第17章

Theylooked。Murderer’sground。Itpasseddarkly。Shuttered，tenantless，unweededgarden。Wholeplacegonetohell。Wrongfullycondemned。Murder。

Themurderer’simageintheeyeofthemurdered。Theylovereadingaboutit。Man’sheadfoundinagarden。Herclothingconsistedof。Howshemetherdeath。Recentoutrage。Theweaponused。Murdererisstillatlarge。

Clues。Ashoelace。Thebodytobeexhumed。Murderwillout。

Crampedinthiscarriage。Shemightn’tlikemetocomethatwaywithoutlettingherknow。Mustbecarefulaboutwomen。Catchthemoncewiththeirpantsdown。Neverforgiveyouafter。Fifteen。

ThehighrailingsofProspectsrippledpasttheirgaze。Darkpoplars，rarewhiteforms。Formsmorefrequent，whiteshapesthrongedamidthetrees，whiteformsandfragmentsstreamingbymutely，sustainingvaingesturesontheair。

Thefellyharshedagainstthecurbstone：stopped。MartinCunninghamputouthisarmand，wrenchingbackthehandle，shovedthedooropenwithhisknee。Hesteppedout。MrPowerandMrDedalusfollowed。

Changethatsoapnow。MrBloom’shandunbuttonedhishippocketswiftlyandtransferredthepaperstucksoaptohisinnerhandkerchiefpocket。Hesteppedoutofthecarriage，replacingthenewspaperhisotherhandstillheld。

Paltryfuneral：coachandthreecarriages。It’sallthesame。Pallbearers，goldreins，requiemmass，firingavolley。Pompofdeath。Beyondthehindcarriageahawkerstoodbyhisbarrowofcakesandfruit。Simnelcakesthoseare，stucktogether：cakesforthedead。Dogbiscuits。Whoatethem？

Mournerscomingout。

Hefollowedhiscompanions。MrKernanandNedLambertfollowed，Hyneswalkingafterthem。CornyKelleherstoodbytheopenedhearseandtookoutthetwowreaths。Hehandedonetotheboy。

Whereisthatchild’sfuneraldisappearedto？

AteamofhorsespassedfromFinglaswithtoilingploddingtread，draggingthroughthefunerealsilenceacreakingwaggononwhichlayagraniteblock。

Thewaggonermarchingattheirheadsaluted。

Coffinnow。Gotherebeforeus，deadasheis。Horselookingroundatitwithhisplumeskeowways。Dulleye：collartightonhisneck，pressingonabloodvesselorsomething。Dotheyknowwhattheycartouthereeveryday？Mustbetwentyorthirtyfuneralseveryday。ThenMountJeromefortheprotestants。Funeralsallovertheworldeverywhereeveryminute。Shovellingthemunderbythecartloaddoublequick。Thousandseveryhour。Toomanyintheworld。

Mournerscameoutthroughthegates：womanandagirl。Leanjawedharpy，hardwomanatabargain，herbonnetawry。Girl’sfacestainedwithdirtandtears，holdingthewoman’sarmlookingupatherforasigntocry。

Fish’sface，bloodlessandlivid。

Themutesshoulderedthecoffinandboreitinthroughthegates。Somuchdeadweight。Feltheaviermyselfsteppingoutofthatbath。Firstthestiff：thenthefriendsofthestiff。CornyKelleherandtheboyfollowedwiththeirwreaths。Whoisthatbesidethem？Ah，thebrother-in-law。

Allwalkedafter。

MartinCunninghamwhispered：

IwasinmortalagonywithyoutalkingofsuicidebeforeBloom。

What？MrPowerwhispered。Howso？

Hisfatherpoisonedhimself，MartinCunninghamwhispered。HadtheQueen’shotelinEnnis。YouheardhimsayhewasgoingtoClare。Anniversary。

OGod！MrPowerwhispered。FirstIheardofit。Poisonedhimself！

Heglancedbehindhimtowhereafacewithdarkthinkingeyesfollowedtowardsthecardinal’smausoleum。Speaking。

Washeinsured？MrBloomasked。

Ibelieveso，MrKernananswered，butthepolicywasheavilymortgaged。

MartinistryingtogettheyoungsterintoArtane。

Howmanychildrendidheleave？

Five。NedLambertsayshe’lltrytogetoneofthegirlsintoTodd’s。

Asadcase，MrBloomsaidgently。Fiveyoungchildren。

Agreatblowtothepoorwife，MrKernanadded。

Indeedyes，MrBloomagreed。

Hasthelaughathimnow。

Helookeddownatthebootshehadblackedandpolished。Shehadoutlivedhim，lostherhusband。Moredeadforherthanforme。Onemustoutlivetheother。Wisemensay。Therearemorewomenthanmenintheworld。Condolewithher。Yourterribleloss。Ihopeyou’llsoonfollowhim。ForHinduwidowsonly。Shewouldmarryanother。Him？No。Yetwhoknowsafter？Widowhoodnotthethingsincetheoldqueendied。Drawnonaguncarriage。VictoriaandAlbert。Frogmorememorialmourning。Butintheendsheputafewvioletsinherbonnet。Vaininherheartofhearts。Allforashadow。Consortnotevenaking。Hersonwasthesubstance。Somethingnewtohopefornotlikethepastshewantedback，waiting。Itnevercomes。Onemustgofirst：aloneundertheground：andlienomoreinherwarmbed。

