having a great confab with himself and that bloody mangy mongrel, Garryowen, and he waiting for what the sky would drop in the way of drink.
There he is, says I, in his gloryhole, with his cruiskeen lawn and his load of papers, working for the cause.
The bloody mongrel let a grouse out of him would give you the creeps. Be a corporal work of mercy if someone would take the life of that bloody dog. I'm told for a fact he ate a good part of the breeches off a constabulary man in Santry that came round one time with a blue paper about a licence.
-- Stand and deliver, says he.
-- That's all right, citizen, says Joe. Friends here.
-- Pass, friends, says he.
Then he rubs his hand in his eye and says he:
-- What's your opinion of the times?
Doing the rapparee and Rory of the hill. But, begob, Joe was equal to the occasion.
-- I think the markets are on a rise, says he, sliding his hand down his fork.
So begob the citizen claps his paw on his knee and he says:
-- Foreign wars is the cause of it.
And says Joe, sticking his thumb in his pocket:
-- It's the Russians wish to tyrannise.
-- Arrah, give over your bloody codding, Joe, says I, I've a thirst on me I wouldn't sell for half a crown.
-- Give it a name, citizen, says Joe.
-- Wine of the country, says he.
-- What's yours? says Joe.
-- Ditto MacAnaspey, says I...
-- Three pints, Terry, says Joe. And how's the old heart, citizen? says he.
-- Never better, a chara, says he. What Garry? Are we going to win? Eh?
And with that he took the bloody old towser by the scruff of the neck and, by Jesus, he near throttled him.
The figure seated on a large boulder at the foot of a round tower was that of a broadshouldered deepchested stronglimbed frankeyed redhaired freely freckled shaggybearded wide-mouthed largenosed longheaded deepvoiced barekneed brawnyhanded hairylegged ruddyfaced sinewyarmed hero. From shoulder to shoulder he measured several ells and his rocklike mountainous knees were covered, as was likewise the rest of his body wherever visible, with a strong growth of tawny prickly hair in hue and toughness similar to the mountain gorse (Ulex Europeus). The widewinged nostrils, from which bristles of the same tawny hue projected, were of such capaciousness that within their cavernous obscurity the field-lark might easily have lodged her nest. The eyes in which a tear and a smile strove ever for the mastery were of the dimensions of a goodsized cauliflower. A powerful current of warm breath issued at regular intervals from the profound cavity of his mouth while in rhythmic resonance the loud strong hale reverberations of his formidable heart thundered rumblingly causing the ground, the summit of the lofty tower and the still loftier walls of the cave to vibrate and tremble.
He wore a long unsleeved garment of recently flayed oxhide reaching to the knees in a loose kilt and this was bound about his middle by a girdle of plaited straw and rushes. Beneath this he wore trews of deerskin, roughly stitched with gut. His nether extremities were encased in high Balbriggan buskins dyed in lichen purple, the feet being shod with brogues of salted cowhide laced with the windpipe of the same beast. From his girdle hung a row of seastones which dangled at every movement of his portentous frame and on these were graven with rude yet striking art the tribal images of many Irish heroes and heroines of antiquity, Cuchulin, Conn of hundred battles, Niall of nine hostages, Brian of Kincora, the Ardri Malachi, Art MacMurragh, Shane O'Neill, Father John Murphy, Owen Roe, Patrick Sarsfield, Red Hugh O'Donnell, Red Jim MacDermott, Soggarth Eoghan O'Growney, Michael Dwyer, Francy Higgins, Henry Joy M'Cracken, Goliath, Horace Wheatley, Thomas Conneff, Peg Woffington, the Village Blacksmith, Captain Moonlight, Captain Boycott, Dante Alighieri, Christopher Columbus, S. Fursa, S. Brendan, Marshal Mac-Mahon, Charlemagne, Theobald Wolfe Tone, the Mother of the Maccabees, the Last of the Mohicans, the Rose of Castille, the Man for Galway, The Man that Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, The Man in the Gap, The Woman Who Didn't, Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon Bonaparte, John L. Sullivan, Cleopatra, Savourneen Deelish, Julius Caesar, Paracelsus, sir Thomas Lipton, William Tell, Michelangelo, Hayes, Muhammad, the Bride of Lammermoor, Peter the Hermit, Peter the Packer, Dark Rosaleen, Patrick W. Shakespeare, Brian Confucius, Murtagh Gutenberg, Patricio Velasquez, Captain Nemo, Tristan and Isolde, the first Prince of Wales, Thomas Cook and Son, the Bold Soldier Boy, Arrah na Pogue, Dick Turpin, Ludwig Beethoven, the Colleen Bawn, Waddler Healy, Angus the Culdee, Dolly Mount, Sidney Parade, Ben Howth, Valentine Greatrakes, Adam and Eve, Arthur Wellesley, Boss Croker, Herodotus, Jack the Giantkiller, Gautama Buddha, Lady Godiva, The Lily of Killarney, Balor of the Evil Eye, the Queen of Sheba, Acky Nagle, Joe Nagle, Alessandro Volta, Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, Don Philip O'Sullivan Beare. A couched spear of acuminated granite rested by him while at his feet reposed a savage animal of the canine tribe whose stertorous gasps announced that he was sunk in uneasy slumber, a supposition confirmed by hoarse growls and spasmodic movements which his master repressed from time to time by tranquillising blows of a mighty cudgel rudely fashioned out of paleolithic stone.
So anyhow Terry brought the three pints Joe was standing and begob the sight nearly left my eyes when I saw him land out a quid. O, as true as I'm telling you. A goodlooking sovereign.
-- And there's more where that came from, says he.
-- Were you robbing the poorbox, Joe? says I.
-- Sweat of my brow, says Joe. 'Twas the prudent member gave me the wheeze.
-- I saw him before I met you, says I, sloping around by Pill lane and Greek street with his cod's eye counting up all the guts of the fish.
Who comes through Michan's land, bedight in sable armour? O'Bloom, the son of Rory: it is he. Impervious to fear is Rory's son: he of the prudent soul.
-- For the old woman of Prince's street, says the citizen, the subsidised organ. The pledgebound party on the floor of the house. And look at this blasted rag, says he. Look at this, says he. The Irish Independent, if you please, founded by Parnell to be the workingman's friend. Listen to the births and deaths in the Irish all for Ireland Independent and I'll thank you and the marriages.
And he starts reading them out:
-- Gordon, Barnfield Crescent, Exeter; Redmayne of Iffley, Saint Anne's on Sea, the wife of William T. Redmayne, of a son. How's that, eh? Wright and Flint, Vincent and Gillett to Rotha Marion daughter of Rosa and the late George Alfred Gillett, 179 Clapham Road, Stockwell, Playwood and Ridsdale at Saint Jude's Kensington by the very reverend Dr Forrest, Dean of Worcester, eh? Deaths. Bristow, at Whitehall lane, London: Carr, Stoke Newington, of gastritis and heart disease: Cockburn, at the Moat house, Chepstow.
-- I know that fellow, says Joe, from bitter experience.
-- Cockburn. Dimsey, wife of Davie Dimsey, late of the admiralty: Miller, Tottenham, aged eightyfive: Welsh, June 12, at 35 Canning Street, Liverpool, Isabella Helen. How's that for a national press, eh, my brown son? How's that for Martin Murphy, the Bantry jobber?
-- Ah, well, says Joe, handing round the boose. Thanks be to God they had the start of us. Drink that, citizen.
-- I will, says he, honourable person.
-- Health, Joe, says I. And all down the form.
Ah! Owl! Don't be talking! I was blue mouldy for the want of that pint. Declare to God I could hear it hit the pit of my stomach with a click.
And lo, as they quaffed their cup of joy, a godlike messenger came swiftly in, radiant as the eye of heaven, a comely youth, and behind him there passed an elder of noble gait and countenance, bearing the sacred scrolls of law, and with him his lady wife, a dame of peerless lineage, fairest of her race.
Little Alf Bergan popped in round the door and hid behind Barney's snug, squeezed up with the laughing, and who was sitting up there in the corner that I hadn't seen snoring drunk, blind to the world, only Bob Doran. I didn't know what was up and Alf kept making signs out of the door. And begob what was it only that bloody old pantaloon Denis Breen in his bath slippers with two bloody big books tucked under his oxter and the wife hotfoot after him, unfortunate wretched woman trotting like a poodle. I thought Alf would split.
-- Look at him, says he. Breen. He's traipsing all round Dublin with a postcard someone sent him with u. p.: up on it to take a li...
And he doubled up.
-- Take a what? says I.
-- Libel action, says he, for ten thousand pounds.
-- O hell! says I.
The bloody mongrel began to growl that'd put the fear of God in you seeing something was up but the citizen gave him a kick in the ribs.
-- Bi i dho husht, says he.
-- Who? says Joe.
-- Breen, says Alf. He was in John Henry Menton's and then he went round to Collis and Ward's and then Tom Rochford met him and sent him round to the subsheriff's for a lark. O God, I've a pain laughing. U. p.: up. The long fellow gave him an eye as good as a process and now the bloody old lunatic is gone round to Green Street to look for a G. man.
-- When is long John going to hang that fellow in Mountjoy? says Joe.
Bergan, says Bob Doran, waking up. Is that Alf Bergan?
-- Yes, says Alf. Hanging? Wait till I show you. Here, Terry, give us a pony. That bloody old fool! Ten thousand pounds. You should have seen long John's eye. U. p...
And he started laughing.
-- Who are you laughing at? says Bob Doran. Is that Bergan?
-- Hurry up, Terry boy, says Alf.
Terence O'Ryan heard him and straightway brought him a crystal cup full of the foaming ebon ale which the noble twin brothers Bungiveagh and Bungardilaun brew ever in their divine alevats, cunning as the sons of deathless Leda. For they garner the succulent berries of the hop and mass and sift and bruise and brew them and they mix therewith sour juices and bring the must to the sacred fire and cease not night or day from their toil, those cunning brothers, lords of the vat.
Then did you, chivalrous Terence, hand forth, as to the manner born, that nectarous beverage and you offered the crystal cup to him that thirsted, the soul of chivalry, in beauty akin to the immortals.
But he, the young chief of the O'Bergan's, could ill brook to be outdone in generous deeds but gave therefor with gracious gesture a testoon of costliest bronze. Thereon embossed in excellent smithwork was seen the image of a queen of regal port, scion of the house of Brunswick, Victoria her name, Her Most Excellent Majesty, by grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British dominions beyond the sea, queen, defender of the faith, Empress of India, even she, who bore rule, a victress over many peoples, the well-beloved, for they knew and loved her from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof, the pale, the dark, the ruddy and the ethiop.
-- What's that bloody freemason doing, says the citizen, prowling up and down outside?
-- What's that? says Joe.
-- Here you are, says Alf, chucking out the rhino. Talking about hanging. I'll show you something you never saw. Hangmen's letters. Look at here.
So he took a bundle of wisps of letters and envelopes out of his pocket.
-- Are you codding? says I.
-- Honest injun, says Alf. Read them.
So Joe took up the letters.
-- Who are you laughing at? says Bob Doran.
So I saw there was going to be bit of a dust. Bob's a queer chap when the porter's up in him so says I just to make talk:
-- How's Willy Murray those times, Alf?
-- I don't know, says Alf. I saw him just now in Capel Street with Paddy Dignam. Only I was running after that.
-- You what? says Joe, throwing down the letters. With who?
-- With Dignam, says Alf.
-- Is it Paddy? says Joe.
-- Yes, says Alf. Why?
-- Don't you know he's dead? says Joe.
-- Paddy Dignam dead? says Alf.
-- Ay, says Joe.
-- Sure I'm after seeing him not five minutes ago, says Alf, as plain as a pikestaff.
-- Who's dead? says Bob Doran.
-- You saw his ghost then, says Joe, God between us and harm.
-- What? says Alf. Good Christ, only five... What?... and Willie Murray with him, the two of them there near what-doyoucallhim's... What? Dignam dead?
-- What about Dignam? says Bob Doran. Who's talking about... ?
-- Dead! says Alf. He is no more dead than you are.
-- Maybe so, says Joe. They took the liberty of burying him this morning anyhow.
-- Paddy? says Alf.
-- Ay, says Joe. He paid the debt of nature, God be merciful to him.
-- Good Christ! says Alf.
Begob he was what you might call flabbergasted.
In the darkness spirit hands were felt to flutter and when prayer by tantras had been directed to the proper quarter a faint but increasing luminosity of ruby light became gradually visible, the apparition of the etheric double being particularly lifelike owing to the discharge of jivic rays from the crown of the head and face. Communication was effected through the pituitary body and also by means of the orangefiery and scarlet rays emanating from the sacral region and solar plexus. Questioned by his earthname as to his whereabouts in the heaven-world he stated that he was now on the path of pralaya or return but was still submitted to trial at the hands of certain bloodthirsty entities on the lower astral levels. In reply to a question as to his first sensations in the great divide beyond he stated that previously he had seen as in a glass darkly but that those who had passed over had summit possibilities of atmic development opened up to them. Interrogated as to whether life there resembled our experience in the flesh he stated that he had heard from more favoured beings now in the spirit that their abodes were equipped with every modern home comfort such as talafana, alavatar, hatakalda, wataklasat and that the highest adepts were steeped in waves of volupcy of the very purest nature. Having requested a quart of buttermilk this was brought and evidently afforded relief. Asked if he had any message for the living he exhorted all who were still at the wrong side of Maya to acknowledge the true path for it was reported in devanic circles that Mars and Jupiter were out for mischief on the eastern angle where the ram has power. It was then queried whether there were any special desires on the part of the defunct and the reply was: We greet you, friends of earth, who are still in the body. Mind C.K. doesn't pile it on. It was ascertained that the reference was to Mr Cornelius Kelleher, manager of Messrs H.J. O'Neill's popular funeral establishment, a personal friend of the defunct, who had been responsible for the carrying out of the interment arrangements. Before departing he requested that it should be told to his dear son Patsy that the other boot which he had been looking for was at present under the commode in the return room and that the pair should be sent to Cullen's to be soled only as the heels were still good. He stated that this had greatly perturbed his peace of mind in the other region and earnestly requested that his desire should be made known.
Assurances were given that the matter would be attended to and it was intimated that this had given satisfaction.
He is gone from mortal haunts: O'Dignam, sun of our morning. Fleet was his foot on the bracken: Patrick of the beamy brow. Wail, Banba, with your wind: and wail, O ocean, with your whirlwind.
-- There he is again, says the citizen, staring out.
-- Who? says I.
-- Bloom, says he. He's on point duty up and down there for the last ten minutes.
And, begob, I saw his physog do a peep in and then slidder off again.
Little Alf was knocked bawways. Faith, he was.
-- Good Christ! says he. I could have sworn it was him.
And says Bob Doran, with the hat on the back of his poll, lowest blackguard in Dublin when he's under the influence:
-- Who said Christ is good?
-- I beg your parsnips, says Alf.
-- Is that a good Christ, says Bob Doran, to take away poor little Willy Dignam?
-- Ah, well, says Alf, trying to pass it off. He's over all his troubles.
But Bob Doran shouts out of him.
-- He's a bloody ruffian I say, to take away poor little Willy Dignam.
Terry came down and tipped him the wink to keep quiet, that they didn't want that kind of talk in a respectable licensed premises. And Bob Doran starts doing the weeps about Paddy Dignam, true as you're there.
-- The finest man, says he, snivelling, the finest purest character.
The tear is bloody near your eye. Talking through his bloody hat. Fitter for him to go home to the little sleepwalking bitch he married, Mooney, the bumbailiff's daughter. Mother kept a kip in Hardwicke street that used to be stravaging about the landings Bantam Lyons told me that was stopping there at two in the morning without a stitch on her, exposing her person, open to all comers, fair field and no favour.
-- The noblest, the truest, says he. And he's gone, poor little Willy, poor little Paddy Dignam.
And mournful and with a heavy heart he bewept the extinction of that beam of heaven.
Old Garryowen started growling again at Bloom that was skeezing round the door.
-- Come in, come on, he won't eat you, says the citizen.
So Bloom slopes in with his cod's eye on the dog and he asks Terry was Martin Cunningham there.
-- O, Christ M'Keown, says Joe, reading one of the letters. Listen to this, will you?
And he starts reading out one.
7, Hunter Street, Liverpool.
To the High Sheriff of Dublin, Dublin.
Honoured sir i beg to offer my services in the above-mentioned painful case i hanged Joe Gann in Bootle jail on the 12 of February 1900 and i hanged...
-- Show us, Joe, says I.
-- ... private Arthur Chace for fowl murder of Jessie Tilsit in Pentonville prison and i was assistant when...
-- Jesus, says I.
-- ... Billington executed the awful murderer Toad Smith...
The citizen made a grab at the letter.
-- Hold hard, says Joe, i have a special nack of putting the noose once in he can't get out hoping to be favoured i remain, honoured sir' my teas is five ginnese.
H. Rumbold,
Master Barber.
-- And a barbarous bloody barbarian he is too, says the citizen.
-- And the dirty scrawl of the wretch, says Joe. Here, says he, take them to hell out of my sight, Alf. Hello, Bloom, says he, what will you have?
So they started arguing about the point, Bloom saying he wouldn't and couldn't and excuse him no offence and all to that and then he said well he'd just take a cigar. Gob, he's a prudent member and no mistake.
-- Give us one of your prime stinkers, Terry, says Joe.
And Alf was telling us there was one chap sent in a mourning card with a black border round it.
-- They're all barbers, says he, from the black country that would hang their own fathers for five quid down and travelling expenses.
And he was telling us there's two fellows waiting below to pull his heels down when he gets the drop and choke him properly and then they chop up the rope after and sell the bits for a few bob a skull.
In the dark land they bide, the vengeful knights of the razor. Their deadly coil they grasp: yea, and therein they lead to Erebus whatsoever wight hath done a deed of blood for I will on nowise suffer it even so saith the Lord.
So they started talking about capital punishment and of course Bloom comes out with the why and the wherefore and all the codology of the business and the old dog smelling him all the time I'm told those Jewies does have a sort of a queer odour coming off them for dogs about I don't know what all deterrent effect and so forth and so on.
-- There's one thing it hasn't a deterrent effect on, says Alf.
-- What's that? says Joe.
-- The poor bugger's tool that's being hanged, says Alf.
-- That so? says Joe.
-- God's truth, says Alf. I heard that from the head warder that was in Kilmainham when they hanged Joe Brady, the invincible. He told me when they cut him down after the drop it was standing up in their faces like a poker.
-- Ruling passion strong in death, says Joe, as someone said.
-- That can be explained by science, says Bloom. It's only a natural phenomenon, don't you see, because on account of the...
And then he starts with his jawbreakers about phenomenon and science and this phenomenon and the other phenomenon.
The distinguished scientist Herr Professor Luitpold Blumenduft tendered medical evidence to the effect that the instantaneous fracture of the cervical vertebrae and consequent scission of the spinal cord would, according to the best approved traditions of medical science, be calculated to inevitably produce in the human subject a violent ganglionic stimulus of the nerve centres, causing the pores of the cobra cavernosa to rapidly dilate in such a way as to instantaneously facilitate the flow of blood to that part of the human anatomy known as the penis or male organ resulting in the phenomenon which has been dominated by the faculty a morbid upwards and outwards philoprogenitive erection in articulo mortis per diminutionem capitis.
So of course the citizen was only waiting for the wink of the word and he starts gassing out of him about the invincibles and the old guard and the men of sixtyseven and who fears to speak of ninetyeight and Joe with him about all the fellows that were hanged, drawn and transported for the cause by drumhead courtmartial and a new Ireland and new this, that and the other. Talking about new Ireland he ought to go and get a new dog so he ought. Mangy ravenous brute sniffling and sneezing all round the place and scratching his scabs and round he goes to Bob Doran that was standing Alf a half one sucking up for what he could get. So of course Bob Doran starts doing the bloody fool with him:
-- Give us the paw! Give the paw, doggy! Good old doggy. Give us the paw here! Give us the paw!
Arrah! bloody end to the paw he'd paw and Alf trying to keep him from tumbling off the bloody stool atop of the bloody old dog and he talking all kinds of drivel about training by kindness and thoroughbred dog and intelligent dog: give you the bloody pip. Then he starts scraping a few bits of old biscuit out of the bottom of a Jacob's tin he told Terry to bring. Gob, he golloped it down like old boots and his tongue hanging out of him a yard long for more. Near ate the tin and all, hungry bloody mongrel.
And the citizen and Bloom having an argument about the point, the brothers Sheares and Wolfe Tone beyond on Arbour Hill and Robert Emmet and die for your country, the Tommy Moore touch about Sara Curran and she's far from the land. And Bloom, of course, with his knockmedown cigar putting on swank with his lardy face. Phenomenon! The fat heap he married is a nice old phenomenon with a back on her like a ballalley. Time they were stopping up in the City Arms Pisser Burke told me there was an old one there with a cracked loodheramaun of a nephew and Bloom trying to get the soft side of her doing the mollycoddle playing bézique to come in for a bit of the wampum in her will and not eating meat of a Friday because the old one was always thumping her craw and taking the lout out for a walk. And one time he led him the rounds of Dublin and, by the holy farmer, he never cried crack till he brought him home as drunk as a boiled owl and he said he did it to teach him the evils of alcohol and by herrings if the three women didn't near roast him it's a queer story, the old one, Bloom's wife and Mrs O'Dowd that kept the hotel. Jesus, I had to laugh at Pisser Burke taking them off chewing the fat and Bloom with his but don't you see? and but on the other hand. And sure, more be token, the lout I'm told was in Power's after, the blender's, round in Cope street going home footless in a cab five times in the week after drinking his way through all the samples in the bloody establishment. Phenomenon!
-- The memory of the dead, says the citizen taking up his pintglass and glaring at Bloom.
-- Ay, ay, says Joe.
-- You don't grasp my point, says Bloom. What I mean is...
-- Sinn Fein! says the citizen. Sinn fein amhain! The friends we love are by our side and the foes we hate before us.
The last farewell was affecting in the extreme. From the belfries far and near the funereal deathbell tolled unceasingly while all around the gloomy precincts rolled the ominous warning of a hundred muffled drums punctuated by the hollow booming of pieces of ordnance. The deafening claps of thunder and the dazzling flashes of lightning which lit up the ghastly scene testified that the artillery of heaven had lent its supernatural pomp to the already gruesome spectacle. A torrential rain poured down from the floodgates of the angry heavens upon the bared heads of the assembled multitude which numbered at the lowest computation five hundred thousand persons. A posse of Dublin Metropolitan police superintended by the Chief Commissioner in person maintained order in the vast throng for whom the York Street brass and reed band whiled away the intervening time by admirably rendering on their black draped instruments the matchless melody endeared to us from the cradle by Speranza's plaintive muse. Special quick excursion trains and upholstered charabancs had been provided for the comfort of our country cousins of whom there were large contingents. Considerable amusement was caused by the favourite Dublin streetsingers L-n-h-n and M-ll-g-n who sang The Night before Larry was stretched in their usual mirth-provoking fashion. Our two inimitable drolls did a roaring trade with their broadsheets among lovers of the comedy element and nobody who has a corner in his heart for real Irish fun without vulgarity will grudge them their hardearned pennies. The children of the Male and Female Foundling Hospital who thronged the windows overlooking the scene were delighted with this unexpected addition to the day's entertainment and a word of praise is due to the Little Sisters of the Poor for their excellent idea of affording the poor fatherless and motherless children a genuinely instructive treat. The viceregal houseparty which included many wellknown ladies was chaperoned by Their Excellencies to the most favourable positions on the grand stand while the picturesque foreign delegation known as the Friends of the Emerald Isle was accommodated on a tribune directly opposite. The delegation, present in full force, consisted of Commendatore Bacibaci Beninobenone (the semi-paralysed doyen of the party who had to be assisted to his seat by the aid of a powerful steam crane), Monsieur Pierrepaul Petitépatant, the Grandjoker Vladinmire Pokethankertscheff, the Archjoker Leopold Rudolph von Schwanzenbad-Hodenthaler, Countess Marha Virdga Kisászony Putrápesthi, Hiram Y. Bomboost, Count Athanatos Karamelopulos. Ali Baba Backsheesh Rahat Lokum Effendi, Se?or Hidalgo Caballero Don Pecadillo y Palabras y Paternoster de la Malora de la Malaria, Hokopoko Harakiri, Hi Hung Chang, Olaf Kobberkeddelsen, Mynheer Trik van Trumps, Pan Poleaxe Paddyrisky, Goosepond Prhklstr Kratchinabritchisitch, Herr Hurhausdirektorprasident Hans Chuechli-Steuerli, Nationalgymnasiummuseumsanato riumandsuspensoriumsordinaryprivatdocentgeneralhistoryspecialprofessordoctor Kriegfried Ueberallgemein. All the delegates without exception expressed themselves in the strongest possible heterogeneous terms concerning the nameless barbarity which they had been called upon to witness. An animated altercation (in which all took part) ensued among F.O.T.E.I. as to whether the eighth or the ninth of March was the correct date of the birth of Ireland's patron saint. In the course of the argument cannonballs, scimitars, boomerangs, blunderbusses, stinkpots, meatchoppers, umbrellas, catapults, knuckledusters, sandbags, lumps of pig iron were resorted to and blows were freely exchanged. The baby policeman, Constable MacFadden, summoned by special courier from Booterstown, quickly restored order and with lightning promptitude proposed the seventeenth of the month as a solution equally honourable for both contending parties. The readywitted ninefooter's suggestion at once appealed to all and was unanimously accepted. Constable MacFadden was heartily congratulated by all the F.O.T.E.I., several of whom were bleeding profusely. Commendatore Beninobenone having been extricated from underneath the presidential armchair, It was explained by his legal adviser Avvocato Pagamimi that the various articles secreted in his thirtytwo pockets had been abstracted by him during the affray from the pockets of his Junior colleagues in the hope of bringing them to their senses. The objects (which included several hundred ladies' and gentlemen's gold and silver watches) were promptly restored to their rightful owners and general harmony reigned supreme.
Quietly, unassumingly, Rumbold stepped on to the scaffold in faultless morning dress and wearing his favourite flower the Gladiolus Cruentus. He announced his presence by that gentle Rumboldian cough which so many have tried (unsuccessfully) to imitate - short, painstaking yet withal so characteristic of the man. The arrival of the world-renowned headsman was greeted by a roar of acclamation from the huge concourse, the viceregal ladies waving their handkerchiefs in their excitement while the even more excitable foreign delegates cheered vociferously in a medley of cries, hoch, banzai, eljen, zivio, chinchin, polla kronia, hiphip, vive, Allah, amid which the ringing evviva of the delegate of the land of song (a high double F recalling those piercingly lovely notes with which the eunuch Catalani beglamoured our greatgreatgrandmothers) was easily distinguishable. It was exactly seventeen o'clock. The signal for prayer was then promptly given by megaphone and in an instant all heads were bared, the commendatore's patriarchal sombrero, which has been in the possession of his family since the revolution of Rienzi, being removed by his medical adviser in attendance, Dr Pippi. The learned prelate who administered the last comforts of holy religion to the hero martyr when about to pay the death penalty knelt in a most christian spirit in a pool of rainwater, his cassock above his hoary head, and offered up to the throne of grace fervent prayers of supplication. Hard by the block stood the grim figure of the executioner, his visage being concealed in a tengallon pot with two circular perforated apertures through which his eyes glowered furiously. As he awaited the fatal signal he tested the edge of his horrible weapon by honing it upon his brawny forearm or decapitated in rapid succession a flock of sheep which had been provided by the admirers of his fell but necessary office. On a handsome mahogany table near him were neatly arranged the quartering knife, the various finely tempered disembowelling appliances (specially supplied by the worldfamous firm of cutlers, Messrs John Round and Sons, Sheffield), a terracotta saucepan for the reception of the duodenum, colon, blind intestine and appendix etc when successfully extracted and two commodious milkjugs destined to receive the most precious blood of the most precious victim. The housesteward of the amalgamated cats' and dogs' home was in attendance to convey these vessels when replenished to that beneficent institution. Quite an excellent repast consisting of rashers and eggs, fried steak and onions, done to a nicety, delicious hot breakfast rolls and invigorating tea had been considerately provided by the authorities for the consumption of the central figure of the tragedy who was in capital spirits when prepared for death and evinced the keenest interest in the proceedings from beginning to end but he, with an abnegation rare in these our times, rose nobly to the occasion and expressed the dying wish (immediately acceded to) that the meal should be divided in aliquot parts among the members of the sick and indigent roomkeeper's association as a token of his regard and esteem. The nec and non plus ultra of emotion were reached when the blushing bride elect burst her way through the serried ranks of the bystanders and flung herself upon the muscular bosom of him who was about to be launched into eternity for her sake. The hero folded her willowy form in a loving embrace murmuring fondly Sheila, my own. Encouraged by this use of her christian name she kissed passionately all the various suitable areas of his person which the decencies of prison garb permitted her ardour to reach. She swore to him as they mingled the salt streams of their tears that she would cherish his memory, that she would never forget her hero boy who went to his death with a song on his lips as if he were but going to a hurling match in Clonturk park. She brought back to his recollection the happy days of blissful childhood together on the banks of Anna Liffey when they had indulged in the innocent pastimes of the young and, oblivious of the dreadful present, they both laughed heartily, all the spectators, including the venerable pastor, joining in the general merriment. That monster audience simply rocked with delight. But anon they were overcome with grief and clasped their hands for the last time. A fresh torrent of tears burst from their lachrymal ducts and the vast concourse of people, touched to the inmost core, broke into heartrending sobs, not the least affected being the aged prebendary himself. Big strong men, officers of the peace and genial giants of the royal Irish constabulary, were making frank use of their handkerchiefs and it is safe to say that there was not a dry eye in that record assemblage. A most romantic incident occurred when a handsome young Oxford graduate, noted for his chivalry towards the fair sex, stepped forward and, presenting his visiting card, bankbook and genealogical tree, solicited the hand of the hapless young lady, requesting her to name the day, and was accepted on the spot. Every lady in the audience was presented with a tasteful souvenir of the occasion in the shape of a skull and crossbones brooch, a timely and generous act which evoked a fresh outburst of emotion: and when the gallant young Oxonian (the bearer, by the way, of one of the most timehonoured names in Albion's history) placed on the finger of his blushing fiancée an expensive engagement ring with emeralds set in the form of a fourleaved shamrock excitement knew no bounds. Nay, even the stern provostmarshal, lieutenantcolonel Tomkin-Maxwell ffrenchmullan Tomlinson, who presided on the sad occasion, he who had blown a considerable number of sepoys from the cannonmouth without flinching, could not now restrain his natural emotion. With his mailed gauntlet he brushed away a furtive tear and was overheard by those privileged burghers who happened to be in his immediate entourage to murmur to himself in a faltering undertone:
-- God blimey if she aint a clinker, that there bleeding tart. Blimey it makes me kind of bleeding cry, straight, it does, when I sees her cause I thinks of my old mashtub what's waiting for me down Limehouse way.
So then the citizens begin talking about the Irish language and the corporation meeting and all to that and the shoneens that can't speak their own language and Joe chipping in because he stuck someone for a quid and Bloom putting in his old goo with his twopenny stump that he cadged off Joe and talking about the Gaelic league and the antitreating league and drink, the curse of Ireland. Antitreating is about the size of it. Gob, he'd let you pour all manner of drink down his throat till the Lord would call him before you'd ever see the froth of his pint. And one night I went in with a fellow into one of their musical evenings, song and dance about she could get up on a truss of hay she could my Maureen Lay, and there was a fellow with a Ballyhooly blue ribbon badge spiffing out of him in Irish and a lot of colleen bawns going about with temperance beverages and selling medals and oranges and lemonade and a few old dry buns, gob, flahoolagh entertainment, don't be talking. Ireland sober is Ireland free. And then an old fellow starts blowing into his bagpipes and all the gougers shuffling their feet to the tune the old cow died of. And one or two sky pilots having an eye around that there was no goings on with the females, hitting below the belt.
So howandever, as I was saying, the old dog seeing the tin was empty starts mousing around by Joe and me. I'd train him by kindness, so I would, if he was my dog. Give him a rousing fine kick now and again where it wouldn't blind him.
-- Afraid he'll bite you? says the citizen, sneering.
-- No, says 1. But he might take my leg for a lampost.
So he calls the old dog over.
-- What's on you, Garry? says he.
Then he starts hauling and mauling and talking to him in Irish and the old towser growling, letting on to answer, like a duet in the opera. Such growling you never heard as they let off between them. Someone that has nothing better to do ought to write a letter pm bono publico to the papers about the muzzling order for a dog the like of that. Growling and grousing and his eye all bloodshot from the drouth is in it and the hydrophobia dropping out of his jaws.
All those who are interested in the spread of human culture among the lower animals (and their name is legion) should make a point of not missing the really marvellous exhibition of cynanthropy given by the famous old Irish red wolfdog setter formerly known by the sobriquet of Garryowen and recently rechristened by his large circle of friends and acquaintances Owen Garry. The exhibition, which is the result of years of training by kindness and a carefully thoughtout dietary system, comprises, among other achievements, the recitation of verse. Our greatest living phonetic expert (wild horses shall not drag it from us!) has left no stone unturned in his efforts to delucidate and compare the verse recited and has found it bears a striking resemblance (the italics are ours) to the ranns of ancient Celtic bards. We are not speaking so much of those delightful lovesongs with which the writer who conceals his identity under the graceful pseudonym of the Little Sweet Branch has familiarised the bookloving world but rather (as a contributor D. O. C. points out in an interesting communication published by an evening contemporary) of the harsher and more personal note which is found in the satirical effusions of the famous Raftery and of Donald MacConsidine to say nothing of a more modern lyrist at present very much in the public eye. We subjoin a specimen which has been rendered into English by an eminent scholar whose name for the moment we are not at liberty to disclose though we believe our readers will find the topical allusion rather more than an indication. The metrical system of the canine original, which recalls the intricate alliterative and isosyllabic rules of the Welsh englyn, is infinitely more complicated but we believe our readers will agree that the spirit has been well caught. Perhaps it should be added that the effect is greatly increased if Owen's verse be spoken somewhat slowly and indistinctly in a tone suggestive of suppressed rancour.
The curse of my curses
Seven days every day
And seven dry Thursdays
On you, Barney Kiernan,
Has no sup of water
To cool my courage,
And my guts red roaring
After Lowry's lights.
So he told Terry to bring some water for the dog and, gob, you could hear him lapping it up a mile off. And Joe asked him would he have another.
-- I will, says he, a chara, to show there's no ill feeling.
Gob, he's not as green as he's cabbagelooking. Arsing around from one pub to another, leaving it to your own honour, with old Giltrap's dog and getting fed up by the ratepayers and corporators. Entertainment for man and beast. And says Joe:
-- Could you make a hole in another pint?
-- Could a swim duck? says I.
-- Same again, Terry, says Joe. Are you sure you won't have anything in the way of liquid refreshment? says he.
-- Thank you, no, says Bloom. As a matter of fact I just wanted to meet Martin Cunningham, don't you see, about this insurance of poor Dignam's. Martin asked me to go to the house. You see, he, Dignam, I mean, didn't serve any notice of the assignment on the company at the time and nominally under the act the mortgagee can't recover on the policy.
-- Holy Wars, says Joe laughing, that's a good one if old Shylock is landed. So the wife comes out top dog, what?
-- Well, that's a point, says Bloom, for the wife's admirers.
-- Whose admirers? says Joe.
-- The wife's advisers, I mean, says Bloom.
Then he starts all confused mucking it up about the mortgagor under the act like the lord chancellor giving it out on the bench and for the benefit of the wife and that a trust is created but on the other hand that Dignam owed Bridgeman the money and if now the wife or the widow contested the mortgagee's right till he near had the head of me addled with his mortgagor under the act. He was bloody safe he wasn't run in himself under the act that time as a rogue and vagabond only he had a friend in court. Selling bazaar tickets or what do you call it royal Hungarian privileged lottery. True as you re there. O, commend me to an israelite! Royal and privileged Hungarian robbery.
So Bob Doran comes lurching around asking Bloom to tell Mrs Dignam he was sorry for her trouble and he was very sorry about the funeral and to tell her that he said and everyone who knew him said that there was never a truer, a finer than poor little Willy that's dead to tell her. Choking with bloody foolery. And shaking Bloom's hand doing the tragic to tell her that. Shake hands, brother. You're a rogue and I'm another.
-- Let me, said he, so far presume upon our acquaintance which, however slight it may appear if judged by the standard of mere time, is founded, as I hope and believe, on a sentiment of mutual esteem, as to request of you this favour. But, should I have overstepped the limits of reserve let the sincerity of my feelings be the excuse for my boldness.
-- No, rejoined the other, I appreciate to the full the motives which actuate your conduct and I shall discharge the office you entrust to me consoled by the reflection that, though the errand be one of sorrow, this proof of your confidence sweetens in some measure the bitterness of the cup.
-- Then suffer me to take your hand, said he. The goodness of your heart, I feel sure, will dictate to you better than my inadequate words the expressions which are most suitable to convey an emotion whose poignancy, were I to give vent to my feelings, would deprive me even of speech.
And off with him and out trying to walk straight. Boosed at five o'clock. Night he was near being lagged only Paddy Leonard knew the bobby, 14 A. Blind to the world up in a shebeen in Bride street after closing time, fornicating with two shawls and a bully on guard, drinking porter out of teacups. And calling himself a Frenchy for the shawls, Joseph Manuo, and talking against the catholic religion and he serving mass in Adam and Eve's when he was young with his eyes shut who wrote the new testament and the old testament and hugging and snugging. And the two shawls killed with the laughing, picking his pockets the bloody fool and he spilling the porter all over the bed and the two shawls screeching laughing at one another. How is your testament? Have you got an old testament? Only Paddy was passing there, I tell you what. Then see him of a Sunday with his little concubine of a wife, and she wagging her tail up the aisle of the chapel, with her patent boots on her, no less, and her violets, nice as pie, doing the little lady. Jack Mooney's sister. And the old prostitute of a mother procuring rooms to street couples. Gob, Jack made him toe the line. Told him if he didn't patch up the pot, Jesus, he'd kick the shite out of him.
So Terry brought the three pints.
-- Here, says Joe, doing the honours. Here, citizen.
-- Slan leat, says he.
-- Fortune, Joe, says I. Good health, citizen.
Gob, he had his mouth half way down the tumbler already. Want a small fortune to keep him in drinks.
-- Who is the long fellow running for the mayoralty, Alf? says Joe.
-- Friend of yours, says Alf.
-- Nannan? says Joe. The mimber?
-- I won't mention any names, says Alf.
-- I thought so, says Joe. I saw him up at that meeting now with William Field, M. P., the cattle traders. -- Hairy Iopas, says the citizen, that exploded volcano, the darling of all countries and the idol of his own.
So Joe starts telling the citizen about the foot and mouth disease and the cattle traders and taking action in the matter and the citizen sending them all to the rightabout and Bloom coming out with his sheepdip for the scab and a hoose drench for coughing calves and the guaranteed remedy for timber tongue. Because he was up one time in a knacker's yard. Walking about with his book and pencil here's my head and my heels are coming till Joe Cuffe gave him the order of the boot for giving lip to a grazier. Mister Knowall. Teach your grandmother how to milk ducks. Pisser Burke was telling me in the hotel the wife used to be in rivers of tears sometimes with Mrs O'Dowd crying her eyes out with her eight inches of fat all over her. Couldn't loosen her farting strings but old cod's eye was waltzing around her showing her how to do it. What's your programme today? Ay. Humane methods. Because the poor animals suffer and experts say and the best known remedy that doesn't cause pain to the animal and on the sore spot administer gently. Gob, he'd have a soft hand under a hen.
Ga Ga Gara. Klook Klook Klook. Black Liz is our hen. She lays eggs for us. When she lays her egg she is so glad. Gara. Klook Klook Klook. Then comes good uncle Leo. He puts his hand under black Liz and takes her fresh egg. Ga ga ga ga Gara. Klook Klook Klook.
-- Anyhow, says Joe. Field and Nannetti are going over tonight to London to ask about it on the floor of the House of Commons.
-- Are you sure, says Bloom, the councillor is going? I wanted to see him, as it happens.
-- Well, he's going off by the mailboat, says Joe, tonight.
-- That's too bad, says Bloom. I wanted particularly. Perhaps only Mr Field is going. I couldn't phone. No. You're sure?
-- Nannan's going too, says Joe. The league told him to ask a question tomorrow about the commissioner of police forbidding Irish games in the park. What do you think of that, citizen? The Sluagh na h-Eireann.
Mr Cowe Conacre (Multifarnham. Nat): Arising out of the question of my honourable friend, the member for Shillelagh, may I ask the right honourable gentleman whether the Government has issued orders that these animals shall be slaughtered though no medical evidence is forthcoming as to their pathological condition?
Mr Allfours (Tamoshant. Con): Honourable members are already in possession of the evidence produced before a committee of the whole house. I feel I cannot usefully add anything to that. The answer to the honourable member's question is in the affirmative.
Mr Orelli (Montenotte. Nat): Have similar orders been issued for the slaughter of human animals who dare to play Irish games in the Phnix park?
Mr Allfours: The answer is in the negative.
Mr Cowe Conacre: Has the right honourable gentleman's famous Mitchelstown telegram inspired the policy of gentlemen on the treasury bench? (O! O!)
Mr Allfours: I must have notice of that question.
Mr Staylewit (Buncombe. Ind.): Don't hesitate to shoot.
(Ironical opposition cheers.)
The speaker: Order! Order!
(The house rises. Cheers.)
-- There's the man, says Joe, that made the Gaelic sports revival. There he is sitting there. The man that got away James Stephens. The champion of all Ireland at putting the sixteen pound shot. What was your best throw, citizen?
-- Na bacleis, says the citizen, letting on to be modest. There was a time I was as good as the next fellow anyhow.
-- Put it there, citizen, says Joe. You were and a bloody sight better.
-- Is that really a fact? says Alf.
-- Yes, says Bloom. That's well known. Do you not know that?
So off they started about Irish sport and shoneen games the like of the lawn tennis and about hurley and putting the stone and racy of the soil and building up a nation once again and all of that. And of course Bloom had to have his say too about if a fellow had a rower's heart violent exercise was bad. I declare to my antimacassar if you took up a straw from the bloody floor and if you said to Bloom: Look at, Bloom. Do you see that straw? That's a straw. Declare to my aunt he'd talk about it for an hour so he would and talk steady.
A most interesting discussion took place in the ancient hall of Brian O'Ciarnain's in Sraid na Bretaine Bheag, under the auspices of Sluagh na h-Eireann, on the revival of ancient Gaelic sports and the importance of physical culture, as understood in ancient Greece and ancient Rome and ancient Ireland, for the development of the race. The venerable president of this noble order was in the chair and the attendance was of large dimensions. After an instructive discourse by the chairman, a magnificent oration eloquently and forcibly expressed, a most interesting and instructive discussion of the usual high standard of excellence ensued as to the desirability of the revivability of the ancient games and sports of our ancient panceltic forefathers. The wellknown and highly respected worker in the cause o! our old tongue, Mr Joseph M'Carthy Hynes, made an eloquent appeal for the resuscitation of the ancient Gaelic sports and pastimes, practised morning and evening by Finn MacCool, as calculated to revive the best traditions of manly strength and power handed down to us from ancient ages. L. Bloom, who met with a mixed reception of applause and hisses, having espoused the negative the vocalist chairman brought the discussion to a close, in response to repeated requests and hearty plaudits from all parts of a bumper house, by a remarkably noteworthy rendering of the immortal Thomas Osborne Davis' evergreen verses (happily too familiar to need recalling here) A nation once again in the execution of which the veteran patriot champion may be said without fear of contradiction to have fairly excelled himself. The Irish Caruso-Garibaldi was in superlative form and his stentorian notes were heard to the greatest advantage in the timehonoured anthem sung as only our citizen can sing it. His superb highclass vocalism, which by its superquality greatly enchanced his already international reputation, was vociferously applauded by the large audience amongst which were to be noticed many prominent members of the clergy as well as representatives of the press and the bar and the other learned professions. The proceedings then terminated.
Amongst the clergy present were the very rev. William Delany, S. J., L. L. D.; the rt rev. Gerald Molloy, D. D.; the rev. P. J. Kavanagh, C. S. Sp.; the rev. T. Waters, C. C.; the rev. John M. Ivers, P. P.; the rev. P. J. Cleary, O. S. F.; the rev. L. J. Hickey, O. P.; the very rev. Fr. Nicholas, O. S. F. C.; the very rev. B. Gorman. O. D. C.; the rev. T. Maher, S. J.; the very rev. James Murphy, S. J.; the rev. John Lavery, V. F.; the very rev. William Doherty, D. D.; the rev. Peter Fagan, O. M.; the rev. T. Brangan, O. S. A.; the rev. J. Flavin, C. C.; the rev. M. A. Hackett, C. C.; the rev. W. Hurley, C. C.; the rt rev. Mgr M'Manus, V. G.; the rev. B. R. Slattery, O. M. I.; the very rev. M. D. Scally, P. P.; the rev. F. T. Purcell, O. P.; the very rev. Timothy canon Gorman, P. P.; the rev. J. Flanagan, C. C. The laity included P. Fay, T. Quirke, etc., etc.
-- Talking about violent exercise, says Alf, were you at that Keogh-Bennett match?
-- No, says Joe.
-- I heard So and So made a cool hundred quid over it, says Alf.
-- Who? Blazes? says Joe.
And says Bloom:
-- What I meant about tennis, for example, is the agility and training of the eye.
-- Ay, Blazes, says Alf. He let out that Myler was on the beer to run the odds and he swatting all the time.
-- We know him, says the citizen. The traitor's son. We know what put English gold in his pocket.
-- True for you, says Joe.
And Bloom cuts in again about lawn tennis and the circulation of the blood, asking Alf:
-- Now don't you think, Bergan?
-- Myler dusted the floor with him, says Alf. Heenan and Sayers was only a bloody fool to it. Handed him the father and mother of a beating. See the little kipper not up to his navel and the big fellow swiping. God, he gave him one last puck in the wind. Queensberry rules and all, made him puke what he never ate.
It was a historic and a hefty battle when Myler and Percy were scheduled to don the gloves for the purse of fifty sovereigns. Handicapped as he was by lack of poundage, Dublin's pet lamb made up for it by superlative skill in ringcraft. The final bout of fireworks was a gruelling for both champions. The welterweight sergeantmajor had tapped some lively claret in the previous mixup during which Keogh had been receivergeneral of rights and lefts, the artilleryman putting in some neat work on the pet's nose, and Myler came on looking groggy. The soldier got to business leading off with a powerful left jab to which the Irish gladiator retaliated by shooting out a stiff one flush to the point of Bennett's jaw. The redcoat ducked but the Dubliner lifted him with a left hook, the body punch being a fine one. The men came to handigrips. Myler quickly became busy and got his man under, the bout ending with the bulkier man on the ropes, Myler punishing him. The Englishman, whose right eye was nearly closed, took his corner where he was liberally drenched with water and, when the bell went, came on gamey and brimful of pluck, confident of knocking out the fistic Eblanite in jigtime. It was a fight to a finish and the best man for it. The two fought like tigers and excitement ran fever high. The referee twice cautioned Pucking Percy for holding but the pet was tricky and his footwork a treat to watch. After a brisk exchange of courtesies during which a smart upper cut of the military man brought blood freely from his opponent's mouth the lamb suddenly waded in all over his man and landed a terrific left to Battling Bennett's stomach, flooring him flat. It was a knockout clean and clever. Amid tense expectation the Portobello bruiser was being counted out when Bennett's second Ole Pfotts Wettstein threw in the towel and the Santry boy was declared victor to the frenzied cheers of the public who broke through the ringropes and fairly mobbed him with delight.
-- He knows which side his bread is buttered, says Alf. I hear he's running a concert tour now up in the north.
-- He is, says Joe. Isn't he?
-- Who? says Bloom. Ah, yes. That's quite true. Yes, a kind of summer tour, you see. Just a holiday.
-- Mrs B. is the bright particular star, isn't she? says Joe.
-- My wife? says Bloom. She's singing, yes. I think it will be a success too. He's an excellent man to organise. Excellent.
Hoho begob, says I to myself, says I. That explains the milk in the cocoanut and absence of hair on the animal's chest. Blazes doing the tootle on the flute. Concert tour. Dirty Dan the dodger's son off Island bridge that sold the same horses twice over to the government to fight the Boers. Old Whatwhat. I called about the poor and water rate, Mr Boylan. You what? The water rate, Mr Boylan. You whatwhat? That's the bucko that'll organise her, take my tip. 'Twixt me and you Caddereesh.
Pride of Calpe's rocky mount, the ravenhaired daughter of Tweedy. There grew she to peerless beauty where loquat and almond scent the air. The gardens of Alameda knew her step: the garths of olives knew and bowed. The chaste spouse of Leopold is she: Marion of the bountiful bosoms.
And lo, there entered one of the clan of the O'Molloys, a comely hero of white face yet withal somewhat ruddy, his majesty's counsel learned in the law, and with him the prince and heir of the noble line of Lambert.
-- Hello, Ned.
-- Hello, Alf.
-- Hello, Jack.
-- Hello, Joe.
-- God save you, says the citizen.
-- Save you kindly, says J. J. What'll it be, Ned?
-- Half one, says Ned.
So J. J. ordered the drinks.
-- Were you round at the court? says Joe.
-- Yes, says J. J. He'll square that, Ned, says he.
-- Hope so, says Ned.
Now what were those two at? J. J. getting him off the grand jury list and the other give him a leg over the stile. With his name in Stubbs's. Playing cards, hobnobbing with flash toffs with a swank glass in their eye, drinking fizz and he half smothered in writs and garnishee orders. Pawning his gold watch in Cummins of Francis street where no-one would know him in the private office when I was there with Pisser releasing his boots out of the pop. What's your name, sir? Dunne, says he. Ay, and done, says I. Gob, ye'll come home by weeping cross one of these days, I'm thinking.
-- Did you see that bloody lunatic Breen round there, says Alf. U. p. up.
-- Yes, says J. J. Looking for a private detective.
-- Ay, says Ned, and he wanted right go wrong to address the court only Corny Kelleher got round him telling him to get the handwriting examined first.
-- Ten thousand pounds, says Alf laughing. God I'd give anything to hear him before a judge and jury.
-- Was it you did it, Alf? says Joe. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you Jimmy Johnson.
-- Me? says Alf. Don't cast your nasturtiums on my character.
-- Whatever statement you make, says Joe, will be taken down in evidence against you.
-- Of course an action would lie, says J. J. It implies that he is not compos mentis. U. p. up.
-- Compos your eye! says Alf, laughing. Do you know that he's balmy? Look at his head. Do you know that some mornings he has to get his hat on with a shoehorn?
-- Yes, says J. J., but the truth of a libel is no defence to an indictment for publishing it in the eyes of the law.
-- Ha, ha, Alf, says Joe.
-- Still, says Bloom, on account of the poor woman, I mean his wife.
-- Pity about her, says the citizen. Or any other woman marries a half and half.
-- How half and half? says Bloom. Do you mean he.
-- Half and half I mean, says the citizen. A fellow that's neither fish nor flesh.
-- Nor good red herring, says Joe.
-- That what's I mean, says the citizen. A pishogue, if you know what that is.
Begob I saw there was trouble coming. And Bloom explained he meant, on account of it being cruel for the wife having to go round after the old stuttering fool. Cruelty to animals so it is to let that bloody povertystricken Breen out on grass with his beard out tripping him, bringing down the rain. And she with her nose cockahoop after she married him because a cousin of his old fellow's was pew opener to the pope. Picture of him on the wall with his smashall sweeney's moustaches. The signor Brini from Summerhill, the eyetallyano, papal zouave to the Holy Father, has left the quay and gone to Moss street. And who was he, tell us? A nobody, two pair back and passages, at seven shillings a week, and he covered with all kinds of breastplates bidding defiance to the world.
-- And moreover, says J. J., a postcard is publication. It was held to be sufficient evidence of malice in the testcase Sadgrove v. Hole. In my opinion an action might lie.
Six and eightpence, please. Who wants your opinion? Let us drink our pints in peace. Gob, we won't be let even do that much itself.
-- Well, good health, Jack, says Ned.
-- Good health, Ned, says J. J.
-- There he is again, says Joe.
-- Where? says Alf.
And begob there he was passing the door with his books under his oxter and the wife beside him and Corny Kelleher with his wall eye looking in as they went past, talking to him like a father, trying to sell him a secondhand coffin.
-- How did that Canada swindle case go off? says Joe.
-- Remanded, says J. J.
One of the bottlenosed fraternity it was went by the name of James Wought alias Saphiro alias Spark and Spiro, put an ad in the papers saying he'd give a passage to Canada for twenty bob. What? Do you see any green in the white of my eye? Course it was a bloody barney. What? Swindled them all, skivvies and badhachs from the county Meath, ay, and his own kidney too. J. J. was telling us there was an ancient Hebrew Zaretsky or something weeping in the witnessbox with his hat on him, swearing by the holy Moses he was stuck for two quid.
-- Who tried the case? says Joe.
-- Recorder, says Ned.
-- Poor old sir Frederick, says Alf, you can cod him up to the two eyes.
-- Heart as big as a lion, says Ned. Tell him a tale of woe about arrears of rent and a sick wife and a squad of kids and, faith, he'll dissolve in tears on the bench.
-- Ay, says Alf. Reuben J. was bloody lucky he didn't clap him in the dock the other day for suing poor little Gumley that's minding stones for the corporation there near Butt bridge.
And he starts taking off the old recorder letting on to cry:
-- A most scandalous thing! This poor hardworking man! How many children? Ten, did you say?
-- Yes, your worship. And my wife has the typhoid!
-- And a wife with typhoid fever! Scandalous! Leave the court immediately, sir. No, sir, I'll make no order for payment. How dare you, sir, come up before me and ask me to make an order! A poor hardworking industrious man! I dismiss the case.
And whereas on the sixteenth day of the month of the oxeyed goddess and in the third week after the feastday of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, the daughter of the skies, the virgin moon being then in her first quarter, it came to pass that those learned judges repaired them to the halls of law. There master Courtenay, sitting in his own chamber, gave his rede and master Justice Andrews sitting without a jury in the probate court, weighed well and pondered the claims of the first chargeant upon the property in the matter of the will propounded and final testamentary disposition in re the real and personal estate of the late lamented Jacob Halliday, vintner, deceased versus Livingstone, an infant, of unsound mind, and another. And to the solemn court of Green street there came sir Frederick the Falconer. And he sat him there about the hour of five o'clock to administer the law of the brehons at the commission for all that and those parts to be holden in and for the county of the city of Dublin. And there sat with him the high sinhedrim of the twelve tribes of Iar, for every tribe one man, of the tribe of Patrick and of the tribe of Hugh and of the tribe of Owen and of the tribe of Conn and of the tribe of Oscar and of the tribe of Fergus and of the tribe of Finn and of the tribe of Dermot and of the tribe of Cormac and of the tribe of Kevin and of the tribe of Caolte and of the tribe of Ossian, there being in all twelve good men and true. And he conjured them by Him who died on rood that they should well and truly try and true delivrance make in the issue joined between their sovereign lord the King and the prisoner at the bar and true verdict give according to the evidence so help them God and kiss the books. And they rose in their seats, those twelve of Iar, and they swore by the name of Him who is from everlasting that they would do His rightwiseness. And straightway the minions of the law led forth from their donjon keep one whom the sleuthhounds of justice had apprehended in consequence of information received. And they shackled him hand and foot and would take of him ne bail ne mainprise but preferred a charge against him for he was a malefactor.
-- Those are nice things, says the citizen, coming over here to Ireland filling the country with bugs.
So Bloom lets on he heard nothing and he starts talking with Joe telling him he needn't trouble about that little matter till the first but if he would just say a word to Mr Crawford. And so Joe swore high and holy by this and by that he'd do the devil and all.
-- Because you see, says Bloom, for an advertisement you must have repetition. That's the whole secret.
-- Rely on me, says Joe.
-- Swindling the peasants, says the citizen, and the poor of Ireland. We want no more strangers in our house.
-- O I'm sure that will be all right, Hynes, says Bloom. It's just that Keyes you see.
-- Consider that done, says Joe.
-- Very kind of you, says Bloom.
-- The strangers, says the citizen. Our own fault. We let them come in. We brought them. The adulteress and her paramour brought the Saxon robbers here.
-- Decree nisi, says J. J.
And Bloom letting on to be awfully deeply interested in nothing, a spider's web in the corner behind the barrel, and the citizen scowling after him and the old dog at his feet looking up to know who to bite and when.
-- A dishonoured wife, says the citizen, that's what's the cause of all our misfortunes.
-- And here she is, says Alf, that was giggling over the Police Gazette with Terry on the counter, in all her warpaint. -- Give us a squint at her, says I.
And what was it only one of the smutty yankee pictures Terry borrows off of Corny Kelleher. Secrets for enlarging your private parts. Misconduct of society belle. Norman W. Tupper, wealthy Chicago contractor, finds pretty but faithless wife in lap of officer Taylor. Belle in her bloomers misconducting herself and her fancy man feeling for her tickles and Norman W. Tupper bouncing in with his peashooter just in time to be late after she doing the trick of the loop with officer Taylor.
-- O Jakers, Jenny, says Joe, how short your shirt is!
-- There's hair, Joe, says I. Get a queer old tailend of corned beef off of that one, what?
So anyhow in came John Wyse Nolan and Lenehan with him with a face on him as long as a late breakfast.
-- Well, says the citizen, what's the latest from the scene of action? What did those tinkers in the cityhall at their caucus meeting decide about the Irish language?
O'Nolan, clad in shining armour, low bending made obeisance to the puissant and high and mighty chief of all Erin and did him to wit of that which had befallen, how that the grave elders of the most obedient city, second of the realm, had met them in the tholsel, and there, after due prayers to the gods who dwell in ether supernal, had taken solemn counsel whereby they might, if so be it might be, bring once more into honour among mortal men the winged speech of the seadivided Gael.
-- It's on the march, says the citizen. To hell with the bloody brutal Sassenachs and their patois.
So J. J. puts in a word doing the toff about one story was good till you heard another and blinking facts and the Nelson policy putting your blind eye to the telescope and drawing up a bill of attainder to impeach a nation and Bloom trying to back him up moderation and botheration and their colonies and their civilisation.
-- Their syphilisation, you mean, says the citizen. To hell with them! The curse of a goodfornothing God light sideways on the bloody thicklugged sons of whores' gets! No music and no art and no literature worthy of the name. Any civilisation they have they stole from us. Tonguetied sons of bastards' ghosts.
-- The European family, says J. J...
-- They're not European, says the citizen. I was in Europe with Kevin Egan of Paris. You wouldn't see a trace of them or their language anywhere in Europe except in a cabinet d'aisance.
And says John Wyse:
-- Full many a flower is born to blush unseen.
And says Lenehan that knows a bit of the lingo:
-- Conspuez les Anglais! Perde Albion!
He said and then lifted he in his rude great brawny strengthy hands the medher of dark strong foamy ale and, uttering his tribal slogan Lamh Dearg Abu, he drank to the undoing of his foes, a race of mighty valorous heroes, rulers of the waves, who sit on thrones of alabaster silent as the deathless gods.
-- What's up with you, says I to Lenehan. You look like a fellow that had lost a bob and found a tanner.
-- Gold cup, says he.
-- Who won, Mr Lenehan? says Terry.
-- Throwaway, says he, at twenty to one. A rank outsider. And the rest nowhere.
-- And Bass's mare? says Terry.
-- Still running, says he. We're all in a cart. Boylan plunged two quid on my tip Sceptre for himself and a lady friend.
-- I had half a crown myself, says Terry, on Zinfandel that Mr Flynn gave me. Lord Howard de Walden's.
-- Twenty to one, says Lenehan. Such is life in an outhouse. Throwaway, says he. Takes the biscuit and talking about bunions. Frailty, thy name is Sceptre.
So he went over to the biscuit tin Bob Doran left to see if there was anything he could lift on the nod, the old cur after him backing his luck with his mangy snout up. Old mother Hubbard went to the cupboard.
-- Not there, my child, says he.
-- Keep your pecker up, says Joe. She'd have won the money only for the other dog.

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And J. J. and the citizen arguing about law and history with Bloom sticking in an odd word. -- Some people, says Bloom, can see the mote in others' eyes but they can't see the beam in their own.
-- Raimeis, says the citizen. There's no-one as blind as the fellow that won't see, if you know what that means. Where are our missing twenty millions of Irish should be here today instead of four, our lost tribes? And our potteries and textiles, the finest in the whole world! And our wool that was sold in Rome in the time of Juvenal and our flax and our damask from the looms of Antrim and our Limerick lace, our tanneries and our white flint glass down there by Ballybough and our Huguenot poplin that we have since Jacquard de Lyon and our woven silk and our Foxford tweeds and ivory raised point from the Carmelite convent in New Ross, nothing like it in the whole wide world! Where are the Greek merchants that came through the pillars of Hercules, the Gibraltar now grabbed by the foe of mankind, with gold and Tyrian purple to sell in Wexford at the fair of Carmen? Read Tacitus and Ptolemy, even Giraldus Cambrensis. Wine, peltries, Connemara marble, silver from Tipperary, second to none, our far-famed horses even today, the Irish hobbies, with king Philip of Spain offering to pay customs duties for the right to fish in our waters. What do the yellowjohns of Anglia owe us for our ruined trade and our ruined hearths? And the beds of the Barrow and Shannon they won't deepen with millions of acres of marsh and bog to make us all die of consumption.
-- As treeless as Portugal we'll be soon, says John Wyse, or Heligoland with its one tree if something is not done to reafforest the land. Larches, firs, all the trees of the conifer family are going fast. I was reading a report of lord Castletown's...
-- Save them, says the citizen, the giant ash of Galway and the chieftain elm of Kildare with a fortyfoot bole and an acre of foliage. Save the trees of Ireland for the future men of Ireland on the fair hills of Eire, O.
-- Europe has its eyes on you, says Lenehan.
The fashionable international world attended en masse this afternoon at the wedding of the chevalier Jean Wyse de Neaulan, grand high chief ranger of the Irish National Foresters, with Miss Fir Conifer of Pine Valley. Lady Sylvester Elmshade, Mrs Barbara Lovebirch, Mrs Poll Ash, Mrs Holly Hazeleyes, Miss Daphne Bays, Miss Dorothy Canebrake, Mrs Clyde Twelvetrees, Mrs Rowan Greene, Mrs Helen Vinegadding, Miss Virginia Creeper, Miss Gladys Beech, Miss Olive Garth, Miss Blanche Maple, Mrs Maud Mahogany, Miss Myra Myrtle, Miss Priscilla Elderflower, Miss Bee Honeysuckle, Miss Grace Poplar, Miss O. Mimosa San, Miss Rachel Cedarfrond, the Misses Lilian and Viola Lilac, Miss Timidity Aspenall, Mrs Kitty Dewey-Mosse, Miss May Hawthorne, Mrs Gloriana Palme, Mrs Liana Forrest, Mrs Arabella Blackwood and Mrs Norma Holyoake of Oakholme Regis graced the ceremony by their presence. The bride who was given away by her father, the M'Conifer of the Glands, looked exquisitely charming in a creation carried out in green mercerised silk, moulded on an underslip of gloaming grey, sashed with a yoke of broad emerald and finished with a triple flounce of darkerhued fringe, the scheme being relieved by bretelles and hip insertions of acorn bronze. The maids of honour, Miss Larch Conifer and Miss Spruce Conifer, sisters of the bride, wore very becoming costumes in the same tone, a dainty motif of plume rose being worked into the pleats in a pinstripe and repeated capriciously in the jadegreen toques in the form of heron feathers of paletinted coral. Senhor Enrique Flor presided at the organ with his wellknown ability and, in addition to the prescribed numbers of the nuptial mass, played a new and striking arrangement of Woodman, spare that tree at the conclusion of the service. On leaving the church of Saint Fiacre in Horto after the papal blessing the happy pair were subjected to a playful crossfire of hazelnuts, beechmast, bayleaves, catkins of willow, ivytod, hollyberries, mistletoe sprigs and quicken shoots. Mr and Mrs Wyse Conifer Neaulan will spend a quiet honeymoon in the Black Forest.
-- And our eyes are on Europe, says the citizen. We had our trade with Spain and the French and with the Flemings before those mongrels were pupped, Spanish ale in Galway, the winebark on the winedark waterway.
-- And will again, says Joe.
-- And with the help of the holy mother of God we will again, says the citizen, clapping his thigh. Our harbours that are empty will be full again, Queenstown, Kinsale, Galway, Blacksod Bay, Ventry in the kingdom of Kerry, Killybegs, the third largest harbour in the wide world with a fleet of masts of the Galway Lynches and the Cavan O'Reillys and the O'Kennedys of Dublin when the earl of Desmond could make a treaty with the emperor Charles the Fifth himself. And will again, says he, when the first Irish battleship is seen breasting the waves with our own flag to the fore, none of your Henry Tudor's harps, no, the oldest flag afloat, the flag of the province of Desmond and Thomond, three crowns on a blue field, the three sons of Milesius.
And he took the last swig out of the pint, Moya. All wind and piss like a tanyard cat. Cows in Connacht have long horns. As much as his bloody life is worth to go down and address his tall talk to the assembled multitude in Shanagolden where he daren't show his nose with the Molly Maguires looking for him to let daylight through him for grabbing the holding of an evicted tenant.
-- Hear, hear to that, says John Wyse. What will you have?
-- An imperial yeomanry, says Lenehan, to celebrate the occasion.
-- Half one, Terry, says John Wyse, and a hands up. Terry! Are you asleep?
-- Yes, sir, says Terry. Small whisky and bottle of Allsop. Right, sir.
Hanging over the bloody paper with Alf looking for spicy bits instead of attending to the general public. Picture of a butting match, trying to crack their bloody skulls, one chap going for the other with his head down like a bull at a gate. And another one: Black Beast Burned in Omaha, Ga. A lot of Deadwood Dicks in slouch hats and they firing at a sambo strung up on a tree with his tongue out and a bonfire under him. Gob, they ought to drown him in the sea after and electrocute and crucify him to make sure of their job.
-- But what about the fighting navy, says Ned, that keeps our foes at bay?
-- I'Il tell you what about it, says the citizen. Hell upon earth it is. Read the revelations that's going on in the papers about flogging on the training ships at Portsmouth. A fellow writes that calls himself Disgusted One.
So he starts telling us about corporal punishment and about the crew of tars and officers and rearadmirals drawn up in cocked hats and the parson with his protestant bible to witness punishment and a young lad brought out, howling for his ma, and they tie him down on the buttend of a gun.
-- A rump and dozen, says the citizen, was what that old ruffian sir John Beresford called it but the modern God's Englishman calls it caning on the breech.
And says John Wyse:
-- 'Tis a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
Then he was telling us the master at arms comes along with a long cane and he draws out and he flogs the bloody backside off of the poor lad till he yells meila murder.
-- That's your glorious British navy, says the citizen, that bosses the earth. The fellows that never will be slaves, with the only hereditary chamber on the face of God's earth and their land in the hands of a dozen gamehogs and cottonball barons. That's the great empire they boast about of drudges and whipped serfs.
-- On which the sun never rises, says Joe.
-- And the tragedy of it is, says the citizen, they believe it. The unfortunate yahoos believe it.
They believe in rod, the scourger almighty, creator of hell upon earth and in Jacky Tar, the son of a gun, who was conceived of unholy boast, born of the fighting navy, suffered under rump and dozen, was scarified, flayed and curried, yelled like bloody hell, the third day he arose again from the bed, steered into haven, sitteth on his beamend till further orders whence he shall come to drudge for a living and be paid.
But, says Bloom, isn't discipline the same everywhere? I mean wouldn't it be the same here if you put force against force?
Didn't I tell you? As true as I'm drinking this porter if he was at his last gasp he'd try to downface you that dying was living.
-- We'll put force against force, says the citizen. We have our greater Ireland beyond the sea. They were driven out of house and home in the black 47. Their mudcabins and their shielings by the roadside were laid low by the batteringram and the Times rubbed its hands and told the whitelivered Saxons there would soon be as few Irish in Ireland as redskins in America. Even the grand Turk sent us his piastres. But the Sassenach tried to starve the nation at home while the land was full of crops that the British hyenas bought and sold in Rio de Janeiro. Ay, they drove out the peasants in hordes. Twenty thousand of them died in the coffinships. But those that came to the land of the free remember the land of bondage. And they will come again and with a vengeance, no cravens, the sons of Granuaile, the champions of Kathleen ni Houlihan.
-- Perfectly true, says Bloom. But my point was...
-- We are a long time waiting for that day, citizen, says Ned. Since the poor old woman told us that the French were on the sea and landed at Killala.
-- Ay, says John Wyse. We fought for the royal Stuarts that reneged us against the Williamites and they betrayed us. Remember Limerick and the broken treatystone. We gave our best blood to France and Spain, the wild geese. Fontenoy, eh? And Sarsfield and O'Donnell, duke of Tetuan in Spain, and Ulysses Browne of Camus that was fieldmarshal to Maria Teresa. But what did we ever get for it?
-- The French! says the citizen. Set of dancing masters! Do you know what it is? They were never worth a roasted fart to Ireland. Aren't they trying to make an Entente cordiale now at Tay Pay's dinnerparty with perfidious Albion? Firebrands of Europe and they always were?
-- Conspuez les Fran?ais, says Lenehan, nobbling his beer.
-- And as for the Prooshians and the Hanoverians, says Joe, haven't we had enough of those sausageeating bastards on the throne from George the elector down to the German lad and the flatulent old bitch that's dead?
Jesus, I had to laugh at the way he came out with that about the old one with the winkers on her blind drunk in her royal palace every night of God, old Vic, with her jorum of mountain dew and her coachman carting her up body and bones to roll into bed and she pulling him by the whiskers and singing him old bits of songs about Ehren on the Rhine and come where the boose is cheaper.
-- Well! says J. J. We have Edward the peacemaker now.
-- Tell that to a fool, says the citizen. There's a bloody sight more pox than pax about that boyo. Edward Guelph-Wettin!
-- And what do you think, says Joe, of the holy boys, the priests and bishops of Ireland doing up his room in Maynooth in his Satanic Majesty's racing colours and sticking up pictures of all the horses his jockeys rode. The earl of Dublin, no less.
-- They ought to have stuck up all the women he rode himself, says little Alf.
And says J. J.:
-- Considerations of space influenced their lordship's decision.
-- Will you try another, citizen? says Joe.
-- Yes, sir, says he, I will.
-- You? says Joe.
-- Beholden to you, Joe, says I. May your shadow never grow less.
-- Repeat that dose, says Joe.
Bloom was talking and talking with John Wyse and he quite excited with his dunducketymudcoloured mug on him and his old plumeyes rolling about.
-- Persecution, says he, all the history of the world is full of it. Perpetuating national hatred among nations.
-- But do you know what a nation means? says John Wyse.
-- Yes, says Bloom.
-- What is it? says John Wyse.
-- A nation? says Bloom. A nation is the same people living in the same place.
-- By God, then, says Ned, laughing, if that's so I'm a nation for I'm living in the same place for the past five years.
So of course everyone had a laugh at Bloom and says he, trying to muck out of it:
-- Or also living in different places.
-- That covers my case, says Joe.
-- What is your nation if I may ask, says the citizen.
-- Ireland, says Bloom. I was born here. Ireland.
The citizen said nothing only cleared the spit out of his gullet and, gob, he spat a Red bank oyster out of him right in the corner.
-- After you with the push, Joe, says he, taking out his handkerchief to swab himself dry.
-- Here you are, citizen, says Joe. Take that in your right hand and repeat after me the following words.
The muchtreasured and intricately embroidered ancient Irish facecloth attributed to Solomon of Droma and Manus Tomaltach og MacDonogh, authors of the Book of Ballymote, was then carefully produced and called forth prolonged admiration. No need to dwell on the legendary beauty of the cornerpieces, the acme of art, wherein one can distinctly discern each of the four evangelists in turn presenting to each of the four masters his evangelical symbol a bogoak sceptre, 8 North American puma (a far nobler king of beasts than the British article, be it said in passing), a Kerry calf and a golden eagle from Carrantuohill. The scenes depicted on the emunctory field, showing our ancient duns and raths and cromlechs and grianauns and seats of learning and maledictive stones, are as wonderfully beautiful and the pigments as delicate as when the Sligo illuminators gave free rein to their artistic fantasy long long ago in the time of the Barmecides. Glendalough, the lovely lakes of Killarney, the ruins of Clonmacnois, Cong Abbey, Glen Inagh and the Twelve Pins, Ireland's Eye, the Green Hills of Tallaght, Croagh Patrick, the brewery of Messrs Arthur Guinness, Son and Company (Limited), Lough Neagh's banks, the vale of Ovoca, Isolde's tower, the Mapas obelisk, Sir Patrick Dun's hospital, Cape Clear, the glen of Aherlow, Lynch's castle, the Scotch house, Rathdown Union Workhouse at Loughlinstown, Tullamore jail, Castleconnel rapids, Kilballymacshonakill, the cross at Monasterboice, Jury's Hotel, S. Patrick's Purgatory, the Salmon Leap, Maynooth college refectory, Curley's hole, the three birthplaces of the first duke of Wellington, the rock of Cashel, the bog of Allen, the Henry Street Warehouse, Fingal's Cave - all these moving scenes are still there for us today rendered more beautiful still by the waters of sorrow which have passed over them and by the rich incrustations of time. -- Shove us over the drink, says I. Which is which?
-- That's mine, says Joe, as the devil laid to the dead policeman.
-- And I belong to a race too, says Bloom, that is hated and persecuted. Also now. This very moment. This very instant.
Gob, he near burnt his fingers with the butt of his old cigar.
-- Robbed, says he. Plundered. Insulted. Persecuted. Taking what belongs to us by right. At this very moment, says he, putting up his fist, sold by auction off in Morocco like slaves or cattles.
-- Are you talking about the new Jerusalem? says the citizen.
-- I'm talking about injustice, says Bloom.
-- Right, says John Wyse. Stand up to it then with force like men.
That's an almanac picture for you. Mark for a softnosed bullet. Old lardyface standing up to the business end of a gun. Gob, he'd adorn a sweepingbrush, so he would, if he only had a nurse's apron on him. And then he collapses all of a sudden, twisting around all the opposite, as limp as a wet rag.
-- But it's no use, says he. Force, hatred, history, all that. That's not life for men and women, insult and hatred. And everybody knows that it's the very opposite of that that is really life.
-- What? says Alf.
-- Love, says Bloom. I mean the opposite of hatred. I must go now, says he to John Wyse. Just round to the court a moment to see if Martin is there. If he comes just say I'll be back in a second. Just a moment.
Who's hindering you? And off he pops like greased lightning.
-- A new apostle to the gentiles, says the citizen. Universal love.
-- Well, says John Wyse, isn't that what we're told? Love your neighbours.
-- That chap? says the citizen. Beggar my neighbour is his motto. Love, Moya! He's a nice pattern of a Romeo and Juliet. Love loves to love love. Nurse loves the new chemist. Constable 14A loves Mary Kelly. Gerty MacDowell loves the boy that has the bicycle. M. B. loves a fair genteman. Li Chi Han lovey up kissy Cha Pu Chow. Jumbo, the elephant, loves Alice, the elephant. Old Mr Verschoyle with the ear trumpet loves old Mrs Verschoyle with the turnedin eye. The man in the brown macintosh loves a lady who is dead. His Majesty the King loves Her Majesty the Queen. Mrs Norman W. Tupper loves officer Taylor. You love a certain person. And this person loves that other person because everybody loves somebody but
God loves everybody.
-- Well, Joe, says I, your very good health and song. More power, citizen.
-- Hurrah, there, says Joe.
-- The blessing of God and Mary and Patrick on you, says the citizen.
And he ups with his pint to wet his whistle.
-- We know those canters, says he, preaching and picking your pocket. What about sanctimonious Cromwell and his ironsides that put the women and children of Drogheda to the sword with the bible text God is love pasted round the mouth of his cannon? The bible! Did you read that skit in the United Irishman today about that Zulu chief that's visiting England?
-- What's that? says Joe.
So the citizen takes up one of his paraphernalia papers and he starts reading out:
-- A delegation of the chief cotton magnates of Manchester was presented yesterday to His Majesty the Alaki of Abeakuta by Gold Stick in Waiting, Lord Walkup on Eggs, to tender to His Majesty the heartfelt thanks of British traders for the facilities afforded them in his dominions. The delegation partook of luncheon at the conclusion of which the dusky potentate, in the course of a happy speech, freely translated by the British chaplain, the reverend Ananias Praisegod Barebones, tendered his best thanks to Massa Walkup and emphasised the cordial relations existing between Abeakuta and the British Empire, stating that he treasured as one of his dearest possessions an illuminated bible, the volume of the word of God and the secret of England's greatness, graciously presented to him by the white chief woman, the great squaw Victoria, with a personal dedication from the august hand of the Royal Donor. The Alaki then drank a lovingcup of firstshot usquebaugh to the toast Black and White from the skull of his immediate predecessor in the dynasty Kakachakachak, surnamed Forty Warts, after which he visited the chief factory of Cottonopolis and signed his mark in the visitors' book, subsequently executing an old Abeakutic wardance, in the course of which he swallowed several knives and forks, amid hilarious applause from the girl hands.
-- Widow woman, says Ned, I wouldn't doubt her. Wonder did he put that bible to the same use as I would.
-- Same only more so, says Lenehan. And thereafter in that fruitful land the broadleaved mango flourished exceedingly.
-- Is that by Griffith? says John Wyse.
-- No, says the citizen. It's not signed Shanganagh. It's only initialled: P.
-- And a very good initial too, says Joe.
-- That's how it's worked, says the citizen. Trade follows the flag.
-- Well, says J. J., if they're any worse than those Belgians in the Congo Free State they must be bad. Did you read that report by a man what's this his name is?
-- Casement, says the citizen. He's an Irishman.
-- Yes, that's the man, says J. J. Raping the women and girls and flogging the natives on the belly to squeeze all the red rubber they can out of them.
-- I know where he's gone, says Lenehan, cracking his fingers.
-- Who? says I.
-- Bloom, says he, the courthouse is a blind. He had a few bob on Throwaway and he's gone to gather in the shekels.
-- Is it that whiteyed kaffir? says the citizen, that never backed a horse in anger in his life.
-- That's where he's gone, says Lenehan. I met Bantam Lyons going to back that horse only I put him off it and he told me Bloom gave him the tip. Bet you what you like he has a hundred shillings to five on. He's the only man in Dublin has it. A dark horse. -- He's a bloody dark horse himself, says Joe.
-- Mind, Joe, says I. Show us the entrance out.
-- There you are, says Terry.
Goodbye Ireland I'm going to Gort. So I just went round to the back of the yard to pumpship and begob (hundred shillings to five) while I was letting off my (Throwaway twenty to) letting off my load gob says I to myself I knew he was uneasy in his (two pints off of Joe and one in Slattery's off) in his mind to get off the mark to (hundred shillings is five quid) and when they were in the (dark horse) Pisser Burke was telling me card party and letting on the child was sick (gob, must have done about a gallon) flabbyarse of a wife speaking down the tube she's better or she's (ow!) all a plan so he could vamoose with the pool if he won or (Jesus, full up I was) trading without a licence (ow!) Ireland my nation says he (hoik! phthook!) never be up to those bloody (there's the last of it) Jerusalem (ah!) cuckoos.
So anyhow when I got back they were at it dingdong, John Wyse saying it was Bloom gave the idea for Sinn Fein to Griffith to put in his paper all kinds of jerrymandering, packed juries and swindling the taxes off of the Government and appointing consuls all over the world to walk about selling Irish industries. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Gob, that puts the bloody kybosh on it if old sloppy eyes is mucking up the show. Give us a bloody chance. God save Ireland from the likes of that bloody mouseabout. Mr Bloom with his argol bargol. And his old fellow before him perpetrating frauds, old Methusalem Bloom, the robbing bagman, that poisoned himself with the prussic acid after he swamping the country with his baubles and his penny diamonds. Loans by post on easy terms. Any amount of money advanced on note of hand. Distance no object. No security. Gob he's like Lanty MacHale's goat that'd go a piece of the road with everyone.
-- Well, it's a fact, says John Wyse. And there's the man now that'll tell you about it, Martin Cunningham.
Sure enough the castle car drove up with Martin on it and Jack Power with him and a fellow named Crofter or Crofton, pensioner out of the collector general's, an orangeman Blackburn does have on the registration and he drawing his pay or Crawford gallivanting around the country at the king's expense.
Our travellers reached the rustic hostelry and alighted from their palfreys.
-- Ho, varlet! cried he, who by his mien seemed the leader of the party. Saucy knave! To us!
So saying he knocked loudly with his swordhilt upon the open lattice.
Mine host came forth at the summons girding him with his tabard.
-- Give you good den, my masters, said he with an obsequious bow.
-- Bestir thyself, sirrah! cried he who had knocked. Look to our steeds. And for ourselves give us of your best for faith we need it.
-- Lackaday, good masters, said the host, my poor house has but a bare larder. I know not what to offer your lordships.
-- How now, fellow? cried the second of the party, a man of pleasant countenance, so servest thou the king's messengers, Master Taptun?
An instantaneous change overspread the landlord's visage.
-- Cry you mercy, gentlemen, he said humbly. An you be the king's messengers (God shield His Majesty!) you shall not want for aught. The king's friends (God bless His Majesty!) shall not go afasting in my house I warrant me.
-- Then about! cried the traveller who had not spoken, a lusty trencherman by his aspect. Hast aught to give us?
Mine host bowed again as he made answer:
-- What say you, good masters, to a squab pigeon pasty, some collops of venison, a saddle of veal, widgeon with crisp hog's bacon, a boar's head with pistachios, a bason of jolly custard, a medlar tansy and a flagon of old Rhenish?
-- Gadzooks! cried the last speaker. That likes me well. Pistachios!
-- Aha! cried he of the pleasant countenance. A poor house and a bare larder, quotha! 'Tis a merry rogue.
So in comes Martin asking where was Bloom.
-- Where is he? says Lenehan. Defrauding widows and orphans.
-- Isn't that a fact, says John Wyse, what I was telling the citizen about Bloom and the Sinn Fein?
-- That's so, says Martin. Or so they allege.
-- Who made those allegations? says Alf.
-- I, says Joe. I'm the alligator.
-- And after all, says John Wyse, why can't a jew love his country like the next fellow?
-- Why not? says J. J., when he's quite sure which country it is.
-- Is he a jew or a gentile or a holy Roman or a swaddler or what the hell is he? says Ned. Or who is he? No offence, Crofton.
-- We don't want him, says Crofter the Orangeman or presbyterian.
-- Who is Junius? says J. J.
-- He's a perverted jew, says Martin, from a place in Hungary and it was he drew up all the plans according to the Hungarian system. We know that in the castle.
-- Isn't he a cousin of Bloom the dentist? says Jack Power.
-- Not at all, says Martin. Only namesakes. His name was Virag. The father's name that poisoned himself. He changed it by deed poll, the father did.
-- That's the new Messiah for Ireland! says the citizen. Island of saints and sages!
-- Well, they're still waiting for their redeemer, says Martin. For that matter so are we.
-- Yes, says J. J., and every male that's born they think it may be their Messiah. And every jew is in a tall state of excitement, I believe, till he knows if he's a father or a mother.
-- Expecting every moment will be his next, says Lenehan.
-- O, by God, says Ned, you should have seen Bloom before that son of his that died was born. I met him one day in the south city markets buying a tin of Neave's food six weeks before the wife was delivered.
-- En ventre sa mere, says J. J.
-- Do you call that a man? says the citizen.
-- I wonder did he ever put it out of sight, says Joe.
-- Well, there were two children born anyhow, says Jack Power.
-- And who does he suspect? says the citizen.
Gob, there's many a true word spoken in jest. One of those mixed middlings he is. Lying up in the hotel Pisser was telling me once a month with headache like a totty with her courses. Do you know what I'm telling you? It'd be an act of God to take a hold of a fellow the like of that and throw him in the bloody sea. Justifiable homicide, so it would. Then sloping off with his five quid without putting up a pint of stuff like a man. Give us your blessing. Not as much as would blind your eye.
-- Charity to the neighbour, says Martin. But where is he? We can't wait.
-- A wolf in sheep's clothing, says the citizen. That's what he
is. Virag from Hungary! Ahasuerus I call him. Cursed by God.
-- Have you time for a brief libation, Martin? says Ned.
-- Only one, says Martin. We must be quick. J. J. and S.
-- You Jack? Crofton? Three half ones, Terry.
-- Saint Patrick would want to land again at Ballykinlar and convert us, says the citizen, after allowing things like that to contaminate our shores.
-- Well, says Martin, rapping for his glass. God bless all here is my prayer.
-- Amen, says the citizen.
-- And I'm sure he will, says Joe.
And at the sound of the sacring bell, headed by a crucifer with acolytes, thurifers, boatbearers, readers, ostiarii, deacons and subdeacons, the blessed company drew nigh of mitred abbots and priors and guardians and monks and friars: the monks of Benedict of Spoleto, Carthusians and Camaldolesi, Cistercians and Olivetans, Oratorians and Vallombrosans, and the friars of Augustine, Brigittines, Premonstratesians, Servi, Trinitarians, and the children of Peter Nolasco: and therewith from Carmel mount the children of Elijah prophet led by Albert bishop and by Teresa of Avila, calced and other: and friars brown and grey, sons of poor Francis, capuchins, cordeliers, minimes and observants and the daughters of Clara: and the sons of Dominic, the friars preachers, and the sons of Vincent: and the monks of S. Wolstan: and Ignatius his children: and the confraternity of the christian brothers led by the reverend brother Edmund Ignatius Rice. And after came all saints and martyrs, virgins and confessors: S. Cyr and S. Isidore Arator and S. James the Less and S. Phocas of Sinope and S. Julian Hospitator and S. Felix de Cantalice and S. Simon Stylites and S. Stephen Protomartyr and S. John of God and S. Ferreol and S. Leugarde and S. Theodotus and S. Vulmar and S. Richard and S. Vincent de Paul and S. Martin of Todi and S. Martin of Tours and S. Alfred and S. Joseph and S. Denis and S. Cornelius and S. Leopold and S. Bernard and S. Terence and S. Edward and S. Owen Caniculus and S. Anonymous and S. Eponymous and S. Pseudonymous and S. Homonymous and S. Paronymous and S. Synonymous and S. Laurence O'Toole and S. James of Dingle and Compostella and S. Columcille and S. Columba and S. Celestine and S. Colman and S. Kevin and S. Brendan and S. Frigidian and S. Senan and S. Fachtna and S. Columbanus and S. Gall and S. Fursey and S. Fintan and S. Fiacre and S. John Nepomuc and S. Thomas Aquinas and S. Ives of Brittany and S. Michan and S. Herman-Joseph and the three patrons of holy youth S. Aloysius Gonzaga and S. Stanislaus Kostka and S. John Berchmans and the saints Gervasius, Servasius and Bonifacius and S. Bride and S. Kieran and S. Canice of Kilkenny and S. Jarlath of Tuam and S. Finbarr and S. Pappin of Ballymun and Brother Aloysius Pacificus and Brother Louis Bellicosus and the saints Rose of Lima and of Viterbo and S. Martha of Bethany and S. Mary of Egypt and S. Lucy and S. Brigid and S. Attracta and S. Dympna and S. Ita and S. Marion Calpensis and the Blessed Sister Teresa of the Child Jesus and S. Barbara and S. Scholastica and S. Ursula with eleven thousand virgins. And all came with nimbi and aureoles and gloriae, bearing palms and harps and swords and olive crowns, in robes whereon were woven the blessed symbols of their efficacies, inkhorns, arrows, loaves, cruses, fetters, axes, trees, bridges, babes in a bathtub, shells, wallets, shears, keys, dragons, lilies, buckshot, beards, hogs, lamps, bellows, beehives, soupladles, stars, snakes, anvils, boxes of vaseline, bells, crutches, forceps, stags' horns, watertight boots, hawks, millstones, eyes on a dish, wax candles, aspergills, unicorns. And as they wended their way by Nelson's Pillar, Henry Street, Mary Street, Capel Street, Little Britain Street, chanting the introit in Epiphania Domini which beginneth Surge, illuminare and thereafter most sweetly the gradual Omnes which saith de Saba venient they did divers wonders such as casting out devils, raising the dead to life, multiplying fishes, healing the halt and the blind, discovering various articles which had been mislaid, interpreting and fulfilling the scriptures, blessing and prophesying. And last, beneath a canopy of cloth of gold came the reverend Father O'Flynn attended by Malachi and Patrick. And when the good fathers had reached the appointed place, the house of Bernard Kiernan and Co, limited, 8,9 and 10 little Britain street, wholesale grocers, wine and brandy shippers, licensed for the sale of beer, wine and spirits for consumption on the premises, the celebrant blessed the house and censed the mullioned windows and the groynes and the vaults and the arrises and the capitals and the pediments and the cornices and the engrailed arches and the spires and the cupolas and sprinkled the lintels thereof with blessed water and prayed that God might bless that house as he had blessed the house of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and make the angels of His light to inhabit therein. And entering he blessed the viands and the beverages and the company of all the blessed answered his prayers.
-- Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
-- Que fecit clum et terram.
-- Dominus vobiscum.
-- Et cum spiritu tuo.
And he laid his hands upon the blessed and gave thanks and he prayed and they all with him prayed:
-- Deus, cuius vet sanctificantur omnia, benedictionem tuam effunde super creaturas istas: et pasta ut quisquis eis secundum legem et voluntatem Tuam cum gratiarum actione usus fuerit per invocationem sanctissimi nominis Tui corporis sanitatem et anima tutelam Te auctore percipiat per Christum Dominum nostrum.
-- And so say all of us, says Jack.
-- Thousand a year, Lambert, says Crofton or Crawford.
-- Right, says Ned, taking up his John Jameson. And butter for fish.
I was just looking round to see who the happy thought would strike when be damned but in he comes again letting on to be in a hell of a hurry.
-- I was just round at the courthouse, says he, looking for you. I hope I'm not...
-- No, says Martin, we're ready.
Courthouse my eye and your pockets hanging down with gold and silver. Mean bloody scut. Stand us a drink itself. Devil a sweet fear! There's a jew for you! All for number one. Cute as a shithouse rat. Hundred to five.
-- Don't tell anyone, says the citizen.
-- Beg your pardon, says he.
-- Come on boys, says Martin, seeing it was looking blue. Come along now.
-- Don't tell anyone, says the citizen, letting a bawl out of him. It's a secret.
And-he bloody dog woke up and let a growl.
-- Bye bye all, says Martin.
And he got them out as quick as he could, Jack Power and Crofton or whatever you call him and him in the middle of them letting on to be all at sea up with them on the bloody jaunting car.
Off with you, says Martin to the jarvey.
The milkwhite dolphin tossed his mane and, rising in the golden poop, the helmsman spread the bellying sail upon the wind and stood off forward with all sail set, the spinnaker to larboard. A many comely nymphs drew nigh to starboard and to larboard and, clinging to the sides of the noble bark, they linked their shining forms as doth the cunning wheelwright when he fashions about the heart of his wheel the equidistant rays whereof each one is sister to another and he binds them all with an outer ring and giveth speed to the feet of men whenas they ride to a hosting or contend for the smile of ladies fair. Even so did they come and set them, those willing nymphs, the undying sisters. And they laughed, sporting in a circle of their foam: and the bark clave the waves.
But begob I was just lowering the heel of the pint when I saw the citizen getting up to waddle to the door, puffing and blowing with the dropsy and he cursing the curse of Cromwell on him, bell, book and candle in Irish, spitting and spatting out of him and Joe and little Alf round him like a leprechaun trying to peacify him.
-- Let me alone, says he.
And begob he got as far as the door and they holding him and he bawls out of him:
-- Three cheers for Israel!
Arrah, sit down on the parliamentary side of your arse for Christ' sake and don't be making a public exhibition of yourself. Jesus, there's always some bloody clown or other kicking up a bloody murder about bloody nothing. Gob, it'd turn the porter sour in your guts, so it would.
And all the ragamuffins and sluts of the nation round the door and Martin telling the jarvey to drive ahead and the citizen bawling and Alf and Joe at him to whisht and he on his high horse about the jews and the loafers calling for a speech and Jack Power trying to get him to sit down on the car and hold his bloody jaw and a loafer with a patch over his eye starts singing If the man in the moon was a jew, jew, jew and a slut shouts out of her:
-- Eh, mister! Your fly is open, mister!
And says he:
-- Mendelssohn was a jew and Karl Marx and Mercadante and Spinoza. And the Saviour was a jew and his father was a jew. Your God.
-- He had no father, says Martin. That'll do now. Drive ahead.
-- Whose God? says the citizen.
-- Well, his uncle was a jew, says he. Your God was a jew. Christ was a jew like me.
Gob, the citizen made a plunge back into the shop.
-- By Jesus, says he, I'Il brain that bloody jewman for using the holy name. By Jesus, I'll crucify him so I will. Give us that biscuitbox here.
-- Stop! Stop! says Joe.
A-large and appreciative gathering of friends and acquaintances from the metropolis and greater Dublin assembled in their thousands to bid farewell to Nagyaságos uram Lipóti Virag, late of Messrs Alexander Thom's, printers to His Majesty, on the occasion of his departure for the distant clime of Százharminczbrojúgulyás-Dugulás (Meadow of Murmuring Waters). The ceremony which went off with great éclat was characterised by the most affecting cordiality. An illuminated scroll of ancient Irish vellum, the work of Irish artists, was presented to the distinguished phenomenologist on behalf of a large section of the community and was accompanied by the gift of a silver casket, tastefully executed in the style of ancient Celtic ornament, a work which reflects every credit on the makers, Messrs Jacob agus Jacob. The departing guest was the recipient of a hearty ovation, many of those who were present being visibly moved when the select orchestra of Irish pipes struck up the wellknown strains of Come back to Erin, followed immediately by Rakoczy's March. Tarbarrels and bonfires were lighted along the coastline of the four seas on the summits of the Hill of Howth, Three Rock Mountain, Sugar-loaf, Bray Head, the mountains of Mourne, the Galtees, the Ox and Donegal and Sperrin peaks, the Nagles and the Bograghs, the Connemara hills, the reeks of M'Gillicuddy, Slieve Aughty, Slieve Bernagh and Slieve Bloom. Amid cheers that rent the welkin, responded to by answering cheers from a big muster of henchmen on the distant Cambrian and Caledonian hills, the mastodontic pleasureship slowly moved away saluted by a final floral tribute from the representatives of the fair sex who were present in large numbers while, as it proceeded down the river, escorted by a flotilla of barges, the flags of the Ballast office and Custom House were dipped in salute as were also those of the electrical power station at the Pigeon-house. Visszontlátlására, kedvés baráton! Visszontlátásra! Gone but not forgotten.
Gob, the devil wouldn't stop him till he got hold of the bloody tin anyhow and out with him and little Alf hanging on to his elbow and he shouting like a stuck pig, as good as any bloody play in the Queen's royal theatre.
-- Where is he till I murder him?
And Ned and J. G. paralysed with the laughing.
-- Bloody wars, says I, I'll be in for the last gospel.
But as luck would have it the jarvey got the nag's head round the other way and off with him.
-- Hold one citizen, says Joe. Stop. Begob he drew his hand and made a swipe and let fly. Mercy of God the sun was in his eyes or he'd have left him for dead. Gob, he near sent it into the county Longford. The bloody nag took fright and the old mongrel after the car like bloody hell and all the populace shouting and laughing and the old tinbox clattering along the street.
The catastrophe was terrific and instantaneous in its effect. The observatory of Dunsink registered in all eleven shocks, all of the fifth grade of Mercalli's scale, and there is no record extant of a similar seismic disturbance in our island since the earthquake of 1534, the year of the rebellion of Silken Thomas. The epicentre appears to have been that part of the metropolis which constitutes the Inn's Quay ward and parish of Saint Michan covering a surface of fortyone acres, two roods and one square pole or perch. All the lordly Tesidences in the vicinity of the palace of justice were demolished and that noble edifice itself, in which at the time of the catastrophe important legal debates were in progress, is literally a mass of ruins beneath which it is to be feared all the occupants have been buried alive. From the reports of eyewitnesses it transpires that the seismic waves were accompanied by a violent atmospheric perturbation of cyclonic character. An article of headgear since ascertained to belong to the much respected clerk of the crown and peace Mr George Fottrell and a silk umbrella with gold handle with the engraved initials, coat of arms and house number of the erudite and worshipful chairman of quarter sessions sir Frederick Falkiner, recorder of Dublin, have been discovered by search parties in remote parts of the island, respectively, the former on the third basaltic ridge of the giant's causeway, the latter embedded to the extent of one foot three inches in the sandy beach of Holeopen bay near the old head of Kinsale. Other eyewitnesses depose that they-observed an incandescent object of enormous proportions hurtling through the atmosphere at a terrifying velocity in a trajectory directed south west by west. Messages of condolence and sympathy are being hourly received from all parts of the different continents and the sovereign pontiff has been graciously pleased to decree that a special missa pro defunctis shall be celebrated simultaneously by the ordinaries of each and every cathedral church of all the episcopal dioceses subject to the spiritual authority of the Holy See in suffrage of the souls of those faithful departed who have been so unexpectedly called away from our midst. The work of salvage, removal of debris human remains etc has been entrusted to Messrs Michael Meade and Son, 159, Great Brunswick Street and Messrs T. C. Martin, 77, 78, 79 and 80, North Wall, assisted by the men and officers of the Duke of Cornwall's light infantry under the general supervision of H. R. H., rear admiral the right honourable sir Hercules Hannibal Habeas Corpus Anderson K.G., K.P., H.T., P.C., K.C.B., M.P., J.P., M.B., D.S.O., S.O.D., M.F.H., M.R.I.A., B.L., Mus. Doc., P.L.G., F.T.C.D., F.R.U.I., F.R.C.P.I. and F.R.C.S.I.
You never saw the like of it in all your born puff. Gob, if he got that lottery ticket on the side of his poll he'd remember the gold cup, he would so, but begob the citizen would have been lagged for assault and battery and Joe for aiding and abetting. The jarvey saved his life by furious driving as sure as God made Moses. What? O, Jesus, he did. And he let a volley of oaths after him.
-- Did I kill him, says he, or what?
And he shouting to the bloody dog:
-- After him, Garry! After him, boy!
And the last we saw was the bloody car rounding the corner and old sheepface on it gesticulating and the bloody mongrel after it with his lugs back for all he was bloody well worth to tear him limb from limb. Hundred to five! Jesus, he took the value of it out of him, I promise you.
When, lo, there came about them all a great brightness and they beheld the chariot wherein He stood ascend to heaven. And they beheld Him in the chariot, clothed upon in the glory of the brightness, having raiment as of the sun, fair as the moon and terrible that for awe they durst not look upon Him. And there came a voice out of heaven, calling: Elijah! Elijah! And he answered with a main cry: Abba! Adonai! And they beheld Him even Him, ben Bloom Elijah, amid clouds of angels ascend to the glory of the brightness at an angle of fortyfive degrees over Donohoe's in Little Green Street like a shot off a shovel.
占楼
[ 此帖被soneyky在2012-12-24 08:51重新编辑 ]
soneyky

