第4章

Hear，hear。Prolongedapplause。Zut！NomdeDieu！

OfcourseI’maBritisher，Haines’voicesaid，andIfeelasone。

Idon’twanttoseemycountryfallintothehandsofGermanjewseither。

That’sournationalproblem，I’mafraid，justnow。

Twomenstoodatthevergeofthecliff，watching：businessman，boatman。

She’smakingforBullockharbour。

Theboatmannoddedtowardsthenorthofthebaywithsomedisdain。

There’sfivefathomsoutthere，hesaid。It’llbesweptupthatwaywhenthetidecomesinaboutone。It’sninedaystoday。

Themanthatwasdrowned。Asailveeringabouttheblankbaywaitingforaswollenbundletobobup，rollovertothesunapuffyface，saltwhite。HereIam。

Theyfollowedthewindingpathdowntothecreek。BuckMulliganstoodonastone，inshirtsleeves，hisunclippedtieripplingoverhisshoulder。

Ayoungmanclingingtoaspurofrocknearhimmovedslowlyfrogwisehisgreenlegsinthedeepjellyofthewater。

Isthebrotherwithyou，Malachi？

DowninWestmeath。WiththeBannons。

Stillthere？IgotacardfromBannon。Sayshefoundasweetyoungthingdownthere。Photogirlhecallsher。

Snapshot，eh？Briefexposure。

BuckMulligansatdowntounlacehisboots。Anelderlymanshotupnearthespurofrockablowingredface。Hescrambledupbythestones，waterglisteningonhispateandonitsgarlandofgreyhair，waterrillingoverhischestandpaunchandspillingjetsoutofhisblacksaggingloincloth。

BuckMulliganmadewayforhimtoscramblepastand，glancingatHainesandStephen，crossedhimselfpiouslywithhisthumbnailatbrowandlipsandbreastbone。

Seymour’sbackintown，theyoungmansaid，graspingagainhisspurofrock。Chuckedmedicineandgoinginforthearmy。

Ah，gotoGod，BuckMulligansaid。

Goingovernextweektostew。YouknowthatredCarlislegirl，Lily？

Yes。

Spooningwithhimlastnightonthepier。Thefatherisrottowithmoney。

Issheupthepole？

BetteraskSeymourthat。

Seymourableedingofficer，BuckMulligansaid。

Henoddedtohimselfashedrewoffhistrousersandstoodup，sayingtritely：

Redheadedwomenbucklikegoats。

Hebrokeoffinalarm，feelinghissideunderhisflappingshirt。

Mytwelfthribisgone，hecried。I’mtheUebermensch。ToothlessKinchandI，thesupermen。

Hestruggledoutofhisshirtandflungitbehindhimtowherehisclotheslay。

Areyougoinginhere，Malachi？

Yes。Makeroomin！hebed。

Theyoungmanshovedhimselfbackwardthroughthewaterandreachedthemiddleofthecreekintwolongcleanstrokes。Hainessatdownonastone，smoking。

Areyounotcomingin？BuckMulliganasked。

Lateron，Hainessaid。Notonmybreakfast。Stephenturnedaway。

I’mgoing，Mulligan，hesaid。

Giveusthatkey，Kinch，BuckMulligansaid，tokeepmychemiseflat。

Stephenhandedhimthekey。BuckMulliganlaiditacrosshisheapedclothes。

Andtwopence，hesaid，forapint。Throwitthere。

Stephenthrewtwopenniesonthesoftheap。Dressing，undressing。BuckMulliganerect，withjoinedhandsbeforehim，saidsolemnly：

HewhostealethfromthepoorlendethtotheLord。ThusspakeZarathustra。

Hisplumpbodyplunged。

We’llseeyouagain，Hainessaid，turningasStephenwalkedupthepathandsmilingatwildIrish。

Hornofabull，hoofofahorse，smileofaSaxon。

TheShip，BuckMulligancried。Halftwelve。

Good，Stephensaid。

Hewalkedalongtheupwardcurvingpath。Liliatarutilantium。

Turniacircumdet。

IubilantiumtevirginumThepriest’sgreynimbusinanichewherehedresseddiscreetly。Iwillnotsleepheretonight。HomealsoIcannotgo。

