Stephenhadnotnoticedherandshruggedhisshoulders，merelyremarking：
Inthiscountrypeoplesellmuchmorethansheeverhadanddoaroaringtrade。Fearnotthemthatsellthebodybuthavenotpowertobuythesoul。Sheisabadmerchant。Shebuysdearandsellscheap。
Theelderman，thoughnotbyanymannerofmeansanoldmaidoraprude，saidthatitwasnothingshortofacryingscandalthatoughttobeputastoptoinstantertosaythatwomenofthatstampquiteapartfromanyoldmaidishsqueamishnessonthesubject，anecessaryevil，werenotlicensedandmedicallyinspectedbytheproperauthorities，athinghecouldtruthfullystatehe，asapaterfamilias，wasastalwartadvocateoffromtheveryfirststart。Whoeverembarkedonapolicyofthatsort，hesaid，andventilatedthematterthoroughlywouldconferalastingboononeverybodyconcerned。
You，asagoodcatholic，heobserved，talkingofbodyandsoul，believeinthesoul。Ordoyoumeantheintelligence，thebrainpowerassuch，asdistinctfromanyoutsideobject，thetable，letussay，thatcup？Ibelieveinthatmyselfbecauseithasbeenexplainedbycompetentmenastheconvolutionsofthegreymatter。OtherwisewewouldneverhavesuchinventionsasX
rays，forinstance。Doyou？
Thuscornered，Stephenhadtomakeasuperhumaneffortofmemorytotryandconcentrateandrememberbeforehecouldsay：
Theytellmeonthebestauthorityitisasimplesubstanceandthereforeincorruptible。Itwouldbeimmortal，Iunderstand，butforthepossibilityofitsannihilationbyitsFirstCause，Who，fromallIcanhear，isquitecapableofaddingthattothenumberofHisotherpracticaljokes，corruptioperseandcorruptioperaccidensbothbeingexcludedbycourtetiquette。
MrBloomthoroughlyacquiescedinthegeneralgistofthisthoughthemysticalfinesseinvolvedwasabitoutofhissublunarydepthstillhefeltboundtoenterademurrerontheheadofsimple，promptlyrejoining：
Simple？Ishouldn’tthinkthatistheproperword。Ofcourse，Igrantyou，toconcedeapoint，youdoknockacrossasimplesoulonceinabluemoon。ButwhatIamanxioustoarriveatisitisonethingforinstancetoinventthoseraysRö；ntgendid，OrthetelescopelikeEdison，thoughIbelieveitwasbeforehistime，GalileowasthemanImean。Thesameappliestothelaws，forexample，ofafarreachingnaturalphenomenonsuchaselectricitybutit’sahorseofquiteanothercolourtosayyoubelieveintheexistenceofasupernaturalGod。
O，that，Stephenexpostulated，hasbeenprovedconclusivelybyseveralofthebestknownpassagesinHolyWrit，apartfromcircumstantialevidence。
Onthisknottypoint，however，theviewsofthepair，polesapartastheywere，bothinschoolingandeverythingelse，withthemarkeddifferenceintheirrespectiveages，clashed。
Hasbeen？themoreexperiencedofthetwoobjected，stickingtohisoriginalpoint。I’mnotsosureaboutthat。That’samatterofeveryman’sopinionand，withoutdragginginthesectariansideofthebusiness，I
begtodifferwithyouintotothere。Mybeliefis，totellyouthecandidtruth，thatthosebitsweregenuineforgeriesallofthemputinbymonksmostprobablyorit’sthebigquestionofournationalpoetoveragain，whopreciselywrotethem，likeHamletandBacon，asyouwhoknowyourShakespeareinfinitelybetterthanI，ofcourseIneedn’ttellyou。Can’tyoudrinkthatcoffee，bytheway？Letmestiritandtakeapieceofthatbun。It’slikeoneofourskipper’sbricksdisguised。Still，noonecangivewhathehasn’tgot。Tryabit。
Couldn’t，Stephencontrivedtogetout，hismentalorgansforthemomentrefusingtodictatefurther。
Faultfindingbeingaproverbiallybadhat，MrBloomthoughtwelltostir，ortryto，theclottedsugarfromthebottomandreflectedwithsomethingapproachingacrimonyontheCoffeePalaceanditstemperanceandlucrative