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12、正当我跟首都警察署的老特洛伊


正当我跟首都警察署的老特洛伊在阿伯山[1] 拐角处闲聊的时候,真该死,一个扫烟囱的混蛋走了过来,差点儿把他那家什捅进我的眼睛里。我转过身去, 刚要狠狠地骂他一顿,只见沿着斯托尼·巴特尔街蹒跚踱来的,不是别人, 正是乔·海因斯。
“喂,乔,”我说,“你混得怎么样?你瞧见了吗,那个扫烟囱的混蛋差点儿用他的刷子把我的眼珠子捅出来?”
“煤烟可是个吉祥的东西,”乔说,“你跟他说话的那个老笨蛋是谁呀?”
“老特洛伊呗,”我说,“在军队里呆过。刚才那家伙用扫帚啦、梯子什么的妨碍了交通,我还没拿定主意要不要控告他哩。”
“你在这一带干什么哪?”乔说。
“干不出啥名堂,”我说,“守备队教堂再过去,雏鸡小巷拐角处,有个狡猾透顶的混帐贼--老特洛伊刚才透露给我关于他的一些底细。 他自称在唐郡有座农场,于是就从住在海特斯勃利大街附近一个名叫摩西·赫佐格的侏儒那儿,勒索来大量的茶叶和砂糖。决定要他每星期付三先令。”
“是行过割礼的家伙[2]吧?”乔说。
“对,”我说,“割下一点尖儿。[3]是个老管子工,姓杰拉蒂。两个星期来我一直跟他泡,可是他一个便士也不肯掏。”
“这就是你目前干的行当吗?”乔说。
“唉,”我说,“英雄们竟倒下了![4]就靠收呆帐和荒帐为业。但是走上一整天也轻易碰不到像他那样声名狼藉的混帐强盗。 他那一脸麻子足盛得下一场阵雨。‘告诉他,’他说:‘我才不怕他呢,’他说,‘他就是再一次派你来,我也一点儿都不怕。要是他派的话,’他说,‘我就让法庭去传讯他。我一定要控告他无执照营业。’然后他吃得肚子都快撑破了。天哪,小个儿犹太佬大发脾气,我忍不住笑起来了。‘他喝的是俺的茶。他吃的是俺的糖。因为他不把欠俺的钱还给俺!对不?”
从都柏林市伍德码头区圣凯文步道十三号的商人摩西·赫佐格(以下称作卖方)那里购入、并出售提交给都柏林市阿伦码头区阿伯斜坡二十九号的绅士迈克尔·E·杰拉蒂[5](以下称作买方)的耐久商品,计有常衡每磅三先令整的特级茶叶常衡五磅,常衡每磅三便士的结晶粒状砂糖常衡三斯通[6]。作为代价,上述买方应付给上述卖方一镑五先令六便士的货款。此款应按周分期付款,每七天支付三先令整。 经上述卖方及其法定继承人、业务后继者、受托人和受让人为一方, 买方及其法定继承人、业务后继者、受托人和受让人为另一方;在上述买方按照经双方同意, 本日所议定的支付方法将款项准时付清卖方之前, 上述买方不得将上述耐久商品予以典当、抵押、出售或用其他方式转让。上述卖方对这些商品仍然享有独占权, 只能凭借他的信誉和意志来处置。
“你是个严格的戒酒主义者吗?”乔问。
“在两次饮酒之间,一滴也不入。”我说。
“向咱们的朋友表示一下敬意怎么样?”乔说。
“谁呀?”我说,“他疯了,住进了‘天主的约翰’[7] ),可怜的人。”
“喝的是他自己的那种酒吧?”乔说。
“可不是嘛,”我说,“威士忌兑脑水肿[8]。”
“到巴尼·基尔南酒吧去吧,”乔说,“我想去见见‘市民’[9]。”
“就在老相识[10]巴尼那儿吧,”我说,“有什么新奇的或者了不起的事吗,乔?”
“一点儿也没有,”乔说,“我刚刚开完市徽饭店的那个会。”
“什么会呀?”我说。
“牲畜商的聚会[11],”乔说,“谈的是口蹄疫问题。关于这,我要向‘市民’透露点内幕消息。”
于是我们东拉西扯地闲聊着,沿着亚麻厅营房[12])和法院后身走去。乔这个人哪,有钱的时候挺大方,可是像他这副样子,确实从来也没有过钱。天哪, 我可不能原谅那个大白天抢劫的强盗,混帐狡猾的杰拉蒂。 他竟然说什么要控告人家无执照营业。
在美丽的伊尼斯费尔[13]有片土地,神圣的迈昌[14]土地。那儿高高耸立着一座望楼[15],人们从远处就可以望到它。 里面躺着卓绝的死者--将士和煊赫一世的王侯们。他们睡得就像还活着似的。 [16] 那真是一片欢乐的土地,淙淙的溪水,河流里满是嘻戏的鱼:绿鳍鱼、鲽鱼、 石斑鱼、庸蝶、雄黑线鳍[17]、幼鲑、比目鱼、滑菱鲆、鲽形目鱼、绿鳕, 下等杂鱼以及水界的其他不胜枚举的鱼类。在微微的西风和东风中,高耸的树朝四面八方摇摆着它们那优美的茂叶, 飘香的埃及榕、黎巴嫩杉、冲天的法国梧桐、 良种按树以及郁郁葱葱遍布这一地区的其他乔木界瑰宝。可爱的姑娘们紧紧倚着可爱的树木根部,唱着最可爱的歌, 用各种可爱的东西作游戏,诸如金锭、银鱼、成斗的鲱鱼、 一网网的鳝鱼和幼鳕、一篓篓的仔鲑、海里的紫色珍宝以及顽皮的昆虫们。从埃布拉纳至斯利夫马吉[18], 各地的英雄们远远地飘洋过海来向她们求爱。盖世无双的亲王们来自自由的芒斯特、 正义的康诺特、光滑整洁的伦斯特、克鲁亚昌的领地、辉煌的阿马、博伊尔的崇高地区[19]。 他们是王子,即国王的子嗣[20]。
那里还矗立着一座灿烂的宫殿[21]。它那闪闪发光的水晶屋顶,映人了水手们的眼帘。他们乘着特制的三桅帆船,穿越浩淼的海洋, 把当地所有的牲畜、肥禽和初摘的水果,统统运来。由奥康内尔·菲茨蒙[ 22] 向他们收税。他是一位族长--也是族长的后裔。用一辆辆巨大的敞篷马车载来的是田里丰饶的收获:装在浅筐中的花椰菜、成车的菠菜,大块头的菠萝,仰光豆[23],多少斯揣克[24]西红柿,盛在一只只圆桶里的无花果,条播的瑞典芜菁,球形土豆,好几捆约克种以及萨沃伊种彩虹色羽衣甘兰,还有盛在一只只浅箱里的大地之珍珠[ 25] --葱头;此外就是一扁篮一扁篮的蘑菇、乳黄色食用葫芦、饱满的大巢莱、大麦和苔苔,红绿黄褐朽叶色的又甜又大又苦又熟又有斑点的苹果,装在一只只薄木匣里的杨梅,一粗筐一粗筐的醋栗。多汁而皮上毛茸茸的,再就是可供王侯吃的草莓和刚摘下的木莓。
我才不怕他呢,那家伙说,一点儿都不怕。滚出来,杰拉蒂,你这臭名远扬的混帐山贼,溪谷里的强盗!
这样,无数牲畜成群地沿着这条路走去。有系了铃铛的阉羊、亢奋的母羊、没有阉过的剪了毛的公羊、羊羔、胡茬鹅[26]、半大不小的食用阉牛、患了喘鸣症的母马、锯了角的牛犊子、长毛羊、为了出售而养肥的羊、卡夫[27]那即将产仔的上好母牛、不够标准的牛羊、割去卵巢的母猪、做熏肉用的阉过的公猪、各类不同品种的优良猪、安格斯小母羊、无斑点的纯种去角阉牛,以及正当年的头等乳牛和肉牛;从拉斯克、拉什和卡里克梅恩斯那一片片牧场,从托蒙德那流水潺潺的山谷,从麦吉利卡迪那难以攀登的山岭和气派十足、深不可测的香农河,[28]从隶属于凯亚[29]族的缓坡地带,不停地传来成群的羊、猪和拖着沉重蹄子的母牛那践踏声,咯咯、吼叫、哞哞、咩洋、喘气、哼哼、磨牙、咀嚼的声音。一只只的乳房几乎涨破了,那过剩的乳汁,一桶桶黄油,一副副内膜[30]中的奶酪,一只只农家小木桶[31]里装满了一块块羊羔颈胸肉,多少克拉诺克[32]的小麦,以及大小不一,或玛瑙色,或焦茶色,成百上千的椭圆形鸡蛋,就这样源源不断地运来。
于是,我们转身走进了巴尼·基尔南酒吧。果不其然,“市民”那家伙正坐在角落里,一会儿喃喃自语,一会儿又跟那只长满癞疮的杂种狗加里欧文[33]大耍贫嘴,等候着天上滴下什么酒来。
“他在那儿呢,”我说,“在他的光荣洞里,跟满满的小坛子[34]和一大堆报纸在一起,正在为主义而工作着。”
那只混帐杂种狗嗷嗷叫的声音使人起鸡皮疙瘩。要是哪位肯把它宰了, 那可是桩肉体上的善行[35]哩。听说当桑特里[36]的宪警去送蓝色文件[37]时,它竟把他的裤子咬掉了一大块,这话千真万确
“站住,交出来,[38]”他说。
“可以啦,‘市民’,”乔说,“这里都是自己人。”
“过去吧,自己人,”他说。
然后他用手揉揉一只眼睛,说:
“你们对时局怎么看?”
他以强人[39]和山中的罗里[40]自居。可是,乔这家伙确实应付得了。
“我认为行情在看涨,”他说着,将一只手滑到胯股那儿。
于是,“市民”这家伙用巴掌拍了拍膝头说:
“这都是外国的战争[41]造成的。”
乔把大拇指戳进兜里,说:
“想称霸的是俄国人哩。”
“荒唐[ 42] !别胡说八道啦,乔,”我说,“我的喉咙干得厉害,就是喝上它半克朗的酒,也解不了渴。”
“你点吧,‘市民’,”乔说。
“国酒[43]呗,”他说。
“你要点儿什么?”乔说。
“跟马卡纳斯贝一样[44],”我说。
“来上三品脱,特里,”乔说。“老宝贝儿,好吗,‘市民’?”他说。
“再好不过啦,我的朋友[45],”他说,“怎么,加利?咱们能得手吗,呃?”
他随说着,随抓住那只讨厌的大狗的颈背。天哪,差点儿把它勒死。
坐在圆形炮塔脚下大圆石上的那个人生得肩宽胸厚,四肢健壮,眼神坦率,红头发,满脸雀斑,胡子拉碴,阔嘴大鼻,长长的头,嗓音深沉,光着膝盖,膂力过人,腿上多毛,面色红润,胳膊发达,一副英雄气概。两肩之间宽达数埃尔[46]。他那如磐石、若山岳的双膝,就像身上其他裸露着的部分一样,全结结实实地长满了黄褐色扎扎乎乎的毛。不论颜色还是那韧劲儿,都像是山荆豆(学名乌列克斯·尤列庇欧斯[47])。鼻翼宽阔的鼻孔里扎煞着同样是黄褐色的硬毛,容积大如洞穴,可供草地鹨在那幽暗处宽宽绰绰地筑巢。
泪水与微笑不断地争夺主次的那双眼睛[48],足有一大棵花椰菜那么大。从他那口腔的深窝里,每隔一定时间就吐出一股强烈温暖的气息; 而他那颗坚强的心脏总在响亮、有力而健壮地跳动着,产生有节奏的共鸣, 像雷一般轰隆轰隆的,使大地、高耸的塔顶,以及更高的洞穴的内壁都为之震颤。
他身穿用新近剥下来的公牛皮做的坎肩,长及膝盖,下摆是宽松的苏格兰式百褶短裙。腰间系着用麦秆和灯心草编织的带子。里面穿的是用肠线潦潦草草缝就的鹿皮紧身裤。胫部裹着染成苔紫色的高地巴尔布里艮[49]皮绑腿,脚蹬低跟镂花皮鞋,是用盐腌过的母牛皮制成的,并系着同一牲畜的气管做的鞋带。他的腰带上垂挂着一串海卵石。每当他那可怕的身躯一摆动,就丁当乱响。在这些卵石上,以粗犷而高超的技艺刻着许许多多古代爱尔兰部族的男女英雄的形象:库楚林、百战之康恩、做过九次人质的奈尔[ 50] 、金克拉的布赖恩[51]、玛拉基大王、阿尔特·麦克默拉、沙恩·奥尼尔[52]、约翰·墨菲神父、欧文·罗[ 53] 、帕特里克·萨斯菲尔德[54]、红发休·奥唐奈、红发吉姆·麦克德莫特[55]、索加斯·尤格翰·奥格罗尼[56]、迈克尔·德怀尔、弗朗西斯·希金斯[ 57] 、亨利·乔伊·莫克拉肯[58]、歌利亚[59]、霍勒斯·惠特利[60]、托马斯·康内夫、佩格·沃芬顿[61]、乡村铁匠[62]、穆恩莱特上尉[63]、杯葛上尉[64]、但丁·阿利吉耶里、克里斯托弗·哥伦布、圣弗尔萨[65]、圣布伦丹[66]、麦克马洪[67]元帅、查理曼[68]、西奥博尔德·沃尔夫·托恩[69]、马加比弟兄之母[70]、最后的莫希干人[ 71] 、卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰[72]、攻克戈尔韦的人[73]、使蒙特卡洛的赌场主破产了的人[74]、把关者[75]、没做的女人[76]、本杰明·富兰克林、拿破仑·波拿巴、约翰·劳·沙利文[77]、克莉奥佩特拉、我忠实的宝贝儿[ 78] 、尤利乌斯·恺撒、帕拉切尔苏斯[79]、托马斯·利普顿爵士[ 80] 、威廉·退尔[81]、 米开朗琪罗·海斯[82]、穆罕默德、拉默穆尔的新娘[83]、隐修士彼得[84]、打包商彼得[85]、黑发罗莎琳[86]、帕特里克·威·莎士比亚[87]、布赖恩·孔子[88]、穆尔塔赫·谷登堡[89]、帕特里西奥·委拉斯开兹[90]、内莫船长[91]、特里斯丹和绮瑟[92]、第一任威尔士亲王[93]、托马斯·库克父子[94]、勇敢的少年兵[95]、 爱吻者[96]、迪克·特平[97]、路德维希·贝多芬、金发少女[98]、摇摆的希利[99]、神仆团团员安格斯[100] 、多利丘、西德尼步道、霍斯山[101] 、 瓦伦丁·格雷特雷克斯[102] 、亚当与夏娃[103] ,阿瑟·韦尔斯利[104] 、领袖克罗克[105]、希罗多德[106] 、杀掉巨人的杰克[107] 、乔答摩·佛陀[108] 、 戈黛娃夫人[109] 、基拉尼的百合[110]、恶毒眼巴洛尔[111] 、示巴女王[112] 、阿基·内格尔[113] 、乔·内格尔[114] 、亚历山德罗·伏打[115] 、 杰里迈亚·奥多诺万·罗萨[116]、堂菲利普·奥沙利文·比尔[117] 。他身旁横着一杆用磨尖了的花岗石做成的矛,他脚下卧着一条属于犬类的野兽。它像打呼噜般地喘着气,表明它已沉入了不安宁的睡眠中。这从它嘶哑的嗥叫和痉挛性的动作得到证实。主人不时地抡起用旧石器时代的石头粗糙地做成的大棍子来敲打,以便镇住并抑制它。
于是,特里总算把乔请客的三品脱端来了。好家伙,当我瞧见他拍出一枚金镑的时候,我这双眼睛差点儿瞎了。啊,真格的,多么玲珑的一镑金币。
“还有的是哪,”他说。
“你是从慈善箱里抢来的吧,乔,”我说。
“这是从我的脑门子淌下来的汗水,”乔说,“是那个谨慎的家伙把信息透露给我的。”[118]
“遇到你之前,我看见他啦,”我说,“正沿着皮尔小巷和希腊街闲荡哪。他那大鳕鱼眼连每根鱼肠子都不放过。”
是谁通身披挂着黑色铠甲,穿过迈昌的土地[119] 前来?是罗里[122] 的儿子奥布卢姆。正是他。罗里的儿子是无所畏惧的。他是个谨慎的人。
“为亲王街的老太婆[121] 工作着吧,”“市民”说,“为那份领着津贴的机关报。因在议会里宣过誓而受到拘束。瞧瞧这该死的破报,”他说,“瞧瞧这个”, 他说,“《爱尔兰独立日报》,你们看多奇怪,竟然是‘巴涅尔所创办,工人之友’ 哩。不妨听听这份一切为了爱尔兰的《爱尔兰独立日报》上所登的出生通知和讣告吧,我得谢谢你们。还有结婚启事呢。”
他就开始朗读起来:
“‘埃克塞特市”[122]巴恩菲尔德·新月街的戈登; 住在滨海圣安妮之艾弗利的雷德梅因,威廉·T。雷德梅因之妻生一子。’这怎么样呢? ‘赖特和弗林特; 文森特和吉勒特,罗萨与已故乔治·艾尔弗雷德·吉勒特之女罗莎·玛莉恩, 斯托克维尔[123] 克列帕姆路一七九号,普莱伍德和里兹代尔,在肯辛顿的圣朱德教堂举行婚礼,主婚人为武斯特副主教、十分可敬的弗雷斯特博士。’呃?讣告: ‘住在伦敦白厅小巷的布里斯托;住在斯托克·纽因顿[124] 的卡尔,因患胃炎与心脏病;住在切普斯托[125] 莫特馆的科克伯恩……’”
“我晓得那家伙,”乔说,“吃过他的苦头。”
“‘科克伯恩·迪穆赛,已故海军大将大卫·迪穆赛的妻子;住在托特纳姆的米勒,享年八十五;住在利物浦坎宁街三十五号的伊莎贝拉·海伦·威尔士于六月十二日去世。’一份民族的报纸怎么会刊登这佯的玩艺儿呢,呃, 我的褐色小子[126] ?班特里这个假公济私的马丁·墨菲[127] ,搞的是什么名堂呢?”
“啊,喔,”乔说着把酒递过来,“感谢天主,他们赶在咱们头里啦[128] 。喝吧,‘市民’。”
“好的,”他说,“大老爷。”
“祝你健康,乔,”我说,“也祝大家的健康。”
啊!哦!别聊啦!我就想着喝上一品脱,想得发了霉,我敢对上主发誓,我能听见酒在我的胃囊上嘀嗒。
瞧,当他们快活地将那酒一饮而尽时,天神般的使者转眼到来。这是个英俊少年,灿烂如太阳,跟在他后面踱进来的是位雍容高雅的长者。他手执法典圣卷,伴随而来的是他那位门第无比高贵的夫人,女性中的佼佼者。
小个子阿尔夫·柏根踅进门来,藏在巴尼的小单间里,拼命地笑。喝得烂醉如泥,坐在我没看见的角落一个劲儿地打鼾的,不是别人,正是鲍勃·多兰。我并不晓得在发生什么事。阿尔夫一个劲儿地朝门外指指划划。好家伙,原来是那个该死的老丑角丹尼斯·布林。他趿拉着洗澡穿的拖鞋,腋下夹着两部该死的大书。他老婆--一个倒楣可怜的女人--像鬈毛狗那样迈着碎步,紧赶慢赶地跟在后面。我真怕阿尔夫会笑破肚皮。
“瞧他,”他说,“布林。有人给他寄来了一张写着‘万事休矣’的明信片。于是他就在都柏林走街串巷,一门心思去起……”
接着他笑得弯了腰。
“起什么?”我说。
“起诉,控告他诽谤罪,”他说,“要求赔偿一万镑。”
“胡闹!”我说。
那只该死的杂种狗发现出了什么事,嗥叫得令人毛骨悚然,然而“市民”只朝着它的肋骨踹了一脚。
“不许出声!”[129] 他说。
“是谁呀?”乔说。
“布林,”阿尔夫说,“他起先在约翰·亨利·门顿那里,接着又绕到考立斯-沃德事务所去。后来汤姆·罗赤福特碰见了他, 就开玩笑地支使他到副行政司法长官那儿去。噢,天哪,把我肚子都笑疼了。万事休矣:完蛋。那高个儿像是要传讯他似的盯了他一眼,如今那个老疯子到格林街去找警察啦。”
“高个儿约翰究竟什么时候绞死关在蒙乔伊的那个家伙?”[130]乔说。
“柏根,”鲍勃·多兰醒过来说,“那是阿尔夫·柏根吗?”
“是啊,”阿尔夫说,“绞死吗?等着瞧吧。特里,给咱来一小杯。那个该死的老傻瓜!一万镑。你该看看高个儿约翰那双眼睛。万事休矣……”
于是他笑起来了。
“你在笑谁哪?”鲍勃·多兰说,“是柏根吗?”
“快点儿,特里[131] 伙计,”阿尔夫说。
特伦斯·奥赖恩听见这话,立刻端来一只透明的杯子,里面满是冒泡的乌道浓啤酒。这是那对高贵的双胞胎邦吉维和邦加耿朗[132] 在他们那神圣的大桶里酿造的。他们像永生的勒达[133]所生的两个儿子一样精明,贮藏大量的蛇麻子[134] 那多汁的浆果,经过堆积,精选,研碎,酿制,再掺上酸汁,把刚兑好的汁液放在圣火上。这对精明的弟兄称得起是大酒桶之王,夜以继日地操劳着。
那么你,豪侠的特伦斯,便按照熟习的风俗[135] ,用透明的杯子盛上甘美的饮料,端给侠肠义胆、美如神明的口渴的他。
然而他,奥伯甘的年轻族长,论慷慨大度决不甘拜他人之下风,遂宽厚大方地付了一枚铸有头像的最贵重的青铜市[136]。上面, 用精巧的冶金工艺浮雕出仪表堂堂的女王像,她是布伦维克家族[137] 的后裔,名叫维多利亚。承蒙上主的恩宠,至高无上的女工陛下君临大不列颠和爱尔兰联合王国以及海外英国领土。 她是女王,信仰的捍卫者,印度的女皇。就是她,战胜了众邦,受到万人的崇敬, 从日出到日落之地[138] ,苍白、浅黑、微红到黝黑皮肤的人们,都晓得并爱戴她。
“那个该死的共济会会员在干什么哪,”“市民”说,“在外面鬼鬼祟祟地荡来荡去?”
“怎么回事儿?”乔说。
“喏,”阿尔夫边把钱丢过去边说,“谈到绞刑,我要让你们瞧一件你们从来没见过的东西:刽子手亲笔写的信。瞧。”
于是他从兜里掏出一叠装在信封里的信。
“你在作弄我吗?”我说。
“地地道道的真货,”阿尔夫说,“读吧。”
于是,乔拿起了那些信。
“你在笑谁哪?”鲍勃·多兰说。
我看出有点儿闹纠纷的苗头。鲍勃这家伙一喝酒就失态。于是,我就找个话碴儿说:
“威利·默雷[139] 近来怎么样,阿尔夫?”
“不知道,”阿尔夫说,“刚才我在卡佩尔街上瞧见他跟帕狄·迪格纳穆呆在一起。可当时我正在追赶着那个……”
“你什么?”乔丢下那些信说,“跟谁在一起?”
“跟迪格纳穆,”阿尔夫说。
“你指的是帕狄吗?”乔说。
“是呀,”阿尔夫说,“怎么啦?”
“你不晓得他死了吗?”乔说。
“帕狄·迪格纳穆死啦!”阿尔夫说。
“可不,”乔说。
“不到五分钟之前,我确实还曾看见了他,”阿尔夫说,“跟熗柄一样千真万确。”[140]
“谁死啦?”鲍勃·多兰说。
“那么,你瞧见的是他的幽灵呗,”乔说,“天主啊,保佑我们别遭到不幸。”
“怎么?”阿尔夫说,“真是不过五……哦?……而且还有威利·默雷跟他在一起,他们两个人在那个叫什么店号来着……怎么?迪格纳穆死了吗?”
“迪格纳穆怎么啦?”鲍勃·多兰说,“你们在扯些什么呀……?”
“死啦!”阿尔夫说,“他跟你一样,活得欢势着哪。”
“也许是的,”乔说,“横竖今儿早晨他们已经擅自把他埋掉了。”[141] 帕狄吗?”阿尔夫说。
“是啊,”乔说,“他寿终正寝啦,愿天主怜悯他。”
“慈悲的基督啊!”阿尔夫说。
他的确是所谓吓破了胆。
在黑暗中,使人感到幽灵的手在晃动。当按照密宗经咒[142] 作的祷告送至应达处时,一抹微弱然而愈益明亮起来的红宝石光泽逐渐映入眼帘。 从头顶和脸上散发出来的吉瓦光,使得虚灵体格外逼真。[143] 信息交流是脑下垂体以及骶骨部和太阳神经丛所释放出的橙色与鲜红色光线促成的。 问起他生前的名字和现在天界何方,他答以如今正在劫末[144] 或回归途中,但仍在星界低域,某些嗜血者手中经受着磨难。被问以当他越过那浩渺的境界后最初的感想如何, 他回答说:原先他所看见的好比是映在镜子里的模糊不清的影像[145] ,然而已经越境者面前随即揭示出发展“我”[146] 这一至高无上的可能性。及至问起来世的生活是否与有着肉身的我们在现世中的经验相仿佛时,他回答说,那些已进入灵界的受宠者曾告诉他说,在他们的住处,现代化家庭用品一应俱全,诸如塔拉梵那、 阿拉瓦塔尔、哈特阿克尔达、沃特克拉撒特[147] 。无比资深的能手沉浸在最纯粹的逸乐的波浪里。他想要一夸脱脱脂牛奶,立刻就给他端来,他显然解了渴。 问他有没有什么口信捎给生者,他告诫所有那些依然处于摩耶[148] 中的人们:要悟正道,因为天界盛传,马尔斯[149] 和朱庇特[150] 已下降到东方的角落来捣乱,而那是白羊宫[151]的势力范围。这时又问,故人这方面有没有特别的愿望, 回答是:“至今犹活在肉身中的尘世间之凡朋俗友们,吾曹向汝等致意。勿容科·凯牟取暴利。”据悉,这里指的是科尼利厄斯[152] ·凯莱赫。他是死者的私人朋友, 也是有名气的H、J.奥尼尔殡仪馆经理,丧事就是他经办的。 告辞之前他要求转告他的爱子帕齐,说帕齐所要找的那只靴子目前在侧屋[153] 的五斗柜底下。这双靴子的后跟还挺结实,只消送到卡伦鞋店去补一下靴底就成了。他说,在来世,他一直记挂着这件事, 心绪极为不宁。务必请代为转告。
大家向他担保一定照办,他明白表示感到满意。
他离开了尘寰。噢,迪格纳穆,我们的旭日。他踩在欧洲蕨上的脚步是那样迅疾。额头闪闪发光的帕特里克啊。邦芭[154] ,随着你的风悲叹吧。海洋啊,随着你的旋风悲叹吧。
“他又到那儿去了,”“市民”盯着外面说。
“谁?”我说。
“布卢姆”,他说,“他就像是值勤的警察似的在那儿溜达十分钟啦。”
没错儿,我瞧见他伸进脸蛋儿窥伺了一下,随后又偷偷溜掉了。
小个儿阿尔夫吓得腰都直不起来了,一点儿不假。
“大慈大悲的基督啊!我敢发誓,那就是他。”
鲍勃·多兰- 喝醉了,就堕落成整个都柏林最下流的歹徒。他把帽于歪戴在后脑勺上,说:
“谁说基督是大慈大悲的?”
“请你原谅,”阿尔夫说。
“什么大慈大悲的基督!不是他把可怜的小威利·迪格纳穆给带走的吗?”
“啊,喏,”阿尔夫试图搪塞过去,他说,“这下子他再也用不着操劳啦。”
然而鲍勃·多兰咆哮道:
“我说他是个残忍的恶棍,居然把可怜的小威利·迪格纳穆给带走啦。”
特里走过来,向他使了个眼色,让他安静下来,说这可是一家特准卖酒的体面的店哩,请不要谈这类话。于是,鲍勃·多兰就为帕狄·迪格纳穆号起丧来了,哭得真真切切。
“再也没有那么好样儿的人啦,”他抽抽嗒嗒地说,“最好样儿的、最纯真的人。”
“该死的泪水快流到眼边。[155]他说着那该死的大话。还不如回家去找他娶的那个梦游症患者小个子浪女人呢。就是一名小执行吏的闺女穆尼。 [156]她娘在哈德威克街开了个娼家,经常在楼梯平台上转悠。在她那儿住过的班塔姆·莱昂斯告诉我,都凌晨两点了她还一丝不挂、整个儿光着身子呆在那儿,来者不拒,一视同仁。
“这个最正派、最地道的却走了,”他说,“可怜的小威利,可怜的小帕狄·迪格纳穆!”
于是,他满腔悲痛,心情沉重地为那一道天光之熄灭而哭泣。
老狗加里欧文又朝着在门口窥伺的布卢姆狂吠起来。
“进来吧,进来吧,”“市民”说,“它不会把你吃掉的。”
布卢姆就边用那双鳕鱼眼盯着狗,边侧身踅了进来,并且问特里,马丁·坎宁翰在不在那儿。
“噢,天哪,麦基奥[157] ,”乔说,他正在读着那些信中的一封,“听听好不好?”
他就读起一封信来。
亨特街七号
利物浦市
都柏林市都柏林行政司法长官台鉴:
敬启者,敝人曾志愿为执行上述极刑服务。一九00
年二月十二日,敝人曾在布特尔监狱绞死乔·甘恩[158] 。
敝人还绞死过……
“给咱看看,乔,”我说。
……杀害杰西·蒂尔希特的凶手、士兵阿瑟·蔡斯。他是
在彭顿维尔监狱被处绞刑的。敝人还曾任助手……
“天哪。”我说。
……那一次,比林顿[159] 将凶恶的杀人犯托德·史密
斯[160] 处以绞刑……
“市民”想把那封信夺过来。
“等一等,”乔说。
敝人有一窍门:一旦套上绞索,他就休想挣脱开。如
蒙可敬的阁下录用,不胜荣幸。敝人索酬五基尼。
霍·郎博尔德[161] 顿首
高级理发师
“他还是个凶猛、残暴的野蛮人[162] 呢,”“市民”说。
“而且,这混蛋还写一手狗爬字,”乔说,“喏,”他说,“阿尔夫,快把它拿开,我不要看。喂,布卢姆,”他说,“你喝点儿什么?”
于是他们争论起这一点来。布卢姆说他不想喝,也不会喝,请原谅,不要见怪。接着又说,那么就讨一支雪茄烟抽吧。哼,他是个谨慎的会员,这可一点儿也不含糊。
“特里,给咱一支你们店里味道最浓的,”乔说。
这时阿尔夫告诉我们,有个家伙给了一张服丧时用的加黑框的名片。
“那些家伙都是理发师,”他说,“是从黑乡[ 163] 来的。只要给他们五镑钱,并且管旅费,哪怕自己的亲爹他们也肯下手绞死。”
他还告诉我们,把犯人悬空吊起后,等在下面的两个人就拽他的脚后跟, 好让他彻底咽气。然后他们把绞索切成一截一截的,每副头盖骨按多少先令卖掉。[164]
这些恶狠狠的、操利刃的骑士们都住在黑乡。他们紧握着那致命的绳索。 对,不论是谁,凡是杀过人的必然统统给套住,打发到厄瑞勃斯[165] 去。因为上主曾说,我无论如何不能饶恕此等罪行。
于是,大家聊起死刑的事儿来了。布卢姆自然也闲扯起死刑的来龙去脉以及种种无稽之谈。那条老狗不停地嗅着他。 我听说这些犹太佬身上总发散着一股奇怪的气味,能够吸引周围的狗,还能治服什么。
“可是有一样物件它是治服不了的,”阿尔夫说。
“什么物件?”乔说。
“就是被绞死的可怜虫的阳物,”阿尔夫说。
“是吗?”乔说。
“千真万确,”阿尔夫说,“我是听基尔门哈姆监狱的看守长说的。他们绞死‘常胜军’的乔·布雷迪[166] 之后,就发生了这种情形。他告诉我,当他们割断绞索把吊死鬼儿撂下来时,那阳物就像一根拨火棍儿似的戳到他们面前。”
“占主导地位的感情到死还是强烈的,”乔说,“正像某人[167] 说过的那样。”
“这可以用科学来解释,”布卢姆说,“不过是个自然现象,不是吗, 因为由于……”
于是他咬文嚼字地大谈其现象与科学啦,这一现象那一现象什么的。
杰出的科学家卢伊特波尔德·布卢门达夫特[168] 教授先生曾提出下述医学根据加以阐明:按照医学上公认的传统学说,颈椎骨的碎折以及伴随而来的脊髓截断,不可避免地会给予人身神经中枢以强烈刺激,从而引起海绵体的弹性细孔急速膨胀,促使血液瞬时注入在人体解剖学上称为阴茎即男性生殖器的这一部位。其结果是:在颈骨断袭导致死亡的那一瞬间[169] ,诱发出专家称之为“生殖器病态地向前上方多产性勃起”这一现象。[170]
“市民”当然急不可耐地等着插嘴的机会。 接着就高谈阔论起“常胜军”啦,激进分子[171] 啦,六七年那帮人[172] 啦,还有那些怕谈到九八年[173]的人什么的。乔也跟他扯起那些为了事业经临时军事法庭审判而被绞死、开膛或流放的人们,以及新爱尔兰,新这个,新那个什么的。说起新爱尔兰,这家伙倒应该去物色一条新狗,可不是嘛。眼下这条畜生浑身长满癞疮,饥肠辘辘,到处嗅来嗅去,打喷嚏,又搔它那疮痂。接着,这狗就转悠到正请阿尔夫喝半品脱酒的鲍勃·多兰跟前,向他讨点儿什么吃的。于是,鲍勃·多兰当然就干起缺德的傻事儿来了。
“伸爪子!伸爪子,狗儿!乖乖老狗儿!伸过爪子来!伸爪子让咱捏捏!”
荒唐![ 174] 也甭去捏该死的什么爪子了,他差点儿从该死的凳子上倒栽葱跌到该死的老狗脑袋上。阿尔夫试图扶住他。他嘴里还喋喋不休他说着种种蠢话,什么训练得靠慈爱之心啦,纯种狗啦,聪明的狗啦。该死的真使你感到厌恶。然后他又从叫特里拿来的印着雅各布商标的罐头底儿上掏出几块陈旧碎饼干。狗把它当作旧靴子那样嘎吱嘎吱吞了下去,舌头耷拉出一码长,还想吃。这条饥饿的该死的杂种狗,几乎连罐头都吞下去嘞。
且说“市民”和布卢姆正围绕刚才那个问题争论着呢:被处死于阿伯山的希尔斯弟兄[175] 和沃尔夫·托恩[176] 啦。罗伯特·埃米特[177]为国捐躯啦,汤米·穆尔关于萨拉·柯伦的笔触--她远离故土[178] 啦。满脸脂肪的布卢姆当然装腔作势地叼着一支浓烈得使人昏迷的雪茄。现象!他娶的那位胖墩儿才是个稀奇透顶的老现象哩:她的后背足有滚木球的球道那么宽。精明鬼伯克告诉我,有一阵子这对夫妻住在市徽饭店,里面有位老太婆[179],带着个疯疯傻傻、令人丢脸[180] 的侄子。布卢姆指望她在遗嘱里赠给自己点儿什么,就试图使她的心肠软下来。于是,就对她百般奉承,和颜悦色地陪她玩比齐克[181]牌戏。 老太婆总是做出一副虔诚的样子,每逢星期五,布卢姆也跟着不吃肉,还带那个蠢才去散步。有一回他领着这个侄子满都柏林转悠。凭着神圣的乡巴佬发誓,布卢姆连一句也没唠叨,直到那家伙醉得像一只炖熟的猫头鹰,这才把他带回来。他说他这么做是为了教给那个侄子酗酒的害处。那个老太婆、布卢姆的老婆和旅店老板娘奥多德太太这三位妇人居然没差点儿把他整个儿烤了,也够不寻常的了。天哪,精明鬼勃克学他们争辩的样儿给我看,我不得不笑。布卢姆说着他那些口头禅,什么“你们不明白吗?要么就是“然而,另一方面”。不瞒您说,我刚刚谈到的那个蠢才从此就成了科普街鲍尔鸡尾酒店的常客:每星期五次,必把那家该死的店里的每一种酒都喝个遍,腰腿瘫软得动弹不了,只好雇马车回去。真是个现象!
“为了纪念死者[182] ,”“市民”举起他那一品脱装的玻璃杯,瞪着布卢姆说。
“好的,好的,”乔说。
“你没抓住我话中的要点,”布卢姆说,“我的意思是……”
“我们自己!”[183]“市民”说,“我们自己就够了![184] 我们所爱的朋友站在我们这边,我们所憎恨的仇敌在我们对面。[ 185]”
最后的诀别[186]令人感动之至。丧钟从远远近近的钟楼里不停地响着,教堂幽暗的院子周围,一百面声音闷哑的大鼓发出不祥的警告,不时地被大炮那瓮声瓮气的轰鸣所打断。震耳欲聋的雷鸣和映出骇人景象的耀眼闪电,证明天公的炮火给这本来就已令人毛骨悚然的景色,平添了超自然的威势。瀑布般的大雨从愤怒的苍穹的水门倾泻到聚集在那里的据估计起码也不下五十万大众那未戴帽子的光头上。都柏林市警察署武装队在警察署长的亲自指挥下,在庞大的人群中维持着治安。约克街的铜管乐队和簧管乐队用缠了黑纱的乐器出色地演奏出我们从摇篮里就爱上的那支由于斯佩兰扎的哀戚歌词[187]而最为动人的曲调。这样,使群众得以消磨一下大会开始前的这段时间。为了供临时浩浩荡荡赶来参加的那些乡亲们舒适地享用,还准备了特快游览列车和敞篷软座公共马车。都柏林的街头红歌手利×翰和穆×根[188],像往常那样用诙谐逗乐的腔调唱《拉里被处绞刑的前夕》[189] 。我们这两位无与伦比的小丑在热爱喜剧要素的观众当中兜售刊有歌词的大幅印张,销路极佳。凡是在心灵深处懂得欣赏毫不粗俗的爱尔兰幽默的人,绝不会在乎把自己辛辛苦苦地挣来的几便士掏给他们。男女弃儿医院的娃娃们也挤满一个个窗口俯瞰这一情景,对于出乎意料地添加到今天的游艺中的这一余兴感到欢快。济贫小姊妹会的修女们想出个高明主意:让这些没爹没妈的可怜的娃娃们享受到一次真正富于教育意义的娱乐,值得称赞。来自总督府家宴的宾客包括许多社交界知名淑女,她们在总督伉俪的陪同下,在正面看台的特等席上落座。坐在对面看台上的是衣着鲜艳的外国代表团。通称作绿宝石岛[190]之友。 全体出席的代表团包括骑士团司令官巴奇巴奇·贝尼诺贝诺内[ 191] (这位代表团团长[192] 因半身不遂,只得借助于蒸汽起重机坐下来),皮埃尔保罗·佩蒂特埃珀坦先生[193] ,杰出的滑稽家乌拉基米尔·波克特汉克切夫[194] ,大滑稽家莱奥波尔德·鲁道尔夫·封·施万岑巴德- 赫登塔勒[195] ,玛尔哈·维拉佳·吉萨斯左尼·普特拉佩斯蒂[196]伯爵夫人、海勒姆·Y。邦布斯特、阿塔纳托斯·卡拉梅勒洛斯伯爵[197] 、 阿里巴巴·贝克西西·拉哈特·洛库姆·埃芬迪[198] ,伊达尔戈·卡瓦列罗·堂·佩卡迪洛·伊·帕拉布拉斯·伊·帕特诺斯特·德·拉·马洛拉·德·拉·马拉利亚先生[199] ,赫克波克·哈拉基利[200] ,席鸿章[ 201] 、奥拉夫·克贝尔克德尔森[202] ,特里克·范·特龙普斯先生,[203],潘·波尔阿克斯·帕迪利斯基[204] ,古斯庞德·普鲁库鲁斯托尔·克拉特奇纳布利奇兹伊奇[205] , 勃鲁斯·胡平柯夫[206] ,赫尔豪斯迪莱克托尔普莱西登特·汉斯·丘赤里- 斯托伊尔里先生[207] ,国立体育馆博物馆疗养所及悬肌普通无薪俸讲师通史专家教授博士、里格弗里德·于贝尔阿尔杰曼[208] 。所有的代表对他们被请来目睹的难以名状的野蛮行径,都毫无例外地竭力使用最强烈的各自迥异的言词发表了意见。 于是,关于爱尔兰的主保圣人[209] 的诞辰究竟是三月八号还是九号,绿宝石岛之友们开展了热烈的争辩(大家全都参加了)。在争辩的过程中,使用了炮弹、单刃短弯刀、往返飞镖[210]、老式大口径短程霰弹熗、便器、绞肉机、雨伞、弹弓、指关节保护套[ 211] 、沙袋、铣铁块等武器,尽情地相互大打出手。还派信使专程从布特尔斯唐[212]把娃娃警察麦克法登巡警召了来。他很快就恢复了秩序,并火速提出,生日乃是同月十七号[213] 。这一解答使争辩双方都保住了面子。人人欢迎九尺汉子[214] 这个随机应变的建议,全场一致通过。绿宝石岛之友个个都向麦克法登巡警衷心表示谢忱, 而其中几个正大量淌着血。 骑士团司令官贝尼诺贝诺内被人从大会主席的扶手椅底下解救出来,然后他的法律顾问帕格米米律师[ 215] 解释说,藏在他那三十二个兜[216] 里的形形色色的物品,都是他乘乱从资历较浅的同僚兜里掏出来的,以促使他们恢复理智。这些物品(包括几百位淑女绅士的金表和银表)被立即归还给合法的原主。和谐融洽的气氛笼罩全场。
朗博尔德身穿笔挺的常礼服,佩带着一朵他心爱的血迹斑斑的剑兰花[217] ,安详、谦逊地走上断头台。他凭着轻轻的一声朗博尔德派头的咳嗽通知了自己的到来。这种咳嗽多少人想模仿(却学不来):短促,吃力而富有特色。这位闻名全世界的刽子手到来后,大批围观者报以暴风雨般的欢呼。总督府的贵妇们兴奋得挥着手帕。比她们更容易兴奋的外国使节杂七杂八地喝采着,霍赫、邦在、艾尔珍、吉维奥、钦钦、波拉·克罗尼亚、希普希普、维沃、安拉的叫声混成一片。其中可以清楚地听到歌之国代表那响亮的哎夫维瓦[218] 声(高出两个八度的F音, 令人回忆起阉歌手卡塔拉尼[219] 当年曾经怎样用那尖锐优美的歌声使得我们的高祖母们为之倾倒)。这时已十七点整。扩音器里传出了祈祷的信号。全体与会者立即脱帽,骑士团司令官那顶标志着族长身分的高顶阔边帽(自林齐[220] 那场革命以来,这就归他这一家人所有了),由他身边的侍医皮普[221] 博士摘掉了。当英勇的烈士即将被处死刑之际,一位学识渊博的教长在主持圣教赐与最后慰藉的仪式。本着最崇高的基督教精神,跪在一泓雨水中,将教袍撩到白发苍苍的头上,向慈悲的宝座发出热切恳求的祷告。断头台旁立着绞刑吏那阴森恐怖的身影,脸上罩着一顶可容十加仑的高帽子[222] ,上面钻了两个圆洞,一双眼睛从中炯炯地发出怒火。在等待那致命的信号的当儿,他把凶器的利刃放在筋骨隆隆的手臂上磨砺,要么就迅疾地挨个儿砍掉一群绵羊的头。这是他的仰慕者们为了让他执行这项虽残忍却非完成不可的任务而准备的。他身边的一张漂亮的红木桌上,整整齐齐地排列着肢解用刀、各式各样精工锻成的摘取内脏用的器具(都是举世闻名的、谢菲尔德市约翰·朗德父子公司[223] 刀具制造厂特制的)。还有一只赤土陶制平底锅,成功地把十二指肠、结肠、盲肠、阑尾等摘除后,就装在里面。另外有两个容量可观的牛奶罐:是盛最宝贵的牺牲者那最宝贵的血液用的。猫狗联合收容所[224] 的膳务员也在场。这些容器装满后,就由他运到那家慈善机构去。当局还用意周到地为这场悲剧的中心人物提供了一份丰盛的膳食,包括火腿煎鸡蛋,炸得很好的洋葱配牛排,早餐用热气腾腾的美味面包卷儿,以及提神的茶。他精神抖擞,视死如归,自始至终极其关心这档子事的种种细节。他以当代罕见的克制,不失时机站起来,慷慨激昂地表明了自己临终的一个愿望(并立即得到首肯):要求将这份膳食平均分配给贫病寄宿者协会的会员们,以表示他对他们的关怀和敬重。当那位被遴选出来的新娘涨红了脸,拨开围观者密集的行列冲过来,投进为了她的缘故而即将被送入永恒世界的那个人壮健的胸脯时,大家的情绪高涨到极点[225] 。英雄深情地搂抱着她那苗条的身子,亲昵地低声说:“希拉,我心爱的。”听到这样称她的教名、她深受鼓舞。于是她就以不至于损害他那身囚衣的体面为度,热情地吻着他身上所有那些适当的部位。当他们二人的眼泪汇成一股咸流时,她向他发誓说,她会永远珍视关于他的记忆,决不会忘怀他
这个英勇的小伙子是怎样嘴里哼着歌儿,就像是到克隆土耳克公园[226] 去打爱尔兰曲棍球那样地走向死亡。她使他回忆起幸福的儿童时代那快乐日子。那时他们一道在安娜·利菲河岸上尽情地做着天真烂漫的幼儿游戏。他们忘却了当前这可怕的现实,一道畅怀大笑。所有在场的人,包括可敬的教士,也参加到弥漫全场的欢快气氛中。怪物般万头攒动的观众简直笑得前仰后合。然而不久他们两个人就又被悲哀所压倒,最后一次紧紧地握了手。从他们的泪腺里再一次滔滔地涌出泪水。众多的围观者打心坎里感动了,悲痛欲绝地哽咽起来,连年迈的受俸教士本人也同样哀伤。膀大腰粗的彪形大汉,在场维持治安的官员以及皇家爱尔兰警察部队那些和蔼的巨人都毫无忌惮地用手绢擦拭着。可以蛮有把握地说,在这规模空前的大集会上,没有一双眼睛不曾被泪水润湿。这时一桩最富于浪漫主义色彩的事情发生了:一个以敬重妇女著称的年轻英俊的牛津大学毕业生[227] 走上前去,递上自己的名片、银行存折和家谱,并向那位不幸的少女求婚,恳请她定下日期。她当场就首肯了。在场的每位太大小姐都接受了一件大方雅致的纪念品:一枚骷髅枯骨图案[228] 的饰针。这一既合时宜慷慨的举动重新激发了众人的情绪。于是,这位善于向妇女献殷勤的年轻的牛津大学毕业生(顺便提一下,他拥有阿尔比安[229] 有史以来最享盛名的姓氏)将一枚用几颗绿宝石镶成四叶白花酢浆草状的名贵的订婚戒指,套在他那忸怩得涨红了脸的未婚妻手指上时,人们感到无比兴奋。甚至连主持这一悲惨场面的面容严峻的宪兵司令,那位陆军中校汤姆金- 马克斯韦尔·弗伦奇马伦·汤姆林森,尽管他曾经毫不犹豫地用炮弹把众多印度兵炸得血肉横飞[230] ,当前也抑制不住感情的自然流露了。他伸出有着锁子甲的防护长手套,悄然抹掉一滴泪。[231] 那些有幸站在他身边的随行人员听见他低声喃喃自语着:
“该死,那个娘儿们可是尤物哩,那个令人心如刀绞的丫头。该死,我一看见她就感到心如刀绞,快要哭出来了。老实说,就是这样。因为她使我想起在利姆豪斯路等待着我的旧酿酒桶。”[232]
于是,“市民”就谈起爱尔兰语啦,市政府会议啦,以及所有那些不会讲本国语言、态度傲慢的自封的绅士啦。乔是由于今天从什么人手里捞到了一镑金币,也来插嘴。布卢姆叼着向乔讨来的值两便士的烟头,探过他那黏乎乎的老脑袋瓜儿,大谈起盖尔语协会啦,反对飨宴联盟[233] 啦,以及爱尔兰的祸害--酗酒。由他来提反对飨宴,倒蛮合适哩。哼,他会让你往他的喉咙里灌各种酒,一直灌到上主把他召走,你也见不到他请的那品脱酒的泡沫儿。有个晚上,我和一个伙伴儿去参加他们的音乐晚会。照例载歌载舞:她能爬上干草堆,她能,我的莫琳·蕾。[234]那儿有个家伙佩带着巴利胡利蓝缓带徽章[235] ,用爱尔兰语唱着绝妙的歌儿。还有好多金发少女[236] 带着不含酒精的饮料到处转悠,兜售纪念章、桔子和柠檬汽水以及一些陈旧发干的小圆面包。哦,丰富多彩的[237] 娱乐,就甭提啦,禁酒的爱尔兰乃是自由的爱尔兰。[238] 接着,一个老家伙吹起风笛来。那些骗子们就都随着老母牛听腻了的曲调[239] 在地上拖曳着脚步,一两个天国的向导四下里监视着,防止人们行为狠亵,对女人动手动脚。
不管怎样,正如我方才说过的,那条老狗瞧见罐头已经空了,就开始围着乔和我转来转去,觅着食。倘若这是我的狗,我就老老实实地教训它一顿,一定的。不时地朝着不会把它弄瞎的部位使劲踢上一脚,好让它打起精神来。
“你怕它咬你一口吗?”“市民”讥笑着问。
“哪儿的话,”我说,“可它兴许会把我的腿当成路灯柱子哩。”
于是,他把那只老狗喊了过去。
“加里,你怎么啦?”他说。
于是,他着手把它拖过来,捉弄了一通,还跟它讲爱尔兰话。老狗咆哮着作为应答,就像歌剧中的二重唱似的。像这样的相互咆哮简直是前所未闻。闲得没事的人应该给报纸写篇《为了公益[240] 》,提出对这样的狗应该下道封口令。这狗又是咆哮,又是呜呜号叫。它喉咙干枯,眼睛挂满了血丝,从口腔里嘀嘀嗒嗒地淌着狂犬症的涎水。
凡是关心对下等动物(它们数目众多[241] )传播人类文化者,切不可漏掉这条著名的爱尔兰老塞特种红毛狼狗。先前它曾以“加里欧文”这一外号闻名,新近在它那范围很广的熟人朋友的圈子内,又被改名为欧文·加里[242] 了。诚然令人惊异的是此狗所显示的“人化”现象。基于多年慈祥的训练和精心安排的食谱,这次表演的众多成就中,还包括诗歌朗诵。当今我国最伟大的语音学专家(任何野马也不得把他从我们当中拖走!)不遗余力地对它所朗诵的诗加以阐释比较,查明此诗与古代凯尔特吟游诗人的作品有着显著的(重点系我们所加)相似之处。这里说的并非读书界所熟悉的那种悦耳的情歌,原作者真名不详,使用的是“可爱的小枝”[243] 一文雅的笔名;而是(正如署名D、O、C、的撰稿人在当代某晚报上发表的饶有兴味的通信中所指出的那种)更辛辣、更动人的调子。眼下颇孚众望的现代派色彩更浓的抒情诗人自不用说,就连在著名的拉夫特里[244] 和多纳尔·麦科康西丁[245] 的讽刺性漫笔中也可以找到。这里我们添加一首由一位卓越学者译成英文的诗作为范例。眼下我们不便将他的大名公诸于世。不过我们相信,读者准能从主题上得到暗示,而不必指名道姓。狗的这首原诗在韵律上使人联想到威尔士四行诗那错综的头韵法和等音节规律,只是要复杂多了。然而我们相信读者会同意,译文巧妙地捕捉了原诗的神髓。也许还应该补充一句:倘若用缓慢而含糊不清的声调来朗读欧文这首诗,那就更能暗示出被抑制的愤懑,效果会大为增加。
我发出最厉害的咒语,
一周中的每一日,
七个禁酒的星期四,
巴尼·基尔南,诅咒你,
从未让我啜过水一滴,
以平息我这腾腾怒气,
我的肠子火烧火燎地吼哩:
“要把劳里的肺脏吞下去!”[246]
于是,他叫特里给狗拿点水来。说真个的,相隔一英里,你都听得见狗舔水的声音。乔问他要不要再喝一杯。
“好的,”他说,“伙伴[247] ,以表示我对你没有敌意。”
说实在的,他长得虽然土头土脑,可一点儿也不傻。他从一家酒馆喝到另一家,酒帐嘛,一向叫别人付。他带的那条吉尔特拉普老爷爷[248] 的狗,也是靠纳税人和法人[249] 饲养的。人兽都得到款待。于是,乔说:
“你能再喝一品脱吗?”
“水能凫鸭子吗?”我说。
“照样再添一杯,特里,”乔说。“你真的什么饮料都不要吗?”他说。
“谢谢你,不要,”布卢姆说,“说实在的,我只是想见见马丁·坎宁翰。要知道,是为了可怜的迪格纳穆的人寿保险的事儿。马丁叫我到迪格纳穆家去。要知道,他--我指的是迪格纳穆,当初根本没有通知公司办理让与手续的事,所以根据法令,受押人就没有名义去从保险额中领取款项了。”
“好家伙,”乔笑着说,“要是老夏洛克[250] 陷入困境,那可就有趣儿啦。那么,老婆就占上风了吧?”
“那位老婆的仰慕者们所着眼的,”布卢姆说,“正是这一点。”
“谁的仰慕者?”乔说。
“我指的是给那位老婆出主意的人们,”布卢姆说。
接着,他就全都搞混了,胡乱扯起根据法令抵押人什么的,并用大法官在法庭上宣读判决的口吻,说是为了他妻子的利益,已成立信托啦;然而另一方面, 迪格纳穆确实欠了布里奇曼一笔款,倘若现在妻子或遗孀要否定受押人的权利啦, 最后他那根据法令抵押人什么的,几乎把我弄得头昏脑胀了。那回根据法令, 他差点儿就作为无赖或流浪汉被关进去,亏了他在法院有个朋友,这才得以幸免。 售义卖会的入场券,或是匈牙利皇家特许彩票[251] 。这都千真万确。哦,请代我向犹太人致意!匈牙利皇家特许的掠夺。
于是,鲍勃·多兰脚步蹒跚地走过来了。他请布卢姆转告迪格纳穆大太,对她遭到的不幸,他深感悲哀。他未能参加葬礼,也非常遗憾。还请告诉她,他本人以及每一个认识他的人都说,再也没有比已经故去的可怜的小威利更忠实、更正派的人了。他说着这些夸张的蠢话,声音都哽住了。边说请转告她,边以悲剧演员的神态跟布卢姆握手。咱们握手吧,兄弟。你是无赖,我也是一个。
“请您恕我莽撞,”他说,“咱们的交谊如果仅仅拿时间来衡量,好像很浅。尽管如此,我希望并且相信,它是建立在相互尊重的感情上的。所以我才胆敢恳求您帮这个忙。然而,倘若我的恳求不够含蓄,超过了限度,请您务必把我的冒昧看作是感情真挚的流露而加以原谅。”
“哪里的话”,对方回答说,“我充分了解促使你采取这一行动的动机,并会尽力完成您委托我办的事。尽管这是一桩悲哀的使命, 想到您是如此信任我这一事实,这杯苦酒在一定程度上会变甜的。”
“那么,请容许我握握您的手。”他说,“以您心地的善良,我确信您能道出比我这拙劣的言词更为恰当的话语。倘若要我来表达自己强烈的感情,我会连话都讲不出的。”
随后他就走出去了,吃力地想把步子迈得直一些。刚刚五点钟,就已经喝得醉醺醺的了。有一天晚上,他差点儿给抓起来,幸亏帕迪·伦纳德认得甲十四号警察。直到打烊之后,他还在布赖德街的一家非法出售偷税酒的店里,喝得昏天黑地。他让一个拉客的给放哨,一边跟两个“披肩”[252] 调情, 一边用茶杯大喝黑啤酒。他对那两个“披肩”说,自己是名叫约瑟夫·马努奥的法国佬, 并且大骂天主教。扬言自己年轻时在亚当与夏娃教堂当过弥撒的助祭,闭着眼睛也能说出《新约全书》是谁写的,《旧约全书》又是谁写的。于是,他跟她们搂搂抱抱,狎昵调戏。 两个“披肩”一边笑得死去活来,一边把他兜里的钱包摸走了。可这该死的傻瓜呢, 把黑啤酒洒得满床都是。两个“披肩”相互间尖声叫着,笑着。 说什么:“你的《圣经》怎么样啦?你的《旧约》还在吗?”要知道,就在这当儿, 帕迪刚好从那儿走过。每逢星期天,他就跟他那个小妾般的老婆出门。她脚蹬漆皮靴子, 胸前插着一束可爱的紫罗兰,扭着屁股穿过教堂的甬道,严然一副娇小贵夫人的派头。 那是杰克·穆尼的妹妹。母亲是个老婊子,给露水夫妻提供房间。 哼,杰克管束着那家伙。告诉他,如果不把锅锔上[253] ,他妈的就连屎都给他踢出来。
这当儿,特里端来了那三品脱酒。
“干杯,”乔作为东道主说,“干杯,‘市民’。”
“祝你健康,[254]” 他说。
“好运道,乔,”我说,“祝你健康,‘市民’。”
好家伙,他已灌下半杯啦。要想供他喝酒,可得一份家产哩。
“阿尔夫,那个高个子在市长竞选中帮谁跑哪?”乔说。
“你的一位朋友,”阿尔夫说。
“是南南[255] 吗?”乔说,“那个议员吗?”
“我不想说出名字,”阿尔夫说。
“我猜到了,”乔说,“我曾看见他跟下院议员威廉·菲尔德[256]一道去参加牲畜商的集会。”
“长发艾奥帕斯[257] ,”“市民”说,“那座喷火山,各国的宝贝儿,本国的偶像。”
于是,乔对“市民”讲起口蹄疫啦,牲畜商啦,对这些采取的措施啦。“市民”一味唱对台戏。布卢姆也聊起治疥癣用的洗羊液、供牛犊子止咳用的线虫灌服药水,以及牛舌炎的特效药。这是由于他一度曾在废牲畜屠宰场工作过嘛。他手执帐簿和铅笔踱来踱去,光动脑子,五体不勤。到头来由于顶撞了一位畜牧业者,被乔·卡夫解雇拉倒。这是个“万事通”先生,还想向自己的奶奶传授怎样挤鸭奶呢。精明鬼伯克告诉我,住在旅店里那阵子,那个老婆由于浑身长满了八英寸厚的脂肪,往往朝着奥多德太太几乎把眼睛都哭出来了,泪水流成了河。她解不开放屁带[258],“老鳕鱼眼”却边围着她跳华尔兹舞,边教她该怎么解。 今天你有何方案?是啊,要用人道的方式。因为可怜的动物会感到痛苦的。专家们说,不使动物疼痛的最佳治疗方法就是轻轻地处理患部。哼, 大概把手伸到母鸡[259]的下腹去时也那么柔和吧。
嘎嘎嘎啦。喀噜呵,喀噜呵,喀噜呵。黑丽泽是咱们的母鸡。 她为咱们下蛋。下了蛋。她好快活啊。嘎啦。喀噜呵,喀噜呵,喀噜呵。随后好叔叔利奥来啦。他把手伸到黑丽泽下身,拿走那个刚下的蛋。嘎嘎嘎嘎,嘎啦。喀噜呵,喀噜呵,喀噜呵。
“横竖,”乔说,“菲尔德和南尼蒂今天晚上动身去伦敦,在下院议席上对此事提出质询。”
“你对市参议员要去的事有把握吗?”布卢姆说,“我刚好想见见他哩。”
“喏,他搭乘邮船去,”乔说,“今天晚上动身。”
“那可糟啦,”布卢姆说,“我特别想见见他。也许光是菲尔德先生一个人去吧?我又不能打电话。不能打。他一准去吗?”
“南南也去,”乔说, “关于警察署署长禁止在公园里举行爱尔兰国技比赛的事,协会[260] 要他明天提出质询。‘市民’,你对这有什么看法?爱尔兰军[261]。”
考维·科纳克勒先生(马尔提法纳姆。民。):关于希利拉格[ 262] 选区的议员--尊敬的朋友提出的问题,请允许我向阁下质问一下:政府是否已下令,即便从医学上对这些动物的病理状态提不出任何证据,也要一律予以屠宰呢?
奥尔福斯先生(塔莫尚特。保。[263]):尊敬的议员们已经掌握了提交给全院委员会的证据。我感到自己没有什么可补充的材料。对尊敬的议员所提出的问题,回答是肯定的。
奥尔利·奥赖利先生(蒙特诺特[264] 。民。):是否下达了同样的命令,要把那些胆敢在凤凰公园举行爱尔兰国技比赛的人类这种动物也予以屠宰?
奥尔福斯先生:回答是否定的。
考维·科纳克勒先生:内阁大臣们的政策是否受到了阁下那封著名的米切尔斯镇电报[265] 的启发呢,(一片噢噢声。)
奥尔福斯先生:这个问题我预先没有得到通知。[266]
斯忒勒维特先生(邦库姆。独。[267]):要毫不犹豫地射击。[ 268] (在野党讥讽地喝倒彩。)
会议主席:请安静!请安静!(散会。喝彩。)
“正是那个人,”乔说,“使盖尔族的体育复兴了。他就坐在那儿呢。是他把詹姆斯·斯蒂芬斯[269] 放跑了。他是掷十六磅铅球的全爱尔兰冠军。你掷铅球的最高纪录是多少,‘市民’?”
“不值得一提[270],”“市民”故作谦虚地说,“当年我可比谁也不差。”
“可以这么说,‘市民’,”乔说,“你的表演更有瞧头哩。”
“真是这样吗?”阿尔夫说。
“是啊,”布卢姆说,“人人都知道。难道你不晓得吗?”
于是他们聊起爱尔兰体育运动来了,谈起绅士派的游戏--草地网球,爱尔兰曲棍球,投掷石头,谈到地地道道的本土风味以及重建国家[271] 等话题。 当然,布卢姆也搬一搬他那一套:说即便一个家伙有着赛船划手那样结实的心脏,激烈的运动也还是有害的。我凭着椅背套断言:倘若你从该死的地板上拾起一根稻草,对布卢姆说:“瞧啊,布卢姆。你看见这根稻草了吗?这是一根稻草哩。”我凭着姑妈敢说:他能就此谈上一个钟头,并且从从容容地继续谈下去。
在爱尔兰军[272]主持下,于小不列颠街[273]的布赖恩·奥西亚楠[274] 。座古色古香大厅里进行了一场极为有趣的讨论:谈到古代盖尔体育运动的复兴,谈到古希腊罗马以及古代爱尔兰的人们怎样懂得体育文化对振兴民族的重要性。这一高尚集会由可敬的主席主持,与会者来自各界。主席做了一番富于启发性的开场白--那是以雄辩有力的辞藻发表的一篇精采有力的演说。接着又以通常那种优良的高水平,针对着复兴我们古代泛凯尔特祖先那历史悠久的竞技和运动之可取性,进行了一场饶有兴趣而富有启发性的讨论。然后我们古代语运动的著名而备受尊敬的学者约瑟夫·麦卡锡·海因斯先生就复兴古代盖尔族的运动和游戏问题,做了雄辩的演说。这些竞技是当年芬恩·麦库尔[275]所朝朝暮暮操练的, 旨在复兴自古以来的无与伦比的尚武传统。利·布卢姆因为站在反对论调的一边,人们对他的发言毁誉参半。身为声乐家的主席,经会众一再要求,并在全场鼓掌声中,极其出色地唱了不朽的托马斯·奥斯本·戴维斯[276]那首永远清新的诗《重建国家》 (幸而它家喻户晓,用不着在此重复了),这样就结束了这场院讨论。说这位资深的爱国斗士演唱得完全超过他平素的水平,无人会有异言。 这位爱尔兰的卡鲁索-加哩波第[277]处于最佳状态。 当他用洪亮声腔高唱那首只有我们的公民才能演唱的久负盛名的国歌时,发挥得真是淋漓尽致。他那卓越高超的嗓音,以其不同凡响的音色大大提高了本来已饮誉全球的声望。会众报以热烈的掌声。听众当中可以看到许多杰出的神职人员和新闻界、律师界以及学术文化界人士。会议就这样结束了。与会的神职人员包括耶稣会法学博士威廉·德拉尼教长;神学博士杰拉尔德·莫洛伊主教;圣神修士团的帕·菲·卡瓦纳神父[278];本堂神父T.沃特斯; 教区神父约翰·M·艾弗斯;圣方济各修道会的P.J.克利里神父[279]; 布道兄弟会的L.J.希基神父;圣方济各托钵修道会的尼古拉斯教长; 赤脚加尔默罗会的B.戈尔曼教长[280];那稣会的T.马尔神父;那稣会的詹姆斯·墨菲教长;地方主教代理约翰·莱弗里神父[281];神学博士威廉·多尔蒂教长;主母会的彼得·费根神父; 圣奥古斯丁隐修会的T.布兰甘神父[282];本堂神父J.弗莱文; 本堂神父马·A·哈克特;本堂神父W.赫尔利[283];至尊的主教总代理麦克马纳斯阁下; 无原罪圣母奉献会的B.R.斯莱特里神父;教区司 铎迈.D.斯卡利教长[284];布道兄弟会的托·F·珀塞尔神父[285];十分可敬的教区蒙席蒂莫西·戈尔曼;本堂神父约·弗拉纳根[286]。在俗人士P·费伊、托·奎克[267]等等。
“提起激烈的运动,”阿尔夫说,“基奥和贝内特之间的那场拳赛[288],你们去看了吗?”
“没有,”乔说。
“我听说某某人在那场拳赛中,足足赚了一百金镑,”阿尔夫说。
“谁?布莱泽斯吗?”乔说。
于是布卢姆说:
“譬如说到网球,我指的就是动作要敏捷,眼力得有训练。”
“对,布莱泽斯,”阿尔夫说,“为了增加迈勒获胜的机会,他到处散布说,迈勒成天酗啤酒。其实迈勒总在埋头练着拳。”
“我们了解他,”“市民”说,“叛徒[289]的儿子。我们晓得他是怎样把英国金币捞到自己兜里去的。”
“你说得对,”乔说。
布卢姆又插嘴谈起草地网球和血液循环,并且问阿尔夫:
“喂,柏根,你不这么认为吗?”
“迈勒用对方的身子擦了地板,”阿尔夫说,“相形之下希南和塞耶斯的[290]拳赛不过瞎胡闹。简直像爹妈管教儿子那样把他揍个痛快。那小个子连对方的肚脐眼儿都够不着,大个子净扑空了。天哪,他终于朝着对方的心窝给了一拳。什么昆斯伯里规则[291]统统置诸不顾,弄得对方把从未吃进去的东西都吐出来了。”
迈勒和珀西[292]为了争夺五十金镑奖金所展开的是一场具有历史意义的戴手套的重量级拳击。都柏林的羔羊凭着他那杰出的技巧,弥补了体重的不足。最后的信号打响后,两个斗士都遭到重创。在上一次的厮斗中,次中量级军士长[293]狠狠地左右开弓,基奥只能当个接收大员。这位炮手[294]朝着宠儿的鼻子利利索索地饱以老拳,使他鼻孔出血。迈勒看上去已晕头转向了。军人[295]以挥起左拳猛击为开端,拿出看家本领来了。迎战的爱尔兰斗士作为回击,就对准贝内特的下巴颏尖儿猛地打过去。红衣兵[296]赶忙弯下腰去闪开了。然而那个都柏林人用左肘弯将对方的身子朝上一顶,这一着打得煞是漂亮。双方开始厮拼了。迈勒立即发动攻势,压倒了对方,这个回合以迈勒把那个彪形大汉逼到围栏索跟前惩罚一顿而告终。那个英国人的右眼几乎给揍瞎了。他回到自己那个角落,被浇以大量冷水。铃一响,他就又斗志昂扬、浑身是胆地上场了,充满了立即击倒那个埃布拉尼[297]拳手的信心。这是一场一决胜负的殊死战。两个人像老虎般猛烈拼搏,观众兴奋不已。裁判员两次警告调皮蛋珀西因搂人犯了规,然而这位宠儿非常灵巧,他那脚技真有看头。双方经过短短几个回合,军人来个猛烈的上手拳,致使对方的嘴巴鲜血淋漓。这时,羔羊抽冷子从正面进攻,一记凶狠的左拳落在好斗的贝内特腹部使他栽了个大马爬。这一击利落痛快地把对方彻底打垮了。在紧张的期待中,当迈勒的助手奥利·弗特斯·韦茨坦[298]把毛巾丢过去的时候,贝洛港的职业拳击家败局已定。桑特里[299]的小伙子被宣判为胜者。观众狂热地喝彩,冲过围栏索,欢喜若狂地将他团团围起。
“他[300]晓得面包的哪一面涂着黄油,”阿尔夫说,“我听说他正在组织一次去北方的巡回演出呢。”
“没错儿,”乔说,“对吧?”
“谁?”布卢姆说,“呃,对。一点儿不假。对,要知道,是一次消夏旅行。不过是去度假罢了。”
“布太太是一颗格外灿烂的明星[301] ,对不?”乔说。
“我内人吗?”布卢姆说,“对,她会去唱的,而且我估计会获得成功。他是一位很好的组织者。挺有本事。”
我对自己说,我说:[302]嗬,原来如此! 这就明白了椰子壳里为啥有汁液,动物的胸脯上为啥没毛。布莱泽斯轻轻地吹奏笛子。[303]巡回演出。跟布尔人打仗[304]的时候,住在岛桥[305]那一边的骗子手、贪心鬼丹, 把同一群马卖给政府两次。布莱泽斯就是丹的儿子。那老爷子成天把“什么”挂在嘴上。我登门拜访,并且说:“博伊兰先生,我讨济贫费和水费来啦。”“你什么?”“水费,博伊兰先生。”“你什么,什么呀?”听我的劝告吧,那个花花公子早晚会把那个娘儿们组织到手的。这只是我你之间说的私话。怎么,又来了吗?[306]
卡尔普[307]岩山的骄做。特威迪这位头发像乌鸦般油黑的女儿。她在那弥漫着枇杷和杏子芬芳的土地上,出落成一位绝世美女。阿拉梅达诸园[308]熟悉她的脚步声。橄榄园认识她并向她弯腰鞠躬。她就是利奥波德的贞洁配偶,有着一对丰满乳房的玛莉恩。
看哪,奥莫洛伊家族的一名成员[309]走进来了,他面颊白里透红,是位容貌清秀的英雄。他精通法典,任国王陛下的顾问官。跟他一道来的是继承伦巴德家高贵门第的公子和后嗣。[310]
“你好,内德。”
“你好,阿尔夫。”
“你好,杰克。”
“你好,乔。”
“天主保佑你,”“市民”说。
“仁慈地保佑你,”杰·杰说,“喝多少,内德?”
“半下子,”内德说。
于是,杰·杰叫了酒。
“你到法院去过了吗?”乔说。
“去过啦,”杰·杰说,“那档子事他会妥善处理的,内德。”
“但愿如此,”内德说。
眼下这两个人究竟企图干些什么?杰·杰的名字从大陪审团的名单[311]上被勾掉了,另外一位想帮他一把。他的大名刊登在斯塔布斯[312]上。玩纸牌,跟那些戴着时髦的单片眼镜、华而不实的纨袴子弟一道开怀对酌,痛饮香槟酒。其实,传票和扣押令纷至沓来,几乎使他窒息。他赴弗朗西斯街的卡明斯当铺,把金表典当出去。进的是内部办公室,那儿谁都不认得他。当时正碰上我陪着精明鬼到那里去,赎他典当的一双长筒靴子。“先生,你叫什么名字?” “邓恩[313]”他说。“哎,而且这下子完啦[314],”我说。我寻思,迟早有一天,他会弄得寸步难行。
“你在附近遇到那个该死的疯于布林了吗?”阿尔夫说,“万事休矣,完蛋啦。”
“遇见啦,”杰·杰说,“正在物色一名私人侦探。”
“是啊,”内德说,“他不顾一切地要立即告到法庭上去。不过科尼·凯莱赫说服了他,叫他先请人去鉴定一下笔迹。”
“一万镑,”阿尔夫笑着说,“我不惜一切代价也想听听他在法官和陪审团面前怎样说法。”
“是你干的吗,阿尔夫?”乔说,“请吉米·约翰逊帮助你,说实话,全部是实话,只有实话[315]”
“我?”阿尔夫说,“不要污蔑我的人格。”
“不论你怎样陈述,”乔说,“都会被作为对你不利的证言记录下来。”
“当然喽,这场诉讼是会被受理的,”杰·杰说,“这意味着他并非神经健全[316])。万事休矣,完蛋啦。”
“你得有一双健全[317]的眼睛!”阿尔夫笑着说,“你不知道他低能吗?瞧瞧他的脑袋。你知道吗,有些早晨他得用鞋拔子才能把帽子戴上去。”
“我知道,”杰·杰说,“倘若你由于公布了某件事而被控以诽谤罪,即使那是确凿的,从法律观点看,还是无可开脱。”
“唔,唔,阿尔夫,”乔说。
“不过,”布卢姆说,“由于那个可怜的女人——我指的是那人的妻子。”
“她是怪可怜的,”“市民”说,“或是任何其他嫁给半调子的女人。”
“怎么个半调子法儿?”布卢姆说,“难道你的意思是说,他……”
“半调子指的是,”“市民”说,“一个非鱼非肉的家伙。”
“更不是一条好样的红鲱鱼,”乔说。
“我就是这个意思,”“市民”说,“邪魔附体,[318]这么说你就能明白了吧。”
我确实看出要惹麻烦来了。布卢姆还在解释说,他指的是由于做老婆的不得不追在那个口吃的老傻瓜后面跑跑颠颠,这太残酷了。 将该死的穷鬼布林撒到野外,几乎能被自己的胡子绊倒。老天爷看了都会哭上一场。 残酷得就跟虐待动物一样。嫁给他之后,她一度得意洋洋,鼻孔朝天,因为她公公的一个堂弟在罗马教廷担任教堂领座人。墙上挂着他的一幅肖像,留着斯马沙尔·斯威尼[ 319] 般的小胡子。这位萨默希尔[320] 出生的布利尼先生[ 321] ,意大利人,[322] 教皇手下的祖亚沃兵,[323] 从码头区搬到莫斯街[3 24]去了。告诉咱,他究竟是个什么人?一个无名小卒,住的是两层楼梯带廊子的后屋,房租每周七先令。然而他全身披挂,向世人进行挑战。
“况且,”杰·杰说,“寄了明信片,就等于把事情公布出去了。 萨德格罗夫对霍尔的判例中,明信片就被认为对怀有恶意[325] 这一点提供了充分的证据。依我看,诉讼是能够成立的。”
请付六先令八便士。[326] 谁也不要听你的意见。咱们消消停停地喝酒吧。妈的,连这一点都挺不容易的。
“喏,为你的健康干杯,杰克,”内德说。
“为健康干杯,”杰·杰说。
“他又出现啦,”乔说。
“在哪儿?”阿尔夫说。
果然,他腋下夹着书,同老婆并肩从门前走过。科尼。凯莱赫也和他们在一起,路过时还翻着白眼朝门里面窥伺,并且想卖给他一副二手货棺材。他说话时口吻严然像个老子。
“加拿大那档子诈骗案[327] 怎样啦?”乔说。
“收审啦,”杰·杰说。
一个叫作詹姆斯·沃特,又名萨菲洛,又名斯帕克与斯皮罗的酒糟鼻联谊会[328] 成员在报纸上登广告说,只消出二十先令,他就售给一张赴加拿大的船票。什么?你以为我容易受骗吗,当然,这是一场该死的骗局。哦?米斯郡的老妈子和乡巴佬[329]啦,跟他同一个联谊会的啦,统统上当了。杰·杰告诉我们, 有个叫扎列兹基还是什么名字的犹大老头儿,戴着帽子[330] 在证人席上哭哭啼啼,他以圣摩西的名字发誓说,自己被骗去两镑。
“这案子是谁审理的?”乔说。
“市记录法官,”内德说。
“可怜的老弗雷德里克爵士[331] ,”阿尔夫说,“你可以让他眼睁睁地受骗上当。”
“他的度量像狮子一般大,”阿尔夫说,“只要向他编一套悲惨的故事,什么拖欠了多少房租啦,老婆生病啦,一大帮孩子啦,管保他就在法官席上泪流满面。”
“可不,”阿尔夫说,“前些日子,当吕便·杰控告那个在巴特桥[332] 附近替公司看守石料的可怜的小个子冈姆利的时候, 他本人没给押到被告席上就算他妈的万幸啦。”
于是,他模仿起年迈的市记录法官的哭哭啼啼的腔调说:
“这简直是再可耻不过了!你是个勤勤恳恳干活的穷人嘛!有几个娃娃?你说的是十个吗?”
“是啊,大老爷。俺娘儿们还害着伤寒病哪。”
“老婆还害着伤寒病!可耻!请你马上退出法庭。不,先生,本法官决不下令要被告付款。先生,你怎么敢到我这里要我勒令他付款!这是个勤劳苦干的穷人呀!本法官拒绝受理。”
牛眼女神月[333] 的十六日,适值神圣不可分的三位一体节日[334] 后的第三周。这时,处女月——苍穹的女儿正当上弦,学识渊博的审判官们恰好来到司法大厅里。助理法官考特尼[335]坐在自己的办公室里发表意见。首席法官安德鲁斯[336] 在不设陪审团的情况下开庭,检验遗嘱。在该遗嘱中,被深切哀悼的已故葡萄酒商雅各布·哈利戴留给了神经不正常的未成年人利文斯通和另一个人各一份动产与不动产。关于[337] 第一债权人对这份呈交上来以供检验其合法性、并最终确定如何予以执行的遗嘱中记载的财产所提出的要求,他正在慎重衡量并深思熟虑。不久,驯鹰者弗雷德里克[338]爵士到格林街这座庄严的法庭上来了。他于五点钟左右人座,以便在都柏林市郡以及所属各地区实施布里恩法律[339]的职权。列席者为由爱阿尔的十二族组成最高评议会,每族限一名。帕特里克族、休族、欧文族、康恩族、奥斯卡族、弗格斯族、芬恩族、德莫特族、科麦克族、凯文族、卡奥尔特族、莪相族[340] ——共计十二名正直而善良的人。他以死在十字架上的上主之名,恳求他们说,要慎重而真实地进行审议,在至高无上的君主——国王陛下与站在法庭上的囚犯之间的诉讼中,做公允的评决,凭着证据,做出正确的判决。他祈求上主庇佑他们,并请他们吻《圣经》。他们这十二名爱阿尔,个个从席位上起立,并以从亘古就存在的上主[341]之名发誓说,他们将为主主持正义。于是,狱卒们立即把严正执法、行动敏捷的侦探们根据密告所逮捕并拘留在主楼里的犯人押出,给他上了手铐脚镣,不准许保释。他们就是要指控他,因为他是个犯罪分子。[342]
“这些家伙倒也不赖,”“市民”说,“他们大批地涌进爱尔兰,弄得全国都是臭虫。”
布卢姆装作什么也没听见。他和乔攀谈起来,说小小不言的事儿,在下月一号之前不用放在心上。然而要是跟克劳福德先生讲一声就好了。于是,乔指着各路神袛发誓说,打下手的活儿他都包下了。
“因为,你要知道,”布卢姆说,“广告就靠反复登,再也没有旁的诀窍了。”
“交给我办吧,”乔说。
“受骗的是爱尔兰的庄稼汉,”“市民”说,“以及穷人。再也不要放陌生人进咱们家啦。[343]”
“噢,我敢说那样就成了,海因斯,”布卢姆说,“要知道,就是凯斯那档子事儿。”
“你就只当事情已经定下来了就是啦,”乔说。
“谢谢你的好意,”布卢姆说。
“陌生人嘛,”“市民”说,“都怪咱们自己。是咱们放他们进来的,咱们引他们进来的,奸妇和她的姘夫[344] 把萨克森强盗们带到这儿来了。”
“附有条件的离婚判决书[345] ,”杰·杰说。
于是,布卢姆做出一副对酒桶后的角落里那张蜘蛛网——一个毫不起眼的东西——极感兴趣的样子。“市民”从背后满面怒容地瞪着布卢姆,他脚下那只老狗仰头望着他,在打量该咬谁以及什么时候下口。
“一个不守贞操的老婆,”“市民”说,“这就是咱们一切不幸的根源。”
“她就在这儿哪,”正跟特里一道在柜台上对着一份《警察时报》[346] 咯咯笑着的阿尔夫说,“打扮得花里胡哨的。”
“让咱瞧一眼,”我说。
那不过是特里向科尼·凯莱赫借来的美国佬黄色照片中的一张。放大阴部的秘诀。社交界美女的丑闻。芝加哥的一位富有的承包人诺曼·W·塔珀, 发现自己那位漂亮然而不贞的妻子,坐在泰勒军官的腿上。那位穿着灯笼裤的美人儿可不正经,正让情夫抚摩她那痒处呢。诺曼·W·塔琅带着小口径熗蹦进去时,迟了一步, 她刚刚跟泰勒军官干完套环游戏[347]。
“哦,好的,天哪,”乔说,“你的衬衫多短呀!”
“瞧那头发[348] ,乔,”我说,“从那罐头咸牛肉上弄下一截怪味儿的老尾巴尖儿,对不?”
这时,约翰·怀思·诺兰和利内翰进来了,后者的脸耷拉得老长,活像一顿没完没了的早餐。
“喏,”“市民”说,“现场有什么最新消息?关于爱尔兰语,那些锯锅匠们在市政厅召开的秘密会议上都做了什么决定?”
穿戴锃亮铠甲的奥诺兰朝着全爱琳这个位高势大的首领深打一躬,禀明了事情的原委。这座无比忠顺的城市,国内第二大都会的神情肃穆的元老们聚集在索尔塞尔[349] ,照例对天界的神明们祷告一番后,关于该采取何等措施俾能让一衣带水的盖尔族[355]那崇高的语言得以光采地在世间复兴,严肃地进行了审议。
“正进展着哪,”“市民”说,“该死而野蛮的撒克逊佬[ 351] 和他们的土音[352] ,统统都下地狱去吧。”
于是,杰·杰就摆出嘣士派头插嘴说, 光听片面之词可弄不清楚事实的真相,那是照纳尔逊的做法,用瞎了的那只眼睛对着望远镜[353] ,并谈起制定褫夺公权法以弹劾国家[ 354] 。布卢姆尽力支持他,同时讲着做事不可过火, 以免招来麻烦,还说到他们的属地和文明等等。
“你说的是他们的梅毒文明[355] 喽!”“市民”说,“让那跟他们一道下地狱去吧!让那不中用的上帝发出的咒诅, 斜落在那些婊子养的厚耳朵混蛋崽子身上吧,活该!音乐,美术,文学全谈不上,简直没有值得一提的。 他们的任何文明都是从咱们这儿偷去的。鬼模鬼样的私生子那些短舌头的崽子们。”
“欧洲民族,”杰·杰说……
“他们才不是欧洲民族呢,”“市民”说,“我跟巴黎的凯文·伊根一道在欧洲呆过。欧洲虽广,除了在厕所[356] 里,你一点儿也看不到他们或他们的语言的痕迹。”
于是约翰·怀思说:
“多少朵花生得嫣红,怎奈无人知晓。[357] ”
懂得一点外语皮毛的利内翰说:
“打倒英国人!背信弃义的英国![358] ”
说罢,他就用那双粗壮、结实、强有力的大手,举起一大木杯[359] 正在冒泡的烈性黑色浓啤酒,吆喝着本族口号“红手迎胜利[360] ”, 祈求敌族——那宛若永生的众神一般默然坐在雪花石膏宝座上的刚毅勇猛的英雄们,海洋上的霸主[361] ——彻底毁灭。
“你怎么啦?”我对利内翰说,“你这家伙就像是丢了一先令只找到了一枚六便士硬币似的。”
“金质奖杯,”他说。
“哪匹马赢啦,利内翰先生?”特里说。
“‘丢掉’[362] ,他说,“以二十博一。原是一匹冷门儿马。其余的全不在话下。”[363]
“巴斯那匹母马[364] 呢?”特里说。
“还跑着哪,”他说,“我们统统惨败啦。博伊兰那小子,在我透露消息给他的‘权杖’身上,为他自己和一位女友下了两镑赌注。”
“我也下了半克朗,”特里说,“根据弗林先生出的点子,把赌注下在‘馨香葡萄酒’身上了。那是霍华德·德沃尔登勋爵[365] 的马。”
“以二十博一,”利内翰说。“马房的生活就是如此。‘丢掉,做了让人失望的事[366] ,”他说,“还闲扯些什么拇趾囊肿胀。脆弱啊,你的名字就是‘权杖,[367]”
于是,他走到鲍勃·多兰留下的饼干罐那儿去,瞧瞧能不能捞到点儿什么。那只老杂种狗为了撞撞运气,抬起生满疥癣的大鼻子跟在后面。所谓“老嬷嬷哈伯德,走向食橱”[368]。
“这儿没有哩,我的乖,”他说。
“打起精神来,”乔说,“要是没有另外那匹劣马,它原是会赢的嘛。”
杰·杰和“市民”就法律和历史争论起来,布卢姆也不时地插进一些妙论。
“有些人,”布卢姆说,“只看见旁人眼中的木屑,却不管自己眼中的大梁。”[369]
“胡说,”,“市民”说,“再也没有比视而不见的人更盲目的了——也不知道你懂不懂得我的意思。咱们这里本来应该有两千万爱尔兰人,如今却只有四百万。咱们失去了的部族都哪儿去啦?[370]还有咱们那全世界最美的陶器和纺织品! 还有尤维纳利斯[371]那个时代在罗马出售的咱们的羊毛, 咱们的亚麻布和那在安特里姆的织布机织出来的花锻,以及咱们的利默里克花边[372]呢? 咱们的鞣皮厂和远处的巴利布[373]附近所生产的白色火石玻璃呢? 打从里昂的雅克以来咱们就拥有的胡格诺府绸[374],咱们的丝织品,咱们的福克斯福特花呢[375], 新罗斯的加尔默罗隐修院所生产的举世无双的象牙针绣[376]呢?当年, 希腊商人从赫刺克勒斯的两根柱子[377]——也就是如今已被人类公敌霸占了的直布罗陀—— 之间穿行前来,以便在韦克斯福德的卡曼集市上出售他们带来的黄金和推罗紫[378], 如今安在?读读塔西佗[379]、托勒密[380],以至吉拉德斯·卡姆布伦希斯[381]吧。 葡萄酒、皮货、康尼马拉大理石[382]、蒂珀雷里所产上好银子[383]。咱们那至今远近驰名的骏马——爱尔兰小马。西班牙的菲利普, 为了取得在咱们领海上的捕渔权,还提出要付关税。[384]在咱们的贸易和家园毁于一旦这一点上, 那些卑鄙的英国佬们欠下了咱们多大的一笔债啊!他们不肯把巴罗河和香农河[385] 的河床挖深,以致好几百万英亩良田都成为沼泽和泥炭地,足以害得咱们大家全部死于肺病。”
“咱们这儿很快就会像葡萄牙那样,连棵树都没有啦,”约翰·怀思说,“或者像黑尔戈兰[386] 那样,只剩下一棵树,除非采取措施来重新植树造林。落叶松啦,冷杉啦,所有的针叶树正在迅速走向毁灭。我读卡斯尔顿勋爵的报告书[387] 来着……”
“救救这些树木吧,”“市民”说,“戈尔韦的巨梣[388] ,以及那棵树干有四十英尺、枝叶茂盛达一英亩的基尔代尔首领榆。啊,为了爱利那秀丽山丘[389] 上的未来的爱尔兰人,救救爱尔兰的树木吧。”
“整个欧洲都在盯着你哪,”利内翰说。
今天下午,众多[390] 国际社交界人士莅临参加爱尔兰国民林务员的高级林务主任琼·怀斯·德诺兰[391] 骑士与松谷的冷杉·针叶树[392]小姐的婚礼, 给爱尔兰增添了光采。贵宾有:西尔威斯特[393]·榆荫夫人、芭芭拉·爱桦太太、 波尔·梣[394] 太太、冬青·榛眼太太[395] 、瑞香·月桂树小姐、多萝西。竹丛小姐、克莱德·十二棵树太太、山揪·格林[396] 太太、海伦·藤蔓生[397] 太太、五叶地锦[ 398] 小姐、格拉迪斯·毕奇小姐[399] 、橄榄·花园小姐、白枫[400]小姐、莫德·红木小姐、迈拉·常春花小姐、 普丽西拉·接骨木花小姐、[401]蜜蜂·忍冬[402]小姐、格蕾丝·白杨小姐、哦·含羞草小姐[403]、蕾切尔·雪松叶[404]小姐、莉莲和薇奥拉·丁香花[405]小姐、羞怯·白杨奥尔[406]小姐、基蒂·杜威一莫斯[407]小姐、五月·山楂[408]小姐、格罗丽亚娜·帕默[409]太太、 莉亚娜·福雷斯特[410]太太、阿拉贝拉[411]·金合欢太太以及奥克霍姆·里吉斯的诺马·圣栎[412]。新娘由她父亲格兰的麦克针叶树[413]挽臂送到新郎跟前。她穿着款式新颖的绿丝光绸长衫,跟里面那件素淡的灰衬衣一样可身。腰系翠绿宽饰带,下摆上镶着颜色更浓郁的三道荷叶边。在这样的底色上,衬托以近似橡子的褐色吊带和臀饰。看上去无比姣好。两位伴娘落叶松·针叶树和云杉·针叶树是新娘的妹妹,穿戴着同一色调非常得体的服饰。 褶子上用极细的线条绣出图案[414]精巧的羽毛状玫瑰。翡翠色的无檐女帽上,也别出心裁地插着淡珊瑚色苍鹭羽毛,与之配衬。 恩里克·弗洛先生[415]以遐迩闻名的技艺奏起风琴:除了婚礼弥撤中所规定的一些乐章外, 仪式结束后还奏了一支动人心弦的新曲调《伐木者,莫砍那棵树》[416]。接受了教皇的祝福[417],临离开庭园内的圣菲亚克[418]教堂时,人们开玩笑地将榛子、椈子、月桂叶、柳絮、繁茂的常春藤叶、冬青果、檞寄生小枝和花揪的嫩条像密集的炮火一般撒在这对幸福的新人身上。怀恩·针叶树·诺兰先生和夫人将到黑森林里去度幽静的蜜月。[419]
“然而,咱们用眼睛盯着欧洲,”“市民”说,“那些杂种还没呱呱落地之前,咱们就跟西班牙人、法国人和佛兰芒人搞起贸易来了[420]。戈尔韦有了西班牙浓啤酒,葡萄紫的大海[421] 上泊满了运酒船。”
“还会那样的,”乔说。
“在天主圣母的帮助下,咱们会振作起来的,”“市民”拍着他的大腿说,“咱们那些空空荡荡的港口又会变得满满当当。王后镇,金塞尔,黑草地湾,凯里王国的文特里[422] 。还有基利贝格斯。那是广阔世界上第三大港[423] , 当年德斯蒙德伯爵能够和查理五世皇帝本人直接签订条约[424] 的时候,从港内一眼可以望到戈尔韦的林奇家、卡文的奥赖利家以及都柏林的奥肯尼迪家[425] 那足有一个舰队那么多的桅杆。还会振作起来的,”他说,“到那时, 咱们将会看到第一艘爱尔兰军舰乘风破浪而来,舰头飘着咱们自己的旗子。才不是你亨利·都铎的竖琴[426] 呢。绝不是,那是在船上挂过的最古老的旗子,德斯蒙德和索门德省的旗子, 蓝地上三个王冠、米列修斯[ 427] 的三个儿子。”
于是,他把杯中剩下的一饮而尽。倒挺像那么回事儿的[428] 。 犹如制革厂的猫似的又是放屁又是撤尿[ 429 ] 。康诺特的母牛犄角长。[430] 尽管他势头这么冲,狗命要紧,他才不会到沙那戈尔登[ 431] 去向聚集的群众吹牛呢。由于他抢夺了退租的佃户的家当[432],摩莉·马奎斯们[433] 正在寻找他,要在他身上戳个洞,弄得他简直不敢在那儿露面。
“听,听这套话,”约翰·怀思说,“你喝点儿啥?”
“来杯‘帝国义勇骑兵’[434] ,”利内翰说,“庆祝一番嘛。”
“半下子,特里,”约翰·怀思说,“再要一瓶‘举手’[ 435] 。特里!你睡着了吗?”
“好的,先生,”特里说,“小杯威士忌,还要一瓶奥尔索普。好的。先生。”
不去服侍公众,却寻求下流的刺激,跟阿尔夫一道读那该死的报纸来过瘾。一幅是顶头比赛,低下脑袋,就像公牛撞门似的相互撞去,要撞得使该死的对方开瓢儿。另一幅是《黑兽被焚烧于佐治亚奥马哈》[436]:一大群歪戴帽子的戴德伍德·迪克[437]朝吊在树上的黑鬼[438]开火。他伸出舌头,身子底下燃着篝火。让他坐完电椅并将他钉在十字架上之后,还应该把他丢到大海里。 这样才有把握置他于死地。
“关于善战的海军,你怎么看?”内德说,“它阻止了敌人前进[439]。”
“你听我说,”“市民”说,“那是座人间地狱。你去读读几家报纸关于朴次茅斯的练习舰上滥施苔刑所做的那些揭露吧。是个自称感到厌恶[440] 的人写的。”
于是,他开始对我们讲起体罚啦,舰上那些排成一列头戴三角帽的水手、军官、海军少将啦,以及那位手持新教《圣经》为这场刑罚作证的牧师啦。还谈到一个年轻小伙子被押上来,嚎叫着“妈!”他们把他捆绑在大炮的后座上。
“臀部着十二杖,”“市民”说,“这是老恶棍约翰·贝雷斯福德[441] 爵士的喊法。然而,现代化的上帝的英国人喊鞭打屁股。”
约翰·怀思说:
“这种习俗还不如把它破坏了,倒比遵守它还体面些。”[442]
然后他告诉我们,纠察长手里拿着一根长长的笞杖走了过来,抡起它,对准可怜的小伙子的后屁股就狠抽一通,直到他喊出一千声[443] “杀人啦!”
“这就是你们那称霸世界的光荣的英国海军,”“市民”说,“这些永远不做奴隶的人们[444] 有着天主的地球上唯一世袭的议院[445] ,国上掌握在一打赌徒和装腔作势的贵族手里。这就是他们所夸耀的那个苦役和被鞭打的农奴的伟大帝国。”
“在那上面,太阳是永远不升的,”[446]乔说。
“悲剧在于,”“市民”说,“他们相信这个。那些不幸的雅胡[447]们相信这个。”
他们相信笞杖:全能的惩罚者——人间地狱的创造者;亦信大炮之子水手;他因邪恶的夸耀降孕,生于好战的海军。其臀部着十二杖,供作牺牲,活剥皮,制成革,鬼哭狼嚎,犹如该死的地狱。第三日自床上爬起,驶进港口,坐于船梁末端,等待下一道命令,以便为糊口而做苦役,关一份饷。[448]
“可是,”布卢姆说,“走遍天下,惩罚不都是一样的吗?我的意思是,要是你们以暴力对抗暴力,在这儿[449] 不也一样吗?”
我不是告诉你了吗?就像我此刻饮着道啤酒那样真确,即使在他弥留之际,他也会试图让你相信,死去就是活着。
“我们将以暴力对抗暴力,”“市民”说, “在大洋彼岸,我们有更大的爱尔兰[450] 。在黑色的四七年[451] , 他们被赶出了家园。他们的土屋和路旁那些牧羊窝棚被大槌砸坍后, 《泰晤士报》搓着双手告诉那些胆小鬼萨克逊人说: 爱尔兰的爱尔兰人很快就会减到像美国的红皮肤人那么稀少。[452] 甚至连土耳其大公都送来他的比塞塔[453] 。然而撤克逊的混蛋们处心积虑地要把本国老百姓饿死。 当时遍地都是粮食,贪婪的英国人买下来,卖到里约热内卢去。[454] 哎, 他们把庄稼人成群地赶出去。两万名死在棺材船[455] 里。然而抵达自由国土[456] 的人们,对那片被奴役之地[457] 记忆犹新。他们会怀着报复之心回来的。他们不是胆小鬼,而是葛拉纽爱尔[458] 的儿子们,豁牙子凯思林[459] 的斗士们。”
“千真万确,”布卢姆说,“然而,我指的是……”
“我们盼望已久了,‘市民’,”内德说,“打从那个可怜的穷老太太告诉我们法国人在海上,并且在基拉拉上了岸的那一天起。”[460]
“哎,”约翰·怀思说,“我们为斯图尔特王室战斗过,他们却在威廉那一派面前变了节,背叛了我们。[461] 记住利默里克和那块记载着被撕毁了的条约的石头。[462] 我们那些‘野鹅,为法国和西班牙流尽了最宝贵的血。[463] 丰特努瓦[464] 怎么样?还有萨斯菲尔德[465] 和西班牙的得土安公爵奥唐奈,[466] 以及做过玛丽亚·特蕾莎的陆军元帅的、卡穆的尤利西斯·布朗[467] 。可我们究竟得到了什么?”
“法国人!”“市民”说,“不过是一帮教跳舞的!你晓得那是什么玩艺儿吗?对爱尔兰来说,他们从来连个屁也不值。眼下他们不是正试图在泰·佩[468] 的晚餐会上跟背信弃义的英国达成真诚的谅解[469] 吗?他们从来就是欧洲的纵火犯。”
“打倒法国人!”[470]利内翰边啜啤酒边说。
“还有普鲁士王室和汉诺威王室那帮家伙,”乔说,“从汉诺威选侯乔治到那个日耳曼小伙子以及那个已故自负的老婊子[471], 难道坐到咱们王位上吃香肠的私生子还少了吗?”
天哪,听他描述那个戴遮眼罩的老家伙的事,我不禁笑出声来。老维克每晚在皇宫里大杯大杯地喝苏格兰威士忌酒,灌得烂醉。她的车夫[472] 把她整个儿抱起,往床上一滚。她一把抓住他的络腮胡子,为他唱起《莱茵河畔的埃伦》[473] 和《到酒更便宜的地方去》[474]中她所熟悉的片段。
“喏,”杰·杰说,“如今和平缔造者爱德华[475] 上了台。”
“那是讲给傻瓜听的,”“市民”说,“那位花花公子所缔造的该死的梅毒倒比和平来得多些。爱德华·圭尔夫- 韦亭!”[476]
“你们怎么看,”乔说,“教会里的那帮家伙——爱尔兰的神父主教们,竟然把他在梅努斯[477] 下榻的那间屋子涂成魔鬼陛下的骑装的颜色,还将他那些骑师们骑过的马匹的照片统统贴在那里。而且连都柏林伯爵[478] 的照片也在内。”
“他们还应该把他本人骑过的女人的照片统统贴上去,”小阿尔夫说。
于是,杰·杰说:
“考虑到地方不够,那些大人们拿不定主意。”
“想再来一杯吗,‘市民’?”乔说。
“好的,先生,”他说,“来吧。”
“你呢?”乔说。
“多谢啦,乔,”我说,“但愿你的影子永远不会淡下去。”[479]
“照原样儿再开一剂,”乔说。
布卢姆和约翰·怀思一个劲儿地聊,兴奋得脸上泛着暗灰褐泥色,一双熟透了的李子般的眼睛滴溜溜直转。
“那叫作迫害,”他说,“世界历史上充满了这种迫害,使各民族之间永远存在仇恨。”
“可你晓得什么叫作民族吗?”约翰·怀思说。
“晓得,”布卢姆说。
“它是什么?”约翰·怀思说。
“民族?”布卢姆说,“民族指的就是同一批人住在同一个地方。”
“天哪,那么,”内德笑道,“要是这样的话,我就是一个民族了。因为过去五年来,我一直住在同一个地方。”
这样,大家当然嘲笑了布卢姆一通。他试图摆脱困境,就说:
“另外也指住在不同地方的人。”
“我的情况就属于这一种,”乔说。
“请问你是哪个民族的?”“市民”问。
“爱尔兰,”布卢姆说,“我是生在这儿的。爱尔兰。”
“市民”什么也没说,只从喉咙里清出一口痰;而且,好家伙,嗖的一下吐到屋角去的竟是一只红沙洲餐厅的牡蛎[480]。
“我随大溜儿,乔。”他说着掏出手绢,把嘴边揩干。
“喏,‘市民’,”乔说,“用右手拿着它,跟着我重复下面这段话。”
这时,极为珍贵、精心刺绣的古代爱尔兰面中被小心翼翼地取出来,使观者赞赏不已。据传它出自《巴利莫特书》[481] 的著者德罗马的所罗门和马努斯之手,是在托马尔塔赤·麦克多诺格家完成的。至于堪称艺术顶峰的四个角落的旷世之美,就毋庸赘述了。观者足以清清楚楚地辨认出,四部福音书的作者分别向四位大师[482] 赠送福音的象征:一根用泥炭栎木制成的权杖,一头北美洲狮(附带说一句, 它是比英国所产高贵得多的百兽之王),一头凯里小牛以及一只卡朗突奥山[483] 的金鹰。绣在排泄面上的图像,显示出我们的古代山寨、土寨、环列巨石柱群、 古堡的日光间[484]、寺院和咒石堆[485] 。古老的巴米塞德时代[486] 斯莱戈那些书册装饰家们奔放地发挥艺术幻想所描绘的景物还是那样奇妙绚丽,色彩也是那么柔和。二湖谷,基拉尼那些可爱的湖泊,克朗麦克诺伊斯[487] 的废墟,康大寺院,衣纳格峡谷和十二山丘,爱尔兰之眼[ 488] ,塔拉特的绿色丘陵, 克罗阿·帕特里克山[489] ,阿瑟·吉尼斯父子(股份有限)公司的酿酒厂,拉夫·尼格湖畔,奥沃卡峡谷[490] ,伊索德塔,玛帕斯方尖塔[491] ,圣帕特里克·邓恩爵士医院[492] ,克利尔岬角,阿赫尔罗峡谷[493] ,林奇城堡,苏格兰屋, 拉夫林斯顿的拉思唐联合贫民习艺所[494] ,图拉莫尔监狱,卡斯尔克尼尔瀑布,[495]市镇树林约翰之子教堂[496] ,莫纳斯特尔勃衣斯的十字架,朱里饭店,圣帕特里克的炼狱,[497] 鲑鱼飞跃,梅努斯学院饭厅,柯利洞穴,[ 498] 第一任威灵顿公爵的三个诞生地,卡舍尔岩石,[499] 艾伦沼泽,亨利街批发庄,芬戈尔洞[500]——所有这一切动人的[501]情景今天依然为我们而存在。历经忧伤之流的冲刷, 以及随着时光的推移逐渐形成的丰富积累,使它们越发绮丽多姿了。
“把酒递过来。”我说,“哪一杯是哪个的?”
“这是我的,”乔就像魔鬼跟一命呜呼的警察说话那样斩钉截铁他说。
“我还属于一个被仇视、受迫害的民族,”布卢姆说,“现在也是这样。就在此刻。这一瞬间。”
嘿,那陈旧的雪前烟蒂差点儿烧了他的手指。
“被盗劫,”他说,“被掠夺。受凌辱。被迫害。把根据正当权力属于我们的财产拿走。就在此刻,”他伸出拳头来说, “还在摩洛哥[502]当作奴隶或牲畜那么地被拍卖。”
“你谈的是新耶路撒冷[503]吗?”“市民”说。
“我谈的是不公正,”布卢姆说。
“知道了,”约翰·怀思说,“那么,有种的就站起来,用暴力来对抗好啦。”
就像是印在月份牌上的一幅图画似的。不啻是个软头子弹的活靶子。一张老迈、满是脂肪的脸蛋儿迎着那执行职务的熗口扬起来, 嘿,只要系上一条保姆的围裙,他最适宜配上一把扫帚了,然后他就会蓦地垮下来,转过身,把脊背掉向敌人,软瘫如一块湿抹布。
“然而这什么用也没有,”他说,“暴力,仇恨,历史,所有这一切。对男人和女人来说,侮辱和仇恨并不是生命。每一个人都晓得真正的生命同那是恰恰相反的。”
“那么是什么呢?”阿尔夫说。
“是爱,”布卢姆说。“我指的是恨的反面。现在我得走啦,”他对约翰·怀思说,“我要到法院去看看马丁在不在那儿。要是他来了,告诉他我马上就回来。只去一会儿。”
谁也没拦住你呀!他宛如注了油的闪电,一溜烟儿就跑掉了。
“来到异邦人当中的新使徒,”“市民”说,“普遍的爱。”
“喏,”约翰·怀思说,“还不就是咱们听过的吗:‘要爱你的邻居’。[504]”
“那家伙吗?”“市民”说,“他的座右铭是:‘抢光我的邻居。’[505]好个爱[506]!他倒是罗密欧与朱丽叶的好模子。”
爱情思恋着去爱慕爱情。[507]护士爱新来的药剂师。甲十四号警察爱玛丽·凯里。格蒂·麦克道维尔爱那个有辆自行车的男孩子。摩·布爱一位金发绅士。 礼记汉爱吻茶蒲州[508]。大象江勃爱大象艾丽思[509]。 耳朵上装了号筒[509]的弗斯科伊尔老先生爱长了一双斗鸡眼的弗斯科伊尔老太太。 身穿棕色胶布雨衣的人爱一位已故的夫人。[511]国王陛下爱女王陛下。 诺曼·w·塔珀大太爱泰勒军官。你爱某人,而这个人又爱另一个人。每个人都爱某一个人,但是天主爱所有的人。
“喏,乔,”我说,“为了你的健康和歌儿,再来杯鲍尔威士忌,‘市民’。”
“好哇,来吧,”乔说。
“天主、玛利亚和帕特里克祝福你,”“市民”说。
于是,他举起那一品脱酒,把胡子都沾湿了。
“我们晓得那些伪善者[512] ,”他说,“一面讲道,一面摸你的包。假虔诚的克伦威尔和他的‘铁甲军,怎么样呢?在德罗赫达他们一面残杀妇孺,[513] 一面又把《圣经》里的‘上帝是爱,这句话贴在炮口上。《圣经》! 你读没读今天的《爱尔兰人联合报》上关于正在访问英国的祖鲁酋长那篇讽刺文章?”[ 514]
“谈了些什么?”乔说。
于是,“市民”掏出一张他随身携带的报纸朗读起来:
“昨日曼彻斯特棉纱业巨头一行, 在金杖侍卫沃尔克普·翁·埃各斯”[515]的沃尔克普勋爵陪同下,前往谒见阿贝库塔的阿拉基[516]陛下, 并为在陛下之领土上对英国商贾所提供之便利,致以衷心谢悃。代表团与陛下共进午餐。 此皮肤微黑之君主于午宴即将结束时,发表愉快的演说,由英国牧师、 可敬的亚拿尼亚·普列斯夏德·贝尔本[517]流畅地译出。陛下对沃尔克普先生[518]深表谢忱。强调阿贝库塔与大英帝国之间的友好关系,并谓承蒙白人女酋长、 伟大而具男子气概之维多利亚女王馈赠插图本《圣经》,彼将珍藏,视为至宝。 书中载有神之宝训以及英国伟大的奥秘,并亲手题以献辞。[519] 随后, 阿拉基高举爱杯(系用卡卡察卡察克王朝先王、绰号四十瘊子之头盖骨做成),痛饮浓烈之‘黑与白’威士忌。[ 520] 然后前往棉都[521] 各主要工厂访问,并在来宾留言簿上签名。最后, 以贵宾表演婀娜多姿之古代阿贝库塔出征舞收尾,其间,舞者当众吞下刀叉数把, 博得少女之狂热喝彩。”
“孀居女人,”内德说,“她干得出来。我倒想知道她会不会给它派上跟我一样的用场[ 522] 。”
“岂止一样,用的次数还更多哩,”利内翰说,“自那以后,在那片丰饶的土地上,宽叶芒果一直长得非常茂盛。”
“这是格里菲思写的吗?”约翰,怀思说。
“不是,”“市民”说,“署名不是尚戛纳霍。只有P这么个首字。”[523]
“这个首字很好哩,”乔说。
“都是这么进行的,”“市民”说,“贸易总是跟在国旗后边。”
“喏,”杰·杰说,“只要他们比刚果自由邦的比利时人再坏一点儿,他们就准是坏人。你读过那个人的报告了吗,他叫什么来着?”
“凯斯门特[524],”“市民”说,“是个爱尔兰人。”
“对,就是他,”杰·杰说,“强奸妇女和姑娘们,鞭打土著的肚皮,尽量从他们那里榨取红橡胶。”
“我知道他到哪儿去了,”利内翰用手指打着榧子说。
“谁?”我说。
“布卢姆,”他说,“法院不过是个遮掩。他在‘丢掉,身上下了几先令的赌注,这会子收他那几个钱去啦。”
“那个白眼卡菲尔吗[525] ?”“市民”说,“他可一辈子从来也没下狠心在马身上赌过。”
“他正是到那儿去啦,”利内翰说,“我碰见了正要往那匹马身上下赌注的班塔姆·莱昂斯。我就劝阻他,他告诉我说是布卢姆给他出的点子。下五先令赌注,管保他会赚上一百先令。全都柏林他是唯一这么做的人。一匹‘黑马,。”
“他自己就是一匹该死的‘黑马’,”乔说。
“喂,乔,”我说,“告诉咱出口在哪儿?”
“就在那儿,”特里说。
再见吧,爱尔兰,我要到戈尔特去。[ 526] 于是,我绕到后院去撒尿。 他妈的(五先令赢回了一百),一边排泄(“丢掉”,以二十博一),卸下重担, 一边对自己说:我晓得他心里(乔请的一品脱酒钱有了,在斯莱特里[527] 喝的一品脱也有了),他心里不安,想转移目标溜掉(一百先令就是五镑哩)。精明鬼伯克告诉我, 当他们在(“黑马”)家赌纸牌的时候,他也假装孩子生病啦(嘿,准足足撤了约莫一加仑)。那个屁股松垮的老婆从楼上通过管道传话说:“她好一点儿啦”或是:“她……”(噢!)其实,这都是花招:要是他赌赢了一大笔,就可以揣着赢头溜之乎也。(哎呀,憋了这么一大泡!)无执照营业。(噢!)他说什么爱尔兰是我的民族。(呜!哎呀!)千万别接近那些该死的(完啦)耶路撒冷(啊!)杜鹃们。[528]
当我好歹回去时,他们正吵得不亦乐乎。约翰·怀思说,正是布卢姆给格里菲思出了个新芬党的主意,让他在自己那份报纸上出各种各样的褐子:什么任意改划选区以谋取私利啦,买通陪审团啦,偷税漏税啦,往世界各地派领事以便兜售爱尔兰工业品啦。反正是抢了彼得再给保罗。呸,要是那双又老又脏的眼睛有意拆我们的台,那就他妈的彻底告吹啦,他妈的给咱个机会吧。天主,把爱尔兰从那帮该死的耗子般的家伙手里拯救出来吧。喜欢抬杠的布卢姆先生,还有上一代那个老诈骗师,老玛土撒拉[ 529]·布卢姆,巧取豪夺的行商。他那些骗钱货和假钻石把全国都坑遍了,然后服上一剂氢氰酸[530] 自杀了事。凭邮贷款,条件优厚。亲笔借据,金额不限。遐迩不拘。无需抵押。嘿,他就像是兰蒂·麦克黑尔的山羊[ 531] ,乐意跟任何人结为旅伴。
“喏,反正是事实,”约翰·怀思说,“刚好来了一个能够告诉你们详细情况的人——马丁·坎宁翰。”
果然城堡的马车赶过来了,马丁和杰克·鲍尔坐在上面,还有个姓克罗夫特尔或克罗夫顿[532] 的橙带党人,他在关税局长那里领着津贴,又在布莱克本那儿登了记,也关着一份饷,还用国王的费用游遍全国。此人也许姓克劳福德。
我们的旅客们抵达了这座乡村客栈,纵身跳下坐骑。[ 533]
“来呀,小崽子!”这一行人中一个首领模样的汉子大吼道,“鲁莽小厮!伺候!”
他边说边用刀柄大声敲打敞着的格子窗。
店家披上粗呢宽外衣,应声而出。
“各位老爷们,晚上好,”他低三下四地深打一躬说。
“别磨磨蹭蹭的,老头儿!”方才敲打的那人嚷道,“仔细照料我们的马匹。把店里好饭好菜赶紧给我们端来。因为大家饿得很哪。”
“大老爷们,这可如何是好!”店家说,“小店食品仓里空空的,也不知该给各位官人吃点啥好。”
“咋的,这厮?”来客中又一人嚷道。此人倒还和颜悦色,“塔普同掌柜,难道你就如此怠慢国王差来的御使吗?”
店家闻听此言,神色顿改。
“请各位老爷们宽恕,”他恭顺他说,“老爷们既是国王差来的御使(天主保佑国王陛下!)那就悉听吩咐。敢向御使诸公保证,(天主祝福国王陛下!)既蒙光临小店,就决不会让各位饿着肚子走。”
“那就赶快!”一位迄未做声而看来食欲颇旺的来客大声叫道,“有啥可给我们吃的?”
老板又深打一躬,回答说:
“现在开几样菜码,请老爷们酌定。油酥面雏鸽馅饼,薄鹿肉片,小牛里脊,配上酥脆熏猪肉的赤颈鬼,配上阿月浑子籽儿的公猪头肉;一盘令人赏心悦目的乳蛋糕,配上欧楂的艾菊,再来一壶陈莱茵白葡萄酒,不知老爷们意下如何?”
“嘿嘿!”最后开口的那人大声说,“能这么就满意了。来点阿月浑子籽儿还差不多。”
“啊哈!”那位神情愉快的人叫唤道,“还说什么小店食品仓里空空的哩!好个逗乐的骗子!”[534]
这时马丁走了进来,打听布卢姆到哪儿去了。
“他哪儿去啦?”利内翰说,“欺诈孤儿寡妇去啦。”
“关于布卢姆和新芬党,”约翰·怀思说,“我告诉‘市民’的那档子事儿不是真的吗?”
“是真的,”马丁说,“至少他们都斩钉截铁地这么说。”
“是谁这么断定的?”阿尔夫说。
“是我,”乔说,“我像鳄鱼一样一口咬定了。”
“无论怎么说,”约翰·怀思说,“犹太人为什么就不能像旁人那样爱自己的国家呢?”
“没什么不能爱的,”杰·杰说,“可得弄准了自己国家是哪一个。”
“他究竟是犹太人还是非犹太人呢?究竟是神圣罗马,还是襁褓儿[535],或是什么玩艺儿呢?”内德说,“他究竟是谁呢?我无意惹你生气,克罗夫顿。”
“朱尼厄斯[536] 是何许人?”杰·杰说。
“我们才不要他呢,”橙带党人或长老会教友克罗夫特尔说。
“他是个脾气乖张的犹太人,”马丁说,“是从匈牙利什么地方来的。就是他,按照匈牙利制度拟定了所有那些计划。[537]我们城堡当局对此都一清二楚。”
“他不是牙医布卢姆的堂兄弟[538]吗?”杰克·鲍尔说。
“根本不是,”马丁说,“不过是同姓而已。他原来姓维拉格[ 539] ,是他那个服毒自杀的父亲的姓。他父亲凭着一纸单独盖章的证书就把姓改了。”
“这正是爱尔兰的新救世主!”“市民”说,“圣者和贤人的岛屿[540] !”
“喏,他们至今还在等待着救世主,”马丁说,“就这一点而论,咱们何尝不是这样。”
“是呀,”杰·杰说,“每生一个男孩儿,他们就认为那可能是他们的弥赛亚[541] 。而且我相信,每一个犹太人都总是处于高度亢奋状态,直到他晓得那是个父亲还是母亲[ 542] 。”
“每一分钟都在企盼着,以为这一回该是了,”利内翰说。
“哦,天哪,”内德说,“真应该让你瞧瞧他那个夭折了的儿子出生之前布卢姆那副神态。早在他老婆分娩六星期之前的一天,我就在南边的公共市场碰见他在购买尼夫罐头食品[ 543] 了。”
“它已经在母亲的肚子里了,”[544]杰·杰说。
“你们还能管他叫作男人吗?”“市民”说。
“我怀疑他可曾把它搁进去过,”“市民”说。
“喏,反正已经养了两个娃娃啦,”杰克·鲍尔说。
“他猜疑谁呢?”[545] “市民”说。
嘿,笑话里包含着不少实话。他就是个两性掺在一起的中性人。精明鬼告诉过我,住在旅馆里的时候,每个月他都患一次头疼,就像女孩子来月经似的。你晓得我在跟你说什么吗?要是把这么个家伙抓住,丢到该死的大海里,倒不失为天主的作为呢!那将是正当的杀人。身上有五镑,然后却连一品脱的酒钱也不付就溜掉了,简直丢尽男子汉的脸。祝福我们吧。可也别让我们盲目起来。
“对邻居要宽厚,”马丁说,“可是他在哪儿?咱们不能再等下去啦。”
“披着羊皮的狼,”“市民”说,“这就是他。从匈牙利来的维拉格!我管他叫作亚哈随鲁[546] 。受到天主的咒诅。”
“你能抽空儿很快地喝上一杯吗,马丁?”内德说。
“只能喝一杯,”马丁说,“我们不能耽误。我要‘约·詹’[547] 和S。”
“杰克,你呢?克罗夫顿呢?要三杯半品脱的,特里。”
“在听任那帮家玷污了咱们的海岸之后,”“市民”说,“圣帕特里克恨不得再在巴利金拉尔[548] 登一次陆,好让咱们改邪归正。”
“喏,”马丁边敲打桌子催促他那杯酒边说,“天主祝福所有在场的人——这就是我的祷告。”
“啊们,”“市民”说。
“而且我相信上主会倾听你的祷告,”乔说。
随着圣餐铃的丁零声[549] ,由捧持十字架者领先,辅祭、提香炉的、捧香盒的、诵经的、司阍、执事、副执事以及被祝福的一行人走了过来。 这边是头戴主教冠的大修道院院长、小修道院院长、方济各会修道院院长、修士、托钵修士; 斯波莱托[550] 的本笃会修士、加尔都西会和卡马尔多利会的修士、[551] 西多会和奥利维坦会的修士、[ 552] 奥拉托利会和瓦隆布罗萨会的修士[553] , 以及奥古斯丁会修士、布里吉特会修女[554] ;普雷蒙特雷修会、圣仆会[555] 和圣三一赎奴会修士,彼得·诺拉斯科的孩子们[556] ;还有先知以利亚的孩子们也在主教艾伯特和阿维拉的德肋撒的引导下从加尔默山下来了,穿鞋的和另一派[557] ;褐衣和灰衣托钵修士们,安贫方济各的儿子们[558] ;嘉布遣会[559] 修士们, 科德利埃会修士们,小兄弟会修士们和遵规派修士们[560] ;克拉蕾的女儿们[ 561] , 还有多明我会的儿子们,托钵传教士们,以及遣使会[562] 的儿子们。 再就是圣沃尔斯坦[563] 的修士们,依纳爵的弟子们[564] ,以及可敬的在俗修士埃德蒙·依纳爵·赖斯率领下的圣教学校兄弟会会员们[565]。 随后来的是所有那些圣徒和殉教者们,童贞修女们和忏悔师们。包括圣西尔、圣伊西多勒·阿拉托尔[566] 、 圣小詹姆斯[567]、锡诺普的圣佛卡斯、殷勤的圣朱利安、圣菲利克斯·德坎塔里斯[568]、 柱头修士圣西门、第一个殉教者圣斯蒂芬、天主的圣约翰、[569]、圣费雷欧尔、圣勒加德、圣西奥多图斯、[570] 圣沃尔玛尔、圣理查、 圣味增爵·德保罗[571] 、托迪的圣马丁、图尔的圣马丁[ 572] 、圣阿尔弗烈德、圣约瑟[573] 、圣但尼、圣科尔内留斯、圣利奥波德[ 574] 、圣伯尔纳、圣特伦斯、圣爱德华[575] 、圣欧文·卡尼库鲁斯[ 576] 、圣匿名、圣祖名、圣伪名、圣同名、圣同语源、 圣同义语、圣劳伦斯·奥图尔、丁格尔和科穆帕斯帖拉的圣詹姆斯[577] 、圣科拉姆西尔和圣科伦巴、圣切莱斯廷[578] 、圣科尔曼[579] 、 圣凯文[580] 、圣布伦丹、 圣弗里吉迪安、圣瑟南[581] 、圣法契特纳、圣高隆班、圣加尔、圣弗尔萨[582]、圣芬坦、圣菲亚克、圣约翰·内波玛克、圣托马斯·阿奎那[ 583]、不列塔尼的圣艾夫斯、圣麦昌、圣赫尔曼- 约瑟[584] 、 三个圣青年的主保圣人——圣阿洛伊苏斯·贡萨加、圣斯坦尼斯劳斯·科斯塔卡、圣约翰·勃赤曼斯[585] 、热尔瓦修斯、瑟瓦修斯、博尼费斯[586]等圣徒、圣女布赖德、圣基兰、基尔肯尼的圣卡尼克[587] 、蒂尤厄姆的圣贾拉斯、圣芬巴尔、巴利曼的圣帕平[588] 、 阿洛伊修斯·帕西费 库斯修士、路易斯·贝利克苏斯修士[589] 、利马和维泰博的二位圣女萝丝[590]、伯大尼的圣女玛莎、埃及的圣女玛丽、圣女露西、圣女布里奇特[591] 、圣女阿特拉克塔、圣女迪姆普娜[592] 、 圣女艾塔、圣女玛莉恩·卡尔彭西斯[593] 、 小耶稣的圣修女德肋撒、圣女芭巴拉、圣女斯科拉丝蒂卡,还有圣女乌尔苏拉以及她那一万一千名童贞女[ 594] 。所有这些人都跟光环、后光与光轮一道出现了。 他们手执棕榈叶、竖琴、剑、橄榄冠, 袍子上织出了他们的职能的神圣象征: 角制墨水瓶[595] 、箭、 面包、坛子、脚镣、斧子、树木、桥梁、 浴槽里的娃娃们、 贝壳、行囊[596] 、大剪刀、钥匙、龙[ 597]、百合花、鹿弹、胡须、猪、灯、风箱、蜂窝、长柄杓、星星、蛇[598] 、铁砧、一盒盒的凡士林、钟、 丁字拐、镊子、 鹿角、防水胶靴、老鹰、磨石、盘子上的一双眼球[599] 、蜡烛、洒圣水器、独角兽[600] 。他们一边沿着纳尔逊圆柱、亨利街、玛利街、卡佩尔街、 小不列颠街透迤而行,一边吟唱以“起来吧。发光”[601] 为首句的“将祭经” 《上主显现》,[ 602] 接着又无比甜美地唱着圣歌“示巴的众人”[603]。 他们行着各种神迹:诸如驱逐污灵,使死者复活,使鱼变多,治好跛子和盲人。[604]还找到了种种遗失物品,阐释并应验《圣经》中的话,祝福并做预言。最后, 由玛拉基和帕特里克陪伴着,可敬的奥弗林神父[605]在金布华盖的遮荫下出现了。这几位好神父抵达了指定地点,小布列颠街八、九、十号的伯纳德·基尔南股份有限公司的店堂;这是食品杂货批发商,葡萄酒和白兰地装运商;特准在店内零售啤酒、葡萄酒和烈酒。司仪神父祝福了店堂,焚香熏了那装有直棂的窗户、交叉拱、拱顶、棱、柱头、山墙、上楣、锯齿状拱门、尖顶和圆顶阁,把圣水撒在过梁上,祈求天主祝福这座房舍,一如曾经祝福过亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的房舍那样,并且让天主的光明天使们住在里面。神父一面往里走,一面祝福食品与饮料。所有那些被祝福的会众,都应答着他的祷词。
因主之名,济佑我等。
上天下地,皆主所造。
主与尔偕焉。
亦与尔灵偕焉。[606]
于是他将双手放在他所祝福的东西上面,念感谢经,并做祷告,众人也随之祷告。
主啊,万物因尔之言而圣洁,俯垂护佑尔所创造之生灵。
凡感谢尔之恩宠,恪遵规诫,服从尔旨者,俯允其颂扬尔
圣名,俾使肉身健康,灵魂平安。因基利斯督我等主。[607]
“咱们大家都念同样的经,”杰克说。
“每年收入一千镑[608] ,兰伯特,”克罗夫顿或姓克劳福德的说。
“对,”内德拿起他那杯“约翰·詹姆森”[609]说,“鱼肉不能缺黄油,”[610]
我正挨个儿看他们的脸,琢磨着到底谁能出个好主意,刚巧该死的他又十万火急地闯进来了。
“我刚才到法院兜了一圈找你去啦,”他说,“但愿我没有……”
“哪里的话,”马丁说,“我们准备好了。”
法院?天晓得!金币和银市塞得你的衣兜裤兜都往下坠了吧。
该死的抠门儿鬼。叫你请我们每人喝一杯哪。真见鬼,他简直吓得要死!地地道道的犹太佬!只顾自己合适。跟茅坑里的老鼠一样狡猾。以一百博五。
“谁也不要告诉,”“市民”说。
“请问,你指的是什么?”他说。
“来吧,伙计们,”马丁发现形势不妙,就说,“马上就去吧。”
“跟谁也别说,”“市民”大嚷大叫地说,“这可是个秘密。”
那条该死的狗也醒了过来,低声怒吼着。
“大家伙儿再见喽,”马丁说。
他就尽快地催他们出去了——杰克·鲍尔和克罗夫顿——或随便你叫他什么吧,把那家伙夹在中间,假装出一副茫然的样子,挤上了那辆该死的二轮轻便马车。
“快走,”马丁对车夫说。
乳白色的海豚蓦地甩了一下鬃毛,舵手在金色船尾站起来,顶着风扯开帆,使它兜满了风。左舷张起大三角帆,所有的帆都张开,船便向大海航去。众多俊美的宁芙[611] 忽而挨近右舷,忽而凑近左舷,依依不舍地跟在华贵的三桅帆船两侧。她们将闪闪发光的身子盘绕在一起,犹如灵巧的轮匠在车轮的轴心周围嵌上互为姐妹的等距离的轮辐,并从外面将所有一切都用轮辋把她们统统箍住。这样就加快了男人们奔赴沙场或为博得淑女嫣然一笑而争相赶路的步伐。这些殷勤的宁芙们,这些长生不老的姐妹们欣然而来。船破浪前进,她们一路欢笑,在水泡环中嬉戏着。[ 612]
然而,天哪,我正要把杯中残酒一饮而尽时,只见“市民”腾地站起来,因患水肿病呼呼大喘,踉踉跄跄走向门口,用爱尔兰语的“钟、《圣经》与蜡烛”[613],对那家伙发出克伦威尔的诅咒[ 614] ,还呸呸地吐着唾沫。乔和小阿尔夫像小妖精般地围着他,试图使他息怒。
“别管我,”他说。
嘿,当他走到门口,两个人把他拽住时,那家伙大吼了一声:
“为以色列三呼万岁!”
哎呀,为了基督的缘故,像在议会里那样庄重地一屁股坐下,别在大庭广众之下丑态毕露啦。哼,一向都有一些该死的小丑什么的,无缘无故地干出骇人听闻的勾当。呸,照这样下去,黑啤酒会在你肠肚里发馊的,一定的。
于是,全国的邋遢汉和婊子们都聚到门口来了。马丁叫车把式快赶起来:“市民”乱吼一气,阿尔夫和乔叫他住口[615]。那家伙呢,趾高气扬地大谈其犹太人。二流子们起哄要他发表演说,杰克·鲍尔试图叫他在马车里坐下来,让他闭上该死的嘴巴。有个一只眼睛上蒙着眼罩的二流子,扯着喉咙唱开了:倘若月亮里那个男子是个犹太人,犹太人,犹太人[616] ;有个婊子大喊道:
“哎,老爷!你的裤钮儿开啦,喏,老爷!”
于是他说:
“门德尔松[617] 是个犹太人,还有卡尔·马克思、梅尔卡丹特和斯宾诺莎。[618] 救世主也是个犹大人,他爹就是个犹太人。你们的天主。”
“他没有爹,”马丁说,“成啦。往前赶吧。”
“谁的天主?”“市民”说。
“喏,他舅舅是个犹太人”他说,“你们的天主是个犹太人。耶稣是个犹太人,跟我一样。”
嗬,“市民”一个箭步蹿回到店堂里去。
“耶稣在上,”他说,“我要让那个该死的犹太佬开瓢儿,他竟然敢滥用那个神圣的名字。哦,我非把他钉上十字架不可。把那个饼干罐儿递给我。”
“住手!住手!”乔说。
从首都都柏林及其郊区拥来好几千名满怀赞赏之情的朋友知己们,为曾任皇家印刷厂亚历山大·汤姆公司职员的纳吉亚撒葛斯·乌拉姆·利波蒂·维拉格[619] 送行。他要前往远方的地区撒兹哈明兹布洛尤古里亚斯-都古拉斯[620] 《潺潺流水的牧场》。在大声喝采[621] 声中举行的仪式以洋溢着无比温暖的友爱之情为特征。一幅出自爱尔兰艺术家之手的爱尔兰古代犊皮纸彩饰真迹卷轴,被赠送给这位杰出的现象学家,聊表社会上很大一部分市民之心意。附带还送了一只银匣,是按古代凯尔特风格制成的雅致大方的装饰品,足以反映厂家雅各布与雅各布先生们[622] 的盛誉。启程的旅客受到热烈的欢送。经过选拔的爱尔兰风笛奏起家喻户晓的曲调回到爱琳来》[623] ,紧接着就是《拉科齐进行曲》[624] 。在场的众人显然大受感动。柏油桶和篝火沿着四海[625] 的海岸,在霍斯山、三岩山、糖锥山[626] 布莱岬角、莫恩山、加尔蒂山脉[627] 、牛山、多尼戈尔、斯佩林山岭、纳格尔和博格拉、[ 628] 康尼马拉山、麦吉利卡迪[629] 的雾霭、奥蒂山、贝尔纳山和布卢姆山[630] 燃起。远处,聚集在康布利亚和卡利多尼亚[631] 群山上的众多支持者,对那响彻云霄的喝彩声报以欢呼。最后,在场的众多女性的代表向巨象般的游览船献花表示敬意,接着它便缓缓驶去。它由彩船队护卫着顺流而下时,港务总局、海关、鸽房水电站以及普尔贝格灯塔[632] 都向它点旗致敬。
再见吧,我亲爱的朋友!再见吧![634] 离去了,但是不曾被遗忘。
他好歹抓住那只该死的罐头飞奔出去,小阿尔夫吊在他的胳膊上。哼!连魔鬼也不会去阻拦。他就像是被刺穿了的猪那样嘶叫着,精采得可以同皇家剧场上演的任何一出该死的戏媲美。
“他在哪儿?我非宰了他不可!”
内德和杰·杰都笑瘫啦。
“一场血腥的战斗,”我说,“我能赶上最后一段福音[634] 。”
运气还不错,车把式将驽马的头掉转过去,一溜烟儿疾驰而去。
“别这样,‘市民’,”乔说,“住手!”
他妈的,他把手朝后一抡。竭尽全力抛出去。天主保佑,阳光晃了他的两眼,否则对方会一命呜呼的。哼,凭着那势头,他差点儿把它甩到朗福德郡[635] 去。该死的驽马吓惊了,那条老杂种狗宛如该死的地狱一般追在马车后边。乌合之众大叫大笑,那老马口铁罐头沿街咯嗒咯嗒滚去。
这场灾祸立即造成可怕的后果。根据邓辛克气象台[636] 记录,一共震动了十一次。照梅尔卡利的仪器[637] 记算,统统达到了震级的第五级。五三四年——也就是绢骑士托马斯[638] 起义那一年的地震以来,我岛现存的记录中还没有过如此剧烈的地壳运动。震中好像在首都的客栈码头区至圣麦昌教区一带,面积达四十一英亩二路德一平方杆(或波尔赤)[639] 。司法宫左近的巍峨建筑一古脑儿坍塌了;就连灾变之际正在进行法律方面的重要辩论的那座富丽堂皇的大厦,也全部彻底地化为一片废墟,在场的人恐怕一个不漏地都被活埋了。据目击者报告说,震波伴随着狂暴的旋风性大气变动。搜查队在本岛的偏僻地区发现了一顶帽子,已查明系属于那位备受尊重的法庭书记乔治·弗特里尔[640] 先生;还有一把绸面雨伞——金柄上镌刻着都柏林市记录法官[641] 博学可敬的季审法院院长弗雷德里克·福基纳爵士姓名的首字、盾形纹章以及住宅号码。也就是说,前者位于巨人堤道[642]第三玄武岩埂上;后者埋在古老的金塞尔海岬[643] 附近霍尔奥彭湾的沙滩深达一英尺三英寸的地方。其他目击者还作证说,他们瞥见一颗发白热光的庞然大物,以骇人的速度沿着抛射体的轨道朝西南偏西方向腾空而去。每个钟头都有吊唁及慰问的函电从各大洲各个地方纷至沓来。罗马教皇慨然恩准颁布教令:为了安慰那些从我们当中如此出乎意料地被召唤而去的虔诚的故人之灵,凡是隶属于教廷精神权威的主教管辖区,每座大教堂都应在同一时刻,由教区主教亲自专门举行一场追思已亡日弥撒。一切救助工作,被毁物[644] 及遗体等等的搬运,均托付给大布伦斯威克街一五九号的迈克尔·米德父子公司以及北沃尔街七十七、七十八、七十九和八十号的T与C。马丁公司办理,并由康沃尔公爵麾下轻步兵团的军官和士兵们在海军少将阁下赫尔克里斯·汉尼拔·哈比亚斯·科尔普斯[645] ·安德森爵士殿下的指挥下予以协助。殿下的头衔包括:嘉德勋位爵士、圣帕特里克修会勋位爵士、圣殿骑士团骑士、枢密院顾问官、巴斯高级骑士、下院议员、治安推事、医学士、杰出服务勋位获得者、鸡奸者[646] 、猎狐犬管理官、爱尔兰皇家学会院士、法学士、音乐博士、济贫会委员、都柏林三一学院院士、爱尔兰皇家大学院士、爱尔兰皇家内科医师学会会员和爱尔兰皇家外科医师学会会员。
自从呱呱落地以来,你绝没有见过这样的场面。呸,要是这骰子击中了他的脑袋,连他也会想起金质奖杯的事,准会的;可是他妈的“市民”就会以暴行殴打、乔则以教唆帮凶的罪名被逮捕。车把式拼死拼活地赶着车,就像天主创造了摩西那样地有把握,遂救了那家伙一命。什么?啊,天哪,可不是嘛。他从后面向那家伙发出连珠炮般的咒骂。
“我杀死他了吗,”他说,“还是怎么的?”
接着又对他那只该死的狗嚷道:
“追呀,加利!追呀,小子!”
我们最后看到的是:该死的马车拐过弯去,坐在车上的那张怯生生的老脸在打着手势。那只该死的杂种狗穷迫不舍,耳朵贴在后面,恨不得把他撕成八瓣儿!以一百博五!天哪,我敢担保,它可把那家伙得到的好处都给搞掉了。
此刻,看哪,他们所有的人都为极其明亮的光辉所笼罩。他们望到他站在里面的那辆战车升上天去。[647] 于是他们瞅见他在战车里,身披灿烂的光辉,穿着宛若太阳般的衣服,洁白如月亮,是那样地骇人,他们出于敬畏,简直不敢仰望。[648] 这时,天空中发出“以利亚!以利亚!”的呼唤声,他铿锵有力地回答道:“阿爸!阿多尼。”[649]于是他们望到了他——确实是他,儿子布卢姆·以利亚,在众天使簇拥下,于小格林街多诺霍亭上空,以四十五度的斜角,像用铁锹甩起来的土块一般升到灿烂的光辉中去。
soneyky

