No，sir。
Uglyandfutile：leanneckandtangledhairandastainofink，asnail’sbed。Yetsomeonehadlovedhim，bornehiminherarmsandinherheart。
Butforhertheraceoftheworldwouldhavetrampledhimunderfoot，asquashedbonelesssnail。Shehadlovedhisweakwateryblooddrainedfromherown。Wasthatthenreal？Theonlytruethinginlife？Hismother’sprostratebodythefieryColumbanusinholyzealbestrode。Shewasnomore：
thetremblingskeletonofatwigburntinthefire，anodourofrosewoodandwettedashes。Shehadsavedhimfrombeingtrampledunderfootandhadgone，scarcelyhavingbeen。Apoorsoulgonetoheaven：andonaheathbeneathwinkingstarsafox，redreekofrapineinhisfur，withmercilessbrighteyesscrapedintheearth，listened，scrapeduptheearth，listened，scrapedandscraped。
SittingathissideStephensolvedouttheproblem。HeprovesbyalgebrathatShakespeare’sghostisHamlet’sgrandfather。Sargentpeeredaskancethroughhisslantedglasses。Hockeysticksrattledinthelumberroom：thehollowknockofaballandcallsfromthefield。
Acrossthepagethesymbolsmovedingravemorrice，inthemummeryoftheirletters，wearingquaintcapsofsquaresandcubes。Givehands，traverse，bowtopartner：so：impsoffancyoftheMoors。Gonetoofromtheworld，AverroesandMosesMaimonides，darkmeninmienandmovement，flashingintheirmockingmirrorstheobscuresouloftheworld，adarknessshininginbrightnesswhichbrightnesscouldnotcomprehend。
Doyouunderstandnow？Canyouworkthesecondforyourself？
Yes，sir。
InlongshadystrokesSargentcopiedthedata。Waitingalwaysforawordofhelphishandmovedfaithfullytheunsteadysymbols，afainthueofshameflickeringbehindhisdullskin。Amormatris：subjectiveandobjectivegenitive。Withherweakbloodandwheysourmilkshehadfedhimandhidfromsightofothershisswaddlingbands。
LikehimwasI，theseslopingshoulders，thisgracelessness。Mychildhoodbendsbesideme。Toofarformetolayahandthereonceorlightly。Mineisfarandhissecretasoureyes。Secrets，silent，stonysitinthedarkpalacesofbothourhearts：secretswearyoftheirtyranny：tyrantswillingtobedethroned。
Thesumwasdone。
Itisverysimple，Stephensaidashestoodup。
Yes，sir。Thanks，Sargentanswered。
Hedriedthepagewithasheetofthinblottingpaperandcarriedhiscopybookbacktohisdesk。
Youhadbettergetyourstickandgoouttotheothers，Stephensaidashefollowedtowardsthedoortheboy’sgracelessform。
Yes，sir。
Inthecorridorhisnamewasheard，calledfromtheplayfield。
Sargent！
Runon，Stephensaid。MrDeasyiscallingyou。
Hestoodintheporchandwatchedthelaggardhurrytowardsthescrappyfieldwheresharpvoiceswereinstrife。TheyweresortedinteamsandMrDeasycamesteppingoverwispsofgrasswithgaiteredfeet。Whenhehadreachedtheschoolhousevoicesagaincontendingcalledtohim。Heturnedhisangrywhitemoustache。
Whatisitnow？hecriedcontinuallywithoutlistening。
CochraneandHallidayareonthesameside，sir，Stephencried。
Willyouwaitinmystudyforamoment，MrDeasysaid，tillIrestoreorderhere。
Andashesteppedfussilybackacrossthefieldhisoldman’svoicecriedsternly：
Whatisthematter？Whatisitnow？
Theirsharpvoicescriedabouthimonallsides：theirmanyformsclosedroundhim，thegarishsunshinebleachingthehoneyofhisilldyedhead。
Stalesmokyairhunginthestudywiththesmellofdrababradedleatherofitschairs。Asonthefirstdayhebargainedwithmehere。Asitwasinthebeginning，isnow。OnthesideboardthetrayofStuartcoins，basetreasureofabog：andevershallbe。Andsnugintheirspooncaseofpurpleplush，faded，thetwelveapostleshavingpreachedtoallthegentiles：
worldwithoutend。
