第123章

Firstly，oscillationbetweeneventsofimperialandoflocalinterest，theanticipateddiamondjubileeofQueenVictoria(born1820，acceded1837)

andtheposticipatedopeningofthenewmunicipalfishmarket：secondly，apprehensionofoppositionfromextremecirclesonthequestionsoftherespectivevisitsofTheirRoyalHighnesses，thedukeandduchessofYork(real)，andofHisMajestyKingBrianBoru(imaginary)；thirdly，aconflictbetweenprofessionaletiquetteandprofessionalemulationconcerningtherecenterectionsoftheGrandLyricHallonBurghQuayandtheTheatreRoyalinHawkinsstreet：fourthly，distractionresultantfromcompassionforNellyBouverist’snon-intellectual，non-political，nontopicalexpressionofcountenanceandconcupiscencecausedbyNellyBouverist’srevelationsofwhitearticlesofnonintellectual，non-political，non-topicalunderclothingwhileshe(NellyBouverist)wasinthearticles：fifthly，thedifficultiesoftheselectionofappropriatemusicandhumorousallusionsfromEverybody’sBookofJokes(1，000pagesandalaughineveryone)；sixthly，therhymeshomophonousandcacophonous，associatedwiththenamesofthenewlordmayor，DanielTallon，thenewhighsheriff，ThomasPileandthenewsolicitorgeneral，DunbarPlunketBarton。

Whatrelationexistedbetweentheirages？

16yearsbeforein1888whenBloomwasofStephen’spresentageStephenwas6。16yearsafterin1920whenStephenwouldbeofBloom’spresentageBloomwouldbe54。In1936whenBloomwouldbe70andStephen54theiragesinitiallyintheratioof16to0wouldbeas171/2to131/2，theproportionincreasingandthedisparitydiminishingaccordingasarbitraryfutureyearswereadded，foriftheproportionexistingin1883hadcontinuedimmutable，conceivingthattobepossible，tillthen1904whenStephenwas22Bloomwouldbe374andin1920whenStephenwouldbe38，asBloomthenwas，Bloomwouldbe646whilein1952whenStephenwouldhaveattainedthemaximumpostdiluvianageof70Bloom，being1190yearsalivehavingbeenbornintheyear714，wouldhavesurpassedby221yearsthemaximumantediluvianage，thatofMethusalah，969years，while，ifStephenwouldcontinuetoliveuntilhewouldattainthatageintheyear3072A。D。，Bloomwouldhavebeenobligedtohavebeenalive83，300years，havingbeenobligedtohavebeenbornintheyear81，396B。C。

Whateventsmightnullifythesecalculations？

Thecessationofexistenceofbothoreither，theinaugurationofaneweraorcalendar，theannihilationoftheworldandconsequentexterminationofthehumanspecies，inevitablebutimpredictable。

Howmanypreviousencountersprovedtheirpreexistingacquaintance？

Two。ThefirstinthelilacgardenofMatthewDillon’shouse，MedinaVilla，Kimmageroad，Roundtown，in1887，inthecompanyofStephen’smother，Stephenbeingthenoftheageof5andreluctanttogivehishandinsalutation。

ThesecondinthecoffeeroomofBreslin’shotelonarainySundayintheJanuaryof1892，inthecompanyofStephen’sfatherandStephen’sgranduncle，Stephenbeingthen5yearsolder。

DidBloomaccepttheinvitationtodinnergiventhenbythesonandafterwardssecondedbythefather？

Verygratefully，withgratefulappreciation，withsincereappreciativegratitude，inappreciativelygratefulsincerityofregret，hedeclined。

Didtheirconversationonthesubjectofthesereminiscencesrevealathirdconnectinglinkbetweenthem？

MrsRiordan，awidowofindependentmeans，hadresidedinthehouseofStephen’sparentsfrom1September1888to29December1891andhadalsoresidedduringtheyears1892，1893and1894intheCityArmsHotelownedbyElizabethO’Dowdof54Prussiastreetwhereduringpartsoftheyears1893and1894shehadbeenaconstantinformantofBloomwhoresidedalsointhesamehotel，beingatthattimeaclerkintheemploymentofJosephCuffeof5SmithfieldforthesuperintendenceofsalesintheadjacentDublinCattlemarketontheNorthCircularroad。

Hadheperformedanyspecialcorporalworkofmercyforher？

Hehadsometimespropelledheronwarmsummerevenings，aninfirmwidowofindependent，iflimitedmeans，inherconvalescentbathchairwithslowrevolutionsofitswheelsasfarasthecorneroftheNorthCircularroadoppositeMrGavinLow’splaceofbusinesswhereshehadremainedforacertaintimescanningthroughhisonele