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等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
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英:
13、Chapter13 Nausicca

THE SUMMER EVENING HAD BEGUN TO FOLD THE WORLD IN ITS mysterious embrace. Far away in the west the sun was setting and the last glow of all too fleeting day lingered lovingly on sea and strand, on the proud promontory of dear old Howth guarding as ever the waters of the bay, on the weedgrown rocks along Sandymount shore and, last but not least, on the quiet church whence there streamed forth at times upon the stillness the voice of prayer to her who is in her pure radiance a beacon ever to the storm-tossed heart of man, Mary, star of the sea.
The three girl friends were seated on the rocks, enjoying the evening scene and the air which was fresh but not too chilly. Many a time and oft were they wont to come there to that favourite nook to have a cosy chat beside the sparkling waves and discuss matters feminine, Cissy Caffrey and Edy Boardman with the baby in the pushcar and Tommy and Jacky Caffrey, two little curlyheaded boys, dressed in sailor suits with caps to match and the name H.M.S. Belleisle printed on both. For Tommy and Jacky Caffrey were twins, scarce four years old and very noisy and spoiled twins sometimes but for all that darling little fellows with bright merry faces and endearing ways about them. They were dabbling in the sand with their spades and buckets, building castles as children do, or playing with their big coloured ball, happy as the day was long. And Edy Boardman was rocking the chubby baby to and fro in the pushcar while that young gentleman fairly chuckled with delight. He was but eleven months and nine days old and, though still a tiny toddler, was just beginning to lisp his first babyish words. Cissy Caffrey bent over him to tease his fat little plucks and the dainty dimple in his chin.
-- Now, baby, Cissy Caffrey said. Say out big, big. I want a drink of water.
And baby prattled after her:
-- A jink a jink a jawbo. Cissy Caffrey cuddled the wee chap for she was awfully fond of children, so patient with little sufferers and Tommy Caffrey could never be got to take his castor oil unless it was Cissy Caffrey that held his nose and promised him the scatty heel of the loaf of brown bread with golden syrup on. What a persuasive power that girl had! But to be sure baby was as good as gold, a perfect little dote in his new fancy bib. None of your spoilt beauties, Flora MacFlimsy sort, was Cissy Caffrey. A truerhearted lass never drew the breath of life, always with a laugh in her gipsylike eyes and a frolicsome word on her cherryripe red lips, a girl lovable in the extreme. And Edy Boardman laughed too at the quaint language of little brother.
But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky. Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule. The apple of discord was a certain castle of sand which Master Jacky had built and Master Tommy would have it right go wrong that it was to be architecturally improved by a frontdoor like the Martello tower had. But if Master Tommy was headstrong Master Jacky was selfwilled too and, true to the maxim that every little Irishman's house is his castle, he fell upon his hated rival and to such purpose that the would be assailant came to grief and (alas to relate!) the coveted castle too. Needless to say the cries of discomfited Master Tommy drew the attention of the girl friends.
-- Come here, Tommy, his sister called imperatively, at once! And you, Jacky, for shame to throw poor Tommy in the dirty sand. Wait till I catch you for that.
His eyes misty with unshed tears Master Tommy came at her call for their big sister's word was law with the twins. And in a sad plight he was after his misadventure. His little man-o'-war top and unmentionables were full of sand but Cissy was a past mistress in the art of smoothing over life's tiny troubles and very quickly not one speck of sand was to be seen on his smart little suit. Still the blue eyes were glistening with hot tears that would well up so she kissed away the hurtness and shook her hand at Master Jacky the culprit and said if she was near him she wouldn't be far from him, her eyes dancing in admonition.
-- Nasty bold Jacky! she cried.
She put an arm round the little mariner and coaxed winningly:
-- What's your name? Butter and cream?
-- Tell us who is your sweetheart, spoke Edy Boardman. Is Cissy your sweetheart?
-- Nao, tearful Tommy said.
-- Is Edy Boardman your sweetheart? Cissy queried.
-- Nao, Tommy said.
-- I know, Edy Boardman said none too amiably with an arch glance from her shortsighted eyes. I know who is Tommy's sweetheart, Gerty is Tommy's sweetheart.
-- Nao, Tommy said on the verge of tears.
Cissy's quick motherwit guessed what was amiss and she whispered to Edy Boardman to take him there behind the pushcar where the gentlemen couldn't see and to mind he didn't wet his new tan shoes.
But who was Gerty?
Gerty MacDowell who was seated near her companions, lost in thought, gazing far away into the distance, was in very truth as fair a specimen of winsome Irish girlhood as one could wish to see. She was pronounced beautiful by all who knew her though, as folks often said, she was more a Giltrap than a MacDowell. Her figure was slight and graceful, inclining even to fragility but those iron jelloids she had been taking of late had done her a world of good much better than the Widow Welch's female pills and she was much better of those discharges she used to get and that tired feeling. The waxen pallor of her face was almost spiritual in its ivorylike purity though her rosebud mouth was a genuine Cupid's bow, Greekly perfect. Her hands were of finely veined alabaster with tapering fingers and as white as lemon juice and queen of ointments could make them though it was not true that she used to wear kid gloves in bed or take a milk footbath either. Bertha Supple told that once to Edy Boardman, a deliberate lie, when she was black out at daggers drawn with Gerty (the girl chums had of course their little tiffs from time to time like the rest of mortals) and she told her not let on whatever she did that it was her that told her or she'd never speak to her again. No. Honour where honour is due. There was an innate refinement, a languid queenly hauteur about Gerty which was unmistakably evidenced in her delicate hands and higharched instep. Had kind fate but willed her to be born a gentlewoman of high degree in her own right and had she only received the benefit of a good education Gerty MacDowell might easily have held her own beside any lady in the land and have seen herself exquisitely gowned with jewels on her brow and patrician suitors at her feet vying with one another to pay their devoirs to her. Mayhap it was this, the love that might have been, that lent to her softlyfeatured face at whiles a look, tense with suppressed meaning, that imparted a strange yearning tendency to the beautiful eyes a charm few could resist. Why have women such eyes of witchery? Gerty's were of the bluest Irish blue, set off by lustrous lashes and dark expressive brows. Time gas when those brows were not so silkilyseductive. It was Madame Vera Verity, directress of the Woman Beautiful page of the Princess novelette, who had first advised her to try eyebrowleine which gave that haunting expression to the eyes, so becoming in leaders of fashion, and she had never regretted it. Then there was blushing scientifically cured and how to be tall increase your height and you have a beautiful face but your nose? That would suit Mrs Dignam because she had a button one. But Gerty's crowning glory was her wealth of wonderful hair. It was dark brown with a natural wave in it. She had cut it that very morning on account of the new moon and it nestled about her pretty head in a profusion of luxuriant clusters and pared her nails too, Thursday for wealth. And just now at Edy's words as a telltale flush, delicate as the faintest rosebloom, crept into her cheeks she looked so lovely in her sweet girlish shyness that of a surety God's fair land of Ireland did not hold her equal.
For an instant she was silent with rather sad downcast eyes. She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue. Inclination prompted her to speak out: dignity told her to be silent. The pretty lips pouted a while but then she glanced up and broke out into a joyous little laugh which had in it all the freshness of a young May morning. She knew right well, no-one better, what made squinty Edy say that because of him cooling in his attentions when it was simply a lovers' quarrel. As per usual somebody's nose was out of joint about the boy that had the bicycle always riding up and down in front of her window. Only now his father kept him in the evenings studying hard to get an exhibition in the intermediate that was on and he was going to Trinity college to study for a doctor when he left the high school like his brother W. E. Wylie who was racing in the bicycle races in Trinity college university. Little recked he perhaps for what she felt, that dull aching void in her heart sometimes, piercing to the core. Yet he was young and perchance he might learn to love her in time. They were protestants in his family and of course Gerty knew Who came first and after Him the blessed Virgin and then Saint Joseph. But he was undeniably handsome with an exquisite nose and he was what he looked, every inch a gentleman, the shape of his head too at the back without his cap on that she would know anywhere something off the common and the way he turned the bicycle at the lamp with his hands off the bars and also the nice perfume of those good cigarettes and besides they were both of a size and that was why Edy Boardman thought she was so frightfully clever because he didn't go and ride up and down in front of her bit of a garden.
Gerty was dressed simply but with the instinctive taste of a votary of Dame Fashion for she felt that there was just a might that he might be out. A neat blouse of electric blue, selftinted by dolly dyes (because it was expected in the Lady's Pictorial that electric blue would be worn), with a smart vee opening down to the division and kerchief pocket (in which she always kept a piece of cottonwool scented with her favourite perfume because the handkerchief spoiled the sit) and a navy threequarter skirt cut to the stride showed off her slim graceful figure to perfection. She wore a coquettish little love of a hat of wideleaved nigger straw contrast trimmed with an underbrim of eggblue chenille and at the side a butterfly bow to tone. All Tuesday week afternoon she was hunting to match that chenille but at last she found what she wanted at Clery's summer sales, the very it, slightly shopsoiled but you would never notice, seven fingers two and a penny. She did it up all by herself and what joy was hers when she tried it on then, smiling at the lovely reflection which the mirror gave back to her! And when she put it on the waterjug to keep the shape she knew that that would take the shine out of some people she knew. Her shoes were the newest thing in footwear (Edy Boardman prided herself that she was very petite but she never had a foot like Gerty MacDowell, a five, and never would ash, oak or elm) with patent toecaps and just one smart buckle at her higharched instep. Her wellturned ankle displayed its perfect proportions beneath her skirt and just the proper amount and no more of her shapely limbs encased in finespun hose with high spliced heels and wide garter tops. As for undies they were Gerty's chief care and who that knows the fluttering hopes and fears of sweet seventeen (though Gerty would never see seventeen again) can find it in his heart to blame her? She had four dinky sets, with awfully pretty stitchery, three garments and nighties extra, and each set slotted with different coloured ribbons, rosepink, pale blue, mauve and peagreen and she aired them herself and blued them when they came home from the wash and ironed them and she had a brickbat to keep the iron on because she wouldn't trust those washerwomen as far as she'd see them scorching the things. She was wearing the blue for luck, hoping against hope, her own colour and the lucky colour too for a bride to have a bit of blue somewhere on her because the green she wore that day week brought grief because his father brought him in to study for the intermediate exhibition and because she thought perhaps he might be out because when she was dressing that morning she nearly slipped up the old pair on her inside out and that was for luck and lovers' meetings if you put those things on inside out so long as it wasn't of a Friday.
And yet and yet! That strained look on her face! A gnawing sorrow is there all the time. Her very soul is in her eyes and she would give worlds to be in the privacy of her own familiar chamber where, giving way to tears, she could have a good cry and relieve her pentup feelings. Though not too much because she knew how to cry nicely before the mirror. You are lovely, Gerty, it said. The paly light of evening falls upon a face infinitely sad and wistful. Gerty MacDowell yearns in vain. Yes, she had known from the first that her daydream of a marriage has been arranged and the weddingbells ringing for Mrs Reggy Wylie T. C. D. (because the one who married the elder brother would be Mrs Wylie) and in the fashionable intelligence Mrs Gertrude Wylie was wearing a sumptuous confection of grey trimmed with expensive blue fox was not to be. He was too young to understand. He would not believe in love, a woman's birthright. The night of the party long ago in Stoers' (he was still in short trousers) when they were alone and he stole an arm round her waist she went white to the very lips. He called her little one in a strangely husky voice and snatched a half kiss (the first!) but it was only the end of her nose and then he hastened from the room with a remark about refreshments. Impetuous fellow! Strength of character had never been Reggy Wylie's strong point and he who would woo and win Gerty MacDowell must be a man among men. But waiting, always waiting to be asked and it was leap year too and would soon be over. No prince charming is her beau ideal to lay a rare and wondrous love at her feet but rather a manly man with a strong quiet face who had not found his ideal, perhaps his hair slightly flecked with grey, and who would understand, take her in his sheltering arms, strain her to him in all the strength of his deep passionate nature and comfort her with a long long kiss. It would be like heaven. For such a one she yearns this balmy summer eve. With all the heart of her she longs to be his only, his affianced bride for riches for poor, in sickness in health, till death us two part, from this to this day forward.
And while Edy Boardman was with little Tommy behind the pushcar she was just thinking would the day ever come when she could call herself his little wife to be. Then they could talk about her till they went blue in the face, Bertha Supple too, and Edy, the spitfire, because she would be twenty-two in November. She would care for him with creature comforts too for Gerty was womanly wise and knew that a mere man liked that feeling of hominess. Her griddlecakes done to a golden-brown hue and queen Ann's pudding of delightful creaminess had won golden opinions from all because she had a lucky hand also for lighting a fire, dredge in the fine selfraising flour and always stir in the same direction then cream the milk and sugar and whisk well the white of eggs though she didn't like the eating part when there were any people that made her shy and often she wondered why you couldn't eat something poetical like violets or roses and they would have a beautifully appointed drawingroom with pictures and engravings and the photograph of grandpapa Giltrap's lovely dog Garryowen that almost talked, it was so human, and chintz covers for the chairs and that silver toastrack in Clery's summer jumble sales like they have in rich houses. He would be tall with broad shoulders (she had always admired tall men for a husband) with glistening white teeth under his carefully trimmed sweeping moustache and they would go on the continent for their honeymoon (three wonderful weeks!) and then, when they settled down in a nice snug and cosy little homely house, every morning they would both have brekky, simple but perfectly served, for their own two selves and before he went out to business he would give his dear little wifey a good hearty hug and gaze for a moment deep down into her eyes.
Edy Boardman asked Tommy Caffrey was he done and he said yes, so then she buttoned up his little knickerbockers for him and told him to run off and play with Jacky and to be good now and not to fight. But Tommy said he wanted the ball and Edy told him no that baby was playing with the ball and if he took it there'd be wigs on the green but Tommy said it was his ball and he wanted his ball and he pranced on the ground, if you please. The temper of him! O, he was a man already was little Tommy Caffrey since he was out of pinnies. Edy told him no, no and to he off now with him and she told Cissy Caffrey not to give in to him.
-- You're not my sister, naughty Tommy said. It's my ball. But Cissy Caffrey told baby Boardman to look up, look up high at her finger and she snatched the ball quickly and threw it along the sand and Tommy after it in full career, having won the day.
-- Anything for a quiet life, laughed Ciss.
And she tickled tiny tot's two cheeks to make him forget and played here's the lord mayor, here's his two horses, here's his gingerbread carriage and here he walks in, chinchopper, chinchopper, chinchopper chin. But Edy got as cross as two sticks about him getting his own way like that from everyone always petting him.
-- I'd like to give him something, she said, so I would, where I won't say.
-- On the beetoteetom, laughed Cissy merrily.
Gerty MacDowell bent down her head and crimsoned at the idea of Cissy saying an unladylike thing like that out loud she'd be ashamed of her life to say, flushing a deep rosy red, and Edy Boardman said she was sure the gentleman opposite heard what she said. But not a pin cared Ciss.
-- Let him! she said with a pert toss of her head and a piquant tilt of her nose. Give it to him too on the same place as quick as I'd look at him.
Madcap Ciss with her golliwog curls. You had to laugh at her sometimes. For instance when she asked you would you have some more Chinese tea and jaspberry ram and when she drew the jugs too and the men's faces on her nails with red ink make you split your sides or when she wanted to go where you know she said she wanted to run and pay a visit to the Miss White. That was just like Cissycums. O, and will you ever forget the evening she dressed up in her father's suit and hat and the burned cork moustache and walked down Tritonville road, smoking a cigarette? There was none to come up to her for fun. But she was sincerity itself, one of the bravest and truest hearts heaven ever made, not one of your twofaced things, too sweet to be wholesome.
And then there came out upon the air the sound of voices and the pealing anthem of the organ. It was the men's temperance retreat conducted by the missioner, the reverend John Hughes S. J., rosary, sermon and benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. They were there gathered together without distinction of social class (and a most edifying spectacle it was to see) in that simple fane beside the waves, after the storms of this weary world, kneeling before the feet of the immaculate, reciting the litany of Our Lady of Loreto, beseeching her to intercede for them, the old familiar words, holy Mary, holy virgin of virgins. How sad to poor Gerty's ears! Had her father only avoided the clutches of the demon drink, by taking the pledge or those powders the drink habit cured in Pearson's Weekly, she might now be rolling in her carriage, second to none. Over and over had she told herself that as she mused by the dying embers in a brown study without the lamp because she hated two lights or oftentimes gazing out of the window dreamily by the hour at the rain falling on the rusty bucket, thinking. But that vile decoction which has ruined so many hearths and homes had cast its shadow over her childhood days. Nay, she had even witnessed in the home circle deeds of violence caused by intemperance and had seen her own father, a prey to the fumes of intoxication, forget himself completely for if there was one thing of all things that Gerty knew it was the man who lifts his hand to a woman save in the way of kindness deserves to be branded as the lowest of the low.
And still the voices sang in supplication to the Virgin most powerful, Virgin most merciful. And Gerty, wrapt in thought, scarce saw or heard her companions or the twins at their boyish gambols or the gentleman off Sandymount green that Cissy Caffrey called the man that was so like himself passing along the strand taking a short walk. You never saw him anyway screwed but still and for all that she would not like him for a father because he was too old or something or on account of his face (it was a palpable case of doctor Fell) or his carbuncly nose with the pimples on it and his sandy moustache a bit white under his nose. Poor father! With all his faults she loved him still when he sang Tell me, Mary, how to woo thee or My love and cottage near Rochelle and they had stewed cockles and lettuce with Lazenby's salad dressing for supper and when he sang The moon hath raised with Mr Dignam that died suddenly and was buried, God have mercy on him, from a stroke. Her mother's birthday that was and Charley was home on his holidays and Tom and Mr Dignam and Mrs and Patsy and Freddy Dignam and they were to have had a group taken. No-one would have thought the end was so near. Now he was laid to rest. And her mother said to him to let that be a warning to him for the rest of his days and he couldn't even go to the funeral on account of the gout and she had to go into town to bring him the letters and samples from his office about Catesby's cork lino, artistic standard designs, fit for a palace, gives tiptop wear and always bright and cheery in the home.
A sterling good daughter was Gerty just like a second mother in the house, a ministering angel too with a little heart worth its weight in gold. And when her mother had those raging splitting headaches who was it rubbed on the menthol cone on her forehead but Gerty though she didn't like her mother taking pinches of snuff and that was the only single thing they ever had words about, taking snuff. Everyone thought the world of her for her gentle ways. It was Gerty who turned off the gas at the main every night and it was Gerty who tacked up on the wall of that place where she never forgot every fortnight the chlorate of lime Mr Tunney the grocer's christmas almanac the picture of halcyon days where a young gentleman in the costume they used to wear then with a threecornered hat was offering a bunch of flowers to his ladylove with oldtime chivalry through her lattice window. You could see there was a story behind it. The colours were done something lovely. She was in a soft clinging white in a studied attitude and the gentleman was in chocolate and he looked a thorough aristocrat. She often looked at them dreamily when there for a certain purpose and felt her own arms that were white and soft just like hers with the sleeves back and thought about those times because she had found out in Walker's pronouncing dictionary that belonged to grandpapa Giltrap about the halcyon days what they meant.
The twins were now playing in the most approved brotherly fashion, till at last Master Jacky who was really as bold as brass there was no getting behind that deliberately kicked the ball as hard as ever he could down towards the seaweedy rocks. Needless to say poor Tommy was not slow to voice his dismay but luckily the gentleman in black who was sitting there by himself came gallantly to the rescue and intercepted the ball. Our two champions claimed their plaything with lusty cries and to avoid trouble Cissy Caffrey called to the gentleman to throw it to her please. The gentleman aimed the ball once or twice and then threw it up the strand towards Cissy Caffrey but it rolled down the slope and stopped right under Gerty's skirt near the little pool by the rock. The twins clamoured again for it and Cissy told her to kick it away and let them fight for it so Gerty drew back her foot but she wished their stupid ball hadn't come rolling down to her and she gave a kick but she missed and Edy and Cissy laughed.
-- If you fail try again, Edy Boardman said.
Gerty smiled assent and bit her lip. A delicate pink crept into her pretty cheek but she was determined to let them see so she just lifted her skirt a little but just enough and took good aim and gave the ball a jolly good kick and it went ever so far and the two twins after it down towards the shingle. Pure jealousy of course it was nothing else to draw attention on account of the gentleman opposite looking. She felt the warm flush, a danger signal always with Gerty MacDowell, surging and flaming into her cheeks. Till then they had only exchanged glances of the most casual but now under the brim of her new hat she ventured a look at him and the face that met her gaze there in the twilight, wan and strangely drawn, seemed to her the saddest she had ever seen.
Through the open window of the church the fragrant incense was wafted and with it the fragrant names of her who was conceived without stain of original sin, spiritual vessel, pray for us, honourable vessel, pray for us, vessel of singular devotion, pray for us, mystical rose. And careworn hearts were there and toilers for their daily bread and many who had erred and wandered, their eyes wet with contrition but for all that bright with hope for the reverend father Hughes had told them what the great saint Bernard said in his famous prayer of Mary, the most pious Virgin's intercessory power that it was not recorded in any age that those who implored her powerful protection were ever abandoned by her.
The twins were now playing again right merrily for the troubles of childhood are but as fleeting summer showers. Cissy played with baby Boardman till he crowed with glee, clapping baby hands in air. Peep she cried behind the hood of the pushcar and Edy asked where was Cissy gone and then Cissy popped up her head and cried ah! and, my word, didn't the little chap enjoy that! And then she told him to say papa.
-- Say papa, baby. Say pa pa pa pa pa pa pa.
And baby did his level best to say it for he was very intelligent for eleven months everyone said and big for his age and the picture of health, a perfect little bunch of love, and he would certainly turn out to be something great, they said.
-- Hajajajahaja.
Cissy wiped his little mouth with the dribbling bib and wanted him to sit up properly, and say pa pa pa but when she undid the strap she cried out, holy saint Denis, that he was possing wet and to double the half blanket the other way under him. Of course his infant majesty was most obstreperous at such toilet formalities and he let everyone know it:
-- Habaa baaaahabaaa baaaa.
And two great big lovely big tears coursing down his cheeks. It was all no use soothering him with no, nono, baby, no and telling him about the geegee and where was the puffpuff but Ciss, always readywitted, gave him in his mouth the teat of the suckingbottle and the young heathen was quickly appeased.
Gerty wished to goodness they would take their squalling baby home out of that and not get on her nerves no hour to be out and the little brats of twins. She gazed out towards the distant sea. It was like the paintings that man used to do on the pavement with all the coloured chalks and such a pity too leaving them there to be all blotted out, the evening and the clouds coming out and the Bailey light on Howth and to hear the music like that and the perfume of those incense they burned in the church like a kind of waft. And while she gazed her heart went pitapat. Yes, it was her he was looking at and there was meaning in his look. His eyes burned into her as though they would search her through and through, read her very soul. Wonderful eyes they were, superbly expressive, but could you trust them? People were so queer. She could see at once by his dark eyes and his pale intellectual face that he was a foreigner, the image of the photo she had of Martin Harvey, the matinée idol, only for the moustache which she preferred because she wasn't stagestruck like Winny Rippingham that wanted they two to always dress the same on account of a play but she could not see whether he had an aquiline nose or a slightly retmussé from where he was sitting. He was in deep mourning, she could see that, and the story of a haunting sorrow was written on his face. She would have given worlds to know what it was. He was looking up so intently, so still and he saw her kick the ball and perhaps he could see the bright steel buckles of her shoes if she swung them like that thoughtfully with the toes down. She was glad that something told her to put on the transparent stockings thinking Reggy Wylie might be out but that was far away. Here was that of which she had so often dreamed. It was he who mattered and there was joy on her face because she wanted him because she felt instinctively that he was like no-one else. The very heart of the girlwoman went out to him, her dreamhusband, because she knew on the instant it was him. If he had suffered, more sinned against than sinning, or even, even, if he had been himself a sinner, a wicked man, she cared not. Even if he was a protestant or methodist she could convert him easily if he truly loved her. There were wounds that wanted healing with heartbalm. She was a womanly woman not like other flighty girls, unfeminine, he had known, those cyclists showing off what they hadn't got and she just yearned to know all, to forgive all if she could make him fall in love with her, make him forget the memory of the past. Then mayhap he would embrace her gently, like a real man, crushing her soft body to him, and love her, his ownest girlie, for herself alone.
Refuge of sinners. Comfortress of the afflicted. Ora pro nobis. Well has it been said that whosoever prays to her with faith and constancy can never be lost or cast away: and fitly is she too a haven of refuge for the afflicted because of the seven dolours which transpierced her own heart. Gerty could picture the whole scene in the church, the stained glass windows lighted up, the candles, the flowers and the blue banners of the blessed Virgin's sodality and Father Conroy was helping Canon O'Hanlon at the altar, carrying things in and out with his eyes cast down. He looked almost a saint and his confession-box was so quiet and clean and dark and his hands were just like white wax and if ever she became a Dominican nun in their white habit perhaps he might come to the convent for the novena of Saint Dominic. He told her that time when she told him about that in confession crimsoning up to the roots of her hair for fear he could see, not to be troubled because that was only the voice of nature and we were all subject to nature s laws, he said, in this life and that that was no sin because that came from the nature of woman instituted by God, he said, and that Our Blessed Lady herself said to the archangel Gabriel be it done unto me according to Thy Word. He was so kind and holy and often and often she thought and thought could she work a ruched teacosy with embroidered floral design for him as a present or a clock but they had a clock she noticed on the mantelpiece white and gold with a canary bird that came out of a little house to tell the time the day she went there about the flowers for the forty hours' adoration because it was hard to know what sort of a present to give or perhaps an album of illuminated views of Dublin or some place.
The exasperating little brats of twins began to quarrel again and Jacky threw the ball out towards the sea and they both ran after it. Little monkeys common as ditchwater. Someone ought to take them and give them a good hiding for themselves to keep them in their places, the both of them. And Cissy and Edy shouted after them to come back because they were afraid the tide might come in on them and be drowned.
-- Jacky! Tommy!
Not they! What a great notion they had! So Cissy said it was the very last time she'd ever bring them out. She jumped up and called them and she ran down the slope past him, tossing her hair behind her which had a good enough colour if there had been more of it but with all the thingamerry she was always rubbing into it she couldn't get it to grow long because it wasn't natural so she could just go and throw her hat at it. She ran with long gandery strides it was a wonder she didn't rip up her skirt at the side that was too tight on her because there was a lot of the tomboy about Cissy Caffrey and she was a forward piece whenever she thought she had a good opportunity to show off and just because she was a good runner she ran like that so that he could see all the end of her petticoat running and her skinny shanks up as far as possible. It would have served her just right if she had tripped up over something accidentally on purpose with her high crooked French heels on her to make her look tall and got a fine tumble. Tableau! That would have been a very charming exposé for a gentleman like that to witness.
Queen of angels, queen of patriarchs, queen of prophets, of all saints, they prayed, queen of the most holy rosary and then Father Conroy handed the thurible to Canon O'Hanlon and he put in the incense and censed the Blessed Sacrament and Cissy Caffrey caught the two twins and she was itching to give them a ringing good clip on the ear but she didn't because she thought he might be watching but she never made a bigger mistake in all her life because Gerty could see without looking that he never took his eyes off of her and then Canon O'Hanlon handed the thurible back to Father Conroy and knelt down looking up at the Blessed Sacrament and the choir began to sing Tantum ego and she just swung her foot in and out in time as the music rose and fell to the Tantumer gosa cramen tum. Three and eleven she paid for those stockings in Sparrow's of George's street on the Tuesday, no the Monday before Easter and there wasn't a brack on them and that was what he was looking at, transparent, and not at her insignificant ones that had neither shape nor form (the cheek of her!) because he had eyes in his head to see the difference for himself.
Cissy came up along the strand with the two twins and their ball with her hat anyhow on her to one side after her run and she did look a streel tugging the two kids along with the flimsy blouse she bought only a fortnight before like a rag on her back and bit of her petticoat hanging like a caricature. Gerty just took off her hat for a moment to settle her hair and a prettier, a daintier head of nutbrown tresses was never seen on a girl's shoulders, a radiant little vision, in sooth, almost maddening in its sweetness. You would have to travel many a long mile before you found a head of hair the like of that. She could almost see the swift answering flush of admiration in his eyes that set her tingling in every nerve. She put on her hat so that she could see from underneath the brim and swung her buckled shoe faster for her breath caught as she caught the expression in his eyes. He was eyeing her as a snake eyes its prey. Her woman's instinct told her that she had raised the devil in him and at the thought a burning scarlet swept from throat to brow till the lovely colour of her face became a glorious rose.
Edy Boardman was noticing it too because she was squinting at Gerty, half smiling, with her specs, like an old maid, pretending to nurse the baby. Irritable little gnat she was and always would be and that was why no-one could get on with her, poking her nose into what was no concern of hers. And she said to Gerty:
-- A penny for your thoughts.
-- What? replied Gerty with a smile reinforced by the whitest of teeth. I was only wondering was it late.
Because she wished to goodness they'd take the snottynosed twins and their baby home to the mischief out of that so that was why she just gave a gentle hint about its being late. And when Cissy came up Edy asked her the time and Miss Cissy, as glib as you like, said it was half past kissing time, time to kiss again. But Edy wanted to know because they were told to be in early.
-- Wait, said Cissy, I'll ask my uncle Peter over there what's the time by his conundrum.
So over she went and when he saw her coming she could see him take his hand out of his pocket, getting nervous, and beginning to play with his watchchain, looking at the church. Passionate nature though he was Gerty could see that he had enormous control over himself. One moment he had been there, fascinated by a loveliness that made him gaze, and the next moment it was the quiet gravefaced gentleman, selfcontrol expressed in every line of his distinguishedlooking figure.
Cissy said to excuse her would he mind telling her what was the right time and Gerty could see him taking out his watch, listening to it and looking up and clearing his throat and he said he was very sorry his watch was stopped but he thought it must be after eight because the sun was set. His voice had a cultured ring in it and though he spoke in measured accents there was a suspicion of a quiver in the mellow tones. Cissy said thanks and came back with her tongue out and said uncle said his waterworks were out of order.
Then they sang the second verse of the Tantum ergo and Canon O'Hanlon got up again and censed the Blessed Sacrament and knelt down and he told Father Conroy that one of the candles was just going to set fire to the flowers and Father Conroy got up and settled it all right and she could see the gentleman winding his watch and listening to the works and she swung her leg more in and out in time. It was getting darker but he could see and he was looking all the time that he was winding the watch or whatever he was doing to it and then he put it back and put his hands back into his pockets. She felt a Kind of a sensation rushing all over her and she knew by the feel of her scalp and that irritation against her stays that that thing must be coming on because the last time too was when she clipped her hair on account of the moon. His dark eyes fixed themselves on her again drinking in her every contour, literally worshipping at her shrine. If ever there was undisguised admiration in a man's passionate gaze it was there plain to be seen on that man's face. It is for you, Gertrude MacDowell, and you know it.
Edy began to get ready to go and it was high time for her and Gerty noticed that that little hint she gave had the desired effect because it was a long way along the strand to where there was the place to push up the pushcar and Cissy took off the twins' caps and tidied their hair to make herself attractive of course and Canon O'Hanlon stood up with his cope poking up at his neck and Father Conroy handed him the card to read off and he read out Panem de clo prstitisti eis and Edy and Cissy were talking about the time all the time and asking her but Gerty could pay them back in their own coin and she just answered with scathing politeness when Edy asked her was she heartbroken about her best boy throwing her over. Gerty winced sharply. A brief cold blaze shone from her eyes that spoke volumes of scorn immeasurable. It hurt. O yes, it cut deep because Edy had her own quiet way of saying things like that she knew would wound like the confounded little cat she was. Gerty's lips parted swiftly to frame the word but she fought back the sob that rose to her throat, so slim, so flawless, so beautifully moulded it seemed one an artist might have dreamed of. She had loved him better than he knew. Lighthearted deceiver and fickle like all his sex he would never understand what he had meant to her and for an instant there was in the blue eyes a quick stinging of tears. Their eyes were probing her mercilessly but with a brave effort she sparkled back in sympathy as she glanced at her new conquest for them to see.
-- O, responded Gerty, quick as lightning, laughing, and the proud head flashed up, I can throw my cap at who I like because it's leap year.
Her words rang out crystalclear, more musical than the cooing of the ringdove, but they cut the silence icily. There was that in her young voice that told that she was not a one to be lightly trifled with. As for Mr Reggy with his swank and his bit of money she could just chuck him aside as if he was so much filth and never again would she cast as much as a second thought on him and tear his silly postcard into a dozen pieces. And it ever after he dared to presume she could give him one look of measured scorn that would make him shrivel up on the spot. Miss puny little Edy's countenance fell to no slight extent and Gerty could see by her looking as black as thunder that she was simply in a towering rage though she hid it, the little kinnatt, because that shaft had struck home for her petty jealousy and they both knew that she was something aloof, apart in another sphere, that she was not of them and there was somebody else too that knew it and saw it so they could put that in their pipe and smoke it.
Edy straightened up baby Boardman to get ready to go and Cissy tucked in the ball and the spades and buckets and it was high time too because the sandman was on his way for Master Boardman junior and Cissy told him too that Billy Winks was coming and that baby was to go deedaw and baby looked just too ducky, laughing up out of his gleeful eyes, and Cissy poked him like that out of fun in his wee fat tummy and baby, without as much as by your leave, sent up his compliments on to his brandnew dribbling bib.
O my! Puddeny pie! protested Ciss. He has his bib destroyed.
The slight contretemps claimed her attention but in two twos she set that little matter to rights.
Gerty stifled a smothered exclamation and gave a nervous cough and Edy asked what and she was just going to tell her to catch it while it was flying but she was ever ladylike in her deportment so she simply passed it off with consummate tact by saying that that was the benediction because just then the bell rang out from the steeple over the quiet seashore because Canon O'Hanlon was up on the altar with the veil that Father Conroy put round him round his shoulders giving the benediction with the blessed Sacrament in his hands.
How moving the scene there in the gathering twilight, the last glimpse of Erin, the touching chime of those evening bells and at the same time a bat flew forth from the ivied belfry through the dusk, hither, thither, with a tiny lost cry. And she could see far away the lights of the lighthouses so picturesque she would have loved to do with a box of paints because it was easier than to make a man and soon the lamplighter would be going his rounds past the presbyterian church grounds and along by shady Tritonville avenue where the couples walked and lighting the lamp near her window where Reggy Wylie used to turn his freewheel like she read in that book The Lamplighter by Miss Cummins, author of Mabel Vaughan and other tales. For Gerty had her dreams that no-one knew of. She loved to read poetry and when she got a keepsake from Bertha Supple of that lovely confession album with the coralpink cover to write her thoughts in she laid it in the drawer of her toilettable which, though it did not err on the side of luxury, was scrupulously neat and clean. It was there she kept her girlish treasures trove, the tortoiseshell combs, her child of Mary badge, the whiterose scent, the eyebrowleine, her alabaster pouncetbox and the ribbons to change when her things came home from the wash and there were some beautiful thoughts written in it in violet ink that she bought in Hely's of Dame Street for she felt that she too could write poetry if she could only express herself like that poem that appealed to her so deeply that she had copied out of the newspaper she found one evening round the potherbs. Art thou real, my ideal? it was called by Louis J. Walsh, Magherafelt, and after there was something about twilight, wilt thou ever? and ofttimes the beauty of poetry, so sad in its transient loveliness, had misted her eyes with silent tears that the years were slipping by for her, one by one, and but for that one shortcoming she knew she need fear no competition and that was an accident coming down Dalkey hill and she always tried to conceal it. But it must end she felt. If she saw that magic lure in his eyes there would be no holding back for her. Love laughs at locksmiths. She would make the great sacrifice. Her every effort would be to share his thoughts. Dearer than the whole world would she be to him and gild his days with happiness. There was the allimportant question and she was dying to know was he a married man or a widower who had lost his wife or some tragedy like the nobleman with the foreign name from the land of song had to have her put into a madhouse, cruel only to be kind. But even if - what then? Would it make a very great difference? From everything in the least indelicate her finebred nature instinctively recoiled. She loathed that sort of person, the fallen women off the accommodation walk beside the Dodder that went with the soldiers and coarse men, with no respect for a girl's honour, degrading the sex and being taken up to the police station. No, no: not that. They would be just good friends like a big brother and sister without all that other in spite of the conventions of Society with a big ess. Perhaps it was an old flame he was in mourning for from the days beyond recall. She thought she understood. She would try to understand him because men were so different. The old love was waiting, waiting with little white hands stretched out, with blue appealing eyes. Heart of mine! She would follow her dream of love, the dictates of her heart that told her he was her all in all, the only man in all the world for her for love was the master guide. Nothing else mattered. Come what might she would be wild, untrammelled, free.
Canon O'Hanlon put the Blessed Sacrament back into the tabernacle and the choir sang Laudate Dominum omnes gentes and then he locked the tabernacle door because the benediction was over and Father Conroy handed him his hat to put on and crosscat Edy asked wasn't she coming but Jacky Caffrey called out:
-- O, look, Cissy!
And they all looked was it sheet lightning but Tommy saw it too over the trees beside the church, blue and then green and purple.
-- It's fireworks, Cissy Caffrey said.
And they all ran down the strand to see over the houses and the church, helterskelter, Edy with the pushcar with baby Boardman in it and Cissy holding Tommy and Jacky by the hand so they wouldn't fall running.
-- Come on, Gerty, Cissy called. It's the bazaar fireworks.
But Gerty was adamant. She had no intention of being at their beck and call. If they could run like rossies she could sit so she said she could see from where she was. The eyes that were fastened upon her set her pulses tingling. She looked at him a moment, meeting his glance, and a light broke in upon her. Whitehot passion was in that face, passion silent as the grave, and it had made her his. At last they were left alone without the others to pry and pass remarks and she knew he could be trusted to the death, steadfast, a sterling man, a man of inflexible honour to his fingertips. His hands and face were working and a tremor went over her. She leaned back far to look up where the fireworks were and she caught her knee in her hands so as not to fall back looking up and there was no one to see only him and her when she revealed all her graceful beautifully shaped legs like that, supply soft and delicately rounded, and she seemed to hear the panting of his heart, his hoarse breathing, because she knew about the passion of men like that, hot-blooded, because Bertha Supple told her once in dead secret and made her swear she'd never about the gentleman lodger that was staying with them out of the Congested Districts Board that had pictures cut out of papers of those skirtdancers and highkickers and she said he used to do something not very nice that you could imagine sometimes in the bed. But this was altogether different from a thing like that because there was all the difference because she could almost feel him draw her face to his and the first quick hot touch of his handsome lips. Besides there was absolution so long as you didn't do the other thing before being married and there ought to be women priests that would understand without your telling out and Cissy Caffrey too sometimes had that dreamy kind of dreamy look in her eyes so that she too, my dear, and Winny Rippingham so mad about actors' photographs and besides it was on account of that other thing coming on the way it did.
And Jacky Caffrey shouted to look, there was another and she leaned back and the garters were blue to match on account of the transparent and they all saw it and shouted to look, look there it was and she leaned back ever so far to see the fireworks and something queer was flying about through the air, a soft thing to and fro, dark. And she saw a long Roman candle going up over the trees up, up, and, in the tense hush, they were all breathless with excitement as it went higher and higher and she had to lean back more and more to look up after it, high, high, almost out of sight, and her face was suffused with a divine, an entrancing blush from straining back and he could see her other things too, nainsook knickers, the fabric that caresses the skin, better than those other pettiwidth, the green, four and eleven, on account of being white and she let him and she saw that he saw and then it went so high it went out of sight a moment and she was trembling in every limb from being bent so far back he had a full view high up above her knee no-one ever not even on the swing or wading and she wasn't ashamed and he wasn't either to look in that immodest way like that because he couldn't resist the sight of the wondrous revealment half offered like those skirt-dancers behaving so immodest before gentlemen looking and he kept on looking, looking. She would fain have cried to him chokingly, held out her snowy slender arms to him to come, to feel his lips laid on her white brow the cry of a young girl's love, a little strangled cry, wrung from her, that cry that has rung through the ages. And then a rocket sprang and bang shot blind and O! then the Roman candle burst and it was like a sigh of O! and everyone cried O!O! in raptures and it gushed out of it a stream of rain gold hair threads and they shed and ah! they were all greeny dewy stars falling with golden, O so lively! O so soft, sweet, soft!
Then all melted away dewily in the grey air: all was silent. Ah! She glanced at him as she bent forward quickly, a pathetic little glance of piteous protest, of shy reproach under which he coloured like a girl. He was leaning back against the rock behind. Leopold Bloom (for it is he) stands silent, with bowed head before those young guileless eyes. What a brute he had been! At it again? A fair unsullied soul had called to him and, wretch that he was, how had he answered? An utter cad he had been. He of all men! But there was an infinite store of mercy in those eyes, for him too a word of pardon even though he had erred and sinned and wandered. Should a girl tell? No, a thousand times no. That was their secret, only theirs, alone in the hiding twilight and there was none to know or tell save the little bat that flew so softly through the evening to and fro and little bats don't tell.
Cissy Caffrey whistled, imitating the boys in the football field to show what a great person she was: and then she cried:
-- Gerty! Gerty! We're going. Come on. We can see from farther up.
Gerty had an idea, one of love's little ruses. She slipped a hand into her kerchief pocket and took out the wadding and waved in reply of course without letting him and then slipped it back. Wonder if he's too far to. She rose. Was it goodbye? No. She had to go but they would meet again, there, and she would dream of that till then, tomorrow, of her dream of yester eve. She drew herself up to her full height. Their souls bet in a last lingering glance and the eyes that reached her heart, full of a strange shining, hung enraptured on her sweet flowerlike face. She half smiled at him wanly, a sweet forgiving smile, a smile that verged on tears, and then they parted.
Slowly without looking back she went down the uneven strand to Cissy, to Edy, to Jacky and Tommy Caffrey, to little baby Boardman. It was darker now and there were stones and bits of wood on the strand and slippy seaweed. She balked with a certain quiet dignity characteristic of her but with care and very slowly because Gerty MacDowell was...
Tight boots? No. She's lame! O!
Mr Bloom watched her as she limped away. Poor girl! That's why she's left on the shelf and the others did a sprint. Thought something was wrong by the cut of her jib. Jilted beauty. A defect is ten times worse in a woman. But makes them polite. Glad I didn't know it when she was on show. Hot little devil all The same. Wouldn't mind. Curiosity like a nun or a negress or a girl with glasses. That squinty one is delicate. Near her monthlies, I expect, makes them feel ticklish. I have such a bad headache today. Where did I put the letter? Yes, all right. All kinds of crazy longings. Licking pennies. Girl in Tranquilla convent that nun told me liked to smell rock oil. Virgins go mad in the end I suppose. Sister? How many women in Dublin have it today? Martha, she. Something in the air. That's the moon. But then why don't all women menstruate at the same time with same moon, I mean? Depends on the time they were born, I suppose. Or all start scratch then get out of step. Sometimes Molly and Milly together. Anyhow I got the best of that. Damned glad I didn't do it in the bath this morning over her silly I will punish you letter. Made up for that tramdriver this morning. That gouger M'Coy stopping me to say nothing. And his wife engagement in the country valise, voice like a pickaxe. Thankful for small mercies. Cheap too. Yours for the asking. Because they want it themselves. Their natural craving. Shoals of them every evening poured out of offices. Reserve better. Don't want it they throw it at you. Catch em alive, O. Pity they can't see themselves. A dream of wellfilled hose. Where was that? Ah, yes. Muioscope pictures in Capel street: for men only. Peeping Tom. Willy's hat and what the girls did with it. Do they snapshot those girls or is it all a fake? Lingerie does it. Felt for the curves inside her deshabillé. Excites them also when they're. I'm all clean come and dirty me. And they like dressing one another for the sacrifice. Milly delighted with Molly's new blouse. At first. Put them all on to take them all off. Molly. Why I bought her the violet garters. Us too: the tie he wore, his lovely socks and turnedup trousers. He wore a pair of gaiters the night that first we met. His lovely shirt was shining beneath his what? of jet. Say a woman loses a charm with every pin she takes out. Pinned together. O Mairy lost the pin of her. Dressed up to the nines for somebody. Fashion part of their charm. Just changes when you're on the track of the secret. Except the east: Mary, Martha: now as then. No reasonable offer refused. She wasn't in a hurry either. Always off to a fellow when they are. They never forget an appointment. Out on spec probably. They believe in chance because like themselves. And the others inclined to give her an odd dig. Girl friends at school, arms round each other's neck or with ten fingers locked, kissing and whispering secrets about nothing in the convent garden. Nuns with whitewashed faces, cool coif and their rosaries going up and down, vindictive too for what they can't get. Barbed wire. Be sure now and write to me. And I'll write to you. Now won't you? Molly and Josie Powell. Till Mr Right comes along then meet once in a blue moon. Tableau! O, look who it is for the love of God! How are you at all? What have you been doing with yourself? Kiss and delighted to, kiss, to see you. Picking holes in each other's appearance. You're looking splendid. Sister souls showing their teeth at one another. How many have you left? Wouldn't lend each other a pinch of salt.
Ah!
Devils they are when that's coming on them. Dark devilish appearance. Molly often told me feel things a ton weight. Scratch the sole of my foot. O that way! O, that's exquisite! Feel it myself too. Good to rest once in a way. Wonder if it's bad to go with them then. Safe in one way. Turns milk, makes fiddlestrings snap. Something about withering plants I read in a garden. Besides they say if the flower withers she wears she's a flirt. All are. Daresay she felt I. When you feel like that you often meet what you feel. Liked me or what? Dress they look at. Always know a fellow courting: collars and cuffs. Well cocks and lions do the same and stags. Same time might prefer a tie undone or something. Trousers? Suppose I when I was? No. Gently does it. Dislike rough and tumble. Kiss in the dark and never tell. Saw something in me. Wonder what. Sooner have me as I am than some poet chap with bearsgrease, plastery hair lovelock over his dexter optic. To aid gentleman in literary. Ought to attend to my appearance my age. Didn't let her see me in profile. Still, you never know. Pretty girls and ugly men marrying. Beauty and the beast. Besides I can't be so if Molly. Took off her hat to show her hair. Wide brim bought to hide her face, meeting someone might know her, bend down or carry a bunch of flowers to smell. Hair strong in rut. Ten bob I got for Molly's combings when we were on the rocks in Holles street. Why not? Suppose he gave her money. Why not? All a prejudice. She's worth ten, fifteen, more a pound. All that for nothing. Bold hand. Mrs Marion. Did I forget to write address on that letter like the postcard I sent to Flynn? And the day I went to Drimmie's without a necktie. Wrangle with Molly it was put me off. No, I remember. Richie Goulding. He's another. Weighs on his mind. Funny my watch stopped at half past four. Dust. Shark liver oil they use to clean could do it myself. Save. Was that just when he, she?
O, he did. Into her. She did. Done.
Ah!
Mr Bloom with careful hand recomposed his wet shirt. O Lord, that little limping devil. Begins to feel cold and clammy Aftereffect not pleasant. Still you have to get rid of it someway. They don't care. Complimented perhaps. Go home to nicey bread and milky and say night prayers with the kiddies. Well, aren't they. See her as she is spoil all. Must have the stage setting, the rouge, costume, position, music. The name too. Amours of actresses. Nell Gwynn, Mrs Bracegirdle, Maud Branscombe. Curtain up. Moonlight silver effulgence. Maiden discovered with pensive bosom. Little sweetheart come and kiss me Still I feel. The strength it gives a man. That's the secret of it. Good job I let off there behind coming out of Dignam's. Cider that was. Otherwise I couldn't have. Makes you want to sing after. Lacaus esant taratara. Suppose I spoke to her. What about? Bad plan however if you don't know how to end the conversation. Ask them a question they ask you another. Good idea if you're in a cart. Wonderful of course if you say: good evening, and you see she's on for it: good evening. O but the dark evening in the Appian way I nearly spoke to Mrs Clinch O thinking she was. Whew! Girl in Meath street that night. All the dirty things I made her say all wrong of course. My arks she called it. It's so hard to find one who. Aho! If you don't answer when they solicit must be horrible for them till they harden. And kissed my hand when I gave her the extra two shillings. Parrots. Press the button and the bird will squeak. Wish she hadn't called me sir. Oh, her mouth in the dark! And you a married man with a single girl! That's what they enjoy. Taking a man from another woman. Or even hear of it. Different with me. Glad to get away from other chap's wife. Eating off his cold plate. Chap in the Burton today spitting back gumchewed gristle. French letter still in my pocketbook. Cause of half the trouble. But might happen sometime, I don't think. Come in. All is prepared. I dreamt. What? Worst is beginning. How they change the venue when it's not what they like. Ask you do you like mushrooms because she once knew a gentleman who. Or ask you what someone was going to say when he changed his mind and stopped. Yet if I went the whole hog, say: I want to, something like that. Because I did. She too. Offend her. Then make it up. Pretend to want something awfully, then cry off for her sake. Flatters them. She must have been thinking of someone else all the time. What harm? Must since she came to the use of reason, he, he and he. First Kiss does the trick. The propitious moment. Something inside them goes pop. Mushy like, tell by their eye, on the sly. First thoughts are best. Remember that till their dying day. Molly, lieutenant Mulvey that kissed her under the Moorish wall beside the gardens. Fifteen she told me. But her breasts were developed. Fell asleep then. After Gencree dinner that was when we drove home the featherbed mountain. Gnashing her teeth in sleep. Lord mayor had his eye off her too. Val Dillon. Apoplectic.
There she is with them down there for the fireworks. My fireworks. Up like a rocket, down like a stick. And the children, twins they must be, waiting for something to happen. Want to be grownups. Dressing in mother's clothes. Time enough, understand all the ways of the world. And the dark one with the mop head and the nigger mouth. I knew she could whistle. Mouth made for that. Like Molly. Why that high class whore In Jammet's wore her veil only to her nose. Would you mind, please, telling me the right time? I'll tell you the right time up a dark lane. Say prunes and prisms forty times every morning, cure for fat lips. Caressing the little boy too. Onlookers see most of the game. Of course they understand birds, animals, babies. In their line.
Didn't look back when she was going down the strand. Wouldn't give that satisfaction. Those girls, those girls, those lovely seaside girls. Fine eyes she had, clear. It's the white of the eye brings that out not so much the pupil. Did she know what I? Course. Like a cat sitting beyond a dog's jump. Women never meet one like that Wilkins in the high school drawing a picture of Venus with all his belongings on show. Call that innocence? Poor idiot! His wife has her work cut out for her. Never see them sit on a bench marked Wet Paint. Eyes all over them. Look under the bed for what's not there. Longing to get the fright of their lives. Sharp as needles they are. When I said to Molly the man at the corner of Cuffe street was goodlooking, thought she might like, twigged at once he had a false arm. Had too. Where do they get that? Typist going up Roger Greene's stairs two at a time to show her understandings. Handed down from father to mother to daughter, I mean. Bred in the bone. Milly for example drying her handkerchief on the mirror to save the ironing. Best place for an ad to catch a woman's eye on a mirror. And when I sent her for Molly's Paisley shawl to Presscott's, by the way that ad I must, carrying home the change in her stocking. Clever little minx! I never told her. Neat way she carried parcels too. Attract men, small thing like that. Holding up her hand, shaking it, to let the blood flow back when it was red. Who did you learn that from? Nobody. Something the nurse taught me. O, don't they know? Three years old she was in front of Molly's dressingtable just before we left Lombard street west. Me have a nice face. Mullingar. Who knows? Ways of the world. Young student. Straight on her pins anyway not like the other. Still she was game. Lord, I am wet. Devil you are. Swell of her calf. Transparent stockings, stretched to breaking point. Not like that frump today. A. E. Rumpled stockings. Or the one in Grafton street. White. Wow! Beef to the heel.
A monkey puzzle rocket burst, spluttering in darting crackles. Zrads and zrads, zrads, zrads. And Cissy and Tommy ran out to see and Edy after with the pushcar and then Gerty beyond the curve of the rocks. Will she? Watch! Watch! See! Looked round. She smelt an onion. Darling, I saw your. I saw all.
Lord!
Did me good all the same. Off colour after Kiernan's, Dignam's. For this relief much thanks. In Hamlet, that is. Lord! It was all things combined. Excitement. When she leaned back felt an ache at the butt of my tongue. Your head it simply swirls. He's right. Might have made a worse fool of myself however. Instead of talking about nothing. Then I will tell you all. Still it was a kind of language between us. It couldn't be? No, Gerty they called her. Might be false name however like my and the address Dolphin's barn a blind.
Her maiden name was Jemina Brown
And she lived with her mother in Irishtown.
Place made me think of that I suppose. All tarred with the same brush. Wiping pens in their stockings. But the ball rolled down to her as if it understood. Every bullet has its billet. Course I never could throw anything straight at school. Crooked as a ram's horn. Sad however because it lasts only a few years till they settle down to potwalloping and papa's pants will soon fit Willy and fullers' earth for the baby when they hold him out to do ah. No soft job. Saves them. Keeps them out of harm's way. Nature. Washing child, washing corpse. Dignam. Children's hands always round them. Cocoa-nut skulls, monkeys, not even closed at first, sour milk in their swaddles and tainted curds. Oughtn't to have given that child an empty teat to suck. Fill it up with wind. Mrs Beaufoy, Purefoy. Must call to the hospital. Wonder is nurse Callan there still. She used to look over some nights when Molly was in the Coffee Palace. That young doctor O'Hare I noticed her brushing his coat. And, Mrs Breen and Mrs Dignam once like that too, marriageable. Worst of all at night Mrs Duggan told me in the City Arms. Husband rolling in drunk, stink of pub off him like a polecat. Have that in your nose in the dark, whiff of stale boose. Then ask in the morning: was I drunk last night? Bad policy however to fault the husband. Chickens come home to roost. They stick by one another like glue. Maybe the women's fault also. That's where Molly can knock spots off them. It is the blood of the south. Moorish. Also the form, the figure. Hands felt for the opulent. Just compare for instance those others. Wife locked up at home, skeleton in the cupboard. Allow me to introduce my. Then they trot you out some kind of a nondescript, wouldn't know what to call her. Always see a fellow's weak point in his wife. Still there's destiny in it, falling in love. Have their own secrets between them. Chaps that would go to the dogs if some woman didn't take them in hand. Then little chits of girls, height of a shilling in coppers, with little
hobbies. As God made them He matched them. Sometimes children turn out well enough. Twice nought makes one. Or old rich chap of seventy and blushing bride. Marry in May and repent in December. This wet is very unpleasant. Stuck. Well the foreskin is not back. Better detach.
Ow!
Other hand a sixfooter with a wifey up to his watchpocket. Long and the short of it. Big he and little she. Very strange about my watch. Wristwatches are always going wrong. Wonder is there any magnetic influence between the person because that was about the time he. Yes, I suppose at once. Cat's away the mice will play. I remember looking in Pill lane. Also that now is magnetism. Back of everything magnetism. Earth for instance pulling this and being pulled. That causes movement. And time? Well that's the time the movement takes. Then if one thing stopped the whole ghesabo would stop bit by bit. Because it's arranged. Magnetic needle tells you what's going on in the sun, the stars. Little piece of steel iron. When you hold out the fork. Come. Come. Tip. Woman and man that is. Fork and steel. Molly, he. Dress up and look and suggest and let you see and see more and defy you if you're a man to see that and, like a sneeze coming, legs, look, look and if you have any guts in you. Tip. Have to let fly.
Wonder how is she feeling in that region. Shame all put on before third person. More put out about a hole in her stocking. Molly, her underjaw stuck out head back, about the farmer in the ridingboots and spurs at the horse show. And when the painters were in Lombard street west. Fine voice that fellow had. How Giuglini began. Smell that I did, like flowers. It was too. Violets. Came from the turpentine probably in the paint. Make their own use of everything. Same time doing it scraped her slipper on the floor so they wouldn't hear. But lots of them can't kick the beam, I think. Keep that thing up for hours. Kind of a general all round over me and half down my back.
Wait. Hm. Hm. Yes. That's her perfume. Why she waved her hand. I leave you this to think of me when I'm far away on the pillow. What is it? Heliotrope? No, Hyacinth? Hm. Roses, I think. She'd like scent of that kind. Sweet and cheap: soon sour. Why Molly likes opoponax. Suits her with a little jessamine mixed. Her high notes and her low notes. At the dance night she met him, dance of the hours. Heat brought it out. She was wearing her black and it had the perfume of the time before. Good conductor, is it? Or bad? Light too. Suppose there's some connection. For instance if you go into a cellar where it's dark. Mysterious thing too. Why did I smell it only now? Took its time in coming like herself, slow but sure. Suppose it's ever so many millions of tiny grains blown across. Yes, it is. Because those spice islands, Cinghalese this morning, smell them leagues off. Tell you what it is. It's like a fine veil or web they have all over the skin, fine like what do you call it gossamer and they're aways spinning it out of them, fine as anything, rainbow colours without knowing it. Clings to everything she takes off. Vamp of her stockings. Warm shoe. Stays. Drawers: little kick, taking them off. Byby till next time. Also the cat likes to sniff in her shift on the bed. Know her smell in a thousand. Bathwater too. Reminds me of strawberries and cream. Wonder where it is really. There or the armpits or under the neck. Because you get it out of all holes and corners. Hyacinth perfume made of oil or ether or something. Muskrat. Bag under their tails one grain pour off odour for years. Dogs at each other behind. Good evening. Evening. How do you sniff? Hm. Hm. Very well, thank you. Animals go by that. Yes now, look at it that way. We're the same. Some women for instance warn you off when they have their period. Come near. Then get a hogo you could hang your hat on. Like what? Potted herrings gone stale or. Boof! Please keep off the grass.
Perhaps they get a man smell off us. What though? Cigary gloves Long John had on his desk the other. Breath? What you eat and drink gives that. No. Mansmell, I mean. Must be connected with that because priests that are supposed to be are different. Women buzz round it like flies round treacle. Railed off the altar get on to it at any cost. The tree of forbidden priest. O father, will you? Let me be the first to. That diffuses itself all through the body, permeates. Source of life and it's extremely curious the smell. Celery sauce. Let me.
Mr Bloom inserted his nose. Hm. Into the. Hm. Opening of his waistcoat. Almonds or. No. Lemons it is. Ah, no, that's the soap.
O by the by that lotion. I knew there was something on my mind. Never went back and the soap not paid. Dislike carrying bottles like that hag this morning. Hynes might have paid me that three shillings. I could mention Meagher's just to remind him. Still if he works that paragraph. Two and nine. Bad opinion of me he'll have. Call tomorrow. How much do I owe you? Three and nine? Two and nine, sir. Ah. Might stop him giving credit another time. Lose your customers that way. Pubs do. Fellow run up a bill on the slate and then slinking around the back streets into somewhere else.
Here's this nobleman passed before. Blown in from the bay. Just went as far as turn back. Always at home at dinnertime. Looks mangled out: had a good tuck in. Enjoying nature now. Grace after meals. After supper walk a mile. Sure he has a small bank balance somewhere, government sit. Walk after him now make him awkward like those newsboys me today. Still you learn something. See ourselves as others see us. So long as women don't mock what matter? That's the way to find out. Ask yourself who is he now. The Mystery Man on the Beach, prize titbit story by Mr Leopold Bloom. Payment at the rate of one guinea per column. And that fellow today at the graveside in the brown macintosh. Corns on his kismet however. Healthy perhaps absorb all the. Whistle brings rain they say. Must be some somewhere. Salt in the Ormond damp. The body feels the atmosphere. Old Betty's joints are on the rack. Mother Shipton's prophecy that is about ships around they fly in the twinkling. No. Signs of rain it is. The royal reader. And distant hills seem coming nigh.
Howth. Bailey light. Two, four, six, eight, nine. See. Has to change or they might think it a house. Wreckers. Grace Darling. People afraid of the dark. Also glowworms, cyclists: lightingup time. Jewels diamonds flash better. Light is a kind of reassuring. Not going to hurt you. Better now of course than long ago. Country roads. Run you through the small guts for nothing. Still two types there are you bob against. Scowl or smile. Pardon! Not at all. Best time to spray plants too in the shade after the sun. Some light still. Red rays are longest. Roygbiv Vance taught us: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. A star I see. Venus? Can't tell yet. Two, when three it's night. Were those nightclouds there all the time? Looks like a phantom ship. No. Wait. Trees are they. An optical illusion. Mirage. Land of the setting sun this. Homerule sun setting in the southeast. My native land, goodnight.
Dew falling. Bad for you, dear, to sit on that stone. Brings on white fluxions. Never have little baby then less he was big strong fight his way up through. Might get piles myself. Sticks too like a summer cold, sore on the mouth. Cut with grass or paper worst. Friction of the position. Like to be that rock she sat on. O sweet little, you don't know how nice you looked. I begin to like them at that age. Green apples. Grab at all that offer. Suppose it's the only time we cross legs, seated. Also the library today: those girl graduates. Happy chairs under them. But it's the evening influence. They feel all that. Open like flowers, know their hours, sunflowers, Jerusalem artichokes, in ballrooms, chandeliers, avenues under the lamps. Nightstock in Mat Dillon's garden where I kissed her shoulder. Wish I had a full length oil-painting of her then. June that was too I wooed. The year returns. History repeats itself. Ye crags and peaks I'm with you once again. Life, love, voyage round your own little world. And now? Sad about her lame of course but must be on your guard not to feel too much pity. They take advantage.
All quiet on Howth now. The distant hills seem. Where we. The rhododendrons. I am a fool perhaps. He gets the plums and I the plumstones. Where I come in. All that old hill has seen. Names change: that's all. Lovers: yum yum.
Tired I feel now. Will I get up? O wait. Drained all the manhood out of me, little wretch. She kissed me. My youth. Never again. Only once it comes. Or hers. Take the train there tomorrow. No. Returning not the same. Like kids your second visit to a house. The new I want. Nothing new under the sun. Care of P. O. Dolphin's barn. Are you not happy in your? Naughty darling. At Dolphin's barn charades in Luke Doyle's house. Mat Dillon and his bevy of daughters: Tiny, Atty, Floey, Maimy, Louy, Hetty. Molly too. Eightyseven that was.
Year before we. And the old major partial to his drop of spirits. Curious she an only child, I an only child. So it returns. Think you're escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home. And just when he and she. Circus horse walking in a ring. Rip van Winkle we played. Rip: tear in Henny Doyle's overcoat. Van: breadvan delivering. Winkle: cockles and periwinkles. Then I did Rip van Winkle coming back. She leaned on the sideboard watching. Moorish eyes. Twenty years asleep in Sleepy Hollow. All changed. Forgotten. The young are old. His gun rusty from the dew.
Ba. What is that flying about? Swallow? Bat probably. Thinks I'm a tree, so blind. Have birds no smell? Metempsychosis. They believed you could be changed into a tree from grief. Weeping willow. Ba. There he goes. Funny little beggar. Wonder where he lives. Belfry up there. Very likely. Hanging by his heels in the odour of sanctity. Bell scared him out, I suppose. Mass seems to be over. Could hear them all at it. Pray for us. And pray for us. And pray for us. Good idea the repetition. Same thing with ads. Buy from us. And buy from us. Yes, there's the light in the priest's house. Their frugal meal. Remember about the mistake in the valuation when I was in Thom's. Twentyeight it is. Two houses they have. Gabriel Conroy's brother is curate. Ba. Again. Wonder why they come out at night like mice. They're a mixed breed. Birds are like hopping mice. What frightens them, light or noise? Better sit still. All instinct like the bird in drouth got water out of the end of a jar by throwing in pebbles. Like a little man in a cloak he is with tiny hands. Weeny bones. Almost see them shimmering, kind of a bluey white. Colours depend on the light you see. Stare the sun for example like the eagle then look at a shoe see a blotch blob yellowish. Wants to stamp his trademark on everything. Instance, that cat this morning on the staircase. Colour of brown turf. Say you never see them with three colours. Not true. That half tabbywhite tortoise-shell in the City Anns with the letter em on her forehead. Body fifty different colours. Howth a while ago amethyst. Glass flashing. That's how that wise man what's his name with the burning glass. Then the heather goes on fire. It can't be tourists' matches. What? Perhaps the sticks dry rub together in the wind and light. Or broken bottles in the furze act as a burning glass in the sun. Archimedes. I have it! My memory's not so bad.
Ba. Who knows what they're always flying for. Insects? That bee last week got into the room playing with his shadow on the ceiling. Might be the one bit me, come back to see. Birds too never find out what they say. Like our small talk. And says she and says he. Nerve? they have to fly over the ocean and back. Lot must be killed in storms, telegraph wires. Dreadful life sailors have too. Big brutes of ocean-going steamers floundering along in the dark, lowing out like seacows. Faugh a ballagh. Out of that, bloody curse to you. Others in vessels, bit of a handkerchief sail, pitched about like snuff at a wake when the stormy winds do blow. Married too. Sometimes away for years at the ends of the earth somewhere. No ends really because it's round. Wife in every port they say. She has a good job if she minds it till Johnny comes marching home again. If ever he does. Smelling the tail end of ports. How can they like the sea? Yet they do. The anchor's weighed. Off he sails with a scapular or a medal on him for luck. Well? And the tephilim no what's this they call it poor papa's father had on his door to touch. That brought us out of the land of Egypt and into the house of bondage. Something in all those superstitions because when you go out never know what dangers. Hanging on to a plank or astride of a beam for grim life, life-belt round round him, gulping salt water, and that's the last of his nibs till the sharks catch hold of him. Do fish ever get seasick?
Then you have a beautiful calm without a cloud, smooth sea, placid, crew and cargo in smithereens, Davy Jones' locker. Moon looking down. Not my fault, old cockalorum.
A lost long candle wandered up the sky from Mirus bazaar in search of funds for Mercer's hospital and broke, drooping, and sheda cluster of violet but one white stars. They floated, fell: they faded. The shepherd's hour: the hour of holding: hour of tryst. From house to house, giving his everwelcome double knock, went the nine o'clock postman, the glowworm's lamp at his belt gleaming here and there through the laurel hedges. And among the five young trees a hoisted lintstock lit the lamp at Leahy's terrace. By screens of lighted windows, by equal gardens a shrill voice went crying, wailing: Evening Telegraph, stop press edition! Result of the Gold Cup race! and from the door of Dignam's house a boy ran out and called. Twittering the bat flew here, flew there. Far out over the sands the coming surf crept, grey. Howth settled for slumber tired of long days, of yumyum rhododendrons (he was old) and felt gladly the night breeze lift, ruffle his fell of ferns. He lay but opened a red eye unsleeping, deep and slowly breathing, slumberous but awake. And far on Kish bank the anchored lightship twinkled, winked at Mr Bloom.
Life those chaps out there must have, stuck in the same spot. Irish Lights board. Penance for their sins. Coastguards too. Rocket and breeches buoy and lifeboat. Day we went out for the pleasure cruise in the Erin's King, throwing them the sack of old papers. Bears in the zoo. Filthy trip. Drunkards out to shake up their livers. Puking overboard to feed the herrings. Nausea. And the women, fear of God in their faces. Milly, no sign of funk. Her blue scarf loose, laughing. Don't know what death is at that age. And then their stomachs clean. But being lost they fear. When we hid behind the tree at Crumlin. I didn't want to. Mamma! Mamma! Babes in the wood. Frightening them with masks too. Throwing them up in the air to catch them. I'll murder you. Is it only half fun? Or children playing battle. Whole earnest. How can people aim guns at each other? Sometimes they go off. Poor kids. Only troubles wildfire and nettlerash. Calomel purge I got her for that. After getting better asleep with Molly. Very same teeth she has. What do they love? Another themselves? But the morning she chased her with the umbrella. Perhaps so as not to hurt. I felt her pulse. Ticking. Little hand it was: now big. Dearest Papli. All that the hand says when you touch. Loved to count my waistcoat buttons. Her first stays I remember. Made me laugh to see. Little paps to begin with. Left one is more sensitive, I think. Mine too. Nearer the heart. Padding themselves out if fat is in fashion. Her growing pains at night, calling, wakening me. Frightened she was when her nature came on her first. Poor child! Strange moment for the mother too. Brings back her girlhood. Gibraltar. Looking from Buena Vista. O'Hara's tower. The seabirds screaming. Old Barbary ape that gobbled all his family. Sundown, gunfire for the men to cross the lines. Looking out over the sea she told me. Evening like this, but clear, no clouds. I always thought I'd marry a lord or a gentleman with a private yacht. Buenos noches, se?orita. El hombre ama la muchacha hermosa. Why me? Because you were so foreign from the others.
Better not stick here all night like a limpet. This weather makes you dull. Must be getting on for nine by the light. Go home. Too late for Leoh, Lily of Killarney. No. Might be still up. Call to the hospital to see. Hope she's over. Long day I've had. Martha, the bath, funeral, house of keys, museum with those goddesses, Dedalus' song. Then that bawler in Barney Kiernan's. Got my own back there. Drunken ranters. What I said about his God made him wince. Mistake to hit back. Or? No. Ought to go home and laugh at themselves. Always want to be swilling in company. Afraid to be alone like a child of two. Suppose he hit me. Look at it other way round. Not so bad then. Perhaps not to hurt he meant. Three cheers for Israel. Three cheers for the sister-in-law he hawked about, three fangs in her mouth. Same style of beauty. Particularly nice old party for a cup of tea. The sister of the wife of the wild man of Borneo has just come to town. Imagine that in the early morning at close range. Everyone to his taste as Morris said when he kissed the cow. But Dignam's put the boots on it. Houses of mourning so depressing because you never know. Anyhow she wants the money. Must call to those Scottish widows as I promised. Strange name. Takes it for granted we're going to pop off first. That widow on Monday was it outside Cramer's that looked at me. Buried the poor husband but progressing favourably on the premium. Her widow's mite. Well? What do you expect her to do? Must wheedle her way along. Widower I hate to see. Looks so forlorn. Poor man O'Connor wife and five children poisoned by mussels here. The sewage. Hopeless. Some good matronly woman in a pork-pie hat to mother him. Take him in tow, platter face and a large apron. Ladies' grey flannelette bloomers, three shillings a pair, astonishing bargain. Plain and loved, loved for ever, they say. Ugly: no woman thinks she is. Love, lie and be handsome for tomorrow we die. See him sometimes walking about trying to find out who played the trick. U. p.: up. Fate that is. He, not me. Also a shop often noticed. Curse seems to dog it. Dreamt last night? Wait. Something confused. She had red slippers on. Turkish. Wore the breeches. Suppose she does. Would I like her in pyjamas? Damned hard to answer. Nannetti's gone. Mailboat. Near Holyhead by now. Must nail that ad of Keyes's. Work Hynes and Crawford. Petticoats for Molly. She has something to put in them. What's that? Might be money.
Mr Bloom stooped and turned over a piece of paper on the strand. He brought it near his eyes and peered. Letter? No. Can't read. Better go. Better. I'm tired to move. Page of an old copybook. All those holes and pebbles. Who could count them? Never know what you find. Bottle with story of a treasure in it thrown from a wreck. Parcels post. Children always want to throw things in the sea. Trust? Bread cast on the waters. What's this? Bit of stick.
O! Exhausted that female has me. Not so young now. Will she come here tomorrow? Wait for her somewhere for ever. Must come back. Murderers do. Will I?
Mr Bloom with his stick gently vexed the thick sand at his foot. Write a message for her. Might remain. What?
I.
Some flatfoot tramp on it in the morning. Useless. Washed away. Tide comes here a pool near her foot. Bend, see my face there, dark mirror, breathe on it, stirs. All these rocks with lines and scars and letters. O, those transparent! Besides they don't know. What is the meaning of that other world. I called you naughty boy because I do not like.
AM. A.
No room. Let it go.
Mr Bloom effaced the letters with his slow boot. Hopeless thing sand. Nothing grows in it. All fades. No fear of big vessels coming up here. Except Guinness's barges. Round the Kish in eighty days. Done half by design.
He flung his wooden pen away. The stick fell in silted sand, stuck. Now if you were trying to do that for a week on end you couldn't. Chance. We'll never meet again. But it was lovely. Goodbye, dear. Thanks. Made me feel so young.
Short snooze now if I had. Must be near nine. Liverpool boat long gone. Not even the smoke. And she can do the other. Did too. And Belfast. I won't go. Race there, race back to Ennis. Let him. Just close my eyes a moment. Won't sleep though. Half dream. It never comes the same. Bat again. No harm in him. Just a few.
O sweety all your little girlwhite up I saw dirty bracegirdle made me do love sticky we two naughty Grace darling she him half past the bed met him pike hoses frillies for Raoul to perfume your wife black hair heave under embon se?orita young eyes Mulvey plump years dreams return tail end Agendath swoony lovey showed me her next year in drawers return next in her next her next.
A bat flew. Here. There. Here. Far in the grey a bell chimed. Mr Bloom with open mouth, his left boot sanded sideways, leaned, breathed. Just for a few.
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
The clock on the mantelpiece in the priest's house cooed where Canon O'Hanlon and Father Conroy and the reverend John Hughes S. J. were taking tea and sodabread and butter and fried mutton chops with catsup and talking about
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Because it was a little canarybird bird that came out of its little house to tell the time that Gerty MacDowell noticed the time she was there because she was as quick as anything about a thing like that, was Gerty MacDowell, and she noticed at once that that foreign gentleman that was sitting on the rocks looking was
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Cuckoo

soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 32楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