Ahastystepoverthestoneporchandinthecorridor。BlowingouthisraremoustacheMrDeasyhaltedatthetable。
First，ourlittlefinancialsettlement，hesaid。
Hebroughtoutofhiscoatapocketbookboundbyaleatherthong。Itslappedopenandhetookfromittwonotes，oneofjoinedhalves，andlaidthemcarefullyonthetable。
Two，hesaid，strappingandstowinghispocketbookaway。
Andnowhisstrongroomforthegold。Stephen’sembarrassedhandmovedovertheshellsheapedinthecoldstonemortar：whelksandmoney，cowriesandleopardshells：andthis，whorledasanemir’sturban，andthis，thescallopofSaintJames。Anoldpilgrim’shoard，deadtreasure，hollowshells。
Asovereignfell，brightandnew，onthesoftpileofthetablecloth。
Three，MrDeasysaid，turninghislittlesavingsboxaboutinhishand。Thesearehandythingstohave。See。Thisisforsovereigns。Thisisforshillings，sixpences，halfcrowns。Andherecrowns。See。
Heshotfromittwocrownsandtwoshillings。
Threetwelve，hesaid。Ithinkyou’llfindthat’sright。
Thankyou，sir，Stephensaid，gatheringthemoneytogetherwithshyhasteandputtingitallinapocketofhistrousers。
Nothanksatall，MrDeasysaid。Youhaveearnedit。
Stephen’shand，freeagain，wentbacktothehollowshells。Symbolstooofbeautyandofpower。Alumpinmypocket。Symbolssoiledbygreedandmisery。
Don’tcarryitlikethat，MrDeasysaid。You’llpullitoutsomewhereandloseit。Youjustbuyoneofthesemachines。You’llfindthemveryhandy。
Answersomething。
Minewouldbeoftenempty，Stephensaid。
Thesameroomandhour，thesamewisdom：andIthesame。Threetimesnow。Threenoosesroundmehere。Well。IcanbreaktheminthisinstantifIwill。
Becauseyoudon’tsave，MrDeasysaid，pointinghisfinger。Youdon’tknowyetwhatmoneyis。Moneyispower，whenyouhavelivedaslongasIhave。Iknow，Iknow。Ifyouthbutknew。ButwhatdoesShakespearesay？Putbutmoneyinthypurse。
Iago，Stephenmurmured。
Heliftedhisgazefromtheidleshellstotheoldman’sstare。
Heknewwhatmoneywas，MrDeasysaid。Hemademoney。ApoetbutanEnglishmantoo。DoyouknowwhatistheprideoftheEnglish？DoyouknowwhatistheproudestwordyouwilleverhearfromanEnglishman’smouth？
Theseas’ruler。Hisseacoldeyeslookedontheemptybay：historyistoblame：onmeandonmywords，unhating。
Thatonhisempire，Stephensaid，thesunneversets。
Ba！MrDeasycried。That’snotEnglish。AFrenchCeltsaidthat。
Hetappedhissavingsboxagainsthisthumbnail。
Iwilltellyou，hesaidsolemnly，whatishisproudestboast。I
paidmyway。
Goodman，goodman。
Ipaidmyway。Ineverborrowedashillinginmylife。Canyoufeelthat？Iowenothing。Canyou？
Mulligan，ninepounds，threepairsofsocks，onepairbrogues，ties。
Curran，tenguineas。McCann，oneguinea。FredRyan，twoshillings。Temple，twolunches。Russell，oneguinea，Cousins，tenshillings，BobReynolds，halfaguinea，Kohler，threeguineas，MrsMcKernan，fiveweeks’board。
ThelumpIhaveisuseless。
Forthemoment，no，Stephenanswered。
MrDeasylaughedwithrichdelight，puttingbackhissavingsbox。
Iknewyoucouldn’t，hesaidjoyously。Butonedayyoumustfeelit。Weareagenerouspeoplebutwemustalsobejust。
Ifearthosebigwords，Stephensaid，whichmakeussounhappy。
MrDeasystaredsternlyforsomemomentsoverthemantelpieceattheshapelybulkofamanintartanfillibegs：AlbertEdward，PrinceofWales。
Youthinkmeanoldfogeyandanoldtory，histhoughtfulvoicesaid。
IsawthreegenerationssinceO’Connell’stime。Irememberthefamine。
DoyouknowthattheorangelodgesagitatedforrepealoftheuniontwentyyearsbeforeO’Connelldidorbeforetheprelatesofyourcommuniondenouncedhimasademagogue？Youfeniansforgetsomethings。
