第14章

Nobrowbeatinghim。Hehadhisanswerpatforeverything。Libertyandexaltationofourholymotherthechurch。Thedoctorsofthechurch：theymappedoutthewholetheologyofit。

Thepriestprayed：

BlessedMichael，archangel，defendusinthehourofconflict。Beoursafeguardagainstthewickednessandsnaresofthedevil(mayGodrestrainhim，wehumblypray)：anddothou，Oprinceoftheheavenlyhost，bythepowerofGodthrustSatandowntohellandwithhimthoseotherwickedspiritswhowanderthroughtheworldfortheruinofsouls。

Thepriestandthemassboystoodupandwalkedoff。Allover。Thewomenremainedbehind：thanksgiving。

Betterbeshovingalong。BrotherBuzz。Comearoundwiththeplateperhaps。

PayyourEasterduty。

Hestoodup。Hello。Werethosetwobuttonsofmywaistcoatopenallthetime。Womenenjoyit。Annoyedifyoudon’t。Why-didn’tyoutellmebefore。Nevertellyou。Butwe。Excuse，miss，there’sa(whh！)justa(whh！)

fluff。Ortheirskirtbehind，placketunhooked。Glimpsesofthemoon。Stilllikeyoubetteruntidy。Goodjobitwasn’tfarthersouth。Hepassed，discreetlybuttoning，downtheaisleandoutthroughthemaindoorintothelight。

Hestoodamomentunseeingbythecoldblackmarblebowlwhilebeforehimandbehindtwoworshippersdippedfurtivehandsinthelowtideofholywater。Trams：acarofPrescott’sdyeworks：awidowinherweeds。NoticebecauseI’minmourningmyself。Hecoveredhimself。Howgoesthetime？

Quarterpast。Timeenoughyet。Bettergetthatlotionmadeup。Whereisthis？Ahyes，thelasttime。Sweny’sinLincolnplace。Chemistsrarelymove。Theirgreenandgoldbeaconjarstooheavytostir。HamiltonLong’s，foundedintheyearoftheflood。Huguenotchurchyardnearthere。Visitsomeday。

HewalkedsouthwardalongWestlandrow。Buttherecipeisintheothertrousers。O，andIforgotthatlatchkeytoo。Borethisfuneralaffair。

Owell，poorfellow，it’snothisfault。WhenwasitIgotitmadeuplast？

Wait。IchangedasovereignIremember。Firstofthemonthitmusthavebeenorthesecond。Ohecanlookitupintheprescriptionsbook。

Thechemistturnedbackpageafterpage。Sandyshrivelledsmellheseemstohave。Shrunkenskull。Andold。Questforthephilosopher’sstone。Thealchemists。Drugsageyouaftermentalexcitement。Lethargythen。Why？

Reaction。Alifetimeinanight。Graduallychangesyourcharacter。Livingallthedayamongherbs，ointments，disinfectants。Allhisalabasterlilypots。

Mortarandpestle。Aq。Dist。Fol。Laur。TeVirid。Smellalmostcureyoulikethedentist’sdoorbell。Doctorwhack。Heoughttophysichimselfabit。Electuaryoremulsion。Thefirstfellowthatpickedanherbtocurehimselfhadabitofpluck。Simples。Wanttobecareful。Enoughstuffheretochloroformyou。Test：turnsbluelitmuspaperred。Chloroform。Overdoseoflaudanum。Sleepingdraughts。Lovephiltres。Paragoricpoppysyrupbadforcough。Clogstheporesorthephlegm。Poisonstheonlycures。Remedywhereyouleastexpectit。Cleverofnature。

Aboutafortnightago，sir？

Yes，MrBloomsaid。

Hewaitedbythecounter，inhalingthekeenreekofdrugs，thedustydrysmellofspongesandloofahs。Lotoftimetakenuptellingyourachesandpains。

Sweetalmondoilandtinctureofbenzoin，MrBloomsaid，andthenorangeflowerwater……

Itcertainlydidmakeherskinsodelicatewhitelikewax。

Andwhitewaxalso，hesaid。

Bringsoutthedarknessofhereyes。Lookingatme，thesheetuptohereyes，Spanish，smellingherself，whenIwasfixingthelinksinmycuffs。Thosehomelyrecipesareoftenthebest：strawberriesfortheteeth：

nettlesandrainwater：oatmealtheysaysteepedinbuttermilk。Skinfood。

Oneoftheoldqueen’ssons，dukeofAlbanywasit？hadonlyoneskin。

Leopoldyes。Threewehave。Warts，bunionsandpimplestomakeitworse。

Butyouwantaperfumetoo。Whatperfumedoesyour？Peaud’Espagne。

Thatorangeflower。Purecurdsoap。Waterissofresh。Nicesmellthesesoapshave。Timetogetabathroundthecorner。Hammam。Turkish。Massage。

