第96章

J。J。O’MOLLOY(Hotlytothepopulace。)Thisisalonehandfight。

ByHades，Iwillnothaveanyclientofminegaggedandbadgeredinthisfashionbyapackofcursandlaughinghyenas。TheMosaiccodehassupersededthelawofthejungle。IsayitandIsayitemphaticallywithoutwishingforonemomenttodefeattheendsofjustice，accusedwasnotaccessorybeforetheactandprosecutrixhasnotbeentamperedwith。Theyoungpersonwastreatedbydefendantasifshewerehisveryowndaughter。(BloomtakesJ。J。O’Molloy’shandandraisesittohislips。)Ishallcallrebuttingevidencetoproveuptothehiltthatthehiddenhandisagainatitsoldgame。WhenindoubtpersecuteBloom。Myclient，aninnatelybashfulman，wouldbethelastmanintheworldtodoanythingungentlemanlywhichinjuredmodestycouldobjecttoorcastastoneatagirlwhotookthewrongturningwhensomedastard，responsibleforhercondition，hadworkedhisownsweetwillonher。Hewantstogostraight。IregardhimasthewhitestmanIknow。HeisdownonhisluckatpresentowingtothemortgagingofhisextensivepropertyatAgendathNetaiminfarawayAsiaMinor，slidesofwhichwillnowbeshown。(ToBloom。)Isuggestthatyouwilldothehandsomething。

BLOOMApennyinthepound。

(ThemirageofthelakeofKinnerethwithblurredcattlecroppinginsilverhazeisprojectedonthewall。MosesDlugacz，ferreteyedalbino，inbluedungarees，standsupinthegallery，holdingineachhandanorangecitronandaporkkidney。)

DLUGACZ(Hoarsely。)Bleibtreustrasse，Berlin，W。13。

(J。J。O’Molloystepsontoalowplinthandholdsthelapelofhiscoatwithsolemnity。Hisfacelengthens，growspaleandbearded，withsunkeneyes，theblotchesofphthisisandhecticcheekbonesofJohnF。Taylor。

Heapplieshishandkerchieftohismouthandscrutinisesthegallopingtideofrosepinkblood。)

J。J。O’MOLLOY(Almostvoicelessly。)Excuseme，Iamsufferingfromaseverechill，haverecentlycomefromasickbed。Afewwellchosenwords。(Heassumestheavinehead，foxymoustacheandproboscidaleloquenceofSeymourBushe。)Whentheangel’sbookcomestobeopenedifaughtthatthepensivebosomhasinauguratedofsoultransfiguredandofsoultransfiguringdeservestoliveIsayaccordtheprisoneratthebarthesacredbenefitofthedoubt。(Apaperwithsomethingwrittenonitishandedintocourt。)

BLOOM(Incourtdress。)Cangivebestreferences。MessrsCallan，Coleman。MrWisdomHelyJ。P。MyoldchiefJoeCuffe。MrV。B。Dillon，ex-lordmayorofDublin。Ihavemovedinthecharmedcircleofthehighest。QueensofDublinSociety。(Carelessly。)Iwasjustchattingthisafternoonattheviceregallodgetomyoldpals，sirRobertandladyBall，astronomerroyal，atthelevee。SirBob，Isaid……

MRSYELVERTONBARRY(Inlowcorsagedopalballdressandelbowlengthivorygloves，wearingasabletrimmedbrickquilteddolman，acombofbrilliantsandpanacheofospreyinherhair。)Arresthimconstable。HewrotemeananonymousletterinprenticebackhandwhenmyhusbandwasintheNorthRidingofTipperaryontheMunstercircuit，signedJamesLovebirch。

HesaidthathehadseenfromthegodsmypeerlessglobesasIsatinaboxoftheTheatreRoyalatacommandperformanceofLaCigale。

Ideeplyinflamedhim，hesaid。Hemadeimproperoverturestometomisconductmyselfathalfpastfourp。m。onthefollowingThursday，Dunsinktime。

HeofferedtosendmethroughthepostaworkoffictionbyMonsieurPauldeKock，entitledTheGirlwiththeThreePairsofStays。

MRSBELLINGHAM(Incapandsealconeymantle，wrappeduptothenose，stepsoutofherbroughamandscansthroughtortoiseshellquizzingglasseswhichshetakesfrominsideherhugeopossummuff。)Alsotome。Yes，Ibelieveitisthesameobjectionableperson。BecauseheclosedmycarriagedooroutsidesirThornleyStoker’sonesleetydayduringthecoldsnapofFebruaryninetythreewheneventhegridofthewastepipeandballstopinmybathcisternwerefrozen。Subsequentlyheenclosedabloomofedelweissculledontheheights，ashesaid，inmyhonour。Ihaditexaminedbyabotanicalexpertandelicitedtheinformationthatitwasablossomofthehomegrownpotatoplantpurloinedfromaforcingcaseofthemodelfarm。

MRSYELVERTONBARRYShameonhim！

(Acrowdofslutsandragam