第120章

Sotheypassedontochattingaboutmusic，aformofartforwhichBloom，asapureamateur，possessedthegreatestlove，astheymadetracksarm-in-armacrossBeresfordplace。Wagnerianmusic，thoughconfessedlygrandinitsway，wasabittooheavyforBloomandhardtofollowatthefirstgo-offbutthemusicofMercadante’sHuguenots，Meyerbeer’sSevenLastWordsontheCross，andMozart’sTwelfthMass，hesimplyrevelledin，theGloriainthatbeingtohismindtheacmeoffirstclassmusicassuch，literallyknockingeverythingelseintoacockedhat。HeinfinitelypreferredthesacredmusicofthecatholicchurchtoanythingtheoppositeshopcouldofferinthatlinesuchasthoseMoodyandSankeyhymnsorBidmetoliveandIwilllivethyprotestanttobe。HealsoyieldedtononeinhisadmirationofRossini’sStabatMater，aworksimplyaboundinginimmortalnumbers，inwhichhiswife，MadamMarionTweedy，madeahit，averitablesensation，hemightsafelysaygreatlyaddingtoherotherlaurelsandputtingtheotherstotallyintheshadeinthejesuitfathers’churchinUpperGardinerstreet，thesacrededificebeingthrongedtothedoorstohearherwithvirtuosos，orvirtuosirather。Therewastheunanimousopinionthattherewasnonetocomeuptoherand，sufficeittosayinaplaceofworshipformusicofasacredcharacter，therewasagenerallyvoiceddesireforanencore。Onthewhole，thoughfavouringpreferablylightoperaoftheDonGiovannidescription，andMartha，ageminitsline，hehadapenchant，thoughwithonlyasurfaceknowledge，forthesevereclassicalschoolsuchasMendelssohn。Andtalkingofthat，takingitforgrantedheknewallabouttheoldfavourites，hementionedparexcellenceLionel’sairinMartha，M’appari，which，curiouslyenough，heheard，oroverheard，tobemoreaccurate，onyesterday，aprivilegehekeenlyappreciated，fromthelipsofStephen’srespectedfather，sungtoperfection，astudyofthenumber，infact，whichmadealltheotherstakeabackseat。Stephen，inreplytoapolitelyputquery，saidhedidn’tbutlaunchedoutintopraisesofShakespeare’ssongs，atleastofinoraboutthatperiod，thelutenistDowlandwholivedinFetterLanenearGerardtheherbalist，whoannoludendohausi，Doulandus，aninstrumenthewascontemplatingpurchasingfromMrArnoldDolmetsch，whomBloomdidnotquiterecall，thoughthenamecertainlysoundedfamiliar，forsixtyfiveguineasandFarnabyandsonwiththeirduxandcomesconceitsandByrd(William)，whoplayedthevirginals，hesaid，intheQueen’sChapeloranywhereelsehefoundthemandoneTomkinswhomadetoysorairsandJohnBull。

Ontheroadwaywhichtheywereapproachingwhilststillspeakingbeyondtheswingchain，ahorse，draggingasweeper，pacedonthepavenground，brushingalongswatheofmireupsothatwiththenoiseBloomwasnotperfectlycertainwhetherhehadcaughtarighttheallusiontosixtyfiveguineasandJohnBull。HeinquiredifitwasJohnBullthepoliticalcelebrityofthatilk，asitstruckhim，thetwoidenticalnames，asastrikingcoincidence。

Bythechains，thehorseslowlyswervedtoturn，whichperceivingBloom，whowaskeepingasharplookoutasusualpluckedtheother’ssleevegently，jocoselyremarking：

Ourlivesareinperiltonight。Bewareofthesteamroller。

Theythereuponstopped。Bloomlookedattheheadofahorsenotworthanythinglikesixtyfiveguineas，suddenlyinevidenceinthedarkquitenear，sothatitseemednew，adifferentgroupingofbonesandevenflesh，becausepalpablyitwasafourwalker，ahipshaker，ablackbuttocker，ataildangler，aheadhanger，puttinghishindfootforemostthewhilethelordofhiscreationsatontheperch，busywithhisthoughts。Butsuchagoodpoorbrute，hewassorryhehadn’talumpofsugarbut，ashewiselyreflected，youcouldscarcelybepreparedforeveryemergencythatmightcropup。Hewasjustabigfoolishnervousnoodlykindofahorse，withoutasecondcareintheworld。Butevenadog，hereflected，takethatmongrelinBarneyKiernan’s，ofthesamesize，wouldbeaholyhorrortoface。

Butitwasnoanimal’sfaultinparticularifhewasbuiltthatwaylikethecamel，shipofthedesert，distillinggrapesintopotheeninhishump。

Ninetenthsofthemallcouldbecagedortrained，nothingbeyondtheartof