第101章

LYSTER(Inquakergreykneebreechesandbroadbrimmedhat，saysdiscreetly。)

Heisourfriend。Ineednotmentionnames。Seekthouthelight。

(Hecorantosby。Bestentersinhairdresserattire，shinilylaundered，hislocksincurlpapers。HeleadsJohnEglintonwhowearsamandarin’skimonoofNankeenyellow，lizard-lettered，andahighpagodahat。)

BEST(Smiling，liftsthehatanddisplaysashavenpollfromthecrownofwhichbristlesapigtailtoupeetiedwithanorangetopknot。)

Iwasjustbeautifyinghim，don’tyouknow。Athingofbeauty，don’tyouknow。Yeatssays，orImean，Keatssays。(Producesagreencappeddarklanternandflashesittowardsacorner；withcarpingaccent。)Estheticsandcosmeticsarefortheboudoir。Iamoutfortruth。Plaintruthforaplainman。Tanderageewantsthefactsandmeanstogetthem。

(Intheconeofthesearchlightbehindthecoalscuttle，ollave，holyeyed，thebeardedfigureofMananaanMacLirbroods，chinonknees。

Herisesslowly。Acoldseawindblowsfromhisdruidmantle。Abouthisheadwritheeelsandelvers。Heisencrustedwithweedsandshells。Hisrighthandholdsabicyclepump。Hislefthandgraspsahugecrayfishbyitstwotalons。)

MANANAANMACLIR(Withavoiceofwaves。)Aum！Hek！Wal！Ak！Lub！

Mor！Ma！WhiteyoghinoftheGods。OccultpimanderofHermesTrismegistos。

(Withavoiceofwhistlingseawind。)Punarjanampatsypunjaub！I

won’thavemylegpulled。Ithasbeensaidbyone：bewaretheleft，thecultofShakti。(Withacryofstormbirds。)Shakti，Shiva！DarkhiddenFather！(Hesmiteswithhisbicyclepumpthecrayfishinhislefthand。Onitsco-operativedialglowthetwelvesignsofthezodiac。

Hewailswiththevehemenceoftheocean。)Aum！Baum！Pyjaum！Iamthelightofthehomestead，Iamthedreamerycreamerybutter。

(Askeletonjudashandstranglesthelight。Thegreenlightwanestomauve。Thegasjetwailswhistling。)

THEGASJETPooah！Pfuiiiiii！

(Zoerunstothechandelierand，crookingherleg，adjuststhemantle。)

ZOEWhohasafagasI’mhere？

LYNCH(Tossingacigaretteontothetable。)Here。

ZOE(Herheadperchedasideinmockpride。)Isthatthewaytohandthepottoalady？(Shestretchesuptolightthecigaretteovertheflame，twirlingitslowly，showingthebrowntuftsofherarmpits。

Lynchwithhispokerliftsboldlyasideofherslip。Barefromhergartersupherfleshappearsunderthesapphireanixie’sgreen。Shepuffscalmlyathercigarette。)Canyouseethebeautyspotofmybehind？

LYNCHI’mnotlooking。

ZOE(Makessheep’seyes。)No？Youwouldn’tdoalessthing。Wouldyousuckalemon？

(SquintinginmockshamesheglanceswithsidelongmeaningatBloom，thentwistsroundtowardshim，pullingherslipfreeofthepoker。Bluefluidagainflowsoverherflesh。Bloomstands，smilingdesirously，twirlinghisthumbs。KittyRickettslickshermiddlefingerwithherspittleandgazinginthemirror，smoothsbotheyebrows。LipotiVirag，basilicogrammate，chutesrapidlydownthroughthechimneyflueandstrutstwostepstotheleftongawkypinkstilts。Heissausagedintoseveralovercoatsandwearsabrownmacintoshunderwhichheholdsarollofparchment。InhislefteyeflashesthemonocleofCashelBoyleO’ConnorFitzmauriceTisdallFarrell。

OnhisheadisperchedanEgyptianpshent。Twoquillsprojectoverhisears。)

VIRAG(Heelstogetherbows。)MynameisViragLipoti，ofSzombathely。

(Hecoughsthoughtfully，drily。)Promiscuousnakednessismuchinevidencehereabouts，eh？Inadvertentlyherbackviewrevealedthefactthatsheisnotwearingthoseratherintimategarmentsofwhichyouareaparticulardevotee。TheinjectionmarkonthethighIhopeyouperceived？Good。

BLOOMGranpapachi。But……

VIRAGNumbertwoontheotherhand，sheofthecherryrougeandcoiffeusewhite，whosehairowesnotalittletoourtribalelixirofgopherwood，isinwalkingcostumeandtightlystaysedbyhersit，Ishouldopine。Backboneinfront，sotosay。CorrectmebutIalwaysunderstoodthattheactsoperformedbyskittishhumanswithglimpsesoflingerieappealedtoyouinvirtueofitsexhibitionististicicity。Inaword。Hippogriff。AmIright？

BLOOMSheisratherlean。

VIRAG(Notunpleasantly。)Absolutely！Wellobservedandthosepannierpocketsoftheskirtandslightlypegtopeffecta