第81章

Respectyourself。(Shehiccups，thenbendsquicklyhersailorhatunderwhichherhairglows，redwithhenna。)O，excuse！

ZOEMorelimelight，Charley。(Shegoestothechandelierandturnsthegasfullcock。)

KITTY(Peersatthegasjet。)Whatailsittonight？

LYNCH(Deeply。)Enteraghostandhobgoblins。

ZOEClaponthebackforZoe。

(ThewandinLynch’shandflashes：abrasspoker。Stephenstandsatthepianolaonwhichsprawlhishatandashplant。Withtwofingersherepeatsoncemoretheseriesofemptyfifths。FlorryTalbot，ablondfeeblegoosefatwhoreinatatterdemaliongownofmildewedstrawberry，lollsspreadeagleinthesofacorner，herlimpforearmpendentoverthebolster，listening。

Aheavystyedroopsoverhersleepyeyelid。)

KITTY(Hiccupsagainwithakickofherhorsedfoot。)O，excuse！

ZOE(Promptly。)Yourboy’sthinkingofyou。Tieaknotonyourshift。

(KittyRickettsbendsherhead。Herboauncoils，slides，glidesoverhershoulder，back，arm，chairtotheground。Lynchliftsthecurledcaterpillaronhiswand。Shesnakesherneck，nestling。Stephenglancesbehindatthesquattedfigurewithitscapbacktothefront。)

STEPHENAsamatteroffactitisofnoimportancewhetherBenedettoMarcellofounditormadeit。Theriteisthepoet’srest。ItmaybeanoldhymntoDemeteroralsoillustrateClaenarrantgloriamDomini。

ItissusceptibleofnodesormodesasfarapartashyperphrygianandmixolydianandoftextssodivergentaspriestshaihoopingroundDavid’sthatisCirce’sorwhatamIsayingCeres’altarandDavid’stipfromthestabletohischiefbassoonistabouthisalmightiness。Mais，nomdenom，thatisanotherpairoftrousers。Jetezlagourme。Fautquejeunessesepasse。(Hestops，pointsatLynch’scap，smiles，laughs。)Whichsideisyourknowledgebump？

THECAP(Withsaturninespleen。)Bah！Itisbecauseitis。Woman’sreason。Jewgreekisgreekjew。Extremesmeet。Deathisthehighestformoflife。Bah！

STEPHENYourememberfairlyaccuratelyallmyerrors，boasts，mistakes。

HowlongshallIcontinuetoclosemyeyestodisloyalty？Whetstone！

THECAPBah！

STEPHENHere’sanotherforyou。(Hefrowns。)Thereasonisbecausethefundamentalandthedominantareseparatedbythegreatestpossibleintervalwhich。

THECAPWhich？Finish。Youcan’t。

STEPHEN(Withoneffort。)Intervalwhich。Isthegreatestpossibleellipse。Consistentwith。Theultimatereturn。Theoctave。Which。

THECAPWhich？(OutsidethegramophonebeginstoblareTheHolyCity。)

STEPHEN(Abruptly。)Whatwentforthtotheendsoftheworldtotraversenotitself。God，thesun，Shakespeare，acommercialtraveller，havingitselftraversedinrealityitself，becomesthatself。Waitamoment。

Waitasecond。Damnthatfellow’snoiseinthestreet。Selfwhichititselfwasineluctablypreconditionedtobecome。Ecco！

LYNCH(WithamockingwhinnyoflaughtergrinsatBloomandZoeHiggins。)

Whatalearnedspeech，eh？

ZOE(Briskly。)Godhelpyourhead，heknowsmorethanyouhaveforgotten。

(WithobesestupidityFlorryTalbotregardsStephen。)

FLORRYTheysaythelastdayiscomingthissummer。

KITTYNo！

ZOE(Explodesinlaughter。)GreatunjustGod！

FLORRY(Offended。)Well，itwasinthepapersaboutAntichrist。

O，myfoot’stickling。

(Raggedbarefootnewsboys，joggingawagtailkite，patterpast，yelling。)

THENEWSBOYSStoppressedition。Resultoftherockinghorseraces。Seaserpentintheroyalcanal。SafearrivalofAntichrist。

(StephenturnsandseesBloom。)

STEPHENAtime，timesandhalfatime。

(ReubenJ。Antichrist，wanderingjew，aclutchinghandopenonhisspine，stumpsforward。Acrosshisloinsisslungapilgrimswalletfromwhichprotrudepromissorynotesanddishonouredbills。Aloftoverhisshoulderhebearsalongboatpolefromt