第78章

ZOEAreyoulookingforsomeone？He’sinsidewithhisfriend。

BLOOMIsthisMrsMack’s？

ZOENo，eightyone。MrsCohen’s。Youmightgofartherandfareworse。

MotherSlipperslapper。(Familiarly。)She’sonthejobherselftonightwiththevet，hertipster，thatgivesherallthewinnersandpaysforhersoninOxford。Workingovertimebutherluck’sturnedtoday。(Suspiciously。)

You’renothisfather，areyou？

BLOOMNotI！

ZOEYoubothinblack。Haslittlemouseyanyticklestonight？

(Hisskin，alert，feelsherfingertipsapproach。Ahandslidesoverhisleftthigh。)

ZOEHow’sthenuts？

BLOOMOffside。Curiouslytheyareontheright。HeavierIsuppose。

Oneinamillionmytailor，Mesias，says。

ZOE(Insuddenalarm。)You’veahardchancre。

BLOOMNotlikely。

ZOEIfeelit。

(Herhandslidesintohislefttrouserpocketandbringsoutahardblackshrivelledpotato。SheregardsitandBloomwithdumbmoistlips。)

BLOOMAtalisman。Heirloom。

ZOEForZoe？Forkeeps？Forbeingsonice，eh？

(Sheputsthepotatogreedilyintoapocket，thenlinkshisarm，cuddlinghimwithsupplewarmth。Hesmilesuneasily。Slowly，notebynote，orientalmusicisplayed。Hegazesinthetawnycrystalofhereyes，ringedwithkohol。Hissmilesoftens。)

ZOEYou’llknowmethenexttime。

BLOOM(Forlornly。)Ineverlovedadeargazellebutitwassureto。

(Gazellesareleaping，feedingonthemountains。Neararelakes。

Roundtheirshoresfileshadowsblackofcedargroves。Aromarises，astronghairgrowthofresin。Itburns，theorient，askyofsapphire，cleftbythebronzeflightofeagles。Underitliesthewomancity，nude，white，still，cool，inluxury。Afountainmurmursamongdamaskroses。Mammothrosesmurmurofscarletwinegrapes。Awineofshame，lust，bloodexudes，strangelymurmuring。)

ZOE(Murmuringsingsongwiththemusic，herodalisklipslusciouslysmearedwithsalveofswinefatandrosewater。)Schorachaniwenowach，benoithHierushaloim。

BLOOM(Fascinated。)Ithoughtyouwereofgoodstockbyyouraccent。

ZOEAndyouknowwhatthoughtdid？

(Shebiteshiseargentlywithlittlegoldstoppedteethsendingonhimacloyingbreathofstalegarlic。Therosesdrawapart，discloseasepulchreofthegoldofkingsandtheirmoulderingbones。)

BLOOM(Drawsback，mechanicallycaressingherrightbubwithaflatawkwardhand。)AreyouaDublingirl？

ZOE(Catchesastrayhairdeftlyandtwistsittohercoil。)

Nobloodyfear。I’mEnglish。Haveyouaswaggerroot？

BLOOM(Asbefore。)Rarelysmoke，dear。Cigarnowandthen。Childishdevice。(Lewdly。)Themouthcanbebetterengagedthanwithacylinderofrankweed。

ZOEGoon。Makeastumpspeechoutofit。

BLOOM(Inworkman’scorduroyoveralls，blackgansywithredfloatingtieandapachecap。)Mankindisincorrigible。SirWalterRaleighbroughtfromthenewworldthatpotatoandthatweed，theoneakillerofpestilencebyabsorption，theotherapoisoneroftheear，eye，heart，memory，will，understanding，all。Thatistosay，hebroughtthepoisonahundredyearsbeforeanotherpersonwhosenameIforgetbroughtthefood。Suicide。Lies。

Allourhabits。Why，lookatourpubliclife！

(Midnightchimesfromdistantsteeples。)

THECHIMESTurnagain，Leopold！LordMayorofDublin！

BLOOM(Inalderman’sgownandchain。)ElectorsofArranQuay，InnsQuay，Rotunda，MountjoyandNorthDock，betterrunatramline，Isay，fromthecattlemarkettotheriver。That’sthemusicofthefuture。That’smyprogramme。CuiBono？ButourbuccaneeringVanderdeckensintheirphantomshipoffinance……

ANELECTORThreetimesthreeforourfuturechiefmagistrate！

(Theauroraborealisofthetorchlightprocessionleaps。)

THETORCHBEARERSHooray！

(Severalwellknownburgesses，citymagnatesandfreemenofthecityshakehandswithBloomandcongratulatehim。TimothyHarrington，latethriceLordMayorofDublin，imposinginmayoralscarlet，goldchainandwhitesilktie，conferswithcouncillorLorcanSherloc