中:
13、夏日的黄昏开始把世界笼罩在神秘的拥抱中


夏日的黄昏开始把世界笼罩在神秘的拥抱中。在遥远的西边,太阳沉落了。这一天转瞬即逝,将最后一抹余晖含情脉脉地投射在海洋和岸滩上,投射在一如往日那样厮守着湾水做然屹立的亲爱的老霍斯岬角以及沙丘海岸那杂草蔓生的岸石上;最后的但并非微不足道的,也投射在肃穆的教堂上。从这里,时而划破寂静,倾泻出向圣母玛利亚祷告的声音。她——"海洋之星"[ 1 ],发出清纯的光辉,永远像灯塔般照耀着人们那被暴风颠簸的心灵。
三个少女结伴坐在岩石上,饱览着傍晚的风景,享受着那清新而还不太凉的微风。她们曾多次[ 2 ] 到自己所喜爱的这个地方来,在闪亮的波浪旁亲切畅快地谈论女人的家常。西茜·卡弗里和伊迪·博德曼将娃娃放在婴儿车里,还带着两个鬈发的小男孩汤米和杰基·卡弗里。他们身穿水手服,头戴水手帽,衣帽上均印染着"H. M. S. [ 3 ] 美岛号"字样。汤米和杰基·卡弗里是双胞胎,不满四岁,有时吵闹得厉害,被宠坏了。尽管那样,两张活泼快乐的小脸蛋儿和惹人喜爱的动作使他们依然是人人疼爱的小宝宝。他们手执铲子和桶,弄得浑身是沙子,像一般孩童那样筑城堡,或者玩他们的大彩球,快快乐乐地打发着光阴。伊迪·博德曼一前一后地摇着婴儿车里的胖嘟嘟的娃娃。那位小绅士高兴得咯咯直笑。他才十一个月零九天。尽管刚趔趔趄趄地学步,却已开始咿呀学语了。西茜·卡弗里朝他弯下身去,逗弄他那胖嘟嘟的小脸蛋儿和腮帮上那个可爱的小酒窝儿。
"喏,小娃娃,"西茜·卡弗里说,"大——大声说吧:'我要喝口水。'"
娃娃跟着她学舌: "荷、荷、咳、随。"
西茜·卡弗里紧紧地搂抱住小不点儿,因为她非常喜欢孩子,对小病人极有耐性。除非是由西茜·卡弗里捏着汤米·卡弗里的鼻子并且答应给他一截面包尖儿,或涂满金色糖浆的黑面包,他是绝不肯服蓖麻油的。这个姑娘的说服力够多么大啊!当然,娃娃博德曼也确实很乖,他围着崭新的涎布,是个再可爱不过的小家伙。西茜·卡弗里完全不是像弗洛拉·麦克弗利姆西[ 4 ]那种被宠坏了的美人儿。她是位世上罕见的心地纯正的少女:一双吉卜赛人式的眼睛总是笑吟吟的,熟樱桃般的红唇[ 5 ] ,随口说着逗人的话,真是再可爱不过了。伊迪·博德曼听了小弟弟的妙语,不禁也笑起来。
但就在这当儿,汤米和杰基哥儿俩之间发生了一场小小的争执。男孩儿毕竟是男孩儿,我们这对双胞胎也越不出这颠仆不破的道理。争端缘于杰基公子所筑的一座沙堡,汤米公子非要从建筑上对它加以改进,装上一扇圆形炮塔般的正门。然而倘若汤米公子刚愎自用,杰基公子也同样固执己见。俗话说得好:再渺小的爱尔兰人在自己家中也是一座城堡之主。于是,杰基公子便扑向他那誓不两立的劲敌。到头来,不但把他所攻击的对手打得一败涂地,(说起来令人伤心! )连他所垂涎的那座城堡,也变成一片废墟。不用说,败下阵来的汤米公子的哭声惊动了女伴们。
"汤米,到这儿来,"他姐姐用刻不容缓的语气嚷道,"马上来!还有你,杰基,把可怜的汤米推到脏沙子里,你害不害羞!等着瞧吧,我得给你点儿厉害尝尝。"
汤米公子噙着满眶热泪,视线模糊起来。他立即应命走来,因为这对双胞胎向来是把姐姐的话当作金科玉律的。败北了的他,可真是一副惨相。小小的水手帽和裤子上沾满沙子。然而西茜·卡弗里少女老成,是舒解生活中小烦扰的能手。转眼之间,他那身漂亮衣服上就连一粒沙子也看不见了。可是那双蓝眼睛里依然热泪盈眶。于是她就用一阵亲吻抹去了他心头的创伤,用拳头朝罪魁祸首杰基公子比划比划,滴溜溜地转着两眼训诫道,要是她在旁边,可轻饶不了他。
"杰基这个讨厌鬼真不讲理!"她大声说。
她用一只胳膊搂住小水手,讨好地哄着他:
"你叫什么名字呀?叫黄油和奶油吧?"
"告诉我们,谁是你的心上人?"伊迪·博德曼说,"西茜是你的心上人吗?"
"不希[是],"泪汪汪的汤米说。
"伊迪·博德曼是你的心上人吗?"西茜问。
"不希[ 是],"汤米说。
"我知道,"伊迪·博德曼那双近视眼诡秘地一闪,略微带点刺儿他说,"我知道谁是汤米的心上人哆。格蒂是汤米的心上人。"
"不希[ 是 ] ,"汤米险些儿掉了眼泪。
西茜以她那母性的机警,立即有所察觉。她跟伊迪·博德曼打耳喳说,把他领到那位绅士瞧不见的婴儿车后面去,还得留意不要让他弄湿那双崭新的棕黄色皮鞋。
然而,格蒂是谁呢?
格蒂·麦克道维尔坐在离伙伴不远处。她凝望远方,沉湎在默想中。她在富于魅力的爱尔兰姑娘中间,确实是位不经见的美少女典范。凡是认识她的人都一口称道她的美貌。人们常说,她长得与其说是像父方麦克道维尔家的,倒不如说是更像母方吉尔特拉普家的人。她身材苗条优美,甚至有些纤弱,然而她近日服用的铁片,比寡妇韦尔奇的妇女丸药对她更加滋补。过去常有的白带什么的少了,疲劳感也减轻了不少。她那蜡一般白哲的脸,纯净如象牙,真是天仙一般。她那玫瑰花蕾般的嘴唇,确实是爱神之弓,有着匀称的希腊美。她那双有着细微血管的手像是雪花膏做成的,纤纤手指如烛心,只有柠檬汁和高级软膏才能使它们这般白嫩。然而关于她睡觉时戴羔羊皮手套和用牛奶泡脚之说,则纯属捏造。有一次伯莎·萨波尔被格蒂气昏了头,大有剑拔弩张之势(彼此要好的少女们自然也像其他凡人一样,不时地会闹些小别扭),她便故意对伊迪·博德曼撒了这么个谎。伯莎还告诉伊迪,千万不要对人说这话是从她那儿听来的,不然的话,她就再也不跟伊迪说话了。她当然没有说出去。但是荣誉归于该享受它的人。格蒂天生优雅,有着楚楚动人、女王般的非凡气宇[ 6 ]。她那双秀丽的手和高高拱起的脚背确凿无疑地证明了这一点。倘若福星高照,让她投生上流社会家庭,并受到良好的教育,格蒂·麦克道维尔就会成为与本国任何贵妇相比也毫不逊色的淑女。她额上就会戴起宝石,穿着讲究,跟前必然围满了竞相向她献殷勤的贵公子们。莫非是可能尝到过恋爱的滋味吧,她那柔和俊秀的脸上有时露出自我克制的紧张神情。于是她那双美丽的眼睛就掠过一抹不可思议的渴望的影子。这样的魅力是几乎没有人不倾倒的。女人的眼睛为什么如此富于魅力?格蒂那双爱尔兰蓝眼睛是再蓝不过的,并且有带光泽的睫毛和富于表情的深色眉毛相衬托。她的眉毛原本并不像这样丝绒一般地迷人。还是主编《公主中篇小说》[ 7 ]美容栏的维拉·维利蒂太太最早劝她试着描描眉毛。这样就为她的眼睛平添了一种诱人神情,而这是十分合乎社交界名流趣向的。她从未因之而后悔过。还有用科学方法治愈脸红的毛病啦,怎样用身高促进法来使你身材硕长啦,再就是你有张漂亮脸蛋儿,可是鼻子呢?对迪格纳穆太太挺合式,因为她长的是个蒜头鼻子。然而格蒂最值得夸耀的还是她那一头丰茂的秀发:是深褐色的,而且天生地鬈曲。为了图个新月上升的吉利,当天早晨她曾把头发剪了剪,浓密的鬈发蓬蓬松松地环绕在她那俊秀的头上。她还修剪了指甲。星期四剪,招财进宝。此刻经伊迪这么一说,泄露隐情的红色就像最娇嫩的玫瑰花一般柔和地爬上了她的双颊。甜蜜而少女气的羞涩使她看上去如此姣好。确实踏遍天主的绮丽国土爱尔兰,也找不到能同她媲美的。
她带着些许忧郁,双目低垂,沉默了一会儿。她刚要抢白两句,可是话到嘴边又咽了回去。若按她的脾气,是想回嘴的,可是自尊心告诫她,还是保持缄默为好。她只噘了一下芳唇,接着就抬头望一下,快活地笑了,声音充满了五月早晨的青春气息。她比任何人都清楚,斜眼伊迪为什么这么说。她认为他的感情冷漠了,其实那只不过是恋人之间闹闹别扭而已。由于那个拥有一辆自行车的男孩子总是[ 8 ] 在她窗前骑来骑去,伊迪觉得可不是滋味啦。不过眼下正当取得奖学金资格的期中考试,他父亲把他关在家里,要他拼命用功。念完高中后,他将进入三一学院去学医,就像他那位在三一学院参加自行车赛的哥哥w·E·怀利那样。她心里时而像剜了个洞一般隐隐作痛,一直刺到内心深处,他对此似乎无动于衷。然而他还年轻,到一定的时候说不定就学会爱起她来。他家里是新教徒,而格蒂呢,当然晓得哪一位最重要。其次是圣母玛利亚,然后是圣约瑟。然而他确实是个英俊少年,鼻子长得很美,浑身处处都不折不扣地是位上等人。没戴帽子的时候,从背后望去,她就能认得出来。因为他就是有点儿与众不同。他在街灯那儿撒开车把转弯的那副样子也罢,还有他吸的那种上等纸烟好闻的香味也罢,都非同凡响。而且他和她个头也那么般配。由于他没有骑着车在格蒂家的小院子前面荡来荡去,伊迪·博德曼自以为聪明透顶,说到了点子上。
格蒂穿戴朴素,却又具有一个时髦少女出于本能对社交界流行习尚的敏感。因为她感到,他有可能出门来了。整洁的电光蓝色宽胸罩衫是她亲手染的(因为据《夫人画报》[9 ],这是即将时新的颜色),V字形的领口潇潇洒洒地开到胸部和手帕兜那儿(手帕会使兜儿变形,所以她一向总在里面放一片脱脂棉,上面洒了她心爱的香水),再加上一条剪裁适度的海军蓝短裙,把她那优美苗条的身材衬托得更加仪态万方。她戴的那顶俏丽可人的小帽是用褐黑色麦秆粗粗编成的,与镶在帽檐底下的蛋青色绳绒形成鲜明对照。边上系着同一色调的丝质蝴蝶结。上星期二整个儿下午,她到处物色配色的绳绒,终于在克勒利[ 10 ]的夏季大甩卖上寻觅到中意的了。她要的正是它,尽管多少摆旧了点儿,然而谁也觉察不出来。一共七中指长[ 11 ],花了两先令一便士。她亲手把它镶上。试戴时,她朝着映在镜中的情影嫣然一笑,自是心满意足!当她为了怕帽子走形而把它放在水罐上的时候,她才意识到这样做会使某些熟人黯然失色。她的鞋是当前最时髦的。伊迪·博德曼引为得意的是她的鞋号码很小[ 12 ],然而她从未长过格蒂·麦克道维尔那样一双仅仅五号的脚,永远也不会的。[13 ]鞋尖是漆皮的,高高拱起的脚背上有着精致的饰扣。她那露在裙子底下的漂亮的脚脖子生得极其匀称,线条优美的小腿也合乎体统地略微露出一截,上面套着几乎透明的长袜。脚后跟的部位是特别编织的,上面还系着宽袜带。最使格蒂操心的要算是内衣了。凡是晓得甜蜜的十七岁(格蒂已经同十七岁永远告别了)那种怔忡不安的热望和恐惧的人,难道忍心去责备她吗,她有四套绣得非常精致的出门穿的衣服,三件家常穿的,另外还有几件睡衣。每套出门穿的衣服都分别缀着各色缎带:有玫瑰色、淡蓝色、紫红色和豆青色的。每穿一次,她总是亲自晾晒。从洗衣坊里送回来后,又亲手上蓝、并给烫平。她还有一块垫熨斗用的砖片,因为她怕洗衣妇会把衣服烫糊。简直信不过她们!她穿蓝色是图个吉祥,希望交好运。这是她自己的颜色,新娘子身上要是带一点蓝色总会吉利的。上星期那一天她穿的是豆青色的,就带来了忧伤,因为他父亲把他关在家里让他用功,好参加取得奖学金资格的期中考试。她原寻思,他兴许会出门的,因为今儿早晨换衣服的时候,她差点儿把旧裤衩儿反着穿。除非是赶在星期五,反过来穿是会走运的,有利于情人幽会。要么,如果裤衩儿松开来了,那就说明他在想念你哩。
可是——可是!瞧她脸上那副紧张的神色!总是显得那么忧心忡忡。灵魂通过她那双眼睛透露出来,她渴望能够独自呆在住惯了的房间里,好好哭上一场,用泪水减轻她心头的郁闷。可又不能哭得太厉害。她对着镜子掌握分寸,要哭得恰到好处。镜子说:格蒂,你长得真美。黄昏时分那苍白的余晖投射到一张悲伤、愁闷之至的脸庞上。格蒂·麦克道维尔这种缱绻的情思是徒然的。她从一开始就知道,关于举行一场婚礼的幻想啦,为雷吉·怀利·T·C·D·太太(因为嫁给他哥哥的那一位才能做怀利太太)敲响的喜钟啦,以及据社交栏的报道,格楚德·怀利太太穿了一身用昂贵的青狐皮镶边的豪华灰服,都是不可能的。他太年轻了,还不懂事。他不会相信恋爱,而那是女人生来的权利。很久以前,在斯托尔家举行的晚宴上(他还穿着短裤呢),只有他们两个人在一起时,他悄悄地用一只胳膊搂了她的腰;她呢,连嘴唇都吓白了。他古里古怪地嗄着嗓儿叫着她"小不点儿",冷不防还接了半个吻(平生第一遭儿!),然而他碰着的仅仅是她的鼻尖儿。随后,他赶忙走出房间,念叨着吃茶点的话。好个鲁莽的小伙子!雷吉·怀利从来不曾以性格鲜明见长,而向格蒂·麦克道维尔求婚并赢得她的爱情者,必须是个杰出人物[ 14 ]。然而她只能等待,总是等待人家来求婚。这又是个闰年,很快就会过去的。她的意中人并不是将珍贵、神奇的爱情献在她脚前的风流倜傥的王子,他毋宁是个刚毅的男子汉;神情安详的脸上蕴含着坚强的意志,却还没有找到理想的女子。他的头发也许或多或少已经斑白了,他会理解她,伸出胳膊来保护她,凭着他那深沉多情的天性紧紧搂住她,并用长长的亲吻安慰她。那就像是天堂一般。在这馨香的夏日傍晚,她企盼着的就是这么一位。她衷心渴望委身于他,做他信誓旦旦的妻子:贫富共当,不论患病或健康,直到死亡使我们分手,自今日以至将来。[ 15 ]
于是,当伊迪·博德曼带着小汤米呆在婴儿车后面的时候,她正在思忖,能够称自己为他的幼妻的那一天是否会到来。那样,大家就会议论她,直到脸上发青。伯莎·萨波尔也不例外;还有小炮竹伊迪,因为十一月她就满二十岁了。她也会照顾他,使他衣食上舒适。格蒂凭着她那份妇道人家的智慧,晓得但凡是个男人,都喜欢那种家庭气氛。她那烤成金褐色的薄饼和放有大量美味奶油的安妮女王布丁[ 16 ]曾赢得过众人的好评。因为她有一双灵巧的手,不论点火,还是撒上一层加了发酵粉的精白面,不断地朝一个方向搅和,然后搀上牛奶白糖,调成奶油,或是将蛋清搅匀,她样样擅长。不过,她可不喜欢当着人面吃什么,怪害臊的。她常常纳闷为什么不能吃一些像紫罗兰或玫瑰花那样富于诗情的东西!他们还会有一间布置优雅的客厅,装饰着绘画、雕刻以及外祖父吉尔特拉普那只可爱的狗加里欧文[17]的照片。它是那样通人性,几乎能说话了。椅子套着光滑的印花棉布罩子,还有来自克莱利的夏季旧杂货义卖展上的银质烤面包架,就像阔人家拥有的那样。他身材高大,肩膀宽阔(她一向欣赏高个子,丈夫就得要这样的),在仔细修剪过的弯弯的口髭下面,闪烁着一口雪白牙齿。他们将到大陆上去度蜜月(多么美妙的三个星期!)然后就安顿在精致、整洁、舒适而又亲切的安乐窝里。每天早晨他们两人共进早餐,吃得虽然简单,却都是精心烹制的。他去治公之前,总先热烈地紧紧拥抱一下亲爱的小妻子,并且垂下头去深深凝视一会儿她的眼睛。
伊迪·博德曼问汤米·卡弗里"好了吗",他说"好啦"。于是,她就替他扣上小小短裤的钮扣,叫他跑去跟杰基玩耍:要乖乖的,可别打架。但是汤米说他要那只球, 而伊迪告诉他说:不行,娃娃在玩球呢;要是他把球拿了去,又该吵架了。然而汤米说,这是他的球, 他要自己的球。瞧,他竟然在地上跺起脚来了。好大的脾气!哦,他已经成人了, 小汤米·卡弗里成人啦,因为已经摘掉围嘴儿了嘛。伊迪对他说,不行,不行,马上走开吧, 她还告诉西酋·卡弗里,对他可不能让步。 "你不是我姐姐,"淘气包汤米说,"这是我的球。"
但是西酋·卡弗里对小娃子博德曼说,高高地望上看,看她的指头!这时,她飞快地把球抢到手,沿着沙地丢过去,汤米胜利了,就一溜烟儿拚命在后面追。
"为了图清静,怎么着都行[ 18 ],"西丝[ 19 ]笑道。
于是,她就轻搔了一下小娃子的脸蛋儿,好让他分神,哄着他玩什么市长大人出门啦,这里是他的两匹马啦,这里是他的花哨马车。瞧,他进来了,咕喽喽,咕喽喽,咕喽喽,咕。[ 20 ]然而伊迪对他非常气恼,都怪大家总是溺爱他,把他惯得这么任性。
"我恨不得揍他一顿,"她说,"至于揍哪儿,我就不说啦。"
"屁——股——呗,"西茵快活地笑道。
格蒂·麦克道维尔低下头去,单是想到她自己一辈子也说不出口的、不像是大家闺秀的话,西酋居然会这么大声说了出来,就弄得格蒂羞红了脸,浮泛出一片深玫瑰色。伊迪·博德曼估计对面那位先生准听见了她那句话。然而西酋丝毫也不在乎。"随他听去吧!"她挑衅地把头一抬,尖刻地翘起鼻子,恨不得迅雷不及掩耳地也朝他那部位来一下子。
鲁莽的西酋,长着一头古怪的黑面木偶般的鬈发,有时会惹你发笑。例如,当她问你要不要再喝点中国茶和碧玉浆果酒以及把水罐拽过去时,她那指甲上用红墨水画的男人的脸,会叫你笑破肚皮;她想去方便一下的话,就说什么要跑去拜访怀特小姐。这就是西酋一惯的作法。哦,你永远也不会忘记那个傍晚:她穿戴上父亲的衣帽,用软木炭画上口髭,边抽雪茄烟边沿着特里顿维尔[ 21 ]走去。逗起乐来,谁都赛不过她。然而她真是诚恳到家了,是上天创造的最勇敢、最真诚的一位,绝不是通常那种表里不一的家伙。甜言蜜语是不可能由衷诚恳的。
接着,合唱声和风琴奏出的嘹亮圣歌声从空中传来。这是耶稣会传教士约翰·休斯所主持的成人戒酒活动,他们在那里静修,诵《玫瑰经》,倾听布道并接受圣体降福。大家聚集在那里,彼此间没有社会阶层的畛域(那是最为感人的情景)。饱经令人厌倦的现世风暴后,在浪涛旁边这座简陋的教堂里,跪在无染原罪圣母的脚下,口诵洛雷托圣母[ 22 ]的启应祷文。用自古以来说惯了的圣母玛利亚、童贞中之圣童贞等等称呼,恳请她代他们祈求。可怜的格蒂听了,心中何等悲戚!倘若她父亲发誓戒酒或服用《皮尔逊周刊》[ 23 ]上所载的那些根除酒瘾的粉剂,摆脱了酒的魔爪,而今她蛮能乘着马车到处兜风,绝不逊于任何人。由于她讨厌室内有两个亮光,就连灯也不点。忧思重重,守着炉火的余烬出神,一遍又一遍地对自己这么说着。有时她又一连几个钟头恍恍惚惚地凝视着窗外那打在生锈的铁桶上的雨水,沉思默想。然而那个曾经破坏过多少家庭的罪孽深重的杯中物,给她的童年也投下了阴影。岂止是这样,她甚至在家里目击到酗酒引起的暴行,看到她的亲爹撒酒疯,完全失了常态。格蒂比什么都知道得清楚的是:凡是并非为了帮助女人而对女人动手的男子,理应都被打上最卑鄙者的烙印[ 24 ]。
向最有权能的童贞,最大慈大悲的童贞祈求的诵歌声继续传来。格蒂陷入沉思,对于女伴们和正在稚气地嬉戏着的双胞胎以及从沙丘草地那边走来的先生,她几乎都视而不见,听而不闻。西茜·卡弗里说那位沿着岸滩做短途散步的先生像煞格蒂她爹。不过西茜从来没见过喝得醉醺醺的他。不管怎样,她才不想要这么个爹呢。也许因为他太苍老,要么就是由于他那张脸的缘故(活脱儿像是费尔博士[ 25 ]),或是他那长满酒刺的红鼻子和鼻下那银丝斑斑的沙色口髭。可怜的爹!他缺点纵多,她依然爱他[ 26 ]。当他唱《告诉我玛丽,怎样向你求爱》[ 27 ]和"我的意中人及其茅舍在罗切尔附近[28 ] ,一家人作为晚饭吃炖乌蛤和拌上拉曾拜的生菜调味料的莴苣,以及他和迪格纳穆(那位先生因患脑溢血突然逝世,已被埋葬了,天主对他发慈悲吧)合唱《月亮升起来了》[29 ]的时候。那是她妈妈的生日,查理在家休假,还有汤姆[ 30 ]、迪格纳穆夫妇、帕齐和弗雷迪·迪格纳穆[31 ],要是大家合影留念就好了。谁也不曾料到他这么快就会死去。如今他已长眠了。她妈妈对他爹说,让他终身把这引以为戒吧。由于患痛风症,他连葬礼都没能去参加。她只好进城到他的办公室去替他取来凯茨比公司关于软木亚麻油毡的函件和样品:富于艺术性,标准图案,适于装饰豪华邸宅,耐久力极强,能使府上永远明亮而愉快。
在家里,格蒂是个真正的好女儿,恰似第二个母亲,还是个护守天使[32 ]。她那颗小小的心,贵重如黄金。当她妈妈头痛欲裂的时候,替她在前额上擦锥形薄荷锭的不是别人,正是格蒂。不过,她讨厌妈妈吸鼻烟的嗜好,母女之间也仅仅就吸鼻烟一事拌过嘴。大家都认为对人体贴入微的她是个乖妞儿。每天晚上扭紧煤气总开关的是她。她从来也没忘记过每两周在那个地方[ 33 ]撒氯酸盐。把过圣诞节时食品杂货商滕尼[34 ]先生送的日历贴在那面墙上的,也是她。那是一幅以哈尔西昂时期[ 35 ]为题材的画:一个青年绅士身着当时流行的衣服,头戴三角帽,隔着格子窗以往昔的骑士气概向他所爱慕的姑娘献上一束鲜花。可以看出,个中必有一段故事。色调十分优美。她穿的是柔和而剪裁得体的白衫,举止端庄稳重。男子则是一身巧克力色服装,显出地地道道的贵族派头。每逢她去方便一下时,就心荡神移地望着他们,挽起袖子,抚摩着自己那双像她那样白皙柔嫩的膀子[ 36 ],并驰想着那个时代的往事。因为她在外祖父吉尔特拉普所收藏的《沃克发音辞典》[ 37 ]中查到了哈尔西昂一词的含意。
现在这对双生兄弟无比和睦地玩耍着,接着,鲁莽到了家的杰基公子故意使出吃奶的力气把球猛地朝着覆满海藻的岩石踢去。不消说,可怜的汤米立即沮丧地叫了起来。幸而独自坐在那儿的一位穿黑衣的绅士仗义帮了忙,把球截住了。我们这对小选手使劲地喊叫,要求把球还给他们。为了避免惹麻烦,西茜·卡弗里就大声招呼那位绅士,请他把球扔给她。绅士用球瞄了瞄,就从岸滩朝上扔给西茜·卡弗里。但是球沿坡滚下,刚好停在格蒂的裙子下面,离岩石旁的小小水洼子不远。双胞胎又吵吵闹闹地要球,西茜叫格蒂把球踢开,任他们两个去争夺。于是,格蒂将一只脚向后一抬,暗想:要是这只笨球没滚到她这儿多好。她踢了一脚,却没踢中,招得伊迪和西茜大声笑了起来。
"失败了,就再试它一回,"[ 38 ]伊迪·博德曼说。
格蒂笑一笑,表示同意,并且咬了咬嘴唇。淡淡的粉红色爬上她俊美的两颊,然而她打定主意要让他们看个究竟。于是就把裙子稍微撩起,免得碍事,对准了目标,使劲踢了一脚。球滚得老远,那对双胞胎就跟在后面跑向满是沙砾的海滩。当然,伊迪纯粹是出于嫉妒才这么说的。惟有这样才能引起对面望着的那位绅士的注意。她感到一阵热辣辣的红晕高涨着,燃烧着她的双颊。对格蒂·麦克道维尔来说,这一向是个危险信号。在这之前,他们两人仅只极其漫不经心地交换过一下视线。而今,她大胆地从新帽子的帽檐底下瞥了他一眼。迎着她的视线的那张浮泛在暮色苍茫中的脸,憔悴而奇怪地扭歪着,她好像从未见过那么悲戚的面色。
从教堂那敞着的窗口里飘溢出阵阵馨香,同时还传来无染原罪始胎之母那些芬香的名字;妙神之器,为我等祈;可崇之器,为我等祈;圣情大器,为我等祈;玄义玫瑰。那些饱经忧患的心灵,为每天的面包操劳的,众多误入歧途,到处流浪的。他们的眼睛被悔恨之泪打湿,却又放出希望的光辉,因为可敬的休神父曾经把伟大的圣伯尔纳在他那篇歌颂玛利亚的著名祷文[ 39 ]中所说的话告诉过他们:任何时代也不曾记载过,那些恳求最虔诚的童贞玛利亚为之祈祷、有力地保护他们的人,曾被她所遗弃。
这对双胞胎如今又十分快活地玩起来了,因为儿时的烦恼犹如夏日的骤雨一般短暂。西茜·卡弗里哄着娃娃博德曼玩耍。他一会儿就快活地咯咯笑了起来,望空中拍着娃娃手。 她躲在婴儿车的篷子后面喊了声"不在",伊迪就问:"西茜哪儿去啦?"于是,西茜抽冷子伸出脑袋来大叫:"啊!"瞧,小家伙甭提有多么高兴啦!接着她又教他说"爸爸"。
"说'爸爸',娃娃。说呀:爸爸爸爸爸爸爸。"
娃娃就使出吃奶的力气来说。因为他才十一个月,大家都说他非常聪明,个子也比一般娃娃要大,简直是健康的化身,是爱情完美的小结晶。大家都说,他将成为一个了不起的人物。
"哈加、加、加、哈加。"
西茜用围嘴替他揩了揩小嘴儿,要他坐直了,说"爸爸爸";但是当她解开皮带时却大声嚷道:"哎呀呀,这娃娃都湿透啦,得把垫在下面的小毛毯翻过来重新叠一叠。"当然喽,娃娃陛下对这种方便安排极为抵触,并且让人人都知晓:
"哈吧啊、吧啊哈吧啊、吧啊啊。"
于是,两大行晶莹的泪水沿着他的面颊滚滚淌下。用那套乖乖乖,娃娃乖来哄他,给他讲咭咭的故事,告诉他噗噗在哪儿都是白搭;然而一向能随机应变的西茜把奶瓶嘴往他的嘴里一塞,这下子小异教徒立即被安抚了。
格蒂衷心巴望他们能把咭哇乱叫的娃娃打这儿领回家去,免得再刺激她的神经。现在已不适宜呆在外面了,对那孪生的调皮鬼来说也是一样。她放眼凝望着海洋远处。那景色宛如画匠用彩色粉笔在马路上做的画。多么可惜,那一幅幅的画就全留在那儿等人给抹掉。暮色渐深,云雾弥漫,霍斯岬角的贝利灯台的光,乐声萦回耳际。还吹来教堂里所焚的馨香气味。她一边眺望着,一边心里怦怦直跳。可不是嘛,他瞧的正是她呢,而且他的目光是意味深长的。他的眼神犹如烈火,烧进她的内心,仿佛要把她搜索个透,要对她的灵魂了如指掌。那是一双神采奕奕的眼睛,表情丰富,可是信得过吗?人们就是这样古怪。从他那双黑眼睛和苍白而富于理智的脸来看,他是个外国人,长得跟她所收藏的那帧红极一时的小生马丁·哈维[ 40 ]的照片一模一样。只不过多了两撇小胡子。然而她更喜欢有胡子,因为她不像温妮·里平哈姆那样一心一意想当演员,看了一出戏[ 41 ] 后就说咱们老是穿同样的衣服吧。但是她看不出坐在那边的他,长的是鹰钩鼻呢,还是不明显的狮子鼻[ 42 ]。她看得出,他身穿纯黑的丧服,戚容满面,为了了解个中原因,她不惜任何代价。他纹丝不动,专心致志地仰望着。当她踢球的时候,他瞅见了她怎样趾尖朝下,把脚摆动得很细心,也许他还看到了她鞋上那锃亮的钢质饰扣哩。她很高兴由于某种预感而穿上了这双透明的袜子。原来想的是兴许雷吉·怀利会出门,然而那已经过去了。她一向梦寐以求的,就在眼前。重要的是他,她喜形于色,因为她要他;因为她直觉地感到,他跟任何人都不一样。这个稚气未脱的女人的整个儿一颗心,扑向他——她幻梦中的丈夫,因为她一眼就看出他就是她的意中人。倘若他受过苦,没有犯多大罪,却受了很大冤屈[ 43 ];不,哪怕他本人就是个罪人,一个坏人,她也满不在乎。即使他是个新教徒或遁道公会教徒,倘若他真心爱她, 她还是不难把他改变过来的。[ 44 ] 有些创伤只能用爱情的香膏来医治。她是个温柔的女性,不像他所认识的那种没有女人气的轻浮丫头,那些骑上自行车到处炫耀自己所并不具备的品质的人们。她渴望他能把什么都告诉自己,她什么都能宽恕;倘若她能使他爱上自己, 她就能使他忘掉过去的回忆[ 45 ]。那样一来,他或许就会像个真正的男子汉那样温存地拥抱她,把她那绵软的身子紧紧地搂住,爱她——唯一属于他的姑娘。他只爱她一个人。
罪人之避难所,苦恼者之安慰。为我等祈。[46 ]这话说得对:凡是怀着信仰持续不断地向她祷告者,永远不会迷失方向或遭到遗弃。说圣母是受苦受难者的避难港也是贴切的,因为她自己的心脏就被七苦[ 47 ] 刺穿了。格蒂能够想象得出教堂里的一切情景:被灯光照亮的彩色玻璃,蜡烛,鲜花,圣母玛利亚教友会的蓝色旗帜。 康罗伊神父在祭坛上协助教堂蒙席奥汉龙,他双目低垂,把一些圣器搬出搬进。 他看上去几乎是一位圣徒。他那间忏悔阁子是那么宁静、清洁、幽暗,他那双手白得像蜡一般。 倘若有朝一日她当上了多明我会的修女,身着白袍,说不定他会到女修道院来主持圣多明我的九日敬礼[ 48 ]哩。她在忏悔的当儿告诉他那档子事后,生怕他看得见,连头发根儿都羞红了。他却说, 不要苦恼,因为那不过是自然的声音,而我们生在现世,都要服从自然的规律。 那不是什么过错, 因为它来自天主所制定的妇女天性。他还说,我们的圣母玛利亚本人就曾对大天使加百列说过:"愿你的话应验在我身上。"[ 49 ]他是那样的和蔼、圣洁,她多次想做一只带褶饰的绣花茶壶保温罩送给他。要么就是一只座钟。只是那一天她为了四十小时朝拜[50 ]用的鲜花而去那里时,曾注意到他们的壁炉台上摆着一只白、金两色的座钟, 一只金丝雀从一个小屋里踱出报时。想知道送什么礼物合适可真难哪。干脆送一本都柏林或什么地方的彩色风景画册吧。
令人发急的双生小家伙们又吵起来了。杰基把球朝大海丢去,两个人一道跟在后面追。这样的小猴儿就像沟里的水似的,到处乱蹿。除非什么人把他们双双逮住,狠狠地揍上一顿,他们是不会消停下来的。西茜和伊迪大声喊他们回来,生怕会涨潮,把他们淹死。
"杰基!汤米!"
他们才不回来呢!多么任性的娃娃们呀!西茜说,她再也不带他们出门啦。她跳起来,喊叫他们,从他身边擦过去,跑下了坡,头发披散在背后。头发的颜色倒还过得去,只是不够浓密,尽管她不断地擦着什么药,由于不对路子,总也不见长。所以她对那药的怨气可大啦。她像雄鹅一般迈着大步跑,裙子箍得那么紧,令人惊异的是居然没裂开。西茜·卡弗里颇像个假小子,只要认为有个一显身手的机会,就不放弃。她有双飞毛腿,跑起来她那皮包骨的腿肚子抬得高高的,能够让他看到她的衬裙下摆。为了使身材显得高一些,她特意穿上了弓形的法国式高跟鞋。要是不巧绊倒在什么东西上头,摔了个屁股墩儿,那才活该呢。看哪![ 51 ]满可以让像那样一位绅士赏心悦目的了。
他们向诸天神之王后,诸圣祖之王后,诸先知之王后,诸圣人之王后,至圣玫瑰之王后祷告。然后,康罗伊神父把香炉递给教堂蒙席奥汉龙。他添上香料,把圣心薰香。西茜·卡夫里逮住了双胞胎,她恨不得掴他们几个大耳刮子,但是想到他也许在瞧着,所以她没这么做。然而西茜一辈子也没有过更大的误会,因为格蒂即使不看也能知道,他始终目不转睛地看着的是她。然后,教堂蒙席奥汉龙将香炉递还给康罗伊神父,跪下来瞻仰圣心。唱诗班开始吟唱堂堂圣体。她随着堂堂圣体奥——妙至极[ 52 ]的悠扬乐声,用一只脚一前一后地踩着拍子。她在乔治街的斯帕罗商店花三先令十一便士买下了这双长袜。那是星期二,不——是复活节前的星期一。他定睛望着的正是这双连一根线也没绽的透明袜子,而不是西茜那双毫无可取、一点样儿也没有的袜子(真是丢人现眼!)他有眼光,辨别得出其间的差别。
西茜领着一对双胞胎带着他们的球,沿着沙滩走来了。由于跑了一阵,帽子歪到一边去了,勉强扣在脑袋上。两个星期前才买的便宜衬衫像抹布似的耷拉在背后,还邋里邋遢地拖出一截衬裙下摆,那副样子简直像是拖着两个娃娃的荡妇[53 ] 。为了整理一下头发,格蒂摘了一会儿帽子。还没见过一个少女肩上披散着这么漂亮、优美的一头深栗色鬈发呢。 看上去如此娇艳可爱,说实在的,妖娆得几乎令人发狂。 你得走上多少英里漫长的道路才能遇上这么一头美发。她几乎可以看到他对此蓦地做出的反应: 两眼闪过一丝赞赏的目光,她的每一根神经都为之震颤。她戴上帽子,好从帽檐底下窥伺。 当她瞥见他眼睛里的神情时,不禁紧张起来,就赶快甩开那只有着饰扣的鞋。 他就像是蛇盯住猎物般地盯着她。女人的本能告诉她,她唤醒了他心中的魔鬼。这么一想, 一片火红色就从喉咙刷地掠到眉字间,最后,她那鲜活的面庞变成一朵容光焕发的玫瑰。
伊迪·博德曼也发觉了这一点,因为她一面斜起眼睛望着格蒂,一面像个老处女似的戴着眼镜,半笑不笑的,假装在哄娃娃。她动不动就生气,像一只蚋似的,永远也改不了,因此谁都跟她处不好。与她毫无关系的事,她也会横加干涉。于是,她就对格蒂说:
"你呆呆地在想什么呢?"
"什么?"格蒂回答说,皓齿使她的微笑格外迷人,"我只是纳闷着天色是不是太晚了。"
因为她巴不得她们早些把这对净流鼻涕的双胞胎和那个娃娃领回家去,省得他们老在这里淘气,所以才委婉地暗示天色已晚的话。当西茜走上来时,伊迪问她几点了。爱耍贫嘴的西茜小姐说,接吻时间已过了半小时,到了再接吻一次的时刻啦[54 ] 。然而伊迪还是想知道时间,因为家里要他们早点儿回去。
"等一等,"西茜说,"我跑去问问那边的我那位彼得伯伯[ 55],他那只大破表几点钟啦。"
于是,她走过去了。当他瞧见她走过来时,格蒂看到他把手从兜里掏出来,紧张地边抬头望望教堂边摆弄着表链。格蒂看得出,尽管他是个多情的人,自我抑制力却极强。刚才他还被一位情女弄得神魂颠倒,目不转睛地盯着她看;转瞬之间他又成为举止安详、神态端庄的绅士了,堂堂仪表的每个线条都显示出他的自制力。
西茜对他说,劳驾,能不能麻烦他告诉她一下准确的时间?格蒂看见他掏出表,听了听,仰起脸来,清了清喉咙,说他非常抱歉,他的表停了。然而,他估计八点过了,因为太阳已经落下。从他的声音听得出是有教养的,语调虽平稳,圆润的嗓音却带点颤巍。西茜道了谢,走回来伸伸舌头说,那位伯伯说他的水道[ 56 ] 堵塞啦。
接着,他们唱起"跪拜赞颂"第二段。教堂蒙席奥汉龙又站起来,向圣体献香, 重新跪下。他告诉康罗伊神父,有一枝蜡几乎把鲜花点着了,康罗伊神父便起身去侍弄好。格蒂瞧见那位绅士正在给表上弦。听到那咔嗒咔嗒声,她越发使劲一前一后地甩腿打着拍子。天色越来越黑下来了,但是他还看得见,而且不论正给表上弦还是摆弄它的当儿,他都一直在看着。随后,他把表塞回去,双手揣在兜里。她感到一股激情涌遍全身,凭着头皮的感觉和触碰胸衣时引起的焦躁感,告诉她那个想必快来了。因为上次她为了新月而铰头发时,就有过这样的感觉。他那双黑黑眸子又盯住她了,陶醉在她的整个轮廓里,扑扑实实地参拜着她的神龛。倘若男人那热情洋溢的注视中含有不加掩饰的爱慕的话,那就在此人脸上表露得再清楚不过了。都是为了你呀,格楚德·麦克道维尔,而且你是知道的。
伊迪开始准备回去,而且也到了该回去的时刻。格蒂留意到,她所给的小小暗示已产生了预期的效果,因为沿着岸滩走上一大段路才能够抵达把婴儿车推上大道的地方。西茜摘掉双胞胎的便帽,替他们拢了拢头发,当然,这是为了使她自己富于魅力。身穿领口打着褶子的祭袍的教堂蒙席奥汉龙站了起来,康罗伊神父递给他一张卡片来读。于是,他诵读起你赐与他们神粮[57 ] 。伊迪和西茜一直在谈论时间,还向格蒂打听。格蒂倒也善于以其人之道还治其身,口气辛辣而彬彬有礼地做了答复。这时伊迪又问格蒂,她莫非是由于遭到男朋友的遗弃而心碎。一阵剧烈的痉挛穿过格蒂的全身。刹那间,她的眼睛里闪出冰冷的火焰,显示出无限轻蔑。她受到了创伤——对,深重的创伤。伊迪活像是一只可恶的小猫,偏偏用一种独特的安详口吻说这类明知道会伤害对方的活。格蒂旋即张开嘴要说什么,但是她竭力抑制住涌到嗓子眼里的哽咽——她喉咙的造型细溜、完美而俊秀,像是艺术家所梦寐以求的。她对那个青年爱得比他所知道的还要强烈。他跟所有其他男性一样,是个轻浮的负心人,见异思迁,永远也不会理解他在她心目中是何等重要。她那双蓝眼睛倏地热泪盈眶。她们两个人的眼睛冷酷无情地盯着她望。但是她却英勇地以同情的目光瞟了她新征服的那个男子一眼,让她们瞧瞧。
"哦,"格蒂闪电般地回应着,傲然扬起头,笑着说,"这是个闰年嘛,我喜欢谁,就追求谁。"
她的话清澈如水晶,比斑尾林鸽咕咕的叫声还要悦耳;然而却像冰块似的划破了寂静。她那年轻的声音宣告说:她可不是能够随随便便地被人摆布的。至于凭着几个钱就那么神气活现的雷吉先生,她蛮可以当作垃圾一样地把他抛掉,再也不会想到他,并把他寄来的那张无聊的明信片撕个粉碎。倘若今后他胆敢放肆,她就会从容冷静地对他投以轻蔑的一瞥,使他当场蜷缩作一团。寒酸小姐小伊迪的神情颇为沮丧。格蒂看到她脸色非常阴沉,便知道这个鲁莽自负的丫头简直气得厉害,尽管她还在掩饰。因为格蒂那句锋利的话刺穿了她那小气的嫉妒心。她们两人都知道,格蒂子然一身,与众不同,属于另一个星球。她不是她们当中的一个,永远也不会是。另外一位先生也晓得这一点,并且亲眼看到了。让她们扪心自问去吧。[ 58 ]
伊迪把娃娃博德曼的衣服整理停当,准备动身了。西茜将皮球、铲子和桶一古脑儿塞进去。而且确实也该回去了,因为睡魔已经来接小少爷博德曼了。西茜也告诉他说,伙伴眨巴眼儿快来了,娃娃该睡啦。娃娃看上去简直太可爱了,他抬起一双喜气洋洋的眼睛笑着。西茜为了逗乐儿戳了一下他那胖胖的小肚皮,娃娃连声对不起也没说,却把他的答谢一古脑儿送到他那崭新的围嘴上了。
"啊唷!布丁和馅饼!"西茜大叫了一声,"他把围嘴儿糟塌啦。"
这一小小事故[ 59 ] 给她添了麻烦,然而转眼她就把这档子小事料理好了。
格蒂将冒到嗓子眼儿的喊叫抑制住了,神经质地咳嗽了一下。伊迪问她怎么啦?她差点儿对伊迪说,谁有工夫回答你这种过了时的问题!然而她是向来不忘记上流妇女的举止的,所以就十分机敏地说了句"正在举行降福仪式呢",就给敷衍过去了。刚好这当儿,宁静的海滨传来教堂的钟声,教堂蒙席正站在祭坛上(肩上的纱中是康罗伊神父替他披上去的),手捧圣心,举行降福仪式。
暮色苍茫,这片景色是多么地动人啊。爱琳那最后一抹姿容,晚钟[60 ]那扣人心弦的合奏;同时从爬满常春藤的钟楼里飞出一只蝙蝠,穿过黄昏,东飞西飞,发出微弱的哀鸣。她能看见远处灯塔的光,美丽如画。她巴不得自己带着一匣颜料,因为写生比画人物素描要容易。灯夫很快就会沿路点起街灯了。他将走过长老会教堂场地,沿着特里顿维尔大树的树荫下踱来。人们成双成对地在这里漫步。他还点燃她那扇窗户附近的一盏灯,雷吉·怀利常在这里骑车表演空轮[ 61 ],就像卡明女士那本《点灯夫》中所描述的那样。她也是《梅布尔·沃恩》和其他一些故事的作者[62]。格蒂有着无人知晓的梦想。她喜爱读诗。伯莎·萨波尔送给她一本珊瑚色封面的漂亮忏悔簿,以便她把随感记下来。她就将它放到梳妆台抽屉里了。这张桌子虽不豪华,却整洁干净得纤尘不染。这是姑娘的宝库, 收藏着玳瑁梳子、"玛利亚的孩子"[ 63 ] 徽章、白玫瑰香水、描眉膏、雪花石膏香盒、替换着钉在洗衣房刚送回来的衣服上用的丝带等。忏悔薄上记载着她用紫罗兰色墨水(是从戴姆街希利[ 64 ]的店里买来的)写下的一些隽永的思想。因为她感到, 只要她能够像如此深深地感染了她的这首诗那样表达自己,她就也能够写诗。那还是一天傍晚,她从包蔬菜的报纸上找到并抄下来的。以《我理想的人儿,你是凡人吗?》 为题的此诗作者是玛赫拉非尔特的路易斯·J。沃尔什。后面还有什么"薄暮中,你会到来吗?"之句[ 65 ]。诗是那样可爱,其中所描绘的无常之美是那样令人悲伤,以致她的眼睛曾多次被沉默的泪水模糊了。因为她感到时光年复一年地逝去,倘非有那唯一的缺陷,她原是不用怕跟任何人竞争的。那次事故是她下多基山时发生的,她总是试图掩盖它。但是她感到,应该了结啦。倘若她看到了他眼中那种着了魔般的诱惑,那就什么力量也阻止不住她了。爱情嘲笑锁匠[66 ]。她会付出巨大的牺牲,尽一切力量和他心心相印。她将会比整个世界对他更为亲密,并使他的生活由于幸福而熠熠生辉。有个最重要的问题:她渴望知道他究竟是个有妇之夫,抑或是个丧偶的鳏夫呢,要么就像那位来自歌之国[67]有着外国名字的贵族,他只好把妻子关进疯人医院——为了仁慈,不得不采取残忍手段。[68]真是悲剧!然而即便如此——那又怎么样?难道会有多大分别吗?她禀性高尚,对任何稍微有点粗俗的东西,都会本能地回避开。她讨厌那种在多德尔河畔的客栈附近跟大兵以及粗俗的男人鬼混的浪荡女人。她们毫不爱惜少女的贞操,丢尽女人的脸,给抓到警察局去。不,不,那种事我可不干。他们仅仅是好朋友而已,就像是大哥哥和小妹妹,完全没有那方面的事,尽管并不符合一般社交界的惯例[ 69 ]。也许他在哀悼已淡忘了的往昔岁月[70]的情人呢。 她认为她是理解的。她要试图理解他,因为男人们是那样地不同。老情人等待着,伸出白皙的小手等待着,还有那双动人的蓝眼睛。我的意中人!她会跟随她梦中之恋,服从她心灵的指挥。它告诉她,他是她一切的一切。整个世界上,他是她唯一的男人,因为爱情才是最有权威的向导。其他都无所谓。不管怎样,她就是要无拘无束,自由奔放。
教堂蒙席奥汉龙将圣体放回圣龛,屈膝跪拜。接着,唱诗班唱起:列国啊,你们要颂赞上主[ 71 ]!然后,他锁上圣龛,因为降福仪式已结束。康罗伊神父递给他帽子让他戴上。刁猫伊迪间格蒂走不走,可是杰基·卡弗里嚷道:
"啊,看哪,西茜!"
于是,他们都看了。原以为那是一道闪电,然而汤米也看见了:在教堂旁边的树林上空,起初是蓝的,继而是绿的和紫的。
"放焰火哪!"西茜·卡弗里说。
于是,为了观赏屋舍和教堂上空的焰火,她们全都慌慌张张地沿着岸滩跑去。伊迪推着娃娃博德曼所坐的那辆婴儿车,西茜拉着汤米和杰基的手,免得他们栽跟头。
"来呀,格蒂,"西茜大声叫道,"是义卖会[ 72 ] 的焰火哩。"
然而格蒂态度坚决,无意听任她们摆布。倘若她们能够像荡妇[ 73]那样野跑,她蛮可以这么原地坐着;所以她说,她从自己坐的地方也瞧得见。那双紧盯着她的眼睛,使她的心怦怦直跳。她瞥了他一眼,视线同他相遇。那道光穿透了她全身。那张脸上有着炽热的激情,像坟墓般寂静的激情。她遂成为他的了。终于只剩下他们两个了,再也没有人刺探并叽叽喳喳。而且她晓得他是至死不渝的,坚定不移,牢固可靠,通身刚正不阿。他的双手和五官都在活动,于是,她浑身颤栗起来。她尽量仰着身子,用目光寻觅那焰火,双手抱膝,免得栽倒。除了他和她而外,没有一个人在看着,所以她把她那双俊秀而形态优美、娇嫩柔韧而细溜丰腴的小腿整个儿裸露出来。她似乎听到他那颗心的悸跳,粗声粗气的喘息,因为她也晓得像他那样血气方刚的男人,会有着怎样的情欲。还因为一次伯莎·萨波尔告诉过她一桩绝对的秘密,并要她发誓永远不说出去。她家的一位在人口密集地区调查局[ 74 ]工作的房客,从报纸上剪下那些表演短裙舞和翘腿舞的舞女的照片。她说,他不时地在床上做些不大文雅的勾当,这,你也想象得到吧。不过,眼下这档子事可跟那个大不相同,情况完全两样。她几乎觉得他使她的脸贴近他自己的脸,并用他那俊俏的嘴唇飞快地给了她一个热烈的初吻。再说,只要你在婚前不做那另一档子事,罪行就能得到赦免。应该设个女忏悔师,即便你不说出口,她们也能领会得一清二楚。西茜·卡弗里两眼有时也露出梦幻般的恍惚神情,唷,她准也是那样的。还有温妮·里平哈姆,对一些男演员的照片简直入了迷,而且是由于那个快来了,才会有这种感觉。
这时,杰基·卡弗里大声嚷道:"瞧,又来了一个。"格蒂把上半身往后仰,露出的蓝袜带刚好同透明的长袜子般配。他们都瞅见了,并且都嚷着:"瞧,瞧,就在那儿。"她一个劲儿地往后仰着看那焰火。这时,有个软软的古怪玩艺儿腾空飞来飞去,黑黑的。她瞧见一只长长的罗马蜡烛[ 75 ]高高地蹿到树木上空,高高地,高高地。大家紧张地沉默着。待它越升越高时,大家兴奋得大气儿不出。为了追踪着瞧,她只好越发往后仰。焰火越升越高。几乎望不到了。由于拼命往后仰,她脸上洋溢出一片神圣而迷人的红晕。他还能看到她旁的什么:抚摩皮肤的印度薄棉布裤衩,因为是白色的,比四先令十一便士的那条绿色佩蒂怀斯牌的看得更清楚。那袒露给他,并意识到了他的视线;焰火升得那么高,刹那间望不到了。她往后仰得太厉害,以致四肢发颤,膝盖以上高高的,整个儿映入他的眼帘。就连打秋千或膛水时,她也不曾让人这么看过。她固然不知羞耻,而他像那样放肆地盯着看,倒也不觉得害臊。他情不自禁地凝望着一半是送上来的这令人惊异的袒露,看啊,看个不停:就像着短裙的舞女们当着绅士们的面那么没羞没臊。她恨不得抽抽嗒嗒地对他喊叫,朝他伸出那双雪白、细溜的双臂,让他过来,并将他的嘴唇触到她那白皙的前额上。这是一个年轻姑娘的爱之呼声,从她的胸脯里绞出来的、被抑制住的小声叫唤,古往今来这叫喊一直响彻着。这当儿一支"火箭"蹿了上去,蹦的一声射向黑暗的夜空。哦,紧接着,"罗马蜡烛"爆开来,恰似哦的一声叹息。每一个人都兴高采烈地哦哦直叫。这当儿,喷出一股金发丝,像雨一般倾泻下来。啊!全都是绿色的、露水般的星群,滔滔不绝地散发着金光,哦,多么可爱,哦,多么柔和,甜蜜,柔和!
然后,一切都宛若露水一般融化到灰色的氛围里。万籁俱寂。啊!当她敏捷地向前弯过身去的时候,瞥了他一眼。这是感伤的短短一瞥,带有可怜巴巴的抗议和羞怯的嗔怪,弄得他像个少女一般飞红了脸。他正倚着背后的岩石。在那双年轻天真的眼睛面前,利奥波德·布卢姆(因为这正是他)耷拉着脑袋,默默地站着。他是何等地残忍啊!又干了吗?一个纯洁美丽的灵魂向他呼唤,而他这个卑鄙的家伙竟做出了什么样的回应呢?他简直下流透顶!偏偏是他!然而她那双眼睛里却蕴蓄着无穷无尽的慈祥,连对他也有一句宽恕的话,尽管他做错了事,犯了罪,误入歧途。一个姑娘家应该倾吐出来吗?不,一千个不。这是他们的秘密——仅属于他们两个人之间的秘密。他们两个人独自藏身在薄暮中,没有人知晓,他们也不会泄露。除了那只穿过薄暮轻盈地飞来飞去的小蝙蝠,而小蝙蝠们是不会泄露隐情的。
西茜 · 弗里学着足球场上的少年们那么吹口哨,以便显示她多么了不起。接着,她喊道:
"格蒂!格蒂!我们走啦。来吧。从那边高处也瞧得见。"
格蒂想起了主意——一个小小的爱情策略。她把一只手伸进手绢兜里,掏出那块洒了香水的棉布,挥动几下作为回答。当然不让他知道用意,然后又把它悄俏地放了回去。不晓得他是不是离得太远了。她站了起来。分别了吗?她非走不可啦,然而他们还会在那儿见面的。直到那时——直到明天,她都会重温今晚这个好梦的。她站直了身子。他们的灵魂在依依不舍的最后一瞥中相遇。射到她心坎儿上的他那视线,充满了奇异的光辉,如醉如痴地死死盯着她那美丽如花的脸。她对他露出苍白的微笑,表示宽恕的温柔的微笑,热泪盈眶的微笑。接着,两个人就分手了。
她连头都没回,慢慢地沿着坑坑洼洼的岸滩走向西茜、伊迪,走向杰基与汤米·卡弗里,走向小娃娃博德曼。暮色更浓了,岸滩上有着石头、碎木片儿以及容易让人滑倒的海藻。她以特有的安详和威严款款而行,小心翼翼,而且走得非常慢,因为——因为格蒂·麦克道维尔是……
靴子太紧了吗?不。她是个瘸子!哦!
布卢姆先生守望着她一瘸一拐地离去。可怜的姑娘!所以旁人才撇下她,一溜烟儿跑掉了。一直觉得她的动作有点儿别扭来着。被遗弃的美人儿。女人要是落了残疾,得倒楣十倍。可这会使她们变得文雅。幸而她袒露的时候我还不曾知道这一点。不论怎样,她毕竟是个风流的小妞儿。我倒不在乎。犹如对修女、黑女人或戴眼镜的姑娘所抱的那种好奇心。那个斜眼儿姑娘倒也挺爱挑剔的。我估计她的经期快到了,所以才那么烦躁。今天我的头疼得厉害。[ 76 ]我把信放在哪儿啦,嗯,不要紧。各种古怪的欲望。舔舔一便士的硬币什么的。那个修女说,特兰奎拉女修道院[ 77 ]有个姑娘爱闻石油气味。估计处女们到头来会发疯的。修女吗?如今都柏林有多少修女呢?玛莎,她。能够有所觉察。都是月亮的关系。既然这样,为什么所有的女人不在同一个月亮升上来的时候一齐来月经呢?我推测这要看她们是什么时候生的。兴许开头一致,后来就错开了,有时摩莉和米莉赶在同一个时候。反正我沾了光,亏得今天上午在澡堂里我没为她那封"我可要惩罚你啦"的傻信干上一通。今儿早晨电车司机那档子事,这下子也得到了补偿。[ 78 ]那个骗子麦科伊拦住了我,说了一通废话。什么他老婆要到乡间去巡回演出啦,手提箱啦,[ 79 ],那嗓门就像是鹤嘴锄。为点小恩小惠就很感激。而且要价不高,有求必应。因为她们自己也想搞。这是她们生来的欲望。每天傍晚,她们成群结伙地从办公室里往外涌。你不如做出一副冷漠的样子。你不要,她们就会送上门来。那么就捉活蹦乱跳的吧。噢,可惜她们看不到自己。关于涨得鼓鼓的紧身裤的那场梦。是在哪儿看的来着?啊,对啦。卡佩尔街上的活动幻灯器[ 80 ] :仅许成年男子观看。《从钥匙孔里偷看的汤姆》[ 81 ]。《姑娘们拿威利的帽子做了什么?那些姑娘的镜头究竟是抓拍的呢,还是故意做戏呢?棉布汗衫[ 82 ]给以刺激。抚摩她那曲线[ 83]。那样一来,也会使她们兴奋的。我是十分干净的,来把我弄脏了吧。在做出牺牲之前,她们还爱相互打扮。米莉可喜欢摩莉的新衬衫了。起初,统统穿上去,无非是为了再脱个精光。摩莉。所以我才给她买了一副紫罗兰色的袜带。我们也一样。他系的领带,他那漂亮的短袜和裤脚翻边儿的长裤。我们初次见面的那个晚上,[ 84 ],他穿了双高帮松紧靴。他那件华丽衬衫闪闪发光,外面罩了件什么呢?黑玉色的。女人每摘掉一根饰针,就失去一份魅力。靠饰针拢在一起。哦,玛丽亚丢了衬裤的饰针。[ 85 ]为某人打扮得尽善尽美。赶时髦是女性魅力的一部分。你一旦探出女人的秘密,她的态度就起变化。东方的可不同。玛丽亚,玛莎。[ 86 ]从前是如此,现在还是如此。不会拒绝任何正正经经提出来的要求。她也并不着急。去会男人时,女人总是急匆匆的,她们从来不爽约。也许是出于一种投机心理。她们相信机缘,因为她们本身就像是机缘。另外那两个动辄就对她说上一句莫名其妙的挖苦话。学校里的女伴儿们相互搂着脖子或彼此把十指勾在一起。在女修道院的庭园里又是接吻,又是嘁嘁喳喳说些莫须有的秘密。修女们那一张张白得像石灰水般的脸,素净的头巾以及举上举下的念珠。对她们自己得不到的东西说着尖刻的话语。铁蒺藜[ 87 ]。喏,一定要给我写信啊。我也会给你写的。一定的,好吗?摩莉和乔西·鲍威尔[ 88 ]。以后白马王子来了,就轻易见不着面了。看哪![89 ] 哦,天哪,瞧,那是谁呀!你好吗?你都干什么来着?(亲吻)真高兴,(再吻一下)能够见到你。相互挑剔对方的衣装。你这身打扮真漂亮。 姊妹般的感情。相互龇着牙齿。你还剩几个孩子呀?彼此连一撮盐也不肯借给对方。
啊!
身上那玩艺儿一来,女人就成了魔鬼。神色阴沉可怕。摩莉常常告诉我,只觉得什么都有一英吨重。"替我搔搔脚底板儿。哦,就这样!哦,舒服极啦! "连我都会有那么一种感觉。偶尔休息一下是有好处的。身上来了的时候搞,也不晓得好不好。从某一方面来说是安全的。会把牛奶变酸,使提琴啪的一声断了弦。有点像我在什么书上读到过的关于花园里的树都会枯了的事。他们还说,要是哪个女人佩带的花儿枯了,她就是个卖弄风情者。她们都是。我敢说她对我有所觉察。当你有那种感觉的时候,常常会遇见跟你有同样感觉的人。她对我有好感吗?她们总先注意服装打扮。一眼就能知道谁在献着殷勤。硬领和袖口。喏。公鸡和狮子也这么样吗?还有雄鹿。同时,她们兴许喜欢松开来的领带或是什么的。长裤?那时候我该不至于……吧?不,要轻轻地搞。莽莽撞撞会招对方讨厌。摸着黑儿接吻,永远莫说出口。[ 90 ]她看中了我的什么地方。不知道是哪一点。她宁可要保持真正面目的我,也不要个所谓诗人,那种头发上涂满胶泥般的熊油, 右边的眼镜片上耷拉着一络爱发[ 91 ]。协助一位先生从事文字工作。[ 92 ]。到了我这年纪,就该注意一下仪表了。我没让她瞧见我的侧脸。可也难说。漂亮姑娘会嫁给丑男人。美女与野兽。[ 93 ]而且我不能那样做,倘若摩莉……她摘下帽子来显示头发。宽檐的。买来遮掩她的脸。 要是遇见了可能认识她的人,就低下头去,或是捧起一束鲜花来闻。动情的时候,头发的气味很强烈。当我们住在霍利斯街日子过得很紧的时候,我曾把摩莉脱落的头发卖了十先令。那有什么关系呢?只要他给她钱,为什么不可以呢?这全都是偏见。她值十先令,十五先令,也许还不止——值一镑哩。什么?我是这么想的。一个钱也不要。笔力遒劲:玛莉恩太太[ 94 ]。我忘没忘记在那封信上写地址呢,就像我寄给弗林的那张明信片那样?再就是那一天我连领带都没系就到德里米公司[ 95] 去了。和摩莉拌了嘴,弄得我心烦意乱。不,我想起来了。是在里奇·古尔丁家。他的景况也一样,心思很重。奇怪,我的表四点半钟就停了,准是灰尘闹的。他们曾经用鲨鱼肝油来擦油垢。我自己都干得了。节约嘛。时间是不是刚好他和她?
哦,他搞了。进入了她。她搞了。搞完了。
啊!
布卢姆先生小心翼翼地动手整理他那湿了的衬衫。哦,天哪,那个瘸腿小鬼。开始感到凉冰冰黏糊糊的。事后的滋味并不好受。反正你也得想办法把它抹掉。她们才不在乎呢;也许还觉得受到恭维了呢。回到家, 吃上一顿美味的面包牛奶, 跟娃娃们一道作晚间祷告。喏,她们不就是这样的吗?要是看穿了女人的本色,就大失风趣了。无论如何也得有舞台装置、胭脂、衣装、身份、音乐。还有名字。女演员们的恋爱[ 96 ]。内尔·格温、布雷斯格德尔夫人[ 97 ]、莫德·布兰斯科姆[ 98 ] 。启幕。灿烂的银色月光。胸中充满忧郁的少女出现。小情人儿,来吻我吧。我依然感觉得出。它给与男人的力量。这就是其中的奥妙。从迪格纳穆家一出来,我就在墙后痛痛快快地干了一场。都是由于喝了苹果酒的关系。不然的话,我是不会的。事后你就想唱唱歌。事业是神圣的。嗒啦。嗒啦[ 99 ]。假若我跟她说话呢。说些什么?不过,你要是不晓得怎样结束这谈话,可就糟啦。向她们提一个问题,她们也会问你一句,倘若谈不下去了,这么问也是个办法。可以争取时间。可是那么一来,你就走入困境啦。当然,如果你打招呼说:晚上好;对方也有意,就会回答说:晚上好,那就太妙啦。哦,可那个黑夜在阿皮安路上,我差点儿跟克林奇太太那么打招呼,噢,以为她是那个。哎呀!那天晚上在米思街遇到的那个姑娘。我叫她把所有的脏活都说遍了。当然,说得驴唇不对马嘴。说什么我的方舟[ 100 ] 。想找个像样的有多么难哪。喂喂!要是她们来拉客而你却不理睬,她们一定会难堪吧。后来也就铁了心。当我多付给她两先令时,她吻了我的手。鹦鹉。一按电钮,鸟儿就会叽叽叫唤。她要是没称我作"先生"就好了。哦,黑暗中,她那张嘴啊!哦,你这个有家室的人跟这个黄花姑娘!女人就喜欢这么样。把另外一个女人的男人夺过来。或者,哪怕就这么说说。我可不然。我愿意离旁人的老婆远远的。凭什么吃旁人的残羹剩饭!今天在巴顿饭馆里,那家伙把齿龈嚼过的软骨吐了出去。[ 101 ] "法国信"[ 102 ] 还在我的皮夹子里哪。一半祸端就是它[ 103 ]引起来的。但是有时可能会发生哩,我想不至于吧。进来吧[ 104 ] ,什么都准备好啦。我做了个梦。梦见什么?最坏的开始发生了。女人一不顺心就转换话题。问你喜不喜欢蘑菇,因为她曾经认识一位喜欢蘑菇的先生。如果什么人说了半截话,念头一转住了口,她就问你那人究竟想说什么来着、不过我要是一不做二不休的话,就会说"我想搞"什么的。因为我真是想搞嘛。她也想。先冒犯她,再向她讨好。先假装非常要一样东西,随后又为她的缘故把它放弃了。拼命夸她。她很可能一直都在想着旁的什么男人。那又有什么关系呢?她从懂事以来想的就是男人,这个男人和那个男人。头一回的接吻就使她开了窍。那是幸福的一刹那。在她们内部有个什么突然萌动起来。痴情,眼神里含着痴情,偷偷摸摸的。最早的情愫是最美好的。直到死去的那一天都会铭记心头。摩莉,马尔维中尉在花园旁边的摩尔墙脚下吻了她。[ 105 ] 她告诉我,当时她才十五岁。然而奶头已经丰满了。那一次她睡着了。发生在格伦克里的宴会结束之后,我们驱车回家去,翻过羽毛山。她在睡梦中咬着牙。市长大人也用两眼盯着她。维尔·狄龙[106 ] 。患有中风。
她正在下边等着看焰火呢。我的焰火啊。蹿上去时像火箭,下来时像棍子[107] 。那两个孩子想必是双胞胎,等着瞧热闹。巴不得长大成人, 穿上妈妈的衣服。时间充裕得很,逐渐懂得了一切人情世故。还有那个皮肤黑黑的丫头,头发乱蓬蓬的,嘴巴像黑人。我晓得她会吹口哨,天生的一张吹口哨的嘴。就像摩莉。说起来,詹米特旅馆[108 ]里的高级妓女把围巾只围到鼻子那儿。对不起,能不能告诉我一下几点啦?咱们到一条黑咕隆咚的小巷去,我就告诉你准确的时间。每天早晨说四十遍"梅干和棱镜"[109] ,就能治好肥嘴唇。 她还在亲热地抚摩小男孩们哪。旁观的人一眼就看穿。当然喽,她们了解鸟儿、动物和娃娃。这是她们的本行。
她沿着岸滩往下走时,并没有回头看。才不那么让人称心呢。那些姑娘,那些姑娘,海滨那些俏丽的姑娘。[ 110 ] 她长着一双好看的眼睛,清澈如洗,这双眼睛格外引人注目的毋宁说是眼白,而不是瞳孔。她知道我是什么样的?当然喽,就像一只猫坐在狗所蹿不到的地方。女人们可从来没见过像威尔金斯那样的:他一面在中学[111 ]画维纳斯像,一面把自己的物儿一古脑儿袒露出来。难道这叫作天真吗?可怜的白痴!他的老婆真够呛的。从来没看到过女人坐在标明"油漆未干"字样的长凳上。她们浑身都是眼睛。床底下什么都没有,她们也要探头去瞧一瞧。渴望着在生活中遇上骇人的事。 她们敏感得像针似的。 当我对摩莉说,卡夫街拐角那儿的男子长得英俊,她想必喜欢这样的,她却马上发现他有一只胳膊是假的。果不其然是那样。她们究竟是打哪儿得到的线索呢?女打字员一步两蹬地跨上罗杰·格林[ 112 ] 的楼梯,以显示她对男人的理解。由父亲传下来,我的意思是说,由母亲传给女儿。血统里带来的。比方说,米莉把手绢贴在镜面上晾干,就省得用熨斗烫了。把广告贴在镜面上最能吸引女人的眼目了。有一次我派米莉到普雷斯科特[ 113 ] 去取摩莉那条佩斯利披肩(对了,我还得安排一下那则广告),她竟把找给她的零钱塞在袜筒里捎回来了!好聪明的小顽皮妞儿。我可从来也没教过她。她挟着大包小包的,动作总是那么麻利。像这样的小地方,却能吸引男人。当手涨红了的时候,就举起来,挥动着,让血淌回去。这你倒是跟谁学的呢?没跟任何人学。是护士教的。噢,她们知道得可多啦!我们从西伦巴德街搬走之前不久,三岁的她居然就坐在摩莉的梳妆台前面。我有一张好看的连[ 脸]。穆林加尔。谁知道呢?人之常情。年轻的学生。不管怎样,两条腿直直溜溜,不像另外那个。不过,那妞儿还是蛮够意思的。唉呀,我湿了。你这个鬼丫头。小腿肚子鼓鼓的。透明的袜子,绷得都快裂了。跟今天那个穿得邋里邋遢的女人可不一样。A·E·皱巴巴的长筒袜子[114 ]。或是格拉夫顿街上的那个。白的。[ 115 ]喔 !胖到脚后跟。
智利松型的"火箭"爆开了,噼噼啪啪地四下里迸溅。吱啦、吱啦、吱啦、吱啦。西茜、汤米和杰基赶紧跑出去看,伊迪推着娃娃车跟在后面,接着就是从岩石拐角绕过去的格蒂。她会……吗?瞧!瞧!看哪!回头啦。她闻见了一股葱头气味。[ 116 ] 亲爱的,我看见了,你的。我统统看见了。
啊呀!
不管怎样,我总算得了济。基尔南啦,迪格纳穆啦,弄得我灰溜溜的。[ 117 ] 你来替换,多谢啦。[ 118 ] 这是《哈姆莱特》里的。啊呀!各种感情搅在一起。兴奋啊。当她朝后仰的时候,我感到舌头尖儿一阵疼痛。简直弄得你晕头转向。[ 119 ] 他说得对。我原是有可能闹出更大的笑话的,而不是仅只说些无聊的话。那么我就什么都告诉你吧。然而,那只能是我们两人能理解的话。该不是……?不,她们叫她作格蒂来着。不过,也可能是个假名字哩,就像我的名字似的。海豚仓这个地址也不清楚。
布朗是杰迈玛娘家的姓氏,
她跟母亲住在爱尔兰区。[ 120 ]
估计我是由于地点的关系才想到那个的。这些姑娘都一模一样。 把钢笔尖儿往袜筒上擦。然而那只球好像会意地朝着她滚了去。每颗子弹都得有个归宿。当然喽,在学校的时候我从来没有笔直地扔过什么,总是弯弯曲曲。像公羊犄角。然而可悲的是,青春只有短暂的几年。然后她们就围着锅台转。不久,威利穿起爸爸的裤子就合身了。[ 121 ] 或是嘘嘘地给娃娃把尿时,还得用上漂白土。[ 122 ] 家务可不轻。这倒也保全了她们,免得她们走入歧途。这是天性。给娃娃洗澡,为尸体净身。迪格纳穆。 总是被孩子们缠着。头盖骨像椰子,像猴子,起初甚至没有长结实,襁褓里那馊奶和变了质、肮里肮脏的凝乳。 不该给那个孩子空橡皮奶头去咂。得灌满空气才行。博福伊太太,普里福伊。[ 123 ] 得到医院去探望一下。不知道卡伦护士是不是还在那里。当摩莉在咖啡宫[ 124 ] 的时候,她来照看过几个晚上。我注意到,她为年轻的奥黑尔大夫刷上衣。布林太太和迪格纳穆太太也曾这么做过。到了结婚年龄。在市徽饭店,达根太太告诉我,最糟糕的是在晚上。丈夫醉醺醺地滚进来,浑身散发着酒吧气味,像只臭猫似的。你在黑暗中闻一闻试试,一股予馊酒味儿。到了早晨却来问:昨天夜里我醉了吗?然而,责备丈夫并不是上策。小雏儿们是回窝来歇一歇的。他们彼此鳔在一块儿。也许女人也有责任。在这一点上,她们都得甘拜摩莉的下风。这是由于她那南国的血液吧。摩尔人的。还有她那体态,身材。伸手抚摩她那丰满的……[125 ] 譬如说,把她跟旁的女人比比看。关在家里的老婆,家丑不可外扬。请允许我介绍我的。然后他们让人见一位不起眼的妇女,也不晓得该怎样称呼她。总是能在一个人的妻子身上看到他的弱点,然而他们是命中注定爱上的。他们之间有独自的隐秘。这些男人要是得不到女人的照顾,就准会堕落下去。再就是把总共值一先令的铜币[ 126 ] 摞在一起那么高的小不点儿丫头,带上她那小矮子丈夫。天主造了他们,并使他们结缡。有时候娃娃们长得不赖。零乘零得一。要么就是七旬老富翁娶上一位羞答答的新娘。五月结的婚,十二月就懊悔了。湿漉漉的,真不舒服。黏糊糊的。咦,原来是包皮还沾着哪。不如把它拽开。
啊呀!
另一方面,六英尺高的大汉娶个只有他的表兜高的小娘子。长短搭配。 大男子和小女人。我的表可真怪。手表总是出毛病。莫非人与人之间也会发生磁力作用不成。因为就在这个时刻,他即将。对,我估计是这样,分秒不差。猫儿不在,老鼠翻天。记得我曾在皮尔小巷看过一次。眼下这也是磁力的力量。什么东西背后都有磁力。比方说,地球一方面产生磁力,同时又被磁力所吸引。这就是运动的起源。至于时间呢,喏,时间就是运动所需要的东西。那么,如果一样东西停止了,整体就会一点点地停下来。这一切都是安排好了的。磁针告诉你,太阳和星体正发生着什么事。小小的钢铁片。当你把叉子靠上时,它就会颤啊,颤啊,轻轻地碰一下。这就是男人和女人。叉子与钢铁。摩莉,他。梳妆打扮,以目传情并且暗示。让你看,再多看一些。还将你一军:倘若你是个男子汉,就瞧吧。仿佛要打喷嚏似的,瞧啊,瞧这两条腿。有种的,你就。轻轻地碰一下。只有放纵下去了。
她那个部位究竟有什么感觉呢?在第三者面前才装出一副害臊的样子。长袜上要是有个洞,就更尴尬了。那次在马匹展示会[ 127 ] 上摩莉看到脚登马靴、上了踢马刺的农场主就不禁将下颚往前一伸,扬起了头。我们住在西伦巴德街的时候,画家们曾经来过。那家伙的嗓门真好,就像是刚走上歌坛时的吉乌利尼[ 128 ] 。我闻了闻,宛若鲜花儿似的。可不是嘛。紫罗兰。那大概是颜料中的松节油气味吧。不论什么东西,女人们都自有用途。正搞着的时候,用拖鞋在地板上蹭来蹭去,免得让别人听见。但是我认为,很多女人达不到高潮。一连能搞几个钟头。仿佛浸透我整个身子,直到脊背。
且慢。哼。哼。我是她那香水。所以她才挥手来着。我把这留给你,当我在远处睡下时,你好思念我。那是什么?天芥菜花吗?不是。风信子吗?哦,我想是玫瑰吧。这倒像是她喜爱的那种气味。芳香而便宜。很快就会发馊的。喏,摩莉喜欢苦树脂。这对她合适,还掺上点茉莉花。她的高音和低音。在晚间的舞会上,她遇见了他,《时间之舞》[129 ]。热气把香味发散开来。她穿的是件黑衫,上面还留有上一次的香气。黑色是良导体吧?抑或是不良导体呢?还有光。假定它和光有什么联系。比方说,你要是走进黑黝黝的地窖子。还挺神秘的哩。我怎么现在才闻出来呢?起反应需要时间,就像她自己似的,来得缓慢却确凿。假若有几百万微粒子被刮过来。对,就是粒子。因为那些香料群岛,今天早晨发自锡兰岛的香气,多少海里以外都闻得见。告诉你那是什么吧。那就像是整个儿罩在皮肤上的极薄的一层纱中或蛛网,细微得宛若游丝。它总是从女人体内释放出来,无比纤细,犹如肉眼辨认不出的彩虹色。它巴在她脱下来的一切东西上面。长筒袜面。焐热了的鞋。紧身褡,衬裤。轻轻地踢上一脚,脱了下来。下次再见。猫儿也喜欢闻她床上的衬衣。在一千个人当中,它也嗅得出她的气味来。她泡过澡的水也是这样。使我联想到草莓与奶油。究竟是哪儿来的气味呢?是那个部位还是腋窝或脖颈底下。因为只要有孔眼和关节,就有气味。风信子香水的原料是油、乙醚或什么东西。麝鼠。尾巴底下有个兜儿。一个颗粒就能散发出几年的香气。两只狗互相绕到对方的后部。晚上好。晚上好。你闻起来如何?哼,哼。非常好,谢谢你。动物们就靠这么闻。是啊,想想看,咱们也是一样。比方说,有些女人来月经的时候,发出警告信号。你挨近一下试试。顿时就准能嗅到一股令人掩鼻的气味。像什么?腐烂了的罐头曹白鱼什么的。唔。勿踏草地。
说不定她们也闻得出我们所发出的男人气味。然而,那是什么样的气味呢?那一天,高个儿约翰在桌子上摆了双雪茄烟气味的手套。口臭?就看你吃什么喝什么啦。不,我指的是男人的气味。想必是与那个有关,因为被认为是童贞的神父们,气味就大不一样。女人们就像苍蝇跟踪糖蜜似的嗡嗡嗡地包围着。不顾祭坛周围的栏杆,千方百计想凑过去。树上的禁神父[ 130 ] 。哦,神父,求求您啦,让我头一个来尝吧。那气味四处弥漫、渗透全身。生命的源泉。那气味奇妙之至。芹菜汁吧。让我闻闻。
布卢姆先生把鼻子(哼)伸进(哼)背心襟口。是杏仁或者……不,是柠檬。啊,不,是肥皂哩。
啊,对啦,还有化妆水呢。我就觉得自己在记挂什么事来着。一直没回去,肥皂也没付钱。我不愿意像今天早晨那个老太婆那样提着瓶子走路。按说海因斯该还我那三先令了。可以向他提一下马尔商店的事,也许他就会记起来的。然而,倘若他把那一段写好了。两先令九便士[ 131 ] 。不然的话,他对我的印象就坏了。明天再去吧。我欠你多少?三先令九便士吗?不,两先令九便士,先生。啊。兴许下回他就不肯再赊账了。可也有由于那样就失掉主顾的。酒吧就是这样。有些家伙由于账房石板上的账赊多了,就溜到后巷另外一家去了。
刚才走过去的老爷又来了,是一阵风把他从海湾刮来的。走去多远,照样又走回来。午餐时总是在家。浑身狼狈不堪。美美地饱餐上一顿。眼下正在欣赏自然风光。饭后念祝文。晚饭之后再去散步一英里。他准在某家银行略有存款。有份闲职。就像今天报童尾随着我那样。现在跟在他后面走会使他难堪, 不过, 你还是学到了点乖。 用旁人的眼光反过来看自己。只要不遭到女人的嘲笑,又有什么关系?只有那样才能弄清楚。你自问一下他如今是何许人?《珍闻》悬赏小说《海滩上的神秘人物》,利奥波德·布卢姆著。稿酬:每栏一基尼[132]。还有今天在墓边的那个身穿棕色胶布雨衣的家伙。不过,他脚[133]上 长了鸡眼。对健康倒是有好处,因为什么都吸收了。据说吹口哨能唤雨。总有地方在下雨。奥蒙德饭店的盐就发潮。身体能感觉出周围的气氛。老贝蒂就闹着关节痛。希普顿妈妈预言说,将会有一种一眨眼的工夫就绕世界一周的船。不,关节痛是下雨的预兆。皇家读本。[ 134 ]远山好像靠近了。[ 135 ]
霍斯。贝利灯台的光。二、四、六、八、九。瞧啊。非这么旋转不可,不然的话,会以为它是一幢房子。营救船。格蕾斯·达令。[ 136 ] 人们害怕黑暗。也怕萤火虫。骑自行车的人:点灯时间。[ 137 ] 宝石、金刚钻更亮一些。女人。光使人心里踏实。不会伤害你。如今当然比早年好多了。乡间的道路。无端地就刺穿你的小肚子。可是还得同两种人打交道:绷着脸的或笑眯眯的。对不起。没关系。日落之后,最适宜在阴凉地儿给花喷水。稍微还有点儿阳光。射线就数红色的长。是罗伊格比夫·万斯[138 ] 教给我们的:红、橙、黄、绿、蓝、靛青、紫罗兰。我望到了一颗星。是金星吗?还弄不清。两颗。倘若有了三颗,就是晚上了。夜云老是浮在那儿吗?看上去宛如一艘幽灵船。不。等一等。它们是树吧?视力的错觉。海市蜃楼。这是落日之国。[139] 自治的太阳在东南方向下沉。[140]我的祖国啊,晚安。[ 141 ]
降露了。亲爱的。坐在那块石头上会伤身体的。患白带下。除非娃娃又大又壮,能靠自己的力量生下来,否则就连娃娃也养不成。我本人说不定还会患痔疮哩。就像夏天患感冒似的,且好不了呢。伤口辣辣作痛。被草叶或纸张割破的最糟糕。摩擦伤口。我恨不得充当她坐着的那块岩石。哦,甜蜜的小妞儿,你简直不知道你看上去有多么俊美!我喜欢上这个年龄的姑娘了。绿苹果。既然送到嘴边,就饱餐一顿。只有在这个年龄才会翘起二郎腿坐着呢。还有今天在图书馆看到的那些女毕业生。她们坐的那一把把椅子,多么幸福啊。然而那是黄昏的影响。她们也都感觉到。知道什么时候该像花儿那么怒放。宛如向日葵啦,北美菊芋啦。在舞厅,在枝形吊灯下,在林荫路的街灯下。马特·狄龙家的花园里开着紫茉莉花。在那儿,我吻了她的肩膀。我要是有一幅她当时的全身油画肖像该有多好!我求婚,也是在六月。年复一年。岁月周而复始。巉岩和山峰啊,我又回到你们这儿来了。[142 ] 人生,恋爱,环绕着你自己的小小世界航行。而今呢?当然,你为她瘸腿一事感到悲哀,但是提防着点儿,不要过于动恻隐之心。会被人钻空子的。
眼下,霍斯笼罩在一片寂静中。远山好像。[143 ]那就是我们……的地方。杜鹃花。也许我是个傻子。他[ 144 ] 得到的是李子,我得到的是核儿,这就是我扮演的角色。那座古老的小山把一切都看在眼里,演员的名字换了,仅此而已。一对情侣。真好吃。真好吃。
现在我觉得累了。站起来吗?小妖精,把我身上的精力都吸净了。她吻了我。我的青春一去不复返了。它只来一次。她的青春也一样。明天乘火车到那儿去吧。不,回去就全不一样了。像孩子似的重新回到一座房子。我要的是新的。太阳底下一件新事都没有。[ 145 ] 海豚仓邮局转。难道你在自己家里不幸福吗?亲爱的淘气鬼。在海豚仓的卢克·多伊尔家里玩哑剧字谜游戏。马特·狄龙和他那一大群闺女:蒂尼、阿蒂、弗洛伊、梅米、卢伊、赫蒂。摩莉也在场。那是八七年。我们结婚的头一年。还有老鼓手长,喜欢一点点地呷着酒的那个。真妙,她是个独生女,我也是个独生子。下一代也是这样。以为可以逃脱,结果自己还是撞上了。以为绕了最远的路,原来是回自己家的最近的路。就在这当儿,他和她。马戏团的马兜着圈子走。我们玩"瑞普·凡·温克尔"来着。瑞普:亨尼·多伊尔的大衣裂缝。凡:运货车。温克尔:海扇壳和海螺。[146 ]接着,我扮演重返家园的瑞普·凡·温克尔。她倚着餐具柜,观看着。摩尔人般的眼睛。在睡谷[ 147 ]里睡了二十年。一切都变了。被遗忘了。原来的年轻人变老了。他的猎熗由于沾上露水生了锈。
身魂[ 148] 。是什么在飞来飞去?燕子吗?大概是蝙蝠吧。只当我是一棵树哩,简直是个瞎子。难道鸟儿没有嗅觉吗?轮回转世。人们曾经相信,悲伤可以使人变成一棵树。泣柳。[ 149 ] 身魂。又飞来了。可笑的小叫化子。我倒想知道它住在哪儿。那边高处的钟楼上。很可能。在一片圣洁的馨香中,用脚后跟倒吊着。我想它们必是被钟声惊吓得飞出来的。弥撤好像已完毕。可以听到会众的声音。为我等祈。为我等祈。为我等祈。 一遍遍地重复,是个好主意。广告也是这样。请在本店购买。请在本店购买。对,那是神父住宅的灯光。他们吃着简朴的饭菜。记得我在汤姆那爿店的时候,曾做过错误的估计。是二十八。他们有两所房子。加布里埃尔·康罗伊[ 150 ]的兄弟是位教区神父。身魂。又来啦。它们为什么一到晚间就像小耗子似的跑出来呢?是杂种。鸟儿就像是跳跳蹿蹿的耗子。是什么吓住了它们呢?灯光还是喧嚣声,还不如静静地坐着呢。这全都是出于本能,犹如干旱时的鸟儿,往水罐里丢石头子儿,好让水从罐嘴儿淌出来。[ 151 ] 它仿佛是个穿大衣的矮子,有着一双小手。纤细的骨架。几乎能看到它们发出微光,一种发蓝的白色。颜色要看你在什么光线下看了。比方说,要是照老鹰那样朝太阳逼视,再瞧瞧鞋,发黄的小斑点便映入眼帘。太阳总想在一切东西上盖上自己的标记。例如,今天早晨呆在楼梯上的那只猫。毛色如褐色草皮。你说是从来没见过三色毛的猫。才不是那么回事呢。 市徽饭店那只前额上有着M字型花纹的猫,毛皮就是玳瑁色的,夹着白斑纹。人身上有五十种不同的颜色。刚才霍斯还是紫晶色的。那是玻璃照的。因此,脑袋爪儿挺灵的某人就利用凸透镜来点火。石楠丛生的荒野也会起火。决不会是旅人的火柴引起的。是什么呢?兴许是枯干的茎与茎被风刮得互相摩擦燃起来的。要么就是荆豆丛中的玻璃瓶碎片在阳光下起到凸透镜的作用。阿基米德[ 152 ] !"我发现啦!"我的记性还不是那么坏。
身魂。谁知道它们为什么老是那样飞。昆虫吗?上星期钻到屋里的那只蜜蜂,跟映在天花板上的自己的影子嘻戏来着。说不定就是蜇过我的那一只呢,又回来看一看。鸟儿也是一样。它们究竟在说些什么,永远也无从知晓。就像我们聊天儿似的。她一句,他一句。它们挺有勇气,从海面上飞过来飞过去。死在风暴中或触着电线的,想必很多。水手们也过着可怕的生活。巨兽般的越洋轮船在一团漆黑中踉跄前进,像海洋似的吼叫着。前进无阻![153] 滚开,混帐!另外一些人坐的是小船,一旦狂风大作[154] ,就会像守灵夜的鼻烟那样被扔来扔去。[155 ]他们还是结了婚的。有时候一连几年漂泊在地球尽头。其实也并非尽头,因为地球是圆的。他们说, 在每个港口都有个老婆。让做老婆的在家里规规矩矩地一直等到约翰尼阔步返回家园[ 156 ] ,倒也不容易。一旦回来了,浑身散发着个个港口的里巷气味。
他们怎么会爱那海洋呢?然而他们就是爱哩。起锚了。[ 157 ] 为了图个吉利,他披上肩衣或佩带徽章[ 158 ] ,乘船而去。就是这样。还有那个护符——不,他们叫它作什么来着。可怜的爹的父亲曾把它挂在门上让大家摸。[ 159 ]它把我们领出埃及的土地,进入为奴之家[ 160 ]任何迷信都是有些名堂的,因为你一旦外出,就无从知道会有什么危险。拼死拼活地抓住一块板子,或跨在一根桁条上,身上缠着救生带,[ 161 ]嘴里灌进海水。这是他最后的挣扎了,直到被鲨鱼捉住。鱼儿在海里也会发晕吗?
接着就是美丽的平静,海面光滑明净,万里无云。船员和货物,一片残骸碎片。水手的坟墓。[ 162 ]月亮安详地俯瞰着。这怪不得我。自命不凡的小家伙。
为默塞尔医院募款而举办的麦拉斯义卖会上,最后一枝孤寂的蜡烛[163]飘上天空,绽开来,一面落下去,一面撒出一簇紫罗兰色的星星,其中只有一颗是白的。它们飘浮着,往下落,逐渐消失了。牧羊人的时辰,把羊群关进栏内的时辰,幽会的时辰。晚上九点那趟的邮递员,从一家到另一家,敲两下门,永远受到欢迎。他腰带上的那盏萤光灯一闪一闪的,[164]在月桂树篱间穿行。在五棵小树之间,一根火绳杆伸了出去,点燃了莱希家阳台上的灯。沿着那一连串灯光明亮的窗户,沿着那排一模一样的庭园,一路用尖嗓门嚷着:"《电讯晚报》,最后一版!金杯赛马的结果!"有个男孩儿从迪格纳穆的房子里跑出来, 呼喊了一声。蝙蝠唧唧叫着,飞这儿飞那儿。远远地在沙滩上,碎浪爬了过来,灰灰的。漫长的时日,真好吃,真好吃。[165]杜鹃花丛,使霍斯山丘感到疲惫了(它老了)。 夜风习习,拨 弄着羊齿茸毛,给他以快感。他卧在那里,却睁开一只未入睡的眼睛,深深地、缓慢地呼吸着,虽困盹却是醒着的。远远地在基什的防波堤那儿,抛锚的灯台船上,灯光闪烁着,向布卢姆先生眨巴着眼儿。
那艘船上的人们过的日子真够受的,成天总是呆在一个地方,动弹不得。爱尔兰灯塔管理处。为了他们所犯的罪愆而受到的惩罚。沿岸警备队也是如此。火箭和救生裤,浮圈和救生艇。发生在我们乘爱琳王号[ 166 ] 去游览的那一天。曾丢给他们一袋旧报纸。简直成了动物园里的熊。那可是一次肮脏的旅行。醉汉跑到甲板上来倾倒他们胃里的东西。吐到船外,好喂曹白鱼。晕船。妇女们满脸惧怕天主的神色。米莉可毫无害怕的苗头。她笑着,淡蓝色头巾系得松松的。她那个年龄还不懂什么叫作死呢。而且胃里也干净。她们就是害怕迷路。在克鲁姆林[167 ] ,当我和玛莉恩藏到树后时(我原是不愿意这么藏的),她就嚷:妈妈!妈妈!树林里的娃娃们。[168 ] 戴上假面具,吓唬她们一下。把她们抛到半空,然后再去接住。说什么我要杀你。难道仅仅是半开玩笑吗?孩子们打仗玩,也是一本正经。怎么能够相互拿熗口瞄准对方呢。有时会走火的呀。可怜的孩子们!只有丹毒和荨麻疹这两种病最麻烦。为了这,我给她买了甘汞泻剂。病好了一点,她就和摩莉睡在一起了。她那口牙长得和妈妈的一样。女人多么疼爱孩于!当作自己的化身吗?但是一天早晨,她拿着雨伞去追那孩子来着。大概不至于伤害她。我号了号她的脉。怦怦跳着。那手多小啊。如今大了。最亲爱的爹爹。当你抚摩那只手的时候,它像是有那么多话要说。她喜欢数我背心上的钮扣。我记得她头一回系的胸衣,可把我逗乐了。奶头起初挺小。我想,左边的那只更敏感一些。我的也是如此。因为离心脏更近一些吧?流行大奶的时候,就填上点儿什么。晚上疼得厉害了,就叫嚷,把我喊醒。头一回来月经那次,可把她吓坏了。可怜的孩子!对妈妈来说,那也是个奇怪的时刻。把她带回到少女时代了。直布罗陀。从布埃纳维斯塔俯瞰。奥哈拉之塔。[ 169 ] 海鸟尖声叫着。把家族统统吞食掉的老叟猴[ 170 ] 。日暮时分,通知士兵返回要塞的号炮。那是像这样的一个傍晚,但是晴朗无云。她一边眺望海洋,一边对我说:我一直以为我会嫁给一个拥有私人游艇的贵族或绅士。晚上好,小姐。男人爱美丽的年轻姑娘。[ 171 ] 为什么嫁了我呢?因为你和别人那么不同。
最好不要像帽贝似的整个晚上粘在这儿。这样的气候,令人感到沉闷。从天光看,想必快到九点了。来不及去看《丽亚》了。《基拉尼的百合》。[ 172 ] 不,也许还没演完呢。到医院去探望一下吧。但愿她已经完事了。[ 173 ]这可是漫长的一天:玛莎、洗澡、葬礼、钥匙议院、女神像所在的博物馆,迪达勒斯之歌。还有在巴尼·基尔南酒馆里那个骂骂咧咧的家伙。我也顶撞了他。那帮吹牛皮的醉鬼,我说的那句关于他的天主的话,使他不敢回嘴了。难道不该反击他吗?不。他们应该回家去嘲笑自己。总想聚在一起狂饮一通。就像两岁的娃娃似的,害怕孤独。倘若他揍了我一顿。从他的立场来看,倒也不赖。兴许他也无意伤害我。为以色列三呼万岁。为他到处带着走的小姨子三呼万岁,她嘴里长着三颗大齿哩。同一类的美人儿吧。特别适宜一道喝杯茶。勃尼奥野人的妻妹刚进城。[174 ]想想看,一清早旁边有了这么一个人。莫里斯边吻母牛边说,人嘛,总是各有所好。[175 ] 然而迪格纳穆那档子事把什么都弄得一团糟。办丧事的家,[ 176 ] 大家总是愁眉不展的,因为你永远不知道下文。总之,那位寡妇缺钱。得去找找"苏格兰遗孀",[177 ]照我答应过的。古怪的名字。认为丈夫先一命呜呼乃是理所当然的事。就在星期一, 那个寡妇在克拉默那家店外面瞧我来着。把可怜的丈夫埋葬了,然而靠保险金过得也蛮不错。她那寡妇的铜板[178] 。那又怎么样?你还指望她做什么?她得花言巧语,好歹活下去。我讨厌瞧见鳏夫。看上去那么孤独无助。奥康纳这个人好可怜哪,老婆和五个孩子在这儿都吃贻贝中毒死了。污水。 真没办法。得由一位戴卷边平顶毡帽的、主妇般的善心女人来对他尽尽母道。大浅盘脸的大妈,系上一条大围裙,照料着他。灰法兰绒布卢默女裤[ 179 ]三先令一条,便宜得惊人。人家说,被爱上的丑女人将永远被爱上。丑陋:没有女人认为自己长得丑。恋爱吧,扯谎吧,保持得漂漂亮亮,因为明天我们总将死去。不时地碰见他走来走去,试图找到那个捉弄他的人。万事休矣:完蛋。这是命中注定的。轮到他头上了,而不是我。店铺也常常被人贴上一张警告。就像是被灾祸紧紧缠住了似的。昨天夜里做梦了吗?[180 ] 且慢。有些弄混了。她趿拉着红拖鞋:土耳其式的。穿着紧身裤。倘若她真穿上了呢?我会不会更喜欢她穿宽松的睡衣裤呢?这就很难说啦。南尼蒂也走啦。乘的是邮船,这会子快到霍利黑德[181] 啦。得把凯斯那则广告敲定了。做做海因斯和克劳福德的工作。替摩莉买条衬裙。她倒是有一副好身材。那是什么呀?说不定是钞票哩。
布卢姆先生弯下身去,从沙滩上掀起一片纸。把它凑到眼前,迎着暮色看。是信吗?不。没法辨认。不如走吧。那要好一些。我累得不想动了。这是一本旧练习簿的一页。有这么多的窟窿和小石头子儿。谁数得过来呢?永远也不知道你能找到什么。轮船遇难时,把财宝的下落写在一张纸上,塞进瓶子里。邮包。孩子们总爱往海里扔东西。是信仰"将你的粮食撤在水面"[ 182 ]这话吗?这是什么?一截木棍。
哦!那个女人把我弄得筋疲力尽。如今已经不那么年轻了。明天她还到这儿来吗?在什么地方永永远远地等待她。准会再来一次。杀人犯都是这样的。我怎么样呢?
布卢姆先生用那截木棍轻轻地搅和脚下的厚沙,为她写下一句话吧。兴许能留下来。写什么呢?
"我"。
明天早晨就会有个拖着脚步走路的人把它踏平。白费力。会被波浪冲掉。 涨潮的时候到这儿来,看见她脚跟前有个水洼子。弯下身去,照照我的脸,黑糊糊的镜子,朝它哈口气,弄得一片朦胧。所有的岩石上都净是道道、斑痕和字迹。噢,那双透明的袜子!而且她们也不了解。
另一个世界意味着什么。我曾称你作淘气鬼,因为我不喜欢……[183 ]
"是阿"。[ 184 ]
写不下。算了吧。
布卢姆先生用靴子慢慢地把字涂掉了。沙子这玩艺儿毫无用处。什么也不生长。一切都会消失。用不着担心大船会驶到这儿来。除非是吉尼斯公司的驳船。八十天环游基什。[ 185 ]一半是出于天意。
他扔掉了水笔。那截木棍戳到沉积的泥沙里,竖立不动了。可你要是有意让它竖着不动,一连试上一个星期,也办不到。机缘。咱们再也见不着了。然而那是何等地快乐啊。再见吧,亲爱的。谢谢。那曾使我感到那么年轻。
这会子我倒是想打个盹儿。大概将近九点钟了。驶往利物浦的船[ 186 ] 早就开走了。连烟都不见了。她也可以搞嘛。已经搞完了。然后前往贝尔法斯特。我不想去。匆匆赶去,再匆匆赶回恩尼斯。随它去吧。闭会儿眼睛。不过,不会入睡的。半睡半醒。往事不会重演了。又是蝙蝠。没有害处。不过几只。
哦 心肝儿 你那小小的白皙少女 尽里边我统统瞧见了 肮脏的吊裤带 使我作了爱 黏糊糊 我们这两个淘气鬼 格蕾斯·达令[ 187 ] 她他越过床的一半 遇见了他尖头胶皮管[ 188 ] 为了拉乌尔的褶边[ 189 ] 香水 你太太 黑头发 一起一伏的丰腴魅力 小姐 年轻的眼睛 马尔维 胖小子们 我 面包·凡·温克尔[ 190 ] 红拖鞋 她生锈 的睡觉 流浪 多年的岁月 回来 下端 阿根达斯[ 191 ] 神魂颠倒 可爱的给我看她那 第二年 抽屉里 返回 下一个 她的下一个 她的下一个
蝙蝠翩翔着。这儿。那儿。这儿。远远地在一片灰暗中,钟声响了。布卢姆先生张着嘴,将左脚上的靴子斜插在沙子里,倚着它,呼吸着。仅仅一会儿工夫。
咕咕
咕咕
咕咕[192]
神父住宅的壁炉台上的座钟咕的一声响了,教堂蒙席奥汉龙、康罗伊神父和耶稣会士约翰。休斯神父边喝茶,吃着涂了黄油的苏打面包、浇了番茄酱的炸羊肉片,边谈着
傻话
傻话
傻话[ 193]
从一间小屋中出来报时的是一只小金丝雀。格蒂·麦克道维尔那次来这儿,立即注意到了,因为关于这类事情,她比谁都敏感。格蒂·麦克道维尔就是这样的。她还顿时发觉,那位坐在岩石上朝这边望着的外国绅士,是个
王八
王八
soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 33楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

英:
14、Chapter 14 Oxen of the Sun

DESHIL HOLLES EAMUS. DESHIL HOLLES EAMUS. DESHIL HOLES Eamus.
Send us, bright one, light one, Horhorn, quickening and wombfruit. Send us, bright one, light one, Horhorn, quickening and wombfruit. Send us bright one, light one, Horhorn, quickening and wombfruit.
Hoopsa, boyaboy, hoopsa! Hoopsa, hoyaboy, hoopsa! Hoopsa, boyaboy, hoopsa.
Universally that person's acumen is esteemed very little perceptive concerning whatsoever matters are being held as most profitable by mortals with sapience endowed to be studied who is ignorant of that which the most in doctrine erudite and certainly by reason of that in them high mind's ornament deserving of veneration constantly maintain when by general consent they affirm that other circumstances being equal by no exterior splendour is the prosperity of a nation more efficaciously asserted than by the measure of how far forward may have progressed the tribute of its solicitude for that proliferent continuance which of evils the original if it be absent when fortunately present constitutes the certain sign of omnipollent nature's incorrupted benefaction. For who is there who anything of some significance has apprehended but is conscious that that exterior splendour may be the surface of a downwardtending lutulent reality or on the contrary anyone so is there inilluminated as not to perceive that as no nature's boon can contend against the bounty of increase so it behoves every most just citizen to become the exhortator and admonisher of his semblables and to tremble lest what had in the past been by the nation excellently commenced might be in the future not with similar excellence accomplished if an inverecund habit shall have gradually traduced the honourable by ancestors transmitted customs to that thither of profundity that that one was audacious excessively who would have the hardihood to rise affirming that no more odious offence can for anyone be than to oblivious neglect to consign that evangel simultaneously command and promise which on all mortals with prophecy of abundance or with diminution's menace that exalted of reiteratedly procreating function ever irrevocably enjoined?
It is not why therefore we shall wonder if, as the best historians relate, among the Celts, who nothing that was not in its nature admirable admired, the art of medicine shall have been highly honoured. Not to speak of hostels, leperyards, sweating chambers, plaguegraves, their greatest doctors, the O'Shiels, the O'Hickeys, the O'Lees, have sedulously set down the divers methods by which the sick and the relapsed found again health whether the malady had been trembling withering or loose boyconnell flux. Certainly in every public work which in it anything of gravity contains preparation should be with importance commensurate and therefore a plan was by them adopted (whether by having preconsidered or as the maturation of experience it is difficult in being said which the discrepant opinions of subsequent inquirers are not up to the present congrued to render manifest) whereby maternity was so far from all accident possibility removed that whatever care the patient in that allhardest of woman hour chiefly required and not solely for the copiously opulent but also for her who not being sufficiently moneyed scarcely and often not even scarcely could subsist valiantly and for an inconsiderable emolument was provided.
To her nothing already then and thenceforward was anyway able to be molestful for this chiefly felt all citizens except with proliferent mothers prosperity at all not to can be and as they had received eternity gods mortals generation to befit them her beholding, when the case was so having itself, parturient in vehicle the reward carrying desire immense among all one another was impelling on of her to be received into that domicile. O thing of prudent nation not merely in being seen but also even in being related worthy of being praised that they her by anticipation went seeing mother, that she by them suddenly to be about to be cherished had been begun she felt!
Before born babe bliss had. Within womb won he worship. Whatever in that one case done commodiously done was. A couch by midwives attended with wholesome food reposeful cleanest swaddles as though forthbringing were now done and by wise foresight set: but to this no less of what drugs there is need and surgical implements which are pertaining to her case not omitting aspect of all very distracting spectacles in various latitudes by our terrestrial orb offered together with images, divine and human, the cogitation of which by sejunct females is to tumescence conducive or eases issue in the high sunbright wellbuilt fair home of mothers when, ostensibly far gone and reproductitive, it is come by her thereto to lie in, her term up.
Some man that wayfaring was stood by housedoor at night's oncoming. Of Israel's folk was that man that on earth wandering far had fared. Stark ruth of man his errand that him lone led till that house.
Of that house A. Horne is lord. Seventy beds keeps he there teeming mothers are wont that they lie for to thole and bring forth bairns hale so God's angel to Mary quoth. Watchers they there walk, white sisters in ward sleepless. Smarts they still sickness soothing: in twelve moons thrice an hundred. Truest bedthanes they twain are, for Horne holding wariest ward.
In ward wary the watcher hearing come that man mild-hearted eft rising with swire ywimpled to him her gate wide undid. Lo, levin leaping lightens in eyeblink Ireland's westward welkin! Full she dread that God the Wreaker all mankind would fordo with water for his evil sins. Christ's rood made she on breastbone and him drew that he would rathe infare under her thatch. That man her will wotting worthful went in Horne's house.
Loth to irk in Horne's hall hat holding the seeker stood. On her stow he ere was living with dear wife and lovesome daughter that then over land and seafloor nine year had long outwandered. Once her in townhithe meeting he to her bow had not doffed. Her to forgive now he craved with good ground of her allowed that that of him swiftseen face, hers, so young then had looked. Light swift her eyes kindled, bloom of blushes his word winning.
As her eyes then ongot his weeds swart therefor sorrow she feared. Glad after she was that ere adread was. Her he asked if O'Hare Doctor tidings sent from far coast and she with grameful sigh him answered that O'Hare Doctor in heaven was. Sad was the man that word to hear that him so heavied in bowels ruthful. All she there told him, ruing death for friend so young, algate sore unwilling God's rightwiseness to withsay. She said that he had a fair sweet death through God His goodness with masspriest to be shriven, holy housel and sick men's oil to his limbs. The man then right earnest asked the nun of which death the dead man was died and the nun answered him and said that he was died in Mona island through bellycrab three year agone come Childermas and she prayed to God the Allruthful to have his dear soul in his undeathliness. He heard her sad words, in held hat sad staring. So stood they there both awhile in wanhope, sorrowing one with other.
Therefore, everyman, look to that last end that is thy death and the dust that gripeth on every man that is born of woman for as he came naked forth from his mother's womb so naked shall he wend him at the last for to go as he came.
The man that was come into the house then spoke to the nursingwoman and he asked her how it fared with the woman that lay there in childbed. The nursingwoman answered him and said that that woman was in throes now full three days and that it would be a hard birth unneth to bear but that now in a little it would be. She said thereto that she had seen many births of women but never was none so hard as was that woman's birth. Then she set it forth all to him that time was had lived nigh that house. The man hearkened to her words for he felt with wonder women's woe in the travail that they have of motherhood and he wondered to look on her face that was a young face for any man to see but yet was she left after long years a handmaid. Nine twelve bloodflows chiding her childless.
And whiles they spake the door of the castle was opened and there nighed them a mickle noise as of many that sat there at meat. And there came against the place as they stood a young learning knight yclept Dixon. And the traveller Leopold was couth to him sithen it had happed that they had had ado each with other in the house of misericord where this learning knight lay by cause the traveller Leopold came there to be healed for he was sore wounded in his breast by a spear wherewith a horrible and dreadful dragon was smitten him for which he did do make a salve of volatile salt and chrism as much as he might suffice. And he said now that he should go into that castle for to make merry with them that were there. And the traveller Leopold said that he should go otherwhither for he was a man of cautels and a subtle. Also the lady was of his avis and reproved the learning knight though she trowed well that the traveller had said thing that was false for his subtility. But the learning knight would not hear say nay nor do her mandement ne have him in aught contrarious to his list and he said how it was a marvellous castle. And the traveller Leopold went into the castle for to rest him for a space being sore of limb after many marches environing in divers lands and sometimes venery.
And in the castle was set a board that was of the birchwood of Finlandy and it was upheld by four dwarfmen of that country but they durst not move for enchantment. And on this board were frightful swords and knives that are made in a great cavern by swinking demons out of white flames that they fix in the horns of buffalos and stags that there abound marvellously. And there were vessels that are wrought by magic of Mahound out of seasand and the air by a warlock with his breath that he blares into them like to bubbles. And full fair cheer and rich was on the board that no wight could devise a fuller ne richer. And there was a vat of silver that was moved by craft to open in the which lay strange fishes withouten heads though misbelieving men nie that this be possible thing without they see it natheless they are so. And these fishes lie in an oily water brought there from Portugal land because of the fatness that therein is like to the juices of the olive press. And also it was marvel to see in that castle how by magic they make a compost out of fecund wheat kidneys out of Chaldee that by aid of certain angry spirits that they do into it swells up wondrously like to a vast mountain. And they teach the serpents there to entwine themselves up on long sticks out of the ground and of the scales of these serpents they brew out a brewage like to mead.
And the learning knight let pour for childe Leopold a draught and halp thereto the while all they that were there drank every each. And childe Leopold did up his beaver for to pleasure him and took apertly somewhat in amity for he never drank no manner of mead which he then put by and anon full privily he voided the more part in his neighbour glass and his neighbour wist not of his wile. And he sat down in that castle with them for to rest him there awhile. Thanked be Almighty God.
This meanwhile this good sister stood by the door and begged them at the reverence of Jesu our alther liege lord to leave their wassailing for there was above one quick with child a gentle dame, whose time hied fast. Sir Leopold heard on the upfloor cry on high and he wondered what cry that it was whether of child or woman and I marvel, said he, that it be not come or now. Meseems it dureth overlong. And he was ware and saw a franklin that hight Lenehan on that side the table that was older than any of the tother and for that they both were knights virtuous in the one emprise and eke by cause that he was elder he spoke to him full gently. But, said he, or it be long too she will bring forth by God His bounty and have joy of her childing for she hath waited marvellous long. And the franklin that had drunken said, Expecting each moment to be her next. Also he took the cup that stood tofore him for him needed never none asking nor desiring of him to drink and, Now drink, said he, fully delectably, and he quaffed as far as he might to their both's health for he was a passing good man of his lustiness. And sir Leopold that was the goodliest guest that ever sat in scholars' hall and that was the meekest man and the kindest that ever laid husbandly hand under hen and that was the very truest knight of the world one that ever did minion service to lady gentle pledged him courtly in the cup. Woman's woe with wonder pondering.
Now let us speak of that fellowship that was there to the intent to be drunken an they might. There was a sort of scholars along either side the board, that is to wit, Dixon yclept junior of saint Mary Merciable's with other his fellows Lynch and Madden, scholars of medicine, and the franklin that high! Lenehan and one from Alba Longa, one Crotthers, and young Stephen that had mien of a frere that was at head of the board and Costello that men clepen Punch Costello all long of a mastery of him erewhile gested (and of all them, reserved young Stephen, he was the most drunken that demanded still of more mead) and beside the meek sir Leopold. But on young Malachi they waited for that he promised to have come and such as intended to no goodness said how he had broke his avow. And sir Leopold sat with them for he bore fast friendship to sir Simon and to this his son young Stephen and for that his languor becalmed him there after longest wanderings insomuch as they feasted him for that time in the honourablest manner. Ruth red him, love led on with will to wander, loth to leave.
For they were right witty scholars. And he heard their aresouns each gen other as touching birth and righteousness, young Madden maintaining that put such case it were hard the wife to die (for so it had fallen out a matter of some year agone with a woman of Eblana in Horne's house that now was trespassed out of this world and the self night next before her death all leeches and pothecaries had taken counsel of her case). And they said farther she should live because in the beginning they said the woman should bring forth in pain and wherefore they that were of this imagination affirmed how young Madden had said truth for he had conscience to let her die. And not few and of these was young Lynch were in doubt that the world was now right evil governed as it was never other howbeit the mean people believed it otherwise but the law nor his judges did provide no remedy. A redress God grant. This was scant said but all cried with one acclaim nay, by our Virgin Mother, the wife should live and the babe to die. In colour whereof they waxed hot upon that head what with argument and what for their drinking but the franklin Lenehan was prompt each when to pour them ale so that at the least way mirth might not lack. Then young Madden showed all the whole affair and when he said how that she was dead and how for holy religion sake by rede of palmer and bedesman and for a vow he had made to Saint Ultan of Arbraccan her goodman husband would not let her death whereby they were all wondrous grieved. To whom young Stephen had these words following, Murmur, sirs, is eke oft among lay folk. Both babe and parent now glorify their Maker, the one in limbo gloom, the other in purge fire. But, gramercy, what of those Godpossibled souls that we nightly unpossibilise, which is the sin against the Holy Ghost, Very God, Lord and Giver of Life? For, sirs, he said, our lust is brief. We are means to those small creatures within us and nature has other ends than we. Then said Dixon junior to Punch Costello wist he what ends. But he had overmuch drunken and the best word he could have of him was that he would ever dishonest a woman whoso she were or wife or maid or leman if it so fortuned him to be delivered of his spleen of lustihead. Whereat Crotthers of Alba Longa sang young Malachi's praise of that beast the unicorn how once in the millennium he cometh by his horn the other all this while pricked forward with their jibes wherewith they did malice him, witnessing all and several by saint Foutinus his engines that he was able to do any manner of thing that lay in man to do. Thereat laughed they all right jocundly only young Stephen and sir Leopold which never durst laugh too open by reason of a strange humour which he would not bewray and also ford that he rued for her that bare whoso she might be or wheresoever. Then spoke young Stephen orgulous of mother Church that would cast him out of her bosom, of law of canons, of Lilith, patron of abortions, of bigness wrought by wind of seeds of brightness or by potency of vampires mouth to mouth or, as Virgilius saith, by the influence of the occident or by the reek of moonflower or an she lie with a woman which her man has but lain with effectu secuto, or peradventure in her bath according to the opinions of Averroes and Moses Maimonides. He said also how at the end of the second month a human soul was infused and how in all our holy mother foldeth ever souls for God's greater glory whereas that earthly mother which was but a dam to bring forth beastly should die by canon for so saith he that holdeth the fisherman's seal, even that blessed Peter on which rock was holy church for all ages founded. All they bachelors then asked of sir Leopold would he in like case so jeopard her person as risk life to save life. A wariness of mind he would answer as fitted all and, laying hand to jaw, he said dissembling, as his wont was, that as it was informed him, who had ever loved the art of physic as might a layman, and agreeing also with his experience of so seldom seen an accident it was good for that Mother Church belike at one blow had birth and death pence and in such sort deliverly he scaped their questions. That is truth, pardy, said Dixon, and, or I err, a pregnant word. Which hearing young Stephen was a marvellous glad man and he averred that he who stealeth from the poor lendeth to the Lord for he was of a wild manner when he was drunken and that he was now in that taking it appeared eftsoons.
But sir Leopold was passing grave maugre his word by cause he still had pity of the terrorcausing shrieking of shrill women in their labour and as he was minded of his good lady Marion that had borne him an only manchild which on his eleventh day on live had died and no man of art could save so dark is destiny. And she was wondrous stricken of heart for that evil hap and for his burial did him on a fair corselet of lamb's wool, the flower of the flock, lest he might perish utterly and lie akeled (for it was then about the midst of the winter) and now sir Leopold that had of his body no manchild for an heir looked upon him his friend's son and was shut up in sorrow for his forepassed happiness and as sad as he was that him failed a son of such gentle courage (for all accounted him of real parts) so grieved he also in no less measure for young Stephen for that he lived riotously with those wastrels and murdered his goods with whores.
About that present time young Stephen filled all cups that stood empty so as there remained but little mo if the prudenter had not shadowed their approach from him that still plied it very busily who, praying for the intentions of the sovereign pontiff, he gave them for a pledge the vicar of Christ which also as he said is vicar of Bray. Now drink we, quod he, of this mazer and quaff ye this mead which is not indeed parcel of my body but my soul's bodiment. Leave ye fraction of bread to them that live by bread alone. Be not afeard neither for any want for this will comfort more than the other will dismay. See ye here. And he showed them glistering coins of the tribute and goldsmiths' notes the worth of two pound nineteen shilling that he had, he said, for a song which he writ. They all admired to see the foresaid riches in such dearth of money as was herebefore. His words were then these as followeth: Know all men, he said, time's ruins build eternity's mansions. What means this? Desire's wind blasts the thorntree but after it becomes from a bramblebush to be a rose upon the rood of time. Mark me now. In woman's womb word is made flesh but in the spirit of the maker all flesh that passes becomes the word that shall not pass away. This is the postcreation. Omnis cam ad te veniet. No question but her name is puissant who aventried the dear corse of our Agenbuyer, Healer and Herd, our mighty mother and mother most venerable and Bernardus saith aptly that she hath an omnipotentiam deiparae supplicem, that is to wit, an almightiness of petition because she is the second Eve and she won us, saith Augustine too, whereas that other, our grandam, which we are linked up with by successive anastomosis of navelcords sold us all, seed, breed and generation, for a penny pippin. But here is the matter now. Or she knew him, that second I say, and was but creature of her creature, vergine madre figlia di tuo figlio or she knew him not and then stands she in the one denial or ignorancy with Peter Piscator who lives in the house that Jack built and with Joseph the Joiner patron of the happy demise of all unhappy marriages parce que M. Léo Taxil nous a dit que qui l'avait mise dans cette fichue position c'était le sacré pigeon, ventre de Dieu! Entweder transsubstantiality oder consubstantiality but in no case subsubstantiality. And all cried out upon It for a very scurvy word. A pregnancy without joy, he said, a birth without pangs, a body without blemish, a belly without bigness. Let the lewd with faith and fervour worship. With will will we withstand, withsay.
Hereupon Punch Costello dinged with his fist upon the board and would sing a bawdy catch Staboo Stabella about a wench that was put in pod of a jolly swashbuckler in Almany which he did now attack: The first three months she was not well, Staboo, when here nurse Quigley from the door angerly bid them hist ye should shame you nor was it not meet as she remembered them being her mind was to have all orderly against lord Andrew came for because she was jealous that not gasteful turmoil might shorten the honour of her guard. It was an ancient and a sad matron of a sedate look and christian walking, in habit dun beseeming her megrims and wrinkled visage, nor did her hortative want of it effect for incontinently Punch Costello was of them all embraided and they reclaimed the churl with civil rudeness some and with menace of blandishments others whiles all chode with him, a murrain seize the dolt, what a devil he would be at, thou chuff, thou puny, thou got in the peasestraw, thou losel, thou chitterling, thou spawn of a rebel, thou dykedropt, thou abortion thou, to shut up his drunken drool out of that like a curse of God ape, the good sir Leopold that had for his cognisance the flower of quiet, margerain gentle, advising also the time's occasion as most sacred and most worthy to be most sacred. In Horne's house rest should reign.
To be short this passage was scarce by when Master Dixon of Mary in Eccles, goodly grinning, asked young Stephen what was the reason why he had not cided to take friar's vows and he answered him obedience in the womb, chastity in the tomb but involuntary poverty all his days. Master Lenehan at this made return that he had heard of those nefarious deeds and how, as he heard hereof counted, he had besmirched the lily virtue of a confiding female which was corruption of minors and they all intershowed it too, waxing merry and toasting to his fathership. But he said very entirely it was clean contrary to their suppose for he was the eternal son and ever virgin. Thereat mirth grew in them the more and they rehearsed to him his curious rite of wedlock for the disrobing and deflowering of spouses, as the priests use in Madagascar island, she to be in guise of white and saffron, her groom in white and grain, with burning of nard and tapers, on a bridebed while clerks sung kyries and the anthem Ut novetur sexus omnis corporis mysterium till she was there unmaided. He gave them then a much admirable hymen minim by those delicate poets Master John Fletcher and Master Francis Beaumont that is in their Maid's Tragedy that was writ for a like twining of lovers: To bed, to bed, was the burden of it to be played with accompanable concent upon the virginals. An exquisite dulcet epithalame of most mollificative suadency for juveniles amatory whom the odoriferous flambeaus of the paranymphs have escorted to the quadrupedal proscenium of connubial communion. Well met they were, said Master Dixon, joyed, but, harkee, young sir, better were they named Beau Mount and Lecher for, by my truth, of such a mingling much might come. Young Stephen said indeed to his best remembrance they had but the one doxy between them and she of the stews to make shift with in delights amorous for life ran very high in those days and the custom of the country approved with it. Greater love than this, he said, no man hath that a man lay down his wife for his friend. Go thou and do likewise. Thus, or words to that effect, said Zarathustra, sometime regius professor of French letters to the university of Oxtail nor breathed there ever that man to whom mankind was more beholden. Bring a stranger within thy tower it will go hard but thou wilt have the secondbest bed. Orate, fratres, pro memetipso. And all the people shall say, Amen. Remember, Erin, thy generations and thy days of old, how thou settedst little by me and by my word and broughtest in a stranger to my gates to commit fornication in my sight and to wax fat and kick like Jeshurum. Therefore hast thou sinned against the light and hast made me, thy lord, to be the slave of servants. Return, return, Clan Milly: forget me not, O Milesian. Why hast thou done this abomination before me that thou didst spurn me for a merchant of jalaps and didst deny me to the Roman and the Indian of dark speech with whom thy daughters did lie luxuriously? Look forth now, my people, upon the land of behest, even from Horeb and from Nebo and from Pisgah and from the Horns of Hatten unto a land flowing with milk and money. But thou hast suckled me with a bitter milk: my moon and my sun thou hast quenched for ever. And thou hast left me alone for ever in the dark ways of my bitterness: and with a kiss of ashes hast thou kissed my mouth. This tenebrosity of the interior, he proceeded to say, hath not been illumined by the wit of the septuagint nor so much as mentioned for the Orient from on high which brake hell's gates visited a darkness that was foraneous. Assuefaction minorates atrocities (as Tully saith of his darling Stoics) and Hamlet his father showeth the prince no blister of combustion. The adiaphane in the noon of life is an Egypt's plague which in the nights of prenativity and postmortemity is their most proper ubi and quomodo. And as the ends and ultimates of all things accord in some mean and measure with their inceptions and originals, that same multiplicit concordance which leads forth growth from birth accomplishing by a retrogressive metamorphosis that minishing and ablation towards the final which is agreeable unto nature so is it with our subsolar being. The aged sisters draw us into life: we wail, batten, sport, clip, clasp, sunder, dwindle, die: over us dead they bend. First saved from water of old Nile, among bulrushes, a bed of fasciated wattles: at last the cavity of a mountain, an occulted sepulchre amid the conclamation of the hillcat and the ossifrage. And as no man knows the ubicity of his tumulus nor to what processes we shall thereby be ushered nor whether to Tophet or to Edenville in the like way is all hidden when we would backward see from what region of remoteness the whatness of our whoness hath fetched his whenceness.
Thereto Punch Costello roared out mainly Etienne chanson but he loudly bid them lo, wisdom hath built herself a house, this vast majestic longstablished vault, the crystal palace of the Creator all in applepie order, a penny for him who finds the pea.
Behold the mansion reared by dedal Jack,
See the malt stored in many a refluent sack,
In the proud cirque of Jackjohn's bivouac.
A black crack of noise in the street here, alack, bawled, back. Loud on left Thor thundered: in anger awful the hammerhurler. Came now the storm that hist his heart. And Master Lynch bade him have a care to flout and witwanton as the god self was angered for his hellprate and paganry. And he that had erst challenged to be so doughty waxed pale as they might all mark and shrank together and his pitch that was before so haught uplift was now of a sudden quite plucked down and his heart shook within the cage of his breast as he tasted the rumour of that storm. Then did some mock and some jeer and Punch Costello fell hard again to his yale which Master Lenehan vowed he would do after and he was indeed but a word and a blow on any the least colour. But the braggart boaster cried that an old Nobodaddy was in his cups it was muchwhat indifferent and he would not lag behind his lead. But this was only to dye his desperation as cowed he crouched in Horne's hall. He drank indeed at one draught to pluck up a heart of any grace for it thundered long rumblingly over all the heavens so that Master Madden, being godly certain whiles, knocked him on his ribs upon that crack of doom and Master Bloom, at the braggart's side spoke to him calming words to slumber his great fear, advertising how it was no other thing but a hubbub noise that he heard, the discharge of fluid from the thunderhead, look you, having taken place, and all of the order of a natural phenomenon.
But was young Boasthard's fear vanquished by Calmer's words? No, for he had in his bosom a spike named Bitterness which could not by words be done away. And was he then neither calm like the one nor godly like the other? He was neither as much as he would have liked to be either. But could he not have endeavoured to have found again as in his youth the bottle Holiness that then he lived withal? Indeed not for Grace was not there to find that bottle. Heard he then in that clap the voice of the god Bringforth or, what Calmer said, a hubbub of Phenomenon? Heard? Why, he could not but hear unless he had plugged up the tube Understanding (which he had not done). For through that tube he saw that he was in the land of Phenomenon where he must for a certain one day die as he was like the rest too a passing show. And would he not accept to die like the rest and pass away? By no means would he and make more shows according as men do with wives which Phenomenon has commanded them to do by the book Law. Then wotted he nought of that other land which is called Believe-on-Me, that is the land of promise which behoves to the king Delightful and shall be for ever where there is no death and no birth neither wiving nor mothering at which all shall come as many as believe on it? Yes, Pious had told him of that land and Chaste had pointed him to the way but the reason was that in the way he fell in with a certain whore of an eyepleasing exterior whose name, she said, is Bird-in-the-Hand and she beguiled him wrongways from the true path by her flatteries that she said to him as, Ho, you pretty man, turn aside hither and I will show you a brave place, and she lay at him so flatteringly that she had him in her grot which is named Two-in-the-Bush or, by some learned, Carnal Concupiscence.
This was it what all that company that sat there at commons in Manse of Mothers the most lusted after and if they met with this whore Bird-in-the-Hand (which was within all foul plagues, monsters and a wicked devil) they would strain the last but they would make at her and know her. For regarding Believe-on-Me they said it was nought else but notion and they could conceive no thought of it for, first, Two-in-the-Bush whither she ticed them was the very goodliest grot and in it were four pillows on which were four tickets with these words printed on them, Pickaback and Topsyturvy and Shameface and Cheek by Jowl and, second, for that foul plague Allpox and the monsters they cared not for them, for Preservative had given them a stout shield of oxengut and, third, that they might take no hurt neither from Offspring that was that wicked devil by virtue of this same shield which was named Killchild. So were they all in their blind fancy, Mr Cavil and Mr Sometimes Godly, Mr Ape Swillale, Mr False Franklin, Mr Dainty Dixon, Young Boasthard and Mr Cautious Calmer. Wherein, O wretched company, were ye all deceived for that was the voice of the god that was in a very grievous rage that he would presently lift his arm and spill their souls for their abuses and their spillings done by them contrariwise to his word which forth to bring brenningly biddeth.
So Thursday sixteenth June Patk. Dignam laid in clay of an apoplexy and after hard drought, please God, rained, a bargeman coming in by water a fifty mile or thereabout with turf saying the seed won't sprout, fields athirst, very sadcoloured and stunk mightily, the quags and tofts too. Hard to breathe and all the young quicks clean consumed without sprinkle this long while back as no man remembered to be without. The rosy buds all gone brown and spread out blobs and on the hills nought but dry flags and faggots that would catch at first fire. All the world saying, for aught they knew, the big wind of last February a year that did havoc the land so pitifully a small thing beside this barrenness. But by and by, as said, this evening after sundown, the wind sitting in the west, biggish swollen clouds to be seen as the night increased and the weatherwise poring up at them and some sheet lightnings at first and after, past ten of the clock, one great stroke with a long thunder and in a brace of shakes all scamper pellmell within door for the smoking shower, the men making shelter for their straws with a clout or kerchief, womenfolk skipping off with kirtles catched up soon as the pour came. In Ely place, Baggot street, Duke's lawn, thence through Merrion green up to Holles street, a swash of water running that was before bonedry and not one chair or coach or fiacre seen about but no more crack after that first. Over against the Rt. Hon. Mr Justice Fitzgibbon's door (that is to sit with Mr Healy the lawyer upon the college lands) Mal. Mulligan a gentleman's gentleman that had but come from Mr Moore's the writer's (that was a papish but is now, folk say, a good Williamite) chanced against Alec. Bannon in a cut bob (which are now In with dance cloaks of Kendal green) that was new got to town from Mullingar with the stage where his coz and Mal M's brother will stay a month yet till Saint Swithin and asks what in the earth he does there, he bound home and he to Andrew Horne's being stayed for to crush a cup of wine, so he said, but would tell him of a skittish heifer, big of her age and beef to the heel and all this while poured with rain and so both together on to Horne's. There Leop. Bloom of Crawford's journal sitting snug with a covey of wags, likely brangling fellows, Dixon jun., scholar of my lady of Mercy, Vin. Lynch, a Scots fellow, Will. Madden, T. Lenehan, very sad for a racinghorse he fancied and Stephen D. Leop. Bloom there for a languor he had but was now better, he having dreamed tonight a strange fancy of his dame Mrs Moll with red slippers on in pair of Turkey trunks which is thought by those in ken to be for a change and Mistress Purefoy there, that got in through pleading her belly, and now on the stools, poor body, two days past her term, the midwives sore put to it and can't deliver, she queasy for a bowl of riceslop that is a shrewd drier up of the insides and her breath very heavy more than good and should be a bullyboy from the knocks they say, but God give her soon issue. 'Tis her ninth chick to live, I hear, and Lady day bit off her last chick's nails that was then a twelvemonth and with other three all breastfed that died written out in a fair hand in the king's bible. Her hub fifty odd and a methodist but takes the Sacrament and is to be seen any fair sabbath with a pair of his boys off Bullock harbour dapping on the sound with a heavybraked reel or in a punt he has trailing for flounder and pollock and catches a fine bag, I hear. In sum an infinite great fall of rain and all refreshed and will much increase the harvest yet those in ken say after wind and water fire shall come for a prognostication of Malachi's almanac (and I hear that Mr Russell has done a prophetical charm of the same gist out of the Hindustanish for his farmer's gazette) to have three things in all but this a mere fetch without bottom of reason for old crones and bairns yet sometimes they are found in the right guess with their queerities no telling how.
With this came up Lenehan to the feet of the table to say how the letter was in that night's gazette and he made a show to find it about him (for he swore with an oath that he had been at pains about it) but on Stephen's persuasion he gave over to search and was bidden to sit near by which he did mighty brisk. He was a kind of sport gentleman that went for a merryandrew or honest pickle and what belonged of woman, horseflesh, or hot scandal he had it pat. To tell the truth he was mean in fortunes and for the most part hankered about the coffeehouses and low taverns with crimps, ostlers, bookies, Paul's men, runners, flatcaps, waistcoateers, ladies of the bagnio and other rogues of the game or with a chanceable catchpole or a tipstaff often at nights till broad day of whom he picked up between his sackpossets much loose gossip. He took his ordinary at a boiling-cook's and if he had but gotten into him a mess of broken victuals or a platter of tripes with a bare tester in his purse he could always bring himself off with his tongue, some randy quip he had from a punk or whatnot that every mother's son of them would burst their sides. The other, Costello, that is, hearing this talk asked was it poetry or a tale. Faith, no, he says, Frank (that was his name), 'tis all about Kerry cows that are to be butchered along of the plague. But they can go hang, says he with a wink, for me with their bully beef, a pox on it. There's as good fish in this tin as ever came out of it and very friendly he offered to take of some salty sprats that stood by which he had eyed wishly in the meantime and found the place which was indeed the chief design of his embassy as he was sharpset. Mort aux vaches, says Frank then in the French language that had been indentured to a brandy shipper that has a winelodge in Bordeaux and he spoke French like a gentleman too. From a child this Frank had been a donought that his father, a headborough, who could ill keep him to school to learn his letters and the use of the globes, matriculated at the university to study the mechanics but he took the bit between his teeth like a raw colt and was more familiar with the justiciary and the parish beadle than with his volumes. One time he would be a playactor, then a sutler or a welsher, then nought would keep him from the bearpit and the cocking main, then he was for the ocean sea or to hoof it on the roads with the Romany folk, kidnapping a squire's heir by favour or moonlight or fecking maid's linen or choking chickens behind a hedge. He had been off as many times as a cat has lives and back again with naked pockets as many more to his father the headborough who shed a pint of tears as often as he saw him. What, says Mr Leopold with his hands across, that was earnest to know the drift of it, will they slaughter all? I protest I saw them but this day morning going to the Liverpool boats, says he. I can scarce believe 'tis so bad, says he. And he had experience of the like brood beasts and of springers, greasy hoggets and wether wools, having been some years before actuary for Mr Joseph Cuffe, a worthy salesmaster that drove his trade for live stock and meadow auctions hard by Mr Gavin Low's yard in Prussia street. I question with you there, says he. More like 'tis the hoose of the timber tongue. Mr Stephen, a little moved but very handsomely, told him no such matter and that he had dispatches from the emperor's chief tailtickler thanking him for the hospitality, that was sending over Doctor Rinderpest, the bestquoted cowcatcher in all Muscovy, with a bolus or two of physic to take the bull by the horns. Come, come, says Mr Vincent, plain dealing. He'll find himself on the horns of a dilemma if he meddles with a bull that's Irish, says he. Irish by name and Irish by nature, says Mr Stephen, and he sent the ale purling about. An Irish bull in an English chinashop. I conceive you, says Mr Dixon. It is that same bull that was sent to our island by farmer Nicholas, the bravest cattle breeder of them all, with an emerald ring in his nose. True for you, says Mr Vincent cross the table, and a bullseye into the bargain, says he, and a plumper and a portlier bull, says he, never shit on shamrock. He had horns galore, a coat of gold and a sweet smoky breath coming out of his nostrils so that the women of our island, leaving doughballs and rollingpins, followed after him hanging his bulliness in daisychains. What for that, says Mr Dixon, but before he came over farmer Nicholas that was a eunuch had him properly gelded by a college of doctors, who were no better off than himself. So be off now, says he, and do all my cousin german the Lord Harry tells you and take a farmer's blessing, and with that he slapped his posteriors very soundly. But the slap and the blessing stood him friend, says Mr Vincent, for to make up he taught him a trick worth two of the other so that maid, wife, abbess and widow to this day affirm that they would rather any time of the month whisper in his ear in the dark of a cowhouse or get a lick on the nape from his long holy tongue then lie with the finest strapping young ravisher in the four fields of all Ireland. Another then put in his word: And they dressed him, says he, in a point shift and petticoat with a tippet and girdle and ruffles on his wrists and clipped his forelock and rubbed him all over with spermacetic oil and built stables for him at every turn of the road with a gold manger in each full of the best hay in the market so that he could doss and dung to his heart's content. By this time the father of the faithful (for so they called him) was grown so heavy that he could scarce walk to pasture. To remedy which our cozening dames and damsels brought him his fodder in their apronlaps and as soon as his belly was full he would rear up on his hind quarters to show their ladyships a mystery and roar and bellow out of him in bull's language and they all after him. Ay, says another, and so pampered was he that he would suffer nought to grow in all the land but green grass for himself (for that was the only colour to his mind) and there was a board put up on a hillock in the middle of the island with a printed notice, saying: By the lord Harry green is the grass that grows on the ground. And, says Mr Dixon, if ever he got scent of a cattleraider in Roscommon or the wilds of Connemara or a husbandman in Sligo that was sowing as much as a handful of mustard or a bag of rapeseed out he run amok over half the countryside rooting up with his horns whatever was planted and all by lord Harry's orders. There was bad blood between them at first, says Mr Vincent, and the lord Harry called farmer Nicholas all the old Nicks in the world and an old whoremaster that kept seven trulls in his house and I'll meddle in his matters, says he. I'll make that animal smell hell, says he, with the help of that good pizzle my father left me. But one evening, says Mr Dixon, when the lord Harry was cleaning his royal pelt to go to dinner after winning a boatrace (he had spade oars for himself but the first rule of the course was that the others were to row with pitchforks) he discovered in himself a wonderful likeness to a bull and on picking up a blackthumbed chapbook that he kept in the pantry he found sure enough that he was a lefthanded descendant of the famous champion bull of the Romans, Bos Bovum, which is good bog Latin for boss of the show. After that, says Mr Vincent, the lord Harry put his head into a cow's drinking trough in the presence of all his courtiers and pulling it out again told them all his new name. Then, with the water running off him, he got into an old smock and skirt that had belonged to his grandmother and bought a grammar of the bull's language to study but he could never learn a word of it except the first personal pronoun which he copied out big and got off by heart and if ever he went out for a walk he filled his pockets with chalk to write it up on what took his fancy, the side of a rock or a teahouse table or a bale of cotton or a corkfloat. In short he and the bull of Ireland were soon as fast friends as an arse and a shirt. They were, says Mr Stephen, and the end was that the men of the island, seeing no help was toward as the ungrate women were all of one mind, made a wherry raft, loaded themselves and their bundles of chattels on shipboard, set all masts erect, manned the yards, sprang their luff, heaved to, spread three sheets in the wind, put her head between wind and water, weighed anchor, ported her helm, ran up the jolly Roger, gave three times three, let the bullgine run, pushed off in their bumboat and put to sea to recover the main of America. Which was the occasion, says Mr Vincent, of the composing by a boatswain of that rollicking chanty:
-- Pope Peter's but a pissabed.
A man's a man for a' that.
Our worthy acquaintance, Mr Malachi Mulligan, now appeared in the doorway as the students were finishing their apologue accompanied with a friend whom he had just rencountered, a young gentleman, his name Alec Bannon, who had late come to town, it being his intention to buy a colour or a cornetcy in the fencibles and list for the wars. Mr Mulligan was civil enough to express some relish of it all the more as it jumped with a project of his own for the cure of the very evil that had been touched on. Whereat he handed round to the company a set of pasteboard cards which he had had printed that day at Mr Quinnell's bearing a legend printed in fair italics: Mr Malachi Mulligan, Fertiliser and Incubator, Lambay Island. His project, as he went on to expound, was to withdraw from the round of idle pleasures such as form the chief business of sir Fopling Popinjay and sir Milksop Quidnunc in town and to devote himself to the noblest task for which our bodily organism has been framed. Well, let us hear of it, good my friend, said Mr Dixon. I make no doubt it smacks of wenching. Come, be seated, both. 'Tis as cheap sitting as standing. Mr Mulligan accepted of the invitation and, expatiating on his design, told his hearers that he had been led into this thought by a consideration of the causes of sterility, both the inhibitory and the prohibitory, whether the inhibition in its turn were due to conjugal vexations or to a parsimony of the balance as well as whether the prohibition proceeded from defects congenital or from proclivities acquired. It grieved him plaguily, he said, to see the nuptial couch defrauded of its dearest pledges: and to reflect upon so many agreeable females with rich jointures, a prey for the vilest bonzes, who hide their flambeau under a bushel in an uncongenial cloister or lose their womanly bloom in the embraces of some unaccountable muskin when they might multiply the inlets of happiness, sacrificing the inestimable jewel of their sex when a hundred pretty fellows were at hand to caress, this, he assured them, made his heart weep. To curb this inconvenience (which he concluded due to a suppression of latent heat), having advised with certain counsellors of worth and inspected into this matter, he had resolved to purchase in fee simple for ever the freehold of Lambay island from its holder, lord Talbot de Malahide, a Tory gentleman of not much in favour with our ascendancy party. He proposed to set up there a national fertilising farm to be named Omphalos with an obelisk hewn and erected after the fashion of Egypt and to offer his dutiful yeoman services for the fecundation of any female of what grade of life soever who should there direct to him with the desire of fulfilling the functions of her natural. Money was no object, he said, nor would he take a penny for his pains. The poorest kitchenwench no less than the opulent lady of fashion, if so be their constructions, and their tempers were warm persuaders for their petitions, would find in him their man. For his nutriment he shewed how he would feed himself exclusively upon a diet of savoury tubercles and fish and coneys there, the flesh of these latter prolific rodents being highly recommended for his purpose, both broiled and stewed with a blade of mace and a pod or two of capsicum chillies. After this homily which he delivered with much warmth of asseveration Mr Mulligan in a trice put off from his hat a kerchief with which he had shielded it. The both, it seems, had been overtaken by the rain and for all their mending their pace had taken water, as might be observed by Mr Mulligan's smallclothes of a hodden grey which was now somewhat piebald. His project meanwhile was very favourably entertained by his auditors and won hearty eulogies from all though Mr Dixon of Mary's excepted to it, asking with a finicking air did he purpose also to carry coals to Newcastle. Mr Mulligan however made court to the scholarly by an apt quotation from the classics which as it dwelt upon his memory seemed to him a sound and tasteful support of his contention: Talis ac tanta depravatio hujus seculi, O quirites, ut matres familiarum nostro lascivas cujuslibet semiviri libici titillationes testibus ponderosis atque excelsis erectionibus centurionum Romanorum magnopere anteponunt: while for those of ruder wit he drove home his point by analogies of the animal kingdom more suitable to their stomach, the buck and doe of the forest glade, the farmyard drake and duck.
Valuing himself not a little upon his elegance, being indeed a proper man of his person, this talkative now applied himself to his dress with animadversions of some heat upon the sudden whimsy of the atmospherics while the company lavished their encomiums upon the project he had advanced. The young gentleman, his friend, overjoyed as he was at a passage that had befallen him, could not forbear to tell it his nearest neighbour. Mr Mulligan, now perceiving the table, asked for whom were those loaves and fishes and, seeing the stranger, he made him a civil bow and said, Pray, sir, was you in need of any professional assistance we could give? Who, upon his offer, thanked him very heartily, though preserving his proper distance, and replied that he was come there about a lady, now an inmate of Horne's house, that was in an interesting condition, poor lady, from woman's woe (and here he fetched a deep sigh) to know if her happiness had yet taken place. Mr Dixon, to turn the table, took on to ask Mr Mulligan himself whether his incipient ventripotence, upon which he rallied him, betokened an ovoblastic gestation in the prostatic utricle or male womb or was due as with the noted physician, Mr Austin Meldon, to a wolf in the stomach. For answer Mr Mulligan, in a gale of laughter at his smalls, smote himself bravely below the diaphragm, exclaiming with an admirable droll mimic of Mother Grogan (the most excellent creature of her sex though 'tis pity she's a trollop): There's a belly that never bore a bastard. This was so happy a conceit that it renewed the storms of mirth and threw the whole room into the most violent agitations of delight. The spry rattle had run on in the same vein of mimicry but for some larum in the antechamber.
Here the listener, who was none other than the Scotch student, a little fume of a fellow, blond as tow, congratulated in the liveliest fashion with the young gentleman and, interrupting the narrative at a salient point, having desired his visavis with a polite beck to have the obligingness to pass him a flagon of cordial waters at the same time by a questioning pose of the head (a whole century of polite breeding had not achieved so nice a gesture) to which was united an equivalent but contrary balance of the head, asked the narrator as plainly as was ever done in words if he might treat him with a cup of it. Mais bien s?r, noble stranger, said he cheerily, et mille compliments. That you may and very opportunely. There wanted nothing but this cup to crown my felicity. But, gracious heaven, was I left with but a crust in my wallet and a cupful of water from the well, my God, I would accept of them and find it in my heart to kneel down upon the ground and give thanks to the powers above for the happiness vouchsafed me by the Giver of good things. With these words he approached the goblet to his lips, took a complacent draught of the cordial, slicked his hair and, opening his bosom, out popped a locket that hung from a silk riband that very picture which he had cherished ever since her hand had wrote therein. Gazing upon those features with a world of tenderness, Ah, Monsieur, he said, had you but beheld her as I did with these eyes at that affecting instant with her dainty tucker and her new coquette cap (a gift for her feast day as she told me) in such an artless disorder, of so melting a tenderness, 'pon my conscience, even you, Monsieur, had been impelled by generous nature to deliver yourself wholly into the hands of such an enemy or to quit the field for ever. I declare, I was never so touched in all my life. God I thank thee as the Author of my days! Thrice happy will he be whom so amiable a creature will bless with her favours. A sigh of affection gave eloquence to these words and, having replaced the locket in his bosom, he wiped his eye and sighed again. Beneficent Disseminator of blessing to all Thy creatures, how great and universal must be that sweetest of Thy tyrannies which can hold in thrall the free and the bond, the simple swain and the polished coxcomb, the lover in the heyday of reckless passion and the husband of maturer years. But indeed, sir, I wander from the point. How mingled and imperfect are all our sublunary joys! Maledicity! Would to God that foresight had remembered me to take my cloak along! I could weep to think of it. Then, though it had poured seven showers, we were neither of us a penny the worse. But beshrew me, he cried, clapping hand to his forehead, tomorrow will be a new day and, thousand thunders, I know of a marchand de capotes, Monsieur Poyntz, from whom I can have for a livre as snug a cloak of the French fashion as ever kept a lady from wetting. Tut, Tut! cries le Fécondateur, tripping in, my friend Monsieur Moore, that most accomplished traveller (I have just cracked a half bottle avec lui in a circle of the best wits of the town), is my authority that in Cape Horn, ventre biche, they have a rain that will wet through any, even the stoutest cloak. A drenching of that violence, he tells me, sans blague, has sent more than one luckless fellow in good earnest posthaste to another world. Pooh! A livre! cries Monsieur Lynch. The clumsy things are dear at a sou. One umbrella, were it no bigger than a fairy mushroom, is worth ten such stopgaps. No woman of any wit would wear one. My dear Kitty told me today that she would dance in a deluge before ever she would starve in such an ark of salvation for, as she reminded me (blushing piquantly and whispering in my ear though there was none to snap her words but giddy butterflies), dame Nature, by the divine blessing, has implanted it in our heart and it has become a household word that il y a deux choses for which the innocence of our original garb, in other circumstances a breach of the proprieties, is the fittest nay, the only, garment. The first, said she (and here my pretty philosopher, as I handed her to her tilbury, to fix my attention, gently tipped with her tongue the outer chamber of my ear), the first is a bath... but at this point a bell tinkling in the hall cut short a discourse which promised so bravely for the enrichment of our store of knowledge.
Amid the general vacant hilarity of the assembly a bell rang and while all were conjecturing what might be the cause Miss Callan entered and, having spoken a few words in a low tone to young Mr Dixon, retired with a profound bow to the company. The presence even for a moment among a party of debauchees of a woman endued with every quality of modesty and not less severe than beautiful refrained the humorous sallies even of the most licentious but her departure was the signal for an outbreak of ribaldry. Strike me silly, said Costello, a low fellow who was fuddled. A monstrous fine bit of cow-flesh! I'll be sworn she has rendezvoused you. What, you dog? Have you a way with them? Gad's bud. Immensely so, said Mr Lynch. The bedside manner it is that they use in the Mater hospice. Demme, does not Doctor O'Gargle chuck the nuns there under the chin? As I look to be saved I had it from my Kitty who has been wardmaid there any time these seven months. Lawksamercy, doctor, cried the young blood in the primrose vest, feigning a womanish simper and immodest squirmings of his body, how you do tease a body! Drat the man! Bless me, I'm all of a wibblywobbly. Why, you're as bad as dear little Father Cantekissem that you are! May this pot of four half choke me, cried Costello, if she ain't in the family way. I knows a lady what's got a white swelling quick as I claps eyes on her. The young surgeon, however, rose and begged the company to excuse his retreat as the nurse had just then informed him that he was needed in the ward. Merciful providence had been pleased to put a period to the sufferings of the lady who was enceinte which she had borne with a laudable fortitude and she had given birth to a bouncing boy. I want patience, said he, with those who without wit to enliven or learning to instruct, revile an ennobling profession which, saving the reverence due to the Deity, is the greatest power for happiness upon the earth. I am positive when I say that if need were I could produce a cloud of witnesses to the excellence of her noble exercitations which, so far from being a byword, should be a glorious incentive in the human breast. I cannot away with them. What? Malign such an one, the amiable Miss Callan, who is the lustre of her own sex and the astonishment of ours and at an instant the most momentous that can befall a puny child of clay? Perish the thought! I shudder to think of the future of a race where the seeds of such malice have been sown and where no right reverence is rendered to mother and maid in house of Horne. Having delivered himself of this rebuke he saluted those present on the by and repaired to the door. A murmur of approval arose from all and some were for ejecting the low soaker without more ado, a design which would have been effected nor would he have received more than his bare deserts had he not abridged his transgression by affirming with a horrid imprecation (for he swore a round hand) that he was as good a son of the true fold as ever drew breath. Stap my vitals, said he, them was always the sentiments of honest Frank Costello which I was bred up most particular to honour thy father and thy mother that had the best hand to a rolypoly or a hasty pudding as you ever see what I always looks back on with a loving heart.
To revert to Mr Bloom who, after his first entry, had been conscious of some impudent mocks which he, however, had borne with being the fruits of that age upon which it is commonly charged that it knows not pity. The young sparks, it is true, were as full of extravagancies as overgrown children: the words of their tumultuary discussions were difficultly understood and not often nice: their testiness and outrageous mots were such that his intellects resiled from: nor were they scrupulously sensible of the proprieties though their fund of strong animal spirits spoke in their behalf. But the word of Mr Costello was an unwelcome language for him for he nauseated the wretch that seemed to him a cropeared creature of a misshapen gibbosity born out of wedlock and thrust like a crookback teethed and feet first into the world, which the dint of the surgeon's pliers in his skull lent indeed a colour to, so as it put him in thought of that missing link of creation's chain desiderated by the late ingenious Mr Darwin. It was now for more than the middle span of our allotted years that he had passed through the thousand vicissitudes of existence and, being of a wary ascendancy and self a man of a rare forecast, he had enjoined his heart to repress all motions of a rising choler and, by intercepting them with the readiest precaution, foster within his breast that plenitude of sufferance which base minds jeer at, rash judgers scorn and all find tolerable and but tolerable. To those who create themselves wits at the cost of feminine delicacy (a habit of mind which he never did hold with) to them he would concede neither to bear the name nor to herit the tradition of a proper breeding: while for such that, having lost all forbearance, can lose no more, there remained the sharp antidote of experience to cause their insolency to beat a precipitate and inglorious retreat. Not but what he could feel with mettlesome youth which, caring nought for the mows of dotards or the gruntlings of the severe, is ever (as the chaste fancy of the Holy Writer express it) for eating of the tree forbid it yet not so far forth as to pretermit humanity upon any condition soever towards a gentlewoman when she was about her lawful occasions. To conclude, while from the sister's words he had reckoned upon a speedy delivery he was, however, it must be owned, not a little alleviated by the intelligence that the issue so auspicated after an ordeal of such duress now testified once more to the mercy as well as to the bounty of the Supreme Being.
Accordingly he broke his mind to his neighbour, saying that, to express his notion of the thing, his opinion (who ought not perchance to express one) was that one must have a cold constitution and a frigid genius not to be rejoiced by this freshest news of the fruition of her confinement since she had been in such pain through no fault of hers. The dressy young blade said it was her husband's that put her in that expectation or at least it ought to be unless she were another Ephesian matron. I must acquaint you, said Mr Crothers, clapping on the table so as to evoke a resonant comment of emphasis, old Glory Allelujerum was round again to-day, an elderly man with dundrearies, preferring through his nose a request to have word of Wilhelmina, my life, as he calls her. I bade him hold himself in readiness for that the event would burst anon. 'Slife, I'll be round with you. I cannot but extol the virile potency of the old bucko that could still knock another child out of her. All fell to praising of it, each after his own fashion, though the same young blade held with his former view that another than her conjugial had been the man in the gap, a clerk in orders, a linkboy (virtuous) or an itinerant vendor of articles needed in every household. Singular, communed the guest with himself, the wonderfully unequal faculty of metempsychosis possessed by them, that the puerperal dormitory and the dissecting theatre should be the seminaries of such frivolity, that the mere acquisition of academic titles should suffice to transform in a pinch of time these votaries of levity into exemplary practitioners of an art which most men anywise eminent have esteemed the noblest. But, he further added, it is mayhap to relieve the pentup feelings that in common oppress them for I have more than once observed that birds of a feather laugh together.
But with what fitness, let it be asked, of the noble lord, his patron, has this alien, whom the concession of a gracious prince has admitted to civil rights, constituted himself the lord paramount of our internal polity? Where is now that gratitude which loyalty should have counselled? During the recent war whenever the enemy had a temporary advantage with his granados did this traitor to his kind not seize that moment to discharge his piece against the empire of which he is a tenant at will while he trembled for the security of his four per cents? Has he forgotten this as he forgets all benefits received? Or is it that from being a deluder of others he has become at last his own dupe as he is, if report belie him not his own and his only enjoyer? Far be it from candour to violate the bedchamber of a respectable lady, the daughter of a gallant major, or to cast the most distant reflections upon her virtue but if he challenges attention there (as it was indeed highly his interest not to have done) then be it so. Unhappy woman she has been too long and too persistently denied her legitimate prerogative to listen to his objurgations with any other feeling than the derision of the desperate. He says this, a censor of morals, a very pelican in his piety, who did not scruple, oblivious of the ties of nature, to attempt illicit intercourse with a female domestic drawn from the lowest strata of society. Nay, had the hussy's scouringbrush not been her tutelary angel it had gone with her as hard as with Hagar, the Egyptian! In the question of the grazing lands his peevish asperity is notorious and in Mr Cuffe's hearing brought upon him from an indignant rancher a scathing retort couched in terms as straightforward as they were bucolic. It ill becomes him to preach that gospel. Has he not nearer home a seed-field that lies fallow for the want of a ploughshare? A habit reprehensible at puberty is second nature and an opprobium in middlelife. If he must dispense his balm of Gilead in nostrums and apothegms of dubious taste to restore to health a generation of unfledged profligates let his practice consist better with the doctrines that now engross him. His marital breast is the repository of secrets which decorum is reluctant to adduce. The lewd suggestions of some faded beauty may console him for a consort neglected and debauched but this new exponent of morals and healer of ills is at his best an exotic tree which, when rooted in its native orient, throve and flourished and was abundant in balm but, transplanted to a clime more temperate, its roots have lost their quondam vigour while the stuff that comes away from it is stagnant, acid and inoperative.
The news was imparted with a circumspection recalling the ceremonial usages of the Sublime Porte by the second female infirmarian to the junior medical officer in residence, who in his turn announced to the delegation that an heir had been born. When he had betaken himself to the women's apartment to assist at the prescribed ceremony of the afterbirth in the presence of the secretary of state for domestic affairs and the members of the privy council, silent in unanimous exhaustion and approbation, the delegates, chafing under the length and solemnity of their vigil and hoping that the joyful occurrence would palliate a licence which the simultaneous absence of abigail and officer rendered the easier, broke out at once into a strife of tongues. In vain the voice of Mr Canvasser Bloom was heard endeavouring to urge, to mollify, to restrain. The moment was too propitious for the display of that discursiveness which seemed the only bond of union among tempers so divergent. Every phase of the situation was successively eviscerated: the prenatal repugnance of uterine brothers, the Caesarean section, posthumity with respect to the father and, that rarer form, with respect to the mother, the fratricidal case known as the Childs murder and endered memorable by the impassioned plea of Mr Advocate Bushe which secured the acquittal of the wrongfully accused, the rights of primogeniture and king's bounty touching twins and triplets, miscarriages and infanticides, simulated and dissimulated, acardiac ftus in ftu, aprosopia due to a congestion, the agnatia of certain chinless Chinamen (cited by Mr Candidate Mulligan) in consequence of defective reunion of the maxillary knobs along the medial line so that (as he said) one ear could hear what the other spoke, the benefits of anesthesia or twilight sleep, the prolongation of labour pains in advanced gravidancy by reason of pressure on the vein, the premature relentment of the amniotic fluid (as exemplified in the actual case) with consequent peril of sepsis to the matrix, artificial insemination by means of syringes, involution of the womb consequent upon the menopause, the problem of the perpetuation of the species in the case of females impregnated by delinquent rape, that distressing manner of delivery called by the Brandenburghers Sturzgeburt, the recorded instances of multigeminal, twikindled and monstrous births conceived during the catamenic period or of consanguineous parents - in a word all the cases of human nativity which Aristotle has classified in his master-piece with chromolithographic illustrations. The gravest problems of obstetrics and forensic medicine were examined with as much animation as the most popular beliefs on the state of pregnancy such as the forbidding to a gravid woman to step over a country stile lest, by her movement, the navelcord should strangle her creature and the injunction upon her in the event of a yearning, ardently and ineffectually entertained, to place her hand against that part of her person which long usage has consecrated as the seat of castigation. The abnormalities of harelip, breastmole, supernumerary digits, negro's inkle, strawberry mark and portwine stain were alleged by one as a primafacie and natural hypothetical explanation of swineheaded (the case of Madame Grissel Steevens was not forgotten) or doghaired infants occasionally born. The hypothesis of a plasmic memory, advanced by the taledonian envoy and worthy of the metaphysical traditions of the land he stood for, envisaged in such cases an arrest of embryonic development at some stage antecedent to the human. An outlandish delegate sustained against both these views with such heat as almost carried conviction the theory of copulation between women and the males of brutes, his authority being his own avouchment in support of fables such as that of the Minotaur which the genius of the elegant Latin poet has handed down to us in the pages of his Metamorphoses. The impression made by his words was immediate but shortlived. It was effaced as easily as it had been evoked by an allocution from Mr Candidate Mulligan in that vein of pleasantry which none better than he knew know to affect, postulating as the supremest object of desire a nice clean old man. Contemporaneously, a heated argument having arisen between Mr Delegate Madden and Mr Candidate Lynch regarding the juridical and theological dilemma in the even of one Siamese twin predeceasing the other, the difficulty by mutual consent was referred to Mr Canvasser Bloom for instant submittal to Mr Coadjutor Deacon Dedalus. Hitherto silent, whether the better to show by preternatural gravity that curious dignity of the garb with which he was invested or in obedience to an inward voice, he delivered briefly, and as some thought perfunctorily, the ecclesiastical ordinance forbidding man to put asunder what God has joined.
But Malachias' tale began to freeze them with horror. He conjured up the scene before them. The secret panel beside the chimney slid back and in the recess appeared... Haines! Which of us did not feel his flesh creep? He had a portfolio full of Celtic literature in one hand, in the other a phial marked Poison. Surprise, horror, loathing were depicted on all faces while he eyed them with a ghastly grin. I anticipated some such reception, he began with an eldritch laugh, for which, it seems, history is to blame. Yes, it is true. I am the murderer of Samuel Childs. And how I am punished! The inferno has no terrors for me. This is the appearance is on me. Tare and ages, what way would I be resting at all, he muttered thickly, and I tramping Dublin this while back with my share of songs and himself after me the like of a soulth or a bullawurrus? My hell, and Ireland's, is in this life. It is what I tried to obliterate my crime. Distractions, rookshooting, the Erse language (he recited some), laudanum (he raised the phial to his lips), camping out. In vain! His spectre stalks me. Dope is my only hope... Ah! Destruction! The black panther! With a cry he suddenly vanished and the panel slid back. An instant later his head appeared in the door opposite and said: Meet me at Westland row station at ten past eleven. He was gone! Tears gushed from the eyes of the dissipated host. The seer raised his hand to heaven, murmuring: The vendetta of Mananaan! The sage repeated Lex talionis. The sentimentalist is he who would enjoy without incurring the immense debtorship for a thing done. Malachias, overcome by emotion, ceased. The mystery was unveiled. Haines was the third brother. His real name was Childs. The black panther was himself the ghost of his own father. He drank drugs to obliterate. For this relief much thanks. The lonely house by the graveyard is uninhabited. No soul will live there. The spider pitches her web in the solitude. The nocturnal rat peers from his hole. A curse is on it. It is haunted. Murderer's ground.
What is the age of the soul of man? As she hath the virtue of the chameleon to change her hue at every new approach, to be gay with the merry and mournful with the downcast, so too is her age changeable as her mood. No longer is Leopold, as he sits there, ruminating, chewing the cud of reminiscence, that staid agent of publicity and holder of a modest substance in the funds. He is young Leopold, as in a retrospective arrangement, a mirror within a mirror (hey, presto!), he beholdeth himself. That young figure of then is seen, precociously manly, walking on a nipping morning from the old house in Clambrassil street to the high school, his book satchel on him bandolierwise, and in it a goodly hunk of wheaten loaf, a mother's thought. Or it is the same figure, a year or so gone over, in his first hard hat (ah, that was a day!), already on the road, a fullfledged traveller for the family firm, equipped with an orderbook, a scented handkerchief (not for show only), his case of bright trinketware (alas, a thing now of the past!), and a quiverful of compliant smiles for this or that halfwon housewife reckoning it out upon her fingertips or for a budding virgin shyly acknowledging (but the heart? tell me!) his studied baisemoins. The scent, the smile but more than these, the dark eyes and oleaginous address brought home at duskfall many a commission to the head of the firm seated with Jacob's pipe after like labours in the paternal ingle (a meal of noodles, you may be sure, is aheating), reading through round horned spectacles some paper from the Europe of a month before. But hey, presto, the mirror is breathed on and the young knighterrant recedes, shrivels, to a tiny speck within the mist. Now he is himself paternal and these about him might be his sons. Who can say? The wise father knows his own child. He thinks of a drizzling night in Hatch street, hard by the bonded stores there, the first. Together (she is a poor waif, a child of shame, yours and mine and of all for a bare shilling and her luck-penny), together they hear the heavy tread of the watch as two raincaped shadows pass the new royal university. Bridie! Bridie Kelly! He will never forget the name, ever remember the night, first night, the bridenight. They are entwined in nethermost darkness, the willer with the willed, and in an instant (fiat!) light shall flood the world. Did heart leap to heart? Nay, fair reader. In a breath 'twas done but - hold! Back! It must not be! In terror the poor girl flees away through the murk. She is the bride of darkness, a daughter of night. She dare not bear the sunnygolden babe of day. No, Leopold! Name and memory solace thee not. That youthful illusion of thy strength was taken from thee and in vain. No son of thy loins is by thee. There is none now to be for Leopold, what Leopold was for Rudolph.
The voices blend and fuse in clouded silence: silence that is the infinite of space: and swiftly, silently the soul is wafted over regions of cycles of cycles of generations that have lived. A region where grey twilight ever descends, never falls on wide sagegreen pasturefields, shedding her dusk, scattering a perennial dew of stars. She follows her mother with ungainly steps, a mare leading her fillyfoal. Twilight phantoms are they yet moulded in prophetic grace of structure, slim shapely haunches, a supple tendonous neck, the meek apprehensive skull. They fade, sad phantoms: all is gone. Agendath is a waste land, a home of screechowls and the sandblind upupa. Netaim, the golden, is no more. And on the highway of the clouds they come, muttering thunder of rebellion, the ghosts of beasts. Huuh! Hark! Huuh! Parallax stalks behind and goads them, the lancinating lightnings of whose brow are scorpions. Elk and yak, the bulls of Bashan and of Babylon, mammoth and mastodon, they come trooping to the sunken sea, Lacus Mortis. Ominous, revengeful zodiacal host! They moan, passing upon the clouds, horned and capricorned, the trumpeted with the tusked, the lionmaned the giantantlered, snouter and crawler, rodent, ruminant and pachyderm, all their moving moaning multitude, murderers of the sun.
Onward to the dead sea they tramp to drink, unslaked and with horrible gulpings, the salt somnolent inexhaustible flood. And the equine portent grows again, magnified in the deserted heavens, nay to heaven's own magnitude, till it looms, vast, over the house of Virgo. And, lo, wonder of metempsychosis, it is she, the everlasting bride, harbinger of the daystar, the bride, ever virgin. It is she, Martha, thou lost one, Millicent, the young, the dear, the radiant. How serene does she now arise, a queen among the Pleiades, in the penultimate antelucan hour, shod in sandals of bright gold, coifed with a veil of what do you call it gossamer! It floats, it flows about her starborn flesh and loose it streams emerald, sapphire, mauve and heliotrope, sustained on currents of cold interstellar wind, winding, coiling, simply swirling, writhing in the skies a mysterious writing till after a myriad metamorphoses of symbol, it blazes, Alpha, a ruby and triangled sign upon the forehead of Taurus.
Francis was reminding Stephen of years before when they had been at school together in Conmee's time. He asked about Glaucon, Alcibiades, Pisistratus. Where were they now? Neither knew. You have spoken of the past and its phantoms, Stephen said. Why think of them? If I call them into life across the waters of Lethe will not the poor ghosts troop to my call? Who supposes it? I, Bous Stephanoumenos, bullockbefriending bard, am lord and giver of their life. He encircled his gadding hair with a coronal of vineleaves, smiling at Vincent. That answer and those leaves, Vincent said to him, will adorn you more fitly when something more, and greatly more, than a capful of light odes can call your genius father. All who wish you well hope this for you. All desire to see you bring forth the work you meditate. I heartily wish you may not fail them. O no, Vincent, Lenehan said, laying a hand on the shoulder near him, have no fear. He could not leave his mother an orphan. The young mans face grew dark. All could see how hard it was for him to be reminded of his promise and of his recent loss. He would have withdrawn from the feast had not the noise of voices allayed the smart. Madden had lost five drachmas on Sceptre for a whim of the rider's name: Lenehan as much more. He told them of the race. The flag fell and, huuh, off, scamper, the mare ran out freshly with O. Madden up. She was leading the field: all hearts were beating. Even Phyllis could not contain herself. She waved her scarf and cried: Huzzah! Sceptre wins! But in the straight on the run home when all were in close order the dark horse Throwaway drew level, reached, outstripped her. All was lost now. Phyllis was silent: her eyes were sad anemones. Juno, she cried, I am undone. But her lover consoled her and brought her a bright casket of gold in which lay some oval sugarplums which she partook. A tear fell: one only. A whacking fine whip, said Lenehan, is W. Lane. Four winners yesterday and three today. What rider is like him? Mount him on the camel or the boisterous buffalo the victory in a hack canter is still his. But let us bear it as was the ancient wont. Mercy on the luckless! Poor Sceptre! he said with a light sigh. She is not the filly that she was. Never, by this hand, shall we behold such another. By gad, sir, a queen of them. Do you remember her, Vincent? I wish you could have seen my queen today, Vincent said, how young she was and radiant (Lalage were scarce fair beside her) in her yellow shoes and frock of muslin, I do not know the right name of it. The chestnuts that shaded us were in bloom: the air drooped with their persuasive odour and with pollen floating by us. In the sunny patches one might easily have cooked on a stone a batch of those buns with Corinth fruit in them that Periplepomenos sells in his booth near the bridge. But she had nought for her teeth but the arm with which I held her and in that she nibbled mischievously when I pressed too dose. A week ago she lay ill, four days on the couch, but today she was free, blithe, mocked at peril. She is more taking then. Her posies too! Mad romp that it is, she had pulled her fill as we reclined together. And in your ear, my friend, you will not think who met us as we left the field. Conmee himself! He was walking by the hedge, reading, I think a brevier book with, I doubt not, a witty letter in it from Glycera or Chloe to keep the page. The sweet creature turned all colours in her confusion, feigning to reprove a slight disorder in her dress: a slip of underwood clung there for the very trees adore her. When conmee had passed she glanced at her lovely echo in the little mirror she carries. But he had been kind. In going by he had blessed us. The gods too are ever kind, Lenehan said. If I had poor luck with Bass's mare perhaps this draught of his may serve me more propensely. He was laying his hand upon a winejar: Malachi saw it and withheld his act, pointing to the stranger and to the scarlet label. Warily, Malachi whispered, preserve a druid silence. His soul is far away. It is as painful perhaps to be awakened from a vision as to be born. Any object, intensely regarded, may be a gate of access to the incorruptible eon of the gods. Do you not think it, Stephen? Theosophos told me so, Stephen answered, whom in a previous existence Egyptian priests initiated into the mysteries of karmic law. The lords of the moon, Theosophos told me, an orange-fiery shipload from planet Alpha of the lunar chain, would not assume the etheric doubles and these were therefore incarnated by the ruby-coloured egos from the second constellation.
However, as a matter of fact though, the preposterous surmise about him being in some description of a doldrums or other or mesmerised, which was entirely due to a misconception of the shallowest character, was not the case at all. The individual whose visual organs, while the above was going on, were at this juncture commencing to exhibit symptoms of animation, was as astute if not astuter than any man living and anybody that conjectured the contrary would have found themselves pretty speedily in the wrong shop. During the past four minutes or thereabouts he had been staring hard at a certain amount of number one Bass bottled by Messrs Bass and Co at Burton-on-Trent which happened to be situated amongst a lot of others right opposite to where he was and which was certainly calculated to attract anyone's remark on account of its scarlet appearance. He was simply and solely, as it subsequently transpired for reasons best known to himself which put quite an altogether different complexion on the proceedings, after the moment before's observations about boyhood days and the turf, recollecting two or three private transactions of his own which the other two were as mutually innocent of as the babe unborn. Eventually, however, both their eyes met and, as soon as it began to dawn on him that the other was endeavouring to help himself to the thing, he involuntarily determined to help him himself and so he accordingly took hold of the mediumsized glass recipient which contained the fluid sought after and made a capacious hole in it by pouring a lot of it out with, also at the same time however, a considerable degree of attentiveness in order not to upset any of the beer that was in it about the place.
The debate which ensued was in its scope and progress an epitome of the course of life. Neither place nor council was lacking in dignity. The debaters were the keenest in the land, the theme they were engaged on the loftiest and most vital. The high hall of Horne's house had never beheld an assembly so representative and so varied nor had the old rafters of that establishment ever listened to a language so encyclopaedic. A gallant scene in truth it made. Crothers was there at the foot of the table in his striking Highland garb, his face glowing from the briny airs of the Mull of Galloway. There too, opposite to him was Lynch, whose countenance bore already the stigmata of early depravity and premature wisdom. Next the Scotchman was the place assigned to Costello, the eccentric, while at his side was seated in stolid repose the squat form of Madden. The chair of the resident indeed stood vacant before the hearth but on either flank of it the figure of Bannon in explorer's kit of tweed shorts and salted cowhide brogues contrasted sharply with the primrose elegance and townbred manners of Malachi Roland St John Mulligan. Lastly at the head of the board was the young poet who found a refuge from his labours of pedagogy and metaphysical inquisition in the convivial atmosphere of Socratic discussion, while to right and left of him were accommodated the flippant prognosticator, fresh from the hippodrome, and that vigilant wanderer, soiled by the dust of travel and combat and stained by the mire of an indelible dishonour, but from whose steadfast and constant heart no lure or peril or threat or degradation could ever efface the image of that voluptuous loveliness which the inspired pencil of Lafayette has limned for ages yet to come.
It had better be stated here and now at the outset that the perverted transcendentalism to which Mr S. Dedalus' (Div. Scep.) contentions would appear to prove him pretty badly addicted runs directly counter to accepted scientific methods. Science, it cannot be too often repeated, deals with tangible phenomena. The man of science like the man in the street has to face hardheaded facts that cannot be blinked and explain them as best he can. There may be, it is true, some questions which science cannot answer - at present - such as the first problem submitted by Mr L. Bloom (Pubb. Canv.) regarding the future determination of sex. Must we accept the view of Empedocles of Trinacria that the right ovary (the postmenstrual period, assert others) is responsible for the birth of males or are the too long neglected spermatozoa or nemasperms the differentiating factors or is it, as most embryologists incline to opine, such as Culpepper, Spallanzani, Blumenbach, Lusk, Hertwig, Leopold and Valenti, a mixture of both? This would be tantamount to a cooperation (one of nature's favourite devices) between the nisus formativus of the nemasperm on the one hand and on the other a happily chosen position, succubitus felix, of the passive element. The other problem raised by the same inquirer is scarcely less vital: infant mortality. It is interesting because, as he pertinently remarks, we are all born in the same way but we all die in different ways. Mr M. Mulligan (Hyg. et Eug. Doc.) blames the sanitary conditions in which our greylunged citizens contract adenoids, pulmonary complaints etc. by inhaling the bacteria which lurk in dust. These facts, he alleges, and the revolting spectacles offered by our streets, hideous publicity posters, religious ministers of all denominations, mutilated soldiers and sailors, exposed scorbutic cardrivers, the suspended carcases of dead animals, paranoic bachelors and unfructified duennas - these, he said, were accountable for any and every fallingoff in the calibre of the race. Kalipedia, he prophesied, would soon be generally adopted and all the graces of life, genuinely good music, agreeable literature, light philosophy, instructive pictures, plastercast reproductions of the classical statues such as Venus and Apollo, artistic coloured photographs of prize babies, all these little attentions would enable ladies who were in a particular condition to pass the intervening months in a most enjoyable manner. Mr J. Crotthers (Disc. Bacc.) attributes some of these demises to abnormal trauma in the case of women workers subjected to heavy labours in the workshop and to marital discipline in the home but by far the vast majority to neglect, private or official, culminating in the exposure of newborn infants, the practice of criminal abortion or in the atrocious crime of infanticide. Although the former (we are thinking of neglect) is undoubtedly only too true the case he cites of nurses forgetting to count the sponges In the peritoneal cavity is too rare to be normative. In fact when one comes to look into it the wonder is that so many pregnancies and deliveries go off so well as they do, all things considered and in spite of our human shortcomings which often balk nature in her intentions. An ingenious suggestion is that thrown out by Mr V. Lynch (Bacc. Arith.) that both natality and mortality, as well as all other phenomena of evolution, tidal movements, lunar phases, blood temperatures, diseases in general, everything, in fine, in nature's vast workshop from the extinction of some remote sun to the blossoming of one of the countless flowers which beautify our public parks, is subject to a law of numeration as yet unascertained. Still the plain straightforward question why a child of normally healthy parents and seemingly a healthy child and properly looked after succumbs unaccountably in early childhood (though other children of the same marriage do not) must certainly, in the poet's words, give us pause. Nature, we may rest assured, has her own good and cogent reasons for whatever she does and in all probability such deaths are due to some law of anticipation by which organisms in which morbous germs have taken up their residence (modern science has conclusively shown that only the plasmic substance can be said to be immortal) tend to disappear at an increasingly earlier stage of development, an arrangement, which, though productive of pain to some of our feelings (notably the maternal), is nevertheless, some of us think, in the long run beneficial to the race in general in securing thereby the survival of the fittest. Mr S. Dedalus' (Div. Scep.) remark (or should it be called an interruption?) that an omnivorous being which can masticate, deglute, digest and apparently pass through the ordinary channel with pluterperfect imperturbability such multifarious aliments as cancrenous females emaciated by parturition, corpulent professional gentlemen, not to speak of jaundiced politicians and chlorotic nuns, might possibly find gastric relief in an innocent collation of staggering bob, reveals as nought else could and in a very unsavoury light the tendency above alluded to. For the enlightenment of those who are not so intimately acquainted with the minutiae of the municipal abattoir as this morbidminded esthete and embryo philosopher who for all his overweening bumptiousness in things scientific can scarcely distinguish an acid from an alkali prides himself on being, it should perhaps be stated that staggering bob in the vile parlance of our lower class licensed victuallers signifies the cookable and eatable flesh of a calf newly dropped from its mother. In a recent public controversy with Mr L. Bloom (Pubb. Canv.) which took place in the commons' hall of the National Maternity Hospital, 29, 30 and 31 Holles street, of which, as is well known, Dr A. Horne (Lic. in Mdw., F. K. Q. C. P. I.) is the able and popular master, he is reported by eyewitnesses as having stated that once a woman has let the cat into the bag (an esthetic allusion, presumably, to one of the most complicated and marvellous of all nature's processes, the act of sexual congress) she must let it out again or give it life, as he phrased it, to save her own. At the risk of her own was the telling rejoinder of his interlocutor none the less effective for the moderate and measured tone in which it was delivered.

