Oyes，J。J。O’Molloysaideagerly。LadyDudleywaswalkinghomethroughtheparktoseeallthetreesthatwereblowndownbythatcyclonelastyearandthoughtshe’dbuyaviewofDublin。AnditturnedouttobeacommemorationpostcardofJoeBradyorNumberOneorSkin-the-goat。Rightoutsidetheviceregallodge，imagine！
They’reonlyinthehookandeyedepartment，MylesCrawfordsaid。
Psha！Pressandthebar！Wherehaveyouamannowatthebarlikethosefellows，likeWhiteside，likeIsaacButt，likesilvertonguedO’Hagan？Eh？
Ah，bloodynonsense！Onlyinthehalfpennyplace！
Hismouthcontinuedtotwitchunspeakinginnervouscurlsofdisdain。
Wouldanyonewishthatmouthforherkiss？Howdoyouknow？Whydidyouwriteitthen？RhymesandReasonsMouth，south。Isthemouthsouthsomeway？Orthesouthamouth？Mustbesome。South，pout，out，shout，drouth。Rhymes：twomendressedthesame，lookingthesame，twobytwo……latuapace……cheparlartipiace……mentrechè；ilvento，comefa，sitace。Hesawthemthreebythree，approachinggirls，ingreen，inrose，inrusset，entwining，perl’aerpersoinmauve，inpurple，quellapacificaoriafiamma，ingoldoforiflamme，dirimirarfepiuardenti。
ButIoldmen，penitent，leadenfooted，underdarkneaththenight：mouthsouth：tombwomb。
Speakupforyourself，MrO’MaddenBurkesaid。SufficientfortheDay……J。J。O’Molloy，smilingpalely，tookupthegage。
MydearMyles，hesaid，flinginghiscigaretteaside，youputafalseconstructiononmywords。Iholdnobrief，asatpresentadvised，forthethirdprofessionquaprofessionbutyourCorklegsarerunningawaywithyou。WhynotbringinHenryGrattanandFloodandDemosthenesandEdmundBurke？IgnatiusGallaherweallknowandhisChapelizodboss，Harmsworthofthefarthingpress，andhisAmericancousinoftheBoweryguttersheetnottomentionPaddyKelly’sBudget，Pue’sOccurrencesandourwatchfulfriendTheSkibereenEagle。WhybringinamasterofforensiceloquencelikeWhiteside？Sufficientforthedayisthenewspaperthereof。LinkswithBygoneDaysofYoreGrattanandFloodwroteforthisverypaper，theeditorcriedinhisface。
Irishvolunteers。Whereareyounow？Established1763。DrLucas。WhohaveyounowlikeJohnPhilpotCurran？Psha！
Well，J。J。O’Molloysaid，BusheK。C。，forexample。
Bushe？theeditorsaid。Well，yes。Bushe，yes。Hehasastrainofitinhisblood。KendalBusheorImeanSeymourBushe。
Hewouldhavebeenonthebenchlongago，theprofessorsaid，onlyfor……Butnomatter。
J。J。O’MolloyturnedtoStephenandsaidquietlyandslowly：
OneofthemostpolishedperiodsIthinkIeverlistenedtoinmylifefellfromthelipsofSeymourBushe。Itwasinthatcaseoffratricide，theChildsmurdercase。Bushedefendedhim。Andintheporchesofmineeardidpour。Bythewayhowdidhefindthatout？Hediedinhissleep。Ortheotherstory，beastwithtwobacks？
Whatwasthat？theprofessorasked。Italia，MagistraArtiumHespokeonthelawofevidence，J。J。O’Molloysaid，ofRomanjusticeascontrastedwiththeearlierMosaiccode，thelextalionis。AndhecitedtheMosesofMichelangelointheVatican。
Ha。
Afewwellchosenwords，Lenehanprefaced。Silence！
Pause。J。J。O’Molloytookouthiscigarettecase。Falselull。Somethingquiteordinary。
Messengertookouthismatchboxthoughtfullyandlithiscigar。
Ihaveoftenthoughtsinceonlookingbackoverthatstrangetimethatitwasthatsmallact，trivialinitself，thatstrikingofthatmatch，thatdeterminedthewholeaftercourseofbothourlives。APolishedPeriodJ。J。O’Molloyresumed，mouldinghiswords：
Hesaidofit：thatstonyeffigyinfrozenmusic，hornedandterrible，ofthehumanformdivine，thateternalsymbolofwisdomandprophecywhichifaughtthattheimaginationorthehandofsculptorhaswroughtinmarbleofsoultransfiguredandofsoultransfiguringdeservestolive，deservestolive。
Hisslimhandwithawavegracedechoandfall。
