第39章

Hishandsmouldedamplecurvesofair。Heshuthiseyestightindelight，hisbodyshrinking，andblewasweetchirpfromhislips。

Theladstoodtoattentionanyhow，hesaidwithasigh。She’sagameymareandnomistake。BloomwaspointingoutallthestarsandthecometsintheheavenstoChrisCallinanandthejarvey：thegreatbearandHerculesandthedragonandthewholejingbanglot。But，byGod，Iwaslost，sotospeak，inthemilkyway。Heknowsthemall，faith。Atlastshespottedaweenyweeshyonemilesaway。Andwhatstaristhat，Poldy？saysshe。ByGod，shehadBloomcornered。Thatone，isit？saysChrisCallinan，surethat’sonlywhatyoumightcallapinprick。ByGod，hewasn’tfarwideofthemark。

Lenehanstoppedandleanedontheriverwall，pantingwithsoftlaughter。

I’mweak，hegasped。

M’Coy’swhitefacesmiledaboutitatinstantsandgrewgrave。Lenehanwalkedonagain。Heliftedhisyachtingcapandscratchedhishindheadrapidly。

HeglancedsidewaysinthesunlightatM’Coy。

He’saculturedallroundman，Bloomis，hesaidseriously。He’snotoneofyourcommonorgarden……youknow……There’satouchoftheartistaboutoldBloom。

MrBloomturnedoveridlypagesofTheAwfulDisclosuresofMariaMonk，thenofAristotle’sMasterpiece。Crookedbotchedprint。Plates：

infantscuddledinaballinbloodredwombslikeliversofslaughteredcows。Lotsofthemlikethatatthismomentallovertheworld。Allbuttingwiththeirskullstogetoutofit。Childborneveryminutesomewhere。

MrsPurefoy。

Helaidbothbooksasideandglancedatthethird：TalesoftheGhettobyLeopoldvonSacherMasoch。

ThatIhad，hesaid，pushingitby。

Theshopmanlettwovolumesfallonthecounter。

Themaretwogoodones，hesaid。

Onionsofhisbreathcameacrossthecounteroutofhisruinedmouth。

Hebenttomakeabundleoftheotherbooks，huggedthemagainsthisunbuttonedwaistcoatandborethemoffbehindthedingycurtain。

OnO’ConnellbridgemanypersonsobservedthegravedeportmentandgayapparelofMrDenisJ。Maginni，professorofdancing&；c。

MrBloom，alone，lookedatthetitles。FairTyrantsbyJamesLovebirch。Knowthekindthatis。Hadit？Yes。

Heopenedit。Thoughtso。

Awoman’svoicebehindthedingycurtain。Listen：Theman。

No：shewouldn’tlikethatmuch。Gotheritonce。

Hereadtheothertitle：SweetsofSin。Moreinherline。Letussee。

Hereadwherehisfingeropened。

Allthedollarbillsherhusbandgaveherwerespentinthestoresonwondrousgownsandcostliestfrillies。Forhim！ForRaoul！

Yes。This。Here。Try。

Hermouthgluedonhisinalusciousvoluptuouskisswhilehishandsfeltfortheopulentcurvesinsideherdé；shabillé；。

Yes。Takethis。Theend。

Youarelate，hespokehoarsely，eyeingherwithasuspiciousglare。Thebeautifulwomanthrewoffhersabletrimmedwrap，displayingherqueenlyshouldersandheavingembonpoint。Animperceptiblesmileplayedroundherperfectlipsassheturnedtohimcalmly。

MrBloomreadagain：Thebeautifulwoman。

Warmthshoweredgentlyoverhim，cowinghisflesh。Fleshyieldedamidrumpledclothes。Whitesofeyesswooningup。Hisnostrilsarchedthemselvesforprey。Meltingbreastointments(Forhim！ForRaoul！)。Armpits’

onionysweat。Fishglueyslime(herheavingembonpoint！)。Feel！Press！

Crushed！Sulphurdungoflions！

Young！Young！

Anelderlyfemale，nomoreyoung，leftthebuildingofthecourtsofchancery，king’sbench，exchequerandcommonpleas，havingheardinthelordchancellor’scourtthecaseinlunacyofPotterton，intheadmiraltydivisionthesummons，expartemotion，oftheownersoftheLadyCairnsversustheownersofthebarqueMona，inthecourtofappealrese