第58章

Amidcheersthatrentthewelkin，respondedtobyansweringcheersfromabigmusterofhenchmenonthedistantCambrianandCaledonianhills，themastodonticpleasureshipslowlymovedawaysalutedbyafinalfloraltributefromtherepresentativesofthefairsexwhowerepresentinlargenumberswhile，asitproceededdowntheriver，escortedbyaflotillaofbarges，theflagsoftheBallastofficeandCustomHouseweredippedinsaluteaswerealsothoseoftheelectricalpowerstationatthePigeon-house。Visszontlá；tlá；sá；ra，kedvé；sbará；ton！

Visszontlá；tá；sra！Gonebutnotforgotten。

Gob，thedevilwouldn’tstophimtillhegotholdofthebloodytinanyhowandoutwithhimandlittleAlfhangingontohiselbowandheshoutinglikeastuckpig，asgoodasanybloodyplayintheQueen’sroyaltheatre。

WhereishetillImurderhim？

AndNedandJ。G。paralysedwiththelaughing。

Bloodywars，saysI，I’llbeinforthelastgospel。

Butasluckwouldhaveitthejarveygotthenag’sheadroundtheotherwayandoffwithhim。

Holdonecitizen，saysJoe。Stop。Begobhedrewhishandandmadeaswipeandletfly。MercyofGodthesunwasinhiseyesorhe’dhavelefthimfordead。Gob，henearsentitintothecountyLongford。Thebloodynagtookfrightandtheoldmongrelafterthecarlikebloodyhellandallthepopulaceshoutingandlaughingandtheoldtinboxclatteringalongthestreet。

Thecatastrophewasterrificandinstantaneousinitseffect。TheobservatoryofDunsinkregisteredinallelevenshocks，allofthefifthgradeofMercalli’sscale，andthereisnorecordextantofasimilarseismicdisturbanceinourislandsincetheearthquakeof1534，theyearoftherebellionofSilkenThomas。TheepicentreappearstohavebeenthatpartofthemetropoliswhichconstitutestheInn’sQuaywardandparishofSaintMichancoveringasurfaceoffortyoneacres，tworoodsandonesquarepoleorperch。AllthelordlyTesidencesinthevicinityofthepalaceofjusticeweredemolishedandthatnobleedificeitself，inwhichatthetimeofthecatastropheimportantlegaldebateswereinprogress，isliterallyamassofruinsbeneathwhichitistobefearedalltheoccupantshavebeenburiedalive。

Fromthereportsofeyewitnessesittranspiresthattheseismicwaveswereaccompaniedbyaviolentatmosphericperturbationofcycloniccharacter。

AnarticleofheadgearsinceascertainedtobelongtothemuchrespectedclerkofthecrownandpeaceMrGeorgeFottrellandasilkumbrellawithgoldhandlewiththeengravedinitials，coatofarmsandhousenumberoftheeruditeandworshipfulchairmanofquartersessionssirFrederickFalkiner，recorderofDublin，havebeendiscoveredbysearchpartiesinremotepartsoftheisland，respectively，theformeronthethirdbasalticridgeofthegiant’scauseway，thelatterembeddedtotheextentofonefootthreeinchesinthesandybeachofHoleopenbayneartheoldheadofKinsale。

Othereyewitnessesdeposethatthey-observedanincandescentobjectofenormousproportionshurtlingthroughtheatmosphereataterrifyingvelocityinatrajectorydirectedsouthwestbywest。MessagesofcondolenceandsympathyarebeinghourlyreceivedfromallpartsofthedifferentcontinentsandthesovereignpontiffhasbeengraciouslypleasedtodecreethataspecialmissaprodefunctisshallbecelebratedsimultaneouslybytheordinariesofeachandeverycathedralchurchofalltheepiscopaldiocesessubjecttothespiritualauthorityoftheHolySeeinsuffrageofthesoulsofthosefaithfuldepartedwhohavebeensounexpectedlycalledawayfromourmidst。Theworkofsalvage，removalofdebrishumanremainsetchasbeenentrustedtoMessrsMichaelMeadeandSon，159，GreatBrunswickStreetandMessrsT。C。Martin，77，78，79and80，NorthWall，assistedbythemenandofficersoftheDukeofCornwall’slightinfantryunderthegeneralsupervisionofH。R。H。，rearadmiraltherighthonourablesirHerculesHannibalHabeasCorpusAndersonK。G。，K。P。，H。T。，P。C。，K。C。B。，M。P。，J。P。，M。B。，D。S。O。，S。O。D。，M。F。H。，M。R。I。A。，B。L。，Mus。Doc。，P。L。G。，F。T。C。D。，F。R。U。I。，F。R。C。P。I。andF。R。C。S。I。

Youneversawthelikeofitinallyourbornpuff。Gob，ifhegotthatlotteryticketonthesideofhispollhe’drememberthegoldcup，hewouldso，butbegobthecitizenwouldhavebeenlaggedforassaultandbatteryandJoeforaidingandabetting。ThejarveysavedhislifebyfuriousdrivingassureasGodmade