Threepence，please。
Hishandacceptedthemoisttenderglandandsliditintoasidepocket。
Thenitfetchedupthreecoinsfromhistrousers’pocketandlaidthemontherubberprickles。Theylay，werereadquicklyandquicklyslid，discbydisc，intothetill。
Thankyou，sir。Anothertime。
Aspeckofeagerfirefromfoxeyesthankedhim。Hewithdrewhisgazeafteraninstant。No：betternot：anothertime。
Goodmorning，hesaid，movingaway。
Goodmorning，sir。
Nosign。Gone。Whatmatter？
HewalkedbackalongDorsetstreet，readinggravely。AgendathNetaim：
planter’scompany。TopurchasevastsandytractsfromTurkishgovernmentandplantwitheucalyptustrees。Excellentforshade，fuelandconstruction。
OrangegrovesandimmensemelonfieldsnorthofJaffa。Youpayeightmarksandtheyplantadunamoflandforyouwitholives，oranges，almondsorcitrons。Olivescheaper：orangesneedartificialirrigation。Everyyearyougetasendingofthecrop。Yournameenteredforlifeasownerinthebookoftheunion。Canpaytendownandthebalanceinyearlyinstalments。
Bleibtreustrasse34，Berlin，W。15。
Nothingdoing。Stillanideabehindit。
Helookedatthecattle，blurredinsilverheat。Silveredpowderedolivetrees。
Quietlongdays：pruningripening。Olivesarepackedinjars，eh？IhaveafewleftfromAndrews。Mollyspittingthemout。Knowsthetasteofthemnow。Orangesintissuepaperpackedincrates。Citronstoo。WonderispoorCitronstillaliveinSaintKevin’sparade。AndMastianskywiththeoldcither。Pleasanteveningswehadthen。MollyinCitron’sbasketchair。Nicetohold，coolwaxenfruit，holdinthehand，liftittothenostrilsandsmelltheperfume。Likethat，heavy，sweet，wildperfume。Alwaysthesame，yearafteryear。TheyfetchedhighpricestooMoiseltoldme。Arbutusplace：
Pleasantsstreet：pleasantoldtimes。Mustbewithoutaflaw，hesaid。
Comingallthatway：Spain，Gibraltar，Mediterranean，theLevant。CrateslineduponthequaysideatJaffa，chaptickingthemoffinabook，navvieshandlingtheminsoileddungarees。There’swhatdoyoucallhimoutof。Howdoyou？Doesn’tsee。Chapyouknowjusttosalutebitofabore。HisbackislikethatNorwegiancaptain’s。WonderifI’llmeethimtoday。Wateringcart。Toprovoketherain。Onearthasitisinheaven。
Acloudbegantocoverthesunwhollyslowlywholly。Grey。Far。
No，notlikethat。Abarrenland，barewaste。Vulcaniclake，thedeadsea：nofish，weedless，sunkdeepintheearth。Nowindwouldliftthosewaves，greymetal，poisonousfoggywaters。Brimstonetheycalleditrainingdown：thecitiesoftheplain：Sodom，Gomorrah，Edom。Alldeadnames。A
deadseainadeadland，greyandold。Oldnow。Itboretheoldest，thefirstrace。AbenthagcrossedfromCassidy’sclutchinganogginbottlebytheneck。Theoldestpeople。Wanderedfarawayoveralltheearth，captivitytocaptivity，multiplying，dying，beingborneverywhere。Itlaytherenow。
Nowitcouldbearnomore。Dead：anoldwoman’s：thegreysunkencuntoftheworld。
Desolation。
Greyhorrorsearedhisflesh。FoldingthepageintohispocketheturnedintoEcclesStreet，hurryinghomeward。Coldoilsslidalonghisveins，chillinghisblood：agecrustinghimwithasaltcloak。Well，Iamherenow。Morningmouthbadimages。Gotupwrongsideofthebed。MustbeginagainthoseSandow’sexercises。Onthehandsdown。Blotchybrownbrickhouses。Numbereightystillunlet。Whyisthat？Valuationisonlytwenty-eight。
Towers，Battersby，North，MacArthur：parlourwindowsplasteredwithbills。
Plastersonasoreeye。Tosmellthegentlesmokeoftea，fumeofthepan，sizzlingbutter。Benearheramplebedwarmedflesh。Yes，yes。