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怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
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Meanwhile the skill and patience of the physician had brought about a happy accouchement. It had been a weary weary while both for patient and doctor. All that surgical skill could do was done and the brave woman had manfully helped. She had. She had fought the good fight and now she was very very happy. Those who have passed on, who have gone before, are happy too as they gaze down and smile upon the touching scene. Reverently look at her as she reclines there with the motherlight in her eyes, that longing hunger for baby fingers (a pretty sight it is to see), in the first bloom of her new motherhood, breathing a silent prayer of thanksgiving to One above, the Universal Husband. And as her loving eyes behold her babe she wishes only one blessing more, to have her dear Doady there with her to share her joy, to lay in his arms that mite of God's clay, the fruit of their lawful embraces. He is older now (you and I may whisper it) and a trifle stooped in the shoulders yet in the whirligig of years a grave dignity has come to the conscientious second accountant of the Ulster bank, College Green branch. O Doady, loved one of old, faithful lifemate now, it may never be again, that faroff time of the roses! With the old shake of her pretty head she recalls those days. God, how beautiful now across the mist of years! But their children are grouped in her imagination about the bedside, hers and his, Charley, Mary Alice, Frederick Albert (if he had lived), Mamy, Budgy (Victoria Frances), Tom, Violet Constance Louisa, darling little Bobsy (called after our famous hero of the South African war, lord Bobs of Waterford and Candahar) and now this last pledge of their union, a Purefoy if ever there was one, with the true Purefoy nose. Young hopeful will be christened Mortimer Edward after the influential third cousin of Mr Purefoy in the Treasury Remembrancer's office, Dublin Castle. And so time wags on: but father Cronion has dealt lightly here. No, let no sigh break from that bosom, dear gentle Mina. And Doady, knock the ashes from your pipe, the seasoned briar you still fancy when the curfew rings for you (may it be the distant day!) and dout the light whereby you read in the Sacred Book for the oil too has run low and so with a tranquil heart to bed, to rest. He knows and will call in His own good time. You too have fought the good fight and played loyally your man's part. Sir, to you my hand. Well done, thou good and faithful servant!
There are sins or (let us call them as the world calls them) evil memories which are hidden away by man in the darkest places of the heart but they abide there and wait. He may suffer their memory to grow dim, let them be as though they had not been and all but persuade himself that they were not or at least were otherwise. Yet a chance word will call them forth suddenly and they will rise up to confront him in the most various circumstances, a vision or a dream, or while timbrel and harp soothe his senses or amid the cool silver tranquillity of the evening or at the feast at midnight when he is now filled with wine. Not to insult over him will the vision come as over one that lies under her wrath, not for vengeance to cut off from the living but shrouded in the piteous vesture of the past, silent, remote, reproachful.
The stranger still regarded on the face before him a slow recession of that false calm there, imposed, as it seemed, by habit or some studied trick, upon words so embittered as to accuse in their speaker an unhealthiness, a flair, for the cruder things of life. A scene disengages itself in the observer's memory, evoked, it would seem, by a word of so natural a homeliness as if those days were really present there (as some thought) with their immediate pleasures. A shaven space of lawn one soft May evening, the wellremembered grove of lilacs at Roundtown, purple and white, fragrant slender spectators of the game but with much real interest in the pellets as they run slowly forward over the sward or collide and stop, one by its fellow, with a brief alert shock. And yonder about that grey urn where the water moves at times in thoughtful irrigation you saw another as fragrant sisterhood, Floey, Atty, Tiny and their darker friend with I know not what of arresting in her pose then, Our Lady of the Cherries, a comely brace of them pendent from an ear, bringing out the foreign warmth of the skin so daintily against the cool ardent fruit. A lad of four or five in linseywoolsey (blossomtime but there will be cheer in the kindly hearth when ere long the bowls are gathered and hutched) is standing on the urn secured by that circle of girlish fond hands. He frowns a little just as this young man does now with a perhaps too conscious enjoyment of danger but must needs glance at whiles towards where his mother watches from the piazzetta giving upon the flower-close with a faint shadow of remoteness or of reproach (alles Verg?nghche) in her glad look.
Mark this farther and remember. The end comes suddenly. Enter that antechamber of birth where the studious are assembled and note their faces. Nothing, as it seems, there of rash or violent. Quietude of custody rather, befitting their station in that house, the vigilant watch of shepherds and of angels about a crib in Bethlehem of Juda long ago. But as before the lightning the serried stormclouds, heavy with preponderant excess of moisture, in swollen masses turgidly distended, compass earth and sky in one vast slumber, impending above parched field and drowsy oxen and blighted growth of shrub and verdure till in an instant a flash rives their centres and with the reverberation of the thunder the cloudburst pours its torrent, so and not otherwise was the transformation, violent and instantaneous, upon the utterance of the Word.
Burke's! Outflings my lord Stephen, giving the cry, and a tag and bobtail of all them after, cockerel, jackanapes, welsher, pilldoctor, punctual Bloom at heels with a universal grabbing at headgear, ashplants, bilbos, Panama hats and scabbards, Zermatt alpenstocks and what not. A dedale of lusty youth, noble every student there. Nurse Callan taken aback in the hallway cannot stay them nor smiling surgeon coming downstairs with news of placentation ended, a full pound if a milligramme. They hark him on. The door! It is open? Ha? They are out tumultuously, off for a minute's race, all bravely legging it, Burke's of Denzille and Holles their ulterior goal. Dixon follows, giving them sharp language but raps out an oath, he too, and on. Bloom stays with nurse a thought to send a kind word to happy mother and nurseling up there. Doctor Diet and Doctor Quiet. Looks she too not other now? Ward of watching in Horne's house has told its tale in that washedout pallor. Them all being gone, a glance of motherwit helping he whispers close in going: Madam, when comes the storkbird for thee?
The air without is impregnated with raindew moisture, life essence celestial, glistering on Dublin stone there under starshiny coelum. God's air, the Allfather's air, scintillant circumambient cessile air. Breathe it deep into thee. By heaven, Theodore Purefoy, thou hast done a doughty deed and no botch! Thou art, I vow, the remarkablest progenitor barring none in this chaffering allincluding most farraginous chronicle. Astounding! In her lay a Godframed Godgiven preformed possibility which thou hast fructified with thy modicum of man's work. Cleave to her! Serve! Toil on, labour like a very bandog and let scholarment and all Malthusiasts go hang. Thou art all their daddies, Theodore. Art drooping under thy load, bemoiled with butcher's bills at home and ingots (not thine!) in the countinghouse? Head up? For every newbegotten thou shalt gather thy homer of ripe wheat. See, thy fleece is drenched. Dost envy Darby Dullman there with his Joan? A canting jay and a rheumeyed curdog is all their progeny. Pshaw, I tell thee! He is a mule, a dead gasteropod, without vim or stamina, not worth a cracked kreutzer. Copulation without population! No, say I! Herod's slaughter of the innocents were the truer name. Vegetables, forsooth, and sterile cohabitation! Give her beefsteaks, red, raw, bleeding! She is a hoary pandemonium of ills, enlarged glands, mumps, quinsy, bunions, hayfever, bedsores, ringworm, floating kidney, Derbyshire neck, warts, bilious attacks, gallstones, cold feet, varicose veins. A truce to threnes and trentals and jeremies and all such congenital defunctive music. Twenty years of it, regret them not. With thee it was not as with many that will and would and wait and never do. Thou sawest thy America, thy lifetask, and didst charge to cover like the transpontine bison. How saith Zarathusthra? Deine kuh Trübsal melkest Du. Nun trinkst Du die süsse Milch des Euters. See! It displodes for thee in abundance. Drink, man, an udderful! Mother's milk, Purefoy, the milk of human kin, milk too of those burgeoning stars overhead, rutilant in thin rainvapour, punch milk, such as those rioters will quaff in their guzzlingden, milk of madness, the honeymilk of Canaan's land. Thy cow's dug was tough, what? Ay, but her milk is hot and sweet and fattening. No dollop this but thick rich bonnyclaber. To her, old patriarch! Pap! Per deam Partulam et Pertundam nunc est bibendum!
All off for a buster, armstrong, hollering down the street. Bonafides. Where you slep las nigh? Timothy of the battered naggin. Like ole Billyo. Any brollies or gumboots in the family? Where the Henry Nevil's sawbones and ole clo? Sorra one o me knows. Hurrah there, Dix! Forward the ribbon counter. Where's Punch? All serene. Jay, look at the drunken minister coming out of the maternity hospal! Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater et Filius. A make, mister. The Denzille lane boys. Hell, blast ye! Scoot. Righto, Isaacs, shove em out of the bleeding limelight. Yous join us, dear sir? No hentrusion in life. Lou heap good man. Allee samee this bunch. En avant, mes enfants! Fire away number one on the gun. Burke's! Thence they advanced five parasangs. Slattery's mounted foot where's that bleeding awfur? Parson Steve, apostates' creed! No, no. Mulligan! Abaft there! Shove ahead. Keep a watch on the clock. Chuckingout time. Mullee! What's on you? Ma mère m'a mariée. British Beatitudes! Ratamplan Digidi Boum Boum. Ayes have it. To be printed and bound at the Druiddrum press by two designing females. Calf covers of pissedon green. Last word in art shades. Most beautiful book come out of Ireland my time. Silentium! Get a spurt on. Tention. Proceed to nearest canteen and there annex liquor stores. March! Tramp, tramp the boys are (attitudes!) parching. Beer, beef, business, bibles, bulldogs, battleships, buggery and bishops. Whether on the scaffold high. Beerbeef trample the bibles. When for Irelandear. Trample the trampellers. Thunderation! Keep the durned millingtary step. We fall. Bishops' boosebox. Halt! Heave to. Rugger. Scrum in. No touch kicking. Wow, my tootsies! You hurt? Most amazingly sorry!
Query. Who's astanding this here do? Proud possessor of damnall. Declare misery. Bet to the ropes. Me nantee saltee. Not a red at me this week gone. Yours? Mead of our fathers for the übermensch. Dittoh. Five number ones. You, sir? Ginger cordial. Chase me, the cabby's candle. Stimulate the caloric. Winding of his ticker. Stopped short never to go again when the old. Absinthe for me, savvy? Caramba! Have an eggnog or a prairie oyster. Enemy? Avuncular's got my timepiece. Ten to. Obligated awful. Don't mention it. Got a pectoral trauma, eh, Dix? Pos fact. Got bet be a boomblebee whenever he was settin sleep in hes bit garten. Digs up near the Mater. Buckled he is. Know his dona? Yup, sartin, I do. Full of a dure. See her in her dishybilly. Peels off a credit. Lovey lovekin. None of your lean kine, not much. Pull down the blind, love. Two Ardilauns. Same here. Look slippery. If you fall don't wait to get up. Five, seven, nine. Fine! Got a prime pair of mincepies, no kid. And her take me to rests and her anker of rum. Must be seen to be believed. Your starving eyes and allbeplastered neck you stole my heart, O gluepot. Sir? Spud again the rheumatiz? All poppycock, you'll scuse me saying. For the hoi polloi. I vear thee best a gert vool. Well, doc? Back fro Lapland? Your corporosity sagaciating OK? How's the squaws and papooses? Womanbody after going on the straw? Stand and deliver. Password. There's hair. Ours the white death and the ruddy birth. Hi! Spit in your own eye, boss. Mummer's wire. Cribbed out of Meredith. Jesified orchidised polycimical jesuit! Aunty mine's writing Pa Kinch. Baddybad Stephen lead astray goodygood Malachi.
Hurroo! Collar the leather, youngun. Roun wi the nappy. Here, Jock braw Hielentman's your barleybree. Lang may your lum reek and your kailpot boil! My tipple. Merci. Here's to us. How's that? Leg before wicket. Don't stain my brandnew sitinems. Give's a shake of pepper, you there. Catch aholt. Caraway seed to carry away. Twig? Shrieks of silence. Every cove to his gentry mort. Venus Pandemos. Les petites femmes. Bold bad girl from the town of Mullingar. Tell her I was axing at her. Hauding Sara by the wame. On the road to Malahide. Me? If she who seduced me had left but the name. What do you want for ninepence? Machree, Macruiskeen. Smutty Moll for a mattress jig. And a pull altogether. Ex!
Waiting, guvnor? Most deciduously. Bet your boots on. Stunned like seeing as how no shiners is acoming, Underconstumble? He've got the chink ad lib. Seed near free poun on un a spell ago a said war hisn. Us come right in on your invite, see? Up to you, matey. Out with the oof. Two bar and a wing. You larn that go off of they there Frenchy bilks? Won't wash here for nuts nohow. Lil chile vely solly. Ise de cutest colour coon down our side. Gawds teruth, Chawley. We are nae fou. We're nae tha fou. Au reservoir, Mossoo. Tanks you.
'Tis, sure. What say? In the speakeasy. Tight. I shee you, shir. Bantam, two days teetee. Mowsing nowt but claretwine. Garn! Have a glint, do. Gum, I'm jiggered. And been to barber he have. Too full for words. With a railway bloke. How come you so? Opera he'd like? Rose of Castille. Rows of cast. Police! Some H2O for a gent fainted. Look at Bantam's flowers. Gemini, he's going to holler. The colleen bawn, my colleen bawn. O, cheese it! Shut his blurry Dutch oven with a firm hand. Had the winner today till I tipped him a dead cert. The ruffin cly the nab of Stephen. Hand as give me the jady coppaleen. He strike a telegramboy paddock wire big bug Bass to the depot. Shove him a joey and grahamise. Mare on form hot order. Guinea to a goosegog. Tell a cram, that. Gospel-true. Criminal diversion? I think that yes. Sure thing. Land him in chokeechokee if the harman beck copped the game. Madden back Madden's a maddening back. O, lust, our refuge and our strength. Decamping. Must you go? Off to mammy. Stand by. Hide my blushes someone. All in if he spots me. Comeahome, our Bantam. Horryvar, mong vioo. Dinna forget the cowslips for hersel. Cornfide. Wha gev ye thon colt? Pal to pal. Jannock. Of John Thomas, her spouse. No fake, old man Leo. S'elp me, honest injun. Shiver my timbers if I had. There's a great big holy friar. Vyfor you no me tell? Vel, I ses, if that aint a sheeny nachez, vel, I vil get misha mishinnah. Through yerd our lord, Amen.
You move a motion? Steve boy, you're going it some. More bluggy drunkables? Will immensely splendiferous stander permit one stooder of most extreme poverty and one largesize grandacious thirst to terminate one expensive inaugurated libation? Give's a breather. Landlord, landlord, have you good wine, staboo? Hoots, mon, wee drap to pree. Cut and some again. Right Boniface! Absinthe the lot. Nos omnes biberimus viridum toxicum diabolus capiat posteriora nostra Closingtime, gents. Eh? Rome boose for the Bloom toff. I hear you say onions? Bloo? Cadges ads? Photo's papli, by all that's gorgeous! Play low, pardner. Slide. Bonsoir la compagnie. And snares of the poxfiend. Where's the buck and Namby Amby? Skunked? Leg bail. Aweel, ye maun e'en gang yer gates. Checkmate. King to tower. Kind Kristyann will yu help, yung man hoose frend tuk bungalo kee to find plais whear to lay crown off his hed 2 night. Crickey, I'm about sprung. Tarnally dog gone my shins if this beent the bestest putties longbreakyet. Item, curate, couple of cookies for this child. Cot's plood and prandypalls, none! Not a pite of sheeses? Thrust syphilis down to hell and with him those other licensed spirits. Time. Who wander through the world. Health all. A la v?tre!
Golly, whatten tunket's yon guy in the mackintosh? Dusty Rhodes. Peep at his wearables. By mighty! What's he got? Jubilee mutton. Bovril, by James. Wants it real bad. D'ye ken bare socks? Seedy cuss in the Richmond? Rawthere! Thought he had a deposit of lead in his penis. Trumpery insanity. Bartle the Bread we calls him. That, sir, was once a prosperous cit. Man all tattered and torn that married a maiden all forlorn. Slung her hook, she did. Here see lost love. Walking Mackintosh of lonely canyon. Tuck and turn in. Schedule time. Nix for the hornies. Pardon? See him today at a runefal? Chum o yourn passed in his checks? Ludamassy! Pore picanninies! Thou'll no be telling me thot, Pold veg! Did urns blubble bigsplash crytears cos fries Padney was took off in black bag? Of all de darkies Massa Pat was verra best. I never see the like since I was born. Tiens, tiens, but it is well sad, that, my faith, yes. O get, rev on a gradient one in nine. Live axle drives are souped. Lay you two to one Jenatzy licks him ruddy well hollow. Jappies? High angle fire, inyah! Sunk by war specials. Be worse for him, says he, nor any Rooshian. Time all. There's eleven of them. Get ye gone. Forward, woozy wobblers! Night. Night. May Allah, the Excellent One, your soul this night ever tremendously conserve.
Your attention! We're nae thy fou. The Leith police dismisseth us. The least tholice. Ware hawks for the chap puking. Unwell in his abominable regions. Yooka. Night. Mona, my thrue love. Yook. Mona, my own love. Ook.
Hark! Shut your obstropolos. Pflaap! Pflaap! Blaze on. There she goes. Brigade! Bout ship. Mount street way. Cut up. Pflaap! Tally ho. You not come? Run, skelter, race. Pflaaaap!
Lynch! Hey? Sign on long o me. Denzille lane this way. Change here for Bawdyhouse. We two, she said, will seek the kips there shady Mary is. Righto, any old time. Laetabuntur in cubilibus suis. You coming long? Whisper, who the sooty hell's the johnny in the black duds? Hush! Sinned against the light and even now that day is at hand when he shall come to judge the world by fire. Pflaap! Ut implerentur scripturae. Strike up a ballad. Then outspake medical Dick to his comrade medical Davy. Christicle, who's this excrement yellow gospeller on the Merrion hall? Elijah is coming washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Come on, you winefizzling ginsizzling booseguzzling existences! Come on, you dog-gone, bullnecked, beetlebrowed, hogjowled, peanutbrained, weaseleyed four flushers, false alarms and excess baggage! Come on, you triple extract of infamy! Alexander J. Christ Dowie, that's yanked to glory most half this planet from 'Frisco Beach to Vladivostok. The Deity ain't no nickel dime bumshow. I put it to you that he's on the square and a corking fine business proposition. He's the grandest thing yet and don't you forget it. Shout salvation in King Jesus. You'll need to rise precious early, you sinner there, if you want to diddle the Almighty God. Pflaaaap! Not half. He's got a coughmixture with a punch in it for you, my friend, In his backpocket. Just you try it on.

soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 35楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

中:
14、朝右走向霍利斯街

朝右走向霍利斯街[1] 。朝右走向霍利斯街。朝右走向霍利斯街。
光神啊;日神啊,霍霍恩[2] 啊,将那经过胎动期,孕育于子宫之果实赐与我等。光神啊,日神啊,霍霍恩啊,将那经过胎动期、孕育于子宫之果实赐与我等。光神啊,日神啊,霍霍恩啊,将那经过胎动期、孕育于子宫之果实赐与我等。
呼啦,男娃啊男娃,呼啦![3] 呼啦,男娃啊男娃,呼啦!呼啦,男娃啊男娃,呼啦!
最精通教义故最能赢得众人尊重,精神崇高且值得骄傲之人士所经常倡导,并得到社会公认之见解乃是:只要其他情况未起变化,一个民族之繁荣兴盛并非取决于其表面之光辉,乃取决于该民族对繁衍子孙所寄予之考虑及改进之程度。缺乎此,即构成罪恶之根源。今幸有此寄予,则能确保获得万能大自然之纯洁恩泽。倘有人于此主张毫无所知,彼对诸事之认识(即有识之士视为裨益良多之研究)必极为肤浅,绝非贤人也。此乃一般世人之观点。盖凡能认识重要事物者,必知表面之光辉无非掩盖其内在之虚弱而已。且不论何等蠢人亦应省悟:大自然赐予之所有恩惠,均无法与繁殖之恩惠相比拟,故一切正直之市民皆须对同胞劝诫忠告,并为之焦虑,惟恐本民族过去所开创之辉煌业绩,日后不能发扬光大也。倘因风俗之愚昧,对世代相传之光荣习惯加以轻视,否定其深远意义,从而对有关分娩作用之崇高要义等闲视之,岂不令人深恶痛绝哉!盖此要义系天主所做繁殖之预言[4]及对减少繁衍之警告,并命令全人类遵照行事,使之做出承诺。
因此,据杰出之史家所云,在本质上毫无值得珍视之物,亦从未珍视过何物之凯尔特人中,唯医术受到极高推崇,亦不足为奇。[5] 举凡医院、麻疯病人收容所、蒸汽浴室、瘟疫患者埋葬所自不待言,彼等之名医奥希尔家族、奥希基家族、奥利家族[6] ,亦均孜孜不倦制定了能够使病人及旧病复发者康复之种种疗法——不论彼等所患为乳毒病、痨病抑或痢疾。凡属有意义之社会保健事业,咸须慎重进行筹备。彼等遂采取一项方案[7] (不知为深思熟虑之结果,抑或出自积年累月之经验,尚难断言。因后世研究者意见纷纭,迄今尚无定论):分娩乃女性所面临之最大苦难。当此之际,只需交纳微不足道之费用,不论其家道殷实,抑或仅能勉强糊口,乃至一贫如洗,产院律施以必要之医疗,俾使孕妇免遭任何可能发生之意外。
就孕妇而言:产前产后均应无任何忧虑,因全体市民皆知,倘无伊等多产之母,任何繁荣皆无从实现。彼等深知只因有母性,彼等方能享有永恒与神明,死亡与出生。临盆用车辆将孕妇送到产院,其他妇女受此启发,亦纷纷渴望由该院收容。众人在产妇身上见到一位未来的母亲,产妇则感到自己开始受到爱护。伟哉,此乃彼稳健国民之功绩!不仅目睹而已,更应赞许传颂。
婴儿尚未诞生,即蒙祝福。尚在胎中,便受礼赞。举凡此种场合应做之事,均已做到。分娩之前,众人即凭借明智之预见,将助产妇所守护之卧榻,有益于健康之食品以及舒适而洁净之褪褓一一备齐,一如婴儿已呱呱坠地。另有药品以及临盆孕妇所需之外科器械,一应俱全。此外,尤匠心独运,于室内悬挂寰球各地绮丽风光,并配以神明及凡人之画像。孕妇身怀六甲,产期临近时,即为分娩而至此浴满阳光、构造牢固之广厦。此乃清洁华美的母亲之家,四周景物赏心悦目,促使腹部蠕动,从而得以顺产。
夜幕即将降临之际,流浪男子仁立于产院门口。此人属以色列族,出于恻隐之心,踽踽独行,远途跋涉而至此产院。
安·霍恩乃本院院主。彼在此院设有床位七十张,孕妇卧于床上,强忍阵痛,生下健壮婴儿,即如天主派遣之天使对玛利亚所言者。[8] 两白衣护士彻夜不眠,在产房中巡视,为产妇止痛治病,每年达三百次。二人兢兢业业为霍恩看守病房,确属无限忠诚之护士。正当护士恪尽职守之际,一名护士忽闻一心地温良者至。伊遂裹上头巾,趋前将门启开。俄尔但见一道令人眩目之闪电,蹿遍爱尔兰西部上空。护士不禁畏惧,疑为怒神降临,欲以倾盆之雨将人类毁灭殆尽,以惩其所犯罪愆。护士忙在胸前划十字,并邀来者速进陋室。男子接受其盛情,遂步入霍恩产院。
来访者深恐冒失,乃执帽伫立于霍恩产院之门厅内。盖彼曾偕爱妻娇女与此护士住于同一屋顶之下。兹后海陆漂泊长达九年之久。某日于本市码头与护士邂逅。护士向彼致意,彼未摘帽还礼。今特来恳请护士宽恕,并解释曰:上次擦身走过,因觉汝极其年少,未敢贸然相认。护士闻言,双目遽然生辉。面庞倏地绽开红花。
此时护士乃将目光转向来者身着之黑色丧服,并满怀忧戚,讯及彼有何伤心之事。后又消除疑虑。彼问及奥黑尔大夫可曾从遥远之彼岸捎信来?护士不胜悲伤,乃叹曰:奥黑尔大夫已升天堂矣。男子闻讫,哀痛万分,肠断魂销。此刻护士方倾诉全部情况,对英年早逝之友深表哀悼,然又谓此乃出于天主正当之旨意,不敢妄加评议。护士云:蒙上主恩宠,彼临终已向主持弥撒之神父忏悔,并领圣体。病体被涂以圣油,获得清清白白之善终。男子诚心诚意讯问护士,死者因患何疾而终?护士答曰,彼在莫纳岛[ 9] 死于肠癌。不日到来之圣婴孩殉教节[10]为其三周年忌辰。护士向大慈大悲之天主祷告,裨使彼亲爱之灵魂获得永生。该男子闻护士所陈可悲之经过,持帽瞠目凄然而视。二人伫立片刻,均沉浸于阴郁哀思之中。
故人生在世,俱应预想其最终之归宿。举凡母胎所生者,终必面临死亡,并化为尘埃。我等赤条条来自母胎,亦终必仍赤条条而去。
该男子问护士曰:彼待产之妇女情况如何。护士答曰:妇人之阵痛已持续三昼夜,诚属无法忍受之难产,然而即将产矣。伊复曰,余曾目睹多少妇女之分娩,从无难产至此者。伊遂将经过情况向曾在此间居住之男子和盘托出。男子聆听其言,洞悉妇女为分娩所受之痛苦,频感惊异。彼端详伊在任何男人眼中均不失为俊秀之脸庞,并纳闷伊为何多年来停留于佣人身份。九年来,每年十二次月经,责怪伊何以仍不受孕,而使血潮徒然流失。
当彼等谈话时,城堡[11]之门开启,众多就餐者之喧嚣声在近旁响起。名叫迪克森[12]之年轻学生(一名骑士),步向彼等站立之处。旅人利奥波德与彼相识。盖该学生骑士因故服务于仁慈圣母医院之际,旅人利奥波德曾被一可怕丑陋之龙用标熗刺穿胸膛,负重伤,[13]前往就医。骑士曾于伤口上涂以大量挥发性油及圣油,予以妥善处置。此时对利奥波德云:“欲入城堡与众人喝酒作乐欤?”旅人利奥波德为人谨慎机智,答以另有去处。妇人深知利奥波德乃是出于慎重而说谎,但因对彼抱有同感,遂嗔怪学生骑士不该如此建议。然而学生骑士既不容旅人说一“否”字,不允许旅人违背己意,对妇人之谴责更充耳不闻;乃曰:“那是座何等神奇之城堡。”旅人利奥波德周游列国,长途跋涉,时而纵欲,四肢酸痛,遂入堡歇息片刻。
城堡中央设芬兰桦木桌一座,系由该国四名侏儒所支撑。彼等被妖术蛊惑,动弹不得。桌上摆有大小刀剑若干,寒气逼人;此刀剑均于冶炼魔王之巨大洞穴中,以白色火焰铸成,再套以群栖于当地的水牛与牡鹿之角。此外还有凭着玛罕德[14]之魔法以海沙与空气制成,并由魔术师以丹田之气吹制的许多容器。桌上珍膳佳馔样样俱全,无人能做出如此丰盛美味之菜肴。尚有银缸一只,其盖须用特殊技巧方能开启。内横卧无头怪鱼。[ 15] 此情此景,心存疑窦者非亲眼所见绝难相信。诸鱼浸于运自葡萄牙的油液中;此液脂肪甚丰,酷似榨自橄榄之油。堡内,凭借魔术从迦勒底[16] 所产丰腴的小麦胚胎中制成之混合物,又以烈性醑剂使之奇妙膨胀为状如大山之物。[17]彼等并还将长竿插于地中,令蛇缠于竿上,并在蛇鳞中酿出蜂蜜酒般之饮料。
学生骑士嘱为贵胄利奥波德斟酒,劝彼畅饮,一似座中众人。贵胄利奥波德为了讨好,乃掀起面甲[18],略加品尝以示亲睦。然而彼素无饮蜂蜜酒之习惯,遂将酒杯置于一旁,少顷潜将大半杯倾入邻人杯中,邻人则浑然不觉。彼在堡内与众人同座片刻,以便歇息。感谢全能之主。
此刻,善良之护士伫立门口,恳请众人出于对我等祭坛主耶稣之敬畏,中止欢宴,因楼上一位有身孕之贵妇即将分娩。利奥波德爵士闻楼上尖叫声,正疑此声发自何人:子欤?母欤?“怪哉,”爵士曰,“迄未生而今方生乎?何其太久!”惟见桌子对面坐一年长乡绅,名利内翰,二人同为享有崇高荣誉之骑士。利奥波德稍长几岁,遂文雅恳切地启口云:“承蒙天主恩宠,伊即将安产,喜得婴孩,伊已等候甚久矣。”酩酊大醉之乡绅乃曰:“此子便是时刻所盼企者。”[19]不待人请或劝,彼即举起眼前之杯,曰:“曷不痛饮!”乃畅饮一通,祝母子健康。 盖彼素以擅长寻欢作乐著称。利奥波德爵士为曾莅临学生食堂之最佳宾客,彼乃将手伸到母鸡[20]下腹之最温顺和蔼的丈夫,亦为世上最忠实地向贵族小姐奉献爱情之骑士,遂殷勤地干了杯。彼思忖妇女之苦难,不胜惊奇。
话题转至众人肆饮大醉上。桌子两侧就坐者为:仁慈圣母玛利亚医院二年级学生迪克森,其伙伴医科学生林奇和马登[ 21] ,乡绅利内翰、阿尔巴·隆加出身之克罗瑟斯[ 22] ,以及青年斯蒂芬。斯蒂芬面庞酷似修士,坐于上座,另有不久前因表现出豪饮之勇而获得“潘趣[23]·科斯特洛”之雅号的科斯特洛(座中除了青年斯蒂芬而外,彼乃最烂醉如泥者,越醉越讨蜂蜜酒喝),再有即是谦和的利奥波德爵士。此刻众人在等候青年玛拉基,彼曾允诺前来。心感不悦者责彼何以爽约。利奥波德爵士留于席间,盖彼与西蒙爵士及其公子、青年斯蒂芬亲密无间。彼长途跋涉后,备受殷勤款待,倦意渐消。恋情驱使彼到处飘泊,此刻却满怀友情,不忍遽然离去。
彼等均为聪颖学生,乃就分娩与正义展开辩论。青年马登强调,在此种情况[24]下,听任产妇死去未免过于残忍(数载前,如今已谢世的一名艾布拉那[25]妇女即于霍恩产院面临此问题。伊逝世前,全体医师及药剂师曾为伊会诊)。众人又云,创世之初,曾谓妇女须经历“生产的阵痛”[26],因而应让伊活下去。持同样见解者断言,青年马登所云听任产妇死去有昧良心之语,乃是真话。尽管心术不良者并不相信,但不少人,其中包括青年林奇在内,均认为现世正被空前的邪恶所支配,而法律及法官均矫正乏术。乃祷告曰:“天主啊,乞予匡正。”话音甫落,众口齐声叫道:“不,童贞圣母玛利亚在上,妻子应活下去,让婴儿死掉。”争论与饮酒,使彼等面泛红晕,乡绅利内翰惟恐席间缺乏欢乐,频频为众人斟上浓啤酒。青年马登遂原原本本告以实情,并云产妇如何一命呜呼,其夫凭借虔诚之信仰,遵从托钵修士与祈祷僧的劝诫,并根据彼对阿尔布拉坎的圣乌尔但[27]所发之誓,曾如何祈愿勿让伊死去。众人听罢,哀痛不已。青年斯蒂芬曰:“诸君,俗众间亦频频窃窃私议。而今,婴孩及其母,一在混混沌沌的地狱外缘[28],一在炼狱火焰中,偕崇敬造物主。然而,按照天主之旨意,本应生存之灵魂,我等则逐夜消灭之,岂非对圣神,天主本身,上主以及生命之赐与者[29]犯下罪孽?因为诸君,”彼又云:“我等之情欲犹如过眼浮云。对我等内部之小生命而言,我等仅一媒介而已。大自然冥冥之中另有用意。”青年迪克森旋即对潘趣·科斯特洛云:“汝解其目的乎?”然而彼烂醉如泥,仅曰:“为了发泄郁积之情欲,只要有机会,则不拘他人之妻、处女,抑或情妇,一概奸污之。”此刻,阿尔巴·隆加的克罗瑟斯吟咏了青年玛拉基为每千年长一次角的独角兽[30]所作之赞歌。众人竖耳聆听,皆笑且讥之,曰:“以圣福蒂努斯[31]之名发誓,众所周知,凡是男子所能做到者,其[32]器官均能做到。”在座者嘻嘻哈哈大笑一通,惟有青年斯蒂芬与利奥波德爵士则毫无笑意。奥波德虽不言,想法却与众不同。不论是谁,在何处分娩,彼均抱有恻隐之心。青年斯蒂芬傲然谈及母亲教会[33]欲将彼推出其怀抱,谈及教规以及堕胎之守护神夜妖利利斯。并谈及妊娠之种种原因:或由风播下光辉的种子[34],或通过吸血鬼之魔力嘴对嘴地[35]怀上了孕;或如维吉尔所云,借西风之力[36],或借月光花之腥臭,或与一名刚跟丈夫睡过觉的女人刻不容缓地[37]去睡觉。据阿威罗伊与摩西·迈蒙尼德之见解,或入浴时亦能怀孕。[38]彼又云:“次月底,胎儿被注入一具人类的灵魂,我等神圣之母[39]为了天主更大之光荣,永远庇护所有灵魂。而地上之母仅只是一头下仔的母兽而已,依照教规理应死去。掌握渔夫印玺之圣彼得亦如是说。神圣的教会永远建立在磐石彼得之上。[40]”众单身汉问利奥波德爵士曰:“在类似情况下,汝为拯救一条命,不惜让产妇冒丧命之危险乎?”彼为人谨慎,为了做出迎合众人心意之答复,手托下颚,乃按习惯诡称:“吾虽外行,却挚爱医术;目睹如此罕见之事件,吾以为母亲教会如能同时拿到诞生与死亡之献金[ 41] ,确为一举两得之好事。”遂用此言岔开彼等之质疑。“此话确实不假,”迪克森曰,“倘使吾未听错,亦堪称意义深长之语。”青年斯蒂芬闻讫,喜出望外,并断言:“偷自贫穷的,就是借给耶和华。”[42]每当酒醉,彼即狂态毕露,今又故态复萌矣。
然而利奥波德爵士嘴上虽如是云,却忧心如焚。盖彼仍怜悯因产前阵痛而发出骇人尖声喊叫之产妇也。彼亦念及曾为彼产独子之贤夫人玛莉恩;因医疗乏术,命途乖舛,该婴生后十一日即夭折矣。伊为此横祸痛心疾首。时值隆冬,伊惟恐亡儿冻僵,尸骨无存,遂以通称为羊群之花的小羊羔毛制一精致胸衣,裹于儿身。利奥波德爵士失却嗣子后,每当目睹友人之子,即怀念往日之幸福,遂沉浸于凄楚之中。悲的固然是与心地如此善良之子嗣永别(众人皆对彼之前途寄予厚望焉),亦同样为青年斯蒂芬哀伤,盖彼与诸荡儿为伍,饮酒狂闹,将财产糟踏在娼妓身上。[43]
此刻青年斯蒂芬将空杯斟满,倘非较彼谨慎者出面拦阻,则所余即无几矣。斯蒂芬继续忙于劝酒,既祈愿获得教皇之祝福,又提出为基督之代理干杯,并曰,教皇堪称布雷教区代理主教[44]。斯蒂芬曰:“干杯,诸君,且饮蜂蜜酒。虽非属吾肉身,此亦吾魂魄之象征。对仅靠面包而生存者,[ 45] 赐之以面包。勿愁酒将匮乏。面包使人沮丧,酒则带来慰藉。且看!”言罢,遂亮出贡品:闪闪发光之硬币及金饰师所制钞票[46],共计二镑十九先令。谓此乃彼所作歌曲之报酬。在座者均知彼素来拮据,故见此巨款,均惊异不止。此时,彼陈辞如下:“诸君,且听吾言,于时间之废墟上筑造永恒之宫殿。此话何解?情欲之风摧残荆棘丛,随后荆棘丛在时间之小园中萌芽,绽开玫瑰。聆听吾言:在女子的子宫内,道成了肉身[47],然而在造物主心中,所有必将消亡之肉身,一概变成不会消亡之道。此乃第二创造也。凡有血气者,均来归顺。我等强有力的母亲,可敬之母[48],孕育了为凡人赎罪者(即救世主、牧人)之贵体,其名何其有力。伯尔纳[49]此言不谬矣!圣母玛利亚拥有向天主恳求的全能之术[50]。吾辈凭借连绵不绝之脐带与之保持血缘的远祖[51],为了一只便宜苹果竟将我等子孙、种族,祖祖辈辈悉数出卖,而玛利亚作为第二个夏娃,正如奥古斯丁[52]所云,拯救了芸芸众生。问题在于:第二个夏娃知晓基督乃是神之子,伊身为童贞之母,汝子之女,[53]仅只是造物主所造之物;抑或不知基督乃神之子,与住在杰克所盖之房[54]中之渔夫彼得以及木匠约瑟(彼乃使一切不幸婚姻获得圆满之主保圣人)一道不认耶稣或对耶稣不予理睬。[55]因利奥·塔克西尔告诸吾曹,使伊沦至此步尴尬田地者,圣鸽也。天主可怜我等![56]非变体论即同体论,然而绝非实体下。[57]”众人闻讫,大叫曰:“此言可鄙矣。”“受孕无愉悦,”彼曰,“分娩无阵痛,肉身无疤痕,腹部未鼓起。好色之徒自可虔诚、热烈礼赞之。吾曹断然予以抵制,抗拒。”
此时,潘趣·科斯特洛砰然以拳击桌,唱起淫狠小调《斯塔布·斯塔布拉》,谓醉汉使阿尔马尼[58]一少女有了身孕云,并径自吆喝道:
头三个月身上不舒服,斯塔布。护士奎格利遂从门口怒吼曰:“不害臊吗!安静点儿。”盖伊一心一意欲在安德鲁君到来之前,将一切整顿就绪。惟恐无聊之喧嚣,有损于伊值勤之声誉,理应敦促彼等切记之。老护士面带戚色,神情安详,步伐稳重,身着暗褐长袍,与其布满皱纹之阴郁面庞颇为相称。此番劝诫当即见效,潘趣·科斯特洛遂成为众矢之的。彼等或软硬兼施,给以教诲,或郑重严肃训斥此村夫。齐声谴责曰:“遭瘟之白痴!”“冒失鬼!”“乡巴佬!”“侏儒!”“私生子!”“废物!”“猪小肠!”“乱臣贼子!”“生在阴沟里的!”“不足月份的!”“闭上汝那为神诅咒之猴嘴,少说酒后之胡言乱语!”以举止温和镇静为特征之贤明绅士利奥波德亦建议曰:“当前乃最神圣之时刻,亦为最不可侵犯之时刻。霍恩产院应为静谧氛围所笼罩。”
长话短说。随后,埃克尔斯街仁慈圣母玛利亚医院之迪克森君乃会心一笑,问青年斯蒂芬曰:“汝为何未立誓出家当修士?”彼答曰:“在胎中必顺从,入墓后自贞节。余毕生受穷,实非出自本意也。”利内翰君立即驳斥曰:“吾风闻汝之恶行。”遂将所闻一一道来:谓彼曾玷污信任彼之女子那百合般之贞操,此乃未成年者之堕落行为也。举座咸证明确属事实,乃欢声大作,为彼做人之父而干杯。然而斯蒂芬曰:“与汝等所想大相径庭。吾乃永恒之子,至今仍为童贞。”闻讫,众人愈益欢呼,对彼曰:“汝之婚礼犹如祭司于马达加斯加岛上所举行之稀奇仪式[ 59] :剥掉新娘衣裳,使其失去贞操。新娘身裹素白与桔黄嫁衣, 新郎着洁白与胭脂色衣,点燃甘松油脂及小蜡烛,双双躺在新婚床上。众教士齐唱。‘主啊’[60]及赞歌‘为了通晓性交之全部奥秘’[61],直至新娘当场被破瓜为止。”斯蒂芬遂将敏感之诗人约翰·弗莱彻君与弗朗西斯·博蒙特君所作《处女之悲剧》中旨在开导情侣之精彩结婚小调教给众人。在维金纳琴[62]和谐伴奏下,反复唱叠句:“上床!上床!”[63]此首绝妙而优美动听之喜歌,给予年轻情侣莫大慰藉及信念。彼等在男女傧相所持馥郁华丽之花烛照耀下,来到颠鸾倒凤所用之四脚舞台跟前。“彼等二人幸得相会矣,”迪克森君喜曰,“然而,年轻的先生,且听吾言,彼等毋宁改称博·蒙特与莱彻。[64]这一结合,成果必甚丰。”青年斯蒂芬曰,彼记得一清二楚,彼等二人共享有一名情妇,伊实为娼妇是也。[65]彼时生活中充满了欣喜欢乐[66],伊周旋于二人之间。家乡风俗[67 ] 对此甚为宽容。“一个人让妻子与友同寝,”彼曰,“人间之爱莫此为甚。[68]‘汝去,照样为之!’[69]此言,或其他有类似含意之言语,系出自曾在牛尾大学开‘法国文学’钦定讲座之查拉图斯特拉[70] 教授。此人赐与人类之恩惠,无人企及。带陌生人入汝之圆形炮塔,汝必睡次好之床[71],否则大难必然临头。弟兄们,为吾本人祈祷。[ 72] 众人遂曰:‘啊们。’让爱琳记住历代之年,上古之日。[72]汝何以不尊重吾人及吾言,擅将陌生人引进吾门,于吾眼前行邪淫[ 74] ,如耶书仑,渐渐肥胖,踢踢踹踹[75]。因此,汝背叛光犯下罪行;致使汝主沦为众仆之奴。[76]归来兮,归来兮,米利族, 勿忘吾,噫,米列西亚族。[77]汝为何在余眼前作恶,为一名药喇叭商贾踢开余?[78]汝女为何不认余,并与罗马人及不通语言之印度人共寝于豪华床榻?[79]看哪,吾民,自何列布、尼波与比斯迦[80]以及哈顿角峰[ 81] ,俯瞰那流淌奶与钱之地方[82]。然而,汝供余饮者,苦奶也。余之太阴与太阳,则被汝永远消灭之。汝将余永远撇在苦难黑暗之路途上。汝吻吾唇时,有股湿灰气味[83]。此乃内心之黑暗也。”彼续曰:“以《七十子希腊文本圣经》[84]之睿智,亦未能使其豁然开朗,甚至只字未提。来自苍穹之黎明已破地狱之门,并造访极偏远之黑暗[85]。对暴虐习以为常,遂麻木不仁矣(正如塔尔[86]关于亲爱的斯多葛派所云)。哈姆莱特之父即不曾将燎浆泡之疤痕[87]出示王子。出现于人生白昼之不透明,犹如埃及之灾害,惟有生前与死后之黑暗,方为最适当之场所与途径[88]。然而万物之目的及终局多少均与发端及起源相一致:即诞生后逐渐发育成长,随后则依自然法则,朝终局缩小、退步,以后退之变化告终。吾曹在天日下之生存,亦同于上述众多相对关系。三名老姊妹[89]为吾曹接生:吾曹涕哭、长胖、嬉戏、接吻、拥抱、别离、衰老、死亡。伊等则屈身俯视我等遗容。初卧于老尼罗河之畔芦苇丛中用枝条所编之床上,得到拯救。[90]最后,伴以山猫与鹗鸟之齐声哀鸣,埋葬于隐蔽之墓中。该墓之所在无人知晓[91],吾曹将受何判决:赴陀斐特[92]抑或伊甸城[93],亦全然不知。回顾后方,欲知吾曹存在之意义,起源于何等遥远地域,亦不可得矣。”
此刻,潘趣·科斯特洛高声引唱《斯蒂芬,唱啊》[94]。彼大叫曰:“看,智慧为自己盖起一座殿堂,乃造物主之水晶宫[95],宽敞、巍峨、永恒之苍穹,井然有序,找到豌豆者即奖给一便士。[96]”
瞧,巧匠杰克盖起了大房,
看,满溢的麦芽存了多少囊,
在杰克约翰露营的漂亮马戏场。[ 97]。
呜呼!阴沉沉之器物破碎声响彻街头,发出回音。托尔[ 98] 在左边轰鸣。掷锤者之愤怒可畏。暴风雨袭来,使科斯特洛之心得以沉静。林奇君瞩彼曰,力戒对人出口不逊,肆意谩骂,盖其应下地狱之饶舌与亵读神明之言词,使神震怒也。彼原先肆意寻衅,而今则面色倏地发白,引人注目,并缩成一团。其始气势汹汹,俄而闻言丧胆,雷声隆隆之时,心在胸膛内狂跳不已。有人挖苦,有人嘲笑。潘趣·科斯特洛复狂饮啤酒,利内翰君发誓曰:“吾亦效之。”此言既轻浮且具挑衅性,不值得理睬。然彼吹牛大王则叫嚣曰:“即便神老爹[99]藏于吾杯中,与吾何干?吾决不落人后。”然彼乃蜷缩于霍恩大厅之内而出此言,愈益显示其懦弱之至也。为鼓起勇气,彼遂将杯中物一饮而尽。此时雷声经久不息,遍及苍穹。马登君耳闻世界末日之霹雳信号,一时满腔敬畏,捶胸不已。布卢姆君则趋近吹牛者,以缓和其巨大恐惧,并安慰曰:“吾仅略闻噪音。看,雷神头部降雨矣,此皆正常之自然现象耳。”
然而青年吹牛大王所怀恐惧,因“安抚者”之语而消失欤?否。盖彼胸中插有尖钉,名曰苦恼,非语言所能消除者也。彼能安详若布卢姆,虔诚若马登乎?彼虽愿如此,却未能如愿。但彼能否努力重新觅到少年时代赖以为生之“纯洁”瓶欤?诚然,彼缺“圣恩”,无从寻觅该瓶,奈何。彼是否在轰鸣中闻得“生育”神之声,或“安抚者”所云“现象”之噪音乎?闻欤?若非塞住“理解”之管(彼并未塞),彼必闻之。通过该管,彼始领悟自己位于“现象”之国,迟早必死。盖彼一如他人,在进行一场即将消逝之演出也。彼肯于接受死亡,如他人一般消逝乎?彼绝不欲接受。“现象”根据《法则》一书,命令彼从事男人与妻子所行之举,彼亦断然拒绝。盖彼不欲从事更多之演出也。然彼对被称作“信吾者”[100] 之另一国土,“欢喜”王之福地,无死、无生、不娶不嫁[101] 、无母性、凡信仰者悉能进入之永恒之地,一无所知乎?然。“虔诚”告彼以该国之事,“节操”指示彼以通往该国之路。但途中,彼遇一形貌艳丽之妓,自称“一鸟在手”,曰:“呔,汝美男子,跟吾来,带汝赴一极佳之所。”一片甜言蜜语,将彼从正路诱人歧途!凭借甜嘴蜜舌,将彼引入名“双鸟在林”之洞穴,学者或称之为“肉欲”。
此乃在“母性之舍”中围桌而坐之众人所渴求者也。倘彼等遇该妓“一鸟在手”(伊栖于一切瘟疫、怪物及一个恶魔中),势必竭尽全力接近之,并与之交媾。彼等曰:“信吾者”系一观念而已,无从领会。首先,伊诱彼等前去之“双鸟在林”,乃天下第一洞,内设置四枕,附四标签,印有“骑角”,“颠倒”、“赦颜”、“狎昵”字样。其次,“预防法”给彼等以牛肠制成之坚固盾牌,对恶疫“全身梅毒”及其他妖怪,亦无须惧怕。第三,凭借称作“杀婴”之盾牌,恶鬼“子孙”亦无从加害于彼等。彼等遂沉湎于盲目幻想。“挑剔氏”、“时或虔诚氏”、,‘狂饮猴氏”、“伪自由民氏”、“臭美迪克森氏”、“青年吹牛大王”以及“谨慎安抚者氏”。鸣呼,尔等不幸之徒,皆受骗矣。盖该轰鸣巨响乃上主无比悲愤之声,因彼等违背上主繁衍生息之令,肆意滥用浪费,上主遂伸臂扬弃彼等之灵魂。
于是,六月十六日(星期四)帕特里克·迪格纳穆卒于脑溢血。葬于地下。久旱之后,天降喜雨。一名运泥炭约航行五十英里水路之船夫曰:“种子无从萌芽,田野涸竭,色极暗淡,恶臭冲天,沼地与小丘亦如是矣。”无人记得旱越为虐始自何时,嫩芽尽皆枯萎,呼吸亦复艰难。玫瑰花蕾均化为褐色,锈迹斑斑,丘陵上惟有干涸之葛蒲与枝条而已。星星之火,即可燎原。举世皆云,与此旱情相比,去岁二月间风暴之灾亦小巫见大巫矣。如前所述,日暮时,风起西空,夜幕降临后,出现大朵乌云,翻滚膨胀。喜观天象者咸望之:惟见一道道闪电,十时许,一声巨雷,伴以悠长轰鸣,骤雨若烟雾,众人仓皇遁往家中。暴雨乍下,男子即以布片或手帕遮草帽,女子则撩起裙裾,跳蹿而去。自伊利广场、巴戈特街与杜克草坪,穿过梅里翁草地,直至霍尔街。当初干涸龟裂,而今猛水奔流,轿子、公共马车、出租小马车,一概不见踪影。然而最初之霹雳后,即不再闻雷声。在法官菲茨吉本[102] 阁下(彼乃于大学境内与律师希利[103]“平起平坐之人物)住宅之对门,绅士中之绅士玛拉基·穆利根适从作家穆尔[104]先生(原为教皇派, 人谓而今乃虔诚之威廉派[105])家中步出,路遇亚历克·班农([106]。班农留短发(身着肯达尔绿色粗呢舞衣者近来时兴此种发式),正乘驿马车从穆林加尔进城来。彼曰,彼堂弟与玛拉基·穆利根之弟在该处逗留一月,直至圣斯维辛节[107] 。相互讯问欲往何处?班农曰:“返家途中。”穆利根曰:“吾应邀赴安德烈·霍恩产院,饮上一盅。”并要班农告以身高超过同龄人、胖到脚后跟之轻佻妞儿[108] 事,因大雨滂沦,二人同赴霍恩产院。《克劳福德日报》之利奥波德·布卢姆与一帮喜诙谐、看似好争论之徒于此宽坐。计有:仁慈圣母医院三年级学生迪克森、文·林奇、一苏格兰人、威尔·马登、为亲自下赌注之马伤心不已之托·利内翰和斯蒂芬·迪。利奥波·布卢姆原为解乏而来,现已略恢复元气。今晚彼曾做一奇梦:其妻摩莉足登红拖鞋,身着土耳其式紧身裤,博闻多识者谓此乃进入一个新阶段之征兆。普里福伊太太系住院待产妇[109] ,惜预产期已过二日,仍卧于产褥上,助产士焦急万分,不见分娩。灌以可充作上好收敛剂之米汤一碗,亦呕吐之,且呼吸无比困难。众人云:据胎动,必得一顽皮小子,企盼天主使其平安产下。吾闻此胎儿乃第九名生存者。报喜节日[110] ,普里福伊太太曾为满周岁之小八剪指甲。然该儿已尾随其三个曾哺以母乳之兄姊夭折,仅在君王《圣经》[ 111]上用秀丽字迹留下芳名而已。夫君普里福伊业已五十开外,虽系遁道公会教徒,仍照领圣体[112] 不误。每逢主日,倘天气晴朗,彼即携二儿至阉牛港[113] 外,以装有牢固鱼轮之竿垂钓,或乘自备方头平底船,用拖网捕比目鱼与绿鳕,满载而归。如是我闻。简言之,大雨无尽, 万物复苏,丰收在望。然而见多识广者云: 据玛拉基[114]之历书,风雨之后预测将有火灾(吾闻拉塞尔先生本着源于印度的同一要旨,为其“农民报”[115] 撰写预见性咒文),三者不可缺一)此乃无稽之谈,仅能迷惑老妪小儿而已 ,但偶尔立论亦能恰当中肯,实为奇妙。
此刻利内翰趋至桌边,曰:“当日晚报上刊一函[116],”遂浑身翻找(彼赌咒云,该函使彼心如刀绞)。经斯蒂芬劝解,彼方作罢,并嘱迅速在近旁落座。彼放荡成性,自谓生性滑稽诙谐、调皮而不怀恶意。平素玩弄女人、赛马、传播淫秽艳闻为其拿手好戏。实言之,彼身无长物,与人贩子、马夫、赌注经纪人、二流子、走私者、徒弟、暗娼、妓女以及其他无赖为伍,多在咖啡店及小酒馆中盘桓。或经常与萍水相逢之法警及巡警狂饮蛋糖白葡萄酒[117] ,自午夜至天明,探听众多黄色丑闻。彼通常就餐于简易食堂,只凭囊中仅有之一枚六便士银币,即可吃上一碗残羹剩饭或一盘下水。随即鼓起舌簧,满口皆更自娼妓之流的淫乱秽语,致使每个母胎所生之子莫不捧腹。另一男子科斯特洛闻言,问该函文系诗乎?或故事乎?利内翰曰:“皆非也,弗兰克(此乃科斯特洛之名),该函涉及因瘟疫而即将悉数被屠杀之凯里母牛。让其连同罐头牛肉一道见鬼去!(彼眨眼云)遭瘟的!锡器中盛有无比美味之鱼,请品尝之。”遂殷勤劝弗兰克进食旁边所置腌西鲱鱼。其间,利内翰贪婪注视之,终于得手。彼饿矣,食鱼实乃此行之主要目的。弗兰克遂用法语云:“让母牛死光。”彼曾受雇于一名在波尔多[118] 拥有酒窖之白兰地出口商,操上流人士之文雅法语。弗兰克生性怠情,其父(一小警官)煞费苦心,送彼学习文理并掌握地球仪;注册升入大学,专攻机械学。然而彼任性放肆若未驯之野驹,对法官与教区差役比对书本更亲。彼一度志愿做演员,继而欲当随军酒食小贩,时赖赌账,时又耽于斗熊[119]与斗鸡。忽而立志乘船远航,忽而又与吉卜赛人结伙,浪迹天涯;借月光绑架乡出之嗣子,或偷女佣之内衣,或藏身于柴垣之后,勒死雏鸡。彼离家出走之次数与猫儿转生不相上下。每逢囊空如洗,彼即返回家中。其父任小警官,每次见彼即洒下一品脱泪水。利奥波德先生诚心欲知晓缘由,乃抱臂曰:“彼等欲将牛屠杀殆尽乎?今朝吾确曾见到牛群,将用船载往利物浦[120] 。吾不相信事情竟至如此糟糕。”数载前,彼曾在约瑟夫·卡夫[121] 先生手下任雇员。卡夫乃一可敬之生意人,在普鲁西亚街加文·洛先生的牧场附近从事畜牧业,在草地上拍卖牲畜。因此,布卢姆对传种牲畜、产前之母牛、满两岁之肥公猪以及阉羊,均十分熟悉。“吾对汝言持有疑问,”彼曰,“牛所患之疾病听来更似支气管炎或牛舌炎。”斯蒂芬先生略为动容,但仍文质彬彬地答曰:“并非如此。奥地利皇帝[ 122]之御马主事已发来快函表示谢意。彼将派遣全莫斯科维[ 123] 首屈一指之名兽医[124] ——牛瘟博士,凭藉一两粒大药丸,即能抓住公牛角[ 125] 。”“呔,吹,”文森特先生曰,“坦率言之,倘该博士对爱尔兰公牛动手,必将被牛角勾住,进退维谷。”“名称与产地均为爱尔兰,”斯蒂芬先生曰,并依次为众人斟浓啤酒,一如闯入英国瓷器店中之一头爱尔兰公牛。[126] “吾理解汝意,”迪克森先生曰,“此即农场主尼古拉斯送往本岛之同一公牛[127] 耳。彼为最优秀之家畜饲养员,鼻孔上穿着一枚绿宝石[128] 环。”“诚然诚然,”文森特先生隔桌曰,“一语道破,如此膘肥体壮之公牛,从未在三叶苜蓿[129]上拉过屎。彼生有巨角,毛色金黄,鼻孔散发芳香,若袅袅轻烟。本岛妇女遂撇下生面团与擀面杖,与公牛殿下戴上串串雏菊花环,随彼而去。”“何以至此?”迪克森先生曰,公牛动身之前,宦官兼农场主尼古拉斯嘱一帮同为阉人之医生,将其彻底阉割之。尼古拉斯云:‘去!吾表弟哈利陛下之命令,汝必言听计从。现接受农场主之祝福!’话音未落,啪地击其臀部。”“表示祝福之一击,稗益良多。”文森特先生曰:“作为补偿,彼将力量相当于两头公牛之秘诀传授下来。处女、妻子、女修道院院长与寡妇至今断言,伊等与其跟爱尔兰四片绿野[130] 上最英俊、强壮、专门勾引女人之年轻小伙子睡觉, 不如随时都于幽暗牛棚中,对着牛耳嗫嚅[131] ,并希望彼用神圣的长舌舔自己的脖颈。” 此刻另一男子曰:“伊等给彼穿上刺绣花边衣裙,配以坎肩及腰带,袖口缀以褶边,将额发剪短,浑身涂以鲸脑油[132] 。于每一街角为其筑一座黄金牛槽[133],装满市上最上等干草,供其尽情伏卧拉屎。此时教友们之神父(彼等对公牛之别称)因过于肥胖,难以步行至牧场。为了不使其受累,工于心计之妇人及姑娘乃将饲料兜在围裙中为彼送去。饱餐后,彼用后腿立起,供太大小姐一窥奥秘,并以公牛之语既吼且叫,伊等齐声效之。”“哎,”另一人曰,“彼益愈纵容自己,除了供自己食用之绿草(彼头脑中惟有绿色)不容国土上生长任何植物。岛屿中央之小山丘,竖有一牌,上云:“奉哈利王[134] 御旨,地上生绿草。”“因此,”迪克森先生曰,“只要风闻罗斯康芒或康尼马拉原野上有盗牲畜者,抑或斯莱戈[135] 农夫播种一把芥籽或一袋菜籽,彼即奉哈利王御旨,跑遍半壁乡村,用犄角将所种之物连根掘起。”“起初二人之间发生争执,”文森特先生曰,“哈利王称农场主尼古拉斯为‘天下老尼克[136] 之大杂烩’,家中蓄七名私娼之老鸨[ 137] 。吾欲惩戒之。尼古拉斯曰:‘用先父遗下之牛阴茎快鞭,使此畜生一尝地狱味道’。”“然某日傍晚,”迪克森先生曰,“哈利王于划船比赛中获得冠军(彼使用鍬型桨子,惟依比赛规章第一条, 其他选手均用草耙划船),为了赴晚宴,彼正修整高贵之皮肤[138] 时, 发现自己酷似公牛。遂翻阅藏于餐具室、手垢斑斑之小册子[139] ,查明自己确系罗马人通称为 “牛中之牛”[140] 那头著名斗牛[141] 旁系之后裔。其名字确为蹩脚拉丁语,意即:“展览主持者。”“此后,”文森特先生曰,“哈利于当众廷臣之面, 将头扎进牛之饮水槽,及至从水中伸出头后,告以自己之新名[142] 。彼听任水哗哗流淌, 身着祖母所遗旧罩衫及裙子,并购一册公牛语[143] 语法书习之。然而只学会人称代名词,遂用大字抄录,默记之,每当外出散步,衣袋中辄装满粉笔,在岩石边沿、茶馆桌子、棉花包或软木浮子上胡乱涂写。简言之。彼与爱尔兰牛[144] 旋即成为莫逆,犹如臀部与衬衫然。”“此语不差”,斯蒂芬先生曰,“其结果,本岛男子发现负情女子异口同声,无可救药。遂建造舟筏,携家财登船,桅杆尽皆竖起,举行登舷礼,转船首向风,顶风停泊,扬起三面帆,在风与水之间挺起船首,起锚,转舵向左,海盗旗迎风飘扬,三呼万岁,每次三遍,开动舱底污水泵,离开兜售杂物之小舟,驶至海面上,航往美洲大陆。”“彼时,”文森特先生曰,“一水手长谱一首滑稽歌曲:
教皇彼得虽尿床,
仍不失为男子汉。[145]”
学生们之寓言行将结束时,吾等畏友玛拉基·穆利根先生偕初邂逅之友出现于门口,系一青年绅士,名亚历克·班农[146] 也。彼新近进城,报名参军,欲在国防军中购一旗手或骑兵旗手之位置[147]。适才谈论之治病方案,与穆利根先生之方针不谋而合,因此彼欣然表示兴趣。乃递予众人各一组名片,系当日出自昆内尔先生之印刷厂承印者。上以秀丽之斜体字印着“兰贝岛”[148]“受精媒介业 人工授精业 玛拉基·穆利根先生”。彼阐述曰:在城里,福普林·波平杰伊[149]爵士与米尔克索普·奎德南克[150] 爵士游手好闲,专事寻欢作乐。彼拟远离此圈子,献身于赋予吾曹肉体机能之最高尚事业。“好友请道来,吾等当洗耳恭听,”迪克森先生曰,“个中想必有猥亵气味。二位且移身坐下。坐与站都一样便宜。[151] ”穆利根先生遂接受邀请,对听众详述其计划。此计划系根据对不妊之原因进行考察而得,原因包括抑制与禁欲。抑制乃夫妇不和或互不协调所致,禁欲则由于天生缺陷或后天之习癖。彼曰:目睹新婚燕尔之床最宝贵之担保[152]被剥夺,痛何如哉。众多可人之富孀被恶贯满盈之僧侣所霸占,禁锢于格格不入之女修道院中,使光艳藏诸木斗之下[153];另有如花似玉之女子,在市井粗鄙之徒怀中凋零,而伊等本应倍享幸福。如上诸多冰清玉洁之女性成为牺牲品,而附近本有百名英俊男子欲爱之不能。穆利根云,每念及此,心如刀割。为了免除祸患(彼已下结论,认为此乃潜热受到压抑之故),彼与有识之士共商谈对策,决心向兰贝岛主塔尔博待·德马拉海德爵士[ 154]购买该岛土地之绝对所有权及自由保有权。此爵士系著名之托利党成员,对蒸蒸日上之吾党颇加赞许。乃提议在此建造国立受精场[155] ,取名“中心”,并竖一方尖碑[156] ,乃据埃及式样凿成。不论何等身分之女子,凡欲满足其天然官能者一旦来此,彼必为之忠心效劳,俾使之受孕。彼曰,吾所图并非金钱,劳务费不取分文。最穷之厨娘乃至社交界阔夫人,只要渴望在身心方面得到尽情满足,均能在彼处找到理想之男性。彼曰,为了取得营养,食谱限于馥郁之球根、鱼及野兔——尤其后者乃多产啮齿动物,极适宜达到彼之目的。不论烤或炖,只需添上一片肉豆寇叶,一二颗辣椒即可。热切而坚定地发表完此冗长演说之后,穆利根先生立即取下遮帽手帕。二人似均受雨淋。虽已加快步伐,通身仍均湿透,见于彼所着灰色手织灰呢短裤上之斑纹。众人闻其计划,莫不欣喜,并衷心颂扬之。惟独玛利亚医院之迪克森先生则故意责难。谓:彼欲运煤至纽卡斯尔[157]乎?穆利根先生则对该学者报以脑中所记一段恰如其分之古典引文,根据既充分,又能雍容大方地支持其论点:噫,诸市民,当代道义之颓废,江河日下。吾辈家中妇女,偏爱被温柔男予以手指作淫荡之搔痒,而弃罗马百人队长之沉重辜丸及异常勃起于不顾。[158] 彼并为不够机智者举出更合乎彼等胃口之动物界实例——诸如树林间空地上之公鹿母鹿,农家场院中之公鸭母鸭等,以此类推,阐述要点。
彼饶舌家着实仪表堂堂,并素以风度翩翩自豪。现将话题转至本人服装上,对天气之乍变,愤然予以谴责。众人则大赞此公所提方案。其友, 一年轻绅士,对新近之艳遇[159] 喜不自胜,不禁告知邻座。此刻,穆利根先生扫视桌面, 问饼与鱼[160]系供何人食用?及至瞥见异邦人,乃彬彬有礼地深打一躬,问曰:“敢问足下需要吾曹在专业方面提供协助欤?”异邦人闻言,衷心表示谢意, 却依然保持适当之距离。答曰:彼乃为霍恩产院一名女病友而来。 不幸伊属难产(言至此,深叹一声),欲知是否已安然分娩。 迪克森先生嘲笑穆利根先生之初期腹部肥大症以转换气氛,曰: “此乃前列腺囊内部或男性子宫内部卵子怀胎之征兆乎?抑或如名医奥斯汀·梅尔顿[ 161] 先生所云,乃胃中之狼[162] 所致乎?”穆利根先生从腰部发出一阵哄笑作答,毅然拍打横隔膜下部,并很精采且滑稽地模仿葛罗甘老婆婆[163](惜伊系一妓女[164],但仍不失为最杰出之女性),同时扬言:“妾腹从未养过私孩子也。”彼演技高超奇巧,哄笑屡屡爆发,使满室无不振奋喜悦。 倘非前厅发出警报声,此场轻快喧嚣之摹拟闹剧仍将续演。
闻者非他人,乃一苏格兰学生也。此公性易激动,金发宛如亚麻,以无比热烈之语气向该年轻绅士[165]深表祝贺。绅士谈兴正浓时,彼予以打断, 以谦恭之神态向对面所坐人士招手,恳请递与一瓶甘露酒。同时,将头一歪,似有所迟疑(即使整整一世纪之良好教养,亦未必能训练出如此优雅之举止)。然后将瓶子朝相反方向倾之,以清楚之口齿询问该讲述者:“饮一杯如何,”“拜受,[166] 贵客,”彼欣然曰,“万谢,[167] 。此举正合时宜。有此杯酒,吾之幸福方能完满。然而,上天保佑,即使吾行囊中仅有些许饼屑,以及一杯井水,吾亦深感满足,并甘愿跪于地下,为万宝之赐与者所确保之幸福,向上苍之神力致谢。”言讫,彼将杯凑至唇边,以心满意足之神态,饮甘露酒少许,抚发袒胸,拽出丝带所系之小匣。匣内嵌有女友亲笔题字之相片。彼接后,甚为珍爱。彼含情脉脉审视该面影,并曰:“噫,先生,倘汝若吾然,于激动人心之刹那间,目睹伊人身着雅致披肩,头戴俏丽新软帽[ 168] (伊以悦耳声调,告以此乃生日礼物也),淳朴洒脱, 温存妖冶;足下必慨然向之五体投地,或永远逃离战场。吾断言,此生从未如此动心。 主啊,感谢尔为吾创造日日夜夜。备受该倩女青睐者,诚为三生有幸。”无限温存之叹息愈益使此番话语感人至深。彼将小匣揣入怀中,并再度拭泪叹息。“大慈大悲之天主,尔所创造之物,普获尔之祝福。尔之治下最美妙者乃人之恋情也。恋情如此深广伟大,足以使自由人与奴隶,蠢乡巴佬与文雅纨袴子弟,风华正茂、热情奔放之情人与中年丈夫,均顿然堕入五里雾中。然而先生,吾走题矣。吾曹现世之欢乐是何等杂以悲哀,何等不完美。命运不济!”彼痛苦呼叫曰,“倘若主上赋吾以先见之明,提醒吾携带雨衣,当不至此!”遂不禁落泪。“纵下七场骤雨,对吾曹亦毫无害处。吾过于大意矣!”彼手击前额,大声曰,“明日将迎来新的一天,雷鸣千遍。吾识一‘外衣’商人[169] 波因茨先生,可售与法式舒适‘外衣’,每件一里弗尔[170] ,确保不致湿及女方。”“呔呔!”授精业者[171] 大声插嘴曰,“吾友穆尔[172] 先生乃一非凡之旅人(适才吾与彼[173] 曾共饮酒半瓶,座中有市内博学之士),彼据可靠消息告知,霍恩岬角,雨势猛烈[174] ,致使所有‘外衣’(无论何等结实),均已湿透。彼曰,诚然[175] ,大雨倾盆,罹难者无一不当即匆匆告别人世。”“呸!一里弗尔[176] !”林奇先生大声曰,“货色粗陋至此,不值一苏[177]”耳。‘伞’[178]之大小纵然仅及仙女蘑菇[179] ,然亦顶得过十件如此‘搪孔之物’。任何稍有机智之女子,决不会用此等‘外衣’。 吾之情妇基蒂今日相告,伊情愿舞于洪水中,亦不愿在救命方舟中挨饿。何耶?伊对予倾诉云(此时,尽管除翩翩起舞之蝴蝶,绝无偷听者,伊依然脸色红涨,附耳低语):‘吾曹生就无垢之肌肤,换个情况必将导致破坏礼仪,然而在二种场合下[180] ,会成为唯一之可身衣裳。蒙自然女神赐与神圣祝福后,吾曹心中铭刻该语之意, 而今已家喻户晓。吾搀扶该姣好哲学家坐上双轮马车后,伊用舌尖轻触吾外耳廓以引起吾之注意,告曰:‘头一种场合,乃是入浴……,”彼时, 前厅铃响,今番足以丰富吾曹知识宝库之议论遂被打断矣。
正当举座说笑寻欢作乐之际,铃声大作,众人遂纷纷猜测。须臾,卡伦小姐步入,对青年迪克森先生蹑嚅数言讫,向与座者深打一躬,然后退去。一贤淑端庄、容貌标致之淑女一时出现于荡子群中,彼等淫荡之徒便即刻收敛其轻佻猥亵。然而俟伊退出后,秽言秽语刹那间重新爆发。“吾甚觉荒唐矣,”酩酊大醉之痞子科斯特洛曰,“极美味之母牛肉!伊想必邀汝幽会。狗杂种作如何想?汝精于此道矣。”“确然如此,”林奇先生曰,“圣母济贫院同人擅长床上技巧。孽种奥加格大夫不曾搔诸护士下颚欤?七个月以来,吾基蒂在该院病房任护士,此系伊所告,当属确凿。”“大夫,祈天主可怜奴家!”身着淡黄色背心之后生[181] 仿妇人腔调狂呼傻笑,并扭动身躯作淫荡态曰:“汝勿戏弄奴家!讨厌鬼!呜呼,妾浑身颤悠发晕矣。汝之轻薄,确与可爱之小神父坎特基塞姆[182] 不相上下!”“倘若伊未身怀六甲,”卡斯特洛大叫曰,“吾将被此啤酒呛得半死矣!大凡由于有喜而膨胀之妇女,吾只消瞟一眼即可看出。”此时青年外科医生[183] 起身,乞求众人准其退席,盖护士顷通知彼需立即赶赴病房也。彼曰:“该怀孕妇女曾以可钦之刚毅忍受阵痛,而上苍大发慈悲,已结束其苦难,使之生下一名强壮男婴。吾无法容忍某些人士。彼等既无足以使人开心之机智又乏指导他人之学识,竟对护士这一高贵天职肆意辱骂,而除却应予以敬畏之神明外,护士乃最造福人间者。伊所从事之高尚职业,非但不应成为笑柄,且可激励人心,使之向上。吾敢断言,倘有必要,吾能推出多如云彩之证人[184],以阐述该项职业如何不比寻常。吾实难宽恕彼等。何以竟中伤和蔼可亲之卡伦小姐这等人!伊乃女性之光辉,实令男性叹服不已。护士所接生者乃用尘土造出之[185] 小娃,当此最关键之时刻加以诽谤,该念头实属可恶至极!竟播下如此邪恶之种籽,以致产妇与接生婆在霍恩产院得不到应有之尊重。每念及民族之未来,辄不寒而栗。”谴责完毕,彼乃向与座众人点头示意,走向门外。举座发出一片赞同之低语声,有人扬言应立即将该下流醉汉逐之门外。此计划几近付诸实践,将给彼以应有之惩罚。然而彼可鄙地赌咒发誓(而且发得八面玲珑),谓彼乃天下最善良之人子也,从而减轻其罪责。“谨以吾之生命发誓,”彼曰,“诚实的弗兰克·科斯特洛自幼被教以格外孝敬父母[186]。 家母擅长做果酱布丁卷与麦片糊,吾一向对她怀有敬爱之心。”
却说布卢姆先生乍一进来,留意到那片肆无忌惮之冷嘲热讽,认为此系年少通常不懂怜悯所致,故容忍之。彼等荡儿实似狂妄自大之顽童,喜议论喧嚣,用语费解,且口出不逊。每闻其暴躁与寡廉鲜耻之话语[187] ,顿感愤慨。虽能以血气方刚勉强为之开脱,但如此无礼实难以忍受。尤使人不快者为科斯特洛先生言词之粗野。据观察,此令人作呕之流氓乃私生子耳。彼呱呱坠地即畸形缺耳,身躯伛偻,满口生牙。分娩时属逆产,足先露,且驼背[ 188]。外科医用钳子在彼头盖上留下了明显痕迹。布卢姆遂联想到,彼即已故富于独创性之达尔文先生毕生探求不已之进化论中所谈之过渡生物[189] 也。布卢姆已过人生之半途[190] ,历尽沧桑,系一谨慎民族之后裔,生就稀有的先见之明,遂抑制心中所冒怒气,最迅速慎重地克制住感情,告诫自己胸中要怀一“忍”字。心地卑鄙者对此加以嘲笑,性急之判断者藐视之,然而众人咸认为此乃稳妥之举。妙语连珠以损害女性之优雅,乃精神上一大恶习,彼坚不赞成;彼不认为此种人堪称才子,更弗言继承良好教养之传统。布卢姆对彼等实忍无可忍,根据往日经验,只得采取激烈之手段,以迫使此傲慢之徒丢尽颜面,及时退却。盖年轻气盛之徒,向来无视年老昏愦者之皱眉与道学家之抱怨,一味欲食(据圣书著者凭借纯洁想象所写)树上禁果;布卢姆与彼等未尝不抱有同感。惟当一淑女分娩产子之际,无论如何亦不得对人性等闲视之。最后,据护士所云,布卢姆曾预料产妇迅将分娩,经此长时间之阵痛后,果然瓜熟蒂落,此事再度证明天主之恩惠与慈悲,使布卢姆顿感释然。
布卢姆遂与领座坦诚相见,曰:“吾对此事之看法(不妨将己见发表)为:彼妇并非由于本人之过错而受尽痛苦,闻其安产而不知喜悦者,想必生性淡漠或心肠冷酷也。”该衣着入时之浮华青年[191] 曰:“使伊陷入如此困境者,其夫也;理应是其夫,除非伊乃另一名以弗所女子[192] 。”此时,克罗瑟斯击桌以使众人倾听其嗓音洪亮之话语:“吾有话告汝等。蓄邓德利尔里式胡子[193] 之老叟——年迈之格洛里·阿列路朱拉姆[194] 今日又来矣。彼用鼻音央告曰:‘吾欲对吾之生命(此即彼对伊之称呼)威廉明娜进一言。’吾嘱彼心中宜有数,盖婴儿即将呱呱坠地矣。见鬼!容吾坦率道来。吾不禁叹服该老汉之生殖力,竟足以令伊再生一胎。”众人异口同声赞誉老叟,惟独该风流后生[195]坚持己见曰:“否。把关者[196]’非其夫也,乃修道院之教士、夜间向导(有勇气者)或家庭用品之行商。”客人闻讫,暗自思量:“彼等具有之神奇的轮回力实无与伦比,不同凡响。产院与解剖室均已变为轻佻话语之操练厅。然而一旦获得学位,彼等轻浮荡子摇身一变即成为被杰出人士誉为最高尚技艺之典范实践者。然而,”彼继续思索,“或许彼等平时个个心中郁愤,欲寻解脱。因吾曾屡次目睹同一色羽毛之鸟齐声大笑[197]也。”
彼异邦人系承蒙仁慈之陛下核准而取得市民权,然而吾曹欲询问彼之保护者总督阁下,彼凭何资格而取得我国内政之最高权力欤?[198] 发自满腔忠诚之感激,如今安在哉?在近日之战争[199] 中,只要敌人凭借手榴弹暂时取得优势,该叛徒即一面惟恐其四分利公债暴跌而浑身颤抖,一面则抓紧机会向根据其本人意愿而臣服之帝国开火!彼是否已忘却此事,一如忘却其所承受之一切恩泽?倘传闻无谬,彼则为只顾个人享乐之利己主义者,诚属欺世盗名。闯入贞节妇女(一名勇敢少校之女)之寝室,或对其妇德妄加谴责,此决非君子所为。若彼欲引人注意(其实,此举对彼甚为不利),亦无可奈何也。该妇命途多舛,其合法特权屡遭践踏,时间既久,对方态度复顽强,致使伊每闻彼之斥责,辄报以由绝望而导致之嘲笑。彼身为社会风纪监察官,虔诚严若鹈鹕[220],竟将自然之羁绊抛诸脑后,肆无忌惮,试图与出身于社会最下层之女仆发生暖味关系!倘非该女仆以擦地所用之毛刷为护守天神,进行自卫,则必身遭不幸,有如埃及女夏甲[201]然!关于牧场问题,彼之乖戾粗暴已臭名远扬。某次,当着卡夫先生之面,触怒一牧场主,以致遭到该乡人以刻薄言词之反击。彼不适宜宣扬福音。家旁岂不有片耕地,只因无人播种,遂闲置下来。青春期之恶习,人届中年遂成为第二天性,带来耻辱。倘若彼一定要将基列香油[ 202] 这一效验可疑之秘方与“金科玉律”,分发给一代乳臭未干之荡子,以促使彼等康复,则应使彼之行为与正全力奉行之教义相一致。身为丈夫,彼之内心乃诸多秘密之贮藏库。为了体面,而轻易不肯泄露,色衰之美女或以淫言猥语挑逗之,代替因被冷遇以致堕落之妻,给彼以慰藉。然而人伦之新倡导者以及恶行之矫正者,充腴量仅为异邦之树。其扎根于东方本上时,则茁壮繁茂,香脂丰腴,造移植于他处暖土,根即失去原有之勃勃生气,香脂亦变为混浊发酸,失去灵效。
嗣子诞生消息之通告极其慎重,令人联想及土耳其朝廷仪式之惯例:由第二女护士转告值勤之下级医务官,彼再向代表团传达。彼遂赴产室,以便在内务大臣与枢密顾问官(彼等由于争先称赞已精疲力竭,沉默不语)亲临下,协助完成规定之产后仪式。漫长肃穆之值勤使代表团焦躁不安。彼等认为既逢喜事,放纵一番亦应获得宽容。于是,护士与医务官走后,立即展开舌战。只闻兜揽员布卢姆先生竭力劝解之,平息之,抑制之,均属徒然。此乃最适宜高谈阔论之良机,亦为将彼等性格迥异者联结起来之唯一纽带。分娩问题依次从各个方面加以剖析:异父兄弟之间先天的敌对,剖腹产,遗腹子,以及稀有的例子:产妇死后之分娩。蔡尔兹谋杀胞兄案,由于律师布希先生之激烈辩护,被诬告者已被宣判无罪。此事至今仍被人们广为铭记在心;长子继承权,国王赐予双胞胎与三胞胎赏金;流产及溺婴,加以伪装或掩饰;缺乏心脏的胎儿内胎儿[203]以及充血导致的缺脸。某缺下巴中国佬[204](候补者穆利根先生语) 之男系亲属,先天性缺颚乃系沿中线颚骨突起接合不全之结果,(据彼曰)一只耳朵能听见另一只所云。麻醉或昏睡分娩法[205]之长处。高年妊娠的情况下,因受血管压迫,阵痛延长。早期破水(眼下即一实例)导致的子宫败血症之危险。用注射器进行人工受精。闭经后之子宫收缩。因被强奸而妊娠的情况下,人种之延续问题。勃兰登堡[206]人称之为坠生[207] 的可怕分娩。医学记载中之月经期间怀孕或近亲结婚导致之一产多胎、阴阳儿、畸形儿等。一言以蔽之,亚理斯多德在其《杰作》[208] 中附上彩色石印插图加以分类的人类出生之各种情形。对产科学与法医学上至关重要之问题,以及关于妊娠最普遍的信念(诸如惟恐母体之活动将导致脐带勒死胎儿,遂禁止孕妇迈田舍栅栏;或强烈情欲得不到有效满足时,辄将手放诸身上由于经年使用而作为惩戒场所[209] 被神圣化之部位),均予以热烈研讨。有人断言,兔唇、胸痣、冗指、黑痣、赤痣、紫痣等畸形,均足以对时而诞生之猪头儿(人们并没有淡忘格莉塞尔·斯蒂文斯夫人[210] 的例子)或狗毛婴儿做出确凿[211] 而自然之说明。喀里多尼亚[ 212] 使节所提出之原生质记忆假定,无愧于彼所代表的具有形而上学传统[213] 之国土。预见到此等例子乃胎儿发育达到人类这一阶段前被抑制之表征。某异国使节则驳斥上述意见,以热切而坚信不疑之口吻曰:“此乃女子与雄兽交媾所生者。”其根据则为优雅拉丁诗人凭其才华在《变形记》中所传至今之弥诺陶洛斯之类神话。[214 ]彼之话语立即引起轰动,然而为时短暂。因候补者穆利根先生比任何人均了解开玩笑所能引起之效果,乃面谕曰;“如要发泄淫欲,宜寻一干净可爱之老臾。”遂使方才那番感动顿然消失。同时,使节马登先生与候补者林奇先生之间就连体双胞胎[215] 中之一名先逝世之际,在法学及神学上之矛盾,展开激烈争论。经双方同意,将此难题委托兜揽员布卢姆先生立即交由副主祭助手迪达勒斯先生处理。不知彼是否欲以超自然之庄重,显示其衣着之奇妙威严,抑或服从內心之声音,迄今保持缄默。此刻亦仅简短地(有人认为敷衍塞责地)陈述《福音书》之教导曰:“天主所配合的,人不可拆开。”[216]
然而玛拉基之故事则使彼等不寒而栗。彼一念咒,如下情景即出现在彼等面前:壁炉旁的暗门吱呀一声开启,海恩斯从中出现!我等无不毛骨惊然!彼一手持装满凯尔特文学之公事包,另一只手则持写有“毒品”字样之小瓶。当彼面泛鬼笑扫视众人时,个个脸上露出惊讶、恐怖、厌恶之神色。“如此之接待原在吾预料之中,”彼遂发出阴森之笑声并谓:“看来这要怪历史。[ 217] 吾乃杀害塞缨尔·蔡尔兹之凶手,千真万确。吾已遭到何等惩罚!吾对地狱毫无畏惧。可惧者幽灵附体也。耶稣之眼泪伤口[218]!究竟如何吾方能得到安息乎?”彼嗓音模糊,“吾携自己所整理之民谣,在都柏林长期流浪,而幽灵宛如淫梦魔[219] 或牛魔般跟踪不止。吾之地狱以及爱尔兰之地狱,皆在现世。为了忘却所犯罪恶,吾曾多方设法:消愁解闷,射击白嘴鸦,学习埃尔斯语[220] (遂诵数句),服鸦片酊(彼将小瓶举至唇边),扎营露宿。一切均归徒然!彼之亡灵与吾形影不离。吞服鸦片乃吾唯一希望……呜呼!毁灭矣!黑豹![221]”彼大叫一声,须臾间消失矣,暗门滑动着,闭紧。少顷,彼在对面门口露头,曰:“十一时十分,到韦斯特兰横街车站[222] 与吾碰头。”彼去矣。众放荡之徒涕泅滂沱。占卜者[223] 举手向天,嗫懦曰:“马南南之报复[ 224] !”哲人反复曰:“同态复仇法。伤感主义者乃只顾享受而对所做之事不深觉歉疚之人。[225] ”玛拉基激动之至,闭口不言。谜底遂揭开矣。海恩斯为三弟[226] ,真名蔡尔兹,黑豹为彼父之鬼魂也。彼吞服鸦片,以忘却此事,使予得到解脱,不胜感谢。[227] 坟场旁之房屋无人居住。谁都不肯居于彼处。蜘蛛在孤寂中张网。夜鼠自洞穴中窥伺。该屋受咒诅。闹鬼。为一座凶宅。[ 228]
人之灵魂,寿命有多长?灵魂禀有变色龙之特性,每接近一样新物即改变颜色,与欢乐者接近即愉快,与悲哀者相处则沮丧,年龄亦随情绪而改变。利奥波德坐在那里,反刍并咀嚼往事之回忆时,彼已不再是沉着踏实之广告经纪人,亦非一小笔公债之所有者。念载光阴顿然消失,彼已成为少年利奥波德矣。仿佛是通过回顾性之安排,镜中镜(刹那间)照出本人。彼目睹自家当年之英姿,早熟而老气横秋,于刺骨寒晨,将书包(内装有母亲精心制作之美味大面包)当作子弹带般挎着,从克兰布拉西尔街之老宅踱向高中。一两年后,同一身姿初戴硬毡帽(啊,何等神气!)已开始跑外勤。彼乃家族公司之正式推销员,备有订货簿,洒了香水的手帕(不仅是为了充当样品),皮箱里装满锃亮之小装饰品。(噫!可惜均属于往昔岁月!)彼到处对犹豫不决而用指尖掐算之主妇或妙龄女郎,满脸掬以殷勤温顺之笑容。后者对彼佯装出之礼仪[ 229] ,亦羞涩地点头会意。(然而其内心如何,则天晓得矣!)香水气息,微笑,尤其乌黑眸子及圆滑周到之谈吐应对,使彼于傍晚为公司老板[230]携回大量订货单。老板做完同样工作,口衔雅各烟斗[231] ,坐在祖传的炉边(上面必煮着面条),透过角质圆框眼镜,阅读一个月前之欧洲大陆报纸。然而,刹那间镜面模糊了,少年游侠骑士后退,干瘪,缩成雾中极细微之一点。而今自己做了父亲,周围兴许是儿辈。谁知晓欤!聪明的父亲方知自己之子。[232] 彼思及哈奇街关栈附近蒙蒙细雨之夜。彼与伊在一道(可怜,伊无家可归,系私生女,只付一先令与一便士吉利钱,便属于汝,属于吾,属于众人),当两名夜警头戴雨帽之阴影路过新修建的皇家大学时,彼等一道倾听其沉重脚步声。布赖迪!布赖迪·凯利![233] 彼决不会忘记此名,将永远铭记该夜:初夜,新婚之夜。彼等(求者与被求者)于黑暗之底层缠扭在一起。转瞬之间。(要有!)光就浴满世界。 心与心可曾悸动在一起!否,敬爱的读者,一霎时事即毕,然而——“且慢,撒开!不许如此!”可怜的姑娘摸着黑,逃之夭夭。伊乃黑暗之新娘,夜之新娘。伊不敢生下白昼那金太阳之子。不,利奥波德。名字与记忆无从给汝慰藉。青年时期汝对精力所抱幻想,已被剥夺——一切归于徒然。汝之腰力已生不出子嗣,无能为力矣。鲁道夫[234]生利奥波德,而今利奥波德却不再能有子嗣矣。
众声纷杂,融人阴暗之寂静中。寂静乃无限之空间也。灵魂迅疾而沉默地飘浮于世世代代生息不已之空间。灰色薄暮弥漫于此,却从不落到暗绿色之辽阔牧场上。仅降下苍茫暮色,抛撒星宿的永恒之露。伊步履蹒跚,跟随乃母,犹如由母马带引之小母马驹。伊等乃一片朦胧中之幻影,然而婀娜多姿,腰肢纤细优美,脖颈柔和矫健,面容温顺,头脑聪慧。阴郁之幻象逐渐模糊,以至消失殆尽。阿根达斯乃荒原也,向为仑枭与半盲戴胜鸟栖息之所。鼎盛之内泰穆[235] 已不复存在。彼等群兽亡灵发出反叛之雷鸣,沿着云彩大道拥来。呼!哈喀!呼![236]视差[ 237] 从背后阔步逼向彼等,用刺棒戳之,射自其眉眼之光锐利如蝎。大角鹿与牦牛,巴珊[238]与巴比伦之公牛,猛犸象与柱牙象,均成群结队涌向下陷之海——死海[239] 。那一大群黄道十二宫不祥而伺机报复之兽类!彼等呻吟,越云而来,犄角或长或短,有长鼻者,撩牙者,或鬃毛若狮,或有多叉巨角,用鼻拱者,爬行者,啮齿动物,反刍动物,厚皮动物,彼等大群地移动,吼叫。太阳之屠杀者。[ 240]
彼等踏着大地朝死海挺进,以便贪婪而不知餍足地狂饮那沉滞呆倦、永不枯涸之咸湖水。此刻,马状怪物于寂寥之空中复长大矣,大得犹如天空本身,漫无边际,朦朦胧胧出现于室女座[24]之上端。看哪,轮回之奇迹,伊乃永恒之新娘,晨星之信使,新娘——永恒之处女。伊乃玛尔塔,“失去了的你”[242],年轻,可爱、光艳照人之米莉森特[243] 。稍早于黎明前之最后时刻,伊足登灿烂之金色凉鞋,[244] 身披汝所称之薄纱巾。伊乃昂星团[245]女王,此刻正冉冉升起,何等安详。面纱在伊那星宿所生之肌肤周围飘扬,融为鲜绿、天蓝、紫红与淡紫色,任凭穿过星际刮来之阵阵冷风摆布,翻腾、卷曲,回旋,在天空中婉蜒移动,写出神秘字迹。其表象经过轮回之千变万化,成为金牛座额上之一颗红宝石,三角形标记阿尔法[246],熠熠发光。
弗朗西朗斯正在提醒斯蒂芬,多年前康米神父任校长时,他们二人曾同过学的事。他问起格劳康、亚西比德[247]和皮西斯特拉图斯[248] 。“他们如今在哪儿?”两个人都不晓得。“你所谈的是过去和它的幽灵,”斯蒂芬说,“何必去想那些呢?要是我隔着忘川[249]把它们唤回到现世来,那些可怜的幽灵会不会应声而至呢?有谁知道呢?我,斯蒂芬的公牛精神[250],阉牛之友派‘大诗人’[251]乃是它们的主人,又是赋与它们生命的人。”他把葡萄叶编成的冠戴在蓬乱的头发上,并朝文森特微笑着。“当你能够凭着远比两三首轻飘飘的诗更为伟大的作品向你天才的父亲[252]呼唤时,”文森特对他说,“这句答复和那些叶子就能成为更适合于你的装饰了。凡是为你着想的人,都盼望这样。大家都已不得你完成你所构思的这部作品,并称赞你是戴花冠者[253] 。我衷心祝愿你不要让他们失望。”“哦,不,文森特,”利内翰把一只手放在挨近他的文森特的肩膀上说,“不用担心。他才不会让他母亲做孤儿[254]呢。”那个年轻人的脸色阴郁了。大家都看得出,在他来说,被人提醒对前途的指望和新近丧母一事是何等难以忍受。倘非喧嚣声减轻了痛苦,他会退出宴席的。马登只因为一时看上了骑手的名字,便心血来潮地把赌注下在“权杖”[255] 身上,结果输了五德拉克马[256] 。利内翰的损失也那么大。他对大家讲述赛马情况。旗子往下一挥,唿啦!母马驮着奥马登,一个箭步蹿出去,精神饱满地奔跑起来,它领先。每一颗心都怦怦悸动。连菲莉斯[257] 都克制不住自己了。她挥舞头巾喊着:“好哇!‘权杖’赢啦!”然而在快要到终点的直线跑道上,“丢掉”[258]迫近、拉平并超过了它。全都完啦[259]。菲莉斯一声不响:她的两眼像是悲哀的银莲花。“朱诺,”她大声说,“我输定啦。”然而她的情侣安慰她,给她带来一只闪亮的小金匣,里面装着几块椭圆形小糖果。她吃了。她落了泪,仅只一滴。“W. 莱恩可是个顶出色的骑手,”利内翰说,“昨天赢了四场,今天三场。哪里有比得上他的骑手呢?骆驼也罢,狂暴的野牛也罢,他都骑得稳稳当当。可是咱们也像古人那样忍耐吧。对不走运者发发慈悲吧!可怜的‘权杖’!”说到这里,他轻轻叹了口气,“它再也不是从前那匹精神抖擞的小母马啦。我敢发誓,咱们永远再也看不到那样一匹马了。老兄,我对天主发誓,它是马中女王,你还记得它吗,文森特?”“我倒是巴不得你今天能见到我的女王哩,”文森特说,“她有多么年轻,容光焕发(拉拉吉[260] 跟她站在一起也会黯然失色),穿着淡黄色的鞋和好像是平纹细布做的连衣裙。遮蔽我们的栗子树花儿正盛开。诱人的花香与飘浮在我们周围的花粉使空气浓郁得往下垂。在浴满阳光的小块儿地面的石头上,似乎毫不费力地就能烤出一炉科林斯水果馅小圆面包——就是佩利普里波米涅斯[ 261 ] 在桥头摆摊卖的那种。然而,除了我那只搂住她的胳膊,她没得可咬的。于是,每逢我搂紧了,她就顽皮地咬我一口。一星期前她卧病四天,然而今天她神态自在,快快活活,还拿病危开着玩笑。这当儿,她就更富于魅力了。还有她那花束!她可真是个疯疯颠颠的野丫头。我们相互偎倚着的时候,她采够了花。这话只能悄悄地告诉你,我的朋友。我们离开田野的时候,你简直想不到我们竟碰见了谁。不是别人,正是康米呀![262] 他沿着篱笆踱来,正在读着什么,好像是《圣教日课》。我相信他当作书签夹在里面的准是葛莉色拉或奇洛伊[263] 写来的一封俏皮的信。我那甜姐儿狼狈得飞红了脸,假装整理稍微弄乱了的衣裳。矮树丛的一截小树枝巴在上面了,因为连树棵子都爱慕她。当康米走过去后,她就用随身携带的小镜子照自己的芳容。然而他挺慈祥,走过去的时候,还祝福了我们呢。”“神明也从来都是仁慈的,”利内翰说,“虽然我在已思那匹母马身上吃了亏,也许他这酒[264] 倒更合胃口哩。”他把手放在酒瓶上。玛拉基瞅见了,就制止他这一动作,并指了指那个异邦人和鲜红色商标[265]。“小心点儿,”玛拉基悄悄他说,“像德鲁伊特[266] 那样保持沉默吧。他的灵魂飘到远处去了。从幻梦中醒过来,也许跟出生同样痛苦。任何东西,只要认真逼视,兴许都可以进入诸神不朽的永恒世界之门。你不这么认为吗,斯蒂芬?”“西奥索弗斯[267] 对我这么说过,”斯蒂芬说,“在前世,埃及司祭曾向他传授过因果报应法则的奥秘。西奥索弗斯对我说,月亮上的君主乃是太阳系游星阿尔法用船送来的桔黄色火焰。不凭灵气来再现自己,以第二星座之红玉色的自我为化身。”
然而,说实在的,关于他[268] 处于某种郁闷状态或被施行了催眠术之类的荒谬臆测,纯属最浅薄之误解,有悖于事实。正在发生这些事的当儿,此公两眼开始显露勃勃生机。即使不比别人更敏锐,至少也跟他同样敏锐。任何曾经做过相反推测的人,都会立即发现自己搞错了。他朝特伦特河畔伯顿的巴思公司所产瓶装一级啤酒凝望了足足四分钟。它夹在好多瓶酒当中,刚好摆在他对面,其鲜红色商标,无疑是为了引起所有人的注意。在方才那番关于少年时代和赛马的谈话后,由于只有他自己才知道得最透彻的理由(这一点,后来才弄清楚),周围发生的事被涂上了迥异的色彩。于是,他就沉浸在两三档子私事的回忆里。对此,另两个人犹如尚未出生的婴儿一般,丝毫也不了解。不过,他们二人的视线终于相遇。他一旦明白对方迫不及待地想要喝上一盅,便不由自主地决定为他斟上。因此,他攥着那装有对方所渴求的液体之中型玻璃容器颈部,足倒一气,以致它都快空了,然而又相当小心翼翼地,不让一滴啤酒溅到外面。
随后进行的辩论,其范围与进度均是人生旅途的缩影。会场也罢,讨论也罢,都气派十足。论头脑之敏锐,参加辩论者乃属海内第一流的,所论的主题则无比崇高重要。霍恩产院那高顶棚的大厅,从未见过如此有代表性而且富于变化的集会。这座建筑的古老椽子,也从未听到过如此博大精深的言词。那确实是一派雄伟景象。克罗瑟斯身穿醒目的高地服装,坐在末席上。加洛韦岬角[269] 那含有潮水气味的风;使他容光焕发。坐在对面的是林奇,少年时代行为放荡以及早慧,都已在他脸上留下烙印。挨着苏格兰人的座位是留给怪人科斯特洛的;马登蹲坐在科斯特洛旁边,呆头呆脑地纹丝不动。壁炉前的主席那把椅子是空着的,两边分别为身穿探险家派头的花呢短裤、脚蹬生牛皮翻毛靴子的班农,还有与他形成鲜明对照的玛拉基·罗兰·圣约翰·穆利根那淡黄色的优美服装和一派城市的举止教养。最后,桌子上首坐着位年轻诗人,他逃脱了教师这个行当和形而上学的审问,在苏格拉底式讨论的快活氛围中找到了避难所。右边是刚从赛马场来的油嘴滑舌的预言家,左边是那位谨慎的流浪者。他被旅途与厮打扬起的尘埃弄脏,又沾上了难以洗刷的不名誉的污点。然而他那坚定不移、忠贞不渝的心中却怀着妖娆的倩女面影,那是拉斐特[270]在灵感触发下用那支画笔描绘下来的传世之作。任何诱惑、危险、威胁、屈辱,都无法消除。
开头最好先说明一下:斯·迪达勒斯先生(神性怀疑论者[271] )的议论似乎证明他所沉溺并被歪曲的先验论,与一般人所接受的科学方法是截然相反的。重复多少遍也不为过分的是:科学乃处理有实质的现象的。科学家正如一般人一样,必须面对硬邦邦的现实,不容躲闪,并须做出详尽的说明。目前确实可能还有一些科学所不能解答的问题,例如利·布卢姆先生(广告经纪人)所提的头一个问题:即将诞生者的性别是如何决定的。我们究竟应该接受特利纳克利亚的恩培多克勒的说法,即认为男子的诞生决定于右卵巢[272](另外一些人则主张是在月经后的时期),还是应该认为被放置过久的精子或精虫乃是决定性别的重要因素?抑或像众多胚胎学家(卡尔佩珀、斯帕兰札尼[273] 、布鲁门巴赫、勒斯克、赫特维希[274] 、利奥波德和瓦伦丁[275] )所设想的那样,是二者的混合物呢?这个论点也许意味着:一方面是精虫的生殖本能[276] ,另一方面是被动因素那巧妙地选择的体位——即卧在下面受胎[277] 之间的协力(大自然喜用的方法之一)。同一位问讯者所提出的另一问题,其重要性不亚于此:婴儿死亡率。这个问题很有意思,因为他中肯恰当地提出:尽管我们诞生的方式相同,死法却各异。玛·穆利根先生(卫生学兼优生学博士)谴责本地的卫生状态道,我们这些肺部发灰的市民吸进了飘浮在尘埃中的细菌,以致患上腺样增殖症和肺结核等症。他声称,民族素质的衰退应统统归咎于这些因素以及我们街头上那些令人厌恶的景象:触目惊心的海报,各种支派的教士,陆海军的残废军人,风里雨里赶马车的坏血症患者,悬吊着的兽骸,患偏执狂的单身汉以及不能生育的护理妇。他预言审美学[278] 将普遍地为人们所接受,生活中所有的优美事物,纯正的好音乐,令人赏心悦目的文学,轻松愉快的哲学,饶有教育意义的绘画,维纳斯与阿波罗等古典雕刻的石膏复制像,优良婴儿的艺术彩照——只要在这些方面略加注意,就能使孕妇在无比愉快中度过分娩前的那几个月。J.克罗瑟斯先生(议论学学士) 将婴儿夭折的一部分原因归咎于女工在工厂内从事重劳动引起的腹腔部外伤,以及婚后夫妻生活中的节制问题,但绝大多数还是由于在公私两方面的疏忽。这种疏忽达到极点,便会造成遗弃新生婴儿、堕胎犯罪或残忍的杀婴罪。尽管前者(我们指的是疏忽)毫无疑问是确凿的,但他所举的那个关于护士忘记点清填入腹腔的海绵数目之事例,太不经见了,不足为训。其实,当我们仔细调查这个问题时就会发现,尽管有上述种种人为的缺陷,往往妨碍大自然的意图,但是妊娠与分娩却依然在大量地顺利地进行着,诚然令人惊奇。文·林奇先生(算术学士)提出了富于独创性的建议:出生与死亡,与所有其他进化现象(潮汐的涨落、月亮的盈亏、体温的高低、一般疾病)一样。总而言之,大自然之巨大作坊中的万物,远方一颗恒星之消失乃至点缀公园的无数鲜花之绽开,均应受计数法则的支配,而这一法则迄今尚未确定下来。但是这里也有个简单而直截了当的问题:为什么一对正常、健康的父母所生下的看上去健康并得到适当照顾的娃娃,竟会莫名其妙地夭折,而同一婚姻中所生的其他孩子并不这样呢?用诗人的话来说,这确实不能不使我们踌躇顾虑。[279] 我们确信,大自然不论做什么,都自有充分而中肯的理由。这样的死亡很可能是某种预测的法则所导致的。据此法则,病原菌所栖息的生物(现代科学毫无争论余地地显示:只有原生质的实体可以是不朽的)越是在发育初期,死亡率越高。这种安排纵然给我们的某种感情(尤其是母性)以痛苦,然而有些人认为从长远来看是有益于一般人类的,因为它保证了适者生存。斯·迪达勒斯先生(神学怀疑论者)发表意见(或者应该说是插话)道,患黄疽症的政治家和害萎黄病的尼姑自不用说,由于分娩而衰弱的女癌症患者和从事专门职业的胖绅士总是咀嚼形形色色的食品,下咽,消化,并以绝对的沉着使其经过通常的导管。当这些杂食动物吃小牛息肉这样好消化的食品时,大概会减轻肠胃的负担吧。这番话从极其不利的角度无比透彻地揭示了上述倾向。这位有着病态精神的审美学兼胚胎哲学家,尽管连酸与碱都分不清,在科学知识上却摆出一副傲慢自负的架子。为了启发那些对市立屠宰场的细节没他那么熟悉的人们,也许应该在此说明一下:我们那些拥有卖酒执照的低级饮食店的俚语小牛崽肉,指的就是打着趔趄的牛崽子[280]那可供烹调食用的肉。在霍利斯街第二十九、三十、三十一号国立妇产医院的公共食堂里,能干而有名望的院长安·霍恩博士(领有产科医生执照、曾为爱尔兰女王医学院成员)最近与利·布卢姆先生(广告经纪人)之间举行了一场公开辩论。据目击者说,该院长曾指出,一个女人一旦把猫放进口袋里(这大概是对大自然之最复杂而奇妙的作用——交媾的雅喻),她就非把它再送出去不可;或赐与它生命(用他的话来说),以便保全自己的命。他的论敌富于说服力地驳斥说:这可是冒着自己丧失生命的危险!尽管说话的语调温和而有分寸,仍然击中了要害。
这当儿,医生的本领与耐心导致了一次可喜的分娩[281] 。不论对产妇还是医生来说,那都是令人厌倦、疲劳的一段时间。凡是外科技术所能做的,都做到了。这位产妇也极为勇敢,她用坚韧不拔的精神加以配合。她确实这么做了。打了一场漂亮仗[282] ,而今她非常、非常快乐。那些过来人,比她先经历过这一过程的,也高高兴兴地面带微笑俯视着这一动人情景。她们虔诚地望着她。她目含母性之光,横卧在那里,对全人类的丈夫——天主,默诵感谢经。新的母性之花初放,殷切地渴望摸到婴儿的指头(多么可爱的情景)。当她用那双无限柔情的眼睛望着婴儿时,她只盼望着再有一种福气:让她亲爱的大肥[283] 在她身边分享她的快乐,把天主的这一小片尘土[ 284] ——他们的合法拥抱之果实,放在他怀抱里。而今他上了些岁数(这是你我之间的悄悄话),双肩稍见弯屈。但是随着岁月的流逝,厄尔斯特银行学院草地分行的这位认真负责的副会计师已具有了一种庄重的威严。“哦,大肥,往昔的恋人,如今的忠实生活伴侣,遥远的过去那玫瑰花一般的岁月再也不会回来了!”她像从前那样摇摇俊美的头,回顾着那些日子。天哪!而今透过岁月之雾望去,那是何等美丽呀!在她的想像中,他们——他和她——的孩子们聚拢在床畔:查理、玛丽·艾丽斯、弗雷德里克·艾伯特(倘若他不曾夭折)、玛米、布吉(维多利亚·弗朗西丝)、汤姆、维奥莱特·康斯但斯·路易莎、亲爱的小鲍勃西(是根据南非战争中我们的著名英雄——沃特福德与坎大哈的鲍勃斯勋爵[285] 而命名的)。现在又生下了他们二人结合的最后的象征,一个地地道道的普里福伊,长着真正的普里福伊家的鼻子。这个前途无量的婴儿,将以普里福伊先生那个在都柏林堡财务厅工作的有声望的远房堂弟莫蒂默·爱德华而命名。光阴茬苒。然而时间老爹轻而易举地就把事情了结啦。不,亲爱的、温柔的米娜,不要从你胸中叹气。还有大肥,把你烟斗里的灰磕打掉吧。通知熄灯的晚钟已敲(但愿那是遥远的未来的事!),你却还在摆弄着使惯了的这只欧石南根烟斗。用以读《圣经》的灯也给熄灭了吧,因为油已剩得不多了,所以还是心情平稳地上床休息吧。天主无所不知,到时候就会来召唤你。你曾打了一场漂亮仗,忠实地履行了男人的职责。先生,请握住我的手。干得出色,你这善良而忠实的仆人![286]
有一种罪或者(照世人的叫法就是)恶的记忆,隐蔽在人们心中最黑暗处,埋伏在那里,等待时机。一个人尽可以听任记忆淡漠下去,将其撂开,仿佛不存在一般,并竭力说服自己,好像那些记忆并不存在或至少是以另一种形式存在。然而抽冷子一句话会勾起这些记忆:会在各种各样的场合——幻想或梦境里,或者当铃鼓与竖琴抚慰他的感觉之际,或在傍晚那凉爽的银色寂静中,或像当前这样深夜在宴席上畅饮时——浮现在他面前。这个幻象并非为了侮辱他而至,像对待那些屈服于她的愤怒的人们那样,也并非为了使他与生者离别,对他进行报复,而是裹以过去那可怜的尸衣,沉默,冷漠,嗔怪着。
异邦人继续望着自己眼前这个人脸上那故意做出的冷静神情慢慢地消失。出于习惯或乖巧心计的这种不自然的冷静似乎也包含在他的辛辣话语之中,好像在谴责说话人对人生粗野方面的不健康的偏爱[287] 。听者的记忆里,宛若被一句朴实自然的话所唤醒了一般,浮现出一副光景。仿佛是往昔的岁月伴随着当前的种种喜悦真地存在于现实中似的(就像某些人所想的那样)。平静的五月傍晚那修剪过的草坪。他们对朗德镇[ 288] 或紫或白的丁香花丛记忆犹新。小球缓缓地沿着草地向前滚去,要么就相互碰撞,短暂机警地震颤一下,挨在一起停了下来。香气袭人的苗条淑女们兴致勃勃地观看着。那边,每逢灰色水池里的灌溉用水徐徐流淌,水面便起涟漪。水池周围,你可以瞥见同样香气袭人的姐妹们:弗洛伊、阿蒂、蒂尼[289]以及她们那位身姿不知怎地分外引人注目的肤色稍黑的朋友——樱桃王后[290] 。她一只耳朵上佩带着玲珑的樱桃耳坠子:冰凉火红的果实衬着异国情调的温暖肌肤,相得益彰。(正是开花时节。及至将滚球聚拢起来收进箱子,大家就围坐在温暖的炉边,其乐融融。)一名身穿亚麻羊毛混纺衣服的四五岁幼童正站在池边,姑娘们用爱怜的手围成一圈,保护着他。现在男童略微皱起眉来。也许他像这个青年似的过于意识到自身处境危险的快感,但是又只得不时地朝他母亲瞥上一眼。她正从面对花坛的游廊[291] 守望着,喜悦之中却又含着一抹漠然或嗔怪之色(凡事都是无常的[ 292] )。
注意下述事件并且铭记在心头吧,结局来得很突然。走进学生们聚集的产房外面的前厅,留意他们的神色吧。那里仿佛丝毫也没有鲁莽或强暴的痕迹。一片守护者的宁静,这倒很合乎他们在产院中的地位。恰似昔日在犹大的伯利恒,牧羊人和天使曾通宵达旦守护在马槽周围一样。[293] 然而闪电之前,密集的雨云因含湿气过多变得沉甸甸的,膨胀起来。大团大团地蔓延,围住天与地,使其处于深沉的酣睡状态;并低垂在干涸的原野、困倦的牛和枯萎的灌木丛与新绿的嫩叶上。接着,刹那间闪光将它们一劈两半,随着雷声轰鸣,大雨倾盆而下。话音刚落,立即发生了急剧的变化。
“到伯克[294] 去!”爵爷斯蒂芬喊罢,一个箭步向前蹿去。那群帮腔的也一起跟在后面:有血气方刚的,顽劣的,赖债的,庸医,还有一本正经的布卢姆。大家分别攥着帽子、梣木手杖、比尔博剑[295] 、巴拿马帽和剑鞘、采尔马特登山杖[296] 等等。这儿有各式各样的壮小伙子,一个个气宇轩昂的学生。卡伦护士在门厅里给吓了一跳,她拦也拦不住。正笑嘻嘻地走下楼梯的外科医生也阻止不了——他是来告诉大家胎盘已处置完毕,”足足有一磅重。他们催促着他。大门!敞着吗?好极啦!他们喧嚣地冲出去,雄赳赳地参加一分钟的赛跑,最终目的地乃是登齐尔和霍利斯这两条街交叉处的伯克。迪克森对他们说了些尖酸话语,并咒诅了一句,也跟了来。布卢姆想托护士给楼上那位欣喜的母亲和她的宝宝捎句问候,所以就在她身边停下脚步。最好的治疗就是营养和静养。她的脸色不是正表露出这一点吗?憔悴苍白,说明霍恩产院里那些日以继夜的护理多么辛苦。大家既然都已走光,他就仗着天生的智慧,临告辞时凑近她,悄悄他说:“太太,鹳鸟啥时候来找你呢?”[ 297]
户外的空气饱含着雨露的润湿,来自天上的生命之精髓,在星光闪烁的苍穹下,在都柏林之石上闪闪发光。天主的大气,全能的天父之大气,光芒四射的柔和的大气,深深地吸进去吧。老天在上,西奥多·普里福伊,你漂漂亮亮地做出一桩壮举!我敢起誓,在包罗万象最为庞杂的烦冗记录中,你是无比出众的繁殖者。真令人吃惊啊!她身上有着天主所赐予的、按照天主形象而造人的可能性[298], 你作为男子汉,不费吹灰之力便使她结了果实。跟她紧密结合吧!侍奉吧!操劳吧!完全像一只看门狗那样忠于职守,把学者和所有的马尔萨斯人口论者统统绞死吧。西奥多,你是他们所有人的老爹。在家里,你为肉铺的帐单;在帐房里,则为金锭银块(都不是你的!)辛辛苦苦操持,莫非不堪重负而意气消沉了吗?昂起头来!每新生一个娃娃,你便会收获一侯马[299] 熟小麦。瞧,你的毛都湿透了。你羡慕达比·达尔曼和他的琼[300] 吗?他们的子孙只是些鸣声凄惋的松鸡和烂眼儿的杂种狗。呸!告诉你。巴!他是一头骡子,一个死了的软体动物:既无精力,又无体力,连一枚有裂纹的克娄泽[301]都不值。没有生殖的性交!不,我说!婴儿屠杀者希律[302]才是他更真实的名字。真的,光吃蔬菜,夫妇同床可不怀孕!给她吃牛排吧:红殷殷,生的,带着血的!她是各种疾病盘踞的自发魔窟:瘰疬、流行性腮腺炎、扁桃体周脓肿、拇趾囊肿胀、枯草热、褥疮、金钱癣、浮游肾、甲状腺肿、瘊子、胆汁病、胆结石、冷血症和静脉瘤。诵悼歌,连续举行三十天的弥撒,《那利米哀歌》[303],以及所有这类哀悼的歌。一概谢绝吧!不要后悔那二十年的婚姻生活。你不同于许许多多曾经企盼、愿望、等待过而一直也不曾实现的。你瞧见了你的美国[304] ,你毕生的事业,像大洋彼岸的野牛那样,为了交配而猛冲过。琐罗亚斯德[305]是怎么说的呢?你从悲哀这头母牛身上挤奶。现在你喝着它的乳房里那甜美的奶。[30 6]瞧!它为了你而充裕地流淌。喝吧,老兄,满满一乳房!母亲的乳汁,普里福伊,人类的乳汁[307] ,也是在上空化为稀薄的水蒸气,灼灼生辉,扩展开来的银河的乳汁,放荡者在酒店里咕嘟咕嘟狂饮的潘趣[308] 奶,疯狂的乳汁,迦南乐土的奶与蜜[309] ,母牛的奶头挺坚硬,是吗?对,然而她的奶水又浓又甜,最能滋补。那是不会发硬、然而黏稠浓厚的酸凝乳。老族长,到她那儿去吧!奶头!凭着女神帕图拉和泊滕达,让我们干杯![310]
为了纵酒豪饮,大家相互挽着臂,沿街大喊大叫地冲去。真正的。[ 311] 昨晚你是在哪儿睡的?打扁了的碎嘴子蒂莫西[312] 那儿。加油儿,快点儿。家里有雨伞或长统胶靴吗?给亨利·内维尔[313] 瞧过病的穿旧衣的外科医生在哪儿?对不起,谁都不知道。喂,迪克斯!往前走到缎带柜台那儿。潘趣在哪儿?百事顺利。天哪,瞧瞧那个从产院走出来的醉醺醺的牧师![314] 伏惟全能至仁天主圣父,及圣子……降福保全我众。[315] 一个冤大头[316] ,先生。登齐尔巷的小伙子们[ 317] 。见鬼,活该!快去。对,以撒[318] ,把他们从明亮的地方赶走。亲爱的先生,你要跟我们一道去吗?一点儿也不碍事。你是个好人,咱们彼此不必见外。去吧,我的孩子们![319] 第一炮手,开火。到伯克去!到伯克去!他们从那里挺进了五帕拉桑[320]。 斯莱特里那骑马的步兵[ 321] 。该死的丑东西在哪儿?背弃教义的[322] 斯蒂夫牧师!不,不,是穆利根!在后面哪!朝前推进。要盯着钟。打烊的时间。[ 323] 穆丽!你怎么啦?我妈叫我出嫁啦。[324] 英国人的至福[325]!擂鼓吧,咚咚,嘭嘭,[ 326] 赞成者占多数。由德鲁伊特德鲁姆印刷厂叫你喝啥?来杯超人[333] 喝的世代相传的蜂蜜酒。我也照样。来五杯一号的。[334] 你呢,先生?姜汁甜露酒。嘿,是车把式喝的蛋酒汁。刺激得浑身热腾腾的。给钟[335] 上弦。突然停摆,再也不走了。当老……[336] 我要苦艾酒,知道了吗?哎呀![337] 要一份蛋酒或加了调料的生蛋。几点钟啦?我的表进当铺啦。差十分。费心啦。不用客气。是胸部外伤吗,呃,迪克斯?千真万确。只要睡在他那小院儿里,随时都会挨蜜蜂螫的。家就住在圣母医院附近。这位仁兄有妻室。认识他太太吗?嗯,当然认识喽。她身材可丰腴哩。瞧瞧她脱掉衣服时的样子吧,那裸体真能饱人眼福。漂亮的母牛可跟你们那瘦母牛[338]不一样,一点儿也不。拉下百叶窗,宝宝。[339] 两杯阿迪劳恩[340] 。我也一样。麻利点儿,要是倒下,就马上爬起来:五,七,九。好极啦!她有着一双顶好看的眼睛,一点不含糊。还有她那奶头和丰满的臀部。只有亲眼看了才能相信。你那双饥饿的眼睛和石膏的脖颈, 把我的心偷去了。噢,排精的气味。先生,土豆?又是风湿病吗?[341] 真是荒唐,请原谅我这么说。大家都这么认为。我看你可能是个大傻瓜。 呃,大夫?刚从拉普兰[ 342] 回来吗?您还是这么富态,贵体安康吧?老婆娃娃都好吗?尊夫人快生养了吧?站住,交出来。[343] 口令。瞧那头发。[344] 苍白的死亡和殷红的诞生。[345]嘿!唾沫溅到你眼睛里去啦,老板!打给戏子的电报。从梅瑞狄斯那儿剽窃来的。[346] 以耶稣自居的那个患了睪丸炎、满是臭虫跳蚤的耶稣会会士!我姨妈给金赤他爹去了信,说坏透了的斯蒂芬把好极了的玛拉基带上邪路啦。
晦,小伙子,抓住球[ 347] !把那啤酒递过来。为了勇敢的苏格兰长久沸腾。[ 349] 我的烈酒。谢谢。[350]祝咱们大家健康。怎么样?犯了规。别把我这条新裤子弄脏了。喂,给我撤上点儿那边的胡椒粉。喏,接着。带上芷茴香籽儿[351] 。你明白吗?沉默的喊叫。每个汉子都去找自己的漂亮姑娘。[352] 肉欲维纳斯[353] 。小妇人们。[354] 来自穆林加尔镇的厚脸皮的坏姑娘[355] 。告诉她,我打听她来着。搂着萨拉的腰肢[356]。通往马拉海德[357] 的路上。我吗?勾引我的那个女人,哪怕留下名字也好。[358]你花九便士要买什么?我的心,我的小坛子[359] 。跟放荡的窑姐儿搞一通。一块儿摇桨。退场[360] !
你在等着吗,头儿?就那么一回,可不是嘛。瞧你那副发愣的神儿,好像亮闪闪的金钱不见了似的。明白了吗?他身上有的是钱。刚才我瞅见他差不多有三镑哩,说是他自己的。我们都是你请来的客人,晓得吧?你掏腰包,老弟。拿出钱来呀。才两先令一便士呀。这手法你是从法国骗子那儿学来的吧?你那一套在这儿可行不通。小伙子,对不起。这一带就数我的脑袋瓜子灵。千真万确。你呀,我们没喝醉,我们一点儿也没醉[361] 。再见,先生。[362]谢谢你。
对,可不是嘛。你说啥?这是在非法的秘密酒店。完全喝醉啦。老弟。班塔姆,你已经有两天滴酒未沾了。除了红葡萄酒,啥也不喝。[ 363] 。给我滚!瞧一眼吧,务必瞧瞧。天哪,不会吧!他刚去过理发馆。[ 364] 喝得太多,连话都说不出来啦。跟车站上的一个家伙在一块儿。你怎么知道的?他爱听歌剧吗?《卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰》。并排的铸[365] 。叫警察来呀!给这位晕过去的先生拿点儿水来。瞧瞧班塔姆有多么年轻。哎呀,他哼起来啦。金发少女。我的金发少女[366] 。喂,停下吧!用手使劲捂住他那肮脏的嘴巴。本来他是蛮有把握的, 只因为我跟他暗通消息,告诉了他“绝对可靠的事”,这才砸了锅。就欠让魔鬼掰掉脑袋[367 ]的斯蒂芬·汉德这个家伙塞给了我一匹劣马。 他遇见一个从练马场替巴思老板往仓库送电报的人。他给了那人四便士,借着蒸气私拆了那封电报。“母马竞技状态良好。”[ 368] 好比是花金币买醋栗。这是一种骗局。《福音书》中的真理。莫非是恶劣的消遣吗?我想是这样的。没错儿。要是被警察当作猎物逮住了,就得去坐牢。 马登把赌注下在马登骑的那匹马上了,发疯地下赌注。[369]啊,肉欲,我们的避难所和力量。[370] 开溜啦。你非走不可吗?回到妈妈那儿去。付账。 可别让人瞧出我的脸盘儿发红。要是给他发现了,就完蛋啦。回家去吧,班塔姆。再见,老伙计。别忘记给老婆捎立金花[371]去。老老实实告诉我,是谁把小公马的事儿透露给你的?这只是你我之间的悄悄话。不瞒你说,凭着圣托马斯[372]发誓,是她的丈夫。不骗你,是利奥[373]那个老家伙。我发誓,真格的。要是我撒了谎,就让我粉身碎骨。我对着神圣的大托钵修士发誓。你为啥没有告诉我?哼, 倘若不是那个犹太人的奷计,就让我暴死。凭着上主阴茎发誓,啊们。你要提议吗?斯蒂夫老弟,你再破费点儿也成吧?他妈的,还喝得下去吧?你这个出手无比大方的东道主,肯让这开始得如此豪华的酒宴散席吗?要知道,你请来的客人个个都是极度贫困、 渴得厉害的啊。总得喘口气。老板,老板,你有好酒吗,斯塔布[374]?喂,老板,让咱们开开斋。请大家尽情地喝吧。好的,老板!给每人斟杯苦艾酒。咱们个个喝绿毒,谁来迟了就倒楣。[375]打烊了,先生们,呃?给那神气活现的布卢姆来杯朗姆酒, 我听你说过葱头[376] ?布卢?那个兜揽广告的?那个照相姑娘的爹[377],这可让我吃了一惊。小声点儿,伙计。悄悄地溜掉吧。各位,晚安[378]卫我于梅毒魔鬼。[379]那个花花公子和女模女样[380]的家伙哪儿去啦?上当了吧?逃走了。啊,好的,你们爱到哪儿就到哪儿去吧。将军。王移到象的位置。善良的基督徒,请你帮助这个被朋友夺走住处钥匙的小伙子[381]找个今晚睡觉的地方。唷,我快要酩酊大醉啦。妈的,我敢说这是最好的、最开心的假日。喂。伙计,给这孩子几块点心。扯蛋,我才不吃那白兰地夹心糖呢!那是哄女人孩子的,我才不吃呢!把海毒丢到地狱里去吧。连同那领了执照的烈性酒。[382]时间到了,先生们!祝大家健康!祝你![383]
天哪;!那边穿胶布雨衣的家伙究竟是谁呀?达斯蒂·罗兹[384],瞧他那身打扮。可真神气。他在吃啥?六十周年纪念羊肉[385] 。对着詹姆斯发誓, 像是喝牛肉汁。真想吃上点儿。你认识那个穿旧短袜的吗?里奇蒙[386] 那个下流讨厌的怪家伙吗?痛苦得很哪!他认定自己的阴茎里有颗子弹。胡言乱语的疯子。我们称他作“面包巴特尔”[387] 。先生,他曾经是个家道兴旺的市民。穿破衣服的男人娶了个孤女[388] 。可是姑娘逃之夭夭。瞧,就是那个被遗弃的男人。穿着件胶布雨衣在寂寞的峡谷里徜徉。[389] 喝完酒就去睡吧,规定的时间到了,盯着点儿警察。对不起,你今天在葬礼上瞧见他了吗?是你那个翘了辫子的伙伴吗?天主啊,对他发发慈悲吧!可怜的孩子们!波德老兄,千万别说下去啦!莫非因为朋友帕德尼[390] 被装在黑口袋里运走了,你们就泪如雨下吗?在所有的黑人当中,帕特是最好的一个。我平生没见过这么好的一个人。别说了,别说了,[391] 然而这是个非常可悲的故事,千真万确。唉呀,滚!在九分之一坡度的地方翻了车。活动车轴碎得一塌糊涂。杰纳齐准定会彻底打败他的。[392] 日本佬吗?朝高角度开炮,是吗?据战时号外,给击沉了。他说,形势对俄国有利,而不是日本。[393] 到时间了。十一点啦,走吧。前进, 醉得脚步蹒跚的人们!晚安。晚安。但愿至尊的真主今晚大力保护你的灵魂。喂,留点神!我们一点儿也没醉。[394] 是利斯的警察把我们撵走的。[ 395] 一点儿也不宽容。小心,那家伙要呕吐啦。他觉得恶心。哇!晚安。蒙娜,我真诚的宝贝。哇!蒙娜,我的心肝儿宝贝。[396] 噢!
听哪!别吵吵闹闹的啦,呼啦!呼啦!着火哪。瞧,去啦。消防队!改变方向。沿着蒙特街走去。招摇过市!呼啦!嗬嗬。你不来吗?跑吧,冲啊,赛跑。呼啦!
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等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 36楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

