第112章

Stephen，thatiswhentheaccostingfigurecametoclosequarters，thoughhewasnotinanyoversoberstatehimself，recognisedCorley’sbreathredolentofrottencornjuice。LordJohnCorley，somecalledhim，andhisgenealogycameaboutinthiswise。HewastheeldestsonofInspectorCorleyoftheGDivision，latelydeceased，whohadmarriedacertainKatherineBrophy，thedaughterofaLouthfarmer。Hisgrandfather，PatrickMichaelCorley，ofNewRoss，hadmarriedthewidowofapublicantherewhosemaidennamehadbeenKatherine(also)Talbot。Rumourhadit，thoughnotproved，thatshedescendedfromthehouseoftheLordsTalbotdeMalahideinwhosemansion，reallyanunquestionablyfineresidenceofitskindandwellworthseeing，hismotherorauntorsomerelativehadenjoyedthedistinctionofbeinginserviceinthewashkitchen。This，therefore，wasthereasonwhythestillcomparativelyyoungthoughdissolutemanwhonowaddressedStephenwasspokenofbysomewithfacetiousproclivitiesasLordJohnCorley。

TakingStephenononesidehehadthecustomarydolefuldittytotell。

Notasmuchasafarthingtopurchaseanight’slodgings。Hisfriendshadalldesertedhim。Furthermore，hehadarowwithLenehanandcalledhimtoStephenameanbloodyswabwithasprinklingofotheruncalled-forexpressions。

HewasoutofajobandimploredofStephentotellhimwhereonGod’searthhecouldgetsomething，anythingatalltodo。No，itwasthedaughterofthemotherinthewashkitchenthatwasfostersistertotheheirofthehouseorelsetheywereconnectedthroughthemotherinsomeway，bothoccurrenceshappeningatthesametimeifthewholethingwasn’tacompletefabricationfromstarttofinish。Anyhow，hewasillin。

Iwouldn’taskyou，only，pursuedhe，onmysolemnoathandGodknowsI’montherocks。

There’llbeajobtomorroworthenextday，Stephentoldhim，inaboys’schoolatDalkeyforagentlemanusher。MrGarretDeasy。Tryit。

Youmaymentionmyname。

Ah，God，Corleyreplied，sureIcouldn’tteachinaschool，man。

Iwasneveroneofyourbrightones，headdedwithahalflaugh。GotstucktwiceinthejuniorattheChristianBrothers。

Ihavenoplacetosleepmyself，Stepheninformedhim。

Corley，atthefirstgo-off，wasinclinedtosuspectitwassomethingtodowithStephenbeingfiredoutofhisdigsforbringinginabloodytartoffthestreet。TherewasadosshouseinMarlboroughstreet，MrsMaloney’s，butitwasonlyatannertouchandfullofundesirablesbutM’ConachietoldhimyougotadecentenoughdointheBrazenHeadoverinWinetavernstreet(whichwasdistantlysuggestivetothepersonaddressedoffriarBacon)forabob。Hewasstarvingtoothoughhehadn’tsaidawordaboutit。

ThoughthissortofthingwentoneveryothernightorverynearitstillStephen’sfeelingsgotthebetterofhiminasensethoughheknewthatCorley’sbrandnewrigmarole，onaparwiththeothers，washardlydeservingofmuchcredence。However，haudignarusmalorummiserissuccurreredisco，etcetera，astheLatinpoetremarks，especiallyasluckwouldhaveithegotpaidhisscrewaftereverymiddleofthemonthonthesixteenthwhichwasthedateofthemonthasamatteroffactthoughagoodbitofthewherewithalwasdemolished。ButthecreamofthejokewasnothingwouldgetitOutofCorley’sheadthathewaslivinginaffluenceandhadn’tathingtodobuthandouttheneedful-whereas。Heputhishandinapocketanyhow，notwiththeideaoffindinganyfoodthere，butthinkinghemightlendhimanythinguptoaboborsoinlieusothathemightendeavouratalleventsandgetsufficienttoeat。Buttheresultwasinthenegativefor，tohischagrin，hefoundhiscashmissing。Afewbrokenbiscuitswerealltheresultofhisinvestigation。Hetriedhishardesttorecollectforthemomentwhetherhehadlost，aswellhemighthave，orleft，becauseinthatcontingencyitwasnotapleasantlookout，verymuchthereverse，infact。Hewasaltogethertoofaggedouttoinstituteathoroughsearchthoughhetriedtorecollectaboutbiscuitshedimlyremembered。Whonowexactlygavethem，orwherewas，ordidhebuy？However，inanotherpockethecameacrosswhathesurmisedinthedarkwerepennies，erroneously，however，asitturnedout。

Thosearehalfcrowns，man，Corleycorrectedhim。

Andsoinpointoffacttheyturnedouttobe。Stephen