第10章

Threepence，please。

Hishandacceptedthemoisttenderglandandsliditintoasidepocket。

Thenitfetchedupthreecoinsfromhistrousers’pocketandlaidthemontherubberprickles。Theylay，werereadquicklyandquicklyslid，discbydisc，intothetill。

Thankyou，sir。Anothertime。

Aspeckofeagerfirefromfoxeyesthankedhim。Hewithdrewhisgazeafteraninstant。No：betternot：anothertime。

Goodmorning，hesaid，movingaway。

Goodmorning，sir。

Nosign。Gone。Whatmatter？

HewalkedbackalongDorsetstreet，readinggravely。AgendathNetaim：

planter’scompany。TopurchasevastsandytractsfromTurkishgovernmentandplantwitheucalyptustrees。Excellentforshade，fuelandconstruction。

OrangegrovesandimmensemelonfieldsnorthofJaffa。Youpayeightmarksandtheyplantadunamoflandforyouwitholives，oranges，almondsorcitrons。Olivescheaper：orangesneedartificialirrigation。Everyyearyougetasendingofthecrop。Yournameenteredforlifeasownerinthebookoftheunion。Canpaytendownandthebalanceinyearlyinstalments。

Bleibtreustrasse34，Berlin，W。15。

Nothingdoing。Stillanideabehindit。

Helookedatthecattle，blurredinsilverheat。Silveredpowderedolivetrees。

Quietlongdays：pruningripening。Olivesarepackedinjars，eh？IhaveafewleftfromAndrews。Mollyspittingthemout。Knowsthetasteofthemnow。Orangesintissuepaperpackedincrates。Citronstoo。WonderispoorCitronstillaliveinSaintKevin’sparade。AndMastianskywiththeoldcither。Pleasanteveningswehadthen。MollyinCitron’sbasketchair。Nicetohold，coolwaxenfruit，holdinthehand，liftittothenostrilsandsmelltheperfume。Likethat，heavy，sweet，wildperfume。Alwaysthesame，yearafteryear。TheyfetchedhighpricestooMoiseltoldme。Arbutusplace：

Pleasantsstreet：pleasantoldtimes。Mustbewithoutaflaw，hesaid。

Comingallthatway：Spain，Gibraltar，Mediterranean，theLevant。CrateslineduponthequaysideatJaffa，chaptickingthemoffinabook，navvieshandlingtheminsoileddungarees。There’swhatdoyoucallhimoutof。Howdoyou？Doesn’tsee。Chapyouknowjusttosalutebitofabore。HisbackislikethatNorwegiancaptain’s。WonderifI’llmeethimtoday。Wateringcart。Toprovoketherain。Onearthasitisinheaven。

Acloudbegantocoverthesunwhollyslowlywholly。Grey。Far。

No，notlikethat。Abarrenland，barewaste。Vulcaniclake，thedeadsea：nofish，weedless，sunkdeepintheearth。Nowindwouldliftthosewaves，greymetal，poisonousfoggywaters。Brimstonetheycalleditrainingdown：thecitiesoftheplain：Sodom，Gomorrah，Edom。Alldeadnames。A

deadseainadeadland，greyandold。Oldnow。Itboretheoldest，thefirstrace。AbenthagcrossedfromCassidy’sclutchinganogginbottlebytheneck。Theoldestpeople。Wanderedfarawayoveralltheearth，captivitytocaptivity，multiplying，dying，beingborneverywhere。Itlaytherenow。

Nowitcouldbearnomore。Dead：anoldwoman’s：thegreysunkencuntoftheworld。

Desolation。

Greyhorrorsearedhisflesh。FoldingthepageintohispocketheturnedintoEcclesStreet，hurryinghomeward。Coldoilsslidalonghisveins，chillinghisblood：agecrustinghimwithasaltcloak。Well，Iamherenow。Morningmouthbadimages。Gotupwrongsideofthebed。MustbeginagainthoseSandow’sexercises。Onthehandsdown。Blotchybrownbrickhouses。Numbereightystillunlet。Whyisthat？Valuationisonlytwenty-eight。

Towers，Battersby，North，MacArthur：parlourwindowsplasteredwithbills。

Plastersonasoreeye。Tosmellthegentlesmokeoftea，fumeofthepan，sizzlingbutter。Benearheramplebedwarmedflesh。Yes，yes。

