第105章

THENYMPH(Sadly。)Rubbergoods。Neverrip。Brandassuppliedtothearistocracy。Corsetsformen。Icurefitsormoneyrefunded。UnsolicitedtestimonialsforProfessorWaldmann’swonderfulchestexuber。Mybustdevelopedfourinchesinthreeweeks，reportsMrsGusRublinwithphoto。

BLOOMYoumeanPhotoBits？

THENYMPHIdo。Youboremeaway，framedmeinoakandtinsel，setmeaboveyourmarriagecouch。Unseen，onesummereve，youkissedmeinfourplaces。Andwithlovingpencilyoushadedmyeyes，mybosomandmyshame。

BLOOM(Humblykissesherlonghair。)Yourclassiccurves，beautifulimmortal。Iwasgladtolookonyou，topraiseyou，athingofbeauty，almosttopray。

THENYMPHDuringdarknightsIheardyourpraise。

BLOOM(Quickly。)Yes，yes。YoumeanthatI……Sleeprevealstheworstsideofeveryone，childrenperhapsexcepted。IknowIfelloutofmybedorratherwaspushed。Steelwineissaidtocuresnoring。FortherestthereisthatEnglishinvention，pamphletofwhichIreceivedsomedaysago，incorrectlyaddressed。Itclaimstoaffordanoiselessinoffensivevent。(Hesighs。)’Twaseverthus。Frailty，thynameismarriage。

THENYMPH(Herfingersinherears。)Andwords。Theyarenotinmydictionary。

BLOOMYouunderstoodthem？

THEYEWSSsh。

THENYMPH(Coversherfacewithherhand。)WhathaveInotseeninthatchamber？Whatmustmyeyeslookdownon？

BLOOM(Apologetically。)Iknow。Soiledpersonallinen，wrongsideupwithcare。Thequoitsareloose。FromGibraltarbylongsea，longago。

THENYMPH(Bendsherhead。)Worse！Worse！

BLOOM(Reflectsprecautiously。)Thatantiquatedcommode。Itwasn’therweight。Shescaledjustelevenstonenine。Sheputonninepoundsafterweaning。Itwasacrackandwantofglue。Eh？Andthatabsurdorangekeyedutensilwhichhasonlyonehandle。

(Thesoundofawaterfallisheardinbrightcascade。)

THEWATERFALLPoulaphoucaPoulaphoucaPoulaphoucaPoulaphouca。THEYEWS(Minglingtheirboughs。)Listen。Whisper。Sheisright，oursister。WegrewbyPoulaphoucawaterfall。Wegaveshadeonlanguoroussummerdays。

JOHNWYSENOLAN(Inthebackground，inIrishNationalForester’suniform，doffshisplumedhat。)Prosper！Giveshadeonlanguorousdays，treesofIreland！

THEYEWS(Murmuring。)WhocametoPoulaphoucawiththehighschoolexcursion？Wholefthisnutquestingclassmatestoseekourshade？

BLOOM(Pigeonbreasted，bottleshouldered，padded，innondescriptjuvenilegreyandblackstripedsuit，toosmallforhim，whitetennisshoes，borderedstockingswithturnovertops，andaredschoolcapwithbadge。)Iwasinmyteens，agrowingboy。Alittlethensufficed，ajoltingcar，theminglingodoursoftheladies’cloakroomandlavatory，thethrongpennedtightontheoldRoyalstairs，fortheylovecrushes，instinctsoftheherd，andthedarksexsmellingtheatreunbridlesvice。Evenapricelistoftheirhosiery。Andthentheheat。Thereweresunspotsthatsummer。Endofschool。Andtipsycake。Halcyondays。

(HalcyonDays，highschoolboysinblueandwhitefootballjerseysandshorts，MasterDonaldTurnbull，MasterAbrahamChatterton，MasterOwenGoldberg，MasterJackMeredith，MasterPercyApjohn，standinaclearingofthetreesandshouttoMasterLeopoldBloom。)

THEHALCYONDAYSMackerel！Liveusagain。Hurray！

(Theycheer。)

BLOOM(Hobbledehoy，warmgloved，mammamufflered，stunnedwithspentsnowballs，strugglestorise。)Again！Ifeelsixteen！Whatalark！

Let’sringallthebellsinMontagueStreet。(Hecheersfeebly。)

HurrayfortheHighSchool！

THEECHOFool！

THEYEWS(Rustling。)Sheisright，oursister。Whisper。(Whisperedkissesa