QuickwarmsunlightcamerunningfromBerkeleyRoad，swiftly，inslimsandals，alongthebrighteningfootpath。Runs，sherunstomeetme，agirlwithgoldhaironthewind。
Twolettersandacardlayonthehallfloor。Hestoppedandgatheredthem。MrsMarionBloom。Hisquickheartslowedatonce。Boldhand。MrsMarion。
Poldy！
Enteringthebedroomhehalfclosedhiseyesandwalkedthroughwarmyellowtwilighttowardshertousledhead。
Whoarethelettersfor？
Helookedatthem。Mullingar。Milly。
AletterformefromMilly，hesaidcarefully，andacardtoyou。
Andaletterforyou。
Helaidhercardandletteronthetwillbedspreadnearthecurveofherknees。
Doyouwanttheblindup？
Lettingtheblindupbygentletugshalfwayhisbackwardeyesawherglanceattheletterandtuckitunderherpillow。
Thatdo？heasked，turning。
Shewasreadingthecard，proppedonherelbow。
Shegotthethings，shesaid。
Hewaitedtillshehadlaidthecardasideandcurledherselfbackslowlywithasnugsigh。
Hurryupwiththattea，shesaid。I’mparched。
Thekettleisboiling，hesaid。
Buthedelayedtoclearthechair：herstripedpetticoat，tossedsoiledlinen：andliftedallinanarmfulontothefootofthebed。
Ashewentdownthekitchenstairsshecalled：
Poldy！
What？
Scaldtheteapot。
Ontheboilsureenough：aplumeofsteamfromthespout。Hescaldedandrinsedouttheteapotandputinfourfullspoonsoftea，tiltingthekettlethentoletwaterflowin。Havingsetittodraw，hetookoffthekettleandcrushedthepanflatonthelivecoalsandwatchedthelumpofbutterslideandmelt。Whileheunwrappedthekidneythecatmewedhungrilyagainsthim。Givehertoomuchmeatshewon’tmouse。Saytheywon’teatpork。Kosher。Here。Heletthebloodsmearedpaperfalltoheranddroppedthekidneyamidthesizzlingbuttersauce。Pepper。Hesprinkleditthroughhisfingers，ringwise，fromthechippedeggcup。
Thenheslitopenhisletter，glancingdownthepageandover。Thanks：
newtam：MrCoghlan：loughOwelpicnic：youngstudent：BlazesBoylan’sseasidegirls。
Theteawasdrawn。Hefilledhisownmoustachecup，shamcrownDerby，smiling。SillyMilly’sbirthdaygift。Onlyfiveshewasthen。Nowait：
four。Igavehertheamberoidnecklaceshebroke。Puttingpiecesoffoldedbrownpaperintheletterboxforher。Hesmiled，pouring。OMillyBloom，youaremydarling。
Youaremylookingglassfromnighttomorning。
I’dratherhaveyouwithoutafarthingThanKateyKeoghwithherassandgarden。PooroldprofessorGoodwin。Dreadfuloldcase。Stillhewasacourteousoldchap。OldfashionedwayheusedtobowMollyofftheplatform。Andthelittlemirrorinhissilkhat。ThenightMillybroughtitintotheparlour。
O，lookwhatIfoundinprofessorGoodwin’shat！Allwelaughed。Sexbreakingouteventhen。Pertlittlepieceshewas。
Heproddedaforkintothekidneyandslappeditover：thenfittedtheteapotonthetray。Itshumpbumpedashetookitup。Everythingonit？
Breadandbutter，four，sugar，spoon，hercream。Yes。Hecarrieditupstairs，histhumbhookedintheteapothandle。
Nudgingthedooropenwithhiskneehecarriedthetrayinandsetitonthechairbythebedhead。
Whatatimeyouwere，shesaid。
Shesetthebrassesjinglingassheraisedherselfbriskly，anelbowonthepillow。Helookedcalmlydownonherbulkandbetweenherlargesoftbubs，slopingwithinhernightdresslikeashegoat’sudder。Thewarmthofhercouchedbodyroseontheair，minglingwiththefragranceoftheteashepoured。
Astripoftornenvelopepeepedfromunderthedimpledpillow。Intheactofgoinghestayedtostraightenthebedspread。
