第115章

Stephenhadnotnoticedherandshruggedhisshoulders，merelyremarking：

Inthiscountrypeoplesellmuchmorethansheeverhadanddoaroaringtrade。Fearnotthemthatsellthebodybuthavenotpowertobuythesoul。Sheisabadmerchant。Shebuysdearandsellscheap。

Theelderman，thoughnotbyanymannerofmeansanoldmaidoraprude，saidthatitwasnothingshortofacryingscandalthatoughttobeputastoptoinstantertosaythatwomenofthatstamp(quiteapartfromanyoldmaidishsqueamishnessonthesubject)，anecessaryevil，werenotlicensedandmedicallyinspectedbytheproperauthorities，athinghecouldtruthfullystatehe，asapaterfamilias，wasastalwartadvocateoffromtheveryfirststart。Whoeverembarkedonapolicyofthatsort，hesaid，andventilatedthematterthoroughlywouldconferalastingboononeverybodyconcerned。

You，asagoodcatholic，heobserved，talkingofbodyandsoul，believeinthesoul。Ordoyoumeantheintelligence，thebrainpowerassuch，asdistinctfromanyoutsideobject，thetable，letussay，thatcup？Ibelieveinthatmyselfbecauseithasbeenexplainedbycompetentmenastheconvolutionsofthegreymatter。OtherwisewewouldneverhavesuchinventionsasX

rays，forinstance。Doyou？

Thuscornered，Stephenhadtomakeasuperhumaneffortofmemorytotryandconcentrateandrememberbeforehecouldsay：

Theytellmeonthebestauthorityitisasimplesubstanceandthereforeincorruptible。Itwouldbeimmortal，Iunderstand，butforthepossibilityofitsannihilationbyitsFirstCause，Who，fromallIcanhear，isquitecapableofaddingthattothenumberofHisotherpracticaljokes，corruptioperseandcorruptioperaccidensbothbeingexcludedbycourtetiquette。

MrBloomthoroughlyacquiescedinthegeneralgistofthisthoughthemysticalfinesseinvolvedwasabitoutofhissublunarydepthstillhefeltboundtoenterademurrerontheheadofsimple，promptlyrejoining：

Simple？Ishouldn’tthinkthatistheproperword。Ofcourse，Igrantyou，toconcedeapoint，youdoknockacrossasimplesoulonceinabluemoon。ButwhatIamanxioustoarriveatisitisonethingforinstancetoinventthoseraysRö；ntgendid，OrthetelescopelikeEdison，thoughIbelieveitwasbeforehistime，GalileowasthemanImean。Thesameappliestothelaws，forexample，ofafarreachingnaturalphenomenonsuchaselectricitybutit’sahorseofquiteanothercolourtosayyoubelieveintheexistenceofasupernaturalGod。

O，that，Stephenexpostulated，hasbeenprovedconclusivelybyseveralofthebestknownpassagesinHolyWrit，apartfromcircumstantialevidence。

Onthisknottypoint，however，theviewsofthepair，polesapartastheywere，bothinschoolingandeverythingelse，withthemarkeddifferenceintheirrespectiveages，clashed。

Hasbeen？themoreexperiencedofthetwoobjected，stickingtohisoriginalpoint。I’mnotsosureaboutthat。That’samatterofeveryman’sopinionand，withoutdragginginthesectariansideofthebusiness，I

begtodifferwithyouintotothere。Mybeliefis，totellyouthecandidtruth，thatthosebitsweregenuineforgeriesallofthemputinbymonksmostprobablyorit’sthebigquestionofournationalpoetoveragain，whopreciselywrotethem，likeHamletandBacon，asyouwhoknowyourShakespeareinfinitelybetterthanI，ofcourseIneedn’ttellyou。Can’tyoudrinkthatcoffee，bytheway？Letmestiritandtakeapieceofthatbun。It’slikeoneofourskipper’sbricksdisguised。Still，noonecangivewhathehasn’tgot。Tryabit。

Couldn’t，Stephencontrivedtogetout，hismentalorgansforthemomentrefusingtodictatefurther。

Faultfindingbeingaproverbiallybadhat，MrBloomthoughtwelltostir，ortryto，theclottedsugarfromthebottomandreflectedwithsomethingapproachingacrimonyontheCoffeePalaceanditstemperance(andlucrative)

work。Tobesureitwasalegitimateobjectandbeyondyeaornaydidaworldofgood。Shelterssuchasthepresentonetheywereinrunonteetotallinesforvagrantsatnight，concerts，dramaticevenings，andusefullectures(admittancefree)byqualifiedmenforthelowerorders。Ontheotherhand，hehadadistincta