第23章

Oyes，J。J。O’Molloysaideagerly。LadyDudleywaswalkinghomethroughtheparktoseeallthetreesthatwereblowndownbythatcyclonelastyearandthoughtshe’dbuyaviewofDublin。AnditturnedouttobeacommemorationpostcardofJoeBradyorNumberOneorSkin-the-goat。Rightoutsidetheviceregallodge，imagine！

They’reonlyinthehookandeyedepartment，MylesCrawfordsaid。

Psha！Pressandthebar！Wherehaveyouamannowatthebarlikethosefellows，likeWhiteside，likeIsaacButt，likesilvertonguedO’Hagan？Eh？

Ah，bloodynonsense！Onlyinthehalfpennyplace！

Hismouthcontinuedtotwitchunspeakinginnervouscurlsofdisdain。

Wouldanyonewishthatmouthforherkiss？Howdoyouknow？Whydidyouwriteitthen？RhymesandReasonsMouth，south。Isthemouthsouthsomeway？Orthesouthamouth？Mustbesome。South，pout，out，shout，drouth。Rhymes：twomendressedthesame，lookingthesame，twobytwo……latuapace……cheparlartipiace……mentrechè；ilvento，comefa，sitace。Hesawthemthreebythree，approachinggirls，ingreen，inrose，inrusset，entwining，perl’aerpersoinmauve，inpurple，quellapacificaoriafiamma，ingoldoforiflamme，dirimirarfepiuardenti。

ButIoldmen，penitent，leadenfooted，underdarkneaththenight：mouthsouth：tombwomb。

Speakupforyourself，MrO’MaddenBurkesaid。SufficientfortheDay……J。J。O’Molloy，smilingpalely，tookupthegage。

MydearMyles，hesaid，flinginghiscigaretteaside，youputafalseconstructiononmywords。Iholdnobrief，asatpresentadvised，forthethirdprofessionquaprofessionbutyourCorklegsarerunningawaywithyou。WhynotbringinHenryGrattanandFloodandDemosthenesandEdmundBurke？IgnatiusGallaherweallknowandhisChapelizodboss，Harmsworthofthefarthingpress，andhisAmericancousinoftheBoweryguttersheetnottomentionPaddyKelly’sBudget，Pue’sOccurrencesandourwatchfulfriendTheSkibereenEagle。WhybringinamasterofforensiceloquencelikeWhiteside？Sufficientforthedayisthenewspaperthereof。LinkswithBygoneDaysofYoreGrattanandFloodwroteforthisverypaper，theeditorcriedinhisface。

Irishvolunteers。Whereareyounow？Established1763。DrLucas。WhohaveyounowlikeJohnPhilpotCurran？Psha！

Well，J。J。O’Molloysaid，BusheK。C。，forexample。

Bushe？theeditorsaid。Well，yes。Bushe，yes。Hehasastrainofitinhisblood。KendalBusheorImeanSeymourBushe。

Hewouldhavebeenonthebenchlongago，theprofessorsaid，onlyfor……Butnomatter。

J。J。O’MolloyturnedtoStephenandsaidquietlyandslowly：

OneofthemostpolishedperiodsIthinkIeverlistenedtoinmylifefellfromthelipsofSeymourBushe。Itwasinthatcaseoffratricide，theChildsmurdercase。Bushedefendedhim。Andintheporchesofmineeardidpour。Bythewayhowdidhefindthatout？Hediedinhissleep。Ortheotherstory，beastwithtwobacks？

Whatwasthat？theprofessorasked。Italia，MagistraArtiumHespokeonthelawofevidence，J。J。O’Molloysaid，ofRomanjusticeascontrastedwiththeearlierMosaiccode，thelextalionis。AndhecitedtheMosesofMichelangelointheVatican。

Ha。

Afewwellchosenwords，Lenehanprefaced。Silence！

Pause。J。J。O’Molloytookouthiscigarettecase。Falselull。Somethingquiteordinary。

Messengertookouthismatchboxthoughtfullyandlithiscigar。

Ihaveoftenthoughtsinceonlookingbackoverthatstrangetimethatitwasthatsmallact，trivialinitself，thatstrikingofthatmatch，thatdeterminedthewholeaftercourseofbothourlives。APolishedPeriodJ。J。O’Molloyresumed，mouldinghiswords：

Hesaidofit：thatstonyeffigyinfrozenmusic，hornedandterrible，ofthehumanformdivine，thateternalsymbolofwisdomandprophecywhichifaughtthattheimaginationorthehandofsculptorhaswroughtinmarbleofsoultransfiguredandofsoultransfiguringdeservestolive，deservestolive。

Hisslimhandwithawavegracedechoandfall。