第100章

BLOOM(Inbabylinenandpelisse，bigheaded，withacaulofdarkhair，fixesbigeyesonherfluidslipandcountsitsbronzebuckleswithachubbyfinger，hismoisttonguetollingandlisping。)Onetwotlee：tleetlwotlone。

THEBUCKLESLoveme。Lovemenot。Loveme。

ZOESilentmeansconsent。(Withlittlepartedtalonsshecaptureshishand，herforefingergivingtohispalmthepasstouchofsecretmonitor，luringhimtodoom。)Hothandscoldgizzard。

(Hehesitatesamidscents，music，temptations。Sheleadshimtowardsthesteps，drawinghimbytheodourofherarmpits，theviceofherpaintedeyes，therustleofherslipinwhosesinuousfoldslurksthelionreekofallthemalebrutesthathavepossessedher。)

THEMALEBRUTES(Exhalingsulphurofrutanddungandrampingintheirloosebox，faintlyroaring，theirdruggedheadsswayingtoandfro。)

Good！

(ZoeandBloomreachthedoorwaywheretwosisterwhoresareseated。

Theyexaminehimcuriouslyfromundertheirpencilledbrowsandsmiletohishastybow。Hetripsawkwardly。)

ZOE(Herluckyhandinstantlysavinghim。)Hoopsa！Don’tfallupstairs。

BLOOMThejustmanfallsseventimes。(Hestandsasideatthethreshold。)

Afteryouisgoodmanners。

ZOELadiesfirst，gentlemenafter。

(Shecrossesthethreshold。Hehesitates。Sheturnsand，holdingoutherhands，drawshimover。Hehops。Ontheantieredrackofthehallhangaman’shatandwaterproofBloomuncovershimselfbut，seeingthem，frowns，thensmiles，preoccupied。Adooronthereturnlandingisthrownopen。Amaninpurpleshirtandgreytrousers，brownsocked，passeswithanapesgait，hisbaldheadandgoateebeardupheld，huggingafullwaterjugjarhistwotailedblackbracesdanglingatheels。AvertinghisfacequicklyBloombendstoexamineonthehalltablethespanieleyesofarunningfox：

then，hisliftedheadsniffing，followsZoeintothemusicroom。Ashadeofmauvetissuepaperdimsthelightofthechandelier。Roundandroundamothflies，colliding，escaping。Theflooriscoveredwithanoilclothmosaicofjadeandazureandcinnabarrhomboids。Footmarksarestampedoveritinallsenses，heeltoheel，heeltohollow，toetotoe，feetlocked，amorrisofshufflingfeetwithoutbodyphantoms，allinascrimmagehiggledypiggledy。

Thewallsaretapes-triedwithapaperofyewfrondsandclearglades。Inthegrateisspreadascreenofpeacockfeathers。Lynchsquatscrossleggedonthehearthrugofmattedhair，hiscapbacktothefront。Withawandhebeatstimeslowly。KittyRicketts，abonypallidwhoreinnavycostume，doeskinglovesrolledbackfromacoralwristlet，achainpurseinherhand，sitsperchedontheedgeofthetableswingingherlegandglancingatherselfinthegiltmirroroverthemantelpiece。Atagofhercorsetlacehangsslightlybelowherjacket。Lynchindicatesmockinglythecoupleatthepiano。)

KITTY(Coughsbehindherhand。)She’sabitimbecilic。(Shesignswithawagglingforefinger。)Blemblem。(Lynchliftsupherskirtandwhitepetticoatwiththewand。Shesettlesthemdownquickly。)

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。

(KittyRickettsbendsherhea