work。Tobesureitwasalegitimateobjectandbeyondyeaornaydidaworldofgood。Shelterssuchasthepresentonetheywereinrunonteetotallinesforvagrantsatnight，concerts，dramaticevenings，andusefullecturesadmittancefreebyqualifiedmenforthelowerorders。Ontheotherhand，hehadadistinctandpainfulrecollectiontheypaidhiswife，MadamMarionTweedywhohadbeenprominentlyassociatedwithitatonetime，averymodestremunerationindeedforherpianoplaying。Theidea，hewasstronglyinclinedtobelieve，wastodogoodandnetaprofit，therebeingnocompetitiontospeakof。Sulphateofcopperpoison，SO4orsomethinginsomedriedpeasherememberedreadingofinacheapeatinghousesomewherebuthecouldn’trememberwhenitwasorwhere。Anyhow，inspection，medicalinspection，ofalleatables，seemedtohimmorethanevernecessarywhichpossiblyaccountedforthevogueofDrTibble’sVi-Cocoaonaccountofthemedicalanalysisinvolved。
Haveashotatitnow，heventuredtosayofthecoffeeafterbeingstirred。
Thusprevailedontoatanyratetasteit，Stephenliftedtheheavymugfromthebrownpuddle-itcloppedoutofitwhentakenup-bythehandleandtookasipoftheoffendingbeverage。
Still，it’ssolidfood，hisgoodgeniusurged，I’masticklerforsolidfood，hisoneandonlyreasonbeingnotgormandisingintheleastbutregularmealsasthesinequanonforanykindofproperwork，mentalormanual。Yououghttoeatmoresolidfood。Youwouldfeeladifferentman。
LiquidsIcaneat，Stephensaid。Butobligemebytakingawaythatknife。Ican’tlookatthepointofit。ItremindsmeofRomanhistory。
MrBloompromptlydidassuggestedandremovedtheincriminatedarticle，ablunthornhandledordinaryknifewithnothingparticularlyRomanorantiqueaboutittothelayeye，observingthatthepointwastheleastconspicuouspointaboutit。
Ourmutualfriend’sstoriesarelikehimself，MrBloom，aproposofknives，remarkedtohisconfidentesottovoce。Doyouthinktheyaregenuine？Hecouldspinthoseyarnsforhoursonendallnightlongandlielikeoldboots。Lookathim。
Yetstill，thoughhiseyeswerethickwithsleepandseaair，lifewasfullofahostofthingsandcoincidencesofaterriblenatureanditwasquitewithintheboundsofpossibilitythatitwasnotanentirefabricationthoughatfirstblushtherewasnotmuchinherentprobabilityinallthespoofhegotoffhischestbeingstrictlyaccurategospel。
HehadbeenmeantimetakingstockoftheindividualinfrontofhimandSherlockholmesinghimup，eversinceheclappedeyesonhim。Thoughawellpreservedmanofnolittlestamina，ifatriflepronetobaldness，therewassomethingspuriousinthecutofhisjibthatsuggestedajaildeliveryanditrequirednoviolentstretchofimaginationtoassociatesuchaweirdlookingspecimenwiththeoakumandtreadmillfraternity。Hemightevenhavedoneforhisman，supposingitwashisowncasehetold，aspeopleoftendidaboutothers，namely，thathekilledhimhimselfandhadservedhisfourorfivegoodlookingyearsinduranceviletosaynothingoftheAntoniopersonagenorelationtothedramaticpersonageofidenticalnamewhosprangfromthepenOfournationalpoetwhoexpiatedhiscrimesinthemelodramaticmannerabovedescribed。Ontheotherhandhemightbeonlybluffing，apardonableweakness，becausemeetingunmistakablemugs，Dublinresidents，likethosejarvieswaitingnewsfromabroad，wouldtemptanyancientmarinerwhosailedtheoceanseastodrawthelongbowabouttheschoonerHesperusandetcetera。Andwhenallwassaidanddone，theliesafellowtoldabouthimselfcouldn’tprobablyholdaproverbialcandletothewholesalewhoppersotherfellowscoinedabouthim。
Mindyou，I’mnotsayingthatit’sallapureinvention，heresumed。
Analogousscenesareoccasionally，ifnotoften，metwith。Giants，though，thatisratherafarcryyouseeonceinaway。Marcella，themidgetqueen。
InthosewaxworksinHenrystreetImyselfsawsomeAztecs，astheyarecalled，sittingbowlegged。Theycouldn’tstraightentheirlegsifyoupaidthembecausethemuscleshere，yousee，heproceeded，indicatingonhiscompanionthebriefoutline，thesinews，orwhateveryouliketocallthem，behindtherightknee，wereutterlypowerlessfromsittingthatwaysolongcrampedup，beingadoredasgods。There’sanexampleagainofsimplesouls。
