Aflower。Ithinkit’sa。Ayellowflowerwithflattenedpetals。Notannoyedthen？Whatdoesshesay？DearHenry，Igotyourlastlettertomeandthankyouverymuchforit。Iamsorryyoudidnotlikemylastletter。Whydidyouenclosethestamps？Iamawfullyangrywithyou。IdowishIcouldpunishyouforthat。IcalledyounaughtyboybecauseIdonotlikethatotherworld。Pleasetellmewhatistherealmeaningofthatword。Areyounothappyinyourhomeyoupoorlittlenaughtyboy？IdowishIcoulddosomethingforyou。Pleasetellmewhatyouthinkofpoorme。Ioftenthinkofthebeautifulnameyouhave。DearHenry，whenwillwemeet？Ithinkofyousooftenyouhavenoidea。Ihaveneverfeltmyselfsomuchdrawntoamanasyou。Ifeelsobadabout。Pleasewritemealongletterandtellmemore。RememberifyoudonotIwillpunishyou。SonowyouknowwhatIwilldotoyou，younaughtyboy，ifyoudonotwrite。OhowIlongtomeetyou。Henrydear，donotdenymyrequestbeforemypatienceareexhausted。ThenIwilltellyouall。Goodbyenow，naughtydarling。IhavesuchabadheadachetodayandwritebyreturntoyourlongingMARTHA。
P。S。Dotellmewhatkindofperfumedoesyourwifeuse。Iwanttoknow。Hetoretheflowergravelyfromitspinholdsmeltitsalmostnosmellandplaceditinhisheartpocket。Languageofflowers。Theylikeitbecauseno-onecanhear。Orapoisonbouquettostrikehimdown。Then，walkingslowlyforward，hereadtheletteragain，murmuringhereandthereaword。
Angrytulipswithyoudarlingmanflowerpunishyourcactusifyoudon’tpleasepoorforgetmenothowIlongvioletstodearroseswhenwesoonanemonemeetallnaughtynightstalkwifeMartha’sperfume。Havingreaditallhetookitfromthenewspaperandputitbackinhissidepocket。
Weakjoyopenedhislips。Changedsincethefirstletter。Wonderdidshewriteitherself。Doingtheindignant：agirlofgoodfamilylikeme，respectablecharacter。CouldmeetoneSundayaftertherosary。Thankyou：
nothavingany。Usuallovescrimmage。Thenrunningroundcorners。BadasarowwithMolly。Cigarhasacoolingeffect。Narcotic。Gofurthernexttime。Naughtyboy：punish：afraidof-words，ofcourse。Brutal，whynot？
Tryitanyhow。Abitatatime。
Fingeringstilltheletterinhispockethedrewthepinoutofit。
Commonpin，eh？Hethrewitontheroad。Outofherclothessomewhere：
pinnedtogether。Queerthenumberofpinstheyalwayshave。Noroseswithoutthorns。
FlatDublinvoicesbawledinhishead。ThosetwoslutsthatnightintheCoombe，linkedtogetherintherain。O，Marylostthepinofherdrawers。
Shedidn’tknowwhattodoTokeepitupTokeepitup。It？Them。Suchabadheadache。Hasherrosesprobably。Orsittingalldaytyping。Eyefocusbadforstomachnerves。Whatperfumedoesyourwifeuse？
Nowcouldyoumakeoutathinglikethat？
Tokeepitup。
Martha，Mary。IsawthatpicturesomewhereIforgetnowoldmasterorfakedformoney。Heissittingintheirhouse，talking。Mysterious。AlsothetwoslutsintheCoombewouldlisten。
Tokeepitup。
Nicekindofeveningfeeling。Nomorewanderingabout。Justlollthere：
quietdusk：leteverythingrip。Forget。Tellaboutplacesyouhavebeen，strangecustoms。Theotherone，jaronherhead，wasgettingthesupper：
fruit，olives，lovelycoolwateroutofthewellstonecoldliketheholeinthewallatAshtown。MustcarryapapergobletnexttimeIgotothetrottingmatches。Shelistenswithbigdarksofteyes。Tellher：moreandmore：all。Thenasigh：silence。Longlonglongrest。
Goingundertherailwayarchhetookouttheenvelope，toreitswiftlyinshredsandscatteredthemtowardstheroad。Theshredsflutteredaway，sankinthedankair：awhiteflutterthenallsank。
HenryFlower。Youcouldtearupachequeforahundredpoundsinthesameway。Simplebitofpaper。LordIveaghoncecashedasevenfigurechequeforamillioninthebankofIreland。Showsyouthemoneytobemadeoutofporter。StilltheotherbrotherlordArdilaunhastochangehisshirtfourtimesaday，theysay。Skinbreedsliceorvermin。Amillionpounds，waitamoment。Twopenceapint，fourpenceaquart，eightpenceagallonofporter，no，oneandfourpenceagallonofporter。Oneandfourintotwenty：fifteenabout。Yes，exactly。Fifteenmillionsofbarrelsofporter。
