第84章

THEFAN(Pointsdownwardsquickly。)Youmust。

BLOOM(Withdesire，withreluctance。)Icanmakeatrueblackknot。LearnedwhenIservedmytimeandworkedthemailorderlineforKellet’s。Experiencedhand。Everyknotsaysalot。Letme。Incourtesy。

Ikneltoncebeforetoday。Ah！

(Bellaraiseshergownslightlyand，steadyingherpose，liftstotheedgeofachairaplumpbuskinedhoofandafullpastern，silksocked。

Bloom，stiffleggedageing，bendsoverherhoofandwithgentlefingersdrawsoutandinherlaces。)

BLOOM(Murmurslovingly。)TobeashoefitterinMansfield’swasmylove’syoungdream，thedarlingjoysofsweetbuttonhooking，tolaceupcrisscrossedtokneelengththedressykidfootwearsatinlined，soincrediblysmall，ofClydeRoadladies。EventheirwaxmodelRaymondeIvisiteddailytoadmirehercobwebhoseandstickofrhubarbtoe，asworninParis。

THEHOOFSmellmyhotgoathide。Feelmyroyalweight。

BLOOM(Crosslacing。)Tootight？

THEHOOFIfyoubungle，HandyAndy，I’llkickyourfootballforyou。

BLOOMNottolacethewrongeyeletasIdidthenightofthebazaardance。Badluck。Nookinwrongtacheofher……personyoumentioned。Thatnightshemet……Now！

(Heknotsthelace。Bellaplacesherfootonthefloor。Bloomraiseshishead。Herheavyface，hereyesstrikehiminmid-brow。Hiseyesgrowdull，darkerandpouched，hisnosethickens。)

BLOOM(Mumbles。)Awaitingyourfurtherorders，weremain，gentlemen。

BELLO(Withahardbasiliskstare，inabaritonevoice。)Houndofdishonour！

BLOOM(Infatuated。)Empress！

BELLO(Hisheavycheekchopssagging。)Adoreroftheadulterousrump！

BLOOM(Plaintively。)Hugeness！

BELLODungdevourer！

BLOOM(Withsinewssemiflexed。)Magnificence。

BELLODown！(Hetapsherontheshoulderwithhisfan。)Inclinefeetforward！Slideleftfootonepaceback。Youwillfall。Youarefalling。

Onthehandsdown！

BLOOM(Hereyesupturnedinthesignofadmiration，closing。)

Truffles！

(Withapiercingepilepticcryshesinksonallfours，grunting，snuffling，rootingathisfeet，thenlies，shammingdeadwitheyesshuttight，tremblingeyelids，boweduponthegroundintheattitudeofmostexcellentmaster。)

BELLO(Withbobbedhairpurplegills，fatmoustacheringsroundhisshavenmouth，inmountaineer’sputtees，greensilverbuttonedcoat，sportskirtandalpinehatwithmoorcock’sfeather，hishandsstuckdeepinhisbreechespockets，placeshisheelonherneckandgrindsitin。)

Feelmyentireweight。Bow，bondslave，beforethethroneofyourdespot’sgloriousheels，soglisteningintheirprouderectness。

BLOOM(Enthralled，bleats。)Ipromisenevertodisobey。

BELLO(Laughsloudly。)Holysmoke！Youlittleknowwhat’sinstoreforyou。I’mthetartartosettleyourlittlelotandbreakyouin！

I’llbetKentuckycocktailsallroundIshameitoutofyou，oldson。Cheekme，Idareyou。Ifyoudotrembleinanticipationofheeldisciplinetobeinflictedingymcostume。

(Bloomcreepsunderthesofaandpeersoutthroughthefringe。

ZOE(Wideninghersliptoscreenher。)She’snothere。

BLOOM(Closinghereyes。)She’snothere。

FLORRY(Hidingherwithhergown。)Shedidn’tmeanit，MrBello。

She’llbegood，sir。

KITTYDon’tbetoohardonher，MrBello。Sureyouwon’t，ma’amsir。

BELLO(Coaxingly。)Come，duckydear。Iwantawordwithyou，darling，justtoadministercorrection。Justalittlehearttohearttalk，sweety。(Bloomputsouthertimidhead。)There’sagoodgirlynow。

(Bellograbsherhairviolentlyanddragsherforward。)Ionlywanttocorrectyouforyourowngoodonasoftsafespot。How’sthattenderbehind？O，eversogently，pet。Begintogetready。

BLOOM(Fainting。)Don’ttearmy。

BELLO(Savagely。)Thenosering，thepliers，thebastinado，thehanginghook，theknoutI’llmakeyoukisswhiletheflutesplayliketheNubianslaveofold。You’reinforitthistime