第57章

Well，they’restillwaitingfortheirredeemer，saysMartin。Forthatmattersoarewe。

Yes，saysJ。J。，andeverymalethat’sborntheythinkitmaybetheirMessiah。Andeveryjewisinatallstateofexcitement，Ibelieve，tillheknowsifhe’safatheroramother。

Expectingeverymomentwillbehisnext，saysLenehan。

O，byGod，saysNed，youshouldhaveseenBloombeforethatsonofhisthatdiedwasborn。ImethimonedayinthesouthcitymarketsbuyingatinofNeave’sfoodsixweeksbeforethewifewasdelivered。

Enventresamere，saysJ。J。

Doyoucallthataman？saysthecitizen。

Iwonderdidheeverputitoutofsight，saysJoe。

Well，thereweretwochildrenbornanyhow，saysJackPower。

Andwhodoeshesuspect？saysthecitizen。

Gob，there’smanyatruewordspokeninjest。Oneofthosemixedmiddlingsheis。LyingupinthehotelPisserwastellingmeonceamonthwithheadachelikeatottywithhercourses。DoyouknowwhatI’mtellingyou？It’dbeanactofGodtotakeaholdofafellowthelikeofthatandthrowhiminthebloodysea。Justifiablehomicide，soitwould。Thenslopingoffwithhisfivequidwithoutputtingupapintofstufflikeaman。Giveusyourblessing。Notasmuchaswouldblindyoureye。

Charitytotheneighbour，saysMartin。Butwhereishe？Wecan’twait。

Awolfinsheep’sclothing，saysthecitizen。That’swhatheis。ViragfromHungary！AhasuerusIcallhim。CursedbyGod。

Haveyoutimeforabrieflibation，Martin？saysNed。

Onlyone，saysMartin。Wemustbequick。J。J。andS。

YouJack？Crofton？Threehalfones，Terry。

SaintPatrickwouldwanttolandagainatBallykinlarandconvertus，saysthecitizen，afterallowingthingslikethattocontaminateourshores。

Well，saysMartin，rappingforhisglass。Godblessallhereismyprayer。

Amen，saysthecitizen。

AndI’msurehewill，saysJoe。

Andatthesoundofthesacringbell，headedbyacruciferwithacolytes，thurifers，boatbearers，readers，ostiarii，deaconsandsubdeacons，theblessedcompanydrewnighofmitredabbotsandpriorsandguardiansandmonksandfriars：themonksofBenedictofSpoleto，CarthusiansandCamaldolesi，CisterciansandOlivetans，OratoriansandVallombrosans，andthefriarsofAugustine，Brigittines，Premonstratesians，Servi，Trinitarians，andthechildrenofPeterNolasco：andtherewithfromCarmelmountthechildrenofElijahprophetledbyAlbertbishopandbyTeresaofAvila，calcedandother：andfriarsbrownandgrey，sonsofpoorFrancis，capuchins，cordeliers，minimesandobservantsandthedaughtersofClara：andthesonsofDominic，thefriarspreachers，andthesonsofVincent：andthemonksofS。Wolstan：

andIgnatiushischildren：andtheconfraternityofthechristianbrothersledbythereverendbrotherEdmundIgnatiusRice。Andaftercameallsaintsandmartyrs，virginsandconfessors：S。CyrandS。IsidoreAratorandS。

JamestheLessandS。PhocasofSinopeandS。JulianHospitatorandS。

FelixdeCantaliceandS。SimonStylitesandS。StephenProtomartyrandS。JohnofGodandS。FerreolandS。LeugardeandS。TheodotusandS。VulmarandS。RichardandS。VincentdePaulandS。MartinofTodiandS。MartinofToursandS。AlfredandS。JosephandS。DenisandS。CorneliusandS。LeopoldandS。BernardandS。TerenceandS。EdwardandS。OwenCaniculusandS。AnonymousandS。EponymousandS。PseudonymousandS。HomonymousandS。ParonymousandS。SynonymousandS。LaurenceO’TooleandS。JamesofDingleandCompostellaandS。ColumcilleandS。ColumbaandS。CelestineandS。ColmanandS。KevinandS。BrendanandS。FrigidianandS。SenanandS。FachtnaandS。ColumbanusandS。GallandS。FurseyandS。FintanandS。FiacreandS。JohnNepomucandS。ThomasAquinasandS。IvesofBrittanyandS。MichanandS。Herman-JosephandthethreepatronsofholyyouthS。AloysiusGonzagaandS。StanislausKostkaandS。JohnBerchmansandthesaintsGervasius，ServasiusandBonifaciusandS。BrideandS。

KieranandS