英:
15、Chapter 15 Circe

The Mabbot street entrance of nighttown, before which stretches an uncobbled transiding set with skeleton tracks, red and green will-o'-the-wisps and danger signals. Rows of flimsy houses with gaping doors. Rare lamps with faint rainbow fans. Round Rabaiotti's halted ice gondola stunted men and women squabble. They grab wafers between which are wedged lumps of coal and copper snow. Sucking, they scatter slowly. Children. The swancomb of the gondola, highreared, forges on through the murk, white and blue under a lighthouse. Whistles call and answer.
THE CALLS Wait, my love, and I'll be with you.
THE ANSWERS Round behind the stable.
(A deaf mute idiot with goggle eyes, his shapeless mouth dribbling, jerks past, shaken in Saint Vitus' dance. A chain of children's hands imprisons him.)
THE CHILDREN Kithoguel Salute.
THE IDIOT (Lifts a palsied left arm and gurgles.) Grhahute!
THE CHILDREN Where's the great light?
THE IDIOT (Gobbing.) Ghaghahest.
(They release him. He jerks on. A pygmy woman swings on a rope slung between the railings, counting. A form sprawled against a dustbin and muffled by its arm and hat moves, groans, grinding growling teeth, and snores again. On a step a gnome totting among a rubbish tip crouches to shoulder a sack of rags and bones. A crone standing by with a smoky oil lamp rams the last bottle in the maw of his sack. He heaves his booty, tugs askew his peaked cap and hobbles off mutely. The crone makes back for her lair swaying her lamp. A bandy child, asquat on the doorstep with a papershuttlecock, crawls sidling after her in spurts, clutches her skirt, scrambles up. A drunken navvy ups with both hands the railings of an area, lurching heavily. At a corner two night watch in shoulder capes, their hands upon their staffholsters, loom tall. A plate crashes; a woman screams; a child wails. Oaths of a man roar, mutter, cease. Figures wander, lurk, peer from warrens. In a room lit by a candle stuck in a bottleneck a slut combs out the tatts from the hair of a scrofulous child. Cissy Caffrey's voice, still young, sings shrill from a lane.)
CISSY CAFFREY
I gave it to Molly
Because she was jolly,
The leg of the duck
The leg of the duck.
(Private Cart and Private Compton, swaggersticks tight in their oxters, as they march unsteadily rightaboutface and burst together from their mouths a volleyed fart. Laughter of men from the lane. A hoarse virago retorts.)
THE VIRAGO Signs on you, hairy arse. More power the Cavan girl.
CISSY CAFFREY More luck to me. Cavan, Cootehill and Belturbet.
(She sings.)
I gave it to Nelly
To stick in her belly
The leg of the duck
The leg of the duck.
(Private Cart and Private Compton turn and counterretort, their tunics bloodbright in a lampglow, black sockets of caps on their blond copper polls. Stephen Dedalus and Lynch pass through the crowd close to the redcoats.)
PRIVATE COMPTON (Jerks his finger.) Way for the parson.
PRIVATE CARR (Turns and calls.) What ho, parson!
CISSY CAFFREY (Her voice soaring higher.)
She has it, she got it,
Wherever she put it
The leg of the duck.
(Stephen, flourishing the ashplant in his left hand, chants with joy the introit for paschal time. Lynch, his jockey cap low on his brow, attends him, a sneer of discontent wrinkling his face.)
STEPHEN Vidi aquam egredientem de templo a latere dextro. Alleluia.
(The famished snaggletusks of an elderly bawd protrude from a doorway.)
THE BAWD (Her voice whispering huskily.) Sst! Come here till I tell you. Maidenhead inside. Sst.
STEPHEN (Altius aliqantulum) Et omnes ad quos pervenit acqua ista.
THE BAWD (Spits in their trail her jet of venom.) Trinity medicals. Fallopian tube. All prick and no pence.
(Edy Boardman, sniffling, crouched with Bertha Supple, draws her shawl across her nostrils.)
EDY BOARDMAN (Bickering.) And say the one: I seen you up Faithful place with your squarepusher, the greaser off the railway, in his cometobed hat. Did you, says I. That's not for you to say, says I. You never seen me in the mantrap with a married highlander, says I. The likes of her! Stag that one is. Stubborn as a mule! And her walking with two fellows the one time, Kildbride the enginedriver and lancecorporal Oliphant.
STEPHEN (Triumphaliter.) Salvi facti i sunt.
(He flourishes his ashplant shivering the lamp image, shattering light over the world. A liver and white spaniel on the prowl slinks after him, growling. Lynch scar's it with a kick.)
LYNCH So that?
STEPHEN (Looks behind.) So that gesture, not music, not odours, would be a universal language, the gift of tongues rendering visible not the lay sense but the first entelechy, the structural rhythm.
LYNCH Pornosophical philotheology. Metaphysics in Mecklenburg street!
STEPHEN We have shrewridden Shakespeare and henpecked Socrates. Even the allwisest stagyrite was bitted, bridled and mounted by a light of love.
LYNCH Ba!
STEPHEN Anyway, who wants two gestures to illustrate a loaf and a jug? This movement illustrates the loaf and jug of bread and wine in Omar. Hold my stick.
LYNCH Damn your yellow stick. Where are we going?
STEPHEN Lecherous lynx, to la belle dame sans merci, Georgina Johnson, ad deam qui laetificat juventutem meam.
(Stephen thrusts the ashplant on him and slowly holds out his hands, his head going back till both hands are a span from his breast, down turned in planes intersecting, the fingers about to part, the left being higher.)
LYNCH Which is the jug of bread? It skills not. That or the customhouse. Illustrate thou. Here take your crutch and walk.
(They pass. Tommy Caffrey scrambles to a gaslamp and, clasping, climbs in spasms. From the top spur he slides down. Jacky Caffrey clasps to climb. The navvy lurches against the lamp. The twins scuttle off in the dark. The navvy, swaying, presses a forefinger against a wing of his nose and ejects from the farther nostril a long liquid jet of snot. Shouldering the lamp he staggers away through the crowd with his flaring cresset.
Snakes of river fog creep slowly. From drains, clefts, cesspools, middens arise on all sides stagnant fumes. A glow leaps in the south beyond the seaward reaches of the river. The navvy staggering forward cleaves the crowd and lurches towards the tramsiding. On the farther side under the railway bridge Bloom appears flushed, panting, cramming bread and chocolate into a side pocket. From Gillens hairdressers window a composite portrait shows him gallant Nelson's image. A concave mirror at the side presents to him lovelorn longlost lugubru Booloohoom. Grave Gladstone sees him level Bloom for Bloom. He passes, struck by the stare of truculent Wellington but in the con vex mirror grin unstruck the bonham eyes and fatchuck cheekchops of Jollypoldy the rixdix doldy.
At Antonio Babaiotti's door Bloom halts, sweated under the bright arclamps. He disappears. In a moment he reappears and hurries on.)
BLOOM Fish and taters. N. g. Ah!
(He disappears into Olhousen's, the pork butcher's, under the downcoming rollshutter. A few moments later he emerges from under the shutter puffing Poldy, blowing Bloohoom. In each hand he holds a parcel, one containing a lukewarm pig's crubeen, the other a cold sheep's trotter sprinkled with wholepepper He gasps, standing upright. Then bending to one side he presses a parcel against his rib and groans.)
BLOOM Stitch in my side. Why did I run?
(He takes breath with care and goes forward slowly towards the lampset siding. The glow leaps again.)
BLOOM What is that? A flasher? Searchlight.
(He stands at Cormack's corner watching.)
BLOOM Aurora borealis or a steel foundry? Ah, the brigade, of course. South side anyhow. Big blaze. Might be his house. Beggar's bush. We're safe. (He hums cheerfully.) London's burning, London's burning! On fire, on fire! (He catches sight of the navvy lurching through the crowd at the farther side of Talbot street.) I'll miss him. Run. Quick. Better cross here.
(He darts to cross the road. Urchins shout.)
THE URCHINS Mind out, mister! (Two cyclists, with lighted paper lanterns aswing, swim by him, grazing him, their bells rattling.)
THE BELLS Haltyaltyaltyall.
BLOOM (Halts erect stung by a spasm.) Ow.
(He looks round, darts forward suddenly. Through rising fog a dragon sandstrewer, travelling at caution, slews heavily down upon him, its huge red headlight winking, its trolley hissing on the wire. The motorman bangs his footgong.)
THE GONG Bang Bang Bla Bak Blud Bugg Bloo.
(The brake cracks violently. Bloom, raising a policeman's whitegloved hand, blunders stifflegged, out of the track. The motorman thrown forward, pugnosed, on the guidewheel, yells as he slides past over chains and keys.)
THE MOTORMAN Hey, shitbreeches, are you doing the hattrick?
BLOOM (Bloom trickleaps to the curbstone and halts again. He brushes a mudflake from his cheek with a parcelled hand.) No thoroughfare. Close shave that but cured the stitch. Must take up Sandow's exercises again. On the hands down. Insure against street accident too. The Providential. (He feels his trouser pocket.) Poor mamma's panacea. Heel easily catch in tracks or bootlace in a cog. Day the wheel of the black Maria peeled off my shoe at Leonard's corner. Third time is the charm. Shoe trick. Insolent driver. I ought to report him. Tension makes them nervous. Might be the fellow balked me this morning with that horsey woman. Same style of beauty. Quick of him all the same. The stiff walk. True word spoken in jest. That awful cramp in Lad lane. Something poisonous I ate. Emblem of luck. Why? Probably lost cattle. Mark of the beast. (He closes his eyes an instant.) Bit light in the head. Monthly or effect of the other. Brainfogfag. That tired feeling. Too much for me now. Ow!
(A sinister figure leans on plaited legs against O'Beirnes wall, a visage unknown, injected with dark mercury. From under a wideleaved sombrero the figure regards him with evil eye.)
BLOOM Buenos noches, se?orita Blanca, que calle es esta?
THE FIGURE (Impassive, raises a signal arm.) Password. Sraid Mabbot.
BLOOM Haha. Merci. Esperanto. Slan leath. (He mutters.) Gaelic league spy, sent by that fireeater.
(He steps forward. A sackshouldered ragman bars his path. He steps left, ragsackman left.)
BLOOM I beg. (He swerves, sidles, stepsaside, slips past and on.)
BLOOM Keep to the right, right, right. If there is a fingerpost planted by the Touring Club at Stepaside who procured that public boon? I who lost my way and contributed to the columns of the Irish Cyclist the letter headed, In darkest Stepaside. Keep, keep, keep to the right. Rags and bones, at midnight. A fence more likely. First place murderer makes for. Wash off his sins of the world.
(Jacky Caffrey, hunted by Tommy Caffrey, runs full tilt against Bloom.)
BLOOM O!
(Shocked, on weak hams, he halts. Tommy and Jacky vanish there, there. Bloom pats with parcelled hands watch, fobpocket, bookpocket, pursepocket, sweets of sin, potato soap.)
BLOOM Beware of pickpockets. Old thieves' dodge. Collide. Then snatch your purse.
(The retriever approaches sniffling, nose to the ground. A sprawled form sneezes. A stooped bearded figure appears garbed in the long caftan of an elder in Zion and a smoking cap with magenta tassels. Horned spectacles hang down at the wings of the nose. Yellow poison streaks are on the drawn face.)
RUDOLPH Second halfcrown waste money today. I told you not go with drunken goy ever. So. You catch no money.
BLOOM (Hides the crubeen and trotter behind his back and, crestfallen, feels warm and cold feetmeat) Ja, ich weiss, papachi.
RUDOLPH What you making down this place? Have you no soul? (With feeble vulture talons he feels the silent face of Bloom) Are you not my son Leopold, the grandson of Leopold? Are you not my dear son Leopold who left the house of his father and left the god of his fathers Abraham and Jacob?
BLOOM (With precaution.) I suppose so, father. Mosenthal. All that's left of him.
RUDOLPH (Severely.) One night they bring you home drunk as dog after spend your good money. What you call them running chaps?
BLOOM (In youth's smart blue Oxford suit with white vestslips, narrowshouldered, in brown Alpine hat, wearing gent's sterling silver waterbury keyless watch and double curb Albert with seal attached, one side of him coated with stiffening mud.) Harriers, father. Only that once.
RUDOLPH Once! Mud head to foot. Cut your hand open. Lockjaw. They make you kaput, Leopoldleben. You watch them chaps.
BLOOM (Weakly.) They challenged me to a sprint. It was muddy. I slipped.
RUDOLPH (With contempt) Ooim nachez. Nice spectacles for your poor mother!
BLOOM Mamma!
ELLEN BLOOM (In pantomime dame's stringed mobcap, crinoline and bustle, widow Twankey's blouse with muttonleg sleeves buttoned behind, grey mittens and cameo brooch, her hairplaited in a crisping net, appears over the staircase banisters, a slanted candlestick in her hand and cries out in shrill alarm.) O blessed Redeemer, what have they done to him! My smelling salts! (She hauls up a reef of skirt and ransacks the pouch of her striped blay petticoat. A phial, an Agnus Dei, a shrivelled potato and a celluloid doll fall out.) Sacred Heart of Mary, where were you at all, at all?
(Bloom, mumbling, his eyes downcast, begins to bestow his parcels in his filled pockets but desists, muttering.)
A VOICE (Sharply.) Poldy!
BLOOM Who? (He ducks and wards off a blow clumsily.) At your service.
(He looks up. Beside her mirage of datepalms a handsome woman in Turkish costume stands before him. Opulent curves fill out her scarlet trousers and jacket slashed with gold. A wide yells cummerbund girdles her. A white yashmak violet in the night, covers her face, leaving free only her lace dark eyes and raven hair.)
BLOOM Molly!
MARION Welly? Mrs Marion from this out, my dear man, when you speak to me. (Satirically.) Has poor little hubby cold feet waiting so long?
BLOOM (Shifts from foot to foot.) No, no. Not the least little bit.
(He breathes in deep agitation, swallowing gulps of air questions, hopes, crubeens for her supper things to tell her excuses, desire, spellbound. A coin gleams on her forehead. On her feet are jewelled toerings. Her ankles are linked by a slender fetterchain. Beside her a camel, hooded with a turreting turban, waits. A silk ladder of innumerable rungs climbs to his bobbing howdah. He ambles near with disgruntled hindquarters. Fiercely she slaps his haunch, her goldcurb wristbangles angriling, scolding him in Moorish.)
MARION Nebrakada! Feminimum.
(The camel, lifting a foreleg, plucks from a tree a lace mango fruit, offers it to his mistress, blinking, in his cloven hoof then droops his head and, grunting, with uplifted neck, fumbles to kneel. Bloom stoops his back for leapfrog.)
BLOOM I can give you... I mean as your business menagerer Mrs Marion... if you...
MARION So you notice some change? (Her hands passing slowly over her trinketed stomacher. A slow friendly mockery in her eyes.) O Poldy, Poldy, you are a poor old stick in the mud! Go and see life. See the wide world.
BLOOM I was just going back for that lotion whitewax, orangeflower water. Shop closes early on Thursday. But the first thing in the morning. (He pats divers pockets.) This moving kidney. Ah!
(He points to the south, then to the east. A cake of new clean lemon soap arises, diffusing light and perfume.)
THE SOAP
We're a capital couple are Bloom and I;
He brightens the earth, I polish the sky.
(The freckled face of Sweny, the druggist, appeals in the disc of the soapsun.)
SWENY Three and a penny, please.
BLOOM Yes. For my wife, Mrs Marion. Special recipe.
MARION (Softly.) Poldy!
BLOOM Yes, ma'am?
MARION Ti trema un poco il cuore?
(In disdain she saunters away, plump as a pampered pouter pigeon, humming the duet from Don Giovanni)
BLOOM Are you sure about that Voglio? I mean the pronunciati...
(He follows, followed by the sniffing terrier. The elderly bawd seizes his sleeve, the bristles of her chinmole glittering.)
THE BAWD Ten shillings a maidenhead. Fresh thing was never touched. Fifteen. There's no-one in it only her old father that's dead drunk.
(She points. In the gap of her dark den furtive, rainbedraggled Bridie Kelly stands.)
BRIDIE Hatch street. Any good in your mind?
(With a squeak she flaps her bat shawl and runs. A burly rough pursues with booted strides. He stumbles on the steps, recovers, plunges into gloom. Weak squeaks of laughter are heard, weaker.)
THE BAWD (Her wolfeyes shining.) He's getting his pleasure. You won't get a virgin in the flash houses. Ten shillings. Don't be all night before the polis in plain clothes sees us. Sixtyseven is a bitch.
(Leering Gerty MacDowell limps forward. She draws from behind ogling, and shows coyly her bloodied clout.)
GERTY With all my worldly goods I thee and thou. (She murmurs.) You did that. I hate you.
BLOOM I? When? You're dreaming. I never saw you.
THE BAWD Leave the gentleman alone, you cheat. Writing the gentleman false letters. Streetwalking and soliciting. Better for your mother take the strap to you at the bedpost, hussy like you.
GERTY (To Bloom.) When you saw all the secrets of my bottom drawer. (She paws his sleeve, slobbering.) Dirty married man! I love you for doing that to me.
(She slides away crookedly. Mrs Breen in man's frieze overcoat with loose bellows pockets, stands in the causeway, her roguish eyes wideopen, smiling in all her herbivorous buckteeth.)
MRS BREEN Mr.
BLOOM (Coughs gravely.) Madam, when we last had this pleasure by letter dated the sixteenth instant .
MRS BREEN Mr Bloom! You down here in the haunts of sin! I caught you nicely! Scamp!
BLOOM (Hurriedly.) Not so loud my name. Whatever do you think me? Don't give me away. Walls have hears. How do you do? It's ages since I. You're looking splendid. Absolutely it. Seasonable weather we are having this time of year. Black refracts heat. Short cut home here. Interesting quarter. Rescue of fallen women Magdalen asylum. I am the secretary...
MRS BREEN (Holds up a finger.) Now don't tell a big fib! I know somebody won't like that. O just wait till I see Molly! (Slily.) Account for yourself this very minute or woe betide you!
BLOOM (Looks behind.) She often said she'd like to visit. Slumming. The exotic, you see. Negro servants too in livery if she had money. Othello black brute. Eugene Stratton. Even the bones and cornerman at the Livermore christies. Bohee brothers. Sweep for that matter.
(Tom and Sam Bohee, coloured coons in white duck suits, scarlet socks, upstarched Sambo chokers and lace scarlet asters in their buttonholes leap out. Each has his banjo slung. Their paler smaller negroid hands jingle the twingtwang wires. Flashing white Kaffir eyes and tusks they rattle through a breakdown in clumsy clogs, twinging, singing, back to back, toe heel, heel toe, with smackfatclacking nigger lips.)
There's someone in the house with Dina
There's someone in the house, I know,
There's someone in the house with Dina
Playing on the old banjo.
(They whisk black masks from raw babby faces: then, chuckling, chortling, trumming, twanging they diddle diddle cakewalk dance away.)
BLOOM (With a sour tenderish smile.) A little frivol, shall we, if you are so inclined? Would you like me perhaps to embrace you just for a fraction of a second?
MRS BREEN (Screams gaily.) O, you ruck! You ought to see yourself!
BLOOM For old sake'sake. I only meant a square party, a mixed marriage mingling of our different little conjugials. You know I had a soft corner for you. (Gloomily.) 'Twas I sent you that valentine of the dear gazelle.
MRS BREEN Glory Alice, you do look a holy show! Killing simply. (She puts out her hand inquisitively.) What are you hiding behind your back? Tell us, there's a dear.
BLOOM (Seizes her wrist with his free hand.) Josie Powell that was, prettiest deb in Dublin. How time flies by! Do you remember, harking back in a retrospective arrangement, Old Christmas night Georgina Simpson's housewarming while they were playing the Irving Bishop game, finding the pin blindfold and thoughtreading? Subject, what is in this snuff box?
MRS BREEN You were the lion of the night with your seriocomic recitation and you looked the part. You were always a favourite with the ladies.
BLOOM (Squire of dames, in dinner jacket, with watered-silk facings, blue masonic badge in his buttonhole, black bow and mother-of-pearl studs, a prismatic champagne glass tilted in his hand.) Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Ireland, home and beauty.
MRS BREEN The dear dead days beyond recall. Love's old sweet song.
BLOOM (Meaningfully dropping his voice.) I confess I'm teapot with curiosity to find out whether some person's something is a little teapot at present.
MRS BREEN (Gushingly.) Tremendously teapot! London's tea pot and I'm simply teapot all over me. (She rubs sides with him.) After the parlour mystery games and the crackers from the tree we sat on the staircase ottoman. Under the mistletoe. Two is company.
BLOOM (Wearing a purple Napoleon hat with an amber halfmoon, his fingers and thumbs passing slowly down to her soft moist meaty palm which she surrenders gently.) The witching hour of night. I took the splinter out of this hand, carefully, slowly. (Tenderly, as he slips on her finger a ruby ring.) Là ci darem la mano.
MRS BREEN (In a onepiece eveningfrock executed in moonlight blue, a tinsel sylph's diadem on her brow with her dancecard fallen beside her moonblue satin slipper curves her palm softly, breathing quickly.) Voglio e non. You're hot! You're scalding! The left hand nearest the heart.
BLOOM When you made your present choice they said it was beauty and the beast. I can never forgive you for that. (His clenched fist at his brow.) Think what it means. All you meant to me then. (Hoarsely.) Woman, it's breaking me! (Dennis Breen, whitetallhatted, with Wisdom Hely's sandwich board, shuffles past them in cadet slippers, his dull beard thrust out, muttering to right and left. Little Alf Bergan, cloaked in the pall of the ace of spaces, dogs him to left and right, doubled in laughter.)
ALF BERGAN (Points jeering at the sandwich boards.) U.p.: Up.
MRS BREEN (To Bloom.) High jinks below stairs. (She gives him the glad eye.) Why didn't you kiss the spot to make it well? You wanted to.
BLOOM (Shocked.) Molly's best friend! Could you?
MRS BREEN (Her pulpy tongue between her lips, offers a pigeon kiss.) Hnhn. The answer is a lemon. Have you a little present for me there?
BLOOM (Off handedly.) Kosher. A snack for supper. The home without potted meat is incomplete. I was at Leah. Mrs Bandman Palmer. Trenchant exponent of Shakespeare. Unfortunately threw away the programme. Rattling good place round there for pig's feet. Feel.
(Richie Goulding, three ladies' hats pinned on his head, appears weighted to one side by the black legal bag of Collis and Ward on which a skull and crossbones are painted in white limewash. He ins it and shows it full of polonies, kippered, herrings, Findon haddies and tightpacked pills.)
RICHIE Best value in Dub.
(Bald Pat, bothered beetle, stands on the curbstone, folding his napkin, waiting to wait.)
PAT (Advances with a tilted dish of spillspilling gravy.) Steak and kidney. Bottle of lager. Hee hee hee. Wait till I wait.
RICHIE Goodgod. Inev erate inall...
(With hanging head he marches doggedly forward. The navvy, lurching by, gores him with his flaming pronghorn.)
RICHIE (With a cry of pain, his hand to his back) Ah! Bright's! Lights!
BLOOM (Points to the navvy.) A spy. Don't attract attention. I hate stupid crowds. I am not on pleasure bent. I am in a grave predicament.
MRS BREEN Humbugging and delutbering as per usual with your cock and bull story.
BLOOM I want to tell you a little secret about how I came to be here. But you must never tell. Not even Molly. I have a most particular reason.
MRS BREEN (All agog.) O, not for worlds.
BLOOM Let's walk on. Shall us?
MRS BREEN Let's.
(The bawd makes an unheeded sign. Bloom walks on with Mrs Breen. The terrier follows, whining piteously, wagging his tail.)
THE BAWD Jewman's melt!
BLOOM (In an oatmeal sporting suit, a sprig of woodbine in the lapel, tony buff shirt, shepherd's plaid Saint Andrew's cross scarftie, white spats, fawn dustcoat on his arm, tawny red brogues, fieldglasses in bandolier and a grey billycock hat.) Do you remember a long long time, years and years ago, just after Milly, Marionette we called her, was weaned when we all went together to Fairyhouse races, was it?
MRS BREEN (In smart Saxe tailormade, white velours hat and spider veil.) Leopardstown.
BLOOM I mean, Leopardstown. And Molly won seven shillings on a three year old named Nevertell and coming home along by Foxrock in that old fiveseater shanderadan of a waggonette you were in your heyday then and you had on that new hat of white velours with a surround of molefur that Mrs Hayes advised you to buy because it was marked down to nineteen and eleven, a bit of wire and an old rag of velveteen, and I'll lay you what you like she did it on purpose...
MRS BREEN She did, of course, the cat! Don't tell me! Nice adviser!
BLOOM Because it didn't suit you one quarter as well as the other ducky little tammy toque with the bird of paradise wing in it that I admired on you and you honestly looked just too fetching in it though it was a pity to kill it, you cruel creature, little mite of a thing with a heart the size of a fullstop.
MRS BREEN (Squeezes his arm, simpers.) Naughty cruel I was.
BLOOM (Low, secretly, ever more rapidly.) And Molly was eating a sandwich of spiced beef out of Mrs Joe Gallaher's lunch basket. Frankly, though she had her advisers or admirers, I never cared much for her style. She was .
MRS BREEN Too.
BLOOM Yes. And Molly was laughing because Rogers and Maggot O'Reilly were mimicking a cock as we passed a farmhouse and Marcus Tertius Moses, the tea merchant, drove past us in a gig with his daughter, Dancer Moses was her name, and the poodle in her lap bridled up and you asked me if I ever heard or read or knew or came across .
MRS BREEN (Eagerly.) Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
(She fades from his side. Followed by the whining dog he walks on towards hellsgates. In an archway a standing woman, bent forward, her feet apart, pisses cowily. Outside a shuttered pub a bunch of loiterers listen to a tale which their broken snouted gaffer rasps out with raucous humour. An armless pair of them flop wrestling, growling, in maimed sodden playfight.)
THE GAFFER (Crouches, his voice twisted in his snout.) And when Cairns came down from the scaffolding in Beaver Street what was he after doing it into only into the bucket of porter that was there waiting on the shavings for Derwan's plasterers.
THE LOITERERS (Guffaw with cleft palates.) O jays!
(Their paintspeckled hats wag. Spattered with size and lime of their lodges they frisk limblessly about him.)
BLOOM Coincidence too. They think it funny. Anything but that. Broad daylight. Trying to walk. Lucky no woman.
THE LOITERERS Jays, that's a good one. Glauber salts. O jays, into the men's porter.
(Bloom passes. Cheap whores, singly, coupled, shawled, dishevelled, call from lanes, doors, corners.)
THE WHORES Are you going far, queer fellow? How's your middle leg? Got a match on you? Eh, come here till I stiffen it for you.
(He plodges through their sump towards the lighted street beyond. From a bulge of window curtains a gramophone rears a battered brazen trunk. In the shadow a shebeenkeeper haggles with the navvy and the two redcoats.)
THE NAVVY (Belching.) Where's the bloody house?
THE SHEBEENKEEPER Purdon street. Shilling a bottle of stout. Respectable woman.
THE NAVVY (Gripping the two redcoats, staggers forward with them.) Come on, you British army!
PRIVATE CARR (Behind his back.) He aint half balmy.
PRIVATE COMPTON (LAughs.) What ho!
PRIVATE CARR (To the navvy.) Portobello barracks canteen. You ask for Carr. Just Carr.
THE NAVVY (Shouts.)
We are the boys. Of Wexford.
PRIVATE COMPTON Say! What price the sergeantmajor?
PRIVATE CARR Bennett? He's my pal. I love old Bennett.
THENAVVY (Shouts.)
The galling chain.
And free our native land.
(He staggers forward, dragging them with him. Bloom stops, at fault. The dog approaches, his tongue outlolling, panting.)
BLOOM Wildgoose chase this. Disorderly houses. Lord knows where they are gone. Drunks cover distance double quick. Nice mixup. Scene at Westland row. Then jump in first class with third ticket. Then too far. Train with engine behind. Might have taken me to Malahide or a siding for the night or collision. Second drink does it. Once is a dose. What am I following him for? Still, he's the best of that lot. If I hadn't heard about Mrs Beaufoy Purefoy I wouldn't have gone and wouldn't have met. Kismet. He'll lose that cash. Relieving office here. Good biz for cheapjacks, organs. What do ye lack? Soon got, soon gone. Might have lost my life too with that mangongwheeltracktrolleyglarejuggernaut only for presence of mind. Can't always save you, though. If I had passed Truelock's window that day two minutes later would have been shot. Absence of body. Still if bullet only went through my coat get damages for shock, five hundred pounds. What was he? Kildare street club toff. God help his gamekeeper.
(He gazes ahead reading on the wall a scrawled chalk legend Wet Dream and a phallic design.)
Odd! Molly drawing on the frosted carriagepane at Kingstown. What's that like? (Gaudy dollwomen loll in the lighted doorways, in window embrasures, smoking birdseye cigarettes. The odour of the sicksweet weed floats towards him in slow round ovalling wreaths.)
THE WREATHS Sweet are the sweets. Sweets of sin.
BLOOM My spine's a bit limp. Go or turn? And this food? Eat it and get all pigsticky. Absurd I am. Waste of money. One and eightpence too much. (The retriever drives a cold snivelling muzzle against his hand, wagging his tail.) Strange how they take to me. Even that brute today. Better speak to him first. Like women they like rencontres. Stinks like a polecat. Chacun son go?t. He might be mad. Fido. Uncertain in his movements. Good fellow! Garryowen! (The wolfdog sprawls on his back, wriggling obscenely with begging paws, his long black tongue lolling out.) Influence of his surroundings. Give and have done with it. Provided nobody. (Calling encouraging words he shambles back with a furtive poacher's tread, dogged by the setter into a dark stalestunk corner. He unrolls one parcel and goes to dump the crubeen softly but holds back and feels the trotter.) Sizeable for threepence. But then I have it in my left hand. Calls for more effort. Why? Smaller from want of use. O, let it slide. Two and six.
(With regret he lets unrolled crubeen and trotter slide. The mastiff mauls the bundle clumsily and gluts himself with growling greed, crunching the bones. Two raincaped watch approach, silent, vigilant. They murmur together.)
THE WATCH Bloom. Of Bloom. For Bloom. Bloom.
(Each lays a hand on Blooms shoulder.)
FIRST WATCH Caught in the act. Commit no nuisance.
BLOOM (Stammers.) I am doing good to others.
(A covey of gulls, storm petrels, rises hungrily from Liffey slime with Banbury cakes in their beaks.)
THE GULLS Kaw kave kankury kake.
BLOOM The friend of man. Trained by kindness.
(He points. Bob Doran, toppling from a high bars tool, sways over the munching spaniel.)
BOB DORAN Towser. Give us the paw. Give the paw.
(The bulldog growls, his scruff standing, a gobbet of pigs knuckle between his molars through which rabid scrumspittle dribbles. Bob Doran falls silently into an area.)
SECOND WATCH Prevention of cruelty to animals.
BLOOM (Enthusiastically.) A noble work! I scolded that tramdriver on Harold's cross bridge for illusing the poor horse with his harness scab. Bad French I got for my pains. Of course it was frosty and the last tram. All tales of circus life are highly demoralising.
(Signor Maffei, passion pale, in liontamer's costume with diamond studs in his shirtfront, steps forward, holding a circus paper hoop, a curling carriagewhip and a revolver with which he covers the going boarhound.)
SIGNOR MAFFEI (With a sinister smile.) Ladies and gentlemen, my educated greyhound. It was I broke in the bucking broncho Ajax with my patent spiked saddle for carnivores. Lash under the belly with a knotted thong. Block tackle and a strangling pully will bring your lion to heel, no matter how fractious, even Leo ferox there, the Libyan maneater. A redhot crowbar and some liniment rubbing on the burning part produced Fritz of Amsterdam, the thinking hyena. (He glares.) I possess the Indian sign. The glint of my eye does it with these breastsparklers. (With a bewitching smile.) I now introduce Mademoiselle Ruby, the pride of the ring.
FIRST WATCH Come. Name and address.
BLOOM I have forgotten for the moment. Ah, yes! (He takes off his high grade hat, saluting.) Dr Bloom, Leopold, dental surgeon. You have heard of von Bloom Pasha. Umpteen mil lions. Donnerwetter! Owns half Austria. Egypt. Cousin.
FIRST WATCH Proof.
(A card falls from inside the leather headband of Bloom's hat.)
BLOOM (In red fez, cadi's dress coat with broad green sash, wearing a false badge of the Legion of Honour, picks up the card hastily and offers it.) Allow me. My club is the Junior Army and Navy. Solicitors: Messrs John Henry Menton, 27 Bachelor's Walk.
FIRST WATCH (Reads.) Henry Flower. No fixed abode. Un lawfully watching and besetting.
SECOND WATCH An alibi. You are cautioned.
BLOOM (Produces from his heartpocket a crumpled yellow flower.) This is the flower in question. It was given me by a man I don't know his name. (Plausibly.) You know that old joke, rose of Castille. Bloom. The change of name Virag. (He murmurs privately and confidentially.) We are engaged you see, sergeant. Lady in the case. Love entanglement. (He shoulders the second watch gently.) Dash it all. It's a way we gallants have in the navy. Uniform that does it. (He turns gravely to the first watch.) Still, of course, you do get your Waterloo sometimes. Drop in some evening and have a glass of old Burgundy. (To the second watch gaily.) I'll introduce you, inspector. She's game. Do it in shake of a lamb's tail.
(A dark mercurialised face appears, leading a veiled figure.)
THE DARK MERCURY The Castle is looking for him. He was drummed out of the army.
MARTHA (Thickveiled, a crimson halter round her neck, a copy of the Irish Times in her hand, in tone of reproach, pointing.) Henry! Leopold! Leopold! Lionel, thou lost one! Clear my name.
FIRST WATCH (Sternly.) Come to the station.
BLOOM (Scared, hats himself steps back, then, plucking at his heart and lifting his right forearm on the square, he gives the sign and dueguard of fellowcraft.) No, no, worshipful master, light of love. Mistaken identity. The Lyons mail. Lesurques and Dubosc. You remember the Childs fratricide case. We medical men. By striking him dead with a hatchet. I am wrongfully accused. Better one guilty escape than ninetynine wrongfully condemned.
MARTHA (Sobbing behind her veil.) Breach of promise. My real name is Peggy Griffin. He wrote to me that he was miserable. I'll tell my brother, the Bective rugger fullback, on you, heartless flirt.
BLOOM (Behind his hand.) She's drunk. The woman is inebriated. (He murmurs vaguely the past of Ephraim.) Shitbroleeth.
SECOND WATCH (Tears in his eyes, to Bloom.) You ought to be thoroughly well ashamed of yourself.
BLOOM Gentleman of the jury, let me explain. A pure mare's nest. I am a man misunderstood. I am being made a scapegoat of. I am a respectable married man, without a stain on my character. I live in Eccles street. My wife, I am the daughter of a most distinguished commander, a gallant upstanding gentleman, who do you call him, Majorgeneral Brian Tweedy, one of Britain's fighting men who helped to win our battles. Got his majority for the heroic defence of Rorke's Drift.
FIRST WATCH Regiment.
BLOOM (Turns to the gallery.) The royal Dublins, boys, the salt of the earth, known the world over. I think I see some old comrades in arms up there among you. The R. D. F. With our own Metropolitan police, guardians of our homes, the pluckiest lads and the finest body of men, as physique, in the service of our sovereign.
A VOICE Turncoat! Up the Boers! Who booed Joe Chamberlain?
BLOOM (His hand on the shoulder of the first watch.) My old dad too was a J.P. I'm as staunch a Britisher as you are, sir. I fought with the colours for king and country in the absentminded war under General Gough in the park and was disabled at Spion Kop and Bloemfontein, was mentioned in dispatches. I did all a white man could. (With quiet feeling.) Jim Bludso. Hold her nozzle again the bank.
FIRST WATCH Profession or trade.
BLOOM Well, I follow a literary occupation. Author-journalist. In fact we are just bringing out a collection of prize stories of which I am the inventor, something that is an entirely new departure. I am connected with the British and Irish press. If you ring up...
(Myles Crawford strides out jerkily, a quill between his teeth. His scarlet beak blazes within the aureole of his straw hat. He dangles a hank of Spanish onions in one hand and holds with the other hand a telephone receiver nozzle to his ear.)
MYLES CRAWFORD (His cock's wattles wagging.) Hello, seventyseven eightfour. Hello. Freeman's Urinal and Weekly Arse wiper here. Paralyse Europe. You which? Bluebags? Who writes? Is it Bloom?
(Mr Philip Beaufoy, palefaced, stands in the witnessbox, in accurate morning dress, outbreast pocket with peak of handkerchief showing, creased lavender trousers and patent boots. He cames a lace portfolio labelled Matcham's Masterstrokes.)
BEAUFOY (Drawls.) No, you aren't, not by a long shot if I know it. I don't see it, that's all. No born gentleman, no one with the most rudimentary promptings of a gentleman would stoop to such particularly loathsome conduct. One of those, my lord. A plagiarist. A soapy sneak masquerading as a literateur. It's perfectly obvious that with the most inherent baseness he has cribbed some of my bestselling books, really gorgeous stuff, a perfect gem, the love passages in which are beneath suspicion. The Beaufoy books of love and great possessions with which your lordship is doubtless familiar, are a household word throughout the kingdom.
BLOOM (Murmurs with hangdog meekness.) That bit about the laughing witch hand in hand I take exception to, if I may... ?
BEAUFOY (His lip upcurled, smiles superciliously on the court.) You funny ass, you! You're too beastly awfully weird for words! I don't think you need over excessively disincommodate yourself in that regard. My literary agent Mr J. B. Pinker is in attendance. I presume, my lord, we shall receive the usual witnesses' fees, shan't we? We are considerably out of pocket over this bally pressman johnny, this jackdaw of Rheims, who has not even been to a university.
BLOOM (Indistinctly.) University of life. Bad art.
BEAUFOY (Shouts.) It's a damnably foul lie showing the moral rottenness of the man! (He extends his portfolio.) We have here damning evidence, the corpus delicti, my lord, a specimen of my maturer work disfigured by the hallmark of the beast.
A VOICE FROM THE GALLERY
Moses, Moses, king of the jews,
Wiped his arse in the Daily News.
BLOOM (Bravely.) Overdrawn.
BEAUFOY You low cad! You ought to be ducked in the horsepond, you rotter! (To the court.) Why, look at the man's private life! Leading a quadruple existence! Street angel and house devil. Not fit to be mentioned in mixed society. The arch conspirator of the age.
BLOOM (To the court.) And he, a bachelor, how.
FIRST WATCH The King versus Bloom. Call the woman Driscoll.
THE CRIER Mary Driscoll, scullerymaid!
(Mary Driscoll, a slipshod servant girl, approaches. She has a bucket on the crook of her arm and a scouringbrush in her hand.)
SECOND WATCH Another! Are you of the unfortunate class?
MARY DRISCOLL (Indignantly.) I'm not a bad one. I bear a respectable character and was four months in my last place. I was in a situation, six pounds a year and my chances with Fridays out, and I had to leave owing to his carryings on.
FIRST WATCH What do you tax him with?
MARY DRISCOLL He made a certain suggestion but I thought more of myself as poor as I am.
BLOOM (In housejacket of ripplecloth, flannel trousers, heelless slippers, unshaven, his hair rumpled softly.) I treated you white. I gave you mementoes, smart emerald garters far above your station. Incautiously I took your part when you were accused of pilfering. There's a medium in all things. Play cricket.
MARY DRISCOLL (Excitedly.) As God is looking down on me this night if ever I laid a hand to them oysters!
FIRST WATCH The offence complained of? Did something happen?
MARY DRISCOLL He surprised me in the rere of the premises, your honour, when the missus was out shopping one morning with a request for a safety pin. He held me and I was discoloured in four places as a result. And he interfered twice with my clothing.
BLOOM She counterassaulted.
MARY DRISCOLL (Scornfully.) I had more respect for the scouringbrush, so I had. I remonstrated with him, your lord, and he remarked: Keep it quiet!
(General laughter.)
GEORGES FOTTRELL (Clerk of the crown and peace, resonantly.) Order in court! The accused will now make a bogus statement.
(Bloom, pleading not guilty and holding a fullblown waterlily, begins a long unintelligible speech. They would hear what counsel had to say in his stirring address to the grand-jury. He was down and out but, though branded as a black sheep, if he might say so, he meant to reform, to retrieve the memory of the past in a purely sisterly way and return to nature as a purely domestic animal. A seven months' child, he had been carefully brought up and nurtured by an aged bedridden parent. There might have been lapses of an erring father but he wanted to turn over a new leaf and now, when at long last in sight of the whipping post, to lead a homely life in the evening of his days, permeated by the affectionate surroundings of the heaving bosom of the family. An acclimatised Britisher he had seen that summer eve from the footplate of an engine cab of the Loop line railway company while the rain refrained from falling glimpses, as it were, through the windows of loveful households in Dublin city and urban district of scenes truly rural of happiness of the better land with Dockrell's wallpaper at one and ninepence a dozen, innocent British born bairns lisping prayers to the Sacred Infant, youthful scholars grappling with their pensums, model young ladies playing on the pianoforte or anon all with fervour reciting the family rosary round the crackling Yulelog while in the boreens and green lanes the colleens with their swains strolled what times the strains of the organtoned melodeon Britannia metalbound with four acting stops and twelvefold bellows, a sacrifice, greatest bargain ever... )
(Renewed laughter. He mumbles incoherently. Reporters complain that they cannot hear.)
LONGHAND AND SHORTHAND (Without looking up from their notebooks.) Loosen his boots.
PROFESSOR MACHUGH (From the presstable, coughs and calls.) Cough it up, man. Get it out in bits.
(The crossexamination proceeds re Bloom and the bucket. A lace bucket. Bloom himself Bowel trouble. In Beaver street. Gripe, yes. Quite bad. A plasterers bucket. By walking stifflegged. Suffered untold misery. Deadly agony. About noon. Love or burgundy. Yes, some spinach. Crucial moment. He did not look in the bucket. Nobody. Rather a mess. Not completely. A Titbits back number.)
(Uproar and catcalls. Bloom, in a torn frockcoat stained with whitewash, dinged silk hat sideways on his head, a strip of sticking-plaster across his nose, talks inaudibly.)
J. J. O'MOLLOY (In barrister's grey wig and stuffgown, speaking with a voice of pained protest.) This is no place for indecent levity at the expense of an erring mortal disguised in liquor. We are not in a beargarden nor at an Oxford rag nor is this a travesty of justice. My client is an infant, a poor foreign immigrant who started scratch as a stowaway and is now trying to turn an honest penny. The trumped up misdemeanour was due to a momentary aberration of heredity, brought on by hallucination, such familiarities as the alleged guilty occurrence being quite permitted in my client's native place, the land of the Pharaoh. Prima facie, I put it to you that there was no attempt at carnally knowing. Intimacy did not occur and the offence complained of by Driscoll, that her virtue was solicited, was not repeated. I would deal inespecial with atavism. There have been cases of shipwreck and somnambulism in my client's family. If the accused could speak he could a tale unfold one of the strangest that have ever been narrated between the covers of a book. He himself, my lord, is a physical wreck from cobbler's weak chest. His submission is that he is of Mongolian extraction and irresponsible for his actions. Not all there, in fact.
BLOOM (Barefoot, pigeonbreasted, in lascar's vest and trousers, apologetic toes turned in, opens his tiny mole's eyes and looks about him dazedly, passing a slow hand across his forehead. Then he hitches his belt sailor fashion and with a shrug of oriental obeisance salutes the court, pointing one thumb heavenward.) Him makee velly muchee fine night. (He begins to lilt simply.)
Li li poo lil chile,
Blingee pigfoot evly night.
Payee two shilly...
(He is howled down.)
J. J. O'MOLLOY (Hotly to the populace.) This is a lonehand fight. By Hades, I will not have any client of mine gagged and badgered in this fashion by a pack of curs and laughing hyenas. The Mosaic code has superseded the law of the jungle. I say it and I say it emphatically without wishing for one moment to defeat the ends of justice, accused was not accessory before the act and prosecutrix has not been tampered with. The young person was treated by defendant as if she were his very own daughter. (Bloom takes J. J. O'Molloy's hand and raises it to his lips.) I shall call rebutting evidence to prove up to the hilt that the hidden hand is again at its old game. When in doubt persecute Bloom. My client, an innately bashful man, would be the last man in the world to do anything ungentlemanly which injured modesty could object to or cast a stone at a girl who took the wrong turning when some dastard, responsible for her condition, had worked his own sweet will on her. He wants to go straight. I regard him as the whitest man I know. He is down on his luck at present owing to the mortgaging of his extensive property at Agendath Netaim in faraway Asia Minor, slides of which will now be shown. (To Bloom.) I suggest that you will do the handsome thing.
BLOOM A penny in the pound.
(The mirage of the lake of Kinnereth with blurred cattle cropping in silver haze is projected on the wall. Moses Dlugacz, ferreteyed albino, in blue dungarees, stands up in the gallery, holding in each hand an orange citron and a pork kidney.)
DLUGACZ (Hoarsely.) Bleibtreustrasse, Berlin, W. 13.
(J. J. O'Molloy steps on to a low plinth and holds the lapel of his coat with solemnity. His face lengthens, grows pale and bearded, with sunken eyes, the blotches of phthisis and hectic cheekbones of John F. Taylor. He applies his handkerchief to his mouth and scrutinises the galloping tide of rosepink blood.)
J. J. O'MOLLOY (Almost voicelessly.) Excuse me, I am suffering from a severe chill, have recently come from a sickbed. A few wellchosen words. (He assumes the avine head, foxy moustache and proboscidal eloquence of Seymour Bushe.) When the angel's book comes to be opened if aught that the pensive bosom has inaugurated of soultransfigured and of soultransfiguring deserves to live I say accord the prisoner at the bar the sacred benefit of the doubt. (A paper with something written on it is handed into court.)
BLOOM (In court dress.) Can give best references. Messrs Callan, Coleman. Mr Wisdom Hely J. P. My old chief Joe Cuffe. Mr V. B. Dillon, ex-lord mayor of Dublin. I have moved in the charmed circle of the highest . Queens of Dublin Society. (Carelessly.) I was just chatting this afternoon at the viceregal lodge to my old pals, sir Robert and lady Ball, astronomer royal, at the levee. Sir Bob, I said...
MRS YELVERTON BARRY (In lowcorsaged opal balldress and elbowlength ivory gloves, wearing a sabletrimmed brick quilted dolman, a comb of brilliants and panache of osprey in her hair.) Arrest him constable. He wrote me an anonymous letter in prentice backhand when my husband was in the North Riding of Tipperary on the Munster circuit, signed James Lovebirch. He said that he had seen from the gods my peerless globes as I sat in a box of the Theatre Royal at a command performance of La Cigale. I deeply inflamed him, he said. He made improper overtures to me to misconduct myself at half past four p.m. on the following Thursday, Dunsink time. He offered to send me through the post a work of fiction by Monsieur Paul de Kock, entitled The Girl with the Three Pairs of Stays.
MRS BELLINGHAM (In cap and seal coneymantle, wrapped up to the nose, steps out of her brougham and scans through tortoiseshell quizzingglasses which she takes from inside her huge opossum muff.) Also to me. Yes, I believe it is the same objectionable person. Because he closed my carriage door outside sir Thornley Stoker's one sleety day during the cold snap of February ninetythree when even the grid of the wastepipe and ballstop in my bath cistern were frozen. Subsequently he enclosed a bloom of edelweiss culled on the heights, as he said, in my honour. I had it examined by a botanical expert and elicited the information that it was a blossom of the homegrown potato plant purloined from a forcingcase of the model farm.
MRS YELVERTON BARRY Shame on him!
(A crowd of sluts and ragamuffins sues forward.)
THE SLUTS AND RAGAMUFFINS (Screaming.) Stop thief! Hurrah there, Bluebeard! Three cheers for Ikey Mo!
SECOND WATCH (Produces handcuffs.) Here are the darbies.
MRS BELLINGHAM He addressed me in several handwritings with fulsome compliments as a Venus in furs and alleged profound pity for my frostbound coachman Balmer while in the same breath he expressed himself as envious of his earflaps and fleecy sheepskins and of his fortunate proximity to my person, when standing behind my chair wearing my livery and the armorial bearings of the Bellingham escutcheon garnished sable, a buck's head couped or. He lauded almost extravagantly my nether extremities, my swelling calves in silk hose drawn up to the limit, and eulogised glowingly my other hidden treasures in priceless lace which, he said, he could conjure up. He urged me, stating that he felt it his mission in life to urge me, to defile the marriage bed, to commit adultery at the earliest possible opportunity.
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS (In amazon costume, hard hat, jackboots cockspurred, vermilion waistcoat, fawn musketeer gauntlets with bra idea drums, long train held up and hunting crop with which she strikes her welt constantly.) Also me. Because he saw me on the polo ground of the Phnix park at the match All Ireland versus the Rest of Ireland. My eyes, I know, shone divinely as I watched Captain Slogger Dennehy of the Inniskillings win the final chukkar on his darling cob Centaur. This plebeian Don Juan observed me from behind a hackney car and sent me in double envelopes an obscene photograph, such as are sold after dark on Paris boulevards, insulting to any lady. I have it still. It represents a partially nude senorita, frail and lovely (his wife as he solemnly assured me, taken by him from nature), practising illicit intercourse with a muscular torero, evidently a blackguard. He urged me to do likewise, to misbehave, to sin with officers of the garrison. He implored me to soil his letter in an unspeakable manner, to chastise him as he richly deserves, to bestride and ride him, to give him a most vicious horsewhipping.
MRS BELLINGHAM Me too.
MRS YELVERTON BARRY Me too.
(Several highly respectable Dublin ladies hold up improper letters received from Bloom.)
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS (Stamps her jingling spurs in a sudden paroxysm of sudden fury.) I will, by the God above me. I'll scourge the pigeonlivered cur as long as I can stand over him. I'll flay him alive.
BLOOM (His eyes closing, quails expectantly.) Here? (He squirms.) Again! (He pants cringing.) I love the danger.
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS Very much so! I'll make it hot for you. I'll make you dance Jack Latten for that.
MRS BELLINGHAM Tan his breech well, the upstart! Write the stars and stripes on it!
MRS YELVERTON BARRY Disgraceful! There's no excuse for him! A married man!
BLOOM All these people. I meant only the spanking idea. A warm tingling glow without effusion. Refined birching to stimulate the circulation.
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS (Laughs derisively.) O, did you, my fine fellow? Well, by the living God, you'll get the surprise of your life now, believe me, the most unmerciful hiding a man ever bargained for. You have lashed the dormant tigress in my nature into fury.
MRS BELLINGHAM (Shakes her muff and quizzing-glasses vindictively.) Make him smart, Hanna dear. Give him ginger. Thrash the mongrel within an inch of his life. The cat-o' nine-tails. Geld him. Vivisect him.
BLOOM (Shuddering, shrinking, joins his hands with hangdog mien.) O cold! O shivery! It was your ambrosial beauty. Forget, forgive. Kismet. Let me off this once. (He offers the other cheek.)
MRS YELVERTON BARRY (Severely.) Don't do so on any account, Mrs Talboys! He should be soundly trounced!
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS (Unbuttoning her gauntlet violently.) I'll do no such thing. Pig dog and always was ever since he was pupped! To dare address me! I'll flog him black and blue in the public streets. I'll dig my spurs in him up to the rowel. He is a wellknown cuckold. (She swishes her hunting crop savagely in the air.) Take down his trousers without loss of time. Come here, sir! Quick! Ready?
BLOOM (Trembling, beginning to obey.) The weather has been so warm.
(Davy Stephens, ringleted, passes with a bevy of barefoot newsboys.)
DAVY STEPHENS Messenger of the Sacred Heart and Evening Telegraph with Saint Patrick's Day Supplement. Containing the new addresses of all the cuckolds in Dublin.
(The very reverend Canon O'Hanlon in cloth of gold cope elevates and exposes a marble timepiece. Before him Father Conroy and the reverend John Hughes S.J. bend low.)
THE TIMEPIECE (Unportalling.)
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
(The brass quoits of a bed are heard to jingle.)
THE QUOITS Jigjag, Jigajiga. Jigjag.
(A panel of fog rolls back rapidly, revealing rapidly in the jurybox the faces of Martin Cunningham, foreman silkhatted, Jack Power Simon Dedalus, Tom Kernan, Ned Lambert, John Henry Menton, Myles Crawford, Lenehan, Paddy Leonard Nosey Flynn, M'Coy and the featureless face of a Nameless One.)
THE NAMELESS ONE Bareback riding. Weight for age. Gob, he organised her.
THE JURORS (All their heads turned to his voice.) Really?
THE NAMELESS ONE (Snarls.) Arse over tip. Hundred shillings to five.
THE JURORS (All their heads lowered in assent.) Most of us thought as much.
FIRST WATCH He is a marked man. Another girl's plait cut. Wanted: Jack the Ripper. A thousand pounds reward.
SECOND WATCH (Awed, whispers.) And in black. A mormon. Anarchist.
THE CRIER (Loudly.) Whereas Leopold Bloom of no fixed abode is a well-known dynamitard, forger, bigamist, bawd and cuckold ad a public nuisance to the citizens of Dublin and whereas at this commission of assizes the most honourable.
(His Honour sir Frederick Falkiner recorder of Dublin, in judicial garb of grey stone rises from the bench, stonebearded. He bears in his arms an umbrella sceptre. From his forehead arise starkly the Mosaic ramshorns.)
THE RECORDER I will put an end to this white slave traffic and rid Dublin of this odious pest. Scandalous! (He dons the black cap.) Let him be taken, Mr Subsheriff, from the dock where he now stands and detained in custody in Mountjoy prison during His Majesty's pleasure and there be hanged by the neck until he is dead and therein fail not at your peril or may the Lord have-mercy on your soul. Remove him. (A black skullcap descends upon his head.)
(The subsheriff long John Fanning appears, smoking a pungent Henry Clay.)
LONG JOHN FANNING (Scowls and calls with rich rolling utterance.) Who'll hang Judas Iscariot?
(H. Rumbold, master barber in a bloodcoloured jerk in and tanner's apron, a rope coiled over his shoulder mounts the block. A life preserver and a nailstudded bludgeon are stuck in his belt. He rubs grimly his grapping hands, knobbed with knuckledusters.)
RUMBOLD (To the recorder with sinister familiarity.) Hanging Harry, your Majesty, the Mersey terror. Five guineas a jugular. Neck or nothing.
(The bells of George's church toll slowly, loud dark iron.)
THE BELLS Heigho! Heigho!
BLOOM (Desperately.) Wait. Stop. Gulls. Good heart. I saw. Innocence. Girl in the monkeyhouse. Zoo. Lewd chimpanzees. (Breathlessly.) Pelvic basin. Her artless blush unmanned me. (Overcome with emotion.) I left the precincts. (He turns to a figure in the crowd, appealing.) Hynes, may I speak to you? You know me. That three shillings you can keep. If you want a little more .
HYNES (Coldly.) You are a perfect stranger.
SECOND WATCH (Points to the corner.) The bomb is here. FIRST WATCH Infernal machine with a time fuse. BLOOM No, no. Pig's feet. I was at a funeral. FIRST WATCH (Draws his truncheon.) Liar!
(The beagle lifts his snout, showing the grey scorbutic face of Paddy Dignam. He has gnawed all. He exhales a putrid carcasefed breath. He grows to human size and shape. His dachshund coat becomes a brown mortuary habit. His green eyeflashes bloodshot. Half of one ear all the nose and both thumbs are ghouleaten.)
PADDY DIGNAM (In a hollow voice.) It is true. It was my funeral. Doctor Finucane pronounced life extinct when I succumbed to the disease from natural causes.
(He lifts his mutilated ashen face moonwards and bays lugubriously.)
BLOOM (In triumph.) You hear?
PADDY DIGNAM Bloom, I am Paddy Dignam's spirit. List, list, O list!
BLOOM The voice is the voice of Esau.
SECOND WATCH (Blesses himself.) How is that possible?
FIRST WATCH It is not in the penny catechism.
PADDY DIGNAM By metempsychosis. Spooks.
A VOICE O rocks.
PADDY DIGNAM (Earnestly.) Once I was in the employ of Mr J. H. Menton, solicitor, commissioner for oaths and affidavits, of 27 Bachelor's Walk. Now I am defunct, the wall of the heart hypertrophied. Hard lines. The poor wife was awfully cut up. Dow is she bearing it? Keep her off that bottle of sherry. (He looks round him.) A lamp. I must satisfy an animal need. That buttermilk didn't agree with me.
(The portly figure of John O'Connell, caretaker stands forth, holding a bunch of keys tied with crape. Beside him stands Father Coffey, chaplain, toad bellied, wrynecked, in a surplice and bandanna nightcap, holding sleepily a staff of twisted poppies.)
FATHER COFFEY (Yawns, then chants with a hoarse croak.) Namine. Jacobs Vobiscuits. Amen.
(Foghorns stormily through his megaphone.) Dignam, Patrick T., deceased.
PADDY DIGNAM (With pricked up ears, winces.) Overtones.
(He wriggles forward, places an ear to the ground.) My masters' voice!
JOHN O'CONNELL Burial docket letter number U. P. Eightyfive thousand. Field seventeen. House of Keys. Plot, one hundred and one.
(Paddy Dignam listens with visible effort, thinking, his tailstiffpointed, his ears cocked.)
PADDY DIGNAM Pray for the repose of his soul.
(He worms down through a coal hole, his brown habit trailing its tether over rattling pebbles. After him toddles an obese grandfather rat on fungus turtle paws under a grey carapace. Dignam's voice, muffled, is heard baying under ground: Dignam's dead and gone below. Tom Rochford, robinredbreasted, in cap and breeches, jumps from his two-columned machine.)
TOM ROCHFORD (A hand to his breastbone, bows.) Reuben J. A florin I find him. (He fixes the manhole with a resolute stare.) My turn now on. Follow me up to Carlow.
(He executes a daredevil salmon leap in the air and is engulfed in the coalhole. Two discs on the columns wobble eyes of nought. All recedes. Bloom plodges forward again. He stands before a lighted house, listening. The kisses, winging from their bowers, fly about him, twittering, warbling, cooing.)
THE KISSES (Warbling.) Leo! (Twittering.) Icky licky micky sticky for Leo! (Cooing.) Coo coocoo! Yummyumm Wom worn! (Warbling.) Big comebig! Pirouette! Leopopold! (Twittering.) Leeolee! (Warbling.) O Leo!
(They rustle, flutter upon his garments, alight, bright giddyflecks, silvery sequins.)
BLOOM A man's touch. Sad music. Church music. Perhaps here.
(Zoe Higgins, a young whore in a sapphire slip, closed with three bronze buckles, a slim black velvet fillet round her throat, nods, trips down the steps and accosts him.)
ZOE Are you looking for someone? He's inside with his friend.
BLOOM Is this Mrs Mack's?
ZOE No, eightyone. Mrs Cohen's. You might go farther and fare worse. Mother Slipperslapper. (Familiarly.) She's on the job herself tonight with the vet, her tipster, that gives her all the winners and pays for her son in Oxford. Working overtime but her luck's turned today. (Suspiciously.) You're not his father, are you?
BLOOM Not I!
ZOE You both in black. Has little mousey any tickles tonight?
(His skin, alert, feels her fingertips approach. A hand slides over his left thigh.)
ZOE How's the nuts?
BLOOM Off side. Curiously they are on the right. Heavier I suppose. One in a million my tailor, Mesias, says.
ZOE (In sudden alarm.) You've a hard chancre.
BLOOM Not likely.
ZOE I feel it.
(Her hand slides into his left trouser pocket and brings out a hard black shrivelled potato. She regards it and Bloom with dumb moist lips.)
BLOOM A talisman. Heirloom.
ZOE For Zoe? For keeps? For being so nice, eh?
(She puts the potato greedily into a pocket, then links his arm, cuddling him with supple warmth. He smiles uneasily. Slowly, note by note, oriental music is played. He gazes in the tawny crystal of her eyes, ringed with kohol. His smile softens.)
ZOE You'll know me the next time.
BLOOM (Forlornly.) I never loved a dear gazelle but it was sure to.
(Gazelles are leaping, feeding on the mountains. Near are lakes. Round their shores file shadows black of cedargroves. Aroma rises, a strong hairgrowth of resin. It burns, the orient, a sky of sapphire, cleft by the bronze flight of eagles. Under it lies the womancity, nude, white, still, cool, in luxury. A fountain murmurs among damask roses. Mammoth roses murmur of scarlet winegrapes. A wine of shame, lust, blood exudes, strangely murmuring.)
ZOE (Murmuring singsong with the music, her odalisk lips lusciously smeared with salve of swinefat and rosewater.) Schorach ani wenowach, benoith Hierushaloim.
BLOOM (Fascinated.) I thought you were of good stock by your accent.
ZOE And you know what thought did?
(She bites his ear gently with little goldstopped teeth sending on him a cloying breath of stale garlic. The roses draw apart, disclose a sepulchre of the gold of kings and their mouldering bones.)
BLOOM (Draws back, mechanically caressing her right bub with a flat awkward hand.) Are you a Dublin girl?
ZOE (Catches a stray hair deftly and twists it to her coil.) No bloody fear. I'm English. Have you a swaggerroot?
BLOOM (As before.) Rarely smoke, dear. Cigar now and then. Childish device. (Lewdly.) The mouth can be better engaged than with a cylinder of rank weed.
ZOE Go on. Make a stump speech out of it.
BLOOM (In workman's corduroy overalls, black gansy with red floating tie and apache cap.) Mankind is incorrigible. Sir Walter Raleigh brought from the new world that potato and that weed, the one a killer of pestilence by absorption, the other a poisoner of the ear, eye, heart, memory, will, understanding, all. That is to say, he brought the poison a hundred years before another person whose name I forget brought the food. Suicide. Lies. All our habits. Why, look at our public life!
(Midnight chimes from distant steeples.)
THE CHIMES Turn again, Leopold! Lord Mayor of Dublin!
BLOOM (In alderman's gown and chain.) Electors of Arran Quay, Inns Quay, Rotunda, Mountjoy and North Dock, better run a tramline, I say, from the cattlemarket to the river. That's the music of the future. That's my programme. Cui Bono? But our buccaneering Vanderdeckens in their phantom ship of finance...
AN ELECTOR Three times three for our future chief magistrate!
(The aurora borealis of the torchlight procession leaps.)
THE TORCH BEARERS Hooray!
(Several wellknown burgesses, city magnates and freemen of the city shake hands with Bloom and congratulate him. Timothy Harrington, late thrice Lord Mayor of Dublin, imposing in mayoral scarlet, gold chain and white silk tie, confers with councillor Lorcan Sherlock, locum tenens. They nod vigorously in agreement.)
LATE LORD MAYOR HARRINGTON (In scarlet robe with mace, gold mayoral chain and lace white silk scarf) That alder man sir Leo Bloom's speech be printed at the expense of the ratepayers. That the house in which he was born be ornamented with a commemorative tablet and that the thoroughfare hitherto known as Cow Parlour off Cork street be henceforth designated Boulevard Bloom.
COUNCILLOR LORCAN SHERLOCK Carried unanimously.
BLOOM (Impassionedly.) These flying Dutchmen or lying Dutchmen as they recline in their upholstered poop, casting dice, what reck they? Machines is their cry, their chimera, their panacea. Laboursaving apparatuses, supplanters, bug-bears, manufactured monsters for mutual murder, hideous hobgoblins produced by a horde of capitalistic lusts upon our prostituted labour. The poor man starves while they are grassing their royal mountain stags or shooting peasants and phartridges in their purblind pomp of pelf and power. But their reign is rover for rever and ever and ev...
(Prolonged applause. Venetian masts, maypoles and festal arches spring up. A streamer bearing the legends Cead Mille Failte and Mah Ttob Melek Israel spans the street. All the windows are thronged with sightseers, chiefly ladies. Along the route the regiments of the royal Dublin Fusiliers, the Kings Own Scottish Boraerers, the Cameron Highlanders and the Welsh Fusiliers, standing to attention, keep back the crowd. Boys from High school are perched on the lampposts, telegraph poles, windowsills, cornices, gutters, chimneypots, railings, rainspouts, whistling and cheering. The pillar of the cloud appears. A fife and drum band is heard in the distance playing the Kol Nidre. The beaters approach with imperial eagles hoisted, trailing banners and waving oriental palms. The chryselephantine papal standard rises high, surrounded by pennons of the civic flag. The van of the procession appears headed by John Howard Parnell, city marshal, in a chessboard tabard, the Athlone Poursuivant and Ulster King of Arms. They are followed by the Right Honourable Joseph Hutchinson, lord mayor of Dublin, the lord mayor of Cork, their worships the mayors of Limerick, Galway, Sligo and Watedord, twentyeight Irish representative peers, sirdars, grandees and maharajahs bearing the cloth of estate, the Dublin Metropolitan Fire Brigade, the chapter of the saints of finance in their plutocratic order of precedence, the bishop of Down and Connor His Eminence Michael cardinal Logue archbishop of Armagh, primate of all Ireland, His Grace, the most reverend Dr William Alexander archbishop of Armagh, primate of all Ireland, the chief rabbi, the presbyterian moderator, the heads of the baptist, anabaptist, methodist and Moravian chapels and the honorary secretary of the society of friends. her them march the guilds and trades and trainbands with flying colours: coopen, bird fanciers, millwrights, newspaper canvassers, law scriveners, masseurs, vintners, trussmakers, chimney sweeps, lard refiners, tabinet and poplin weavers, farriers, Italian warehousemen, church decorators, bootjack manufacturers, undertaken, silk mercers, lapidaries, salesmasters, corkcutters, assessors of fire losses, dyers and cleaners, export bottlers, fellmongers, ticketwriters, heraldic seal engravers, horse repository hands, bullion broken, cricket and archery outfitters, riddlemakers, egg and potato factors, hosiers and glovers, plumbing contractors. After them march gentlemen of the bed chamber Black Rod, Deputy Garter Gold Stick, the master of hone, the lord great chamberlain, the earl marshal, the high constable carrying the sword of state, saint Stephen's iron crown, the chalice and bible. Four buglers on foot blow a sennet. Beefeaten reply, winding clarions of welcome. Under an arch of triumph Bloom appears bareheaded, in a crimson velvet mantle trimmed with ermine, bearing Saint Edward's staff the orb and sceptre with the dove, the curtana. He is seated on a milkwhite hone with long flowing crimson tail, richly caparisoned, with golden heads tall. Wild excitement. The ladies from their balconies throw down rosepetals. The air is perfumed with essences. The men cheer. Bloom's boys run amid the bystanders with branches of hawthorn and wrenbushes.)
BLOOM'S BOYS
The wren, the wren,
The king of all birds,
Saint Stephen's his day,
Was caught in the furze.
A BLACKSMITH (Murmurs.) For the Honour of God! And is that Bloom? He scarcely looks thirtyone.
A PAVIOR AND FLAGGER That's the famous Bloom now, the world's greatest reformer. Hats off!
(All uncover their heads. Women whisper eagerly.)
A MILLIONAIRESS (Richly.) Isn't he simply wonderful?
A NOBLEWOMAN (Nobly.) All that man has seen!
A FEMINIST (Masculinely.) And done!
A BELLHANGER A classic face! He has the forehead of a thinker.
(Bloom's weather. A sunburst appears in the northwest.)
THE BISHOP OF DOWN AND CONNOR I here present your un doubted emperor president and king chairman, the most serene and potent and very puissant ruler of this realm. God save Leopold the First!
ALL God save Leopold the First!
BLOOM (In dalmatic and purple mantle, to the bishop of Down and Connor with dignity.) Thanks, somewhat eminent sir.
WILLIAM, ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH (In purple stock and shovel hat.) Will you to your power cause law and mercy to be executed in all your judgments in Ireland and territories thereunto belonging?
BLOOM (Placing his right hand on his testicles, swears.) So may the Creator deal with me. All this I promise to do.
MICHAEL, ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH (Pours a cruse of hair oil over Bloom's head.) Gaudium magnum annuntio vobis. Habemus carneficem. Leopold, Patrick, Andrew, David, George, be thou anointed!
(Bloom assumes a mantle of cloth of gold and puts on a ruby ring. He ascends and stands on the stone of destiny. The representative peers put on at the same time their twentyeight crowns. Joybells ring in Christ church, Saint Patrick's, George's and gay Malahide. Mirus bazaar fireworks go up from all sides with symbolical phallopyrotechnic designs. The peers do homage, one by one, approaching and genuflecting.)
THE PEERS I do become your liege man of life and limb to earthly worship.
(Bloom holds up his right hand on which sparkles the Koh-i-Noor diamond. His palfrey neighs. Immediate silence. Wireless intercontinental and interplanetary transmitters are set for reception of message.)
BLOOM My subjects! We hereby nominate our faithful charger Copula Felix hereditary Grand Vizier and announce that we have this day repudiated our former spouse and have bestowed our royal hand upon the princess Selene, the splendour of night.
(The former morganatic spouse of Bloom is hastily removed in the Black Maria. The princess Selene, in moon blue robes, a silver crescent on her head, descends from a Sedan chair borne by two giants. An outburst of cheering.)
JOHN HOWARD PARNELL (Raises the royal standard.) Illustrious Bloom! Successor to my famous brother!
BLOOM (Embraces John Howard Parnell.) We thank you from our heart, John, for this right royal welcome to green Erin, the promised land of our common ancestors.
(The freedom of the city is presented to him embodied in a charter. The keys of Dublin, crossed on a crimson cushion, are given to him. He shows all that he is wearing green socks.)
TOM KERNAN You deserve it, your honour.
BLOOM On this day twenty years ago we overcame the hereditary enemy at Ladysmith. Our howitzers and camel swivel guns played on his lines with telling effect. Half a league onward! They charge! All is lost now! Do we yield? No! We drive them headlong! Lo! We charge! Deploying to the left our light horse swept across the heights of Plevna and, uttering their warcry, Bonafide Sabaoth, sabred the Saracen gunners to a man.
THE CHAPEL OF FREEMAN TYPESETTERS Hear! Hear!
JOHN WYSE NOLAN There's the man that got away James Stephens.
A BLUECOAT SCHOOLBOY Bravo!
AN OLD RESIDENT You're a credit to your country, sir, that's what you are.
AN APPLEWOMAN He's a man like Ireland wants.
BLOOM My beloved subjects, a new era is about to dawn. I, Bloom, tell you verily it is even now at hand. Yea, on the word of a Bloom, ye shall ere long enter into the golden city which is to be, the new Bloomusalem in the Nova Hibernia of the future.
(Thirtytwo workmen wearing rosettes, from all the counties of Ireland, under the guidance of Derwan the builder construct the new Bloomusalem. It is a colossal edifice, with crystal roof built in the shape of a huge pork kidney, containing forty thousand rooms. In the course of its extension several buildings and monuments are demolished. Government offices are temporarily transferred to railway sheds. Numerous houses are razed to the ground. The inhabitants are lodged in barrels and boxes, all marked in red with the letters: L. B. Several paupers fall from a ladder. A part of the walls of Dublin, crowded with loyal sightseers, collapses.)
THE SIGHTSEERS (Dying) Morituri te salutant. (They die.)
(A man in a brown macintosh springs up through a trap-door. He points an elongated finger at Bloom.)
THE MAN IN THE MACINTOSH Don't you believe a word he Says. That man is Leopold M'Intosh, the notorious fireraiser. His real name is Higgins.
BLOOM Shoot him! Dog of a christian! So much for M'Intosh!
(A cannonshot. The man in the macintosh disappears. Bloom with his sceptre strikes down poppies. The instantaneous deaths of many powerful enemies, graziers, members of parliament, members of standing committees, are reported. Bloom's bodyguard distribute Maundy money, commemoration medals, loaves and fishes, temperance badges, expensive Henry Clay cigars, free cowbones for soup, rubber preservatives, in sealed envelopes tied with gold thread, butter scotch, pineapple rock, billets doux in the form of cocked hats, readymade suits, porringers of toad in the hole, bottles of Jeyes' Fluid, purchase stamps, 40 days' indulgences, spurious coins, dairyfed pork sausages, theatre passes, season tickets available for all tram lines, coupons of the royal and privileged Hungarian lottery, penny dinner counters, cheap reprints of the World's Twelve Worst Books: Froggy and Fritz (politic), Care of the Baby (infantilic), So Meals for 7/6 (culinic), Was Jesus a Sun Myth? (historic), Expel that Pain (medic), Infant's Compendium of the Universe (cosmic), Let's All Chortle (hilaric), Canvasser's Vade Mecum (journalic), love-letters of Mother Assistant (erotic), Who's Who in Space (astric), Songs that Reached Our Heart (melodic), Pennywise's Way to Wealth (parsimonic). A general rush and scramble. Women press forward to touch the hem of Bloom's robe. The lady Gwendolen Dubedat bursts through the throng, leaps on his horse and kisses him on both cheeks amid great acclamation. A magnesium flashlight photograph is taken. Babes and sucklings are held up.)
THE WOMEN Little father! Little father!
THE BABES AND SUCKLINGS
Clap clap hands till Poldy comes home,
Cakes in his pocket for Leo alone.
(Bloom, bending down, pokes Baby Boardman gently in the stomach.)
BABY BOARDMAN (Hiccups, curdled milk flowing from his mouth.) Hajajaja.
BLOOM (Shaking hands with a blind stripling.) My more than Brother! (Placing his arms round the shoulders of an old couple.) Dear old friends! (He plays pussy fourcorners with ragged boys and girls.) Peep! Bopeep! (He wheels twins in a perambulator.) Ticktacktwo wouldyousetashoe? (He performs juggler's tricks, draws red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet silk handkerchiefs from his mouth.) Roygbiv. 32 feet per second. (He consoles a widow.) Absence makes the heart grow younger. (He dances the Highland fling with grotesque antics.) Leg it, ye devils! (He kisses the bedsores of a palsied veteran.) Honourable wounds! (He trips up a fat policeman.) U.p.: up. U.p.: up. (He whispers in the ear of a blushing waitress and laughs kindly.) Ah, naughty, naughty! (He eats a raw turnip offered him by Maurice Butterly, farmer.) Fine! Splendid! (He refuses to accept three shillings offered him by Joseph Hynes, journalist.) My dear fellow, not at all! (He gives his coat to a beggar.) Please accept. (He takes part in a stomach race with elderly male and female cripples.) Come on, boys! Wriggle it, girls!
THE CITIZEN (Choked with emotion, brushes aside a tear in his emerald muffler.) May the good God bless him!
(The rams' horns sound for silence. The standard of Zion is hoisted.)
BLOOM (Uncloaks impressively, revealing obesity, unrolls a paper and reads solemnly.) Aleph Beth Ghimel Daleth Hagadah Tephilim Kosher Yom Kippur Hanukah Ros chaschana Beni Brith Bar Mitzvah Mazzoth Askenazim Meshuggah Talith.
(An official translation is read by Jimmy Henry, assistant town clerk.)
JIMMY HENRY The Court of Conscience is now open. His Most Catholic Majesty will now administer open air justice. Free medical and legal advice, solution of doubles and other problems. All cordially invited. Given at this our loyal city of Dublin in the year I of the Paradisiacal Era.
PADDY LEONARD What am I to do about my rates and taxes?
BLOOM Pay them, my friend.
PADDY LEONARD Thank you.
NOSEY FLYNN Can I raise a mortgage on my fire insurance?
BLOOM (Obdurately.) Sirs, take notice that by the law of torts you are bound over in your own recognisances for six months in the sum of five pounds.
J.J. O'MOLLY A Daniel did I say? Nay! A Peter O'Brien!
NOSEY FLYNN Where do I draw the five pounds?
PISSER BURKE For bladder trouble?
BLOOM
Acid. nit. hydrochlor dil., 20 minims,
Tinct. mix. vom., 4 minims.
Extr. taraxel. lig., 30 minims.
Aq. dis. ter in die.
CHRIS CALLINAN What is the parallax of the subsolar ecliptic of Aldebaran?
BLOOM Pleased to hear from you, Chris. K. II.
JOE HYNES Why aren't you in uniform?
BLOOM When my progenitor of sainted memory wore the uniform of the Austrian despot in a dank prison where was yours?
BEN DOLLARD Pansies?
BLOOM Embellish (beautify) suburban gardens.
BEN DOLLARD When twins arrive?
BLOOM Father (pater, dad) starts thinking.
LARRY O'ROURKE An eight day licence for my new premises. You remember me, sir Leo, when you were in number seven. I'm sending around a dozen of stout for the missus.
BLOOM (Coldly.) You have the advantage of me. Lady Bloom accepts no presents.
CROFTON This is indeed a festivity.
BLOOM (Solemnly.) You call it a festivity. I call it a sacrament.
ALEXANDER KEYES When will we have our own house of keys?
BLOOM I stand for the reform of municipal morals and the plain ten commandments. New worlds for old. Union of all, jew, moslem and gentile. Three acres and a cow for all children of nature. Saloon motor hearses. Compulsory manual labour for all. All parks open to the public day and night. Electric dishscrubbers. Tuberculosis, lunacy, war and mendicancy must now cease. General amnesty, weekly carnival, with masked licence, bonuses for all, esperanto the universal brotherhood. No more patriotism of barspongers and dropsical impostors. Free money, free love and a free lay church in a free lay state.
O'MADDEN BURKE Free fox in a free henroost.
DAVY BYRNE (Yawning.) Iiiiiiiiiaaaaaaach!
BLOOM Mixed races and mixed marriage.
LENEHAN What about mixed bathing?
(Bloom explains to those near him his schemes for social regeneration. All agree with him. The keeper of the Kildare Street Museum appears, dragging a lorry on which are the shaking statues of several naked goddesses, Venus Callipyge, Venus Pandemos Venus Metempsychosis, and plaster figures, also naked, representing the new nine muses, Commerce, Operatic Music, Amor Publicity, Manufacture, liberty of Speech, Plural Voting, Gastronomy, Private Hygiene, Seaside Concert Entertainments, Painless Obstetrics and Astronomy for the People.)
FATHER FARLEY He is an episcopalian, an agnostic, an any thingarian seeking to overthrow our holy faith.
MRS RIORDAN (Tears up her will.) I'm disappointed in you! You bad man!
MOTHER GROGAN (Removes her boot to throw it at Bloom.) You beast! You abominable person!
NOSEY FLYNN Give us a tune, Bloom. One of the old sweet songs.
BLOOM (With rollicking humour.)
I vowed that I never would leave her,
She turned out a cruel deceiver.
With my tooraloom tooraloom tooralcom tooraloom.
HOPPY HOLOHAN Good old Bloom! There's nobody like him after all.
PADDY LEONARD Stage Irishman!
BLOOM What railway opera is like a tramline in Gibraltar? The Rows of Casteele. (Laughter.)
LENEHAN Plagiarist! Down with Bloom!
THE VEILED SIBYL (Enthusiastically.) I'm a Bloomite and I glory in it. I believe in him in spite of all. I'd give my life for him, the funniest man on earth.
BLOOM (Winks at the bystanders.) I bet she's a bonny lassie.
THEODORE PUREFOY (In fishing cap and oilskin jacket.) He employs a mechanical device to frustrate the sacred ends of nature.
THE VEILED SIBYL (Stabs herself.) My hero god! (She dies.)
(Many most attractive and enthusiastic women also commit suicide by stabbing, drowning, drinking prussic acid, aconite, arsenic, opening their veins, refusing food, casting themselves under steamrollers, from the top of Nelson's Pillar, into the great vat of Guinness's brewery, asphyxiating themselves by placing their heads in gas ovens, hanging themselves in stylish garters, leaping from windows of different storeys.)
ALEXANDER J. DOWIE (Violently.) Fellowchristians and antiBloomites, the man called Bloom is from the roots of hell, a disgrace to christian men. A fiendish libertine from his earliest years this stinking goat of Mendes gave precocious signs of infantile debauchery recalling the cities of the plain, with a dissolute granddam. This vile hypocrite, bronzed with infamy, is the white bull mentioned in the Apocalypse. A worshipper of the Scarlet Woman, intrigue is the very breath of his nostrils. The stake faggots and the caldron of boiling oil are for him. Caliban!
THE MOB Lynch him! Roast him! He's as bad as Parnell was. Mr Fox!

soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 37楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