WhatamIsayingbarrels？Gallons。Aboutamillionbarrelsallthesame。
Anincomingtrainclankedheavilyabovehishead，coachaftercoach。
Barrelsbumpedinhishead：dullportersloppedandchurnedinside。Thebungholessprangopenandahugedullfloodleakedout，flowingtogether，windingthroughmudflatsalloverthelevelland，alazypoolingswirlofliquorbearingalongwideleavedflowersofitsfroth。
HehadreachedtheopenbackdoorofAllHallows。Steppingintotheporchhedoffedhishat，tookthecardfromhispocketandtuckeditagainbehindtheleatherheadband。Damnit。ImighthavetriedtoworkM’CoyforapasstoMullingar。
Samenoticeonthedoor。SermonbytheveryreverendJohnConmeeS。
J。onsaintPeterClaverandtheAfricanmission。SaveChina’smillions。
WonderhowtheyexplainittotheheathenChinee。Preferanounceofopium。
Celestials。Rankheresyforthem。PrayersfortheconversionofGladstonetheyhadtoowhenhewasalmostunconscious。Theprotestantsthesame。
ConvertDr。WilliamJ。WalshD。D。tothetruereligion。Buddhatheirgodlyingonhissideinthemuseum。Takingiteasywithhandunderhischeek。
Josssticksburning。NotlikeEcceHomo。Crownofthornsandcross。CleverideaSaintPatricktheshamrock。Chopsticks？Conmee：MartinCunninghamknowshim：distinguishedlooking。SorryIdidn’tworkhimaboutgettingMollyintothechoirinsteadofthatFatherFarleywholookedafoolbutwasn’t。They’retaughtthat。He’snotgoingoutinblueyspecswiththesweatrollingoffhimtobaptiseblacks，ishe？Theglasseswouldtaketheirfancy，flashing。Liketoseethemsittingroundinaringwithblublips，entranced，listening。Stilllife。Lapituplikemilk，Isuppose。
Thecoldsmellofsacredstonecalledhim。Hetrodthewornsteps，pushedtheswingdoorandenteredsoftlybytherere。
Somethinggoingon：somesodality。Pitysoempty。Nicediscreetplacetobenextsomegirl。Whoismyneighbour？Jammedbythehourtoslowmusic。
Thatwomanatmidnightmass。Seventhheaven。Womenkneltinthebencheswithcrimsonhaltersroundtheirnecks，headsbowed。Abatchkneltatthealtarrails。Thepriestwentalongbythem，murmuring，holdingthethinginhishands。Hestoppedateach，tookoutacommunion，shookadroportwoaretheyinwater？offitandputitneatlyintohermouth。Herhatandheadsank。Thenthenextone：asmalloldwoman。Thepriestbentdowntoputitintohermouth，murmuringallthetime。Latin。Thenextone。
Shutyoureyesandopenyourmouth。What？Corpus。Body。Corpse。
GoodideatheLatin。Stupefiesthemfirst。Hospiceforthedying。Theydon’tseemtochewit；onlyswallowitdown。Rumidea：eatingbitsofacorpsewhythecannibalscottontoit。
Hestoodasidewatchingtheirblindmaskspassdowntheaisle，onebyone，andseektheirplaces。Heapproachedabenchandseatedhimselfinitscorner，nursinghishatandnewspaper。Thesepotswehavetowear。
Weoughttohavehatsmodelledonourheads。Theywereabouthimhereandthere，withheadsstillbowedintheircrimsonhalters，waitingforittomeltintheirstomachs。Somethinglikethosemazzoth：it’sthatsortofbread：unleavenedshewbread。Lookatthem。NowIbetitmakesthemfeelhappy。Lollipop。Itdoes。Yes，breadofangelsit’scalled。There’sabigideabehindit，kindofkingdomofGodiswithinyoufeel。Firstcommunicants。
Hokypokypennyalump。Thenfeelalllikeonefamilyparty，sameinthetheatre，allinthesameswim。Theydo。I’msureofthat。Notsolonely。
Inourconfraternity。Thencomeoutabigspreeish。Letoffsteam。Thingisifyoureallybelieveinit。Lourdescure，watersofoblivion，andtheKnockapparition，statuesbleeding。Oldfellowasleepnearthatconfessionbox。Hencethosesnores。Blindfaith。SafeinthearmsofKingdomcome。
Lullsallpain。Wakethistimenextyear。
Hesawtheprieststowthecommunioncupaway，wellin，andkneelaninstantbeforeit，showingalargegreybootsolefromunderthelaceaffairhehadon。Supposehelostthepinofhis。Hewouldn’tknowwhattodoto。Baldspotbehind。LettersonhisbackI。N。R。I。？No：I。H。S。MollytoldmeonetimeIaskedher。Ihavesinned：orno：Ihavesuffered，itis。Andtheotherone？Ironnailsranin。