QuickwarmsunlightcamerunningfromBerkeleyRoad，swiftly，inslimsandals，alongthebrighteningfootpath。Runs，sherunstomeetme，agirlwithgoldhaironthewind。

Twolettersandacardlayonthehallfloor。Hestoppedandgatheredthem。MrsMarionBloom。Hisquickheartslowedatonce。Boldhand。MrsMarion。

Poldy！

Enteringthebedroomhehalfclosedhiseyesandwalkedthroughwarmyellowtwilighttowardshertousledhead。

Whoarethelettersfor？

Helookedatthem。Mullingar。Milly。

AletterformefromMilly，hesaidcarefully，andacardtoyou。

Andaletterforyou。

Helaidhercardandletteronthetwillbedspreadnearthecurveofherknees。

Doyouwanttheblindup？

Lettingtheblindupbygentletugshalfwayhisbackwardeyesawherglanceattheletterandtuckitunderherpillow。

Thatdo？heasked，turning。

Shewasreadingthecard，proppedonherelbow。

Shegotthethings，shesaid。

Hewaitedtillshehadlaidthecardasideandcurledherselfbackslowlywithasnugsigh。

Hurryupwiththattea，shesaid。I’mparched。

Thekettleisboiling，hesaid。

Buthedelayedtoclearthechair：herstripedpetticoat，tossedsoiledlinen：andliftedallinanarmfulontothefootofthebed。

Ashewentdownthekitchenstairsshecalled：

Poldy！

What？

Scaldtheteapot。

Ontheboilsureenough：aplumeofsteamfromthespout。Hescaldedandrinsedouttheteapotandputinfourfullspoonsoftea，tiltingthekettlethentoletwaterflowin。Havingsetittodraw，hetookoffthekettleandcrushedthepanflatonthelivecoalsandwatchedthelumpofbutterslideandmelt。Whileheunwrappedthekidneythecatmewedhungrilyagainsthim。Givehertoomuchmeatshewon’tmouse。Saytheywon’teatpork。Kosher。Here。Heletthebloodsmearedpaperfalltoheranddroppedthekidneyamidthesizzlingbuttersauce。Pepper。Hesprinkleditthroughhisfingers，ringwise，fromthechippedeggcup。

Thenheslitopenhisletter，glancingdownthepageandover。Thanks：

newtam：MrCoghlan：loughOwelpicnic：youngstudent：BlazesBoylan’sseasidegirls。

Theteawasdrawn。Hefilledhisownmoustachecup，shamcrownDerby，smiling。SillyMilly’sbirthdaygift。Onlyfiveshewasthen。Nowait：

four。Igavehertheamberoidnecklaceshebroke。Puttingpiecesoffoldedbrownpaperintheletterboxforher。Hesmiled，pouring。OMillyBloom，youaremydarling。

Youaremylookingglassfromnighttomorning。

I’dratherhaveyouwithoutafarthingThanKateyKeoghwithherassandgarden。PooroldprofessorGoodwin。Dreadfuloldcase。Stillhewasacourteousoldchap。OldfashionedwayheusedtobowMollyofftheplatform。Andthelittlemirrorinhissilkhat。ThenightMillybroughtitintotheparlour。

O，lookwhatIfoundinprofessorGoodwin’shat！Allwelaughed。Sexbreakingouteventhen。Pertlittlepieceshewas。

Heproddedaforkintothekidneyandslappeditover：thenfittedtheteapotonthetray。Itshumpbumpedashetookitup。Everythingonit？

Breadandbutter，four，sugar，spoon，hercream。Yes。Hecarrieditupstairs，histhumbhookedintheteapothandle。

Nudgingthedooropenwithhiskneehecarriedthetrayinandsetitonthechairbythebedhead。

Whatatimeyouwere，shesaid。

Shesetthebrassesjinglingassheraisedherselfbriskly，anelbowonthepillow。Helookedcalmlydownonherbulkandbetweenherlargesoftbubs，slopingwithinhernightdresslikeashegoat’sudder。Thewarmthofhercouchedbodyroseontheair，minglingwiththefragranceoftheteashepoured。

Astripoftornenvelopepeepedfromunderthedimpledpillow。Intheactofgoinghestayedtostraightenthebedspread。

