第6章

Iwantthattobeprintedandread，MrDeasysaid。YouwillseeatthenextoutbreaktheywillputanembargoonIrishcattle。Anditcanbecured。Itiscured。Mycousin，BlackwoodPrice，writestomeitisregularlytreatedandcuredinAustriabycattledoctorsthere。Theyoffertocomeoverhere。Iamtryingtoworkupinfluencewiththedepartment。NowI’mgoingtotrypublicity。Iamsurroundedbydifficulties，by……intrigues，by……backstairsinfluence，by……

Heraisedhisforefingerandbeattheairoldlybeforehisvoicespoke。

Markmywords，MrDedalus，hesaid。Englandisinthehandsofthejews。Inallthehighestplaces：herfinance，herpress。Andtheyarethesignsofanation’sdecay。Wherevertheygathertheyeatupthenation’svitalstrength。IhaveseenitComingtheseyears。Assureaswearestandingherethejewmerchantsarealreadyattheirworkofdestruction。OldEnglandisdying。

Hesteppedswiftlyoff，hiseyescomingtobluelifeastheypassedabroadsunbeam。Hefacedaboutandbackagain。

Dying，hesaid，ifnotdeadbynow。Theharlot’scryfromstreettostreetShallweaveoldEngland’swindingsheet。Hiseyesopenwideinvisionstaredsternlyacrossthesunbeaminwhichhehalted。

Amerchant，Stephensaid，isonewhobuyscheapandsellsdear，jeworgentile，ishenot？

Theysinnedagainstthelight，MrDeasysaidgravely。Andyoucanseethedarknessintheireyes。Andthatiswhytheyarewanderersontheearthtothisday。

OnthestepsoftheParisStockExchangethegoldskinnedmenquotingpricesontheirgemmedfingers。Gabblesofgeese。Theyswarmedloud，uncouthaboutthetemple，theirheadsthickplottingundermaladroitsilkhats。

Nottheirs：theseclothes，thisspeech，thesegestures。Theirfullsloweyesbeliedthewords，thegestureseagerandunoffending，butknewtherancoursmassedaboutthemandknewtheirzealwasvain。Vainpatiencetoheapandhoard。Timesurelywouldscatterall。Ahoardheapedbytheroadside：plunderedandpassingon。Theireyesknewtheyearsofwanderingand，patient，knewthedishonoursoftheirflesh。

Whohasnot？Stephensaid。

Whatdoyoumean？MrDeasyasked。

Hecameforwardapaceandstoodbythetable。Hisunderjawfellsidewaysopenuncertainly。Isthisoldwisdom？Hewaitstohearfromme。

History，Stephensaid，isanightmarefromwhichIamtryingtoawake。

Fromtheplayfieldtheboysraisedashout。Awhirringwhistle：goal。

Whatifthatnightmaregaveyouabackkick？

ThewaysoftheCreatorarenotourways，MrDeasysaid。Allhistorymovestowardsonegreatgoal，themanifestationofGod。

Stephenjerkedhisthumbtowardsthewindow，saying：

ThatisGod。

Hooray！Ay！Whrrwhee！

What？MrDeasyasked。

Ashoutinthestreet，Stephenanswered，shrugginghisshoulders。

MrDeasylookeddownandheldforawhilethewingsofhisnosetweakedbetweenhisfingers。Lookingupagainhesetthemfree。

Iamhappierthanyouare，hesaid。Wehavecommittedmanyerrorsandmanysins。Awomanbroughtsinintotheworld。Forawomanwhowasnobetterthansheshouldbe，Helen，therunawaywifeofMenelaus，tenyearstheGreeksmadewaronTroy。Afaithlesswifefirstbroughtthestrangerstoourshorehere，MacMurrough’swifeandherlemanO’Rourke，princeofBreffni。AwomantoobroughtParnelllow。Manyerrors，manyfailuresbutnottheonesin。Iamastrugglernowattheendofmydays。ButIwillfightfortherighttilltheend。ForUlsterwillfightAndUlsterwillberight。Stephenraisedthesheetsinhishand。

Well，sir，hebegan。

Iforesee，MrDeasysaid，thatyouwillnotremainhereverylongatthiswork。Youwerenotborntobeateacher，Ithink。PerhapsIamwrong。

