第119章

Ontheotherhandwhatincensedhimmoreinwardlywastheblatantjokesofthecabmenandsoon，whopasseditalloffasajest，laughingimmoderately，pretendingtounderstandeverything，thewhyandthewherefore，andinrealitynotknowingtheirownminds，itbeingacaseforthetwopartiesthemselvesunlessitensuedthatthelegitimatehusbandhappenedtobeapartytoitowingtosomeanonymousletterfromtheusualboyJones，whohappenedtocomeacrossthematthecrucialmomentinalovingpositionlockedinoneanother’sarmsdrawingattentiontotheirillicitproceedingsandleadinguptoadomesticrumpusandtheerringfaironebeggingforgivenessofherlordandmasteruponherkneesandpromisingtosevertheconnectionandnotreceivehisvisitsanymoreifonlytheaggrievedhusbandwouldoverlookthematterandletbygonesbebygones，withtearsinhereyes，thoughpossiblywithhertongueinherfaircheekatthesametime，asquitepossiblytherewereseveralothers。Hepersonally，beingofascepticalbias，believed，anddidn’tmakethesmallestbonesaboutsayingsoeither，thatman，ormenintheplural，werealwayshangingaroundonthewaitinglistaboutalady，evensupposingshewasthebestwifeintheworldandtheygotonfairlywelltogetherforthesakeofargument，when，neglectingherduties，shechosetobetiredofweddedlife，andwasonforalittleflutterinpolitedebaucherytopresstheirattentionsonherwithimproperintent，theupshotbeingthatheraffectionscentredonanother，thecauseofmanyliaisonsbetweenstillattractivemarriedwomengettingonforfairandfortyandyoungermen，nodoubtasseveralfamouscasesoffeminineinfatuationproveduptothehilt。

Itwasathousandpitiesayoungfellowblessedwithanallowanceofbrains，ashisneighbourobviouslywas，shouldwastehisvaluabletimewithprofligatewomen，whomightpresenthimwithanicedosetolasthimhislifetime。InthenatureofsingleblessednesshewouldonedaytakeuntohimselfawifewhenMissRightcameonthescenebutintheinterimladies’societywasaconditiosinequanonthoughhehadthegravestpossibledoubts，notthathewantedinthesmallesttopumpStephenaboutMissFerguson(whowasverypossiblytheparticularlodestarwhobroughthimdowntoIrishtownsoearlyinthemorning)，astowhetherhewouldfindmuchsatisfactionbaskingintheboyandgirlcourtshipideaandthecompanyofsmirkingmisseswithoutapennytotheirnamesbi-ortri-weeklywiththeorthodoxpreliminarycanterofcomplimentpayingandwalkingoutleadinguptofondlovers’waysandflowersandchocs。Tothinkofhimhouseandhomeless，rookedbysomelandladyworsethananystepmother，wasreallytoobadathisage。Thequeersuddenlythingshepoppedoutwithattractedtheeldermanwhowasseveralyearstheother’sseniororlikehisfather。Butsomethingsubstantialhecertainlyoughttoeat，wereitonlyaneggflipmadeonunadulteratedmaternalnutrimentor，failingthat，thehomelyHumptyDumptyboiled。

Atwhato’clockdidyoudine？hequestionedoftheslimformandtiredthoughunwrinkledface。

Sometimeyesterday，Stephensaid。

Yesterday，exclaimedBloomtillheremembereditwasalreadytomorrow，Friday。Ah，youmeanit’saftertwelve！

Thedaybeforeyesterday，Stephensaid，improvingonhimself。

Literallyastoundedatthispieceofintelligence，Bloomreflected。

Thoughtheydidn’tseeeyetoeyeineverything，acertainanalogytheresomehowwas，asifboththeirmindsweretravelling，sotospeak，intheonetrainofthought。AthisagewhendabblinginpoliticsroughlysomescoreofyearspreviouslywhenhehadbeenaquasiaspiranttoparliamentaryhonoursintheBuckshotFosterdayshetoorecollectedinretrospect(whichwasasourceofkeensatisfactioninitself)hehadasneakingregardforthosesameultraideas。Forinstance，whentheevictedtenants’question，thenatitsfirstinception，bulkedlargelyinpeople’smindsthough，itgoeswithoutsaying，notcontributingacopperorpinninghisfaithabsolutelytoitsdictums，someofwhichwouldn’texactlyholdwater，heattheoutsetinprinciple，atallevents，wasinthoroughsympathywithpeasantpossession，asvoicingthetrendofmodernOpinion，apartiality，however，which，realisinghismistake，hewassubsequentlypartiallycuredof，andevenwastwittedwithgoingastepfurtherthanMichaelDavittinthestrikingviewsheatonetimeinculcatedasabacktothelander，whichwasonereasonhestronglyresentedtheinnuendoputuponhiminsobare