MeetoneSundayaftertherosary。Donotdenymyrequest。Turnupwithaveilandblackbag。Duskandthelightbehindher。Shemightbeherewitharibbonroundherneckanddotheotherthingallthesameonthesly。Theircharacter。Thatfellowthatturnedqueen’sevidenceontheinvinciblesheusedtoreceivethe，Careywashisname，thecommunioneverymorning。
Thisverychurch。PeterCarey。No，PeterClaverIamthinkingof。DenisCarey。Andjustimaginethat。Wifeandsixchildrenathome。Andplottingthatmurderallthetime。Thosecrawthumpers，nowthat’sagoodnameforthem，there’salwayssomethingshiftylookingaboutthem。They’renotstraightmenofbusinesseither。Onoshe’snothere：theflower：no，no。BythewaydidItearupthatenvelope？Yes：underthebridge。
Thepriestwasrinsingoutthechalice：thenhetossedoffthedregssmartly。Wine。MakesitmorearistocraticthanforexampleifhedrankwhattheyareusedtoGuinness’sporterorsometemperancebeverageWheatley’sDublinhopbittersorCantrellandCochrane’sgingeralearomatic。Doesn’tgivethemanyofit：shewwine：onlytheother。Coldcomfort。Piousfraudbutquiteright：otherwisethey’dhaveoneoldbooserworsethananothercomingalong，cadgingforadrink。Queerthewholeatmosphereofthe。Quiteright。Perfectlyrightthatis。
MrBloomlookedbacktowardsthechoir。Notgoingtobeanymusic。Pity。
WhohastheorganhereIwonder？OldGlynnheknewhowtomakethatinstrumenttalk，thevibrato：fiftypoundsayeartheysayhehadinGardinerstreet。Mollywasinfinevoicethatday，theStabatMaterofRossini。
FatherBernardVaughan’ssermonfirst。ChristorPilate？Christ，butdon’tkeepusallnightoverit。Musictheywanted。Footdrillstopped。Couldhearapindrop。Itoldhertopitchhervoiceagainstthatcorner。Icouldfeelthethrillintheair，thefull，thepeoplelookingup：
Quisesthomo！
Someofthatoldsacredmusicissplendid。Mercadante：sevenlastwords。
Mozart’stwelfthmass：theGloriainthat。Thoseoldpopeswerekeenonmusic，onartandstatuesandpicturesofallkinds。Palestrinaforexampletoo。Theyhadagayoldtimewhileitlasted。Healthytoochanting，regularhours，thenbrewliqueurs。Benedictine。GreenChartreuse。Still，havingeunuchsintheirchoirthatwascomingitabitthick。Whatkindofvoiceisit？Mustbecurioustohearaftertheirownstrongbasses。
Connoisseurs。Supposetheywouldn’tfeelanythingafter。Kindofaplacid。
Noworry。Fallintofleshdon’tthey？Gluttons，tall，longlegs。Whoknows？
Eunuch。Onewayoutofit。
Hesawthepriestbenddownandkissthealtarandthenfaceaboutandblessallthepeople。Allcrossedthemselvesandstoodup。MrBloomglancedabouthimandthenstoodup，lookingovertherisenhats。Standupatthegospelofcourse。Thenallsettleddownontheirkneesagainandhesatbackquietlyinhisbench。Thepriestcamedownfromthealtar，holdingthethingoutfromhim，andheandthemassboyansweredeachotherinLatin。
Thenthepriestkneltdownandbegantoreadoffacard：
OGod，ourrefugeandourstrength。
MrBloomputhisfaceforwardtocatchthewords。English。Throwthemthebone。Irememberslightly。Howlongsinceyourlastmass？Gloriaandimmaculatevirgin。Josephherspouse。PeterandPaul。Moreinterestingifyouunderstoodwhatitwasallabout。Wonderfulorganisationcertainly，goeslikeclockwork。Confession。Everyonewantsto。ThenIwilltellyouall。Penance。Punishme，please。GreatweaponIntheirhands。Morethandoctororsolicitor。Womandyingto。AndIschschschschschsch。Anddidyouchachachachacha？Andwhydidyou？Lookdownatherringtofindanexcuse。Whisperinggallerywallshaveears。Husbandlearntohissurprise。
God’slittlejoke。Thenoutshecomes。Repentanceskindeep。Lovelyshame。
Prayatanaltar。HailMaryandHolyMary。Flowers，incense，candlesmelting。
Hideherblushes。Salvationarmyblatantimitation。Reformedprostitutewilladdressthemeeting。HowIfoundtheLord。SquareheadedchapsthosemustbeinRome：theyworkthewholeshow。Anddon’ttheyrakeinthemoneytoo？Bequestsalso：totheP。P。forthetimebeinginhisabsolutediscretion。
Massesforthereposeofmysoultobesaidpubliclywithopendoors。Monasteriesandconvents。ThepriestintheFermanaghwillcaseinthewitnessbox。