Whowastheletterfrom？heasked。
Boldhand。Marion。
O，Boylan，shesaid。He’sbringingtheprogramme。
Whatareyousinging？
LacidaremwithJ。C。Doyle，shesaid，andLove’sOldSweetSong。
Herfulllips，drinking，smiled。Ratherstalesmellthatincenseleavesnextday。Likefoulflowerwater。
Wouldyoulikethewindowopenalittle？
Shedoubledasliceofbreadintohermouth，asking：
Whattimeisthefuneral？
Eleven，Ithink，heanswered。Ididn’tseethepaper。
Followingthepointingofherfingerhetookupalegofhersoileddrawersfromthebed。No？Then，atwistedgreygarterloopedroundastocking：
rumpled，shinysole。
No：thatbook。
Otherstocking。Herpetticoat。
Itmusthavefelldown，shesaid。
Hefelthereandthere。Voglioenonvorvez。Wonderifshepronouncesthatright：voglio。Notinthebed。Musthavesliddown。Hestoopedandliftedthevalance。Thebook，fallen，sprawledagainstthebulgeoftheorange-keyedchamberpot。
Showhere，shesaid。Iputamarkinit。There’sawordIwantedtoaskyou。
Sheswallowedadraughtofteafromhercupheldbynothandleand，havingwipedherfingertipssmartlyontheblanket，begantosearchthetextwiththehairpintillshereachedtheword。
Methimwhat？heasked。
Here，shesaid。Whatdoesthatmean？
Heleaneddownwardsandreadnearherpolishedthumbnail。
Metempsychosis？
Yes。Who’shewhenhe’sathome？
Metempsychosis，hesaid，frowning。It’sGreek：fromtheGreek。Thatmeansthetransmigrationofsouls。
O，rocks！shesaid。Tellusinplainwords。
Hesmiled，glancingaskanceathermockingeye。Thesameyoungeyes。
Thefirstnightafterthecharades。Dolphin’sBarn。Heturnedoverthesmudgedpages。Ruby：thePrideoftheRing。Hello。Illustration。
FierceItalianwithcarriagewhip。MustbeRubyprideoftheonthefloornaked。Sheetkindlylent。ThemonsterMaffeidesistedandflunghisvictimfromhimwithanoath。Crueltybehinditall。Dopedanimals。
TrapezeatHengler’s。Hadtolooktheotherway。Mobgaping。Breakyourneckandwe’llbreakoursides。Familiesofthem。Bonethemyoungsotheymetempsychosis。Thatweliveafterdeath。Oursouls。Thataman’ssoulafterhedies。Dignam’ssoul……
Didyoufinishit？heasked。
Yes，shesaid。There’snothingsmuttyinit。Issheinlovewiththefirstfellowallthetime？
Neverreadit。Doyouwantanother？
Yes。GetanotherofPauldeKock’s。Nicenamehehas。
Shepouredmoreteaintohercup，watchingitsflowsideways。
MustgetthatCapelstreetlibrarybookrenewedorthey’llwritetoKearney，myguarantor。Reincarnation：that’stheword。
Somepeoplebelieve，hesaid，thatwegoonlivinginanotherbodyafterdeath，thatwelivedbefore。Theycallitreincarnation。Thatwealllivedbeforeontheearththousandsofyearsagoorsomeotherplanet。
Theysaywehaveforgottenit。Somesaytheyremembertheirpastlives。
Thesluggishcreamwoundcurdlingspiralsthroughhertea。Betterremindheroftheword：metempsychosis。Anexamplewouldbebetter。Anexample。
TheBathoftheNymphoverthebed。GivenawaywiththeEasternumberofPhotoBits：Splendidmasterpieceinartcolours。Teabeforeyouputmilkin。Notunlikeherwithherhairdown：slimmer。ThreeandsixIgavefortheframe。Shesaiditwouldlookniceoverthebed。Nakednymphs：Greece：andforinstanceallthepeoplethatlivedthen。
Heturnedthepagesback。
Metempsychosis，hesaid，iswhattheancientGreekscalledit。Theyusedtobelieveyoucouldbechangedintoananimaloratree，forinstance。
Whattheycallednymphs，forexample。
Herspoonceasedtostirupthesugar。Shegazedstraightbeforeher，inhalingthroughherarchednostrils。