第118章

figure，asixfooteroratanyratefivefeettenoreleveninhisstockingedfeet，whereasMessrsSo-and-Sowho，thoughtheyweren’tevenapatchontheformerman，ruledtheroostaftertheirredeemingfeatureswereveryfewandfarbetween。Itcertainlypointedamoral，theidolwithfeetofclay。Andthenseventytwoofhistrustyhenchmenroundingonhimwithmutualmudslinging。Andtheidenticalsamewithmurderers。Youhadtocomeback-thathauntingsensekindofdrewyou-toshowtheunderstudyinthetitlerô；lehowto。HesawhimonceontheauspiciousoccasionwhentheybrokeupthetypeintheInsuppressibleorwasitUnitedIreland，aprivilegehekeenlyappreciated，and，inpointoffact，handedhimhissilkhatwhenitwasknockedoffandhesaidThankyou，excitedasheundoubtedlywasunderhisfrigidexpressionnotwithstandingthelittlemisadventurementionedbetweenthecupandthelip-what’sbredinthebone。Still，asregardsreturn，youwerealuckydogiftheydidn’tsettheterrieratyoudirectlyyougotback。Thenalotofshillyshallyusuallyfollowed。TomforandDickandHarryagainst。Andthen，numberone，youcameupagainstthemaninpossessionandhadtoproduceyourcredentials，liketheclaimantintheTichbornecase，RogerCharlesTichborne。Bellawastheboat’snametothebestofhisrecollectionhe，theheir，wentdownin，astheevidencewenttoshow，andtherewasatattoomarktooinIndianink，LordBellew，wasit？Ashemightveryeasilyhavepickedupthedetailsfromsomepalonboardshipandthen，whengotuptotallywiththedescriptiongiven，introducehimselfwith，Excuseme，mynameisSo-and-Soorsomesuchcommonplaceremark。Amoreprudentcourse，MrBloomsaidtothenotovereffusive，infactlikethedistinguishedpersonageunderdiscussionbesidehim，wouldhavebeentosoundthelieofthelandfirst。

Thatbitch，thatEnglishwhore，didforhim，theshebeenproprietorcommented。Sheputthefirstnailinhiscoffin。

Finelumpofawoman，allthesame，thesoi-disanttown-clerk，HenryCampbellremarked，andplentyofher。Iseenherpictureinabarber’s。

Herhusbandwasacaptainoranofficer。

Ay，Skin-the-Goatamusinglyadded。Hewas，andacottonballone。

Thisgratuitouscontributionofahumorouscharacteroccasionedafairamountoflaughteramonghisentourage。AsregardsBloom，he，withoutthefaintestsuspicionofasmile，merelygazedinthedirectionofthedoorandreflecteduponthehistoricstorywhichhadarousedextraordinaryinterestatthetimewhenthefacts，tomakemattersworse，weremadepublicwiththeusualaffectionatelettersthatpassedbetweenthem，fullofsweetnothings。First，itwasstrictlyplatonictillnatureintervenedandanattachmentsprangupbetweenthem，tillbitbybitmatterscametoaclimaxandthematterbecamethetalkofthetowntillthestaggeringblowcameasawelcomeintelligencetonotafewevildisposedhowever，whowereresolveduponencouraginghisdownfallthoughthethingwaspublicpropertyallalongthoughnottoanythinglikethesensationalextentthatitsubsequentlyblossomedinto。Sinotheirnameswerecoupled，though，sincehewasherdeclaredfavourite，wherewastheparticularnecessitytoproclaimittotherankandfilefromthehousetops，thefactnamely，thathehadsharedherbedroom，whichcameoutinthewitnessboxonoathwhenathrillwentthroughthepackedcourtliterallyelectrifyingeverybodyintheshapeofwitnessesswearingtohavingwitnessedhimonsuchandsuchaparticulardateintheactofscramblingoutofanupstairsapartmentwiththeassistanceofaladderinnightapparel，havinggainedadmittanceinthesamefashion，afactthattheweeklies，addictedtothelubricalittle，simplycoinedshoalsofmoneyoutof。Whereasthesimplefactofthecasewasitwassimplyacaseofthehusbandnotbeinguptothescratchwithnothingincommonbetweenthembeyondthenameandthenarealmanarrivingonthescene，strongtothevergeofweakness，fallingavictimtohersirencharmsandforgettinghometies。Theusualsequel，tobaskinthelovedone’ssmiles。Theeternalquestionofthelifeconnubial，needlesstosay，croppedup。Canreallove，supposingtherehappenstobeanotherchapinthecase，existbetweenmarriedfolk？Thoughitwasnoconcernoftheirsabsolutelyifheregardedherwithaffectioncarriedawaybyawaveoffolly。Amagnificentspecimenofmanhoodhewastruly，augmentedobviouslybygiftsofahighorderascomparedwiththeothermilitarysupernumerary，thatis(whowasjusttheusualeverydayfarewell，mygallantcaptainkindofanindividualinthelightdragoons，the18th