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(Mother Grogan throws her boot at Bloom. Several shopkeepers from upper and lower Dorset street throw objects of little or no commercial value, hambones, condensed milk tins, unsaleable cabbage, stale bread, sheeps' tails, odd pieces of fat.)
BLOOM (Excitedly.) This is midsummer madness, some ghastly joke again. By heaven, I am guiltless as the unsunned snow! It was my brother Henry. He is my double. He lives in number 2 Dolphin's Barn. Slander, the viper, has wrongfully accused me. Fellowcountrymen, sgenl inn ban bata coisde gan capall. I call on my old friend, Dr Malachi Mulligan, sex specialist to give medical testimony on my behalf.
DR MULLIGAN (In motor jerkin, green motoroggles on his brow.) Dr Bloom is bisexually abnormal. He has recently escaped from Dr Eustace's private asylum for demented gentlemen. Born out of bedlock hereditary epilepsy is present, the consequence of unbridled lust. Traces of elephantiasis have been discovered among his ascendants. There are marked symptoms of chronic exhibitionism. Ambidexterity is also latent. He is prematurely bald from selfabuse, perversely idealistic in consequence, a reformed rake, and has metal teeth. In consequence of a family complex he has temporarily lost his memory and I believe him to be more sinned against than sinning. I have made a pervaginal examination and, after application of the acid test to 5427 anal, axillary, pectoral and pubic hairs, I declare him to be virgo intacta.
(Bloom holds his high grade hat over his genital organs.)
DR MADDEN Hypsospadia is also marked. In the interest of coming generations I suggest that the parts affected should be preserved in spirits of wine in the national teratological museum.
DR CROTTHERS I have examined the patient's urine. It is albuminoid. Salivation is insufficient, the patellar reflex intermittent.
DR PUNCH COSTELLO The fetor judaicus is most perceptible.
DR DIXON (Reads a bill of health.) Professor Bloom is a finished example of the new womanly man. His moral nature is simple and lovable. Many have found him a dear man, a dear person. He is a rather quaint fellow on the whole, coy though not feeble-minded in the medical sense. He has written a really beautiful letter, a poem in itself, to the court missionary of the Reformed Priests' Protection Society which clears up everything. He is practically a total abstainer and I can affirm that he sleeps on a straw litter and eats the most Spartan food, cold dried grocer's peas. He wears a hairshirt winter and summer and scourges himself every Saturday. He was, I understand, at one time a firstclass misdemeanant in Glencree reformatory. Another report states that he was a very posthumous child. I appeal for clemency in the name of the most sacred word our vocal organs have ever been called upon to speak. He is about to have a baby.
(General commotion and compassion. Women faint. A wealthy American makes a street collection for Bloom. Gold and silver coins, bank cheques, banknotes, jewels, treasury bonds, maturing bills of exchange, I.O.U.s, wedding rings' watch-chains, lockets, necklaces and bracelets are rapidly collected.)
BLOOM O, I so want to be a mother.
MRS THORNTON (In nursetender's gown.) Embrace me tight, dear. You'll be soon over it. Tight, dear.
(Bloom embraces her tightly and bears eight male yellow and white children. They appear on a redcarpeted staircase adorned with expensive plants. All are handsome, with valuable metallic faces, wellmade, respectably dressed and wellconducted, speaking five modern languages fluently and interested in various arts and sciences. Each has his name printed in legible letters on his shirtfront: Nasodoro, Goldfinger, Chrysostomos, Maindorée, Silversmile, Silberselber Vifargent, Panargros. They are immediately appointed to positions of high public trust in several different countries as managing directors of banks, traffic managers of railways, chairmen of limited liability companies, vice chairmen of hotel syndicates.)
A VOICE Bloom, are you the Messiah ben Joseph or ben David?
BLOOM (Darkly.) You have said it.
BROTHER BUZZ Then perform a miracle.
BANTAM LYONS Prophesy who will win the Saint Leger.
(Bloom walks on a net, covers his left eye with his left ear, passes through several walls, climbs Nelson's Pillar, hangs from the the ledge by his eyelids, eats twelve dozen oysters (shells included), heals several sufferers from kings evil, contracts his face so as to resemble many historical personages, lord Beaconsfield, lord Byron, Wat Tyler, Moses of Egypt, Moses Maimonides, Moses Mendelssohn, Henry Irving, Rip van Winkle, Rossuth, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Baron Leopold Rothschild, Robinson Crusoe, Sherlock Holmes, Pasteur, turns each foot simultaneously in different directions, bids the tide turn back, eclipses the sun by extending his little finger.)
BRINI, PAPAL NUNCIO (In papal zouave's uniform, steel cuirasses as breastplate, armplates, thighplates, legplates, large profane moustaches and brown paper mitre.) Leopoldi autem generatio. Moses begat Noah and Noah begat Eunuch and Eunuch begat O'Halloran and O'Halloran begat Guggenheim and Guggenheim begat Agendath and Agendath begat Netaim and Netaim begat Le Hirsch and Le Hirsch begat Jesurum and Jesurum begat MacKay and MacKay begat Ostrolopsky and Ostrolopsky begat Smerdoz and Smerdoz begat Weiss and Weiss begat Schwarz and Schwarz begat Adrianopoli and Adrianopoli began Aranjuez and Aranjuez begat Lewy Lawson and Lewy Lawson begat Ichabudonosor and Ichabudonosor begat O'Donnell Magnus and O'Donnell Magnus begat Christbaum and Christbaum begat Ben Maimun and Ben Maimun begat Dusty Rhodes and Dusty Rhodes begat Benamor and Benamor begat Jones-Smith and Jones-Smith begat Savorgnanovich and Savorgnanovich begat Jasperstone and Jasperstone begat Vingtetunieme and Vingtetunieme begat Szombathely and Szombathely begat Virag and Virag begat Bloom et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel.
A DEADHAND (Writes on the wall.) Bloom is a cod. A CRAB (In bush ranger's kit.) What did you do in the cattlecreep behind Kilbarrack?
A FEMALE INFANT (Shakes a rattle.) And under Ballybough bridge?
A HOLLYBUSH And in the devil's glen?
BLOOM (Blushes furiously all over from front to nates, three tears falling from his left eye.) Spare my past.
THE IRISH EVICTED TENANTS (In bodycoats, kneebreeches, with Donnybrook fair shillelaghs.) Sjambok him!
(Bloom with asses' ears seats himself in the pillory with crossed arms, his feet protruding. He whistles Don Giovanni, a cenar teco. Artane orphans, joining hands, caper round him. Girls of the Prison Gate Mission, joining hands, caper round in the opposite direction.)
THE ARTANE ORPHANS
You big, you bog, you dirty dog!
You think the ladies love you!
THE PRISON GATE GIRLS
If you see kay
Tell him he may
See you in tea
Tell him from me.
HORNBLOWER (In ephod and huntingcap, announces.) And he shall carry the sins of the people to Azazel, the spirit which is in the wilderness, and to Lilith, the nighthag. And they shall stone him and defile him, yea, all from Agendath Netaim and from Mizraim, the land of Ham.
(All the people cast soft pantomime stones at Bloom. Many bonafide travellers and ownerless dogs come near him and defile him. Mastiansky and Citron approach in gaberdines, wearing long earlocks. They wag their beards at Bloom.)
MASTIANSKY AND CITRON Belial! Laemlein of Istria! the false Messiah! Abulafia!
(George S. Mesias, Bloom's tailor, appears, a tailor's goose under his arm, presenting a bill.)
MESIAS To alteration one pair trousers eleven shillings.
BLOOM (Rubs his hands cheerfully.) Just like old times. Poor Bloom!
(Reuben J. Dodd, black bearded Iscariot, bad shepherd, bearing on his shoulders the drowned corpse of his son, approaches the pillory.)
REUBEN J. (Whispers hoarsely.) The squeak is out. A split is gone for the flatties. Nip the first rattler.
THE FIRE BRIGADE Pflaap!
BROTHER BUZZ (Invests Bloom in a yellow habit with embroidery of painted flames and high pointed hat. He places a bag of gunpowder round his neck and hands him over to the civil power, saying.) Forgive him his trespasses.
(Lieutenant Myers of the Dublin Fire Brigade by general request sets fire to Bloom. Lamentations.)
THE CITIZEN Thank heaven!
BLOOM (In a seamless garment marked I. H. S. stands upright amid phoenix flames.) Weep not for me, O daughters of Erin.
(He exhibits to Dublin reporters traces of burning. The daughters of Erin, in black garments with lace prayerbooks and long lighted candles in their hands, kneel down and pray.)
THE DAUGHTERS OF ERIN Kidney of Bloom, pray for us. Flower of the Bath, pray for us. Mentor of Menton, pray for us. Canvasser for the Freeman, pray for us. Charitable Mason, pray for us. Wandering Soap, pray for us. Sweets of Sin, pray for us. Music without Words, pray for us. Reprover of the Citizen, pray for us. Friend of all Frillies, pray for us. Midwife Most Merciful, pray for us. Potato Preservative against Plague and Pestilence, pray for us.
(A choir of six hundred voices, conducted by Mr Vincent O'Brien, sings the Alleluia chorus, accompanied on the organ by Joseph Glynn. Bloom becomes mute, shrunken, carbonised.)
ZOE Talk away till you're black in the face.
BLOOM (In caubeen with clay pipe stuck in the band, dusty brogues, an emigrant's red handkerchief bundle in his hand, leading a black bogoak pig by a sugaun, with a smile in his eye.) Let me be going now, woman of the house, for by all the goats in Connemara I'm after having the father and mother of a bating. (With a tear in his eye.) All insanity. Patriotism, sorrow for the dead, music, future of the race. To be or not to be. Life's dream is o'er. End it peacefully. They can live on. (He gazes far away mournfully.) I am ruined. A few pastilles of aconite. The blinds drawn. A letter. Then lie back to rest. (He breathes softly.) No more. I have lived. Fare. Farewell.
ZOE (Stiffly, her finger in her neckfillet.) Honest? Till the next time. (She sneers.) Suppose you got up the wrong side of the bed or came too quick with your best girl. O, I can read your thoughts.
BLOOM (Bitterly.) Man and woman, love, what is it? A cork and bottle.
ZOE (In sudden sulks.) I hate a rotter that's insincere. Give a bleeding whore a chance.
BLOOM (Repentantly.) I am very disagreeable. You are a necessary evil. Where are you from? London?
ZOE (Glibly.) Hog's Norton where the pigs play the organs. I'm Yorkshire born. (She holds his hand which is feeling for her nipple.) I say, Tommy Tittlemouse. Stop that and begin worse. Have you cash for a short time? Ten shillings?
BLOOM (Smiles, nods slowly.) More, houri, more.
ZOE And more's mother? (She pats him offhandedly with velvet paws.) Are you coming into the musicroom to see our new pianola? Come and I'll peel off.
BLOOM (Feeling his occiput dubiously with the unparalleled embarrassment of a harassed pedlar gauging the symmetry of her peeled pears.) Somebody would be dreadfully jealous if she knew. The greeneyed monster. (Earnestly.) You know how difficult it is. I needn't tell you.
ZOE (Flattered.) What the eye can't see the heart can't grieve for. (She pats him.) Come.
BLOOM Laughing witch! The hand that rocks the cradle.
ZOE Babby!
BLOOM (In babylinen and pelisse, bigheaded, with a caul of dark hair, fixes big eyes on her fluid slip and counts its bronze buckles with a chubby finger, his moist tongue tolling and lisping.) One two tlee: tlee tlwo tlone.
THE BUCKLES Love me. Love me not. Love me.
ZOE Silent means consent. (With little parted talons she captures his hand, her forefinger giving to his palm the pass touch of secret monitor, luring him to doom.) Hot hands cold gizzard.
(He hesitates amid scents, music, temptations. She leads him towards the steps, drawing him by the odour of her armpits, the vice of her painted eyes, the rustle of her slip in whose sinuous folds lurks the lion reek of all the male brutes that have possessed her.)
THE MALE BRUTES (Exhaling sulphur of rut and dung and ramping in their loosebox, faintly roaring, their drugged heads swaying to and fro.) Good!
(Zoe and Bloom reach the doorway where two sister whores are seated. They examine him curiously from under their pencilled brows and smile to his hasty bow. He trips awkwardly.)
ZOE (Her lucky hand instantly saving him.) Hoopsa! Don't fall upstairs.
BLOOM The just man falls seven times. (He stands aside at the threshold.) After you is good manners.
ZOE Ladies first, gentlemen after.
(She crosses the threshold. He hesitates. She turns and, holding out her hands, draws him over. He hops. On the an tiered rack of the hall hang a man's hat and waterproof Bloom uncovers himself but, seeing them, frowns, then smiles, preoccupied. A door on the return landing is thrown open. A man in purple shirt and grey trousers, brownsocked, passes with an apes gait, his bald head and goatee beard upheld, hugging a full waterjugjar his twotailed black braces dangling at heels. Averting his face quickly Bloom bends to examine on the halltable the spaniel eyes of a running fox: then, his lifted head sniffing, follows Zoe into the musicroom. A shade of mauve tissuepaper dims the light of the chandelier. Round and round a moth flies, colliding, escaping. The floor is covered with an oilcloth mosaic of jade and azure and cinnabar rhomboids. Footmarks are stamped over it in all senses, heel to heel, heel to hollow, toe to toe, feet locked, a morris of shuffling feet without body phantoms, all in a scrimmage higgledypiggledy. The walls are tapes-tried with a paper of yewfronds and clear glades. In the grate is spread a screen of peacock feathers. Lynch squats crosslegged on the hearth rug of matted hair, his cap back to the front. With a wand he beats time slowly. Kitty Ricketts, a bony pallid whore in navy costume, doeskin gloves rolled back from a coral wristlet, a chain purse in her hand, sits perched on the edge of the table swinging her leg and glancing at herself in the gilt mirror over the mantelpiece. A tag of her corset lace hangs slightly below her jacket. Lynch indicates mockingly the couple at the piano.)
KITTY (Coughs behind her hand.) She's a bit imbecilic. (She signs with a waggling forefinger.) Blemblem. (Lynch lifts up her skirt and white petticoat with the wand. She settles them down quickly.) Respect yourself. (She hiccups, then bends quickly her sailor hat under which her hair glows, red with henna.) O, excuse!
ZOE More limelight, Charley. (She goes to the chandelier and turns the gas full cock.)
KITTY (Peers at the gasjet.) What ails it tonight?
LYNCH (Deeply.) Enter a ghost and hobgoblins.
ZOE Clap on the back for Zoe.
(The wand in Lynch's hand flashes: a brass poker. Stephen stands at the pianola on which sprawl his hat and ashplant. With two fingers he repeats once more the series of empty fifths. Florry Talbot, a blond feeble goosefat whore in a tatterdemalion gown of mildewed strawberry, lolls spreadeagle in the sofa corner, her limp forearm pendent over the bolster, listening. A heavy stye droops over her sleepy eyelid.)
KITTY (Hiccups again with a kick of her horsed foot.) O, excuse!
ZOE (Promptly.) Your boy's thinking of you. Tie a knot on your shift.
(Kitty Ricketts bends her head. Her boa uncoils, slides, glides over her shoulder, back, arm, chair to the ground. Lynch lifts the curled caterpillar on his wand. She snakes her neck, nestling. Stephen glances behind at the squatted figure with its cap back to the front.)
STEPHEN As a matter of fact it is of no importance whether Benedetto Marcello found it or made it. The rite is the poet's rest. It may be an old hymn to Demeter or also illustrate Cla enarrant gloriam Domini. It is susceptible of nodes or modes as far apart as hyperphrygian and mixolydian and of texts so divergent as priests haihooping round David's that is Circe's or what am I saying Ceres' altar and David's tip from the stable to his chief bassoonist about his almightiness. Mais, nom de nom, that is another pair of trousers. Jetez la gourme. Faut que jeunesse se passe. (He stops, points at Lynch's cap, smiles, laughs.) Which side is your knowledge bump?
THE CAP (With saturnine spleen.) Bah! It is because it is. Woman's reason. Jewgreek is greekjew. Extremes meet. Death is the highest form of life. Bah!
STEPHEN You remember fairly accurately all my errors, boasts, mistakes. How long shall I continue to close my eyes to disloyalty? Whetstone!
THE CAP Bah!
STEPHEN Here's another for you. (He frowns.) The reason is because the fundamental and the dominant are separated by the greatest possible interval which .
THE CAP Which? Finish. You can't.
STEPHEN (With on effort.) Interval which. Is the greatest possible ellipse. Consistent with. The ultimate return. The octave. Which.
THE CAP Which? (Outside the gramophone begins to blare The Holy City.)
STEPHEN (Abruptly.) What went forth to the ends of the world to traverse not itself. God, the sun, Shakespeare, a commercial traveller, having itself traversed in reality itself, becomes that self. Wait a moment. Wait a second. Damn that fellow's noise in the street. Self which it itself was ineluctably preconditioned to become. Ecco!
LYNCH (With a mocking whinny of laughter grins at Bloom and Zoe Higgins.) What a learned speech, eh?
ZOE (Briskly.) God help your head, he knows more than you have forgotten.
(With obese stupidity Florry Talbot regards Stephen.)
FLORRY They say the last day is coming this summer.
KITTY No!
ZOE (Explodes in laughter.) Great unjust God!
FLORRY (Offended.) Well, it was in the papers about Anti christ. O, my foot's tickling.
(Ragged barefoot newsboys, jogging a wagtail kite, patterpast, yelling.)
THE NEWSBOYS Stop press edition. Result of the rockinghorse races. Sea serpent in the royal canal. Safe arrival of Antichrist.
(Stephen turns and sees Bloom.)
STEPHEN A time, times and half a time.
(Reuben J. Antichrist, wanderingjew, a clutching hand open on his spine, stumps forward. Across his loins is slung a pilgrims wallet from which protrude promissory notes and dishonoured bills. Aloft over his shoulder he bears a long boatpole from the hook of which the sodden huddled mass of his only son, saved from Liffey waters, hangs from the slack of its breeches. A hobgoblin in the image of Punch Costello, hipshot, crookbacked, hydrocephalic, prognathic with receding forehead and Ally Sloper nose, tumbles in somersaults through the gathering darkness.)
ALL What?
THE HOBGOBLIN (His jaws chattering, capers to and fro, goggling his eyes, squeaking, kangaroohopping, with outstretched clutching arms, then all at once thrusts his lipless face through the fork of his thighs.) Il vient! C'est moi! L'homme qui rit! L'homme primigene! (He whirls round and round with dervish howls.) Sieurs et dames, faites vos jeux! (He crouches juggling. Tiny roulette planets fly from his hands.) Les jeux son! faits! (The planets rush together, uttering crepitant cracks.) Rien n'va plus. (The planets, buoyant balloons, sail swollen up and away. He springs off into vacuum.)
FLORRY (Sinking into torpor, crosses herself secretly.) The end of the world!
(A female tepid effluvium leaks out from her. Nebulous obscurity occupies space. Through the drifting fog without the gramophone blares over coughs and feetshuffling.)
THE GRAMOPHONE Jerusalem! Open your gates and sing Hosanna...
(A rocket rushes up the sky and bursts. A white star falls from it, proclaiming the consummation of all things and second coming of Elijah. Along an infinite invisible tight-rope taut from zenith to nadir the End of the World, a two headed octopus in gillies kilts, busby and tartan filibegs, whirls through the murk, head over heels, in the fob of the Three Lugs of Man.)
THE END OF THE WORLD (With a Scotch accent.) Wha'll dance the keel row, the keel row, the keel row?
(Over the passing drift and choking breathcoughs, Elijah's voice, harsh as a corncrakes, jars on high. Perspiring in a loose lawn surplice with funnel sleeves he is seen, vergefaced above a rostrum about which the banner of old glory is draped. He thumps the parapet.)
ELIJAH No yapping, if you please, in this booth. Jake Crane, Creole Sue, Dave Campbell, Abe Kirschner, do your coughing with your mouths shut. Say, I am operating all this trunk line. Boys, do it now. God's time is 12.25. Tell mother you'll be there. Rush your order and you play a slick ace. Join on right here! Book through to eternity junction, the nonstop run. Just one word more. Are you a god or a doggone clod? If the second advent came to Coney Island are we ready? Florry Christ, Stephen Christ, Zoe Christ, Bloom Christ, Kitty Christ, Lynch Christ, it's up to you to sense that cosmic force. Have we cold feet about the cosmos? No. Be on the side of the angels. Be a prism. You have that something within, the higher self. You can rub shoulders with a Jesus, a Gautama, an Ingersoll. Are you all in this vibration? I say you are. You once nobble that, congregation, and a buck joyride to heaven becomes a back number. You got me? It's a lifebrightener, sure. The hottest stuff ever was. It's the whole pie with jam in. It's just the cutest snappiest line out. It is immense, supersumptuous. It restores. It vibrates. I know and I am some vibrator. Joking apart and getting down to bedrock, A. J. Christ Dowie and the harmonial philosophy, have you got that? O.K. Seventyseven west sixtyninth street. Got me? That's it. You call me up by sunphone any old time. Bumboosers, save your stamps. (He shouts.) Now then our glory song. All join heartily in the singing. Encore! (He sings.) Jeru...
THE GRAMOPHONE (Drowning his voice.) Whorusalaminyour highhohhhh.
(The disc rasps gratingly against the needle.)
THE THREE' WHORES (Covering their ears, squawk.) Ahhkkk!
ELIJAH (In rolledup shirtsleeves, black in the face, shouts at the top of his voice, his arms uplifted.) Big Brother up there, Mr President, you hear what I done just been saying to you. Certainly, I sort of believe strong in you, Mr President. I certainly am thinking now Miss Higgins and Miss Ricketts got religion way inside them. Certainly seems to me I don't never see no wusser scared female than the way you been, Miss Florry, just now as I done seed you. Mr President, you come long and help me save our sisters dear. (He winks at his audience.) Our Mr President, he twig the whole lot and he ain't saying nothing.
KITTY-KATE I forgot myself. In a weak moment I erred and did what I did on Constitution hill. I was confirmed by the bishop. My mother's sister married a Montmorency. It was a working plumber was my ruination when I was pure.
ZOE-FANNY I let him larrup it into me for the fun of it.
FLORRY-TERESA It was in consequence of a portwine beverage on top of Hennessy's three stars I was guilty with Whelan when he slipped into the bed.
STEPHEN In the beginning was the word, in the end the world without end. Blessed be the eight beatitudes.
(The beatitudes, Dixon, Madden, Crotthers, Costello, Lenehan, Bannon, Mulligan and Lynch in white surgical students' gowns, four abreast, goosestepping, tramp fast past in noisy marching.)
THE BEATITUDES (Incoherently.) Beer beef battledog buybull businum barnum buggerum bishop.
LYSTER (In quakergrey kneebreeches and broadbrimmed hat, says discreetly.) He is our friend. I need not mention names. Seek thou the light.
(He corantos by. Best enters in hairdresser attire, shinily laundered, his locks in curlpapers. He leads John Eglinton who wears a mandarin's kimono of Nankeen yellow, lizard-lettered, and a high pagoda hat.)
BEST (Smiling, lifts the hat and displays a shaven poll from the crown of which bristles a pigtail toupee tied with an orange topknot.) I was just beautifying him, don't you know. A thing of beauty, don't you know. Yeats says, or I mean, Keats says. (Produces a greencapped dark lantern and flashes it towards a corner; with carping accent.) Esthetics and cosmetics are for the boudoir. I am out for truth. Plain truth for a plain man. Tanderagee wants the facts and means to get them.
(In the cone of the search light behind the coalscuttle, ollave, holyeyed, the bearded figure of Mananaan MacLir broods, chin on knees. He rises slowly. A cold seawind blows from his druid mantle. About his head writhe eels and elvers. He is encrusted with weeds and shells. His right hand holds a bicycle pump. His left hand grasps a huge crayfish by its two talons.)
MANANAAN MACLIR (With a voice of waves.) Aum! Hek! Wal! Ak! Lub! Mor! Ma! White yoghin of the Gods. Occult pimander of Hermes Trismegistos. (With a voice of whistling seawind.) Punarjanam patsypunjaub! I won't have my leg pulled. It has been said by one: beware the left, the cult of Shakti. (With a cry of stormbirds.) Shakti, Shiva! Dark hidden Father! (He smites with his bicycle pump the crayfish in his left hand. On its co-operative dial glow the twelve signs of the zodiac. He wails with the vehemence of the ocean.) Aum! Baum! Pyjaum! I am the light of the homestead, I am the dreamery creamery butter.
(A skeleton judas hand strangles the light. The green light wanes to mauve. The gasjet wails whistling.)
THE GASJET Pooah! Pfuiiiiii!
(Zoe runs to the chandelier and, crooking her leg, adjusts the mantle.)
ZOE Who has a fag as I'm here?
LYNCH (Tossing a cigarette on to the table.) Here.
ZOE (Her head perched aside in mock pride.) Is that the way to hand the pot to a lady? (She stretches up to light the cigarette over the flame, twirling it slowly, showing the brown tufts of her armpits. Lynch with his poker lifts boldly a side of her slip. Bare from her garters up her flesh appears under the sapphire a nixie's green. She puffs calmly at her cigarette.) Can you see the beauty spot of my behind?
LYNCH I'm not looking.
ZOE (Makes sheep's eyes.) No? You wouldn't do a less thing. Would you suck a lemon?
(Squinting in mock shame she glances with sidelong meaning at Bloom, then twists round towards him, pulling her slip free of the poker. Blue fluid again flows over her flesh. Bloom stands, smiling desirously, twirling his thumbs. Kitty Ricketts licks her middle finger with her spittle and gazing in the mirror, smooths both eyebrows. Lipoti Virag, basilicogrammate, chutes rapidly down through the chimneyflue and struts two steps to the left on gawky pink stilts. He is sausaged into several overcoats and wears a brown macintosh under which he holds a roll of parchment. In his left eye flashes the monocle of Cashel Boyle O'Connor Fitzmaurice Tisdall Farrell. On his head is perched an Egyptian pshent. Two quills project over his ears.)
VIRAG (Heels together bows.) My name is Virag Lipoti, of Szombathely. (He coughs thoughtfully, drily.) Promiscuous nakedness is much in evidence hereabouts, eh? Inadvertently her backview revealed the fact that she is not wearing those rather intimate garments of which you are a particular devotee. The injection mark on the thigh I hope you perceived? Good.
BLOOM Granpapachi. But...
VIRAG Number two on the other hand, she of the cherry rouge and coiffeuse white, whose hair owes not a little to our tribal elixir of gopherwood, is in walking costume and tightly staysed by her sit, I should opine. Backbone in front, so to say. Correct me but I always understood that the act so performed by skittish humans with glimpses of lingerie appealed to you in virtue of its exhibitionististicicity. In a word. Hippogriff. Am I right?
BLOOM She is rather lean.
VIRAG (Not unpleasantly.) Absolutely! Well observed and those pannier pockets of the skirt and slightly pegtop effect are devised to suggest bunchiness of hip. A new purchase at some monster sale for which a gull has been mulcted. Meretricious finery to deceive the eye. Observe the attention to details of dustspecks. Never put on you tomorrow what you can wear today. Parallax! (With a nervous twitch of his head.) Did you hear my brain go snap? Pollysyllabax!
BLOOM (An elbow resting in a hand, a forefinger against his cheek.) She seems sad.
VIRAG (Cynically, his weasel teeth bared yellow, draws down his left eye with a finger and barks hoarsely.) Hoax! Beware of the flapper and bogus mournful. Lily of the alley. All possess bachelor's button discovered by Rualdus Colombus. Tumble her. Columble her. Chameleon. (More genially.) Well then, permit me to draw your attention to item number three. There is plenty of her visible to the naked eye. Observe the mass of oxygenated vegetable matter on her skull. What ho, she bumps! The ugly duckling of the party, longcasted and deep in keel.
BLOOM (Regretfully.) When you come out without your gun.
VIRAG We can do you all brands, mild, medium and strong. Pay your money, take your choice. How happy could you be with either...
BLOOM With?...
VIRAG (His tongue upcurling.) Lyum! Look. Her beam is broad. She is coated with quite a considerable layer of fat. Obviously mammal in weight of bosom you remark that she has in front well to the fore two protuberances of very respectable dimensions, inclined to fall in the noonday soupplate, while on her rere lower down are two additional protuberances, suggestive of potent rectum and tumescent for palpation which leave nothing to be desired save compactness. Such fleshy parts are the product of careful nurture. When coopfattened their livers reach an elephantine size. Pellets of new bread with fennygreek and gumbenjamin swamped down by potions of green tea endow them during their brief existence with natural pincushions of quite colossal blubber. That suits your book, eh? Fleshhotpots of Egypt to hanker after. Wallow in it. Lycopodium. (His throat twitches.) Slapbang! There he goes again.
BLOOM The stye I dislike.
VIRAG (Arches his eyebrows.) Contact with a goldring, they say. Argumentum ad feminam, as we said in old Rome and ancient Greece in the consulship of Diplodocus and Ichthyo saurus. For the rest Eve's sovereign remedy. Not for sale. Hire only. Huguenot. (He twitches.) It is a funny sound.
(He coughs encouragingly.) But possibly it is only a wart. I presume you shall have remembered what I will have taught you on that head? Wheatenmeal with honey and nutmeg.
BLOOM (Reflecting.) Wheatenmeal with lycopodium and syllabax. This searching ordeal. It has been an unusually fatiguing day, a chapter of accidents. Wait. I mean, wartsblood spreads warts, you said .
VIRAG (Severely, his nose hardhumped, his side eye winking.) Stop twirling your thumbs and have a good old thunk. See, you have forgotten. Exercise your mnemotechnic. La causa è santa. Tara. Tara. (Aside.) He will surely remember.
BLOOM Rosemary also did I understand you to say or will power over parasitic tissues. Then nay no I have an inkling. The touch of a deadhand cures. Mnemo?
VIRAG (Excitedly.) I say so. I say so. E'en so. Technic. (He taps his parchmentroll energetically.) This book tells you how to act with all descriptive particulars. Consult index for agitated fear of aconite, melancholy of muriatic, priapic pulsatilla. Virag is going to talk about amputation. Our old friend caustic. They must be starved. Snip off with horsehair under the denned neck. But, to change the venue to the Bulgar and the Basque, have you made up your mind whether you like or dislike women in male habiliments? (With a dry snigger.) You intended to devote an entire year to the study of the religious problem and the summer months of 1882 to square the circle and win that million. Pomegranate! From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step. Pyjamas, let us say? Or stockingette gusseted knickers, closed? Or, put we the case, those complicated combinations, camiknickers? (He crows derisively.) Keekeereekee!
(Bloom surveys uncertainly the three whores, then gazes at the veiled mauve light, hearing the everflying moth.)
BLOOM I wanted then to have now concluded. Nightdress was never. Hence this. But tomorrow is a new day will be. Past was is today. What now is will then tomorrow as now was be past yester.
VIRAG (Prompts into his ear in a pig's whisper.) Insects of the day spend their brief existence in reiterated coition, lured by the smell of the inferiorly pulchritudinous female possessing extendified pudendal verve in dorsal region. Pretty Poll! (His yellow parrotbeak gabbles nasally.) They had a proverb in the Carpathians in or about the year five thousand five hundred and fifty of our era. One tablespoonful of honey will attract friend Bruin more than half a dozen barrels of first choice malt vinegar. Bear's buzz bothers bees. But of this apart. At another time we may resume. We were very pleased, we others. (He coughs and, bending his brow, rubs his nose thoughtfully with a scooping hand.) You shall find that these night insects follow the light. An illusion for remember their complex unadjustable eye. For all these knotty points see the seventeenth book of my Fundamentals of Sexology or the Love Passion which Doctor L. B. says is the book sensation of the year. Some, to example, there are again whose movements are automatic. Perceive. That is his appropriate sun. Nightbird nightsun nighttown. Chase me, Charley! Buzz!
BLOOM Bee or bluebottle too other day butting shadow on wall dazed self then me wandered dazed down shirt good job I...
VIRAG (His face impassive, laughs in a rich feminine key.) Splendid! Spanish fly in his fly or mustard plaster on his dibble. (He gobbles gluttonously with turkey wattles.) Bubbly jock! Bubbly jock! Where are we? Open Sesame! Cometh forth! (He unrolls his parchment rapidly and reads, his glowworm's nose running backwards over the letters which he claws.) Stay, good friend. I bring thee thy answer Redbank oysters will shortly be upon us. I'm the best o'cook. Those succulent bivalves may help us and the truffles of Perigord, tubers dislodged through mister omnivorous porker, were unsurpassed in cases of nervous debility or viragitis. Though they stink yet they sting. (He wags head with cackling raillery.) Jocular. With my eyeglass in my ocular.
BLOOM (Absently.) Ocularly woman's bivalve case is worse. Always open sesame. The cloven sex. Why they fear vermin, creeping things. Yet Eve and the serpent contradict. Not a historical fact. Obvious analogy to my idea. Serpents too are gluttons for woman's milk. Wind their way through miles of omnivorous forest to sucksucculent her breast dry. Like those bubblyjocular Roman matrons one reads of in Elephantuliasis.
VIRAG (His mouth projected in hard wrinkles, eyes stonily forlornly closed, psalms in outlandish monotone.) That the cows with their those distended udders that they have been the known...
BLOOM I am going to scream. I beg your pardon. Ah? So. (He repeats.) Spontaneously to seek out the saurian's lair in order to entrust their teats to his avid suction. Ant milks aphis. (Profoundly.) Instinct rules the world. In life. In death.
VIRAG (Head askew, arches his back and hunched wing- shoulders, peers at the moth out of blear bulged eyes, points a homing claw and cries.) Who's Ger Ger? Who's dear Gerald? O, I much fear he shall be most badly burned. Will some pleashe pershon not now impediment so catastrophics mit agitation of firstclass tablenumpkin? (He mews.) Luss puss puss puss! (He sighs, draws back and stares sideways down with dropping underjaw.) Well, well. He doth rest anon.
I'm a tiny tiny thing
Ever flying in the spring
Round and round a ringaring.
Long ago I was a king,
Now I do this kind of thing
On the wing, on the wing!
Bing!
(He rushes against the mauve shade flapping noisily.) Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty petticoats.
(From left upper entrance with two sliding steps Henry Flower comes forward to left front centre. He wears a dark mantle and drooping plumed sombrero. He carries a silverstringed inlaid dulcimer and a longstemmed bamboo Jacobs pipe, its clay bowl fashioned as a female head. He wears dark velvet hose and silverbuckled pumps. He has the romantic Saviour's face with flowing locks, thin beard and moustache. His spindlelegs and sparrow feet are those of the tenor Mario, prince of Candia. He settles down his goffered ruffs and moistens his lips with a passage of his amorous tongue.)
HENRY (In a low dulcet voice, touching the strings of his guitar.) There is a flower that bloometh.
(Virag truculent, his jowl set, stares at the lamp. Grave Bloom regards Zoe's neck. Henry gallant turns with pendent dewlap to the piano.)
STEPHEN (To himself.) Play with your eyes shut. Imitate pa. Filling my belly with husks of swine. Too much of this. I will arise and go to my. Expect this is the. Steve, thou art in a parlous way. Must visit old Deasy or telegraph. Our interview of this morning has left on me a deep impression. Though our ages. Will write fully tomorrow. I'm partially drunk, by the way. (He touches the keys again.) Minor chord comes now. Yes. Not much however.
(Almidano Artifoni holds out a batonroll of music with vigorous moustachework.)
ARTIFONI Ci rifletta. Lei rovina tutto.
FLORRY Sing us something. Love's old sweet song.
STEPHEN No voice. I am a most finished artist. Lynch, did I show you the letter about the lute?
FLORRY (Smirking.) The bird that can sing and won't sing.
(The Siamese twins, Philip Drunk and Philip Sober two Oxford dons with lawnmowers, appear in the window embrasure. Both are masked with Matthew Arnold's face.)
PHILIP SOBER Take a fool's advice. All is not well. Work it out with the buttend of a pencil, like a good young idiot. Three pounds twelve you got, two notes, one sovereign, two crowns, if youth but knew. Mooney's en ville, Mooney's sur mer, the Moira, Larchet's, Holles street hospital, Burke's. Eh? I am watching you.
PHILIP DRUNK (Impatiently.) Ah, bosh, man. Go to hell! I paid my way. If I could only find out about octaves. Reduplication of personality. Who was it told me his name?
(His lawnmower begins to purr.) Aha, yes. Zoe mou sas agapo. Have a notion I was here before. When was it not Atkinson his card I have somewhere? Mac somebody. Unmack I have it. He told me about, hold on, Swinburne, was it, no?
FLORRY And the song?
STEPHEN Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
FLORRY Are you out of Maynooth? You're like someone I knew once.
STEPHEN Out of it now. (To himself.) Clever.
PHILIP DRUNK AND PHILIP SOBER (Their lawnmowers purring with a rigadoon of grasshalms.) Clever ever. Out of it. Out of it. By the by have you the book, the thing, the ashplant? Yes, there it, yes. Cleverever outofitnow. Keep in condition. Do like us.
ZOE There was a priest down here two nights ago to do his bit of business with his coat buttoned up. You needn't try to hide, I says to him. I know you've a Roman collar.
VIRAG Perfectly logical from his standpoint. Fall of man. (Harshly, his pupils waxing.) To hell with the pope! Nothing new under the sun. I am the Virag who disclosed the sex secrets of monks and maidens. Why I left the Church of Rome. Read the Priest, the Woman and the Confessional. Penrose. Flipperty Jippert. (He wriggles.) Woman, undoing with sweet pudor her belt of rushrope, offers her allmoist yoni to man's lingam. Short time after man presents woman with pieces of jungle meat. Woman shows joy and covers herself with featherskins. Man loves her yoni fiercely with big lingam, the stiff one. (He cries.) Coactus volui. Then giddy woman will run about. Strong man grasps woman's wrist. Woman squeals, bites, spucks. Man, now fierce angry, strikes woman's fat yadgana. (He chases his tail.) Piffpaff! Popo! (He stops, sneezes.) Pchp! (He worries his butt.) Prrrrrht!
LYNCH I hope you gave the good father a penance. Nine glorias for shooting a bishop.
ZOE (Spouts walrus smoke through her nostrils.) He couldn't get a connection. Only, you know, sensation. A dry rush.
BLOOM Poor man!
ZOE (Lightly.) Only for what happened him.
BLOOM How?
VIRAG (A diabolic rictus of black luminosity contracting his visage, cranes his scraggy neck forward. He lifts a mooncalf nozzle and howls.) Verfluchte Goim! He had a father, forty fathers. He never existed. Pig God! He had two left feet. He was Judas Iacchias, a Libyan eunuch, the pope's bastard. (He leans out on tortured forepaws, elbows bent rigid, his eye agonising in his flat skullneck and yelps over the mute world.) A son of a whore. Apocalypse.
KITTY And Mary Shortall that was in the lock with the pox she got from Jimmy Pidgeon in the blue caps had a child off him that couldn't swallow and was smothered with the convulsions in the mattress and we all subscribed for the funeral.
PHILIP DRUNK (Gravely.) Qui vous a mis dans cette fichue position, Philippe?
PHILIP SOBER (Gaily.) C'était le sacré pigeon, Philippe.
(Kitty unpins her hat and sets it down calmly, patting her henna hair. And a prettier, a daintier head of winsome curls was never seen on a whores shoulders. Lynch puts on her hat. She whips it off.)
LYNCH (Laughs.) And to such delights has Metchnikoff inoculated anthropoid apes.
FLORRY (Nods.) Locomotor ataxy.
ZOE (Gaily.) O, my dictionary.
LYNCH Three wise virgins.
VIRAG (Agueshaken, profuse yellow spawn foaming over his bony epileptic lips.) She sold lovephiltres, whitewax, orange flower. Panther, the Roman centurion, polluted her with his genitories. (He sticks out a flickering phosphorescent scorpion tongue, his hand on his fork.) Messiah! He burst her tympanum. (With gibbering baboon's cries he jerks his hips in the cynical spasm.) Hik! Hek! Hak! Hok! Huk! Kok! Kuk!
(Ben Jumbo Dollard, rubicund, musclebound, hairynostrilled, hugebearded, cabbageeared, shaggychested, shockmaned, fatpapped, stands forth, his loins and genitals tightened into a pair of black bathing bagslops.)
BEN POLLARD (Nakkering castanet bones in his huge padded paws, yodels jovially in base barreltone.) When love absorbs my ardent soul.
(The virgins, Nurse Callan and Nurse Quigley, burst through the ringkeepers and the ropes and mob him with open arms.)
THE VIRGINS (Gushingly.) Big Ben! Ben MacChree!
A VOICE Hold that fellow with the bad breeches.
BEN DOLLARD (Smites his thigh in abundant laughter.) Hold him now.
HENRY (Caressing on his breast a severed female head, murmurs.) Thine heart, mine love. (He plucks his lutestrings.) When first I saw.
VIRAG (Sloughing his skins, his multitudinous plumage moulting.) Rats! (He yawns; showing a coalblack throat and closes his jaws by an upward push of his parchment roll.) After having said which I took my departure. Farewell. Fare thee well. Dreck!
(Henry Flower combs his moustache and beard rapidly with a pocketcomb and gives a cows lick to his hair. Steered by his rapier, he glides to the door his wild had slung behind him. Virag reaches the door in two ungainly stilthops, his tail cocked, and deftly claps sideways on the wall a pusyellow flybill, butting it with his head.)
THE FLYBILL K. 11. post no bills. Strictly confidential. Dr Hy Franks.
HENRY All is lost now.
(Virag unscrews his head in a trice and holds it under his arm.)
VIRAG'S HEAD Quack!
(Exeunt severally.)
STEPHEN (Over his shoulder to Zoe.) You would have preferred the fighting parson who founded the protestant error. But beware Antisthenes, the dog sage, and the last end of Anus Heresiarchus. The agony in the closet.
LYNCH All one and the same God to her.
STEPHEN (Devoutly.) And Sovereign Lord of all things.
FLORRY (To Stephen.) I'm sure you are a spoiled priest. Or a monk.
LYNCH He is. A Cardinal's son.
STEPHEN Cardinal sin. Monks of the screw.
(His Eminence, Simon Stephen Cardinal Dedalus, Primate of all Ireland, appears in the doorway, dressed in red soutane, sandals and socks. Seven dwarf simian acolytes, also in red, cardinal sins, uphold his train, peeping under it. He wears a battered silk hat sideways on his head. His thumbs are stuck in his armpits and his palms outspread. Round his neck hangs a rosary of corks ending on his breast in a corkscrew cross. Releasing his thumbs, he invokes grace from on high with lace wave gestures and proclaims with bloated pomp.)
THE CARDINAL
Conservio lies captured.
He lies in the lowest dungeon
With manacles and chains around his limbs
Weighing upwards of three tons.
(He looks at all for a moment, his right eye closed tight, his left cheek puffed out. Then, unable to repress his merriment, he rocks to and fro, ads akimbo, and sings with broad rollicking humour.) O, the poor little fellow Hi-hi-hi-hi-his legs they were yellow He was plump, fat and heavy and brisk as a snake But some bloody savage To graize his white cabbage He murdered Nell Flaherty's duckloving drake.
(A multitude of midges swarms over his robe. He scratches himself with crossed arms at his ribs, grimacing, and exclaims.) I'm suffering the agony of the damned. By the hoky fiddle, thanks be to Jesus those funny little chaps are not unanimous. If they were they'd walk me off the face of the bloody globe.
(His head aslant, he blesses curtly with fore and middle fingers, imparts the Easter kiss and doubleshuffles off comically, swaying his hat from side to side, shrinking quickly to the size of his train bearers. The dwarf acolytes, giggling, peeping, nudging, ogling, Easterkissing, zigzag behind him. His voice is heard mellow from afar, merciful, male, melodious.) Shall carry my heart to thee, Shall carry my heart to thee, And the breath of the balmy night Shall carry my heart to thee.
(The trick doorhandle turns.)
THE DOORHANDLE Theeee.
ZOE The devil is in that door.
(A male form passes down the creaking staircase and is heard taking the waterproof and hat from the rack. Bloom starts forward involuntarily and, half closing the door as he passes, takes the chocolate from his pocket and offers it nervously to Zoe.)
ZOE (Sniffs his hair briskly.) Hum. Thank your mother for the rabbits. I'm very fond of what I like.
BLOOM (Hearing a male voice in talk with the whores on the doorstep, pricks his ears.) If it were he? After? Or because not? Or the double event?
ZOE (Tears open the silverfoil.) Fingers was made before forks. (She breaks off and nibbles a piece, gives a piece to Kitty Ricketts and then turns kittenishly to Lynch.) No objection to French lozenges? (He nods. She taunts him.) Have it now or wait till you get it? (He opens his mouth, his head cocked. She whirls the prize in left circle. His head follows. She whirls it back in right circle. He eyes her.) Catch.
(She tosses a piece. With an adroit snap he catches it and bites it through with a crack.)
KITTY (Chewing.) The engineer I was with at the bazaar does have lovely ones. Full of the best liqueurs. And the viceroy was there with his lady. The gas we had on the Toft's hobbyhorses. I'm giddy still.
BLOOM (In Svengali's fur overcoat, with folded arms and Napoleonic forelock, frowns in ventriloquial exorcism with piercing eagle glance towards the door. Then, rigid, with left foot advanced, he makes a swift pass with impelling fingers and gives the sign of past master, drawing his right arm downwards from his left shoulder.) Go, go, go, I conjure you, whoever you are.
(A male cough and tread are heard passing through the mist outside. Blooms features relax. He places a hand in his waistcoat, posing calmly. Zoe offers him chocolate.)
BLOOM (Solemnly.) Thanks.
ZOE Do as you're bid. Here.
(A firm heelclacking is heard on the stairs.)
BLOOM (Takes the chocolate.) Aphrodisiac? But I thought it. Vanilla calms or? Mnemo. Confused light confuses memory. Red influences lupus. Colours affect women's characters, any they have. This black makes me sad. Eat and be merry for tomorrow. (He eats.) Influence taste too, mauve. But it is so long since I. Seems new. Aphro. That priest. Must come. Better late than never. Try truffles at Andrews.
(The door opens. Bella Cohen, a massive whoremistress enters. She is dressed in a threequarter ivory gown, fringed round the hem with tasselled selvedge, and cools herself flirting a black horn fan like Minnie Hauck in Carmen. On her left hand are wedding and keeper rings. Her eyes are deeply carboned. She has a sprouting moustache. Her olive face is heavy, slightly sweated and fullnosed, with orangetainted nostrils. She has lace pendant beryl eardrops.)
BELLA My word! I'm all of a mucksweat.
(She glances around her at the couples. Then her eyes rest on Bloom with hard insistence. Her lace fan winnows wind towards her heated face, neck and embonpoint. Her falcon eyes glitter.)
THE FAN (Flirting quickly, then slowly.) Married, I see.
BLOOM Yes... Partly, I have mislaid .
THE FAN (Half opening, then closing.) And the missus is master. Petticoat government.
BLOOM (Looks down with a sheepish grin.) That is so.
THE FAN (Folding together, rests against her eardrop.) Have you forgotten me?
BLOOM Yes. No.
THE FAN (Folded akimbo against her waist.) Is me her was you dreamed before? Was then she him you us since knew? Am all them and the same now we? (Bella approaches, gently tapping with the fan.)
BLOOM (Wincing.) Powerful being. In my eyes read that slumber which women love.
THE FAN (Tapping.) We have met. You are mine. It is fate.
BLOOM (Cowed.) Exuberant female. Enormously I desiderate your domination. I am exhausted, abandoned, no more young. I stand, so to speak, with an unposted letter bearing the extra regulation fee before the too late box of the general postoffice of human life. The door and window open at a right angle cause a draught of thirtytwo feet per second according to the law of falling bodies. I have felt this instant a twinge of sciatica in my left glutear muscle. It runs in our family. Poor dear papa, a widower, was a regular barometer from it. He believed in animal heat. A skin of tabby lined his winter waistcoat. Near the end, remembering king David and the Sunamite, he shared his bed with Athos, faithful after death. A dog's spittle, as you probably... (He winces.) Ah!
RICHIE GOULDING (Bagweighted, passes the door.) Mocking is catch. Best value in Dub. Fit for a prince's liver and kidney.
THE FAN (Tapping.) All things end. Be mine. Now.
BLOOM (Undecided.) All now? I should not have parted with my talisman. Rain, exposure at dewfall on the sea rocks, a peccadillo at my time of life. Every phenomenon has a natural cause.
THE FAN (Points downwards slowly.) You may.
BLOOM (Looks downwards and perceives her unfastened bootlace. ) We are observed.
THE FAN (Points downwards quickly.) You must.
BLOOM (With desire, with reluctance.) I can make a true black knot. Learned when I served my time and worked the mail order line for Kellet's. Experienced hand. Every knot says a lot. Let me. In courtesy. I knelt once before today. Ah!
(Bella raises her gown slightly and, steadying her pose, lifts to the edge of a chair a plump buskined hoof and a full pastern, silksocked. Bloom, stifflegged ageing, bends over her hoof and with gentle fingers draws out and in her laces.)
BLOOM (Murmurs lovingly.) To be a shoefitter in Mansfield's was my love's young dream, the darling joys of sweet buttonhooking, to lace up crisscrossed to kneelength the dressy kid footwear satinlined, so incredibly small, of Clyde Road ladies. Even their wax model Raymonde I visited daily to admire her cobweb hose and stick of rhubarb toe, as worn in Paris.
THE HOOF Smell my hot goathide. Feel my royal weight.
BLOOM (Crosslacing.) Too tight?
THE HOOF If you bungle, Handy Andy, I'll kick your football for you.
BLOOM Not to lace the wrong eyelet as I did the night of the bazaar dance. Bad luck. Nook in wrong tache of her... person you mentioned. That night she met... Now!
(He knots the lace. Bella places her foot on the floor. Bloom raises his head. Her heavy face, her eyes strike him in mid-brow. His eyes grow dull, darker and pouched, his nose thickens.)
BLOOM (Mumbles.) Awaiting your further orders, we remain, gentlemen.
BELLO (With a hard basilisk stare, in a baritone voice.) Hound of dishonour!
BLOOM (Infatuated.) Empress!
BELLO (His heavy cheekchops sagging.) Adorer of the adulterous rump!
BLOOM (Plaintively.) Hugeness!
BELLO Dungdevourer!
BLOOM (With sinews semiflexed.) Magnificence.
BELLO Down! (He taps her on the shoulder with his fan.) Incline feet forward! Slide left foot one pace back. You will fall. You are falling. On the hands down!
BLOOM (Her eyes upturned in the sign of admiration, closing.) Truffles!
(With a piercing epileptic cry she sinks on all fours, grunting, snuffling, rooting at his feet, then lies, shamming dead with eyes shut tight, trembling eyelids, bowed upon the ground in the attitude of most excellent master.)
BELLO (With bobbed hair purple gills, fat moustache rings round his shaven mouth, in mountaineer's puttees, green silverbuttoned coat, sport skirt and alpine hat with moor cock's feather, his hands stuck deep in his breeches pockets, places his heel on her neck and grinds it in.) Feel my entire weight. Bow, bondslave, before the throne of your despot's glorious heels, so glistening in their proud erectness.
BLOOM (Enthralled, bleats.) I promise never to disobey.
BELLO (Laughs loudly.) Holy smoke! You little know what's in store for you. I'm the tartar to settle your little lot and break you in! I'll bet Kentucky cocktails all round I shame it out of you, old son. Cheek me, I dare you. If you do tremble in anticipation of heel discipline to be inflicted in gym costume.
(Bloom creeps under the sofa and peers out through the fringe.
ZOE (Widening her slip to screen her.) She's not here.
BLOOM (Closing her eyes.) She's not here.
FLORRY (Hiding her with her gown.) She didn't mean it, Mr Bello. She'll be good, sir.
KITTY Don't be too hard on her, Mr Bello. Sure you won't, ma'amsir.
BELLO (Coaxingly.) Come, ducky dear. I want a word with you, darling, just to administer correction. Just a little heart to heart talk, sweety. (Bloom puts out her timid head.) There's a good girly now. (Bello grabs her hair violently and drags her forward.) I only want to correct you for your own good on a soft safe spot. How's that tender behind? O, ever so gently, pet. Begin to get ready.
BLOOM (Fainting.) Don't tear my.
BELLO (Savagely.) The nosering, the pliers, the bastinado, the hanging hook, the knout I'll make you kiss while the flutes play like the Nubian slave of old. You're in for it this time. I'll make you remember me for the balance of your natural life. (His forehead veins swollen, his face congested.) I shall sit on your ottoman saddleback every morning after my thumping good breakfast of Matterson's fat ham rashers and a bottle of Guinness's porter. (He belches.) And suck my thumping good Stock Exchange cigar while I read the Licensed Victualler's Gazette. Very possibly I shall have you slaughtered and skewered in my stables and enjoy a slice Of you with crisp crackling from the baking tin basted and baked like sucking pig with rice and lemon or currant sauce. It will hurt you.
(He twists her arm. Bloom squeaks, turning turtle.)
BLOOM Don't be cruel, nurse! Don't!
BELLO (Twisting.) Another!
BLOOM (Screams.) O, it's hell itself! Every nerve in my body aches like mad!
BELLO (Shouts.) Good, by the rumping jumping general! That's the best bit of news I heard these six weeks. Here, don't keep me waiting, damn you. (He slaps her face.)
BLOOM (Whimpers.) You're after hitting me. I'll tell...
BELLO Hold him down, girls, till I squat on him.
ZOE Yes. Walk on him! I will.
FLORRY I will. Don't be greedy.
KITTY No, me. Lend him to me.
(The brothel cook, Mrs Keogh, wrinkled, greybearded, in a greasy bib, men's grey and green socks and brogues, flour-smeared, a rollingpin stuck with raw pastry in her bare red arm and hand, appears at the door.)
MRS KEOCH (Ferociously.) Can I help? (They hold and pinion Bloom.)
BELLO (Squats, with a grunt, on Bloom's upturned face, puffing cigar-smoke, nursing a fat leg.) I see Keating Clay is elected chairman of the Richmond Asylum and bytheby Guinness's preference shares are at sixteen three quarters. Curse me for a fool that I didn't buy that lot Craig and Gardner told me about. Just my infernal luck, curse it. And that Goddamned outsider Throwaway at twenty to one. (He quenches his cigar angrily on Bloom's ear.) Where's that Goddamned cursed ashtray?
BLOOM (Goaded, buttocksmothered.) O! O! Monsters! Cruel one!
BELLO Ask for that every ten minutes. Beg, pray for it as you never prayed before. (He thrusts out a figged fist and foul cigar.) Here, kiss that. Both. Kiss. (He throws a leg astride and, pressing with horseman's knees, calls in a hard voice.) Gee up! A cockhorse to Banbury cross. I'll ride him for the Eclipse stakes. (He bends sideways and squeezes his mount's testicles roughly, shouting.) Ho! off we pop! I'll nurse you in proper fashion. (He horserides cockhorse, leaping in the saddle.) The lady goes a pace a pace and the coachman goes a trot a trot and the gentleman goes a gallop a gallop a gallop a gallop.
FLORRY (Pulls at Bello.) Let me on him now. You had enough. I asked before you.
ZOE (Pulling at Florry.) Me. Me. Are you not finished with him yet, suckeress?
BLOOM (Stifling.) Can't.
BELLO Well, I'm not. Wait. (He holds in his breath.) Curse it. Here. This bung's about burst. (He uncorks himself behind: then, contorting his features, farts loudly.) Take that! (He recorks himself) Yes, by Jingo, sixteen three quarters.
BLOOM (A sweat breaking out over him.) Not man. (He sniffs.) Woman.
BELLO (Stands up.) No more blow hot and cold. What you longed for has come to pass. Henceforth you are unmanned and mine in earnest, a thing under the yoke. Now for your punishment frock. You will shed your male garments, you understand, Ruby Cohen? and don the shot silk luxuriously rustling over head and shoulders and quickly too.
BLOOM (Shrinks.) Silk, mistress said! O crinkly! scrapy! Must I tip-touch it with my nails?
BELLO (Points to his whores.) As they are now, so will you be, wigged, singed, perfumesprayed, ricepowdered, with smoothshaven armpits. Tape measurements will be taken next your skin. You will be laced with cruel force into vicelike corsets of soft dove coutille, with whalebone busk, to the diamond trimmed pelvis, the absolute outside edge, while your figure, plumper than when at large, will be restrained in nettight frocks, pretty two ounce petticoats and fringes and things stamped, of course, with my houseflag, creations of lovely lingerie for Alice and nice scent for Alice. Alice will feel the pullpull. Martha and Mary will be a little chilly at first in such delicate thighcasing but the frilly flimsiness of lace round your bare knees will remind you...
BLOOM (A chafing soubrette with dauby cheeks, mustard hair and lace male hands and nose, leering mouth.) I tried her things on only once, a small prank, in Holles street. When we were hardup I washed them to save the laundry bill. My own shirts I turned. It was the purest thrift.
BELLO (Jeers.) Little jobs that make mother pleased, eh! and showed off coquettishly in your domino at the mirror behind close-drawn blinds your unskirted thighs and hegoat's udders, in various poses of surrender, eh? Ho! Ho! I have to laugh! That secondhand black operatop shift and short trunk leg naughties all split up the stitches at her last rape that Mrs Miriam Dandrade sold you from the Shelbourne Hotel, eh?
BLOOM Miriam, Black. Demimondaine.
BELLO (Guffaws.) Christ Almighty, it's too tickling, this! You were a nicelooking Miriam when you clipped off your backgate hairs and lay swooning in the thing across the bed as Mrs Dandrade, about to be violated by Lieutenant Smythe Smythe, Mr Philip Augustus Blockwell, M.P., Signor Laci Daremo, the robust tenor, blueeyed Bert, the liftboy, Henry Fleury of Gordon Bennett fame, Sheridan, the quadroon Cr&Aelig;sus, the varsity wetbob eight from old Trinity, Ponto, her splendid Newfoundland and Bobs, dowager duchess of Manorhamilton. (He guffaws again.) Christ, wouldn't it make a Siamese cat laugh?
BLOOM (Her hands and features working.) It was Gerald converted me to be a true corsetlover when I was female impersonator in the High School play Vice Versa. It was dear Gerald. He got that kink, fascinated by sister's stays. Now dearest Gerald uses pinky greasepaint and gilds his eyelids. Cult of the beautiful.
BELLO (With wicked glee.) Beautiful! Give us a breather! When you took your seat with womanish care, lifting your billowy flounces, on the smoothworn throne.
BLOOM Science. To compare the various joys we each enjoy. (Earnestly.) And really it's better the position... because often I used to wet.
BELLO (Sternly.) No insubordination. The sawdust is there in the corner for you. I gave you strict instructions, didn't I? Do it standing, sir! I'll teach you to behave like a jinkleman! If I catch a trace on your swaddles. Aha! By the ass of the Dorans you'll find I'm a martinet. The sins of your past are rising against you. Many. Hundreds.
THE SINS OF THE PAST (In a medley of voices.) He went through a form of clandestine marriage with at least one woman in the shadow of the Black Church. Unspeakable messages he telephoned mentally to Miss Dunn at an address in d'Olier Street while he presented himself indecently to the instrument in the callbox. By word and deed he encouraged a nocturnal strumpet to deposit fecal and other matter in an unsanitary outhouse attached to empty premises. In five public conveniences he wrote pencilled messages offering his nuptial partner to all strongmembered males. And by the offensively smelling vitriol works did he not pass night after night by loving courting couples to see if and what and how much he could see? Did he not lie in bed, the gross boar, gloating over a nauseous fragment of wellused toilet paper presented to him by a nasty harlot, stimulated by gingerbread and a postal order?
BELLO (Whistles loudly.) Say! What was the most revolting piece of obscenity in all your career of crime? Go the whole hog. Puke it out. Be candid for once.
(Mute inhuman faces throng forward, leering, vanishing, gibbering, Eooloohoom. Poldy Hock, Bootlaces a penny, cassidy's hag, blind stripling, Larry Rhinoceros, the girl, the woman, the whore, the other the... )
BLOOM Don't ask me. Our mutual faith. Pleasants street. I only thought the half of the... I swear on my sacred oath...
BELLO (Peremptorily.) Answer. Repugnant wretch! I insist on knowing. Tell me something to amuse me, smut or a bloody good-ghoststory or a line of poetry, quick, quick, quick! Where? How? What time? With how many? I give you just three seconds. One! Two! Thr... !
BLOOM (Docile, gurgles.) I rererepugnosed in rerererepugnant...
BELLO (Imperiously.) O get out, you skunk! Hold your tongue! Speak when you're spoken to.
BLOOM (Bows.) Master! Mistress! Mantamer!
(He lifts his arms. His bangle bracelets fall.)
BELLO (Satirically.) By day you will souse and bat our smelling underclothes, also when we ladies are unwell, and swab out our latrines with dress pinned up and a dishclout tied to your tail. Won't that be nice? (He places a ruby ring on her finger.) And there now! With this ring I thee own. Say, thank you, mistress.
BLOOM Thank you, mistress.
BELLO You will make the beds, get my tub ready, empty the pisspots in the different rooms, including old Mrs Keogh's the cook's, a sandy one. Ay, and rinse the seven of them well, mind, or lap it up like champagne. Drink me piping hot. Hop! you will dance attendance or I'll lecture you on your misdeeds, Miss Ruby, and spank your bare bot right well, miss, with the hairbrush. You'll be taught the error of your ways. At night your wellcreamed braceleted hands will wear fortythreebutton gloves newpowdered with talc and having delicately scented fingertips. For such favours knights of old laid down their lives. (He chuckles.) My boys will be no end charmed to see you so ladylike, the colonel, above all. When they come here the night before the wedding to fondle my new attraction in gilded heels. First, I'll have a go at you myself. A man I know on the turf named Charles Alberta Marsh (I was in bed with him just now and another gentleman out of the Hanaper and Petty Bag office) is on the lookout for a maid of all work at a short knock. Swell the bust. Smile. Droop shoulders. What offers? (He points.) For that lot trained by owner to fetch and carry, basket in mouth. (He bares his arm and plunges it elbowdeep in Bloom's vulva.) There's fine depth for you! What, boys? That give you a hardon? (He shoves his arm in a bidder's face.) Here, wet the deck and wipe it round!
A BIDDER A florin!
(Dillon's lacquey rings his handbell.)
A VOICE One and eightpence too much.
THE LACQUEY Barang!
CHARLES ALBERTA MARSH Must be virgin. Good breath. Clean.
BELLO (Gives a rap with his gavel.) Two bar. Rockbottom figure and cheap at the price. Fourteen hands high. Touch and examine his points. Handle him. This downy skin, these soft muscles, this tender flesh. If I had only my gold piercer here! And quite easy to milk. Three newlaid gallons a day. A pure stock getter, due to lay within the hour. His sire's milk record was a thousand gallons of whole milk in forty weeks. Whoa, my jewel! Beg up! Whoa! (He brands his initial Con Bloom's croup.) So! Warranted Cohen! What advance on two bob, gentlemen?
A DARKVISAGED MAN (In disguised accent.) Hoondert punt sterlink.
VOICES (Subdued.) For the Caliph Haroun Al Raschid.
BELLO (Gaily.) Right. Let them all come. The scanty, daringly short skirt, riding up at the knee to show a peep of white pantalette, is a potent weapon and transparent stockings, emeraldgartered, with the long straight seam trailing up beyond the knee, appeal to the better instincts of the blasé man about town. Learn the smooth mincing walk on four inch Louis XV heels, the Grecian bend with provoking croup, the thighs fluescent, knees modestly kissing. Bring all your power of fascination to bear on them. Pander to their Gomorrahan vices.
BLOOM (Bends his blushing face into his armpit and simpers with forefinger in mouth.) O, I know what you're hinting at now.
BELLO What else are you good for, an impotent thing like you? (He stoops and, peering, pokes with his fan rudely under the fat suetfolds of Bloom's haunches.) Up! Up! Manx cat! What have we here? Where's your curly teapot gone to or who docked it on you, cockyolly? Sing, birdy, sing. It's as limp as a boy of six's doing his pooly behind a cart. Buy a bucket or sell your pump. (Loudly.) Can you do a man's job?
BLOOM Eccles Street.
BELLO (Sarcastically.) I wouldn't hurt your feelings for the world but there's a man of brawn in possession there. The tables are turned, my gay young fellow! He is something like a fullgrown outdoor man. Well for you, you muff, if you had that weapon with knobs and lumps and warts all over it. He shot his bolt, I can tell you! Foot to foot, knee to knee, belly to belly, bubs to breast! He's no eunuch. A shock of red hair he has sticking out of him behind like a furzebush! Wait for nine months, my lad! Holy ginger, it's kicking and coughing up and down in her guts already! That makes you wild, don't it? Touches the spot? (He spits in contempt.) Spittoon!
BLOOM I was indecently treated, I... inform the police. Hundred pounds. Unmentionable. I.
BELLO Would if you could, lame duck. A downpour we want, not your drizzle.
BLOOM To drive me mad! Moll! I forgot! Forgive! Moll!... We... Still...
BELLO (Ruthlessly.) No, Leopold Bloom, all is changed by woman's will since you slept horizontal in Sleepy Hollow your night of twenty years. Return and see.
(Old Sleepy Hollow calls over the wold.)
SLEEPY HOLLOW Rip Van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle!
BLOOM (In tattered moccasins with a rusty fowlingpiece, tip toeing, fingertipping, his haggard bony bearded face peering through the diamond panes, cries out.) I see her! It's she! The first night at Mat Dillon's! But that dress, the green! And her hair is dyed gold and he.
BELLO (Laughs mockingly.) That's your daughter, you owl, with a Mullingar student.
(Milly Bloom, fairhaired, greenvested, slimsandalled, her bluescab in the seawind simply swirling, breaks from the arms of her lover and calls, her young eyes wonderwide.)
MILLY My! It's Papli! But. O Papli, how old you've grown!
BELLO Changed, eh? Our whatnot, our writing table where we never wrote, Aunt Hegarty's armchair, our classic reprints of old masters. A man and his men friends are living there in clover. The Cuckoos' Rest! Why not? How many women had you, say? Following them up dark streets, flatfoot, exciting them by your smothered grunts. What, you male prostitute? Blameless dames with parcels of groceries. Turn about. Sauce for the goose, my gander, O.
BLOOM They... I
BELLO (Cuttingly.) Their heelmarks will stamp the Brusselette carpet you bought at Wren's auction. In their horseplay with Moll the romp to find the buck flea in her breeches they will deface the little statue you carried home in the rain for art for art's sake. They will violate the secrets of your bottom drawer. Pages will be torn from your handbook of astronomy to make them pipespills. And they will spit in your ten shilling brass fender from Hampton Leedom's.
BLOOM Ten and six. The act of low scoundrels. Let me go. I will return. I will prove...
A VOICE Swear!
(Bloom clenches his fists and crawls forward, a bowie knife between his teeth.)
BELLO As a paying guest or a kept man? Too late. You have made your secondbest bed and others must lie in it. Your epitaph is written. You are down and out and don't you forget it, old bean.
BLOOM Justice! All Ireland versus one! Has nobody... ?
(He bites his thumb.)
BELLO Die and be damned to you if you have any sense of decency or grace about you. I can give you a rare old wine that'll send you skipping to hell and back. Sign a will and leave us any coin you have. If you have none see you damn well get it, steal it, rob it! We'll bury you in our shrubbery jakes where you'll be dead and dirty with old Cuck Cohen, my stepnephew I married, the bloody old gouty procurator and sodomite with a crick in his neck, and my other ten or eleven husbands, what ever the buggers' names were, suffocated in the one cess pool. (He explodes in a loud phlegmy laugh.) We'll manure you, Mr Flower! (He pipes scoffingly.) Byby, Poldy! Byby, Papli!
BLOOM (Clasps his head.) My will power! Memory! I have sinned! I have suff... (He weeps tearlessly.)
BELLO (Sneers.) Crybabby! Crocodile tears!
(Bloom, broken, closely veiled for the sacrifice, sobs, his face to the earth. The passing bell is heard. Darkshawled figures of the circumcised, in sackcloth and ashes, stand by the wailing wall. M. Shulomowitz, Joseph Goldwater Moses Herzog, Harris Rosenberg, M. Moisel, J. Citron, Minnie Watchman, 0. Mastiansky, the Reverend Leopold Abramovitz, Chazen. With swaying arms they wail in pneuma over the recreant Bloom.)
THE CIRCUMCISED (In a dark guttural chant as they cast dead sea fruit upon him, no flowers.) Shema Israel Adonai Elohenu Adonai Echad.
VOICES (Sighing.) So he's gone. Ah, yes. Yes, indeed. Bloom? Never heard of him. No? Queer kind of chap. There's the widow. That so? Ah, yes.
(From the suttee pyre the flame of gum camphire ascends. The pall of incense smoke screens and disperses. Out of her oak frame a nymph with hair unbound, lightly clad in teabrown art colours, descends from her grotto and passing under interlacing yews, stands over Bloom.)
THE YEWS (Their leaves whispering.) Sister. Our sister. Ssh.
THE NYMPH (Softly.) Mortal! (Kindly.) Nay, dost not weepest!
BLOOM (Crawls jellily forward under the boughs, streaked by sunlight, with dignity.) This position. I felt it was expected of me. Force of habit.
THE NYMPH Mortal! You found me in evil company, high kickers, coster picnic makers, pugilists, popular generals, immoral panto boys in flesh tights and the nifty shimmy dancers, La Aurora and Karini, musical act, the hit of the century. I was hidden in cheap pink paper that smelt of rock oil. I was surrounded by the stale smut of clubmen, stories to disturb callow youth, ads for transparencies, truedup dice and bustpads, proprietary articles and why wear a truss with testimonial from ruptured gentleman. Useful hints to the married.
BLOOM (Lifts a turtle head towards her lap.) We have met before. On another star.
THE NYMPH (Sadly.) Rubber goods. Neverrip. Brand as sup plied to the aristocracy. Corsets for men. I cure fits or money refunded. Unsolicited testimonials for Professor Waldmann's wonderful chest exuber. My bust developed four inches in three weeks, reports Mrs Gus Rublin with photo.
BLOOM You mean Photo Bits?
THE NYMPH I do. You bore me away, framed me in oak and tinsel, set me above your marriage couch. Unseen, one summer eve, you kissed me in four places. And with loving pencil you shaded my eyes, my bosom and my shame.
BLOOM (Humbly kisses her long hair.) Your classic curves, beautiful immortal. I was glad to look on you, to praise you, a thing of beauty, almost to pray.
THE NYMPH During dark nights I heard your praise.
BLOOM (Quickly.) Yes, yes. You mean that I... Sleep reveals the worst side of everyone, children perhaps excepted. I know I fell out of my bed or rather was pushed. Steel wine is said to cure snoring. For the rest there is that English invention, pamphlet of which I received some days ago, incorrectly addressed. It claims to afford a noiseless inoffensive vent. (He sighs.) 'Twas ever thus. Frailty, thy name is marriage.
THE NYMPH (Her fingers in her ears.) And words. They are not in my dictionary.
BLOOM You understood them?
THE YEWS Ssh.
THE NYMPH (Covers her face with her hand.) What have I not seen in that chamber? What must my eyes look down on?
BLOOM (Apologetically.) I know. Soiled personal linen, wrong side up with care. The quoits are loose. From Gibraltar by long sea, long ago.
THE NYMPH (Bends her head.) Worse! Worse!
BLOOM (Reflects precautiously.) That antiquated commode. It wasn't her weight. She scaled just eleven stone nine. She put on nine pounds after weaning. It was a crack and want of glue. Eh? And that absurd orangekeyed utensil which has only one handle.
(The sound of a waterfall is heard in bright cascade.)
THE WATERFALL
Poulaphouca Poulaphouca
Poulaphouca Poulaphouca.
THE YEWS (Mingling their boughs.) Listen. Whisper. She is right, our sister. We grew by Poulaphouca waterfall. We gave shade on languorous summer days.
JOHN WYSE NOLAN (In the background, in Irish National For ester's uniform, doffs his plumed hat.) Prosper! Give shade on languorous days, trees of Ireland!
THE YEWS (Murmuring.) Who came to Poulaphouca with the high school excursion? Who left his nutquesting classmates to seek our shade?
BLOOM (Pigeonbreasted, bottleshouldered, padded, in nondescript juvenile grey and black striped suit, too small for him, white tennis shoes, bordered stockings with turnover tops, and a red school cap with badge.) I was in my teens, a growing boy. A little then sufficed, a jolting car, the mingling odours of the ladies' cloakroom and lavatory, the throng penned tight on the old Royal stairs, for they love crushes, instincts of the herd, and the dark sexsmelling theatre unbridles vice. Even a pricelist of their hosiery. And then the heat. There were sunspots that summer. End of school. And tipsycake. Halcyon days.
(Halcyon Days, high school boys in blue and white football jerseys and shorts, Master Donald Turnbull, Master Abraham Chatterton, Master Owen Goldberg, Master Jack Meredith, Master Percy Apjohn, stand in a clearing of the trees and shout to Master Leopold Bloom.)
THE HALCYON DAYS Mackerel! Live us again. Hurray!
(They cheer.)
BLOOM (Hobbledehoy, warmgloved, mammamufflered, stunned with spent snowballs, struggles to rise.) Again! I feel sixteen! What a lark! Let's ring all the bells in Montague Street. (He cheers feebly.) Hurray for the High School!
THE ECHO Fool!
THE YEWS (Rustling.) She is right, our sister. Whisper. (Whispered kisses are heard in all the wood. Faces of hamadryads peep out from the boles and among the leaves and break blossoming into bloom.) Who profaned our silent shade?
THE NYMPH (Coyly through parting fingers.) There! In the open air?
THE YEWS (Sweeping downward.) Sister, yes. And on our virgin sward.
THE WATERFALL
Poulaphouca Poulaphouca
Phoucaphouca Phoucaphouca.
THE NYMPH (With wide fingers.) O! Infamy!
BLOOM I was precocious. Youth. The fauns. I sacrificed to the god of the forest. The flowers that bloom in the spring. It was pairing time. Capillary attraction is a natural phenomenon. Lotty Clarke, flaxenhaired, I saw at her night toilette through ill-closed curtains, with poor papa's operaglasses. The wanton ate grass wildly. She rolled downhill at Rialto Bridge to tempt me with her flow of animal spirits. She climbed their crooked tree and I... A saint couldn't resist it. The demon possessed me. Besides, who saw?
(Staggering Bob, a whitepolled calf thrusts a ruminating head with humid nostrils through the foliage.)
STAGGERING BOB Me. Me see.
BLOOM Simply satisfying a need. (With pathos.) No girl would when I went girling. Too ugly. They wouldn't play.
(High on Ben Howth through rhododendrons a nannygoat passes, plumpuddered, buttytailed, dropping curvants.)
THE NANNYGOAT (Bleats.) Megegaggegg! Nannannanny!
BLOOM (Hatless, flushed, covered with burn of thistledown and gotrepine.) Regularly engaged. Circumstances alter cases. (He gazes intently downwards on the water.) Thirtytwo head over heels per second. Press nightmare. Giddy Elijah. Fall from cliff. Sad end of government printer's clerk. (Through silversilent summer air the dummy of Bloom, rolled in a mummy, rolls rotatingly from the Lion's Head cliff into the purple Waiting waters.)
THE DUMMYMUMMY Bbbbblllllbbblblodschbg?
(Far out in the bay between Bailey and Kish lights the Erin's King sails, sending a broadening plume of coalsmoke from her funnel towards the land.)
COUNCILLOR NANNETI (Alone on deck, in dark alpaca, yellow kitefaced, his hand in his waistcoat opening, declaims.) When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then, and not till then let my epitaph be written. I have...
BLOOM Done. Prff.
THE NYMPH (Loftily.) We immortals, as you saw today, have not such a place and no hair there either. We are stonecold and pure. We eat electric light. (She arches her body in lascivious crispation, placing her forefinger in her mouth.) Spoke to me. Heard from behind. How then could you... ?
BLOOM (Pacing the heather abjectly.) O, I have been a perfect pig. Enemas too I have administered. One third of a pint of quassia, to which add a tablespoonful of rocksalt. Up the fundament. With Hamilton Long's syringe, the ladies' friend.
THE NYMPH In my presence. The powderpuff. (She blushes and makes a knee.) And the rest.
BLOOM (Dejected.) Yes. Peccavi! I have paid homage on that living altar where the back changes name. (With sudden fervour.) For why should the dainty scented jewelled hand, the hand that rules... ?
(Figures wind serpenting in slow woodland pattern around the treestems, cooeeing.)
THE VOICE OF KITTY (In the thicket.) Show us one of them cushions.
THE VOICE OF FLORRY Here.
(A grouse wings clumsily through the underwood.)
THE VOICE OF LYNCH (In the thicket.) Whew! Piping hot!
THE VOICE OF ZOE (From the thicket.) Came from a hot place.
THE VOICE OF VIRAG (A birdchief bluestreaked and feathered in war panoply with his assegai, striding through a crackling canebrake over beechmast and acorns.) Hot! Hot! Ware Sitting Bull!
BLOOM It overpowers me. The warm impress of her warm form. Even to sit where a woman has sat, especially with divaricated thighs, as though to grant the last favours, most especially with previously well uplifted white sateen coatpans. So womanly full. It fills me full.
THE WATERFALL
Phillaphulla Poulaphouca
Poulaphouca Poulaphouca.
THE YEWS Ssh! Sister, speak!
THE NYMPH (Eyeless, in nun's white habit, coif and huge winged wimple, softly, with remote eyes.) Tranquilia convent. Sister Agatha. Mount Carmel, the apparitions of Knock and Lourdes. No more desire. (She reclines her head, sighing.) Only the ethereal. Where dreamy creamy gull waves o'er the waters dull.
(Bloom half rises. His back trousers button snaps.)
THE BUTTON Bip!
(Two sluts of the Coombe dance rainily by, shawled, yelling flatly.)
THE SLUTS
O Leopold lost the pin of his drawers
He didn't know what to do,
To keep it up,
To keep it up.
BLOOM (Coldly.) You have broken the spell. The last straw. If there were only ethereal where would you all be, postulants and novices? Shy but willing, like an ass pissing.
THE YEWS (Their silverfoil of leaves precipitating, their skinny arms ageing and swaying.) Deciduously!
THE NYMPH Sacrilege! To attempt my virtue! (A large moist stain appears on her robe.) Sully my innocence! You are not fit to touch the garment of a pure woman. (She clutches in her robe.) Wait, Satan. You'll sing no more lovesongs. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. (She draws a poniard and, clad in the sheathmail of an elected knight of nine, strikes at his loins.) Nekum!
BLOOM (Starts up, seizes her hand.) Hoy! Nebrakada! Cat of nine lives! Fair play, madam. No pruning knife. The fox and the grapes, is it? What do we lack with your barbed wire? Crucifix not thick enough? (He clutches her veil.) A holy abbot you want or Brophy, the lame gardener, or the spoutless statue of the watercarrier or good Mother Alphonsus, eh Reynard?
THE NYMPH (With a cry, flees from him unveiled, her plaster cast cracking, a cloud of stench escaping from the cracks.) Poli... !
BLOOM (Calls after her.) As if you didn't get it on the double yourselves. No jerks and multiple mucosities all over you. I tried it. Your strength our weakness. What's our stud fee? What will you pay on the nail? You fee men dancers on the Riviera, I read. (The fleeing nymph raises a keen.) Eh! I have sixteen years of black slave labour behind me. And would a jury give me five shillings alimony tomorrow, eh? Fool someone else, not me. (He sniffs.) But. Onions. Stale. Sulphur. Grease.
(The figure of Bella Cohen stands before him.)
BELLA You'll know me the next time.
BLOOM (Composed, regards her.) Passée. Mutton dressed as lamb. Lone in the tooth and superfluous hairs. A raw onion the last thing at night would benefit your complexion. And take some double chin drill. Your eyes are as vapid as the glass eyes of your stuffed fox. They have the dimensions of your other features, that's all. I'm not a triple screw propeller.
BELLA (Contemptuously.) You're not game, in fact. (Her sowcunt barks.) Fohracht!
BLOOM (Contemptuously.) Clean your nailless middle finger first, the cold spunk of your bully is dripping from your cockscomb. Take a handful of hay and wipe yourself.
BELLA I know you, canvasser! Dead cod!
BLOOM I saw him, kipkeeper! Pox and gleet vendor!
BELLA (Turns to the piano.) Which of you was playing the dead march from Saul?
ZOE Me. Mind your cornflowers. (She darts to the piano and bangs chords on it with crossed arms.) The cat's ramble through the slag. (She glances back.) Eh? Who's making love to my sweeties? (She darts back to the table.) What's yours is mine and what's mine is my own.
(Kitty disconcerted coats her teeth with the silver paper. Bloom approaches Zoe.)
BLOOM (Gently.) Give me back that potato, will you? Zoe Forfeits, a fine thing and a superfine thing.
BLOOM (With feeling.) It is nothing, but still a relic of poor mamma.
ZOE
Give a thing and take it back
God'll ask you where is that
You'll say you don't know
God'll send you down below.
BLOOM There is a memory attached to it. I should like to have it.
STEPHEN To have or not to have, that is the question.
ZOE Here. (She hauls up a reef of her slip, revealing her bare thigh and unrolls the potato from the top of her stocking.) Those that hides knows where to find.
BELLA (Frowns.) Here. This isn't a musical peepshow. And don't you smash that piano. Who's paying here?
(She goes to the pianola. Stephen fumbles in his pocket and, taking out a banknote by its corner, hands it to her.)
STEPHEN (With exaggerated politeness.) This silken purse I made out of the sow's ear of the public. Madam, excuse me. If you allow me. (He indicates vaguely Lynch and Bloom.) We are all in the same sweepstake, Kinch and Lynch. Dans ce bordel où tenons nostre état.
LYNCH (Calls from the hearth.) Dedalus! Give her your blessing for me.
STEPHEN (Hands Bella a coin.) Gold. She has it.
BELLA (Looks at the money, then at Zoe, Florry and Kitty.) Do you want three girls? It's ten shillings here.
STEPHEN (Delightedly.) A hundred thousand apologies. (He fumbles again and takes out and hands her two crowns.) Permit, brevi manu, my sight is somewhat troubled.
(Bella goes to the table to count the money while Stephen talks to himself in monosyllables. Zoe bounds over to the table. Kitty leans over Zoe's neck. Lynch gets up, rights his cap and, clasping Kitty's waist, adds his head to the group.)
FLORRY (Strives heavily to rise.) Ow! My foot's asleep. (She limps over to the table. Bloom approaches.)
BELLA, ZOE. KITTY, LYNCH, BLOOM (Chattering and squabbling.) The gentleman... ten shillings... paying for the three allow me a moment... this gentleman pays separate who's touching it?... ow... mind who you're pinching... are you staying the night or a short time? who did?... you're a liar, excuse me... the gentle man paid down like a gentleman... drink... it's long after eleven.
STEPHEN (At the pianola, making a gesture of abhorrence.) No bottles! What, eleven? A riddle.
ZOE (Lifting up her pettigown and folding a half sovereign into the top of her stocking.) Hard earned on the flat of my back.
LYNCH (Lifting Kitty from the table.) Come!
KITTY Wait. (She clutches the two crowns.)
FLORRY And me?
LYNCH Hoopla! (He lifts her carries her and bumps her down on the sofa.)
STEPHEN The fox crew, the cocks flew, The bells in heaven Were striking eleven. 'Tis time for her poor soul To get out of heaven.
BLOOM (Quietly lays a half sovereign on the table between Bella and Florry.) So. Allow me. (He takes up the pound note.) Three times ten. We're square.
BELLA (Admiringly.) You're such a slyboots, old cocky. I could kiss you.
ZOE (Points.) Hum? Deep as a drawwell. (Lynch bends Kitty back over the sofa and kisses her. Bloom goes with the poundnote to Stephen.)
BLOOM This is yours.
STEPHEN How is that? Le distrait or absentminded beggar. (He fumbles again in his pocket and draws out a handful of coins. An object falls.) That fell.
BLOOM (Stooping, picks up and hands a box of matches.) This.
STEPHEN Lucifer. Thanks.
BLOOM (Quietly.) You had better hand over that cash to me to take care of. Why pay more?
STEPHEN (Hands him all his coins.) Be just before you are generous.
BLOOM I will but is it wise? (He counts.) One, seven, eleven, and five. Six. Eleven. I don't answer for what you may have lost.
STEPHEN Why striking eleven? Proparoxyton. Moment before the next Lessing says. Thirsty fox. (He laughs loudly.) Burying his grandmother. Probably he killed her.
BLOOM That is one pound six and eleven. One pound seven, say.
STEPHEN Doesn't matter a rambling damn.
BLOOM No, but...
soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 38楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

英:
15续2:
STEPHEN (Comes to the table.) Cigarette, please. (Lynch tosses a cigarette from the sofa to the table.) And so Georgina Johnson is dead and married. (A cigarette appears on the table. Stephen looks at it.) Wonder. Parlour magic. Married. Hm. (He strikes a match and proceeds to light the cigarette with enigmatic melancholy.)
LYNCH (Watching him.) You would have a better chance of lighting it if you held the match nearer.
STEPHEN (Brings the match nearer his eye.) Lynx eye. Must get glasses. Broke them yesterday. Sixteen years ago. Distance. The eye sees all flat. (He draws the match away. It goes out.) Brain thinks. Near: far. Ineluctable modality of the visible. (He frowns mysteriously.) Hm. Sphinx. The beast that has two backs at midnight. Married.
ZOE It was a commercial traveller married her and took her away with him.
FLORRY (Nods.) Mr Lambe from London.
STEPHEN Lamb of London, who takest away the sins of our world.
LYNCH (Embracing Kitty on the sofa, chants deeply.) Dona nobis pacem. (The cigarette slips from Stephens fingers. Bloom picks it up and throws it into the grate.)
BLOOM Don't smoke. You ought to eat. Cursed dog I met. (To Zoe.) You have nothing?
ZOE Is he hungry?
STEPHEN (Extends his hand to her smiling and chants to the air of the bloodoath in the Dusk of the Gods.)
Hangende Hunger,
Fragende Frau,
Macht uns alle kaput.
ZOE (Tragically.) Hamlet, I am thy father's gimlet! (She takes his hand.) Blue eyed beauty, I'll read your hand. (She points to his forehead.) No wit, no wrinkles. (She counts.) Two, three, Mars, that's courage. (Stephen shakes his head.) No kid.
LYNCH Sheet lightning courage. The youth who could not shiver and shake. (To Zoe.) Who taught you palmistry?
ZOE (Turns.) Ask my ballocks that I haven't got. (To Stephen.) I see it in your face. The eye, like that. (She frowns with lowered head.)
LYNCH (Laughing, slaps Kitty behind twice.) Like that. Pandy bat.
(Twice loudly a pandybat cracks, the coffin of the pianola flies open, the bald little round jack-in-the-box head of Father Dolan springs up.)
FATHER DOLAN Any boy want flogging? Broke his glasses? Lazy idle little schemer. See it in your eye.
(Mild, benign, rectorial, reproving, the head of Don John Conmee rises from the pianola coffin.)
DON JOHN CONMEE Now, Father Dolan! Now. I'm sure that Stephen is a very good little boy.
ZOE (Examining Stephen's palm.) Woman's hand.
STEPHEN (Murmurs.) Continue. Lie. Hold me. Caress. I never could read His handwriting except His criminal thumbprint on the haddock.
ZOE What day were you born?
STEPHEN Thursday. Today.
ZOE Thursday's child has far to go. (She traces lines on his hand.) Line of fate. Influential friends.
FLORRY (Pointing.) Imagination.
ZOE Mount of the moon. You'll meet with a... (She peers at his hands abruptly.) I won't tell you what's not good for you. Or do you want to know?
BLOOM (Detaches her fingers and offers his palm.) More harm than good. Here. Read mine.
BELLA Show. (She turns up Bloom's hand.) I thought so. Knobby knuckles, for the women.
ZOE (Peering at Bloom's palm.) Gridiron. Travels beyond the sea and marry money.
BLOOM Wrong.
ZOE (Quickly.) O, I see. Short little finger. Henpecked husband. That wrong?
(Black Liz, a huge rooster hatching in a chalked circle, rises, stretches her wings and clucks.)
BLACK LIZ Gara. Klook. Klook. Klook.
(She sidles from her newlaid egg and waddles off.)
BLOOM (Points to his hand.) That weal there is an accident. Fell and cut it twenty-two years ago. I was sixteen.
ZOE I see, says the blind man. Tell us news.
STEPHEN See? Moves to one great goal. I am twenty two too. Sixteen years ago I twentytwo tumbled, twentytwo years ago he sixteen fell off his hobbyhorse. (He winces.) Hurt my hand somewhere. Must see a dentist. Money?
(Zoe whispers to Florry. They giggle. Bloom releases his hand and writes idly on the table in backhand, pencilling slow curves.)
FLORRY What?
(A hackneycar number three hundred and twentyfour, with a gallantbuttocked mare, driven by James Barton, Harmony Avenue, Donnybrook, trots past. Blazes Boylan and Lenehan sprawl swaying on the sideseats. The Ormond boots crouches behind on the axle. Sadly over the crossblind Lydia Douce and Mina Kennedy gaze.)
THE BOOTS (Jogging, mocks them with thumb and wriggling wormfingers.) Haw, haw, have you the horn?
(Bronze by gold they whisper.)
ZOE (To Florry.) Whisper.
(They whisper again.)
(Over the well of the car Blazes Boylan leans, his boater straw set sideways, a red flower in his mouth. Lenehan, in a yachtsman's cap and white shoes, officiously detaches a long hair from Blazes Boylan s shoulder.)
LENEHAN Ho! What do I here behold? Were you brushing the cobwebs off a few quims?
BOYLAN (Seated, smiles.) Plucking a turkey.
LENEHAN A good night's work.
BOYLAN (Holding up four thick bluntungulated fingers, winks.) Blazes Kate! Up to sample or your money back. (He holds out a forefinger.) Smell that.
LENEHAN (Smells gleefully.) Ah! Lobster and mayonnaise. Ah!
ZOE AND FLORRY (Laugh together.) Ha ha ha ha.
BOYLAN bumps surely from the car and calls loudly for all to hear. ) Hello, Bloom! Mrs Bloom up yet?
BLOOM (In a flunkey's plum plush coat and kneebreeches, buff stockings and powdered wig.) I'm afraid not, sir, the last articles...
BOYLAN (Tosses him sixpence.) Here, to buy yourself a gin and splash. (He hangs his hat smartly on a peg of Bloom's antlered head.) Show me in. I have a little private business with your wife. You understand?
BLOOM Thank you, sir. Yes, sir, Madam Tweedy is in her bath, sir.
MARION He ought to feel himself highly honoured. (She plops splashing out of the water.) Raoul, darling, come and dry me. I'm in my pelt. Only my new hat and a carriage sponge.
BOYLAN (A merry twinkle in his eye.) Topping!
BELLA What? What is it?
(Zoe whispers to her.)
MARION Let him look, the pishogue! Pimp! And scourge himself! I'll write to a powerful prostitute or Bartholomona, the bearded woman, to raise weals out on him an inch thick and make him bring me back a signed and stamped receipt.
BELLA (Laughing.) Ho ho ho ho.
BOYLAN (To Bloom, over his shoulder.) You can apply your eye to the keyhole and play with yourself while I just go through her a few times.
BLOOM Thank you, sir, I will, sir. May I bring two men chums to witness the deed and take a snapshot? (He holds an ointment jar.) Vaseline, sir? Orangeflower?... Lukewarm water?...
KITTY (From the sofa.) Tell us, Florry. Tell us. What.
(Florry whispers to her. Whispering lovewords murmur lip-lapping loudly, poppysmic plopslop.)
MINA KENNEDY (Her eyes upturned.) O, it must be like the scent of geraniums and lovely peaches! O, he simply idolises every bit of her! Stuck together! Covered with kisses!
LYDIA DOUCE (Her mouth opening.) Yumyum. O, he's carrying her round the room doing it! Ride a cock horse. You could hear them in Paris and New York. Like mouthfuls of strawberries and cream.
KITTY (Laughing.) Hee hee hee.
BOYLAN'S VOICE (Sweetly, hoarsely, in the pit of his stomach.) Ah! Gooblazqruk brukarchkrasht!
MARION'S VOICE (Hoarsely, sweetly rising to her throat.) O! Weeshwashtkissima, pooisthnapoohuck!
BLOOM (His eyes wildly dilated, clasps himself) Show! Hide! Show! Plough her! More! Shoot!
BELLA, ZOE, FLORRY. KITTY Ho ho! Ha ha! Hee hee!
LYNCH (Points.) The mirror up to nature. (He laughs.) Hu hu hu hu hu hu.
(Stephen and Bloom gaze in the mirror. The face of William Shakespeare, beardless, appears there, rigid in facial paralysis, crowned by the reflection of the reindeer antlered hatrack in the hall.)
SHAKESPEARE (In dignified ventriloquy.) 'Tis the loud laugh bespeaks the vacant mind. (To Bloom.) Thou thoughtest as how thou wastest invisible. Gaze. (He crows with a black capon's laugh.) Iagogo! How my Oldfellow chokit his Thursdaymomun. Iagogogo!
BLOOM (Smiles yellowly at the whores.) When will I hear the joke?
ZOE Before you're twice married and once a widower.
BLOOM Lapses are condoned. Even the great Napoleon, when measurements were taken near the skin after his death...
(Mrs Dignam, widow woman, her snubnose and cheeks flushed with deathtalk, tears and Tunny's tawny sherry, hurries by in her weeds, her bonnet awry, rouging and powdering her cheeks, lips and nose, a pen chivvying her brood of cygnets. Beneath her skirt appear her late husband's everyday trousers and turnedup boots, lace eights. She holds a Scottish widow's insurance policy and lace marqueeumbrella under which her brood runs with her, Patsy hopping on one short foot, his collar loose, a hank of porksteaks dangling, Freddy whimpering, Susy with a crying cods mouth, Alice struggling with the baby. She cuffs them on, her streamers flaunting aloft.)
FREDDY Ah, ma, you're dragging me along!
SUSY Mamma, the beeftea is fizzing over!
SHAKESPEARE (With paralytic rage.) Weda seca whokilla farst.
(The face of Martin Cunningham, bearded, refeatures Shakespeares beardless face. The marqueeumbrella sways drunkenly, the children run aside. Under the umbrella appears Mrs Cunningham in Merry Widow hat and kimono gown. She glides sidling and bowing, twisting japanesily.)
MRS CUNNINGHAM (Sings.) And they call me the jewel of Asia.
MARTIN CUNNINGHAM
(Gazes on her impassive.) Immense! Most bloody awful demirep!
STEPHEN Et exaltabuntur cornua iusti. Queens lay with prize bulls. Remember Pasiphae for whose lust my grandoldgross father made the first confessionbox. Forget not Madam Grissel Steevens nor the suine scions of the house of Lambert. And Noah was drunk with wine. And his ark was open.
BELLA None of that here. Come to the wrong shop.
LYNCH Let him alone. He's back from Paris.
ZOE (Runs to Stephen and links him.) O go on! Give us some parleyvoo.
(Stephen claps hat on head and leaps over to the fireplace, where he stands with shrugged shoulders, finny hands outspread, a painted smile on his face.)
LYNCH (Pommelling on the sofa.) Rmm Rmm Rmm Rrr rrrmmmmm.
STEPHEN (Gobbles, with marionette jerks. ) Thousand places of entertainment to expenses your evenings with lovely ladies saling gloves and other things perhaps her heart beerchops perfect fashionable house very eccentric where lots cocottes beautiful dressed much about princesses like are dancing cancan and walking there parisian clowneries extra foolish for bachelors foreigns the same if talking a poor english how much smart they are on things love and sensations voluptuous. Misters very selects for is pleasure must to visit heaven and hell show with mortuary candles and they tears silver which occur every night. Perfectly shocking terrific of religion's things mockery seen in universal world. All chic womans which arrive full of modesty then disrobe and squeal loud to see vampire man debauch nun very fresh young with dessous troublants. (He clocks his tongue loudly.) Ho, la la! Ce pif qu'il a!
LYNCH Vive le vampire!
THE WHORES Bravo! Parleyvoo!
STEPHEN (Grimacing with head back, laughs loudly, clapping himself) Great success of laughing. Angels much prostitutes like and holy apostles big damn ruffians. Demimondaines nicely handsome sparkling of diamonds very amiable cos turned. Or do you are fond better what belongs they moderns pleasure turpitude of old mans? (He points about him with grotesque gestures which Lynch and the whores reply to.) Caoutchouc statue woman reversible or lifesize tompeeptoms virgins nudities very lesbic the kiss five ten times. Enter gentlemen to see in mirrors every positions trapezes all that machine there besides also if desire act awfully bestial butcher's boy pollutes in warm veal liver or omelette on the belly pièce de Shakespeare.
BELLA (Clapping her belly, sinks back on the sofa with a shout of laughter.) An omelette on the... Ho! ho! ho! ho!... Omelette on the...
STEPHEN (Mincingly.) I love you, Sir darling. Speak you englishman tongue for double entente cordiale. O yes, mon loup. How much cost? Waterloo. Watercloset. (He ceases suddenly and holds up a forefinger.)
BELLA (Laughing.) Omelette...
THE WHORES (Laughing.) Encore! Encore!
STEPHEN Mark me. I dreamt of a watermelon.
ZOE Go abroad and love a foreign lady.
LYNCH Across the world for a wife.
FLORRY Dreams go by contraries.
STEPHEN (Extending his arms.) It was here. Street of harlots. In Serpentine Avenue Beelzebub showed me her, a fubsy widow. Where's the red carpet spread?
BLOOM (Approaching Stephen.) Look.
STEPHEN No, I flew. My foes beneath me. And ever shall be. World without end. (He cries.) Pater! Free!
BLOOM I say, look...
STEPHEN Break my spirit, will he? O merde alors! (He cries, his vulture talons sharpened.) Hola! Hillyho!
(Simon Dedalus' voice hilloes in answer, somewhat sleepy but ready.)
SIMON That's all right. (He swoops uncertainly through the air, wheeling, uttering cries of heartening, on strong ponderous buzzard wings.) Ho, boy! Are you going to win? Hoop! Pschatt! Stable with those halfcastes. Wouldn't let them within the bawl of an ass. Head up! Keep our flag flying! An eagle gules volant in a field argent displayed. Ulster king at arms! hai hoop! (He makes the beagle's call giving tongue.) Bulbul! Burblblbrurblbl! Hai, boy!
(The fronds and spaces of the wallpaper file rapidly across country. A stout fox drawn from covert, brush pointed, having buried his grandmother, runs swift for the open, bright-eyed, seeking badger earth, under the leaves. The pack of staghounds follows, nose to the ground, sniffing their quarry, beaglebaying, burblbrblng to be blooded. Ward Union huntsmen and huntswomen live with them, hot for a kill. From Six Mile Point, Flathouse, Nine Mile Stone follow the footpeople with knotty sticks, salmongaffs, lassos, flockmasters with stockwhips, bearbaiters with tomtoms, toreadors with bullswords, grey negroes waving torches. The crowd bowls of dicers, crown and anchor players, thimbleriggers, broadsmen. Crows and touts, hoarse bookies in high wizard hats clamour deafeningly.)
THE CROWD
Card of the races. Racing card!
Ten to one the field!
Tommy on the clay here!
Tommy on the clay!
Ten to one bar one.
Ten to one bar one.
Try your luck on spinning Jenny!
Ten to one bar one!
Sell the monkey, boys!
Sell the monkey!
I'll give ten to one!
Ten to one bar one!
(A dark horse, riderless, bolts like a phantom past the winningpost, his mane moonfoaming, his eyeballs stars. The field follows, a bunch of bucking mounts. Skeleton horses: Sceptre, Maximum the Second, Zinfandel, the Duke of Westminsters Shotover, Repulse, the Duke of Beauforts' Ceylon, prix de Paris. Dwarfs ride them, rusty armoured, leaping, leaping in their saddles. Last in a drizzle of rain, on a broken-winded isabelle nag, Cock of the North, the favourite, honey cap, green jacket, orange sleeves, Garrett Deasy up, gripping the reins, a hockey stick at the ready. His nag, stumbling on whitegaitered feet, jogs along the rocky road.)
THE ORANGE LODGES (Jeering.) Get down and push, mister. Last lap! You'll be home the night!
GARRETT DEASY (Bolt upright, his nailscraped face plastered with postage stamps, brandishes his hockeystick, his blue eyes flashing in the prism of the chandelier as his mount lopes by at a schooling gallop.) Per vias rectas!
(A yoke of buckets leopards all over him and his rearing nag, a torrent of mutton broth with dancing coins of carrots, barley, onions, turnips, potatoes.)
THE GREEN LODGES Soft day, sir John! Soft day, your honour!
(Private Carr, Private Compton and Cissy Caffrey pass beneath the windows, singing in discord.)
STEPHEN Hark! Our friend, noise in the street!
ZOE (Holds up her hand.) Stop!
PRIVATE CARR, PRIVATE COMPTON and CISSY CAFFREY
Yet I've a sort a
Yorkshire relish for...
ZOE That's me. (She claps her hands.) Dance! Dance! (She runs to the pianola.) Who has twopence?
BLOOM Who'll.
LYNCH (Handing her coins.) Here.
STEPHEN (Cracking his fingers impatiently.) Quick! Quick! Where's my augur's rod? (He runs to the piano and takes his ashplant, beating his foot in tripudium.)
ZOE (Turns the drumhandle.) There.
(She drops two pennies in the slot. Glow pink and violet lights start forth. The drum turns purring in low hesitation waltz. Professor Goodwin, in a bowknotted periwig, in court dress, wearing a stained inverness cape, bent in two from incredible age, totters across the room, his hands fluttering. He sits tinily on the piano stool and lifts and beats handless sticks of arms on the keyboard, nodding with damsels grace, his bowknot bobbing.)
ZOE (Twirls around herself heeltapping.) Dance. Anybody here for there? Who'll dance?
(The pianola, with changing lights, plays in waltz time the prelude to My Girl's a Yorkshire Girl. Stephen throws his ashplant on the table and seizes Zoe around the waist. Florry and Bella push the table towards the fireplace. Stephen, aiming Zoe with exaggerated grace, begins to waltz her around the room. Her sleeve, falling from gracing arms, reveals a white fleshflower of vaccination. Bloom stands aside. Between the curtains, Professor Maginni inserts a leg on the toepoint of which spins a silk hat. With a deft kick, he sends it spinning to his crown and jauntyhatted skates in. He wears a slate frockcoat with claret silk lapels, a go-et of cream tulle, a green lowcut waistcoat, stock collar with white kerchief tight lavender trousers, patent pumps and canary gloves. In his buttonhole is a dahlia. He twirls in reversed directions a clouded cane, then wedges it tight in his oxter. He places a hand limply on his breastbone, bows and fondles his flower and buttons.)
MAGINNI The poetry of motion, art of callisthenics. No connection with Madam Legget Byrne's or Levinstone's. Fancy dress balls arranged. Deportment. The Katty Lanner steps. So. Watch me! My terpsichorean abilities. (He minuets forward three paces on tripping bee's feet.) Tout le monde an avant! Révérence! Tout le monde en place!
(The prelude ceases. Professor Goodwin, beating vague arms,shrivels, shrinks, his live cape falling about the stool. The air, in firmer waltz time, pounds. Stephen and Zoe circle freely. The lights change, glow, fade, gold, rose, violet.)
THE PIANOLA Two young fellows were talking about their girls, girls, girls, Sweethearts they'd left behind.
(From a corner the morning hours run out, goldhaired, slim, in girlish blue, waspwaisted, with innocent hands. Nimbly they dance, twirling their skipping ropes. The hours of noon follow in amber gold. Laughing linked, high haircombs flashing, they catch the sun in mocking mirrors, lifting their arms.)
MAGINNI (Clipclaps glovesilent hands.) Carré! Avant deux! Breathe evenly! Balance!
(The morning and noon hours waltz in their places, turning, advancing to each other, shaping their curves, bowing vis a vis. Cavaliers behind them arch and suspend their arms, with hands descending to, touching, rising from their shoulders.)
HOURS You may touch my.
CAVALIERS May I touch your?
HOURS O, but lightly!
CAVALIERS O, so lightly!
THE PIANOLA My little shy little lass has a waist.
(Zoe and Stephen turn boldly with looser swing. The twilight hours advance, from long landshadows, dispersed, lagging, languideyed, their cheeks delicate with cipria and false faint bloom. They are in grey gauze with dark bat sleeves that flutter in the land breeze.)
MAGINNI Avant! huit! Traversé! Salut! Cours de mains! Croisé!
(The eight hours steal to the last place. Morning, noon and twilight hours retreat before them. They are masked, with daggered hair and bracelets of dull bells. Weary, they curchycurchy under veils.)
THE BRACELETS Heigho! Heigho!
ZOE (Twisting, her hand to her brow.) O!
MAGINNI Los tiroirs! Cha?ne de dames! La corbeille! Dos à dos!
(Arabesquing wearily, they weave a pattern on the floor, weaving, unweaving, curtseying, twisting, simply swirling.)
ZOE I'm giddy.
(She frees herself droops on a chair, Stephen seizes Florry and turns with her.)
MAGINNI Boulangère! Los ronds! Los ponts! Chevaux de bois! Escargots!
(Twining, receding, with interchanging hands, the night hours link, each with arching arms, in a mosaic of movements. Stephen and Florry turn cumbrously.)
MAGINNI Dansez avec vos dames! Changes de dames! Donnes le petit bouquet a votre dame! Remerciez!
THE PIANOLA
Best, best of all,
Baraabum!
KITTY (Jumps up.) O, they played that on the hobbyhorses at the Mirus bazaar!
(She runs to Stephen. He leaves Florry brusquely and seizes Kitty. A screaming bit tern's harsh high whistle shrieks. Groangrousegurgling Toft's cumbersome whirligig turns slowly the room right roundabout the room.)
THE PIANOLA My girl's a Yorkshire girl.
ZOE Yorkshire through and through. Come on all!
(She seizes Florry and waltzes her.)
STEPHEN Pas seul!
(He wheels Kitty into Lynch's arm's, snatches up his ashplant from the table and takes the floor. All wheel, whirl, waltz, twirl. Bloombella, Kittylynch, Florryzoe, jujuby women. Stephen with hat ashplant frogsplits in middle highkicks with skykicking mouth shut hand clasp part under thigh, with clang tinkle boomhammer tallyho horn blower blue green yellow flashes. Toft's cumbersome turns with hobbyhorse riders from gilded snakes dangled, bowels fandango leaping spurn soil foot and fall again.)
THE PIANOLA
Though she's a factory lass
And wears no fancy clothes.
(Closeclutched swift swifter with glareblareflare scudding they scotlootshoot lumbering by. Baraabum!)
TUTTI Encore! Bis! Bravo! Encore!
SIMON Think of your mother's people!
STEPHEN Dance of death.
(Bang fresh barang bang of lacquey's bell, horse, nag, steer piglings, Conmee on Christass lame crutch and leg sailor in cockboat armfolded ropepulling hitching stamp hornpipe' through and through, Baraabum! On nags, hogs, bellhorses, Gadarene swine, Corny in coffin. Steel shark stone one handled Nelson, two trickies Frauenzimmer plumstained from pram falling bawling. Gum, he's a champion. Fuseblue peer from barrel rev. evensong love on hackney jaunt Blazes blind coddoubled bicyclers Dilly with snowcake no fancy clothes. Then in last wiswitchback lumbering up and down bump mash tub sort of viceroy and reine relish for tublumber bumpshire rose. Baraabum!)
(The couples fall aside. Stephen whirls giddily. Room whirls back. Eyes closed, he totters. Red rails fly spacewards. Stars all around suns turn roundabout. Bright midges dance on wall. He stops dead.)
STEPHEN Ho!
(Stephen's mother, emaciated, rises stark through the floor in leper grey with a wreath of faded orange blossoms and a torn bridal veil, her face worn and noseless, green with grave mould. Her hair is scant and lank. She fixes her bluecircled hollow eyesockets on Stephen and opens her toothless mouth uttering a silent word. A choir of virgins and confessors sing voicelessly.)
THE CHOIR
Liliata rutilantium te confessorum...
Iubilantium te virginum...
(From the top of a tower Buck Mulligan, in particoloured jester's dress of puce and yellow and clown's cap with curling bell, stands gaping at her, a smoking buttered split scone in his hand.)
BUCK MULLIGAN She's beastly dead. The pity of it! Mulligan meets the afflicted mother. (He upturns his eyes.) Mercurial Malachi.
THE MOTHER (With the subtle smile of death's madness.) I was once the beautiful May Goulding. I am dead.
STEPHEN (Horrorstruck.) Lemur, who are you? What bogey man's trick is this?
BUCK MULLIGAN (Shakes his curling capbell.) The mockery of it! Kinch killed her dogsbody bitchbody. She kicked the bucket. (Tears of molten butter fall from his eyes into the scone.) Our great sweet mother! Epi oinopa ponton.
THE MOTHER (Comes nearer, breathing upon him softly her breath of wetted ashes.) All must go through it, Stephen. More women than men in the world. You too. Time will come.
STEPHEN (Choking with fright, remorse and horror.) They said I killed you, mother. He offended your memory. Cancer did it, not I. Destiny.
THE MOTHER (A green rill of bile trickling from a side of her mouth.) You sang that song to me. Love's bitter mystery.
STEPHEN (Eagerly.) Tell me the word, mother, if you know now. The word known to all men.
THE MOTHER Who saved you the night you jumped into the train at Dalkey with Paddy Lee? Who had pity for you when you were sad among the strangers? Prayer is all powerful. Prayer for the suffering souls in the Ursuline manual, and forty days' indulgence. Repent, Stephen.
STEPHEN The ghoul! Hyena!
THE MOTHER I pray for you in my other world. Get Dilly to make you that boiled rice every night after your brain work. Years and years I loved you, O my son, my firstborn, when you lay in my womb.
ZOE (Fanning herself with the grate fan.) I'm melting!
FLORRY (Points to Stephen) Look! He's white.
BLOOM (Goes to the window to open it more.) Giddy.
THE MOTHER (With smouldering eyes.) Repent! O, the fire of hell!
STEPHEN (Panting.) The corpsechewer! Raw head and bloody bones!
THE MOTHER (Her face drawing near and nearer, sending out an ashen breath.) Beware! (She raises her blackened, withered right arm slowly towards Stephen's breast with outstretched fingers.) Beware! God's hand! (A green crab with malignant red eyes sticks deep its grinning claws in Stephen's heart.)
STEPHEN (Strangled with rage.) Shite! (His features grow drawn and grey and old.)
BLOOM (At the window.) What?
STEPHEN Ah non, par exemple! The intellectual imagination! With me all or not at all. Non serviam!
FLORRY Give him some cold water. Wait. (She rushes out.)
THE MOTHER (Wrings her hands slowly, moaning desperately.) O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on him! Save him from hell, O divine Sacred Heart!
STEPHEN No! No! No! Break my spirit all of you if you can! I'll bring you all to heel!
THE MOTHER (In the agony of her deathrattle.) Have mercy on Stephen, Lord, for my sake! Inexpressible was my anguish when expiring with love, grief and agony on Mount Calvary.
STEPHEN Nothung!
(He hits his ashplant high with both hands and smashes the chandelier. Time's livid final flame leaps and, in the following darkness, ruin of all space, shattered glass and toppling masonry.)
THE GASJET Pwfungg!
BLOOM Stop!
LYNCH (Rushes forward and seizes Stephen's hand.) Here! Hold on! Don't run amok!
BELLA Police!
(Stephen, abandoning his ashplant, his head and arms thrown back stark, beats the ground and flees from the room past the whores at the door.)
BELLA (Screams.) After him!
(The two whores rush to the halldoors. Lynch and Kitty and Zoe stampede from the room. They talk excitedly. Bloom follows, returns.)
THE WHORES (Jammed in the doorway, pointing.) Down there.
ZOE (Pointing.) There. There's something up.
BELLA Who pays for the lamp? (She seizes Bloom's coattail.) There. You were with him. The lamp's broken.
BLOOM (Rushes to the hall, rushes back.) What lamp, woman?
A WHORE He tore his coat.
BELLA (Her eyes hard with anger and cupidity, points.) Who's to pay for that? Ten Shillings. You're a witness.
BLOOM (Snatches up Stephen's ashplant.) Me? Ten shillings? Haven't you lifted enough off him? Didn't he...
BELLA (Loudly.) Here, none of your tall talk. This isn't a brothel. A ten shilling house.
BLOOM (His hand under the lamp, pulls the chain. Pulling, the gasjet lights up a crushed mauve purple shade. He raises the ashplant.) Only the chimney's broken. Here is all he...
BELLA (Shrinks back and screams.) Jesus! Don't!
BLOOM (Warding off a blow.) To show you how he hit the paper. There's not a sixpenceworth of damage done. Ten shillings!
FLORRY (With a glass of water enters.) Where is he?
BELLA Do you want me to call the police?
BLOOM O, I know. Bulldog on the premises. But he's a Trinity student. Patrons of your establishment. Gentlemen that pay the rent. (He makes a masonic sign.) Know what I mean? Nephew of the vice-chancellor. You don't want a scandal.
BELLA (Angrily.) Trinity! Coming down here ragging after the boat races and paying nothing. Are you my commander here? Where is he? I'll charge him. Disgrace him, I will. (She shouts.) Zoe! Zoe!
BLOOM (Urgently.) And if it were your own son in Oxford! (Warningly.) I know.
BELLA (Almost speechless.) Who are you incog?
ZOE (In the doorway.) There's a row on.
BLOOM What? Where? (He throws a shilling on the table and shouts.) That's for the chimney. Where? I need mountain air. (He hurries out through the hall. The whores point. Florry follows, spilling water from her tilted tumbler. On the doorstep all the whores clustered talk volubly, pointing to the right where the fog has cleared off From the left arrives a jingling hackney car. It slows to in front of the house. Bloom at the halldoor perceives Corny Kelleher who is about to dismount from the car with two silent lechers. He averts his face. Bella from within the hall uses on her whores. They blow ickylickysticky yumyum kisses. Corny Kelleher replies with a ghostly lewd smile. The silent lechers turn to pay the jarvey. Zoe and Kitty still point right. Bloom, parting them swiftly, draws his caliph's hood and poncho and hurries down the steps with sideways face. Incog Haroun al Baschid, he flits behind the silent lechers and hastens on by the railings with fleet step of a pard strewing the drag behind him, torn envelopes drenched in aniseed. The ashplant marks his stride. A pack of bloodhounds, led by Hornblower of Trinity brandishing a dogwhip in tallyho cap and an old pair of grey trousers, follows from far, picking up the scent, nearer, baying, panting, at fault, breaking away, throwing their tongues, biting his heels, leaping at his tail. He walks, runs, zigzags, gallops, lugs laid back. He is pelted with gravel, cabbagestumps, biscuitboxes, eggs, potatoes, dead codfish, womans slipperslappers. After him, freshfound, the hue and cry zigzag gallops in hot pursuit of follow my leader: 65 C 66 C night watch, John Henry Menton, Wisdom Hely, V.B. Dillon, Councillor Nannetti, Alexander Keyes, Larry O'Rourke, Joe Cuffe, Mrs O'Dowd Pisser Burke, The Nameless One, Mrs Riordan, The Citizen, Garryowen, Whatdoyoucallhim, Strangeface, Fellowthatslike, Sawhimbefore, Chapwith, Chris Callinan, sir Charles Cameron, Benjamin Dollard, Lenehan, Bartell d'Arcy, Joe Hynes, red Murray, editor Brayden, T.M. Healy, Mr Justice Fitzgibbon, John Howard Parnell, the reverend Tinned Salmon, Professor Joly, Mrs Breen, Denis Breen, Theodore Purefoy, Mina Purefoy, the Westland Row postmistress, C.P. M'Coy, friend of Lyons, Hoppy Holohan, man in the street, other man in the street, Footballboots, pugnosed driver rich protestant lady, Davy Byrne, Mrs Ellen M'Guinness, Mrs Joe Gallaher George Lidwell, Jimmy Henry on corns, Superintendent Laracy, Father Cowley, Crofton out of the Collector Generals, Dan Dawson, dental surgeon Bloom with tweezers, Mrs Bob Doran, Mrs Kennefick, Mrs Wyse Nolan, John Wyse Nolan, handsomemamedwomanrubbed againstwidebehindinClonskeatram, the bookseller of Sweets of Sin, Miss Dubedatandshedidbedad, Mesdames Gerald and Stanislaus Moran of Roebuck, the managing clerk of Drimmies colonel Hayes, Mastiansky, Citron, Penrose, Aaron Figatner, Moses Herzog, Michael E. Geraghty, Inspector Troy, Mrs Galbraith, the constable off Eccles Street corner old doctor Brady with stethoscope, the mystery man on the beach, a retriever Mrs Miriam Dandrade and all her lovers.
THE HUE AND CRY (Helterskelterelterwelter) He's Bloom! Stop Bloom! Stopabloom! Stopperrobber! Hi! Hi! Stop him on the corner!
(At the corner of Beaver Street beneath the scaffolding Bloom panting stops on the fringe of the noisy quarrelling knot, a lot not knowing a jot what hi! hi! row and wrangle round the whowhat brawlaltogether.)
STEPHEN (With elaborate gestures, breathing deeply and slowly.) You are my guests. The uninvited. By virtue of the fifth of George and seventh of Edward. History to blame. Fabled by mothers of memory.
PRIVATE CARR (To Cissy Caffrey.) Was he insulting you?
STEPHEN Addressed her in vocative feminine. Probably neuter. Ungenitive.
VOICES No, he didn't. The girl's telling lies. He was in Mrs Cohen's. What's up? Soldiers and civilians.
CISSY CAFFREY I was in company with the soldiers and they left me to do - you know and the young man ran up behind me. But I'm faithful to the man that's treating me though I'm only a shilling whore.
STEPHEN (Catches sight of Kitty's and Lynch's heads.) Hail, Sisyphus. (He points to himself and the others.) Poetic. Neopoetic.
VOICES She's faithfultheman.
CISSY CAFFREY Yes, to go with him. And me with a soldier friend.
PRIVATE COMPTON He doesn't half want a thick ear, the blighter. Biff him one, Harry.
PRIVATE CARR (To Cissy.) Was he insulting you while me and him was having a piss?
LORD TENNYSON (In Union Jack blazer and cricket flannels, bareheaded, flowingbearded.) Their's not to reason why.
PRIVATE COMPTON Biff him, Harry.
STEPHEN (To Private Compton. ) I don't know your name but you are quite right. Doctor Swift says one man in armour will beat ten men in their shirts. Shirt is synechdoche. Part for the whole.
CISSY CAFFREY (To the crowd.) No, I was with the private.
STEPHEN (Amiably.) Why not? The bold soldier boy. In my opinion every lady for example...
PRIVATE CARR (His cap awry, advancing to Stephen.) Say, how would it be, governor, if I was to bash in your jaw?
STEPHEN (Looks up in the sky.) How? Very unpleasant. Noble art of self-pretence. Personally, I detest action. (He waves his hand) Hand hurts me slightly. Enfin, ce sont vos oignons.
(To Cissy Caffrey.) Some trouble is on here. What is it, precisely?
DOLLY GRAY (From her balcony waves her handkerchief giving the sign of the heroine of Jericho.) Rahab. Cook's son, goodbye. Safe home to Dolly. Dream of the girl you left behind and she will dream of you.
(The soldiers turn their swimming eyes.)
BLOOM (Elbowing through the crowd plucks Stephen's sleeve vigorously.) Come now, professor, that carman is waiting.
STEPHEN (Turns.) Eh? (He disengages himself) Why should I not speak to him or to any human being who walks upright upon this oblate orange? (He points his finger.) I'm not afraid of what I can talk to if I see his eye. Retaining the perpendicular.
(He staggers a pace back.)
BLOOM (Propping him.) Retain your own.
STEPHEN (Laughs emptily.) My centre of gravity is displaced. I have forgotten the trick. Let us sit down somewhere and discuss. Struggle for life is the law of existence but modern philirenists, notably the tsar and the king of England, have invented arbitration. (He taps his brow.) But in here it is I must kill the priest and the king.
BIDDY THE CLAP Did you hear what the professor said? He's a professor out of the college.
CUNTY KATE I did. I heard that.
BIDDY THE CLAP He expresses himself with much marked refinement of phraseology.
CUNTY KATE Indeed, yes. And at the same time with such apposite trenchancy.
PRIVATE CARR (Pulls himself free and comes forward.) What's that you're saying about my king?
(Edward the Seventh appears in an archway. He wears a white jersey on which an image of the Sacred Heart is stitched, with the insignia of Garter and Thistle, Golden Fleece, Elephant of Denmark, Skinners' and Probyns' horse, Lincoln's Inn bencher and ancient and honourable artillery company of Massachusetts. He sucks a red jujube. He is robed as a grand elect perfect and sublime mason with trowel and apron, marked made in Germany. In his left hand he holds a plasterers bucket on which is printed: Défense d'uriner. A roar of welcome greets him.)
EDWARD THE SEVENTH (Slowly, solemnly but indistinctly.) Peace, perfect peace. For identification bucket in my hand. Cheerio, boys. (He turns to his subjects.) We have come here to witness a clean straight fight and we heartily wish both men the best of good luck. Mahak makar a back.
(He shakes hands with Private Carr, Private Compton, Stephen, Bloom and Lynch. General applause. Edward the Seventh lifts the bucket graciously in acknowledgement.)
PRIVATE CARR (To Stephen.) Say it again.
STEPHEN (Nervous, friendly, pulls himself up.) I understand your point of view, though I have no king myself for the moment. This is the age of patent medicine. A discussion is difficult down here. But this is the point. You die for your country, suppose. (He places his arm on Private Carr's sleeve.) Not that I wish it for you. But I say: Let my country die for me. Up to the present it has done so. I don't want it to die. Damn death. Long live life!
EDWARD THE SEVENTH (Levitates over heaps of slain in the garb and with the halo of Joking Jesus, a white jujube in his phosphorescent face.)
My methods are new and are causing surprise.
To make the blind see I throw dust in their eyes.
STEPHEN Kings and unicorns! (He falls back a pace.) Come somewhere and we'll... What was that girl saying?...
PRIVATE COMPTON Eh, Harry, give him a kick in the knackers. Stick one into Jerry.
BLOOM (To the privates, softly.) He doesn't know what he's saying. Taking a little more than is good for him. Absinthe, the greeneyed monster. I know him. He's a gentleman, a poet. It's all right.
STEPHEN (Nods, smiling and laughing.) Gentleman, patriot, scholar and judge of impostors.
PRIVATE CARR I don't give a bugger who he is. PRIVATE COMPTON We don't give a bugger who he is.
STEPHEN I seem to annoy them. Green rag to a bull.
(Kevin Egan of Paris in black Spanish tasselled shirt and peep-o'-day boys hat signs to Stephen.)
KEVIN EGAN H'lo. Bonjour! The vieille ogresse with the dents jaunes.
(Patrice Egan peeps from behind, his rabbit face nibbling a quince leaf.)
PATRICE Socialiste!
DON EMILE PATRIZIO FRANZ RUPERT POPE HENNESSY (In medieval hauberk, two wild geese volant on his helm, with noble indignation points a mailed hand against the privates.) Were those eykes to footboden, big grand porcos of johnyellows todos covered of gravy!
BLOOM (To Stephen.) Come home. You'll get into trouble.
STEPHEN (Swaying.) I don't avoid it. He provokes my intelligence.
BIDDY THE CLAP One immediately observes that he is of patrician lineage.
THE VIRAGO Green above the red, says he. Wolfe Tone.
THE BAWD The red's as good as the green, and better. Up the soldiers! Up King Edward!
A ROUGH (Laughs.) Ay! Hands up to De Wet.
THE CITIZEN (With a huge emerald muffler and shillelagh, calls.)
May the God above
Send down a cove
With teeth as sharp as razors
To slit the throat
Of the English dogs
That hanged our Irish leaders.
THE CROPPY BOY (The rope noose round his neck, gripes in his issuing bowels with both hands.)
I bear no hate to a living thing,
But love my country beyond the king.
RUMBOLD, DEMON BARBER (Accompanied by two blackmasked assistants, advances with a gladstone bag which he opens.) Ladies and gents, cleaver purchased by Mrs Pearcy to slay Mogg. Knife with which Voisin dismembered the wife of a compatriot and hid remains in a sheet in the cellar, the unfortunate female's throat being cut from ear to ear. Phial containing arsenic retrieved from the body of Miss Barrow which sent Seddon to the gallows.
(He jerks the rope, the assistants leap at the victims legs and drag him downward, grunting: the croppy boys tongue protrudes violently.)
THE CROPPY BOY Horhot ho hray ho rhother's hest.
(He gives up the ghost. A violent erection of the hanged sends gouts of sperm spouting through his death clothes on to the cobblestones. Mrs Bellingham, Mrs Yelverton Barry and the Honourable Mrs Mervyn Talboys rush forward with their handkerchiefs to sop it up.)
RUMBOLD I'm near it myself. (He undoes the noose.) Rope which hanged the awful rebel. Ten shillings a time as applied to His Royal Highness. (He plunges his head into the gaping belly of the hanged and draws out his head again clotted with coiled and smoking entrails.) My painful duty has now been done. God save the king!
EDWARD THE SEVENTH (Dances slowly, solemnly, rattling his bucket and sings with soft contentment.)
On coronation day, on coronation day,
O, Won't We have a merry time,
Drinking whisky, beer and wine!
PRIVATE CARR Here. What are you saying about my king?
STEPHEN (Throws up his hands.) O, this is too monotonous! Nothing. He wants my money and my life, though want must be his master, for some brutish empire of his. Money I haven't. (He searches his pockets vaguely.) Gave it to someone.
PRIVATE CARR Who wants your bleeding money?
STEPHEN (Tries to move off.) Will some one tell me where I am least likely to meet these necessary evils? ?a se voit aussi à Paris. Not that I... But by Saint Patrick!...
(The women's heads coalesce. Old Gummy Granny in sugarloaf hat appears seated on a toadstool, the deathflower of the potato blight on her breast.)
STEPHEN Aha! I know you, grammer! Hamlet, revenge! The old sow that eats her farrow!
OLD GUMMY GRANNY (Rocking to and fro.) Ireland's sweetheart, the king of Spain's daughter, alanna. Strangers in my house, bad manners to them! (She keens with banshee woe.) Ochone! Ochone! Silk of the kine! (She wails.) You met with poor old Ireland and how does she stand?
STEPHEN How do I stand you? The hat trick! Where's the third person of the Blessed Trinity? Soggarth Aroon? The reverend Carrion Crow.
CISSY CAFFREY (Shrill.) Stop them from fighting!
A ROUGH Our men retreated.
PRIVATE CARR (Tugging at his belt.) I'll wring the neck of any bugger says a word against my fucking king.
BLOOM (Terrified.) He said nothing. Not a word. A pure misunderstanding.
THE CITIZEN Erin go bragh!
(Major Tweedy and the Citizen exhibit to each other medals, decorations, trophies of war wounds. Both salute with fierce hostility.)
PRIVATE COMPTON Go it, Harry. Do him one in the eye. He's a proboer.
STEPHEN Did I? When?
BLOOM (To the redcoats.) We fought for you in South Africa, Irish missile troops. Isn't that history? Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Honoured by our monarch.
THE NAVVY (Staggering past.) O, yes. O, God, yes! O, make the kwawr a krowawr! O! Bo!
(Casqued halberdiers in armour thrust forward a pentice of gutted spear points. Major Tweedy, moustached like Turko the terrible, in bearskin cap with hackle plume and accoutrements, with epaulette, gilt chevrons and sabretache, his breast bright with medals, toes the line. He gives the pilgrim warrior's sign of the knights templars.)
MAJOR TWEEDY (Growls gruffly.) Rorke's Drift! Up, guards, and at them! Mahal shalal hashbaz.
PRIVATE CARR I'll do him in.
PRIVATE COMPTON (Waves the crowd back.) Fair play, here. Make a bleeding butcher's shop of the bugger.
(Massed bands blare Garryowen and God save the king.)
CISSY CAFFREY They're going to fight. For me!
CUNTY KATE The brave and the fair.
BIDDY THE CLAP Methinks yon sable knight will joust it with the best.
CUNTY KATE (Blushing deeply.) Nay, Madam. The gules doublet and merry Saint George for me!
STEPHEN The harlot's cry from street to street Shall weave old Ireland's windingsheet.
PRIVATE CARR (Loosening his belt, shouts.) I'll wring the neck of any fucking bastard says a word against my bleeding fucking king.
BLOOM (Shakes Cissy Caffrey's shoulders.) Speak, you! Are you struck dumb? You are the link between nations and generations. Speak, woman, sacred lifegiver.
CISSY CAFFREY (Alarmed seizes Private Carr's sleeve.) Amn't I with you? Amn't I your girl? Cissy's your girl. (She cries.) Police!
STEPHEN (Ecstatically, to Cissy Caffrey.)
White thy fambles, red thy gan
And thy quarrons dainty is.
VOICES Police!
DISTANT VOICES Dublin's burning! Dublin's burning! On fire, on fire!
(Brimstone fires spring up. Dense clouds roll past. Heavy Gatling guns boom. Pandemonium. Troops deploy. Gallop of hoofs. Artillery. Hoarse commands. Bells clang. Backers shout. Drunkards bawl. Whores screech. Foghorns hoot. Cries of valour. Shrieks of dying. Pikes clash on cuirasses. Thieves rob the slain. Birds of prey, winging from the sea, rising from marsh lands, swooping from eyries, hover screaming, gannets, connorants, vultures, goshawks, climbing woodcocks, peregrines, merlin, blackgrouse, sea eagles, gulls, albatrosses, barnacle geese. The midnight sun is darkened. The earth trembles. The dead of Dublin from Prospect and Mount Jerome in white sheepskin overcoats and black goat-fell cloaks arise and appear to many. A chasm opens with a noiseless yawn. Tom Rochford, winner in athletes singlet and breeches, arrives at the head of the national hurdle handicap and leaps into the void. He is followed by a race of runners and leapers. In wild attitudes they spring from the brink. Their bodies plunge. Factory lasses with fancy clothes toss redhot Yorkshire baraabombs. Society ladies lift their skirts above their heads to protect themselves. laughing witches in red cutty sarks ride through the air on broomsticks. Quakerlyster plasters blisters. It rains dragon's teeth. Armed heroes spring up from furrows. They exchange in amity the pass of knights of the red cross and fight duels with cavalry sabres: Wolfe Tone against Henry Grattan, Smith O'Brien against Daniel O'Connell, Michael Davitt against Isaac Butt, Justin M'Carthy against Parnell, Arthur Griffith against John Redmond John O'Leary against liar O'Johnny, lord Edward Fitzgerald against lord Gerald Fitzedward, The O'Donoghue of the Glens against The Glens of The Donoghue. On an eminence, the centre of the earth, rises the field altar of Saint Barbara. Black candles rise from its gospel and epistle horns. From the high barbicans of the tower two shafts of light fall on the smokepalled altarstone. On the altarstone Mrs Mina Purefoy, goddess of unreason, lies naked, fettered, a chalice resting on her swollen belly. Father Malachi O'Flynn, in a long petticoat and reversed chasuble, his two left feet back to the front, celebrates camp mash. The Reverend Mr Hugh C. Haines love MA. in a plain cassock and mortar board, his head and collar back to the front, holds over the celebrants head an open umbrella.)
FATHER MALACHI O'FLYNN Introibo ad altare diaboli.
THE REVEREND MR HAINES LOVE To the devil which hath made glad my young days.
FATHER MALACHI O'FLYNN (Takes from the chalice and elevates a blooddripping host.) Corpus Meum.
THE REVEREND MR HAINES LOVE (Raises high behind the celebrant's petticoats, revealing his grey bare hairy buttocks between which a carrot is stuck.) My body.
THE VOICE OF ALL THE DAMNED Htengier Tnetopinmo Dog Drol eht rot, Aiulella!
(From on high the voice of Adonai calls.)
ADONAI Dooooooooooog!
THE VOICE OF ALL THE BLESSED Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!
(From on high the voice of Adonai calls.)
ADONAI Goooooooooood!
(In strident discord peasants and townsmen of mange and Green factions sing Kick the Pope and Daily, daily sing to Mary.)
PRIVATE CARR (With ferocious articulation.) I'll do him in, so help me fucking Christ! I'll wring the bastard fucker's bleeding blasted fucking windpipe!
OLD GUMMY GRANNY (Thrusts a dagger towards Stephen's hand.) Remove him, acushla. At 8.35 a.m. you will be in heaven and Ireland will be free. (She prays.) O good God, take him!
BLOOM (Runs to Lynch.) Can't you get him away?
LYNCH He likes dialectic, the universal language. Kitty! (To Bloom.) Get him away, you. He won't listen to me. (He drags Kitty away.)
STEPHEN (Points.) Exit Judas. Et laqueo se suspendit.
BLOOM (Runs to Stephen.) Come along with me now before worse happens. Here's your stick.
STEPHEN Stick, no. Reason. This feast of pure reason.
CISSY CAFFREY (Pulling Private Carr.) Come on, you're boosed. He insulted me but I forgive him. (Shouting in his ear.) I forgive him for insulting me.
BLOOM (Over Stephen's shoulder.) Yes, go. You see he's incapable.
PRIVATE CARR (Breaks loose.) I'll insult him.
(He rushes towards Stephen, fists outstretched, and strikes him in the face. Stephen totters, collapses, falls stunned. He lies prone, his face to the sky, his hat rolling to the wall. Bloom follows and picks it up.)
MAJOR TWEEDY (Loudly.) Carbine in bucket! cease fire! Salute!
THE RETRIEVER (Barking furiously.) Ute ute ute ute ute ute uteute.
THE CROWD Let him up! Don't strike him when he's down! Air! Who? The soldier hit him. He's a professor. Is he hurted? Don't manhandle him! He's fainted!
(The retriever, nosing on the fringe of the crowd, barks noisily.)
What call had the redcoat to strike the gentleman and he under the influence? Let them go and fight the Boers!
THE BAWD Listen to who's talking! Hasn't the soldier a right to go with his girl? He gave him the coward's blow.
(They grab at each other's hair, claw at each other and spit.)
THE RETRIEVER (Barking.) Wow wow wow.
BLOOM (Shoves them back, loudly.) Get back, stand back!
PRIVATE COMPTON (Tugging his comrade.) Here bugger off, Harry. There's the cops!
(Two raincaped watch, tall, stand in the group)
FIRST WATCH What's wrong here?
PRIVATE COMPTON We were with this lady and he insulted us and assaulted my chum. (The retriever barks.) Who owns the bleeding tyke?
CISSY CAFFREY (With expectation.) Is he bleeding?
A MAN (Rising from his knees.) No. Gone off. He'll come to all right.
BLOOM (Glances sharply at the man.) Leave him to me. I can easily...
SECOND WATCH Who are you? Do you know him?
PRIVATE CARR (Lurches towards the watch.) He insulted my lady friend.
BLOOM (Angrily.) You hit him without provocation. I'm a witness. Constable, take his regimental number.
SECOND WATCH I don't want your instructions in the discharge of my duty. PRIVATE COMPTON (Pulling his comrade.) Here, bugger off, Harry. Or Bennett'll have you in the lockup.
PRIVATE CARR (Staggering as he is pulled away.) God fuck old Bennett! He's a whitearsed bugger. I don't give a shit for him.
FIRST WATCH (Taking out his notebook.) What's his name?
BLOOM (Peering over the crowd.) I just see a car there. If you give me a hand a second, sergeant.
FIRST WATCH Name and address.
(Corny Kelleher weepers round his hat, a death wreath in his hand, appears among the bystanders.)
BLOOM (Quickly.) O, the very man! (He whispers.) Simon Dedalus' son. A bit sprung. Get those policemen to move those loafers back.
SECOND WATCH Night, Mr Kelleher.
CORNY KELLEHER (To the watch, with drawling eye.) That's all right. I know him. Won a bit on the races. Gold cup. Throwaway. (He laughs.) Twenty to one. Do you follow me?
FIRST WATCH (Turns to the crowd.) Here, what are you all gaping at? Move on out of that.
(The crowd disperses slowly, muttering, down the lane.)
CORNY KELLEHER Leave it to me, sergeant. That'll be all right. (He laughs, shaking his head.) We were often as bad ourselves, ay or worse. What? Eh, what?
FIRST WATCH (Laughs.) I suppose so.
CORNY KELLEHER (Nudges the second watch.) Come and wipe your name off the slate. (He lilts, wagging his head.) With my tooraloom tooraloom tooraloom tooraloom. What, eh, do you follow me?
SECOND WATCH (Genially.) Ah, sure we were too.
CORNY KELLEHER (Winking.) Boys will be boys. I've a car round there.
SECOND WATCH All right, Mr Kelleher. Good night.
CORNY KELLEHER I'll see to that.
BLOOM (Shakes hands with both of the watch in turn.) Thank you very much gentlemen, thank you. (He mumbles confidentially.) We don't want any scandal, you understand. Father is a well known, highly respected citizen. Just a little wild oats, you understand.
FIRST WATCH O, I understand, sir.
SECOND WATCH That's all right, Sir.
FIRST WATCH It was only in case of corporal injuries I'd have had to report it at the station.
BLOOM (Nods rapidly.) Naturally. Quite right. Only your bounden duty.
SECOND WATCH It's our duty.
CORNY KELLEHER Good night, men.
THE WATCH (Saluting together.) Night, gentlemen. (They move off with slow heavy tread.)
BLOOM (Blows.) Providential you came on the scene. You have a car?.
CORNY KELLEHER (Laughs, pointing his thumb over his right shoulder to the car brought up against the scaffolding.) Two commercials that were standing fizz in Jammet's. Like princes, faith. One of them lost two quid on the race. Drowning his grief and were on for a go with the jolly girls. So I landed them up on Behan's car and down to nighttown.
BLOOM I was just going home by Gardiner street when I happened to...
CORNY KELLEHER (Laughs.) Sure they wanted me to join in with the mots. No, by God, says I. Not for old stagers like myself and yourself. (He laughs again and leers with lacklustre eye.) Thanks be to God we have it in the house what, eh, do you follow me? Hah! hah! hah!
BLOOM (Tries to laugh.) He, he, he! Yes. Matter of fact I was just visiting an old friend of mine there, Virag, you don't know him (poor fellow he's laid up for the past week) and we had a liquor together and I was just making my way home...
(The horse neighs.)
THE HORSE Hohohohohohoh! Hohohohome!
CORNY KELLEHER Sure it was Behan, our jarvey there, that told me after we left the two commercials in Mrs Cohen's and I told him to pull up and got off to see. (He laughs.) Sober hearsedrivers a specialty. Will I give him a lift home? Where does he hang out? Somewhere in Cabra, what?
BLOOM No, in Sandycove, I believe, from what he let drop.
(Stephen, prone, breathes to the stars. Corny Kelleher asquint, drawls at the horse. Bloom in gloom, looms down.)
CORNY KELLEHER (Scratches his nape.) Sandycove! (He bends down and calls to Stephen.) Eh! (He calls again.) Eh! He's covered with shavings anyhow. Take care they didn't lift anything off him.
BLOOM No, no, no. I have his money and his hat here and stick.
CORNY KELLEHER Ah well, he'll get over it. No bones broken. Well, I'll shove along. (He laughs.) I've a rendezvous in the morning. Burying the dead. Safe home!
THE HORSE (Neighs.) Hohohohohome.
BLOOM Good night. I'll just wait and take him along in a few...
(Corny Kelleher returns to the outside car and mounts it. The horse harness jingles.)
CORNY KELLEHER (From the car, standing.) Night.
BLOOM Night.
(The jarvey chucks the reins and raises his whip encouragingly. The car and horse back slowly, awkwardly and turn. Corny Kelleher on the sideseat sways his head to and fro in sign of mirth at Blooms plight. The jarvey joins in the mute pantomimic merriment nodding from the farther seat. Bloom shakes his head in mute mirthful reply. With thumb and palm Corny Kelleher reassures that the two bobbies will allow the sleep to continue for what else is to be done. With a slow nod Bloom conveys his gratitude as that is exactly what Stephen needs. The car jingles tooraloom round the corner of the tooraloom lane. Corny Kelleher again reassuralooms with his hand. Bloom with his hand assuralooms Corny Kelleher that he is reassuraloomtay. The tinkling hoofs and jingling harness grow fainter with their tooralooloolooloo lay. Bloom, holding in his hand Stephens hat festooned with shavings and ashplant, stands irresolute. Then he bends to him and shakes him by the shoulder.)
BLOOM Eh! Ho! (There is no answer he bends again.) Mr Dedalus! (There is no answer.) The name if you call. Somnambulist. (He bends again and, hesitating, brings his mouth near the face of the prostrate form.) Stephen! (There is no answer. He calls again.) Stephen!
STEPHEN (Groans.) Who? Black panther vampire. (He sighs and stretches himself then murmurs thickly with prolonged vowels.) Who... drive... Fergus now. And pierce... wood's woven shade?...
(He turns on his left side, sighing, doubling himself together.)
BLOOM Poetry. Well educated. Pity. (He bends again and undoes the buttons of Stephen's waistcoat.) To breathe. (He brushes the wood shavings from Stephen's clothes with light hands and fingers.) One pound seven. Not hurt anyhow. (He listens.) What!
(Murmurs.)
... shadows... the woods
... white breast... dim...
(He stretches out his arms, sighs again and curls his body. Bloom holding his hat and ashplant stands erect. A dog barks in the distance. Bloom tightens and loosens his grip on the ashplant. He looks down on Stephen's face and form.)
BLOOM (Communes with the night.) Face reminds me of his poor mother. In the shady wood. The deep white breast. Ferguson, I think I caught. A girl. Some girl. Best thing could happen him... (He murmurs.)... swear that I will always hail, ever conceal, never reveal, any part or parts, art or arts... (He murmurs.) in the rough sands of the sea. a cabletow's length from the shore... where the tide ebbs ... and flows...
(Silent, thoughtful, alert, he stands on guard, his fingers at his lips in the attitude of secret master. Against the dark wall a figure appears slowly, a fairy boy of eleven, a changeling, kidnapped, dressed in an Eton suit with glass shoes and a little bronze helmet, holding a book in his hand. He reads from right to left inaudibly, smiling, kissing the page.)
BLOOM (Wonderstruck, calls inaudibly.) Rudy!
RUDY (Gazes unseeing into Bloom's eyes and goes on reading, kissing, smiling. He has a delicate mauveface. On his suit he has diamond and ruby buttons. In his free left hand he holds a slim ivory cane with a violet howknot. A white lambkin peeps out of his waistcoat pocket.)
soneyky