Howareyou，Simon？NedLambertsaidsoftly，claspinghands。Haven’tseenyouforamonthofSundays。

Neverbetter。HowareallinCork’sowntown？

IwasdowntherefortheCorkparkracesonEasterMonday，NedLambertsaid。Sameoldsixandeightpence。StoppedwithDickTivy。

AndhowisDick，thesolidman？

Nothingbetweenhimselfandheaven，NedLambertanswered。

BytheholyPaul！MrDedalussaidinsubduedwonder。DickTivybald？

Martinisgoingtogetupawhipfortheyoungsters，NedLambertsaid，pointingahead。Afewbobaskull。Justtokeepthemgoingtilltheinsuranceisclearedup。

Yes，yes，MrDedalussaiddubiously。Isthattheeldestboyinfront？

Yes，NedLambertsaid，withthewife’sbrother。JohnHenryMentonisbehind。Heputdownhisnameforaquid。

I’llengagehedid，MrDedalussaid。IoftentoldpoorPaddyheoughttomindthatjob。JohnHenryisnottheworstintheworld。

Howdidheloseit？NedLambertasked。Liquor，what？

Manyagoodman’sfault，MrDedalussaidwithasigh。

Theyhaltedaboutthedoorofthemortuarychapel。MrBloomstoodbehindtheboywiththewreath，lookingdownathissleekcombedhairandtheslenderfurrowedneckinsidehisbrandnewcollar。Poorboy！Washetherewhenthefather？Bothunconscious。Lightenupatthelastmomentandrecogniseforthelasttime。Allhemighthavedone。IowethreeshillingstoO’Grady。

Wouldheunderstand？Themutesborethecoffinintothechapel。Whichendishishead。

Afteramomenthefollowedtheothersin，blinkinginthescreenedlight。

Thecoffinlayonitsbierbeforethechancel，fourtallyellowcandlesatitscorners。Alwaysinfrontofus。CornyKelleher，layingawreathateachforecorner，beckonedtotheboytokneel。Themournersknelthereandthereinprayingdesks。MrBloomstoodbehindnearthefontand，whenallhadkneltdroppedcarefullyhisunfoldednewspaperfromhispocketandknelthisrightkneeuponit。Hefittedhisblackhatgentlyonhisleftkneeand，holdingitsbrim，bentoverpiously。

Aserver，bearingabrassbucketwithsomethinginit，cameoutthroughadoor。Thewhitesmockedpriestcameafterhimtidyinghisstolewithonehand，balancingwiththeotheralittlebookagainsthistoad’sbelly。

Who’llreadthebook？I，saidtherook。

Theyhaltedbythebierandthepriestbegantoreadoutofhisbookwithafluentcroak。

FatherCoffey。Iknewhisnamewaslikeacoffin。Dominenamine。

Bullyaboutthemuzzlehelooks。Bossestheshow。Muscularchristian。Woebetideanyonethatlookscrookedathim：priest。ThouartPeter。BurstsidewayslikeasheepincloverDedalussayshewill。Withabellyonhimlikeapoisonedpup。Mostamusingexpressionsthatmanfinds。Hhhn：burstsideways。

Nonintresinjudiciumcumservotuo，Domine。

MakesthemfeelmoreimportanttobeprayedoverinLatin。Requiemmass。

Crapeweepers。Blackedgednotepaper。Yournameonthealtarlist。Chillyplacethis。Wanttofeedwell，sittinginthereallthemorninginthegloomkickinghisheelswaitingforthenextplease。Eyesofatoadtoo。

Whatswellshimupthatway？Mollygetsswelledaftercabbage。Airoftheplacemaybe。Looksfullupofbadgas。Mustbeaninfernallotofbaagasroundtheplace。Butchersforinstance：theygetlikerawbeefsteaks。Whowastellingme？MervynBrown。DowninthevaultsofsaintWerburgh’slovelyoldorganhundredandfiftytheyhavetoboreaholeinthecoffinssometimestoletoutthebadgasandburnit。Outitrushes：blue。Onewhiffofthatandyou’reagoner。