Whowastheletterfrom？heasked。

Boldhand。Marion。

O，Boylan，shesaid。He’sbringingtheprogramme。

Whatareyousinging？

LacidaremwithJ。C。Doyle，shesaid，andLove’sOldSweetSong。

Herfulllips，drinking，smiled。Ratherstalesmellthatincenseleavesnextday。Likefoulflowerwater。

Wouldyoulikethewindowopenalittle？

Shedoubledasliceofbreadintohermouth，asking：

Whattimeisthefuneral？

Eleven，Ithink，heanswered。Ididn’tseethepaper。

Followingthepointingofherfingerhetookupalegofhersoileddrawersfromthebed。No？Then，atwistedgreygarterloopedroundastocking：

rumpled，shinysole。

No：thatbook。

Otherstocking。Herpetticoat。

Itmusthavefelldown，shesaid。

Hefelthereandthere。Voglioenonvorvez。Wonderifshepronouncesthatright：voglio。Notinthebed。Musthavesliddown。Hestoopedandliftedthevalance。Thebook，fallen，sprawledagainstthebulgeoftheorange-keyedchamberpot。

Showhere，shesaid。Iputamarkinit。There’sawordIwantedtoaskyou。

Sheswallowedadraughtofteafromhercupheldbynothandleand，havingwipedherfingertipssmartlyontheblanket，begantosearchthetextwiththehairpintillshereachedtheword。

Methimwhat？heasked。

Here，shesaid。Whatdoesthatmean？

Heleaneddownwardsandreadnearherpolishedthumbnail。

Metempsychosis？

Yes。Who’shewhenhe’sathome？

Metempsychosis，hesaid，frowning。It’sGreek：fromtheGreek。Thatmeansthetransmigrationofsouls。

O，rocks！shesaid。Tellusinplainwords。

Hesmiled，glancingaskanceathermockingeye。Thesameyoungeyes。

Thefirstnightafterthecharades。Dolphin’sBarn。Heturnedoverthesmudgedpages。Ruby：thePrideoftheRing。Hello。Illustration。

FierceItalianwithcarriagewhip。MustbeRubyprideoftheonthefloornaked。Sheetkindlylent。ThemonsterMaffeidesistedandflunghisvictimfromhimwithanoath。Crueltybehinditall。Dopedanimals。

TrapezeatHengler’s。Hadtolooktheotherway。Mobgaping。Breakyourneckandwe’llbreakoursides。Familiesofthem。Bonethemyoungsotheymetempsychosis。Thatweliveafterdeath。Oursouls。Thataman’ssoulafterhedies。Dignam’ssoul……

Didyoufinishit？heasked。

Yes，shesaid。There’snothingsmuttyinit。Issheinlovewiththefirstfellowallthetime？

Neverreadit。Doyouwantanother？

Yes。GetanotherofPauldeKock’s。Nicenamehehas。

Shepouredmoreteaintohercup，watchingitsflowsideways。

MustgetthatCapelstreetlibrarybookrenewedorthey’llwritetoKearney，myguarantor。Reincarnation：that’stheword。

Somepeoplebelieve，hesaid，thatwegoonlivinginanotherbodyafterdeath，thatwelivedbefore。Theycallitreincarnation。Thatwealllivedbeforeontheearththousandsofyearsagoorsomeotherplanet。

Theysaywehaveforgottenit。Somesaytheyremembertheirpastlives。

Thesluggishcreamwoundcurdlingspiralsthroughhertea。Betterremindheroftheword：metempsychosis。Anexamplewouldbebetter。Anexample。

TheBathoftheNymphoverthebed。GivenawaywiththeEasternumberofPhotoBits：Splendidmasterpieceinartcolours。Teabeforeyouputmilkin。Notunlikeherwithherhairdown：slimmer。ThreeandsixIgavefortheframe。Shesaiditwouldlookniceoverthebed。Nakednymphs：Greece：andforinstanceallthepeoplethatlivedthen。

Heturnedthepagesback。

Metempsychosis，hesaid，iswhattheancientGreekscalledit。Theyusedtobelieveyoucouldbechangedintoananimaloratree，forinstance。

Whattheycallednymphs，forexample。

Herspoonceasedtostirupthesugar。Shegazedstraightbeforeher，inhalingthroughherarchednostrils。