Dirtgetsrolledupinyournavel。Nicerifanicegirldidit。AlsoI

thinkI。YesI。Doitinthebath。CuriouslongingI。Watertowater。Combinebusinesswithpleasure。Pitynotimeformassage。Feelfreshthenallday。

Funeralberatherglum。

Yes，sir，thechemistsaid。Thatwastwoandnine。Haveyoubroughtabottle？

No，MrBloomsaid。Makeitup，please。I’llcalllaterinthedayandI’lltakeoneofthosesoaps。Howmucharethey？

Fourpence，sir。

MrBloomraisedacaketohisnostrils。Sweetlemonywax。

I’lltakethisone，hesaid。Thatmakesthreeandapenny。

Yes，sir，thechemistsaid。Youcanpayalltogether，sir，whenyoucomeback。

Good，MrBloomsaid。

Hestrolledoutoftheshop，thenewspaperbatonunderhisarmpit，thecoolwrapperedsoapinhislefthand。

AthisarmpitBantamLyons’voiceandhandsaid：

Hello，Bloom，what’sthebestnews？Isthattoday’s？Showusaminute。

Shavedoffhismoustacheagain，byJove！Longcoldupperlip。Tolookyounger。Hedoeslookbalmy。YoungerthanIam。

BantamLyons’yellowblacknailedfingersunrolledthebaton。Wantsawashtoo。Takeofftheroughdirt。Goodmorning，haveyouusedPears’soap？

Dandruffonhisshoulders。Scalpwantsoiling。

IwanttoseeaboutthatFrenchhorsethat’srunningtoday，BantamLyonssaid。Wherethebuggerisit？

Herustledthepleatedpages，jerkinghischinonhishighcollar。Barber’sitch。Tightcollarhe’lllosehishair。Betterleavehimthepaperandgetshutofhim。

Youcankeepit，MrBloomsaid。

Ascot。Goldcup。Wait，BantamLyonsmuttered。Halfamo。Maximumthesecond。

Iwasjustgoingtothrowitaway，MrBloomsaid。

BantamLyonsraisedhiseyessuddenlyandleeredweakly。

What’sthat？hissharpvoicesaid。

Isayyoucankeepit，MrBloomanswered。Iwasgoingtothrowitawaythatmoment。

BantamLyonsdoubtedaninstant，leering：thenthrusttheoutspreadsheetsbackonMrBloom’sarms。

I’Ilriskit，hesaid。Here，thanks。

HespedofftowardsConway’scorner。Godspeedscut。

MrBloomfoldedthesheetsagaintoaneatsquareandlodgedthesoapinit，smiling。Sillylipsofthatchap。Betting。Regularhotbedofitlately。Messengerboysstealingtoputonsixpence。Raffleforlargetenderturkey。YourChristmasdinnerforthreepence。JackFlemingembezzlingtogamblethensmuggledofftoAmerica。Keepsahotelnow。Theynevercomeback。FleshpotsofEgypt。

Hewalkedcheerfullytowardsthemosqueofthebaths。Remindyouofamosque，redbakedbricks，theminarets。CollegesportstodayIsee。Heeyedthehorseshoeposteroverthegateofcollegepark：cyclistdoubleduplikeacodinapot。Damnbadad。Nowiftheyhadmadeitroundlikeawheel。Thenthespokes：sports，sports，sports：andthehubbig：college。

Somethingtocatchtheeye。

There’sHornblowerstandingattheporter’slodge。Keephimonhands：

mighttakeaturninthereonthenod。Howdoyoudo，MrHornblower？Howdoyoudo，sir？

Heavenlyweatherreally。Iflifewasalwayslikethat。Cricketweather。

Sitaroundundersunshades。Overafterover。Out。Theycan’tplayithere。

Duckforsixwickets。StillCaptainBullerbrokeawindowintheKildarestreetclubwithaslogtosquareleg。Donnybrookfairmoreintheirline。

AndtheskullswewereacrackingwhenM’Carthytookthefloor。Heatwave。

Won’tlast。Alwayspassing，thestreamoflife，whichinthestreamoflifewetraceisdearerthanthemall。

Enjoyabathnow：cleantroughofwater，coolenamel，thegentletepidstream。Thisismybody。

Heforesawhispalebodyreclinedinitatfull，naked，inawombofwarmth，oiledbyscentedmeltingsoap，softlylaved。Hesawhistrunkandlimbsriprippledoverandsustained，buoyedlightlyupward，lemonyellow：

hisnavel，budofflesh：andsawthedarktangledcurlsofhisbushfloating，floatinghairofthestreamaroundthelimpfatherofthousands，alanguidfloatingflower。