Glorious，piousandimmortalmemory。ThelodgeofDiamondinArmaghthesplendidbehungwithcorpsesofpapishes。Hoarse，maskedandarmed，theplanters’covenant。Theblacknorthandtruebluebible。Croppiesliedown。
Stephensketchedabriefgesture。
Ihaverebelbloodinmetoo，MrDeasysaid。Onthespindleside。
ButIamdescendedfromsirJohnBlackwoodwhovotedfortheunion。WeareallIrish，allkings’sons。
Alas，Stephensaid。
Perviasrectas，MrDeasysaidfirmly，washismotto。HevotedforitandputonhistopbootstoridetoDublinfromtheArdsofDowntodoso。LaltheraltheraTherockyroadtoDublin。Agruffsquireonhorsebackwithshinytopboots。Softday，sirJohn。Softday，yourhonour……Day……Day……TwotopbootsjogdanglingontoDublin。
Laltheralthera，laltheraltheraddy。
Thatremindsme，MrDeasysaid。Youcandomeafavour，MrDedalus，withsomeofyourliteraryfriends：Ihavealetterhereforthepress。
Sitdownamoment。Ihavejusttocopytheend。
Hewenttothedesknearthewindow，pulledinhischairtwiceandreadoffsomewordsfromthesheetonthedrumofhistypewriter。
Sitdown。Excuseme，hesaidoverhisshoulder，thedictatesofcommonsense。Justamoment。
Hepeeredfromunderhisshaggybrowsatthemanuscriptbyhiselbowand，muttering，begantoprodthestiffbuttonsofthekeyboardslowly，sometimesblowingashescrewedupthedrumtoeraseanerror。
Stephenseatedhimselfnoiselesslybeforetheprincelypresence。Framedaroundthewallsimagesofvanishedhorsesstoodinhomage，theirmeekheadspoisedinair：lordHastings’Repulse，thedukeofWestminster’sShotover，thedukeofBeaufort’sCeylon，prixdeParis，1866。Elfinriderssatthem，watchfulofasign。Hesawtheirspeeds，backingKing’scolours，andshoutedwiththeshoutsofvanishedcrowds。
Fullstop，MrDeasybadehiskeys。Butpromptventilationofthisimportantquestion……
WhereCranlyledmetogetrichquick，huntinghiswinnersamongthemudsplashedbrakes，amidthebawlsofbookiesontheirpitchesandreekofthecanteen，overthemotleyslush。EvenmoneyFairRebel：tentoonethefield。Dicersandthimbleriggerswehurriedbyafterthehoofs，thevyingcapsandjacketsandpastthemeatfacedwoman，abutcher’sdame，nuzzlingthirstilyhercloveoforange。
Shoutsrangshrillfromtheboys’playfieldandawhirringwhistle。
Again：agoal。Iamamongthem，amongtheirbattlingbodiesinamedley，thejoustoflife。Youmeanthatknockkneedmother’sdarlingwhoseemstobeslightlycrawsick？Jousts。Timeshockedrebounds，shockbyshock。
Jousts，slushanduproarofbattles，thefrozendeathspewoftheslain，ashoutofspearspikesbaitedwithmen’sbloodiedguts。
Nowthen，MrDeasysaid，rising。
Hecametothetable，pinningtogetherhissheets。Stephenstoodup。
Ihaveputthematterintoanutshell，MrDeasysaid。It’saboutthefootandmouthdisease。Justlookthroughit。Therecanbenotwoopinionsonthematter。
MayItrespassonyourvaluablespace。Thatdoctrineoflaissezfairewhichsoofteninourhistory。Ourcattletrade。Thewayofallouroldindustries。LiverpoolringwhichjockeyedtheGalwayharbourscheme。Europeanconflagration。Grainsuppliesthroughthenarrowwatersofthechannel。
Thepluterperfectimperturbabilityofthedepartmentofagriculture。Pardonedaclassicalallusion。Cassandra。Byawomanwhowasnobetterthansheshouldbe。Tocometothepointatissue。
Idon’tmincewords，doI？MrDeasyaskedasStephenreadon。
Footandmouthdisease。KnownasKoch’spreparation。Serumandvirus。
Percentageofsaltedhorses。Rinderpest。Emperor’shorsesatMü；rzsteg，lowerAustria。Veterinarysurgeons。MrHenryBlackwoodPrice。Courteousofferafairtrial，Dictatesofcommonsense。Allimportantquestion。Ineverysenseofthewordtakethebullbythehorns。Thankingyouforthehospitalityofyourcolumns。