Mykneecapishurtingme。Ow。That’sbetter。

Thepriesttookastickwithaknobattheendofitoutoftheboy’sbucketandshookitoverthecoffin。Thenhewalkedtotheotherendandshookitagain。Thenhecamebackandputitbackinthebucket。Asyouwerebeforeyourested。It’sallwrittendown：hehastodoit。

Etnenosinducasintentationem。

Theserverpipedtheanswersinthetreble。Ioftenthoughtitwouldbebettertohaveboyservants。Uptofifteenorso。Afterthatofcourse。

Holywaterthatwas，Iexpect。Shakingsleepoutofit。Hemustbefedupwiththatjob，shakingthatthingoverallthecorpsestheytrotup。

Whatharmifhecouldseewhathewasshakingitover。Everymortaldayafreshbatch：middleagedmen，oldwomen，children，womendeadinchildbirth，menwithbeards，baldheadedbusinessmen，consumptivegirlswithlittlesparrow’sbreasts。Alltheyearroundheprayedthesamethingoverthemalladshookwaterontopofthem：sleep。OnDignamnow。

Inparadisum。

Saidhewasgoingtoparadiseorisinparadise。Saysthatovereverybody。

Tiresomekindofajob。Buthehastosaysomething。

Thepriestclosedhisbookandwentoff，followedbytheserver。CornyKelleheropenedthesidedoorsandthegravediggerscamein，hoistedthecoffinagain，carrieditoutandshoveditontheircart。CornyKellehergaveonewreathtotheboyandonetothebrother-in-law。Allfollowedthemoutofthesidedoorsintothemildgreyair。MrBloomcamelast，foldinghispaperagainintohispocket。Hegazedgravelyatthegroundtillthecoffincartwheeledofftotheleft。Themetalwheelsgroundthegravelwithasharpgratingcryandthepackofbluntbootsfollowedthebarrowalongalaneofsepulchres。

ThereetheratheFeetheratheroo。Lord，Imustn’tlilthere。

TheO’Connellcircle，MrDedalussaidabouthim。

MrPower’ssofteyeswentuptotheapexoftheloftycone。

He’satrest，hesaid，inthemiddleofhispeople，oldDanO’。ButhisheartisburiedinRome。Howmanybrokenheartsareburiedhere，Simon！

Hergraveisoverthere，Jack，MrDedalussaid。I’Ilsoonbestretchedbesideher。LetHimtakemewheneverHelikes。

Breakingdown，hebegantoweeptohimselfquietly，stumblingalittleinhiswalk。MrPowertookhisarm。

She’sbetterwheresheis，hesaidkindly。

Isupposeso，MrDedalussaidwithaweakgasp。Isupposesheisinheavenifthereisaheaven。

CornyKellehersteppedasidefromhisrankandallowedthemournerstoplodby。

Sadoccasions，MrKernanbeganpolitely。

MrBloomclosedhiseyesandsadlytwicebowedhishead。

Theothersareputtingontheirhats，MrKernansaid。Isupposewecandosotoo。Wearethelast。Thiscemeteryisatreacherousplace。

Theycoveredtheirheads。

Thereverendgentlemanreadtheservicetooquickly，don’tyouthink？

MrKernansaidwithreproof。

MrBloomnoddedgravely，lookinginthequickbloodshoteyes。Secreteyes，secretsearchingeyes。Mason，Ithink：notsure。Besidehimagain。

Wearethelast。Inthesameboat。Hopehe’llsaysomethingelse。

MrKernanadded：

TheserviceoftheIrishchurch，usedinMountJerome，issimpler，moreimpressive，Imustsay。

MrBloomgaveprudentassent。Thelanguageofcoursewasanotherthing。

MrKernansaidwithsolemnity：

Iamtheresurrectionandthelife。Thattouchesaman’sinmostheart。

Itdoes，MrBloomsaid。

Yourheartperhapsbutwhatpricethefellowinthesixfeetbytwowithhistoestothedaisies？Notouchingthat。Seatoftheaffections。

Brokenheart。Apumpafterall，pumpingthousandsofgallonsofbloodeveryday。Onefinedayitgetsbungedupandthereyouare。Lotsofthemlyingaroundhere：lungs，hearts，livers。Oldrustypumps：damnthethingelse。

Theresurrectionandthelife。Onceyouaredeadyouaredead。Thatlastdayidea。Knockingthemallupoutoftheirgraves。Comeforth，Lazarus！

Andhecamefifthandlostthejob。Getup！Lastday！Theneveryfellowmousingaroundforhisliverandhislightsandtherestofhistraps。

Finddamnallofhimselfthatmorning。Pennyweightofpowderinaskull。

Twelvegrammesonepennyweight。Troymeasure。

CornyKelleherfellintostepattheirside。

EverythingwentoffA1，hesaid。What？

Helookedonthemfromhisdrawlingeye。Policeman’sshoulders。Withyourtooraloomtooraloom。