Avoice，sweettonedandsustained，calledtohimfromthesea。Turningthecurvehewavedhishand。Itcalledagain。Asleekbrownhead，aseal’s，faroutonthewater，round。

Usurper。

JOYCE：Ulysses，NestorNestorYOU，COCHRANE，WHATCITYSENTFORHIM？

Tarentum，sir。

Verygood。Well？

Therewasabattle，sir。

Verygood。Where？

Theboy’sblankfaceaskedtheblankwindow。

Fabledbythedaughtersofmemory。Andyetitwasinsomewayifnotasmemoryfabledit。Aphrase，then，ofimpatience，thudofBlake’swingsofexcess。Iheartheruinofallspace，shatteredglassandtopplingmasonry，andtimeonelividfinalflame。What’sleftusthen？

Iforgottheplace，sir。279B。C。

Asculum，Stephensaid，glancingatthenameanddateinthegorescarredbook。

Yes，sir。Andhesaid：Anothervictorylikethatandwearedonefor。

Thatphrasetheworldhadremembered。Adulleaseofthemind。Fromahillaboveacorpsestrewnplainageneralspeakingtohisofficers，leaneduponhisspear。Anygeneraltoanyofficers。Theylendear。

You，Armstrong，Stephensaid。WhatwastheendofPyrrhus？

EndofPyrrhus，sir？

Iknow，sir。Askme，sir，Comynsaid。

Wait。You，Armstrong。DoyouknowanythingaboutPyrrhus？

AbagoffigrollslaysnuglyinArmstrong’ssatchel。Hecurledthembetweenhispalmsatwhilesandswallowedthemsoftly。Crumbsadheredtothetissuesofhislips。Asweetenedboy’sbreath。Welloffpeople，proudthattheireldestsonwasinthenavy。VicoRoad，Dalkey。

Pyrrhus，sir？Pyrrhus，apier。

Alllaughed。Mirthlesshighmaliciouslaughter。Armstronglookedroundathisclassmates，sillygleeinprofile。Inamomenttheywilllaughmoreloudly，awareofmylackofruleandofthefeestheirpapaspay。

Tellmenow，Stephensaid，pokingtheboy’sshoulderwiththebook，whatisapier。

Apier，sir，Armstrongsaid。Athingoutinthewaves。Akindofbridge。Kingstownpier，sir。

Somelaughedagain：mirthlessbutwithmeaning。Twointhebackbenchwhispered。Yes。Theyknew：hadneverlearnednoreverbeeninnocent。All。

Withenvyhewatchedtheirfaces。Edith，Ethel，Gerty，Lily。Theirlikes：

theirbreaths，too，sweetenedwithteaandjam，theirbraceletstitteringinthestruggle。

Kingstownpier，Stephensaid。Yes，adisappointedbridge。Thewordstroubledtheirgaze。

How，sir？Comynasked。Abridgeisacrossariver。

ForHaines’schapbook。No-oneheretohear。Tonightdeftlyamidwilddrinkandtalk，topiercethepolishedmailofhismind。Whatthen？Ajesteratthecourtofhismaster，indulgedanddisesteemed，winningaclementmaster’spraise。Whyhadtheychosenallthatpart？Notwhollyforthesmoothcaress。Forthemtoohistorywasatalelikeanyothertoooftenheard，theirlandapawnshop。

HadPyrrhusnotfallenbyabeldam’shandinArgosorJuliusCaesarnotbeenknifedtodeath？Theyarenottobethoughtaway。Timehasbrandedthemandfetteredtheyarelodgedintheroomoftheinfinitepossibilitiestheyhaveousted。Butcanthosehavebeenpossibleseeingthattheyneverwere？Orwasthatonlypossiblewhichcametopass？Weave，weaverofthewind。