Fine！MylesCrawfordsaidatonce。
Thedivineafflatus，MrO’MaddenBurkesaid。
Youlikeit？J。J。O’MolloyaskedStephen。
Stephen，hisbloodwooedbygraceoflanguageandgesture，blushed。
Hetookacigarettefromthecase。J。J。O’MolloyofferedhiscasetoMylesCrawford。Lenehanlittheircigarettesasbeforeandtookhistrophy，saying：
Muchibusthankibus。AManofHighMoraleProfessorMagenniswasspeakingtomeaboutyou，J。J。O’MolloysaidtoStephen。Whatdoyouthinkreallyofthathermeticcrowd，theopalhushpoets：A。E。themastermystic？ThatBlavatskywomanstartedit。Shewasaniceoldbagoftricks。A。E。hasbeentellingsomeyankeeinterviewerthatyoucametohiminthesmallhoursofthemorningtoaskhimaboutplanesofconsciousness。MagennisthinksyoumusthavebeenpullingA。
E。’sleg。Heisamanoftheveryhighestmorale，Magennis。
Speakingaboutme。Whatdidhesay？Whatdidhesay？Whatdidhesayaboutme？Don’task。
No，thanks，professorMacHughsaid，wavingthecigarettecaseaside。
Waitamoment。Letmesayonething。ThefinestdisplayoforatoryIeverheardwasaspeechmadebyJohnF。Tayloratthecollegehistoricalsociety。
MrJusticeFitzgibbon，thepresentlordjusticeofappeal，hadspokenandthepaperunderdebatewasanessaynewforthosedays，advocatingtherevivaloftheIrishtongue。
HeturnedtowardsMylesCrawfordandsaid：
YouknowGeraldFitzgibbon。Thenyoucanimaginethestyleofhisdiscourse。
HeissittingwithTimHealy，J。J。O’Molloysaid，rumourhasit，ontheTrinitycollegeestatescommission。
Heissittingwithasweetthinginachild’sfrock，MylesCrawfordsaid。Goon。Well？
Itwasthespeech，markyou，theprofessorsaid，ofafinishedorator，fullofcourteoushaughtinessandpouringinchasteneddiction，Iwillnotsaythevialsofhiswrathbutpouringtheproudman’scontumelyuponthenewmovement。Itwasthenanewmovement。Wewereweak，thereforeworthless。
Heclosedhislongthinlipsaninstantbut，eagertobeon，raisedanoutspannedhandtohisspectaclesand，withtremblingthumbandringfingertouchinglightlytheblackrims，steadiedthemtoanewfocus。ImpromptuInferialtoneheaddressedJ。J。O’Molloy：
Taylorhadcomethere，youmustknow，fromasickbed。ThathehadpreparedhisspeechIdonotbelievefortherewasnotevenoneshorthandwriterinthehall。Hisdarkleanfacehadagrowthofshaggybeardroundit。
Heworealooseneckclothandaltogetherhelookedthoughhewasnot
adyingman。
HisgazeturnedatoncebutslowlyfromJ。J。O’Molloy’stowardsStephen’sfaceandthenbentatoncetotheground，seeking。Hisunglazedlinencollarappearedbehindhisbenthead，soiledbyhiswitheringhair。Stillseeking，hesaid：
WhenFitzgibbon’sspeechhadendedJohnF。Taylorrosetoreply。
Briefly，aswellasIcanbringthemtomind，hiswordswerethese。
Heraisedhisheadfirmly。Hiseyesbethoughtthemselvesoncemore。
Witlessshellfishswaminthegrosslensestoandfro，seekingoutlet。
Hebegan：
MrChairman，ladiesandgentlemen：GreatwasmyadmirationinlisteningtotheremarksaddressedtotheyouthofIrelandamomentsincebymylearnedfriend。ItseemedtomethatIhadbeentransportedintoacountryfarawayfromthiscountry，intoanageremotefromthisage，thatIstoodinancientEgyptandthatIwaslisteningtothespeechofsomehighpriestofthatlandaddressedtotheyouthfulMoses。
Hislistenersheldtheircigarettespoisedtohear，theirsmokeascendinginfrailstalksthatfloweredwithhisspeech。Andletourcrookedsmokes。
Noblewordscoming。Lookout。Couldyoutryyourhandatityourself？
AnditseemedtomethatIheardthevoiceofthatEgyptianhighpriestraisedinatoneoflikehaughtinessandlikepride。Iheardhiswordsandtheirmeaningwasrevealedtome。FromtheFathersItwasrevealedtomethatthosethingsaregoodwhichyetarecorruptedwhichneitheriftheyweresupremelygoodnorunlesstheyweregoodcouldbecorrupted。Ah，curseyou！That’ssaintAugustine。
