第50章

Sweatofmybrow，saysJoe。’Twastheprudentmembergavemethewheeze。

IsawhimbeforeImetyou，saysI，slopingaroundbyPilllaneandGreekstreetwithhiscod’seyecountingupallthegutsofthefish。

WhocomesthroughMichan’sland，bedightinsablearmour？O’Bloom，thesonofRory：itishe。ImpervioustofearisRory’sson：heoftheprudentsoul。

FortheoldwomanofPrince’sstreet，saysthecitizen，thesubsidisedorgan。Thepledgeboundpartyonthefloorofthehouse。Andlookatthisblastedrag，sayshe。Lookatthis，sayshe。TheIrishIndependent，ifyouplease，foundedbyParnelltobetheworkingman’sfriend。ListentothebirthsanddeathsintheIrishallforIrelandIndependentandI’llthankyouandthemarriages。

Andhestartsreadingthemout：

Gordon，BarnfieldCrescent，Exeter；RedmayneofIffley，SaintAnne’sonSea，thewifeofWilliamT。Redmayne，ofason。How’sthat，eh？WrightandFlint，VincentandGilletttoRothaMariondaughterofRosaandthelateGeorgeAlfredGillett，179ClaphamRoad，Stockwell，PlaywoodandRidsdaleatSaintJude’sKensingtonbytheveryreverendDrForrest，DeanofWorcester，eh？Deaths。Bristow，atWhitehalllane，London：Carr，StokeNewington，ofgastritisandheartdisease：Cockburn，attheMoathouse，Chepstow。

Iknowthatfellow，saysJoe，frombitterexperience。

Cockburn。Dimsey，wifeofDavieDimsey，lateoftheadmiralty：Miller，Tottenham，agedeightyfive：Welsh，June12，at35CanningStreet，Liverpool，IsabellaHelen。How’sthatforanationalpress，eh，mybrownson？How’sthatforMartinMurphy，theBantryjobber？

Ah，well，saysJoe，handingroundtheboose。ThanksbetoGodtheyhadthestartofus。Drinkthat，citizen。

Iwill，sayshe，honourableperson。

Health，Joe，saysI。Andalldowntheform。

Ah！Owl！Don’tbetalking！Iwasbluemouldyforthewantofthatpint。

DeclaretoGodIcouldhearithitthepitofmystomachwithaclick。

Andlo，astheyquaffedtheircupofjoy，agodlikemessengercameswiftlyin，radiantastheeyeofheaven，acomelyyouth，andbehindhimtherepassedanelderofnoblegaitandcountenance，bearingthesacredscrollsoflaw，andwithhimhisladywife，adameofpeerlesslineage，fairestofherrace。

LittleAlfBerganpoppedinroundthedoorandhidbehindBarney’ssnug，squeezedupwiththelaughing，andwhowassittingupthereinthecornerthatIhadn’tseensnoringdrunk，blindtotheworld，onlyBobDoran。I

didn’tknowwhatwasupandAlfkeptmakingsignsoutofthedoor。AndbegobwhatwasitonlythatbloodyoldpantaloonDenisBreeninhisbathslipperswithtwobloodybigbookstuckedunderhisoxterandthewifehotfootafterhim，unfortunatewretchedwomantrottinglikeapoodle。I

thoughtAlfwouldsplit。

Lookathim，sayshe。Breen。He’straipsingallroundDublinwithapostcardsomeonesenthimwithu。p。：uponittotakeali……

Andhedoubledup。

Takeawhat？saysI。

Libelaction，sayshe，fortenthousandpounds。

Ohell！saysI。

Thebloodymongrelbegantogrowlthat’dputthefearofGodinyouseeingsomethingwasupbutthecitizengavehimakickintheribs。

Biidhohusht，sayshe。

Who？saysJoe。

Breen，saysAlf。HewasinJohnHenryMenton’sandthenhewentroundtoCollisandWard’sandthenTomRochfordmethimandsenthimroundtothesubsheriff’sforalark。OGod，I’veapainlaughing。U。p。：up。ThelongfellowgavehimaneyeasgoodasaprocessandnowthebloodyoldlunaticisgoneroundtoGreenStreettolookforaG。man。

WhenislongJohngoingtohangthatfellowinMountjoy？saysJoe。

Bergan，saysBobDoran，wakingup。IsthatAlfBergan？

Yes，saysAlf。Hanging？WaittillIshowyou。Here，Terry，giveusapony。Thatbloodyoldfool！Tenthousandpounds。YoushouldhaveseenlongJohn’seye。U。p……

Andhestartedlaughing。

Whoareyoulaughingat？saysBobDoran。IsthatBergan？

Hurryup，Terryboy，saysAlf。

TerenceO’Ryanheardhimandstraightwaybroughthimacrystalcup