第66章

AredressGodgrant。Thiswasscantsaidbutallcriedwithoneacclaimnay，byourVirginMother，thewifeshouldliveandthebabetodie。IncolourwhereoftheywaxedhotuponthatheadwhatwithargumentandwhatfortheirdrinkingbutthefranklinLenehanwasprompteachwhentopourthemalesothatattheleastwaymirthmightnotlack。ThenyoungMaddenshowedallthewholeaffairandwhenhesaidhowthatshewasdeadandhowforholyreligionsakebyredeofpalmerandbedesmanandforavowhehadmadetoSaintUltanofArbraccanhergoodmanhusbandwouldnotletherdeathwherebytheywereallwondrousgrieved。TowhomyoungStephenhadthesewordsfollowing，Murmur，sirs，isekeoftamonglayfolk。BothbabeandparentnowglorifytheirMaker，theoneinlimbogloom，theotherinpurgefire。But，gramercy，whatofthoseGodpossibledsoulsthatwenightlyunpossibilise，whichisthesinagainsttheHolyGhost，VeryGod，LordandGiverofLife？For，sirs，hesaid，ourlustisbrief。Wearemeanstothosesmallcreatureswithinusandnaturehasotherendsthanwe。ThensaidDixonjuniortoPunchCostellowisthewhatends。Buthehadovermuchdrunkenandthebestwordhecouldhaveofhimwasthathewouldeverdishonestawomanwhososhewereorwifeormaidorlemanifitsofortunedhimtobedeliveredofhisspleenoflustihead。WhereatCrotthersofAlbaLongasangyoungMalachi’spraiseofthatbeasttheunicornhowonceinthemillenniumhecomethbyhishorntheotherallthiswhileprickedforwardwiththeirjibeswherewiththeydidmalicehim，witnessingallandseveralbysaintFoutinushisenginesthathewasabletodoanymannerofthingthatlayinmantodo。ThereatlaughedtheyallrightjocundlyonlyyoungStephenandsirLeopoldwhichneverdurstlaughtooopenbyreasonofastrangehumourwhichhewouldnotbewrayandalsofordthatheruedforherthatbarewhososhemightbeorwheresoever。ThenspokeyoungStephenorgulousofmotherChurchthatwouldcasthimoutofherbosom，oflawofcanons，ofLilith，patronofabortions，ofbignesswroughtbywindofseedsofbrightnessorbypotencyofvampiresmouthtomouthor，asVirgiliussaith，bytheinfluenceoftheoccidentorbythereekofmoonfloweroransheliewithawomanwhichhermanhasbutlainwitheffectusecuto，orperadventureinherbathaccordingtotheopinionsofAverroesandMosesMaimonides。HesaidalsohowattheendofthesecondmonthahumansoulwasinfusedandhowinallourholymotherfoldetheversoulsforGod’sgreaterglorywhereasthatearthlymotherwhichwasbutadamtobringforthbeastlyshoulddiebycanonforsosaithhethatholdeththefisherman’sseal，eventhatblessedPeteronwhichrockwasholychurchforallagesfounded。AlltheybachelorsthenaskedofsirLeopoldwouldheinlikecasesojeopardherpersonasrisklifetosavelife。Awarinessofmindhewouldanswerasfittedalland，layinghandtojaw，hesaiddissembling，ashiswontwas，thatasitwasinformedhim，whohadeverlovedtheartofphysicasmightalayman，andagreeingalsowithhisexperienceofsoseldomseenanaccidentitwasgoodforthatMotherChurchbelikeatoneblowhadbirthanddeathpenceandinsuchsortdeliverlyhescapedtheirquestions。Thatistruth，pardy，saidDixon，and，orIerr，apregnantword。WhichhearingyoungStephenwasamarvellousgladmanandheaverredthathewhostealethfromthepoorlendethtotheLordforhewasofawildmannerwhenhewasdrunkenandthathewasnowinthattakingitappearedeftsoons。

ButsirLeopoldwaspassinggravemaugrehiswordbycausehestillhadpityoftheterrorcausingshriekingofshrillwomenintheirlabourandashewasmindedofhisgoodladyMarionthathadbornehimanonlymanchildwhichonhiseleventhdayonlivehaddiedandnomanofartcouldsavesodarkisdestiny。Andshewaswondrousstrickenofheartforthatevilhapandforhisburialdidhimonafaircorseletoflamb’swool，thefloweroftheflock，lesthemightperishutterlyandlieakeled(foritwasthenaboutthemidstofthewinter)andnowsirLeopoldthathadofhisbodynomanchildforanheirlookeduponhimhisfriend’ssonandwasshutupinsorrowforhisforepassedhappinessandassadashewasthathimfailedasonofsuchgentlecourage(forallaccountedhimofrealparts)sogrievedhealsoinnolessmeasureforyoungStephenforthathelived