ZxID:3593304


等级: 内阁元老
怕相思,已思相,轮到相思没处辞,眉间露一丝
举报 只看该作者 39楼  发表于: 2012-12-24 0

中:
15、通向红灯区的马博特街口

通向红灯区的马博特街口。路面未铺卵石,骨骼般的电车岔道伸向远方,沿线是像鬼火似的红绿信号灯和危险信号机。一排排简陋的房屋半敞着门。偶有灯火朦朦胧胧地映出彩虹般的扇形光环。一群矮小的男男女女围着停在这里的拉白奥蒂的平底船型冰淇淋车[1] ,争争吵吵。他们抓取夹有煤炭色[2]和紫铜色冰淇淋的薄脆饼。这些孩子们边嘬着,边缓缓地散去。平底车高高抬起鸡冠形天鹅头,穿过灯台下的黑暗前进,依稀浮现出蓝白两色。回荡着口哨的相互呼应声。)
呼声
等一等,亲爱的。我跟你一道去。
应答
到马棚后面来。
(一个又聋又哑的白痴鼓着金鱼眼,松弛的嘴巴淌着口水,因患舞踏病浑身发颤,趔趔趄趄地走过。孩子们手拉着手,把他圈在中间。)
孩子们
左撇子!敬礼!
白痴
(举起麻痹的左臂,发出咯咯声)金立!
孩子们
老爷儿哪儿去啦?
白痴
(结结巴巴地)施边儿。[3]
(他们放开了他。他打着趔趄往前走。一个侏儒女子在两道栏杆之间吊根绳子,坐在上面打秋千,口中数着数。一个男子趴在垃圾箱上,用胳膊和帽子掩着脸,移动一下[4],呻吟,咯吱咯吱地磨牙齿,接着又打起呼噜。台阶上,一个到处掏垃圾的侏儒,蹲下身去,把一袋破布烂骨扛到肩上。一个老妪手执一盏满是油烟的煤油灯站在一旁,将她那最后一只瓶子塞进他的口袋。男子扛起猎物,将鸭舌帽拽歪,一声不响地蹒跚而去。老妪摇晃着灯,也回到自己的窝。一个罗圈腿娃娃手里拿着纸做的羽毛球,蹲在门口,跟在她后面使劲地横爬着,并抓住她的裙子往上攀。一个喝得醉醺醺的壮工双手握住地窖子前的栅栏,东倒西歪,踉踉跄跄地踱着。拐角处,两个披着短斗篷的夜班巡警,手按着装警棍的皮套,朦朦胧胧中身影显得高大无比。一只盘子打碎了,一个女人尖声嚷叫,接着是娃娃的啼哭声。男人厉声咒骂,嘟嘟囔囔,随后沉默下来。几个人影晃来晃去,忽而潜藏起来,忽而又从破房子里窥伺。一间点燃着嵌在瓶口里的蜡烛的屋中,一个邋里邋遢的女人正替一个长着瘰疠的娃娃梳理着其乱如麻的头发。从一条巷子里传出西茜·卡弗里那依然很年轻的高亢歌声。)
西茜·卡弗里
我把它给了摩莉,
因为她无忧无虑,
把鸭腿儿给了她,
把鸭腿儿给了她。
(士兵卡尔和士兵康普顿[5],腋下紧紧夹着短棍,摇摇晃晃地走着,向右转,一起放屁。从巷子里传出男人们的一阵朗笑声。一个悍妇嗄声恶言还击。)
悍妇
天打雷霹的,毛屁股蛋儿。卡文妞儿,加油儿。
西茜·卡弗里
我运气好着呢。卡文、库特黑尔和贝尔士尔贝特[6] 。(唱)
我把它给了内莉,
让她戳到肚皮里,
把鸭腿儿给了她,
把鸭腿儿给了她。
(士兵卡尔和士兵康普顿转过身来反唇相讥。他们的军服在灯光映照下鲜艳如血色,凹陷的黑军帽扣在剪得短短的金黄色头发上。斯蒂芬·迪达勒斯和林奇穿过人群,同英国兵擦身而过。)
士兵康普顿
(晃动手指)给牧师[7] 让路。
士兵·卡尔
(转过身来招呼)哦,牧师!
西茜·卡弗里
(嗓音越来越高)
她拿到了鸭腿儿。
不知放在哪儿啦,
把鸭腿儿给了她。
(斯蒂芬左手抡着梣木手杖,快活地唱着复活节“将祭文”。林奇陪伴着她,将骑手帽低低地拉到额下,皱起眉头,面上泛着不悦的冷笑。)
斯蒂芬
我瞧见殿堂右手喷出一股水。哈利路亚。
(一个上了年纪的妓院老鸨从门口龇出饥饿的龅牙。)
老鸨
(嗓音嘶哑地低声说)嘘!过来呀,我告诉你。里面有个黄花姑娘哩。嘘!
斯蒂芬
(略提高嗓音)凡是挨近水的人。
老鸨
(在他们背后恶狠狠地啐了一口)三一学院的医科学生。输卵管咋啦?尽管长了根鸡巴,可一个子儿也不称。
(伊迪·博德曼吸吮着鼻涕,跟伯莎·萨波尔蜷缩在一
起。此刻拉过披肩掩住鼻孔。)
伊迪·博德曼
(骂骂咧咧地)接着,那家伙说:“我瞧见你在弗思富尔广场跟你那个戴睡帽的浪荡汉——铁道涂油工一道鬼混啦。”“你瞧见了又怎么样?”我说。“你这是多管闲事,”我说。“你从来也没见我跟一个有老婆的山地人勾搭过!”我说。瞧她那副德性!一个告密者!顽固得像头骡子!她自己才同时跟两个男人一道溜达呢:火车司机基尔布赖德和一等兵奥利芬特。
斯蒂芬
(得意洋洋地)个个都得到拯救。[8]
(他胡乱木手杖,瓦斯灯的晕轮便抖动起来,那光撒遍世界。一只到处觅食的白色褐斑长毛垂耳狗吼叫着,跟在他后面。林奇踢了它一脚,把它吓跑了。)
林奇
还有呢?
斯蒂芬
(回头望了望)因此,将成为人类共同语言的,乃是手势,而并非音乐或气味。这种传达手段所明确显示的不是通常的意义,而是生命第一原理,结构性的节奏。
林奇
黄色哲学的言语宗教学。梅克伦堡街[ 9] 的形而上学!
斯蒂芬
莎士比亚就受尽了悍妇的折磨,苏格拉底也怕老婆。就连那位绝顶聪明的斯塔基莱特人[10]都被一个荡妇套上嚼子和笼头,骑来骑去。
林奇
哎!
斯蒂芬
不管怎样,谁需要打两次手势来比划面包和瓮呢?在莪默的诗里,这个动作就表示面包和酒瓮。[11]替我拿着手杖。
林奇
让你的黄手杖见鬼去吧。咱们到哪儿去呀?
斯蒂芬
好色的山猫[12],咱们找无情的美女乔治娜·约翰逊[13]去,走向年少时曾赐与我欢乐的女神。[14]
(斯蒂芬把梣木手杖塞给林奇,缓缓摊开双手,头朝后仰。在距胸部一拃的地方手心向下,十指尖交叉,若即若离。左手举得略高。)
林奇
哪个是面包瓮[15]?简直不中用。究竟是瓮还是海关,你来说明吧。喏,接住你的拐棍儿,走吧。
(他们走过去。汤米·卡弗里爬行到一根瓦斯灯杆跟前,紧紧抱住它,使劲爬上去。接着又从顶上前蹬后踹地哧溜下来。杰基·卡弗里也抱住灯杆要往上爬。一个壮工歪倚着灯杆。双胞胎摸着黑仓皇逃走。工人晃晃悠悠地用食指按住鼻翼的一边,从另一边鼻孔里擤出长长的一条鼻涕。壮工挑着忽明忽暗的号灯,从人丛中脚步蹒跚地踱去。
(河雾宛若一条条的蛇一般徐徐蠕动过来。从阴沟、裂缝、污水坑和粪堆,向四面八方发散出污浊的臭气。南面,在朝海洋流去的河水那边,有红光跳跃着。壮工拨开人群,朝着电车轨道侧线趔趔趄趄地走去。远处,布卢姆出现在铁桥下的彼端,面庞涨得通红,气喘吁吁,正往侧兜里塞面包和巧克力。隔着吉伦理发店的窗户可以瞥见一帧综合照片[ 16] ,映出纳尔逊的潇洒英姿。映在旁边那凹面镜里的是害着相思病、憔悴不堪、阴郁忧伤的布——卢——姆。严峻的格拉顿从正面逼视着他——身为布卢姆的布卢姆。骠悍的威灵顿瞪着双目,吓得他赶紧走过去,然而映在凸面镜里那小猪眼睛肥下巴胖脸蛋儿、快快活活的波尔迪,逗乐的笨蛋,笑嘻嘻的,却丝毫也没让他受惊。
(布卢姆走到安东尼奥·拉白奥蒂的门口时停下脚步。在亮晃晃的弧光灯下淌着汗。他消失了一下,俄而又重新出现,匆匆赶路。)
布卢姆
鱼配土豆,哎,真够呛!
(他消失在正往下撂百叶窗的奥尔豪森猪肉店里。少顷,呼哧呼哧的布——卢——姆,气喘吁吁的波尔迪,又从百叶窗底下钻出来。两只手里各拎着一个包儿。一包是温吞吞的猪脚,另一包是冷羊蹄,上面撒着整粒的胡椒。他喘着气,直挺挺地站在那里。然后歪起身子,用一个包儿顶住肋骨,呻吟着。)
布卢姆
小肚子疼得慌。我何必这么跑呢?
(他小心翼翼地呼吸,慢慢腾腾地朝着点了灯的岔道走去。红灯又跳跃了。)
布卢姆
那是什么?是信号灯吗?是探照灯哩。
(他站在科马克那家店的拐角处,观望着。)
布卢姆
是北极光[17],还是炼钢厂?啊,当然是消防队喽。不管怎样,是南边。好大一片火焰。说不定是他[18]的房子哩。贝格尔灌木[ 19] 。我们家不要紧。(他愉快地哼唱。)伦敦着火啦,伦敦着火啦![ 20] 着火啦;着火啦!(他瞥见壮工在塔尔博街另一头拨开人群穿行。)我会跟他失散的。跑!快点儿。不如从这儿穿过去。
(他一个箭步蹿过马路。顽童们喊叫。)
顽童们
当心点儿,大爷!
(两个骑车人,点燃的纸灯晃悠着,丁零零地响着铃,像游泳般地擦身而过。)
铃铛
丁零零,丁零零。
布卢姆
(脚上抽筋,直挺挺的站着)噢!
(他四下里望望,猛地朝前一蹿。穿过朦朦上升的雾,一辆龙头撒沙车[21]谨慎地驶来。它眨巴着巨大的前灯,沉甸甸地朝他压将过来。车顶的触轮嘶嘶地摩擦着电线。驾驶员当当地踩着脚钟。)
警钟
当当布啦吧喀布啦德吧咯布卢。
(制动器猛烈地嘎嘎响。布卢姆举起那只像警察般戴着白手套的手,双腿僵直地跌跌撞撞跳离路轨。长着狮子鼻的电车司机猛地栽到驾驶盘上。他一边滑也似的驶过去,一边从轮锁与销子上面叫喊。)
司机
嘿,你这屎裤子,打算耍帽子把戏[22]吗?
(布卢姆灵巧地跳到边石上,又停下脚步。他伸出一只拿着包包的手,从脸蛋儿上抹掉溅上去的泥点子。)
布卢姆
原来是禁止通行。好险哪,然而这下子疼痛倒是消了,又得重新练练桑道操[23]了。俯卧撑。还得加入交通事故保险才行。天主保佑。(他摸了摸裤兜。)可怜的妈妈的身符。鞋后跟动不动就被轨道卡住,鞋带又容易被车轮勾住。有一天在利奥纳德街的拐角那儿、,警察局的囚车把我一只鞋刮走了。第三回就灵验了。用鞋耍把戏。司机真蛮横。我本该举报他。他们太紧张了,所以弄得神经过敏。今天早晨我瞧马车里那个女人时,跟我捣乱的,兴许就是这个家伙。同一类的美人儿。不管怎么说,他的动作够敏捷的哩。腿脚不灵便了。用打趣的口吻说真心话。在莱德小巷,抽筋抽得好厉害。我大概是食物中毒吧。幸运的征兆。怎么回事呢?那也许是私宰的牛。牲口身上打着烙印。(他闭一会儿眼睛。)头有点儿发晕。每月都闹一次,要么就是另外那档子事的反应。脑袋瓜儿晕晕忽忽的。那种疲倦的感觉。我已经吃不消啦。
噢!
(一个不祥的人影交叉着腿,倚着奥贝恩[24]的墙。这是一张陌生的脸,仿佛注射了发黑的水银。那人影从一顶墨西哥阔帽底下,用凶狠的目光盯着他。)
布卢姆
晚上好,怀特小姐。这是什么街呀?[25]
人影
(面无表情地举起胳膊作为信号)口令。马博特街[26]。
布卢姆
哈哈。谢谢。世界语。再见。[27](他喃喃地说)是那个爱打架的家伙派来的盖尔语联盟的密探。
(他向前迈步。一个肩上扛着麻袋的拾破烂的拦住他的去路。他朝左边走,拾破烂的也朝左拐。)
布卢姆
劳驾。
(他朝右边跳去,拾破烂的也朝右跳。)
布卢姆
劳驾。
(他转了个弯,侧身而行,躲到一旁,悄悄地溜过去往前走。
布卢姆
一直靠右边、右边、右边走。旅行俱乐部在斯蒂普阿塞德竖起了路标,是谁带来这项公共福利的呢?是由于我迷了路,给《爱尔兰骑车人》的读者来信栏写了封信,题目是《在最黑暗的斯蒂普阿塞德》。靠、靠、靠右边走。半夜里捡着破烂和骨头。更像是买卖贼赃哩。杀人凶手首先会到这种地方来,以便洗涤尘世间的罪恶。
(杰基·卡弗里被汤米·卡弗里追逐着奔来,同布卢姆撞个满怀。)
布卢姆
噢!
(吓了一跳,大腿发软,停了下来。汤米和杰基就在那儿,当场失去踪影。布卢姆双手持包,轻拍着怀表袋,装笔记本的裤兜,装皮夹子的裤兜,那本《偷情的快乐》、土豆和香皂。)
布卢姆
可得当心扒手。小偷儿惯耍的花招:撞你一下,顺手就摸走你的包。
(一只能叼回猎物的狼狗,鼻子贴地嗅着,踱了过来。一个仰卧着的人影打了个喷嚏。出现了一个弯腰驼背、留着胡子的人。他身着锡安的长老所穿的那种长袍,头戴有着深红流苏的吸烟帽。玳瑁框眼镜一直耷拉到鼻翼上。鼻歪嘴斜的脸上是一道道黄色毒药的斑痕。)
鲁道尔夫
今天你是第二次浪费半克朗银市了。我不是跟你说过吗:决不可跟那帮异教徒醉鬼们混在一起。瞧,你就是攒不住钱。
布卢姆
(将猪脚和羊蹄藏在背后,垂头丧气地抚摩着温吞吞的和冰冷的脚肉和蹄肉。)是的,我明白,爹。[28]
鲁道尔夫
你在这儿干些什么名堂啊?你没有灵魂吗?(他伸出虚弱的秃鹫爪子,抚摩着布卢姆那沉默的脸。)你不是我儿子利奥波德吗?不是利奥波德的孙子吗?你不是我那亲爱的儿子利奥波德吗?就是那个离开父亲的家,也离开祖先亚伯拉罕和雅各的上帝的利奥波德吗?
布卢姆
(惶恐地)大概是的,父亲。莫森索尔[ 29] 。这就是他的下场。
鲁道尔夫
(严厉地)那天晚上,你把宝贵的金钱挥霍了一通,喝得烂醉如泥,被他们护送回家。那帮流浪汉究竟是你的一些什么人?
布卢姆
(身着年轻人穿的一套时髦的蓝色牛津服装,白色窄肩背心,头戴褐色登山帽。怀里是一块绅士用的纯银沃特伯里牌转柄表,佩着一条缀有图章的艾伯特双饰链[30]。半边身子满是厚厚一层泥巴。)是越野赛跑的选手,父亲。我就那么一回。
鲁道尔夫
一回!从头到脚都是泥。手上还划破了个口子。会患破伤风的。他们会要你命的,充满生气的利奥波德。对那帮家伙你可得当心啊。
布卢姆
(懦弱地)他们问我敢不敢比比短跑。道路上净是泥,我跌了一跤。
鲁道尔夫
(轻蔑地)不务正业的异教徒。[31]你那可怜的母亲要是看见了该怎么说!
布卢姆
妈妈!
艾琳·布卢姆
(她手里斜端着蜡台,出现在楼梯栏杆上端。头戴哑剧中贵妇人戴的那种下巴上系带子的头巾式软帽,身穿寡妇吐安基[32]那种有衬架和腰垫的裙子;衬衫钮扣钉在背后,袖子是羊脚型的;戴着灰色露指长手套,配以有浮雕的玉石胸针。盘成辫子的头发用绉网罩起。她吃惊地尖声嚷叫。)噢,神圣的救世主,这孩子给糟践成什么样子啦!快给我嗅盐[33]。(她撩起一道裙褶,在那铅灰色条纹衬裙的兜儿里摸索。从兜儿里掉出一只小药瓶、一枚“天主羔羊”[34]、一只干瘪的土豆和一个赛璐璐玩偶。)圣母圣心啊,你到底在哪儿呢,在哪儿呢?
(布卢姆嗫嚅着,两眼垂下,开始把那两个包儿往鼓鼓囊囊的兜儿里塞,却又打消了这个念头,嘴里不知嘟囔些什么。)
声音
(尖锐地)波尔迪!
布卢姆
谁呀?(他急忙弯下腰去,笨拙地搪开什么人打过来的一拳。)有何贵干?
(他抬头看。眼前出现了一位亭亭玉立、身着土耳其装束的美女,旁边是几棵枣椰树的蜃景。丰腴的曲线将她那猩红色长裤与短上衣撑得鼓鼓的,开叉儿处露出金色衬里。她系着一条宽幅黄色腰带,脸上蒙着白色——夜间变为紫罗兰色——面纱,只露出一双乌黑的大眼睛和黑亮的头发。)
布卢姆
摩莉!
玛莉恩
什么呀?亲爱的,打今儿起,你招呼我的时候,就叫我玛莉恩太太吧。(用挖苦口吻)可怜的小丈夫,叫你等了这么半天,脚都冰凉了吧?
布卢姆
(调换了一下双脚的位置)不,不,一点儿都不。(他极其激动地呼吸着,大口大口地吞进空气。有多少话想问,有多少希望,为她的晚餐备下的猪脚,要告诉她的事,解释,欲望,简直着迷了。一枚硬币在她前额上闪烁着。她脚上戴着几枚宝石趾环。踝部戴着纤细的脚镣。她身旁是一只骆驼,缠着塔楼状头巾,伫候着。那上下跳动着的驼桥[35],垂下一道有着无数阶磴的绸梯。骆驼不大情愿地摆动着它那臀部,慢慢腾腾地凑过来:她猛揍了一下它的屁股,包金的手镯玎玲玲响着,愠怒地用摩尔话骂他:)
玛莉恩
女性的小天堂![36]
(骆驼举起一只前脚,从树上摘下一枚大芒果,将它夹在偶蹄间,献给女主人。然后它眨巴着眼睛,扬起脖子,耷拉下脑袋,咕哝着,挣扎着跪下。布卢姆像做蛙跳游戏般地弯下腰去。)
布卢姆
我可以给你……我的意思是说:作为你的经纪人……玛莉恩太太……假若你……
玛莉恩
那么,你注意到什么变化了吗?(双手徐徐地抚摩饰着珠宝的三角胸衣,眼中逐渐显出友善的揶揄神色。)哦,波尔迪,波尔迪,你依然是个老古板!去见见世面,到广阔的天地中去[37]开开眼界吧。
布卢姆
我正要折回去取那加了香橙花液的白蜡洗剂呢。每逢星期四,铺子总要提前打烊。可是,明天早晨我首先要办的就是这事儿。(他把身上的几个兜儿都拍了拍。)浮游肾。哎!
(他指指南边,又指指东边。一块洁净、崭新的柠檬肥皂发散出光与芳香,冉冉升起。)
肥皂
布卢姆和我,是般配的一对。
他拭亮地球,我擦光天空。
(药剂师斯威尼那张满是雀斑的脸出现在太阳牌肥皂的圆盘上。)
斯威尼
您哪,三先令一便士。
布卢姆
好的。是为我老婆买的。玛莉恩太太。特制的。
玛莉恩
(柔声)波尔迪!
布卢姆
哦,太太?
玛莉恩
你的心跳得快些了吗?[38]
(她面泛轻蔑神色款款踱开,嘴里哼着《唐乔万尼》中的二重唱。她身材丰满得像只娇养着的胸脯鼓鼓的鸽子。)
布卢姆
关于“沃利奥”[39],你有把握吗?我指的是发音……
(他尾随于后,四处嗅着的狼狗又跟踪着他。上了年纪的老鸨拽住他的袖子。她下巴上的那颗黑痣上长的毛闪闪发光。)
老鸨
一个处女十先令。黄花姑娘哩,从来没有人碰过。才十五岁。家里除了她那烂醉的爹,啥人也没有。
(她伸手指了指。布赖迪·凯利[40]被雨淋得精湿,站在她那黑洞洞的魔窟裂缝里。)
布赖迪
哈奇街。你心目中有好的吗?
(她尖口叫一声。唿扇着蝙蝠般的披肩,撒腿就跑。一个粗壮的暴徒脚蹬长靴,跨着大步追赶着。他在台阶那儿磕绊了一下,站稳了,纵身一跳,消失在黑暗中。传来一阵微弱的尖笑声,越来越低微了。)
老鸨
(她那狼一般的眼睛贼亮贼亮的)那位老爷找乐子去啦。在妓馆里可弄不到黄花闺女。十先令。可要是整宵泡在这儿,会给便衣警察撞上的。六十六号巡警可真是个狗养的。
(格蒂·麦克道维尔斜瞅着。一瘸一拐地走过来。她一面送秋波,一面从背后抽出血迹斑斑的布片,卖弄风情地拿给他看。)
格蒂
我把在世上的全部财产你和你[41]。(她喃喃地说)是你干的。我恨你。
布卢姆
我?什么时候?你作梦哪,我从来没见过你。
老鸨
你这骗子,放开老爷。还给老爷写什么满纸瞎话的信。满街拉客卖淫。像你这么个荡妇,就欠你妈没把你捆在床柱子上,用皮带抽你一顿。
格蒂
(对布卢姆)我那衬裤的秘密,你统统瞧见了。(她哽咽着,爱抚他的袖子。)你这个下流的有妇之夫!正因为你对我干了那档子事,我爱你。
(她跛着脚溜走了。布林太太身穿有着松垮垮的褶裥口袋的起绒粗呢男大氅,伫立在人行道上。她那双调皮的眼睛睁得老大,笑咪咪地龇着食草动物般的龅牙。)
布林太太
这位先生是……
布卢姆
(庄重地咳嗽着)太太,我荣幸地收到了您本月十六日的大函……
布林太太
布卢姆先生!你竟跑到这罪恶的魔窟来啦!这下狐狸尾巴可给我抓住啦!你这个流氓!
布卢姆
(着了慌)别那么大声喊我的名字。你究竟把我看成什么人啦?可别出卖我。隔墙有耳嘛。你好吗?好久不见啦。你看上去挺好。可不是嘛。这月气候真好。黑色能够折射光。从这儿抄近路就到家啦。这一带蛮有趣。拯救沦落的风尘女子。玛达琳济良所。我是秘书……
布林太太
(翘起一个指头)喏,别瞎扯啦!我知道有人不喜欢这样。哦,等我见了摩莉再说!(狡黠地)你最好马上如实招来,否则就会大难临头!
布卢姆
(回头看看)她时常念叨要来见识见识哩。逛逛这花街柳巷。喏,异国情调嘛。她说要是有钱,还想雇上几名穿号衣的黑皮肤仆役呢。就像黑兽奥瑟罗那样的。[42]尤金·斯特拉顿[43]。连利弗莫尔黑脸合唱团[44]的打拍员和巧辩演员[45]都行。还有博赫弟兄[46]。只要是黑的,连扫烟囱的都成。
(化装成黑脸的汤姆和萨姆,博赫跳了出来,身穿雪白帆布上衣,猩红短袜,浆洗得硬梆梆的萨姆勃[47]高领,扣眼儿里插着大朵的鲜红紫苑花。肩上各挂着一把五弦琴[48]。黑人特有的浅黑小手嘣嘣地拨弄着琴弦。一双白色卡菲尔[49]那样的眼睛和一嘴暴牙闪闪发光。他们脚蹬粗陋的木靴,咯噔咯噔地跳着喧嚣、急促的双人舞。拨弦,歌唱,忽而背对背,忽而脚尖挨后跟,忽而又后跟挨脚尖。用黑人的厚嘴唇吱吱咂咂地鼓噪助威。)
汤姆与萨姆
有人和迪娜一道在家里,
有人呆在家里,我知道的,
有人和迪娜一道在家里,
弹奏那把古老的五弦琴[50 ] 。
(他们猛地摘掉黑人面具,露出那淳朴的娃娃脸。然后哧哧窃笑,哈哈大笑,咚咚、当当地奏着琴,跳着步态舞,扬长而去。)
布卢姆
(面泛着酸溜溜甜蜜蜜的微笑)要是你有兴致的话,咱俩何妨也厮混一阵?也许你肯让我拥抱上那么几分之一秒吧?
布林太太
(快活地尖口叫着)哦,你这个傻瓜!也该去照照镜子!
布卢姆
咱们是老交情嘛。我的意思不过是要在两对不同的小夫妻问再来个杂婚,也就是交老婆。你晓得,在我心窝儿里对你总有点儿意思。(忧郁地)情人节那天,是我把那张可爱的小羚羊图片送给你的。
布林太太
哎呀,天哪,瞧你这副丑样子!简直是滑稽。(她好奇地伸出一只手。)你背后藏着什么?告诉咱,好乖乖。
布卢姆
(用自己空着的那只手攥住她那只手的手腕子。)当年的乔西·鲍威尔[51]是都柏林首屈一指的美人儿。时间过得好快啊!咱们回顾一下吧。你还记得一个圣诞夜,乔治娜·辛普森举行新屋落成宴那次,他们玩欧文·毕晓普游戏[52]:蒙起眼睛找饰针啦,表演测心术什么的。提问:这只鼻烟盒里装着什么?
布林大太
那天晚上你可是明星,表演半滑稽的朗诵,演得维妙维肖。你一向都是妇女们的红人儿。
布卢姆
(装扮成贵妇的随从。身着波纹绸镶边的无尾晚礼服,扣眼上戴着一枚共济会蓝色徽章,系着黑蝴蝶结领带,珍珠领扣,一只手里歪举着棱形的香槟酒杯。)女士们,先生们,为了爱尔兰,为了家园和丽人[53]干杯。
布林太太
那一去不复返的日子令人怀念。那古老甜蜜的情歌[54]。
布卢姆
(有意把嗓门放低)说实在的,我怀着强烈的好奇心想知道,某一位的某物眼下是不是有点儿热热的。
布林太太
(亲昵地)热得厉害!伦敦热热的,我简直浑身热热的!(同他的侧腹相蹭蹬)咱们在客厅里玩猜谜游戏,再从圣诞树上取下摔炮玩它一阵然后就坐在楼梯口的长凳上,檞寄生枝[55]的荫影里。光是咱俩在一起。
布卢姆
(头戴缀有琥珀色半月的紫色拿破仑帽,慢慢地把手指放到她那柔软、湿润、丰腴的手心里。她顺从地任听他摆布。)那是一夜之中最阴森的时候[56] 。我小心翼翼地从这只手里慢慢儿挑出一根刺。(将一枚红玉戒指轻轻地套到她的手指上,并温存他说)手拉着手[57]。
布林太大
(身穿染成月白色的连衣裙式晚礼服,额上戴着一顶华丽灿烂的仙女冠,跳舞卡片落在月白色缎子拖鞋旁边。她温柔地弯起手掌。急促地喘着气。)我要,又[58] ……你发烧哪!你都烫伤啦!左手最挨近心脏啦。
布卢姆
当你做了目前这个选择时,人家都说你们不啻是美女与野兽[59]。对这一点,我永远也不能饶恕你。(他攥起一个拳头,按住前额。)想想看,这对我意味着什么。当年,你对我意味着一切。(沙哑地)女人哪,快要把我毁灭啦!
(丹尼斯·布林头戴白色大礼帽,前后胸挂着威兹德姆·希利的广告牌,吸拉着毡拖鞋,从他们身边磨蹭着踱过去。他那把不起眼的胡子扎煞着,忽而朝左边,忽而朝右边咕哝着。小个子阿尔夫·柏根身穿印有黑桃么[60]的外套,笑弯了腰。忽而朝左忽而朝右地跟踪着他。)
阿尔夫·柏根
(嘲弄地指着广告牌)万事休矣:完蛋。
布林太太
(对布卢姆)楼下在表演天翻地覆[61]。(给他递了个媚眼)你为什么不吻一吻那个部位,好医治创伤呢?你心里直痒痒嘛。
布卢姆
(震惊)你是摩莉最好的朋友啊!怎么能这样?
布林太大
(从嘴唇问伸出果肉般的舌头,想要给他个鸽吻)哼。你问得无聊,没法回答。你那里有什么小礼物送给我吗?
布卢姆
(生硬地)清真食品。当晚饭吃的快餐。家里没有李树商标罐头肉,那就是美中不足[62]。我看了《丽亚》的演出,班德曼·帕默夫人,她演的莎士比亚,真是再精采不过了。可惜我把节目单扔了。要是买猪脚,就数这个地方好。摸摸看。
(里奇·古尔丁用饰针在头上别了三顶女帽,腋下夹着考立斯- 沃德律师事务所的公文包,上面用白灰涂着一副骷髅与交叉的大腿骨。公文包太重,使他的身子往一边坠。打开一看,满是半熟的干香肠,熏曹白鱼、芬顿[63] 黑线鳕和裹得严严实实的药丸。)
里奇
都柏林的东西,货真价实。
(秃头帕特,愁眉苦脸的聋子,站在人行道的边石上,折叠着餐巾,等着服侍客人。)
帕特
(斜端着一只盘子,嘀嘀嗒嗒地洒着肉汁)牛排和腰子。一瓶贮存啤酒[64]。嘻嘻嘻。等着我来上吧。
里奇
老天爷,我从来也没吃过……
(他耷拉着脑袋一个劲儿地往前走。躲藏在左近的壮工用火热的角叉戳了他一下。)
里奇
(伸手按住背部,痛苦地喊叫)啊!布赖特氏病[65]!肺脏!
布卢姆
(指着壮工)一个奸细。别惹人注意。我对愚蠢的人群厌恶透了,我可没有心情去找乐子,我处在严重的困境中。
布林太太
你这是照例用老一套的谎话来骗人。
布卢姆
关于我怎么会来到这儿,我想透露给你个小小的秘密。但是你可别告诉旁人。甚至连对摩莉也不能说。有个特殊的原因。
布林太太
(极度兴奋)哦,无论如何也不会说出去。
布卢姆
咱们去散散步好吗?
布林太太
好的。
(老鸨打了个手势,无人理睬。布卢姆和布林太太一道走起来。骾狗可怜巴巴地呜呜叫着,摇着尾巴跟在后面。)
老鸨
犹大人的脾脏!
布卢姆
(身穿燕麦色运动服,翻领上插着一小枝忍冬草,里面是时髦的浅黄色衬衫,系着印有圣安德鲁十字架的黑白方格花呢领带。白色鞋罩,臂上挎了件鹿毛色风衣,脚蹬赤褐色生皮翻毛皮鞋。将一架双筒望远镜像子弹带那样斜挎在肩上,头戴一顶灰色宽边低顶的毡帽。)你还记得吗,很久很久,多年以前,米莉——我们管她叫玛莉奥内特。刚断奶,我们大家曾一道去看过仙女房赛马会?
布林太太
(穿一身定做的款式新颖的萨克森蓝衣衫,头戴白丝绒帽,脸上蒙着蛛网状面纱。)在利奥波德镇。
布卢姆
对,是利奥波德镇。摩莉把赌注下在一匹名叫“永勿说”的马上,赢了七先令。然后坐那辆有五个座位的双轮破旧马车,沿着福克斯罗克回的家。当时你可风华正茂,戴着镶了一圈鼹鼠皮的白丝绒新帽。那是海斯太太劝你买的,因为价钱降到十九先令十一便士了。其实就是那么一点铜丝支着一些破破烂烂的旧丝绒。我敢跟你打赌,她准是故意的……
布林太太
当然喽,可不是嘛,猫婆子!别说下去啦!真会出馊主意!
布卢姆
比起另外那顶插上极乐鸟翅膀的可爱的宽顶无檐小圆帽来,它连四分之一也跟你般配不上。你戴上那一顶,简直太迷人啦,我十分神往。可惜宰那只乌儿大损了,你这淘气残忍的人儿。那小鸟的心脏只有一个句号那么大呀。
布林太太
(捏他的胳膊,假笑)我确实又淘气又残忍来着!
布卢姆
(低声说悄悄话,语调越来越快)摩莉还从乔·加拉赫太太[66]的午餐篮里拿一块香辣牛肉三明治吃。老实说,尽管她有一批参谋或崇拜者,我一向不喜欢她那派头。她……
布林太太
过于……
布卢姆
是呀。摩莉那时正在笑,因为当我们从一座农舍前面经过的时候,罗杰斯和马戈特·奥里利学起鸡叫来了。茶叶商人马库斯。特蒂乌斯·摩西带上他的女儿乘着轻便二轮马车赶到我们前面去了。她名叫舞女摩西。坐在她腿上的那只长卷毛狗神气活现地昂着头。你问我,可曾听说过、读到过、经历过或遇上过……
布林太太
(起劲地)对呀,对呀,对呀,对呀,对呀,对呀,对呀。(她从他身边倏地消失。他朝地狱门[67]走去,后边跟了一条呜呜叫着的骾狗。一个妇女站在拱道上,弯下身子,叉开双腿,像头母牛那样在撒尿。已经撂下百叶窗的酒吧外面,聚着一群游手好闲的人,倾听着他们那个塌鼻梁的工头用急躁刺耳的沙声讲着妙趣横生的故事。其中一对缺臂者半开玩笑地扭打起来。残疾人之间进行着拙笨的较量,吼叫着,扑通一声倒下去。)
工头
(蹲着,瓮声瓮气地)当凯恩斯从比弗街的脚手架上走下来后,你们猜猜他往什么地方撒来着?竟然往放在刨花上的那桶黑啤酒里撒了一泡,可那是给德尔旺的泥水匠准备的呀![68]
游手好闲的人们
(从豁嘴唇里发出傻笑)哦,天哪!
(他们摇晃着那满是油漆斑点的帽子,这些无臂者身上沾满了作坊的胶料和石灰,在他周围跳跳蹦蹦。)
布卢姆
也是个巧合。他们还觉得挺可笑哩。其实,一点儿也不。光天化日之下,想试着走走。幸亏没有女人在场。
游手好闲的人们
天哪,真有意思。结晶硫酸钠。哦,天哪,往那些人的黑啤酒里撒了一泡。
(布卢姆走过去。下等窑姐儿,或只身或结伴,裹着披肩,
头发蓬乱,从小巷子、门口和拐角处大声拉客。)
窑姐儿们
去远处吗怪哥哥?
中间那条腿好吗?
身上没带火柴吗?
来吧,我把你那根弄硬了。
(他拖着沉重的脚步穿过她们那片污水坑,走向灯光明亮的大街。鼓着风的窗帘那边,留声机扬起那老掉了牙的黄铜喇叭。阴影里,一家非法出售漏税酒的酒吧老板正跟壮工和两个英国兵在讨价还价。)
壮工
(打嗝)那家该死的小店儿在哪儿?
老板
珀登街。一瓶黑啤酒一先令[69]。还有体面的娘儿们。
壮工
(拽住两个英国兵,跟他们一道脚步蹒跚地往前走。)来呀,你们这些英国兵!
士兵卡尔
(在他背后)这小子一点儿也不傻。
士兵康普顿
(大笑)嗬,可不是嘛!
士兵卡尔
(对壮工)贝洛港营盘[70]的小卖部。找卡尔。光找卡尔就行。
壮工
(大声喊)我们是韦克斯福德的男子汉。[71]
士兵康普顿
喂!你觉得军士长怎么样?
士兵卡尔
贝内特吗?他是我的伙伴。我喜欢亲爱的贝内特。[72]
壮工
(大喊)
……磨人的锁链,
迎来祖国的解放。[ 73]
(他拖着他们,摇摇晃晃地往前走。布卢姆不知所措,停下脚步。骾狗耷拉着舌头,气喘吁吁地靠过来。)
布卢姆
简直就像是在追“野鹅”。[74]乌七八糟的妓院。天晓得他们到哪儿去了。醉汉跑起来要快上一倍。一场热闹的混战。先在韦斯特兰横街车站吵了一通,然后又拿着三等车票跳进头等车厢。一下子被拉得老远。火车头是装在列车后头的。有可能把我拉到马拉海德,要么就在侧线过夜,要么就是两趟列车相撞。都是喝第二遍喝醉的。一遍其实正好。我跟在他后面干什么?不论怎样,他是那帮人当中最像个样儿的。要不是听说了博福伊·普里福伊太太的事儿,我决不会去,那么也就遇不上他了。这都是命中注定的。他会丢失那笔钱的。这里是济贫所[75]。沿街叫卖的小贩和放高利贷的倒是有好生意可做啦。你缺点儿啥?来得容易,去得也快。有一次,几乎给司机开的那辆当啷啷响的锃亮有轨电动讫里什那神像车[76] 轱辘压了。要不是我头脑镇定,早就把命送掉了。不过,并非每一次都能幸免。那天倘若我迟两分钟走过特鲁洛克的窗户,就会给熗杀的。亏得我没在那儿。然而,要是子弹仅仅穿透了我的上衣,我倒是能为了受惊而索取五百英镑的赔偿费哩。他是干什么的来着?基尔代尔街俱乐部的花花公子。替他看守猎场也够不容易的。
(他朝前望着那用粉笔在一面墙上胡乱画着的阴茎图案,下面题着:《梦遗》。)
奇怪!在金斯敦,摩莉也曾往结了一层霜的马车玻璃上画各式各样的图来着。画的是些什么呢?(衣着花哨、像玩偶般的女人懒洋洋地靠在灯光明亮的门口或漏斗状窗口,吸着鸟眼纹理烟卷[77]。令人作呕的甜蜜的烟草气味慢慢形成椭圆形的环,向他飘来。)
烟环
快乐真甜蜜。偷情的快乐[78]。
布卢姆
我的脊骨有点儿酸痛。往前走,还是折回去呢?还有这吃的呢?吃下去,浑身都会粘上猪的味道。我太荒谬了。白糟塌钱。多付了一先令八便士[79]。(狼狗摇着尾巴,流着鼻涕的冰凉鼻子往他手上蹭。)奇怪,它们怎么这么喜欢我。今天连那只猛犬都是这样。不妨先跟它说说话。它们就像女人一样,喜欢逢场作戏[80]。发出一股鸡貂的气味。各有所好。兴许这还是一条疯狗呢。大热天的。脚步也不稳。费多!好小子!加里欧文[81]。(那只狼狗摊开四肢趴在他的背上,伸出长长的黑舌头。用乞讨的前爪作猥亵状,扭动着。)是环境的影响。给它点儿什么,把它打发走吧。只要没有人在场。
(亲切地招呼着,像一个鬼鬼祟祟的偷猎者似的蹒蹒跚跚地蜇回来。在那只塞特种猎狗的跟随下,走进满是尿骚气味的黑暗角落。他打开一个包儿,刚要轻轻地丢掉猪脚,却又停下手来,并摸摸羊蹄。)才三便士,可真不小。但是我只好用左手拿着它。更吃力一些。为什么呢?不大用,所以就抽缩了。哦,给掉拉倒。两先令六便士。
(他打开包,依依不舍地将猪脚羊蹄丢过去。那只皮滑腰短的大看家狗拙笨地撕咬着那摊肉,贪婪地嘷叫着,嘎吱嘎吱啃着骨头。两名披着防雨斗篷的巡警在旁警戒着,默默地走近。他们不约而同地念叨。)
巡警们
布卢姆。布卢姆的。为布卢姆。布卢姆。[ 82]
(他们各伸出一只手,按在布卢姆肩上。)
巡警甲
当场抓获,不许随地小便。
布卢姆
(结巴着)我在替大家做好事哪。
(一群海鸥与海燕饥饿地从利菲河的稀泥里飞起,口中衔着班伯里馅饼。)
海鸥们
嗒噶啦嘣吧哩吓乒。[83]
布卢姆
这是人类的朋友,是用慈爱之心来培养的。
(他指了指。鲍勃·多兰正从酒吧问的高凳上越过嘴里正贪馋地咀嚼着什么的长毛垂耳狗,栽了下来。)
鲍勃·多兰
陶瑟尔。把爪子伸过来。把爪子伸过来。[84]
(那只斗犬竖起颈背,低沉地怒吼着。它用臼齿叨着猪蹄,齿缝间嘀嘀嗒嗒淌着狂犬病那满是泡沫的涎水。鲍勃·多兰静悄悄地跌到地下室前的空地上。)
巡警乙
禁止虐待动物。
布卢姆
(热切地)功德无量!在哈罗德陆桥上,有个车把式正虐待一匹被挽具磨伤了皮肉的可怜的马,我就朝他嚷了一通。结果自废力气,倒招得他用法国话骂了我一顿。当然喽,那天下着霜,又是末班马车。所有关于马戏团生活的故事,全都是极其有伤风化的。
(马菲[85]先生兴奋得脸色苍白,身穿驯狮人的服装,迈步向前。衬衫前胸钉有钻石饰扣,手执马戏团用的大纸圈,马车夫的弯鞭以及一把转轮手熗。他用手熗瞄准大吃大嚼的猎野猪犬。)
马菲先生
(面泛狞笑)女士们,先生们,这是我训练出来的灵猰[86]。用食肉动物专利特许的尖钉鞍,把那匹北美西部平原的野马埃阿斯驯服的,也是我。用满是结子的皮条鞭打它肚子下边。不论多么暴躁的狮子,哪怕是利比亚的食人兽——一头猛狮,只要装个滑车,狠狠地一勒,也会乖乖儿地就范。用烧得通红的铁棍烙过之后,再在烫伤处涂上膏药,便把阿姆斯特丹的弗里茨,会思考的鬣狗造就出来了。(目光炯炯)我掌握印度咒文[87]。靠的是我的两眼和胸前的钻石。(面泛带有魔力的微笑)现在我来介绍一下马戏团的明星鲁碧小姐。
巡警甲
说!姓名和地址。
布卢姆
我一时忘记了。啊,对啦!(他摘下那顶高级帽子,敬礼)布卢姆医生[88],利奥波德,牙科手术师。你们一定听说过封。布鲁姆·帕夏[89]吧。财产也不知有多少亿英镑。好家伙[90]!他拥有半个奥地利。还有埃及。他是我堂兄。
巡警甲
拿出证据来。
(一张名片从布卢姆那顶帽子的鞣皮圈里掉了下来。)
布卢姆
(头戴红色土耳其帽,身穿穆斯林法官长袍,腰系宽幅绿饰带,胸佩一枚伪造的法国勋级会荣誉军团[91]勋章。他赶紧捡起名片,递上去。)请过目。敝人是陆海军青年军官俱乐部[92]的会员。律师是约翰·亨利·门顿。住在巴切勒步道二十七号。
巡警甲
(读)亨利·弗罗尔。无固定住址。犯有非法埋伏并骚扰罪。
巡警乙
要拿出你不在作案现场的证明。对你是一直提防着的。
布卢姆
(从胸兜里掏出一朵揉皱了的黄花)这就是关键性的那朵花。是一个我连姓名都不晓得的人给我的。(花言巧语地)你知道《卡斯蒂利亚的玫瑰》那个古老的笑话吧。布卢姆。把姓名改改呗。维拉格[93]。(他熟头熟脑他说起贴心话来。)您啊,警官先生,我们是订了婚的。这档子事儿涉及一个女人。爱情纠纷嘛。(他轻轻地拍着巡警乙的肩膀。)真讨厌。我们这些海军里的英俊小 伙子,总是碰上这种事儿。都是这身军服惹出的麻烦。(他一本正经地转向巡警甲。)不过,当然喽,有时也会一败涂地。哪天晚上顺路过来坐坐,咱们喝上一杯陈年的老勃艮第酒吧。(快活地对巡警乙)我来介绍一下,警官先生。她劲头可足啦。不费吹灰之力就能搞到手。
(出现了一张被含汞的药弄得浅黑的脸,后面跟随一个蒙着面纱的身影。)
浅黑水银
都柏林堡正在搜索他呢。他是给军队开除的。
玛莎
(蒙着厚厚的面纱,脖间系着深红色圣巾[94],手执一份《爱尔兰时报》,以谴责口吻指着说。)亨利!利奥波德!莱昂内尔,迷失的你![95]替我恢复名誉。
巡警甲
(严峻地)到警察局来一趟吧。
布卢姆
(惊愕,戴上帽子,向后退一步。然后,抓挠胸口,将右臂伸成直角形,做共济会会员的手势和正当防卫的架势。)哪里的话,可敬的师傅[96],这是个轻佻的女人。她认错人啦。里昂邮件。莱苏尔柯和杜博斯[ 97] 。您该还记得蔡尔兹杀兄案[98]吧。我们是医生。控告我用小斧子把他砍死了,实在是冤枉啊。宁可让一个犯人逃脱法网,也不能错判九十九个无辜者有罪。[99]
玛莎
(蒙着面纱啜泣)他毁弃了誓约。我的真名实姓是佩吉·格里芬。他给我写信说,他很不幸。你这没心肝的专门玩弄女人的家伙,我要告诉我哥哥,他可是贝克蒂夫橄榄球队[100] 的后卫哩。
布卢姆
(用手捂脸)她喝醉啦。这女人喝得酩酊大醉。(他含糊不清地咕哝着以法莲人的口令。)示布罗列[101]。
巡警乙
(泪汪汪地,对布卢姆)你应该感到十分害臊。
布卢姆
陪审团的各位先生,请听我解释一下。真是搞得一塌糊涂啊!我被误解啦。我给当成了替罪羊。我是个体面的有妇之夫,一向品行端正,没有污点。我住在埃克尔斯街,我老婆是赫赫有名的指挥官的女儿,一个豪侠耿直之士,对,叫作布赖恩·特威迪陆军少将。是一位屡次在战役中立过功勋的英国军人,由于英勇地保卫了洛克滩,曾被授予少将头衔。[102]
巡警甲
属于哪个团队?
布卢姆
(转向旁听席)各位,属于举世闻名的都柏林近卫连队,那是社会中坚[103] 啊。我好像瞧见你们当中就有几位他的老战友哩。都柏林近卫步兵连队与首都警察署一道保卫咱们的家园,也是忠于国王陛下的最骁勇精壮的小伙子们。
一个声音
叛徒!谁喊“支持布尔人”来着!谁侮辱了乔·张伯伦?[104]
布卢姆
(一只手扶着巡警甲的肩膀)我老爹也曾当过治安推事。我跟你们一样,也是个忠诚的英国人。正如当时的电讯所报道的那样,为了国王与祖国,我也曾在公园里那位郭富将军麾下,在那场令人心神恍惚的战争中服过役,[105] 转战于斯皮昂·科帕和布隆方丹,受了伤。[106] 战报里还提到过我。凡是白人所能做的,我全做到了。(安洋地,带着感情)吉姆·布卢德索。把船鼻子转向岸边[107]。
巡警甲
报你的职业或行当。
布卢姆
喏,我是耍笔杆子的,作家兼记者。说实在的,我们正在策划出版悬赏短篇小说集,这是我想出来的,是个空前的举动。我跟英国和爱尔兰报纸都有联系。假若你打电话……
(迈尔斯·克劳福德口衔鹅毛笔,跨着大步趔趔趄趄地出现,他那通红的鼻子在草帽的光环中闪闪生辉。他一只手甩着一串西班牙葱头,另一只手将电话机听筒贴着耳朵。)
迈尔斯·克劳福德
(他颈部那公鸡般的垂肉晃来晃去。)喂,七七八四。喂,这里是《自由人尿壶》和《擦臀周刊》。[108] 会使欧洲大吃一惊。[109] 你是哪儿?哦,《蓝袋》[110]吗?由谁执笔?布卢姆吗:
(面色苍白的菲利普·博福伊[111]先生站在证人席上。他身穿整洁的常礼服,胸兜里露出尖尖的一角手绢,笔挺的淡紫色长裤和漆皮靴子。他拎着一只大公事包,上面标着《马查姆的妙举》字样。)
博福伊
(慢腾腾地)不,你不是那样的人。无论怎么看,我也决不认为你是那样的人。一个人只要生来就是个绅士,只要具有绅士那种最起码的素质,就决不会堕落到干下如此令人深恶痛绝的勾当。审判长阁下,他就是那帮人当中的一个。是个剽窃者。戴着文人[112] 面具的油滑而卑怯的家伙。显而易见,他以天生的卑鄙,抄袭了我的几部畅销书。都是些真正了不起的作品,完美的珠玉之作。毫无疑问,他剽窃了其中描绘恋爱的段落。审判长阁下,对以爱情和财富为主题的《博福伊作品集》,您想必是熟悉的,它在王国内也是家喻户晓的。
布卢姆
(羞愧畏缩,低声咕哝)我对那段关于大笑着的魔女手拉着手[113] 的描写有异议,如果我可以……
博福伊
(撇着嘴,目空一切地朝整个法庭狞笑着)你这可笑的笨驴,你呀!简直卑鄙得让人无法形容了!我认为你最好不这么过度地替自己开脱。我的出版代理人J.B. 平克尔[114] 也在座。审判长阁下,我相信会照例付给我们证人出庭费吧?这个讨厌的报人几乎使我们囊空如洗了,这个里姆斯的贼寒鸦[ 115] 连大学都没上过。
布卢姆
(含糊不清地)人生的大学。堕落的艺术。
博福伊
(大声嚷)卑鄙下流的谎话,证明他在道德上的腐败堕落!(打开他的公事包)我这里铁证如山,掌握犯罪事实[116]。审判长阁下,这是我的杰作的样本,可是被这畜生弄上的印记给糟蹋啦。[117]
旁听席上的声音
摩西,摩西,犹太王,
用《日报》把屁股擦。
布卢姆
(勇敢地)太夸张了。
博福伊
你这下流痞子!就该把你丢到洗马池里去,你这无赖!(对法庭)喏,瞧瞧这家伙的私生活吧!他当面一套,背后一套。在外面他是天使,回到家里就成了恶魔。当着妇女的面,他的行为简直不堪入耳!真是当代最大的阴谋家!
布卢姆
(对法庭)可他是个单身汉呀,怎么会……
巡警甲
公诉人控告布卢姆。传妇女德里斯科尔出庭。
庭役
女佣玛丽·德里斯科尔!
(衣着邋遢的年轻女佣玛丽·德里斯科尔走来。臂上挎着一只桶,手持擦地用的刷子。)
巡警乙
又来了一个!你也属于那不幸的阶级吧?
玛丽·德里斯科尔
(愤慨地)我可不是个坏女人。我品行端正,在先前伺候的那一家呆了四个月呢。工钱是每年六英镑,星期五放假。可是这个人调戏我,我就只好辞工不干啦。
巡警甲
你控告他什么?
玛丽·德里斯科尔
他调戏过我。但是我尽管穷,却懂得自重。
布卢姆
(身穿波纹细呢家常短上衣,法兰绒长裤,没有后跟的拖鞋,胡子拉碴,头发稍乱。)我待你蛮好。我送过你纪念品,远远超过你身份的漂亮的鲜棕色袜带。当女主人责备你偷了东西的时候,我轻率地偏袒了你。什么都不要过分,为人得公正。
玛丽·德里斯科尔
(激昂地)今晚当着天主的面发誓。我才不会伸手去拿这样的好处呢!
巡警甲
你控告他什么?发生什么事了吗?
玛丽·德里斯科尔
这个人在房屋后院抽冷子把我吓了一跳,审判长老爷。一天早晨,趁着女主人出门买东西的当儿,他要我摘下一根饰针给他,又搂住了我,害得我身上至今还有四块紫斑。他还两次把手捅进我的衣服里。
布卢姆
她回手打了我。
玛丽·德里斯科尔
(轻蔑地)我更尊重的是擦地的毛刷[118] ,正是这样。审判长老爷,我责备他了。他对我说,可别张扬出去。
(引起一阵哄堂大笑。)
乔治·弗特里尔[119]
(法庭书记。嗓音洪亮地宣布)肃静!现在由被告做他编造的供词。(布卢姆申辩自己无罪。他手持一朵盛开的睡莲花,开始,一场冗长而难以理解的发言。人们将会听取辩护人下面这段对大陪审团所作激动人心的陈说:被告落魄潦倒,尽管被打上害群之马的烙印,他却有决心改邪归正,全然温顺地缅怀过去,作为养得很驯顺的动物回归大自然。他曾经是个七个月就出生的早产儿,由多病并断了弦的老父精心抚养大的。他本人是可能几次误入歧途的父亲,可他渴望翻开新的一页。如今终于面对被绑上去受鞭挞的笞柱,就巴不得周围弥漫着家族的温暖气息,在团聚中度过晚年。他已经被环境熏陶成了英国人。那个夏天的傍晚,当雨住了的时候,他站在环行线铁道公司机丰驾驶室的踏板上,隔着都柏林市内和郊区那些恩爱之家的窗户,瞥见幸福的、地地道道牧歌式的乡间生活,墙上糊的是由多克雷尔[120] 店里买来的每打一先令九便士的墙纸。这里,在英国出生的天真烂漫的娃娃们,口齿不清地对圣婴作着祷告;年轻学子们拼死拼活地用着功;模范的淑女们弹着钢琴,或围着噼噼啪啪燃烧着的那截圣诞夜圆木,阖家念诵玫瑰经。同时,姑娘们和小伙子们沿着绿荫幽径徜徉;随着他们的步调,传来了美国式簧风琴的旋律,音质听来像煞管风琴,用不列颠合金[121] 镶边,有四个挺好使的音栓和十二褶层风箱,售价低廉,最便宜的货色……)
(又爆发了一阵哄笑。他语无伦次地咕噜着。审判记录员们抱怨听不清楚。)
普通记录员和速记员
(依旧低头看着记录册)让他放松一点。
马休教授
(在记者席上咳嗽一声,大声嚷)统统咳出来,伙计,一点一点地。(关于布卢姆和那只桶的盘讯。一只大桶。布卢姆本人。拉肚子。在比弗街。肠绞痛,对。疼得厉害。泥水匠的桶[ 122] 。)两腿发僵,拖着脚步走。忍受难以形容的痛苦。疼得要命。接近晌午的时候。要么是情欲,要么是勃艮第葡萄酒。对,一点儿菠菜。关键时刻。他不曾往桶里看。无人在场。一团糟。没有拉完。一份过期的《珍闻》[123]。
(起哄鼓噪,一片嘘声。布卢姆身穿沾满石灰水、破破烂烂的大礼服,歪戴着瘪下去一块的大礼帽,鼻子上横贴着一条橡皮膏,低声说着话。)
杰·杰·奥莫洛伊
(头戴高级律师的银色假发,身着呢绒长袍,用悲痛的抗议口吻。)本庭并非可以肆意发表猥亵轻率的演说,不惜伤害一个酒后犯罪者的场所。这里既不是斗熊场,也不是可以从事恶作剧的牛津。[124]不能在法庭上表演滑稽戏。我的辩护委托人尚未成年,一个来自外国的可怜的移民。他开头是个偷渡客,如今正竭力靠规规矩矩地工作挣点钱。被诬告的那些不轨行为是幻觉引起偶发的遗传性神经错乱导致的。本案中被控所犯的亲昵举动,在我这位辩护委托人的出生地法老[ 125] 之国,是完全被容许的。我要说的是,据初次印象[126]并没有肉欲的企图。既没发生暧昧关系,而德里斯科尔所指控的对她的调戏,也并没有重犯。我要特别提出隔代遗传的问题。我这位辩护委托人的家族中有着精神彻底崩溃与梦游症的病史。倘若允许被告陈述的话,他就可以诉说一桩事[127]——那是书里所曾叙述过的最奇妙的故事之一。审判长阁下,他在肉体方面是个废人,这是补鞋匠通常患的那种肺病造成的。据他所申诉的,他属于蒙古血统,对自己的行为不负任何责任。事实上,什么问题都不存在。
布卢姆
(赤脚,鸡胸,身着东印度水手的衫裤,歉疚般地将两脚的大趾头摆成内八字。睁开鼹鼠般的眯缝眼儿,茫然四顾,慢腾腾地用一只手抚摩前额。随后按水手的派头把腰带使劲一勒,以东方人的方式耸肩向法庭深打一躬,朝天翘起大拇指。)多、好、的、夜、晚。(天真地欢唱起来。)
可怜小娃子莉莉,
每晚猪脚送来哩,
两个先令付给你……
(众人怪叫,把他轰下台去。)
杰·杰·奥莫洛伊
(愤怒地对起哄者)这是一场匹马单熗的斗争。我对冥王哈得斯发誓,绝不能允许我的辩护委托人像这样被一帮野狗和大笑着的鬣狗所玩弄,而且还不准他发言。《摩西法典》[128] 已经取代了丛林法令。我绝不想损害司法的目的,然而这一点我必须反复强调指出:被告不是事先参与预谋的从犯,而起诉人被玩弄的事实也不存在。被告一直把该年轻女子当作自己的女儿来对待。(布卢姆握住杰·杰·奥莫洛伊的手,把它举到自己的唇边。)我要举出反证,彻底证明那只看不见的手[129] 在玩弄惯用的伎俩了。要是还认为可疑,就尽管迫害布卢姆好了。我这位辩护委托人生性腼腆,决做不出那种被损害贞节者会抗议的非礼举动。当一个理应对姑娘的状况负责的懦夫,在她身上满足了自己的情欲,使她误入歧途之后,他是决不会去朝她扔石头的。他要做个循规蹈矩的人。他是我所认识的人们当中最高尚清白的一位。眼下他的境遇不佳,因为他那份移民垦殖公司的辽阔地产被抵押出去了,那是在遥远的小亚细亚。现在把幻灯片放给你们看。(对布卢姆)我建议你出手大方一些。
布卢姆
每英镑付一便士。[130]
(墙上映出其尼烈湖的影象:朦朦胧胧一片银色的薄雾中,牛群在吃草。长着一双鼹鼠眼的白化病患者摩西·德鲁加茨[131] 从旁听席上站起来。他身穿印度粗蓝斜纹布褂子,双手各持着香橼、桔子和一副猪腰子。)
德鲁加茨
(嘶哑地)柏林西十三区布莱布特留大街[132]。
(杰·杰·奥莫洛伊迈上低矮的台座,一本正经地攥住上衣翻领。他的脸变得长而苍白,胡子拉碴,两眼深陷,像约翰·弗·泰勒[133] 那样出现了结核症的肿疱,颊骨上一片潮红。他用手绢捂着嘴,审视着迸溅出来的一股玫瑰色血液。)
杰·杰·奥莫洛伊
(声音小得几乎听不见)请原谅。我浑身冷得厉害,新近才离开病床。扼要他说几句话。(他模仿那有着鸟一般的头、狐狸似的胡子和宛若大象的鼻子的西摩·布希[ 134] 的雄辩。)当天使的书被打开来的时候,萌生于沉思的胸中那颗净化了的灵魂和正在净化着的灵魂的化身,倘若还有存在下去的任何价值的话[135] ,我就要提出,请对这位刑事被告人所蒙受的嫌疑,给予神圣而有利的裁定。
(一张写了些字的纸条被递交给法庭。)
布卢姆
(身着礼服)我可以提出最好的证人,就是卡伦和科尔曼[136] 二位先生、威兹德姆·希利·J.P。先生、我以前的上司乔·卡夫、前都柏林市长维·B·狄龙[137]先生。我和上流社会富于魅力的人士有交往……都柏林社交界的名媛们。(漫不经心地)今天下午我还在总督官邸的一个招待会上,跟老朋友天文台长罗伯特·鲍尔爵士和夫人聊天来着。我说:鲍勃[138] 爵士……
那尔弗顿·巴里[139] 夫人
(身穿开领低低的乳白色舞衫,戴一副长及臂肘的象牙色手套,罩着用黑貂皮镶边、薄薄地絮了棉花、拍出花纹的砖色披肩式外衣,头发上插着一把嵌着宝石的梳子和白鹭羽饰。)警察,逮捕他吧。当我丈夫参加芒斯特的巡回审判,前往蒂珀雷里[140] 北区的时候,他用反手给我写了一封字体蹩脚的匿名信,署名詹姆斯·洛夫伯奇[141] 。信里说,当我坐在皇家剧场包厢里观看《蚱蜢》的御前公演时,[142]他从楼座看见了我那举世无双的眼珠。他说,我使他的感情像烈火般高涨起来了。他向我作了非礼的表示,邀我下星期四在邓辛克[143] 标准时间下午四点半钟跟他幽会。他还表示要邮寄给我保罗·德·科克先生的一本小说,书名是《系了三条紧身褡的姑娘》。[144]
贝林厄姆夫人
(头戴无边帽,身披仿海豹兔皮斗篷,领子一直围到鼻子上。她走下四轮轿式马车,从她那只袋鼠皮大手笼里掏出一副龟甲框带柄单眼镜。)他对我也曾这样说过。对,这准是那个行为不端的家伙。九三年二月间下雨夹雪的一天,冷得连污水管的铁格子和澡缸的浮球活栓都结了冰。在索恩利·斯托克爵士[145] 的住宅外面,他替我关上了马车门。随后,他在信里附了一朵火绒草,说是为了向我表示敬慕,特地从山丘上采来的。我请一位植物学专家给鉴定一下。原来是他从模范农场的催熟箱里偷来的本地所产马铃薯花。
那尔弗顿·巴里夫人
真不要脸!
(一群妓女与邋遢汉一拥而上。)
妓女与邋遢汉
(尖声喊叫)可别让贼跑啦!好哇,蓝胡子[146] !犹大佬摩[147] 万岁!
巡警乙
(掏出手铐)放老实点!
贝林厄姆夫人
这家伙用种种笔迹给我写信,肉麻地恭维我是穿皮衣的维纳斯[148] ,说他深切地同情我那冻僵了的马车夫帕尔默,同时又表示羡慕帕尔默的帽子护耳、蓬蓬松松的羊皮外衣以及他能呆在我身边有多么幸运。也就是说,羡慕他身穿印有贝林厄姆家徽的号衣——黑色盾纹面上配以金线绣的雄鹿头。他肆无忌惮地夸奖我的脚尖,严严实实裹在丝袜子里的丰满的腿肚子,还热切地颂扬我那藏在昂贵花边里的另外一些宝贝,说这一切仿佛都历历在目。他怂恿我——还说他感到怂恿我乃是他一生的使命——尽早抓个机会玷污婚姻之床,犯淫乱之罪。
默雯·塔尔博伊贵妇人[ 149]
(身着骑马装,头戴圆顶硬礼帽,脚蹬长统靴——上面装有状似公鸡脚上的距那样的踢马刺;朱红色背心,戴着火熗手用的小鹿皮长手套一手套筒是编织成的。她撩起长长的裙据,不断地甩着猎鞭,抽打鞭子的滚边。)他对我也是这样。因为在凤凰公园的马球赛场上,他瞥见了我。那一次,全爱尔兰队和爱尔兰第二队[150] 举行对抗赛。当英尼斯基林的强手登内希上尉骑着他所宠爱的那匹短腿壮马森特,在最后一局中获胜的时候,我的眼睛发出了圣洁的光。这个平民唐璜[151]从一辆出租马车背后瞅见了我。他把一张淫秽的相片——就是天黑之后在巴黎的大马路上卖的那种——装在双层信封里寄给了我。对任何上流妇女来说,这都是不能容忍的。我至今还保留着哪。相片上是一位半裸的女士,纤弱美丽——他一本正经地告诉我,这是他的老婆,是实地拍的。她正在跟一个壮实的徒步斗牛士[ 152] ——显然是个坏蛋——偷偷干着那种事。他怂恿我也这么做,放荡一下,去跟驻军的军官们干不规矩的事。他央求我用说不出口的方式弄脏他那封信,惩罚他——其实他就欠挨一顿严厉的惩罚——容许他驮着我,把他当马骑,并且狠狠地鞭打他。
贝林厄姆夫人
他对我也是这样。
那尔弗顿·巴里太太
对我也是这样。
(几位都柏林的最上流的夫人都举起布卢姆写给她们的卑鄙龌龊的信给大家看。)
默雯·塔尔博伊贵妇人
(突然发起怒来。她脚下的踢马刺丁当作响。)向天主发誓,我要教训教训他,我要使劲鞭打这条胆小卑劣的野狗。我要活剥他的皮。
布卢姆
(闭上眼睛,自知难以幸免,缩作一团)是当场吗?(窘促不安地蠕动着)又是一次!(战战兢兢地喘着气)我喜欢冒这样的危险。
默雯·塔尔博伊贵妇人
正是这样!我要给你点厉害尝尝。叫你像杰克·拉坦那样跳舞。[153]
贝林厄姆夫人
这个暴发户!使劲揍他的屁股。在那上面划得一道道的,就像星条旗那样。
耶尔弗顿·巴里夫人
丢人现眼!他没有什么可辩解的!一个有妇之夫!
布卢姆
这些人哪。我的意思是拍打拍打而已。热辣辣地一片红,可又不至于流血。文雅地用烨木条抽打几下,还能促进血液循环哩。
默雯·塔尔博伊贵妇人
(嘲笑)咦,真的吗,我的好人儿?那么,当着神圣的天主发誓,我会吓掉你的小命的。我说话算话,准让你挨到一顿最残酷的鞭打。你已经把沉睡在我天性中的那只母老虎激怒了。
贝林厄姆夫人
(咬牙切齿地摇晃着围巾和带柄单眼镜)亲爱的哈纳,让他尝尝滋味。给他块生姜[154] 。用九尾鞭把这杂种狗抽打个半死。把他阉割了。把他劈成八块儿。
布卢姆
(浑身发抖,缩作一团,卑躬屈膝地双手合十)噢,好冷啊!噢,我一个劲儿地打哆嗦!那是因为您美得像天仙似的。忘掉吧,宽恕吧。这都是天命[155] 啊。请饶恕我这一次。(他伸过另一边面颊。)
耶尔弗顿·巴里夫人
(严峻地)塔尔博伊夫人,绝不能饶恕他!应该痛打他一顿!
默雯·塔尔博伊贵妇人
(气势汹汹地解开长手套的钮扣)凭什么宽恕他。狗畜生,而且生下来就是这副德性!他居然敢向我求爱!我要在大街上把他打得黑一块蓝一块的。把踢马刺上的齿轮刺进他的肉里。人人都晓得他是个王八。(她凶猛地凌空甩着猎鞭。)马上扒下他的裤子!过来,你这家伙!快点儿!准备好了吗?
布卢姆
(浑身发抖,开始照她的话做)今天天气还挺暖和。(鬈发的戴维·斯蒂芬斯[156] 跟一群赤足报童一道走过去。〕
戴维·斯蒂芬斯
《圣心使者》[157] 和《电讯晚报》,附有圣帕特里克节日的增刊,上面刊登了都柏林所有那些王八们的地址。
(披着金色斗篷的教长——教堂蒙席奥汉龙举起大理石座钟给众人看。康罗伊神父和耶稣会的约翰·休斯神父低垂着头。)
时钟
(钟门启开。)
咕咕。
咕咕。
咕咕。
(传来床架上的黄铜环丁零当啷的响声。)
铜环
咭咯甲咯。咭嘎唁嘎。咭咯甲咯。[ 158]
(雾做成的镶板急剧地向后滚去,陪审员席上突然出现了一张张的脸:戴大礼帽的首席陪审员马丁·坎宁翰、杰克·鲍尔、西蒙·迪达勒斯、汤姆·克南、内德·兰伯特、约翰·亨利·门顿、迈尔斯·克劳福德、利内翰、帕迪·伦纳德、大鼻子弗林、麦科伊以及一无名氏[159] 的毫无特征的脸。)
无名氏
光着屁股骑裸马。按照年龄规定的负载重量。[160] 混蛋。他把她骗到了手。
陪审员们
(一起朝着声音转过头去)真的吗?
无名氏
(咆哮)还撅起屁股来。我敢打赌,以一百先令博五先令。
陪审员们
(一起低下头去表示同意)我们大多认为大概是这么回事。
巡警甲
这家伙是个嫌疑犯。另一个姑娘的辫子给铰掉了。[ 161] 通缉杀人犯杰克[162] 。
悬奖一千英镑。
巡警乙
(畏惧,低语)还穿着黑衣服。是个一夫多妻主义者。无政府主义者。
庭役
(大声地)没有固定地址的利奥波德·布卢姆是个臭名昭著的使用炸药的盗匪,他还是伪造文书者,重婚犯,猥亵者,又是个王八。他有损都柏林市民的公益。如今在本巡回法庭陪审团面前,经庭长阁下……
(都柏林市记录法官、弗雷德里克·福基纳爵士阁下,身穿灰白石色袍子,蓄着石像[163] 般的胡须,从法官席上站起来。他双臂捧着雨伞状的权杖。前额上直挺挺地长出一双摩西那样的公羊角。)
记录法官
本法官将断然废止这种贩卖白奴的活动,以使都柏林免遭可憎的蠹虫之危害。真是令人发指!(他戴上黑帽子 164] 。)行政司法副长官先生,把站在被告席的这个家伙押下去,关进蒙乔伊监狱里,听候国王陛下的圣旨。然后把他绞死,要做到万无一失。愿天主大发慈悲,保佑你的灵魂。把他带走。
(一顶黑色头盖帽[165] 扣到布卢姆头上。行政司法副长官高个儿约翰·范宁出现了,他吸着一支刺鼻的亨利·克莱。[166] )
高个儿约翰·范宁
(脸色阴沉,用洪亮、圆润的嗓音说)谁来绞死加略人犹大?
(高级理发师霍·朗博尔德[167] 穿着血红色紧身皮背心,系着揉皮工人的围裙,肩上扛着盘成一圈的绳子,爬上绞刑架。腰带上插着救生用具和一根满是钉子的大头棒。他使劲搓着那双因戴着金属制关节保护套而隆起的手。)
朗博尔德
(用令人发惊的亲昵语气对记录法官说)陛下[168] ,敝人是绞刑吏哈利,默西河[169] 的凶神。每绞死一名,酬金五基尼。脖子不断不要钱。[170]
(乔治教堂的钟缓慢地响着,铁在黑暗中轰鸣着。[171] )
众钟
丁当!丁当!!
布卢姆
(绝望地)等一等。住手。这是一场骗局。发发善心。我瞧见了。清白无辜。姑娘给关在猴圈里。动物园。淫猥的黑猩猩。(上气不接下气地)骨盆。姑娘天真地羞红了脸,使我浑身瘫软。[172] (激动不已)我离开了那地方。(转向群众中的一个人,哀求地)海因斯,我能跟你说句话吗?你认得我。那三先令,你就留下吧。[173] 假若你还想多要一点的话……
海因斯
(冷漠地)我和你素不相识。
巡警乙
(指着一个角落)炸弹在这儿哪。
巡警甲
一颗可怕的定时炸弹。
布卢姆
不,不。那是只猪脚,我参加葬礼去了。
巡警甲
(抄起警棍)你撒谎!
(猎兔狗抬起鼻子尖儿,露出帕狄·迪格纳穆那张患坏血症的灰脸。他已经吃得一于二净。他吐出一股像是吃了腐肉般的臭气。他长得个头和形状都跟人一样了。那身猎獾狗的黑褐色毛皮成为褐色尸衣。一双绿眼睛杀气腾腾地闪着光。半截耳朵、整个鼻子和双手的大拇指都被食尸鬼吃掉了。)
帕狄·迪格纳穆
(瓮声瓮气地)可不是嘛。是我的葬礼。菲纽肯大夫[174]给开了死亡诊断书。我是因病自然死亡的。
(他把那张残缺不全的死灰般的脸转向月亮,忧伤地吠着。)
布卢姆
(昂然自得地)你们听见了吗?
帕狄·迪格纳穆
布卢姆,我是帕狄·迪格纳穆的鬼魂。听着,听着,啊,听着[ 175] !
布卢姆
这是以扫的声音。[176]
巡警乙
(画十字)这怎么可能呢?
巡警甲
一便士一本的《要理问答》里可没有。[177]
帕狄·迪格纳穆
是转生[178] 。亡灵。
一个嗓音
哦,别转文啦!
帕狄·迪格纳穆
(诚挚地)我曾经是约·亨·门顿的雇员,他是律师,负责办理宣誓和宣誓书事务,住在巴切勒步道二十七号。如今我因心壁肥大而死了。时运不济啊。我那可怜的老婆可遭了殃。她怎样忍受着这一切呢?可别让她挨近那瓶雪利酒。(他四下里打量着。)给我一盏灯。我得满足一下动物的欲望。那脱脂奶不合我的口味。
(公墓管理员约翰·奥康内尔[179] 那魁梧的身姿出现了。他手持一串系了黑纱的钥匙。站在他身边的是教诲师科菲神父[180],肚子鼓得像只癞蛤馍,歪脖儿,身穿白色法衣,头戴印花布夜帽,昏昏欲睡地拄着一根用罂粟编成的手杖。)
科菲神父
(打个呵欠,用阴郁的嗄声吟诵)呐咪内。雅各。尔饼干[181] 。啊们。
约翰·奥康内尔
(用喇叭筒像吹雾中警报般大声喊叫)已故迪格纳穆·帕特里克·T。
帕狄·迪格纳穆
(尖起耳朵,畏畏缩缩地)陪音[182]。(挣扎着向前移动,将一只耳朵贴在地面上)
是我主人的声音![183]
约翰·奥康内尔
埋葬许可证死亡[ 184] 第八万五千号。第十七墓区。钥匙议院。[185] 第一0 一号地域。
(帕狄·迪格纳穆一边沉思默想,一边直挺挺地翘着尾巴尖儿,竖起耳朵,显然在使劲地倾听着。)
帕狄·迪格纳穆
祈求他的灵魂获得永安。
(他沿着地下堆煤场的抛煤口像虫子一般慢慢地向前蠕动,系着褐衣的带子从卵石上拖过去,喳喳作响。一只胖墩墩的老鼠:[186] 爷爷趔趔趄趄地跟在后面。它长着一双蘑菇般的鸟龟爪子和灰色甲壳。从地底下传来迪格纳穆那闷哑的呻吟声:“迪格纳穆已死,并已入葬了。”汤姆·罗赤福特身穿深红色背心和马裤,头戴便帽,从他那有两根圆柱的机器里跳出来。)
汤姆·罗赤福特
(一手接着胸骨,深打一躬)那是吕便·杰。我得从他手里搞到一枚两先令银市。
(他死死地盯着检修口。)[187] 轮到我啦。跟我去卡洛。[188]
(他就像是一条鲁莽的鲑鱼一般纵身跳到空中,被吸入抛煤口。圆柱上的两个圆盘晃了晃,宛如一双眼睛。显示出一对“零”字。一切都消失了。布卢姆拖着沉重的脚步膛着污水继续向前走。众吻在尘雾的空隙间,吱吱响着。传来了钢琴声。他在一座点了灯的房舍前停下脚步,倾听着。众吻从它们藏匿的地方展翼飞出,在他周围翱翔,调哳着,啾唧着,颤颤巍巍地唱着。)
众吻
(颤巍巍地唱着)利奥!(啁哳着)黏糊糊,舔啊舔,腻得得,吧唧唧,跟利奥!(啾唧着)咕咕咕!真好吃,吱吱吱!(颤巍巍地唱着)大呀大!转啊转!利奥波波德!(啁哳着)利奥利!(颤巍巍地唱着)噢,利奥!
(众吻飒飒响着,在他的衣服上拍翅,飞落在上面,成为锃亮得令人眼花缭乱的斑点,化为银光闪闪的圆形金属小饰片。)
布卢姆
准是男人弹的。悲哀的曲子。教堂音乐哩。兴许就在这儿。(年轻妓女佐伊·希金斯[189] 身穿钉有三颗青铜钮扣的蔚蓝色宽松套衫,脖颈上系了一条长长的黑色天鹅绒细带。她点点头,轻盈飞快地跑下台阶,勾引他。)
佐伊
你在找什么人吗?他正在里面跟他的朋友在一道哪。
布卢姆
这里是麦克太太[190]家吗?
佐伊
不,她住八十一号。这里是科恩大大家。你走得越远,可能越倒媚。斯利珀斯莱珀老妈妈[191] 。(亲昵地)今儿晚上她自个儿在跟兽医搞着哪。他就是那个向她透露消息的人,告诉她哪些马会获胜,还接济她儿子在牛津读书。打了烊她照样接客。可是今天她并不走运。(觉得蹊跷地)你该不是他爹吧?
布卢姆
我可不是!
佐伊
你们两个人都穿黑衣服哩。今儿晚上小耗子儿痒痒吗,
(他的皮肤敏锐地感觉出她的指尖儿挨近了。一只手沿着他的左边大腿滑动。)
佐伊
球球儿好吗?
布卢姆
在另一边。可怪啦,我的长在右边儿。想必份量更重一些。我的裁缝梅西雅斯[192]
说,每一百万人当中才有一个。
佐伊
(猛地大吃一惊)你患了硬下疳啦。
布卢姆
不会吧。
佐伊
我摸出来啦。
(她把手滑进他左边的裤兜,拽出一个又硬又黑、干瘪了的土豆。她紧闭着湿润的嘴唇,打量着土豆和布卢姆。)
布卢姆
是个护身符。传家宝。
佐伊
是给佐伊的吧?留作纪念?我对你多好哇,呃?
(她贪婪地把土豆塞进自己的衣兜,挽住他的臂,柔情谴绪地搂抱着他。他不自在地泛着微笑。东方音乐徐徐奏起,一曲接一曲。他凝视着她那双眼圈涂得黑黑的、像黄褐色水晶般的眼睛。他的微笑变得柔和了。)
佐伊
下次你就是熟客了。
布卢姆
(哀切地)我只要跟可爱的羚羊亲热那么一回,我就永远也不会......(一群羚羊跳跳蹦蹦,在山上吃着草。附近有凡个湖泊。沿着湖畔是一溜杉树丛的黑色阴影。升起一股芳香,树脂发出生发剂般的浓郁气味。东方,蔚蓝的苍穹燃烧着,青铜色的鹰群划破天空,展翅飞去。下面横卧着女都[193] ,赤裸,白皙,纹丝不动,清凉,呈现着豪华气派。淡红色玫瑰丛中,喷泉淙淙响着。巨大的玫瑰咕哝着深红色葡萄的事。耻辱、肉欲与血液之酒,奇妙地私语着,淌了出来。)
佐伊
(她那后宫女奴般的嘴唇上,令人腻味地涂满了猪油与玫瑰香水调成的软膏,配合着音乐,声调平板地低语。)耶路撒冷的女子们哪,我虽然黝黑,却秀美。[194]
布卢姆
(神魂颠倒)从你的发音,我想你的家庭出身必然不错。
佐伊
我心里想些什么,你能知道吗?
(她用镶金小牙轻轻地咬他的耳朵,朝他喷着浓郁的烂蒜气息。那簇玫瑰花分裂开来,露出历代国王的金基和他们那朽骨。)
布卢姆
(犹豫了一下,笨拙地扎煞着手,机械地爱抚她的右乳房)你是个都柏林姑娘吗?
佐伊
(灵巧地握住一根散发,将它和挽起来的头发拢在一起)用不着担心。我是英国人。你有烟卷儿吗?
布卢姆
(继续爱抚着)我难得抽烟卷儿,亲爱的,偶尔倒吸根雪茄烟。哄孩子玩的。(好色地)嘴里与其叼那臭烟草卷成的圆筒,不如派上更好的用场。
佐伊
接下去!用它发表一通政见演说吧、
布卢姆
(身穿工人的灯芯绒工装裤和黑色羊毛衫,系着一条飘扬的红领带,头戴阿帕切[195] 式便帽。)人类是不可救药的。沃尔特·雷利爵士:[196] 从新大陆带回了土豆和烟草。前者能够借吸收作用消灭恶疫[197]后者毒害耳朵、眼睛、心脏、记忆力、意志力、理解力,它毒害一切。也就是说,他带回了毒药,这比我忘记了名字的带回食品来的另一位要早一百年。自杀。谎言。一切我们都习以为常。喏,瞧瞧我们的公共生活吧!
(从远处的尖塔传来了午夜钟声。)
钟声
回来吧,利奥波德!都柏林的市长大人!
布卢姆
(身穿高级市政官的长袍,挂着链子)阿伦码头、英斯码头、圆堂、蒙乔伊和北船坞的选民们,我认为应该从牲畜市场铺设一条电车道,一直通到河边。[198] 这是未来的音乐。是敝人提出的施政方案。谁能获得好处?[ 199] 然而我们这几位搭乘金融界幽灵船的冒险家范德狄肯们[200] ……
一个选民
为我们未来的总督九呼万岁!
(火炬游行队伍中的北极光跳跃着。)
持火炬者
万岁!
(几位大名鼎鼎的议员、本市大亨以及市民们与布卢姆握手,向他祝贺。曾经连任三届都柏林市长的蒂莫西·哈林顿[201] ,身穿市长的猩红色袍子,胸佩金链,系着白丝领带,仪表堂堂,与临时代理洛坎·舍洛克参议员攀谈着。二人频频点头,表示已谈妥。)
哈林顿前市长
(身穿猩红袍子,手执权杖,佩带市长的金链,系着白丝大领带)高级市政官利奥·布卢姆爵士的演说词将付梓,费用由地方纳税者支付。他出生的那所房子用纪念牌装饰起来。科克街尽头的那条原名考·帕勒的通道,今后将改名为布卢姆大街。
参议员洛坎·舍洛克
全场一致通过。
布卢姆
(充满激情地)这些飞行的荷兰人或撒谎的荷兰人,当他们斜倚在布置一新的船尾楼甲板上掷骰子时,他们在乎什么呢?机器是他们的口号,他们的非非之想,他们的万应妙丹。那是节省劳力的设备,是褫夺者,是妖精,是为了互相残杀而制造出来的怪物,是根据一群资本家的欲望,用我们所出售的劳动生产出来的可怕的妖怪。穷人在挨饿。他们却饲养着高贵的牡山鹿,沉溺在目光短浅的虚饰中,利用他们的财富和权势,对庄稼人也罢,鹧鸪也罢,胡乱射杀。然而他们的海盗统治已垮台,永远地,永远地,永……[202]
(经久不息的掌声。五彩缤纷的饰柱、五月柱[203]和节日的牌楼拔地而起。街上张挂起写有“十万个欢迎”和“以色列王多么美好”[204]字样的幡。所有的窗口都簇拥着看热闹的人,大多是妇女。沿途,都柏林近卫步兵连队、苏格兰边防近卫军、卡梅伦高原连队以及威尔士步兵连队的士兵们,以立正的姿势排列着,挡住群众。高中的男生们蹲在街灯柱、电线杆、窗口、檐口檐槽、烟囱顶管、栏杆和排水管上,又是吹口哨,又是欢呼出现了云柱[205] 。远处传来鼓笛队演奏《我们的一切誓约》的声音。先遣队举着帝国的鹰徽[206] ,旗帜随风飘扬,摇着东方的棕桐叶。用黄金与象牙装饰起来的教皇旗帜高高耸起,周围是一面面细长的三角形市旗。队伍的头排出现了,领先的是身穿棋盘花样袍子的市政典礼官约翰,霍华德·巴涅尔[207] ,阿斯隆地方选出来的议员兼阿尔斯特纹章院院长。跟在后面的是都柏林市市长阁下约瑟夫·哈钦森[208] 、科克市市长阁下、利默里克、戈尔韦、斯莱戈和沃特福德等市的市长阁下,二十八位爱尔兰贵族代表[209],印度的达宫贵人们,西班牙的大公们,佩带着宝座饰布的印度大君,都柏林首都消防队,按照资财顺序排列的一群财界圣徒,唐郡兼康纳主教[210] 、全爱尔兰首席阿马大主教——红衣主教迈克尔·洛格阁下,全爱尔兰首席阿大主教——神学博士威廉·亚历山大阁下,犹太教教长、长老派教会大会主席,浸礼会、再浸礼会、卫理公会以及弟兄会首脑,还有公谊会的名誉干事。走在他们后面的是各种行会、同业工会和民团,打着飘扬的旗帜行进。其中包括桶匠、小鸟商人、水磨匠、报纸推销员、公证人、按摩师、葡萄酒商、疝带制造者、扫烟囱的,提炼猪油的,织波纹塔夫绸和府绸的,钉马掌的铁匠,意大利批发商,教堂装饰师,制造靴拔子的,殡仪事业经营人、绸缎商、宝石商、推销员、制造软木塞的、火灾损失估价员、开洗染行的,从事出口用装瓶业的,毛皮商、印名片的,纹章图章雕刻师、屯马场的工役、金银经纪人、板球与射箭用具商、制造粗筛子的,鸡蛋土豆经销人、经售男袜内衣和针织品商人、手套商、自来水工程承包人。尾随于后的是侍寝官、黑仗侍卫、勋章院副院长、仪仗队队长、主马官、侍从长、纹章局局长,以及手持御剑、圣斯蒂芬铁制王冠、圣爵与《圣经》的侍从武官长。四名司号步兵吹信号。卫兵们答以欢迎的号角。没帽子的布卢姆出现在凯旋门下。他披着镶了白貂皮边的绯红天鹅绒斗篷,手执圣爱德华的权杖、象征王权的宝珠、有着鸽状装饰的王节和慈悲剑[211] 。他骑着一匹乳白色的马,它甩着猩红色的长尾巴,鞍辔装点得十分华丽,马笼头是用金子制成的。狂热的兴奋。显贵的妇女们从阳台上掷下玫瑰花瓣。空气里弥漫着一片馨香气息。男人们喝采。布卢姆的侍童们拿着山楂枝与鹪鹩枝[212] ,在围观的人丛中跑来跑去。)
布卢姆的侍童们
鹪鹩啊,鹪鹩啊,
众鸟之王当推你;
圣斯蒂芬的节日,
你被缠于荆豆枝。
一铁匠
(喃喃地)真了不起!原来这就是布卢姆?看上去还不到三十一岁哪!
石板铺装工
呃,那就是遐迩闻名的布卢姆,世界上最伟大的改革家。向他脱帽致敬!
(众人摘帽。妇女们热切地交头接耳。)
一位女富豪
(阔气地)这个人多么了不起啊!
一位贵妇
(高贵地)他见识该有多么广!
一位女权运动者
(富于男子气概地)而且干了那么多!
一个装铃匠
一张典雅的脸!他有着一位思想家的前额。
(艳阳天[213] 。太阳从西北方向光芒四射。[214])
唐郡兼康纳主教
毫无疑问,这是我国领土的无比沉着强悍、有权有势的统治者,他集皇帝、大总统、国王、议长于一身。愿天主保佑利奥波德一世!
众人
愿天主保佑利奥波德一世!
布卢姆
(身穿加冕服,披着紫斗篷,威风凛凛地对唐郡兼康纳主教)谢谢你,多少有些名气的阁下。
阿马大主教威廉
(系着紫色宽领带,头戴宽边铲形帽)陛下对爱尔兰及其属地进行审判的时候,会尽力慈悲为怀来施行法律吗?
布卢姆
(将右手放在睾丸上,宣誓[215] 。)愿造物主引导我如此行事。我发誓将这样去做。
阿马大主教迈克尔
(将瓦罐里的发油倒在布卢姆头上)我向你们宣布一桩大喜讯:我们有了一位刽子手[216] 。利奥波德,帕特里克,安德鲁,大卫,乔治。现在我为你涂油!
(布卢姆披上一件金线织成的斗篷,戴上一枚红玉戒指。他拾级而上,站在即位的石台上。贵族代表们也戴上他们那二十八顶王冠。基督教堂、圣帕特里克教堂、乔治教堂与快乐的马拉海德响起一片祝福的钟声。麦拉斯义卖会的焰火从四面八方升上天空,构成辉煌灿烂的象征阴茎的图案。贵族们一个挨一个地走到跟前,屈膝表示敬意。)
贵族们
愿作您的臣民,全心全意捍卫您在地上的尊严。
(布卢姆举起右手,上面闪烁着科- 依- 诺尔钻石[217] 。他的坐骑嘶鸣着。周围立即万籁俱寂。架起州际及行星际的无线电发报机,以接收信息。)
布卢姆
我的臣民们!我特此任命忠实的战马“幸运的纽带”为世袭首相[218],并且宣布,今天就与前妻离婚,迎娶夜之光辉塞勒涅[219]公主为妻。
(布卢姆那位身份悬殊的前任配偶旋即被警察局的囚车押走。塞勒涅公主穿着月白色衣裳,头戴银色月牙儿,从一辆由两个巨人抬着的轿子里走下来。一阵暴风雨般的喝采声。)
约翰·霍华德·巴涅尔
(举起王旗)卓越的布卢姆!我那遐尔闻名的兄长的继承人!
布卢姆
(拥抱约翰·霍华德·巴涅尔)朕衷心感谢你的厚意。约翰,由于你在我们共同的祖先所许下的土地[220]—— 绿色的爱琳上,给我以对国王的隆重欢迎。
(他被授予体现着宪章的荣誉市民权,呈给他的都柏林市钥匙交叉放在深红色的软垫上。他让大家看他穿的是绿袜子[221]。)
汤姆·克南
陛下啊,您是当之无愧的。
布卢姆
二十年前的今天,我们在莱迪史密斯[222] 击败了宿敌。我们的榴弹炮和轻回旋炮接连击中敌军阵地,给以重创。前进一英里半![223] 敌军冲过来了!一切都失去啦。[224] 投降吗?绝不!无论如何也要把他们击退!看哪!冲锋啊!我们的轻骑兵队扫荡普列文高地,一路呐喊着:“忠诚的士兵!”[225]把萨拉逊[226] 的炮兵杀得一个也不留。
《自由人报》排字工人工会
说得好!说得好!
约翰·怀斯·诺兰
放跑了詹姆斯·斯蒂芬斯[ 227] 的就是他。
慈善学校学童
真棒!
一个老居民
您是国家的光荣,老爷,不折不扣是这样。
卖苹果的老妪[228]
他正是爱尔兰所需要的人。
布卢姆
亲爱的臣民们,一个新时代即将来临。朕布卢姆,老实告诉你们,它甚至就在我们眼前。是的,朕以布卢姆的名义发誓,不久你们就将进入未来的新爱尔兰的金都新布卢姆撒冷[229] 。
(来自爱尔兰各郡的三十二名工人[230] ,佩带着玫瑰花饰,在营造业者德尔旺[ 231] 的指挥下,建筑起崭新的布卢姆撒冷。那是一座水晶屋顶的广厦,状如巨大的猪肾,内有四万间屋子。在扩建的过程中,曾拆毁了数座建筑物和纪念碑。政府官厅暂时迁移到铁道库房里。大批房屋被夷为平地。居民搬到用红笔标出“利·布”字样的桶里和箱子里。几名贫民从梯子上跌下来。挤满了忠实围观者的都柏林城墙的一部分坍塌下来。)
围观者们
(奄奄一息)行将咽气者向您致敬[232] 。(他们死去。)
(一个穿棕色胶布雨衣的人从活板门里跳出来,用伸长了的手指[233 ]指着布卢姆。)
穿胶布雨衣的人
他的话,你们一句也别信。这个人叫作利奥波德·明托施,是个臭名昭著的纵火犯。
其实,他姓希金斯[234] 。
布卢姆
开熗打死他!像狗一样的基督教徒!管他什么明托施呢!(一声炮响,身穿胶布雨衣的人不见踪影了。布卢姆抡起权杖将一株株罂粟砍倒。有人报告说,众多劲敌、牲畜业者、下院议员、常务委员会委员当即死亡了。布卢姆的卫兵们散发濯足节的贫民抚恤金[ 235] 、纪念章、面包和鱼、戒酒会员徽章、昂贵的亨利.克莱雪茄、煮汤用的免费牛骨、装在密封的信封里并捆着金线的橡胶预防用具、菠萝味硬糖果、黄油糖块、折叠成三角帽形的情书、成衣、一碗碗裹有奶油面糊的烤牛排、一瓶瓶杰那斯溶液、购货券、四十天大赦[236]。)、伪币、奶场饲养的猪做成的香肠、剧场免票、电车季票、匈牙利皇家特许彩票[237] 、一便士食堂的餐券、十二卷世界最劣书的廉价版:《法国佬与德国佬》(政治学)、《怎样育婴》[238](幼儿学)、《七先令六便士的菜肴五十种》(烹饪学)、《耶稣是太阳神话吗?》(史学)、《止痛法》(医学)、《供幼儿阅读的宇宙概略》(宇宙学)、 《福临笑家门》(乐天生活法)、《广告兜揽员便览》(报业学)、 《助产妇情书》(情欲学)、《宇宙空间人名录》(星辰学)、《动人心弦的歌曲》(旋律学)、《省小钱发财法》(吝啬学)。全场争先恐后地一拥而上。妇女们往前挤,以便触摸布卢姆那件袍子的下摆。格温多林·杜比达特小姐[239]推开人群,跳上他的马,在掌声雷动中吻他的双颊。用镁光灯为他们拍摄了照片。婴儿们与乳儿们被高高举起。)
妇女们
小爹[240]!小爹!
婴儿们与乳儿们
拍拍手等待,波尔迪回家来,
兜里的点心,只给利奥吃。
(布卢姆弯下身,轻轻地戳博德曼娃娃的肚皮。)
娃娃博德曼
(打嗝儿,凝乳从他嘴里往外冒)哈加加加。
布卢姆
(跟一个双目失明的小伙子握手)你比我的兄弟还亲!(伸出双臂搂着一对老夫妻的肩膀)亲爱的老朋友们!(他与衣衫褴褛的少男少女玩抢壁角游戏。)不在!猫儿!(他推着双胞胎所坐的那辆婴儿车。)嘀嗒乖乖俩,你们穿鞋吗?(他变起魔术,从嘴里拽出红、橙、黄、绿、蓝、靛青以及紫罗兰色的丝帕。)罗伊格比夫[241] 每秒三十二英尺。[242] (他安慰一位寡妇。)独居使心灵更加年轻。(他以怪诞的滑稽动作跳起苏格兰高地舞。)跳呀,伙计们!(他吻一位瘫痪老乒的褥疮。)光荣负伤!(他把一位胖警察绊了一跤。)万事休矣:完蛋。[243]万事休矣:完蛋。(他跟一个羞红了脸的女侍咬耳朵,和善地微笑着。)啊,淘气,[244]淘气!(他啃着农民莫里斯·巴特里[245]递给他的一个生芜菁。)不错!好极啦!(他拒绝接受记者约瑟夫·海因斯递过来的三先令。)我亲爱的伙计,这可不行!(他把上衣送给一个乞丐。)请你收下。(他参加上了年岁的男女瘫子的爬行比赛。)来呀,小伙子们!向前爬呀,姑娘们!
市民
(感动得说不出话来,用鲜绿色围巾擦拭眼泪。)愿好天主保佑他!
(山羊角制号角[246]响了,要人们保持肃静。升起了锡安旗[247]。)
布卢姆
(威风凛凛地脱下大笔,露出肥胖的身躯。打开一卷纸,庄严地朗读。)阿列夫、贝特、吉梅尔、达列特[248],《哈加达》书[249],门柱圣卷[250],合礼[251],赎罪日[252],再献圣殿节[253],罗施·哈沙纳[254],圣约之子会[ 255] ,受诫礼,无酵饼[ 256] ,德系犹太人,梅殊加[257] ,带流苏的围巾[258] 。
(市政府副书记官吉米·亨利[259] 宣读一篇正式译文。)
吉米·亨利
债权法院现在开庭。最宽宏大量的陛下即将举行户外审判。免费提供医学和法律方面的咨询。解答模棱两可的辞句以及其他问题。竭诚欢迎大家光临。乐园历元年于我们忠实的王都都柏林举行。
帕迪·伦纳德
我的地方税和国税怎么办?
布卢姆
朋友,就交纳吧。
帕迪·伦纳德
谢谢您。
大鼻子弗林
我能用火灾保险证书作抵押吗,
布卢姆
(冷漠地)各位先生,请注意,由于你们的侵权行为,应交保释金五英镑,限期六个。
杰·杰·奥莫洛伊
我说过他是个但尼尔[260] 吗? 不!他简直就是彼得·奥布赖恩[ 261] 。
大鼻子弗林
这五英镑,我打哪儿支取呢?
精明鬼[262]伯克
膀眺有毛病怎么办?
布卢姆
稀硝盐酸[263],二十滴。
酊剂混和催吐剂,[264]五滴。
蒲公英精液[265],三十滴。
兑上蒸馏水,每日三次。[266]
克里斯·卡利南[ 267]
毕宿五的周年视差是多少?[268]
布卢姆
克里斯,很高兴能见到你。吉11。
乔·海因斯
你为什么不穿制服?
布卢姆
当我那道德崇高的祖先身穿奥地利暴君的制服被关在潮湿的牢房里的时候,你的祖先哪儿去啦?
本·多拉德
三色堇?
布卢姆
装饰(美化)郊区的花园。
本·多拉德
双胞胎到来的时候呢?
布卢姆
父亲(老子、爹)开始思索[269] 。
拉里·奥罗克[270]
为我新开的这家酒吧发个八天的许可证[271] 吧。利奥爵士,还记得我吧?那时你们住在七号来着,我正要给你太太送一打烈性黑啤酒哩。
布卢姆
(冷冰冰地)你的记性比我的好。可布卢姆太太是从来不接受礼物的。
克罗夫顿
这真像是过节。
布卢姆
(庄严地)你说这是过节。我说这是领圣体。
亚历山大·凯斯
我们什么时候才能有自己的钥匙议院[272]呢,
布卢姆
我主张整顿本市的风纪,推行简明浅显的《十诫》。让新的世界取代旧的。犹太教徒、伊斯兰教徒与异教徒都联合起来。每一个大自然之子都将领到三英亩土地和一头母牛。[273] 豪华的殡仪汽车[274] 。强制万民从事体力劳动。所有的公园统统昼夜向公众开放。电动洗盘机。一切肺病、精神病、战争与行乞必须立即绝迹。普遍大赦。每周举行一次准许戴假面具的狂欢会。一律发奖金。推行世界语以促进普天之下的博爱。再也不要酒吧间食客和以治水肿病为幌子来行骗的家伙们的那种爱国主义了。自由货币,豁免房地租,自由恋爱以及自由世俗国家中的一所自由世俗教会。
奥马登·勃克
一个自由鸡窝里的自由狐狸。
戴维·伯恩[275]
(打哈欠)!阿——哧!
布卢姆
混合人种和混合通婚。
利内翰
男女混浴怎样?
(布卢姆向身边的人们阐述了自己的社会改革计划。众人一致表示同意。基尔代尔街博物馆的管理员出现了。他拉着一辆排子车,上面摇摇晃晃地载着儿具裸体女神雕像:美臀维纳斯[276] ,肉欲维纳斯[277] 、轮回维纳斯[278] ,还有九位也是裸体的新缪斯女神石膏像。她们司的是:商业、歌剧、恋爱、广告、工业、言论自由、多重投票权、烹调法、家庭卫生法、海边音乐会、无痛分娩法和通俗天文学。)
法利神父[279]
他是个主教派[280] 教友,一个不可知论者,一个企图推翻我们神圣信仰的无教义者。
赖尔登老太太[281]
(撕碎她的遗嘱)我对你失望啦!你这坏蛋!
葛罗甘老婆婆[ 282]
(脱掉一只长靴子朝布卢姆丢去)你这畜生!可恶的家伙!
大鼻子弗林
给咱们唱个小曲儿吧,布卢姆。唱一支古老甜蜜的情歌[283]。
布卢姆
(欢乐诙谐地逗弄着)
我发誓不离开她,永永远远,
原来她好残忍,把我欺骗,
我的吐啦噜,吐啦噜,吐啦噜。[284]
“独脚”霍罗翰[285]
好样的老布卢姆!不管谁也比不过他。
帕迪·伦纳德
爱尔兰戏子!
布卢姆
哪一出铁道歌剧像一条直布罗陀的电车线路?并排的铸铁。[286] (笑声。)
利内翰
剽窃家!打倒布卢姆!
蒙面纱的女巫
(狂热地)我是布卢姆的信徒,并且以此为荣。不管怎样,我相信他。他是天底下最逗的人,我情愿为他献出自己的生命。
布卢姆
(朝围观者眨眼)我敢断定她准是个漂亮姑娘。
西奥多·普里福伊[287]
(头戴钓鱼帽,身穿防水布前克)他利用机械的设计来阻挠大自然神圣掌画的实现。
蒙面纱的女巫
(用短刀刺胸脯)我英雄的天神啊!(死去。)(众多最富于魅力和狂热的妇女也纷纷自杀。有用匕首刺胸口的,有自溺的,服氢氰酸、附子或砒霜的,割动脉的,绝食的,纵身投到蒸气碾路机轮下的,从纳尔逊纪念柱顶上跳进吉尼斯啤酒公司那巨大酒桶里的,还有把头伸到煤气灶底下气绝身死,用时髦的袜带自缢,或从各层楼窗口跳下的。)
亚历山大·约·道维[288]
(语气激烈地)基督教徒们和反布卢姆主义者,这个名叫布卢姆的家伙是从地狱的底层来的,丢尽了基督教徒的脸。门德斯这只臭山羊[289]从小就是个恶魔似的浪子,露出早熟幼儿的淫荡症状,令人联想到低地各镇[290] 。而且他竟跟一个放荡的老妪勾勾搭搭。这个厚颜无耻、假冒为善的恶棍,简直就是《启示录》里提到的那只白牛。[291] 他是绯红女[292] 的崇拜者。他鼻孔里呼吸的净是阴谋诡计。火刑柱和烧滚了的油锅正是他的去处。凯列班[293 ]!
群氓
用私刑拷打他!把他活活烧死!他跟巴涅尔一样坏。福克斯先生![294]
(葛罗甘老婆婆把长靴朝布卢姆丢去。上多尔塞特街上方和下方的几家店的老板朝他丢一些廉价的或根本不值一文的物品:火腿骨头、炼乳罐头、卖不出去的卷心菜、陈面包、羊尾和肥猪肉碎片。)

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