Tellusastory，sir。

Oh，do，sir，aghoststory。

Wheredoyoubegininthis？Stephenasked，openinganotherbook。

Weepnomore，Comynsaid。

Goonthen，Talbot。

Andthehistory，sir？

After，Stephensaid。Goon，Talbot。

Aswarthyboyopenedabookandproppeditnimblyunderthebreastworkofhissatchel。Herecitedjerksofversewithoddglancesatthetext：Weepnomore，wofulshepherd，weepnomoreForLycidas，yoursorrow，isnotdead，Sunkthoughhebebeneaththewateryfloor……Itmustbeamovementthen，anactualityofthepossibleaspossible。Aristotle’sphraseformeditselfwithinthegabbledversesandfloatedoutintothestudioussilenceofthelibraryofSaintGenevievewherehehadread，shelteredfromthesinofParis，nightbynight。ByhiselbowadelicateSiameseconnedahandbookofstrategy。Fedandfeedingbrainsaboutme：underglowlamps，impaled，withfaintlybeatingfeelers：andinmymind’sdarknessaslothoftheunderworld，reluctant，shyofbrightness，shiftingherdragonscalyfolds。Thoughtisthethoughtofthought。Tranquilbrightness。Thesoulisinamannerallthatis：thesoulistheformofforms。Tranquillitysudden，vast，candescent：formofforms。

Talbotrepeated：ThroughthedearmightofHimthatwalkedthewaves，Throughthedearmight……Turnover，Stephensaidquietly。Idon’tseeanything。

What，sir？Talbotaskedsimply，bendingforward。

Hishandturnedthepageover。Heleanedbackandwentonagainhavingjustremembered。Ofhimthatwalkedthewaves。Herealsooverthesecravenheartshisshadowliesandonthescoffer’sheartandlipsandonmine。

Itliesupontheireagerfaceswhoofferedhimacoinofthetribute。ToCaesarwhatisCaesar’s，toGodwhatisGod’s。Alonglookfromdarkeyes，ariddlingsentencetobewovenonthechurch’slooms。Ay。Riddleme，riddleme，randyro。

Myfathergavemeseedstosow。Talbotslidhisclosedbookintohissatchel。

HaveIheardall？Stephenasked。

Yes，sir。Hockeyatten，sir。

Halfday，sir。Thursday。

Whocananswerariddle？Stephenasked。

Theybundledtheirbooksaway，pencilsclacking，pagesrustling。Crowdingtogethertheystrappedandbuckledtheirsatchels，allgabblinggaily：

Ariddle，sir？Askme，sir。

O，askme，sir。

Ahardone，sir。

Thisistheriddle，Stephensaid。ThecockcrewTheskywasblue：

ThebellsinheavenWerestrikingeleven。

TistimeforthispoorsoulTogotoheaven。Whatisthat？

What，sir？

Again，sir。Wedidn’thear。

Theireyesgrewbiggerasthelineswererepeated。AfterasilenceCochranesaid：

Whatisit，sir？Wegiveitup。

Stephen，histhroatitching，answered：

Thefoxburyinghisgrandmotherunderahollybush。

Hestoodupandgaveashoutofnervouslaughtertowhichtheircriesechoeddismay。

Astickstruckthedoorandavoiceinthecorridorcalled：

Hockey！

Theybrokeasunder，sidlingoutoftheirbenches，leapingthem。Quicklytheyweregoneandfromthelumberroomcametherattleofsticksandclamouroftheirbootsandtongues。

Sargentwhoalonehadlingeredcameforwardslowly，showinganopencopybook。Histangledhairandscraggyneckgavewitnessofunreadinessandthroughhismistyglassesweakeyeslookeduppleading。Onhischeek，dullandbloodless，asoftstainofinklay，dateshaped，recentanddampasasnail’sbed。

Heheldouthiscopybook。ThewordSumswaswrittenontheheadline。

Beneathwereslopingfiguresandatthefootacrookedsignaturewithblindloopsandablot。CyrilSargent：hisnameandseal。

MrDeasytoldmetowritethemoutallagain，hesaid，andshowthemtoyou，sir。

Stephentouchedtheedgesofthebook。Futility。

Doyouunderstandhowtodothemnow？heasked。

Numberseleventofifteen，Sargentanswered。MrDeasysaidIwastocopythemofftheboard，sir。

Canyoudothemyourself？Stephenasked。