JOYCE：Ulysses，HadesHadesMARTINCUNNINGHAM，FIRST，POKEDHISSILKHATTEDHEADINTOthecreakingcarriageand，enteringdeftly，seatedhimself。MrPowersteppedinafterhim，curvinghisheightwithcare。

Comeon，Simon。

Afteryou，MrBloomsaid。

MrDedaluscoveredhimselfquicklyandgotin，saying：

Yes，yes。

Areweallherenow？MartinCunninghamasked。Comealong，Bloom。

MrBloomenteredandsatinthevacantplace。Hepulledthedoortoafterhimandslammedittighttillitshuttight。Hepassedanarmthroughthearmstrapandlookedseriouslyfromtheopencarriagewindowattheloweredblindsoftheavenue。Onedraggedaside：anoldwomanpeeping。

Nosewhiteflattenedagainstthepane。Thankingherstarsshewaspassedover。Extraordinarytheinteresttheytakeinacorpse。Gladtoseeusgowegivethemsuchtroublecoming。Jobseemstosuitthem。Huggermuggerincorners。Slopaboutinslipper-slappersforfearhe’dwake。Thengettingitready。Layingitout。MollyandMrsFlemingmakingthebed。Pullitmoretoyourside。Ourwindingsheet。Neverknowwhowilltouchyoudead。

Washandshampoo。Ibelievetheyclipthenailsandthehair。Keepabitinanenvelope。Growallthesameafter。Uncleanjob。

Allwaited。Nothingwassaid。Stowinginthewreathsprobably。Iamsittingonsomethinghard。Ah，thatsoapinmyhippocket。Bettershiftitoutofthat。Waitforanopportunity。

Allwaited。Thenwheelswereheardfrominfrontturning：thennearer：

thenhorses’hoofs。Ajolt。Theircarriagebegantomove，creakingandswaying。Otherhoofsandcreakingwheelsstartedbehind。Theblindsoftheavenuepassedandnumberninewithitscrapedknocker，doorajar。Atwalkingpace。

Theywaitedstill，theirkneesjogging，tilltheyhadturnedandwerepassingalongthetramtracks。Tritonvilleroad。Quicker。Thewheelsrattledrollingoverthecobbledcausewayandthecrazyglassesshookrattlinginthedoorframes。

Whatwayishetakingus？MrPoweraskedthroughbothwindows。

Irishtown，MartinCunninghamsaid。Ringsend。Brunswickstreet。

MrDedalusnodded，lookingout。

That’safineoldcustom，hesaid。Iamgladtoseeithasnotdiedout。

Allwatchedawhilethroughtheirwindowscapsandhatsliftedbypassers。

Respect。ThecarriageswervedfromthetramtracktothesmootherroadpastWaterylane。MrBloomatgazesawalitheyoungman，cladinmourning，awidehat。

There’safriendofyoursgoneby，Dedalus，hesaid。

Whoisthat？

Yoursonandheir。

Whereishe？MrDedalussaid，stretchingoveracross。

Thecarriage，passingtheopendrainsandmoundsofrippeduproadwaybeforethetenementhouses，lurchedroundthecornerand，swervingbacktothetramtrack，rolledonnoisilywithchatteringwheels。MrDedalusfellback，saying：

WasthatMulligancadwithhim？HisfidusAchates？

No，MrBloomsaid。Hewasalone。

DownwithhisauntSally，Isuppose，MrDedalussaid，theGouldingfaction，thedrunkenlittlecost-drawerandCrissie，papa’slittlelumpofdung，thewisechildthatknowsherownfather。

MrBloomsmiledjoylesslyonRingsendroad。WallaceBrosthebottleworks。

Dodderbridge。

RichieGouldingandthelegalbag。Goulding，CollisandWardhecallsthefirm。Hisjokesaregettingabitdamp。Greatcardhewas。WaltzinginStamerstreetwithIgnatiusGallaheronaSundaymorning，thelandlady’stwohatspinnedonhishead。Outontherampageallnight。Beginningtotellonhimnow：thatbackacheofhis，Ifear。Wifeironinghisback。Thinkshe’llcureitwithpills。Allbreadcrumbstheyare。Aboutsixhundredpercentprofit。

He’sinwithalowdowncrowd，MrDedalussnarled。ThatMulliganisacontaminatedbloodydoubledyedruffianbyallaccounts。HisnamestinksalloverDublin。ButwiththehelpofGodandHisblessedmotherI’Ilmakeitmybusinesstowritealetteroneofthosedaystohismotherorhisauntorwhateversheisthatwillopenhereyeaswideasagate。I`Ilticklehiscatastrophe，believeyoume。