SidebysidewithhismemoryofthedeedsofprowessofhisuncleMatDavin，theathlete，theyoungpeasantworshippedthesorrowfullegendofIreland。Thegossipofhisfellow-studentswhichstrovetorendertheflatlifeofthecollegesignificantatanycostlovedtothinkofhimasayoungfenian。HisnursehadtaughthimIrishandshapedhisrudeimaginationbythebrokenlightsofIrishmyth。HestoodtowardsthemythuponwhichnoindividualmindhadeverdrawnoutalineofbeautyandtoitsunwieldytalesthatdividedagainstthemselvesastheymoveddownthecyclesinthesameattitudeastowardstheRomancatholicreligion，theattitudeofadull-wittedloyalserf。WhatsoeverofthoughtoroffeelingcametohimfromEnglandorbywayofEnglishculturehismindstoodarmedagainstinobediencetoapassword；andoftheworldthatlaybeyondEnglandheknewonlytheforeignlegionofFranceinwhichhespokeofserving。
Couplingthisambitionwiththeyoungman\'shumourStephenhadoftencalledhimoneofthetamegeeseandtherewasevenapointofirritationinthenamepointedagainstthatveryreluctanceofspeechanddeedinhisfriendwhichseemedsooftentostandbetweenStephen\'smind，eagerofspeculation，andthehiddenwaysofIrishlife。
Onenighttheyoungpeasant，hisspiritstungbytheviolentorluxuriouslanguageinwhichStephenescapedfromthecoldsilenceofintellectualrevolt，hadcalledupbeforeStephen\'smindastrangevision。ThetwowerewalkingslowlytowardsDavin\'sroomsthroughthedarknarrowstreetsofthepoorerjews——
Athinghappenedtomyself，Stevie，lastautumn，comingonwinter，andInevertoldittoalivingsoulandyouarethefirstpersonnowI
evertolditto。IdisrememberifitwasOctoberorNovember。ItwasOctoberbecauseitwasbeforeIcameupheretojointhematriculationclass。