Whywillyoujewsnotacceptourculture，ourreligionandourlanguage？Youareatribeofnomadherdsmen；weareamightypeople。Youhavenocitiesnornowealth：ourcitiesarehivesofhumanityandourgalleys，triremeandquadrireme，ladenwithallmannermerchandisefurrowthewatersoftheknownglobe。Youhavebutemergedfromprimitiveconditions：
wehavealiterature，apriesthood，anagelonghistoryandapolity。
Nile。
Child，man，effigy。
BytheNilebankthebabemarieskneel，cradleofbulrushes：amansuppleincombat：stonehorned，stonebearded，heartofstone。
Youpraytoalocalandobscureidol：ourtemples，majesticandmysterious，aretheabodesofIsisandOsiris，ofHorusandAmmonRa。Yoursserfdom，aweandhumbleness：oursthunderandtheseas。Israelisweakandfewareherchildren：Egyptisanhostandterribleareherarms。Vagrantsanddaylabourersareyoucalled：theworldtremblesatourname。
Adumbbelchofhungerclefthisspeech。Heliftedhisvoiceaboveitboldly：
But，ladiesandgentlemen，hadtheyouthfulMoseslistenedtoandacceptedthatviewoflife，hadhebowedhisheadandbowedhiswillandbowedhisspiritbeforethatarrogantadmonitionhewouldneverhavebroughtthechosenpeopleoutoftheirhouseofbondagenorfollowedthepillarofthecloudbyday。HewouldneverhavespokenwiththeEternalamidlightningsonSinai’smountaintopnoreverhavecomedownwiththelightofinspirationshininginhiscountenanceandbearinginhisarmsthetablesofthelaw，graveninthelanguageoftheoutlaw。
Heceasedandlookedatthem，enjoyingsilence。Ominous-forHim！J。J。O’Molloysaidnotwithoutregret：
Andyethediedwithouthavingenteredthelandofpromise。
Asudden-at-the-moment-though-from-lingering-illness-often-previously-expectorated-demise，Lenehansaid。Andwithagreatfuturebehindhim。
Thetroopofbarefeetwasheardrushingalongthehallwayandpatteringupthestaircase。
Thatisoratory，theprofessorsaid，uncontradicted。
Gonewiththewind。HostsatMullaghmastandTaraofthekings。Milesofearsofporches。Thetribune’swordshowledandscatteredtothefourwinds。Apeopleshelteredwithinhisvoice。Deadnoise。Akasicrecordsofallthateveranywherewhereverwas。Loveandlaudhim：menomoreIhavemoney。
Gentlemen，Stephensaid。AsthenextmotionontheagendapapermayIsuggestthatthehousedonowadjourn？
Youtakemybreathaway。ItisnotperchanceaFrenchcompliment？
MrO’MaddenBurkeasked。’Tisthehour，methinks，whenthewinejug，metaphoricallyspeaking，ismostgratefulinYeancienthostelry。
Thatitbeandherebyisresolutelyresolved。Allwhoareinfavoursayay，Lenehanannounced。Thecontraryno。Ideclareitcarried。Towhichparticularboosingshed？……Mycastingvoteis：Mooney’s！
Heledtheway，admonishing：
Wewillsternlyrefusetopartakeofstrongwaters，willwenot？
Yes，wewillnot。Bynomannerofmeans。
MrO’MaddenBurke，followingclose，saidwithanally’slungeofhisumbrella：
Layon，Macduff！
Chipoftheoldblock！theeditorcried，slappingStephenontheshoulder。Letusgo。Wherearethoseblastedkeys？
Hefumbledinhispocket，pullingoutthecrushedtypesheets。
Footandmouth。Iknow。That’llbeallright。That’llgoin。Wherearethey？That’sallright。
Hethrustthesheetsbackandwentintotheinneroffice。LetUsHopeJ。J。O’Molloy，abouttofollowhimin，saidquietlytoStephen：
Ihopeyouwilllivetoseeitpublished。Myles，onemoment。
Hewentintotheinneroffice，closingthedoorbehindhim。
Comealong，Stephen，theprofessorsaid。Thatisfine，isn’tit？
Ithasthepropheticvision。FuitIlium！ThesackofwindyTroy。
Kingdomsofthisworld。ThemastersoftheMediterraneanarefellaheentoday。
Thefirstnewsboycamepatteringdownthestairsattheirheelsandrushedoutintothestreet，yelling：