However，revertingtofriendSinbadandhishorrifyingadventureswhoremindedhimabitofLudwig，aliasLedwidge，whenheoccupiedtheboardsoftheGaietywhenMichaelGunnwasidentifiedwiththemanagementintheFlyingDutchman，astupendoussuccess，andhishostofadmirerscameinlargenumbers，everyonesimplyflockingtohearhimthoughshipsofanysort，phantomorthereverse，onthestageusuallyfellabitflatasalsodidtrains，therewasnothingintrinsicallyincompatibleaboutit，heconceded。Onthecontrary，thatstabinthebacktouchwasquiteinkeepingwiththoseItalianos，thoughcandidlyhewasnonethelessfreetoadmitthoseicecreamersandfriersinthefishway，nottomentionthechippotatovarietyandsoforth，overinlittleItalythere，neartheCoombe，weresoberthriftyhardworkingfellowsexceptperhapsabittoogiventopothuntingtheharmlessnecessaryanimalofthefelinepersuasionofothersatnightsoastohaveagoodoldsucculenttuckinwithgarlicderigueuroffhimorhernextdayonthequietand，headded，onthecheap。
Spaniards，forinstance，hecontinued，passionatetemperamentslikethat，impetuousasOldNick，aregiventotakingthelawintotheirownhandsandgiveyouyourquietusdoublequickwiththosepoignardstheycarryintheabdomen。Itcomesfromthegreatheat，climategenerally。
Mywifeis，sotospeak，Spanish，half，thatis。PointoffactshecouldactuallyclaimSpanishnationalityifshewanted，havingbeenbornintechnically
Spain，i。e。Gibraltar。ShehastheSpanishtype。Quitedark，regularbrunette，black。I，forone，certainlybelieveclimateaccountsforcharacter。That’swhyIaskedyouifyouwroteyourpoetryinItalian。
Thetemperamentsatthedoor，Stepheninterposedwith，wereverypassionateabouttenshillings。Robertorubarobasua。
Quiteso，MrBloomdittoed。
Then，Stephensaid，staringandramblingontohimselforsomeunknownlistenersomewhere，wehavetheimpetuosityofDanteandtheisoscelestriangle，MissPortinari，hefellinlovewithandLeonardoandsanTommasoMastino。
It’sintheblood，MrBloomaccededatonce。Allarewashedinthebloodofthesun。Coincidence，IjusthappenedtobeintheKildarestreetMuseumtoday，shortlypriortoourmeeting，ifIcansocallit，andI
wasjustlookingatthoseantiquestatuesthere。Thesplendidproportionsofhips，bosom。Yousimplydon’tknockagainstthosekindofwomenhere。
Anexceptionhereandthere。Handsome，yes，prettyinawayyoufind，butwhatI’mtalkingaboutisthefemaleform。Besides，theyhavesolittletasteindress，mostofthem，whichgreatlyenhancesawoman’snaturalbeauty，nomatterwhatyousay。Rumpledstockings-itmaybe，possiblyis，afoibleofmine，butstillit’sathingIsimplyhatetosee。
Interest，however，wasstartingtoflagsomewhatallroundandtheothersgotontotalkingaboutaccidentsatsea，shipslostinafog，collisionswithicebergs，allthatsortofthing。Shipahoy，ofcourse，hadhisownsaytosay。HehaddoubledtheCapeafewoddtimesandweatheredamonsoon，akindofwind，intheChinaseasandthroughallthoseperilsofthedeeptherewasonething，hedeclared，stoodtohim，orwordstothateffect，apiousmedalhehadthatsavedhim。
SothenafterthattheydriftedontothewreckofDaunt’srock，wreckofthatillfatedNorwegianbarque-nobodycouldthinkofhernameforthemomenttillthejarveywhohadreallyquitealookofHenryCampbellrememberedit，Palme，onBooterstownStrand，thatwasthetalkofthetownthatyearAlbertWilliamQuillwroteafinepieceoforiginalverseofdistinctivemeritonthetopicfortheIrishTimesbreakersrunningoverherandcrowdsandcrowdsontheshoreincommotionpetrifiedwithhorror。Thensomeonesaidsomethingaboutthecaseofthes。s。LadyCairnsofSwansea，runintobytheMona，whichwasonanOppositetack，inrathermuggyishweatherandlostwithallhandsondeck。Noaidwasgiven。Hermaster，theMona’s，saidhewasafraidhiscollisionbulkheadwouldgiveway。Shehadnowater，itappears，inherhold。
Atthisstageanincidenthappened。Ithavingbecomenecessaryforhimtounfurlareef，thesailorvacatedhisseat。
Letmecrossyourbows，mate，hesaidtohisneighbour，whowasjustgentlydroppingoffintoapeacefuldose。