第52章

Thehousestewardoftheamalgamatedcats’anddogs’homewasinattendancetoconveythesevesselswhenreplenishedtothatbeneficentinstitution。

Quiteanexcellentrepastconsistingofrashersandeggs，friedsteakandonions，donetoanicety，delicioushotbreakfastrollsandinvigoratingteahadbeenconsideratelyprovidedbytheauthoritiesfortheconsumptionofthecentralfigureofthetragedywhowasincapitalspiritswhenpreparedfordeathandevincedthekeenestinterestintheproceedingsfrombeginningtoendbuthe，withanabnegationrareintheseourtimes，rosenoblytotheoccasionandexpressedthedyingwish(immediatelyaccededto)thatthemealshouldbedividedinaliquotpartsamongthemembersofthesickandindigentroomkeeper’sassociationasatokenofhisregardandesteem。

Thenecandnonplusultraofemotionwerereachedwhentheblushingbrideelectburstherwaythroughtheserriedranksofthebystandersandflungherselfuponthemuscularbosomofhimwhowasabouttobelaunchedintoeternityforhersake。TheherofoldedherwillowyforminalovingembracemurmuringfondlySheila，myown。Encouragedbythisuseofherchristiannameshekissedpassionatelyallthevarioussuitableareasofhispersonwhichthedecenciesofprisongarbpermittedherardourtoreach。Shesworetohimastheymingledthesaltstreamsoftheirtearsthatshewouldcherishhismemory，thatshewouldneverforgetherheroboywhowenttohisdeathwithasongonhislipsasifhewerebutgoingtoahurlingmatchinClonturkpark。ShebroughtbacktohisrecollectionthehappydaysofblissfulchildhoodtogetheronthebanksofAnnaLiffeywhentheyhadindulgedintheinnocentpastimesoftheyoungand，obliviousofthedreadfulpresent，theybothlaughedheartily，allthespectators，includingthevenerablepastor，joininginthegeneralmerriment。Thatmonsteraudiencesimplyrockedwithdelight。Butanontheywereovercomewithgriefandclaspedtheirhandsforthelasttime。Afreshtorrentoftearsburstfromtheirlachrymalductsandthevastconcourseofpeople，touchedtotheinmostcore，brokeintoheartrendingsobs，nottheleastaffectedbeingtheagedprebendaryhimself。Bigstrongmen，officersofthepeaceandgenialgiantsoftheroyalIrishconstabulary，weremakingfrankuseoftheirhandkerchiefsanditissafetosaythattherewasnotadryeyeinthatrecordassemblage。AmostromanticincidentoccurredwhenahandsomeyoungOxfordgraduate，notedforhischivalrytowardsthefairsex，steppedforwardand，presentinghisvisitingcard，bankbookandgenealogicaltree，solicitedthehandofthehaplessyounglady，requestinghertonametheday，andwasacceptedonthespot。Everyladyintheaudiencewaspresentedwithatastefulsouveniroftheoccasionintheshapeofaskullandcrossbonesbrooch，atimelyandgenerousactwhichevokedafreshoutburstofemotion：andwhenthegallantyoungOxonian(thebearer，bytheway，ofoneofthemosttimehonourednamesinAlbion’shistory)

placedonthefingerofhisblushingfiancé；eanexpensiveengagementringwithemeraldssetintheformofafourleavedshamrockexcitementknewnobounds。Nay，eventhesternprovostmarshal，lieutenantcolonelTomkin-MaxwellffrenchmullanTomlinson，whopresidedonthesadoccasion，hewhohadblownaconsiderablenumberofsepoysfromthecannonmouthwithoutflinching，couldnotnowrestrainhisnaturalemotion。Withhismailedgauntlethebrushedawayafurtivetearandwasoverheardbythoseprivilegedburgherswhohappenedtobeinhisimmediateentouragetomurmurtohimselfinafalteringundertone：

Godblimeyifsheaintaclinker，thattherebleedingtart。Blimeyitmakesmekindofbleedingcry，straight，itdoes，whenIseeshercauseIthinksofmyoldmashtubwhat’swaitingformedownLimehouseway。

SothenthecitizensbegintalkingabouttheIrishlanguageandthecorporationmeetingandalltothatandtheshoneensthatcan’tspeaktheirownlanguageandJoechippinginbecausehestucksomeoneforaquidandBloomputtinginhisoldgoowithhistwopennystumpthathecadgedoffJoeandtalkingabouttheGaelicleagueandtheantitreatingleagueanddrink，thecurseofIreland。Antitreatingisaboutthesizeofit。Gob，he’dletyoupourallmannerofdrinkdownhisthroattilltheLordwouldcallhimbeforeyou’deverseethefrothofhispint。AndonenightIwentinwithafellowintooneoftheirmusicalevenings，songanddanceaboutshecouldgetuponatrussofhayshecouldmyMaureenLay，andtherewasafellowwithaBallyhoolyblueribbonbadgespiffingoutofhiminIrishandalotofcolleenbawnsgoingaboutwithtemperancebeveragesa