Alearnerrather，Stephensaid。

Andherewhatwillyoulearnmore？

MrDeasyshookhishead。

Whoknows？hesaid。Tolearnonemustbehumble。Butlifeisthegreatteacher。

Stephenrustledthesheetsagain。

Asregardsthese，hebegan。

Yes，MrDeasysaid。Youhavetwocopiesthere。Ifyoucanhavethempublishedatonce。

Telegraph。IrishHomestead。

Iwilltry，Stephensaid，andletyouknowtomorrow。Iknowtwoeditorsslightly。

Thatwilldo，MrDeasysaidbriskly。IwrotelastnighttoMrField，M。P。Thereisameetingofthecattletraders’associationtodayattheCityArmsHotel。Iaskedhimtolaymyletterbeforethemeeting。Youseeifyoucangetitintoyourtwopapers。Whatarethey？

TheEveningTelegraph……

Thatwilldo，MrDeasysaid。Thereisnotimetolose。NowIhavetoanswerthatletterfrommycousin。

Goodmorning，sir，Stephensaid，puttingthesheetsinhispocket。

Thankyou。

Notatall，MrDeasysaidashesearchedthepapersonhisdesk。

Iliketobreakalancewithyou，oldasIam。

Goodmorning，sir，Stephensaidagain，bowingtohisbentback。

Hewentoutbytheopenporchanddownthegravelpathunderthetrees，hearingthecriesofvoicesandcrackofsticksfromtheplayfield。Thelionscouchantonthepillarsashepassedoutthroughthegate；toothlessterrors。StillIwillhelphiminhisfight。Mulliganwilldubmeanewname：thebullockbefriendingbard。

MrDedalus！

Runningafterme。Nomoreletters，Ihope。

Justonemoment。

Yes，sir，Stephensaid，turningbackatthegate。

MrDeasyhalted，breathinghardandswallowinghisbreath。

Ijustwantedtosay，hesaid。Ireland，theysay，hasthehonourofbeingtheonlycountrywhichneverpersecutedthejews。Doyouknowthat？No。Anddoyouknowwhy？

Hefrownedsternlyonthebrightair。

Why，sir？Stephenasked，beginningtosmile。

Becausesheneverletthemin，MrDeasysaidsolemnly。

Acoughballoflaughterleapedfromhisthroatdraggingafteritarattlingchainofphlegm。Heturnedbackquickly，coughing，laughing，hisliftedarmswavingtotheair。

Sheneverletthemin，hecriedagainthroughhislaughterashestampedongaiteredfeetoverthegravelofthepath。That’swhy。

Onhiswiseshouldersthroughthecheckerworkofleavesthesunflungspangles，dancingcoins。

JOYCE：Ulysses，ProteusProteusINELUCTABLEMODALITYOFTHEVISIBLE：ATLEASTTHATIFNOMORE，thoughtthroughmyeyes。SignaturesofallthingsIamheretoread，seaspawnandseawrack，thenearingtide，thatrustyboot。Snotgreen，bluesilver，rust：

colouredsigns。Limitsofthediaphane。Butheadds：inbodies。Thenhewasawareofthembodiesbeforeofthemcoloured。How？Byknockinghissconceagainstthem，sure。Goeasy。Baldhewasandamillionaire，maestrodicolorchesanno。Limitofthediaphanein。Whyin？Diaphane，adiaphane。

Ifyoucanputyourfivefingersthroughit，itisagate，ifnotadoor。

Shutyoureyesandsee。

Stephenclosedhiseyestohearhisbootscrushcracklingwrackandshells。Youarewalkingthroughithowsomever。Iam，astrideatatime。

Averyshortspaceoftimethroughveryshorttimesofspace。Five，six：

thenacheinander。Exactly：andthatistheineluctablemodalityoftheaudible。Openyoureyes。No。Jesus！IfIfelloveracliffthatbeetleso’erhisbase，fellthroughthenebeneinanderineluctably。

Iamgettingonnicelyinthedark。Myashswordhangsatmyside。Tapwithit：theydo。Mytwofeetinhisbootsareattheendofhislegs，nebeneinander。Soundssolid：madebythemalletofLosDemiurgos。

AmIwalkingintoeternityalongSandymountstrand？Crush，crack，crick，crick。Wildseamoney。DominieDeasykensthema’。Won’tyoucometoSandymount，Madelinethemare？Rhythmbegins，yousee。Ihear。Acatalectictetrameterofiambsmarching。

No，agallop：delinethemare。

Openyoureyesnow。Iwill。Onemoment。Hasallvanishedsince？IfI

openandamforeverintheblackadiaphane。Basta！IwillseeifIcansee。

Seenow。Thereallthetimewithoutyou：andevershallbe，worldwithoutend。

TheycamedownthestepsfromLeahy’sterraceprudently，Frauenzimmer：

anddowntheshelvingshoreflabbilytheirsplayedfeetsinkinginthesiltedsand。Likeme，likeAlgy，comingdowntoourmightymother。Numberoneswunglourdilyhermidwife’sbag，theother’sgamppokedinthebeach。

Fromtheliberties，outfortheday。MrsFlorenceMacCabe，relictofthelatePatkMacCabe，deeplylamented，ofBrideStreet。Oneofhersisterhoodluggedmesquealingintolife。Creationfromnothing。Whathassheinthebag？Amisbirthwithatrailingnavelcord，hushedinruddywool。Thecordsofalllinkback，strandentwiningcableofallflesh。Thatiswhymysticmonks。Willyoubeasgods？Gazeinyouromphalos。Hello。Kinchhere。PutmeontoEdenville。Aleph，alpha：nought，nought，one。

SpouseandhelpmateofAdamKadmon：Heva，nakedEve。Shehadnonavel。

Gaze。Bellywithoutblemish，bulgingbig，abuckleroftautvellum，no，whiteheapedcorn，orientandimmortal，standingfromeverlastingtoeverlasting。

Wombofsin。

WombedinsindarknessIwastoo，madenotbegotten。Bythem，themanwithmyvoiceandmyeyesandaghostwomanwithashesonherbreath。Theyclaspedandsundered，didthecoupler’swill。FrombeforetheagesHewilledmeandnowmaynotwillmeawayoreverAlexeternastaysabouthim。IsthatthenthedivinesubstancewhereinFatherandSonareconsubstantial？

WhereispoordearAriustotryconclusions？Warringhislifelongonthecontransmagnificandjewbangtantiality。Illstarredheresiarch。InaGreekwaterclosethebreathedhislast：euthanasia。Withbeadedmitreandwithcrozier，stalleduponhisthrone，widowerofawidowedsee，withupstiffedomophorion，withclottedhinderparts。

Airsrompedaroundhim，nippingandeagerairs。Theyarecoming，waves。

Thewhitemanedseahorses，champing，brightwindbridled，thesteedsofMananaan。

Imustn’tforgethisletterforthepress。Andafter？TheShip，halftwelve。Bythewaygoeasywiththatmoneylikeagoodyoungimbecile。

Yes，Imust。

Hispaceslackened。Here。AmIgoingtoAuntSara’sornot？Myconsubstantialfather’svoice。DidyouseeanythingofyourartistbrotherStephenlately？

No？Surehe’snotdowninStrasburgterracewithhisauntSally？Couldn’theflyabithigherthanthat，eh？AndandandandtellusStephen，howisuncleSi？OweepingGod，thethingsImarriedinto。Deboysupindehayloft。Thedrunkenlittlecostdrawerandhisbrother，thecornetplayer。

Highlyrespectablegondoliers。AndskeweyedWaltersirringhisfather，noless。Sir。Yes，sir。No，sir。Jesuswept：andnowonder，byChrist。

Ipullthewheezybelloftheirshutteredcottage：andwait。Theytakemeforadun，peeroutfromacoignofvantage。

It’sStephen，sir。

Lethimin。LetStephenin。

AboltdrawnbackandWalterwelcomesme。

Wethoughtyouweresomeoneelse。

InhisbroadbednuncleRichie，pillowedandblanketed，extendsoverthehillockofhiskneesasturdyforearm。Cleanchested。Hehaswashedtheuppermoiety。