Thehousestewardoftheamalgamatedcats’anddogs’homewasinattendancetoconveythesevesselswhenreplenishedtothatbeneficentinstitution。
Quiteanexcellentrepastconsistingofrashersandeggs,friedsteakandonions,donetoanicety,delicioushotbreakfastrollsandinvigoratingteahadbeenconsideratelyprovidedbytheauthoritiesfortheconsumptionofthecentralfigureofthetragedywhowasincapitalspiritswhenpreparedfordeathandevincedthekeenestinterestintheproceedingsfrombeginningtoendbuthe,withanabnegationrareintheseourtimes,rosenoblytotheoccasionandexpressedthedyingwishimmediatelyaccededtothatthemealshouldbedividedinaliquotpartsamongthemembersofthesickandindigentroomkeeper’sassociationasatokenofhisregardandesteem。
Thenecandnonplusultraofemotionwerereachedwhentheblushingbrideelectburstherwaythroughtheserriedranksofthebystandersandflungherselfuponthemuscularbosomofhimwhowasabouttobelaunchedintoeternityforhersake。TheherofoldedherwillowyforminalovingembracemurmuringfondlySheila,myown。Encouragedbythisuseofherchristiannameshekissedpassionatelyallthevarioussuitableareasofhispersonwhichthedecenciesofprisongarbpermittedherardourtoreach。Shesworetohimastheymingledthesaltstreamsoftheirtearsthatshewouldcherishhismemory,thatshewouldneverforgetherheroboywhowenttohisdeathwithasongonhislipsasifhewerebutgoingtoahurlingmatchinClonturkpark。ShebroughtbacktohisrecollectionthehappydaysofblissfulchildhoodtogetheronthebanksofAnnaLiffeywhentheyhadindulgedintheinnocentpastimesoftheyoungand,obliviousofthedreadfulpresent,theybothlaughedheartily,allthespectators,includingthevenerablepastor,joininginthegeneralmerriment。Thatmonsteraudiencesimplyrockedwithdelight。Butanontheywereovercomewithgriefandclaspedtheirhandsforthelasttime。Afreshtorrentoftearsburstfromtheirlachrymalductsandthevastconcourseofpeople,touchedtotheinmostcore,brokeintoheartrendingsobs,nottheleastaffectedbeingtheagedprebendaryhimself。Bigstrongmen,officersofthepeaceandgenialgiantsoftheroyalIrishconstabulary,weremakingfrankuseoftheirhandkerchiefsanditissafetosaythattherewasnotadryeyeinthatrecordassemblage。AmostromanticincidentoccurredwhenahandsomeyoungOxfordgraduate,notedforhischivalrytowardsthefairsex,steppedforwardand,presentinghisvisitingcard,bankbookandgenealogicaltree,solicitedthehandofthehaplessyounglady,requestinghertonametheday,andwasacceptedonthespot。Everyladyintheaudiencewaspresentedwithatastefulsouveniroftheoccasionintheshapeofaskullandcrossbonesbrooch,atimelyandgenerousactwhichevokedafreshoutburstofemotion:andwhenthegallantyoungOxonianthebearer,bytheway,ofoneofthemosttimehonourednamesinAlbion’shistory
placedonthefingerofhisblushingfiancé;eanexpensiveengagementringwithemeraldssetintheformofafourleavedshamrockexcitementknewnobounds。Nay,eventhesternprovostmarshal,lieutenantcolonelTomkin-MaxwellffrenchmullanTomlinson,whopresidedonthesadoccasion,hewhohadblownaconsiderablenumberofsepoysfromthecannonmouthwithoutflinching,couldnotnowrestrainhisnaturalemotion。Withhismailedgauntlethebrushedawayafurtivetearandwasoverheardbythoseprivilegedburgherswhohappenedtobeinhisimmediateentouragetomurmurtohimselfinafalteringundertone:
Godblimeyifsheaintaclinker,thattherebleedingtart。Blimeyitmakesmekindofbleedingcry,straight,itdoes,whenIseeshercauseIthinksofmyoldmashtubwhat’swaitingformedownLimehouseway。
SothenthecitizensbegintalkingabouttheIrishlanguageandthecorporationmeetingandalltothatandtheshoneensthatcan’tspeaktheirownlanguageandJoechippinginbecausehestucksomeoneforaquidandBloomputtinginhisoldgoowithhistwopennystumpthathecadgedoffJoeandtalkingabouttheGaelicleagueandtheantitreatingleagueanddrink,thecurseofIreland。Antitreatingisaboutthesizeofit。Gob,he’dletyoupourallmannerofdrinkdownhisthroattilltheLordwouldcallhimbeforeyou’deverseethefrothofhispint。AndonenightIwentinwithafellowintooneoftheirmusicalevenings,songanddanceaboutshecouldgetuponatrussofhayshecouldmyMaureenLay,andtherewasafellowwithaBallyhoolyblueribbonbadgespiffingoutofhiminIrishandalotofcolleenbawnsgoingaboutwithtemperancebeveragesandsellingmedalsandorangesandlemonadeandafewolddrybuns,gob,flahoolaghentertainment,don’tbetalking。IrelandsoberisIrelandfree。
Andthenanoldfellowstartsblowingintohisbagpipesandallthegougersshufflingtheirfeettothetunetheoldcowdiedof。Andoneortwoskypilotshavinganeyearoundthattherewasnogoingsonwiththefemales,hittingbelowthebelt。
Sohowandever,asIwassaying,theolddogseeingthetinwasemptystartsmousingaroundbyJoeandme。I’dtrainhimbykindness,soIwould,ifhewasmydog。Givehimarousingfinekicknowandagainwhereitwouldn’tblindhim。
Afraidhe’llbiteyou?saysthecitizen,sneering。
No,says1。Buthemighttakemylegforalampost。
Sohecallstheolddogover。
What’sonyou,Garry?sayshe。
ThenhestartshaulingandmaulingandtalkingtohiminIrishandtheoldtowsergrowling,lettingontoanswer,likeaduetintheopera。Suchgrowlingyouneverheardastheyletoffbetweenthem。Someonethathasnothingbettertodooughttowritealetterpmbonopublicotothepapersaboutthemuzzlingorderforadogthelikeofthat。Growlingandgrousingandhiseyeallbloodshotfromthedrouthisinitandthehydrophobiadroppingoutofhisjaws。
AllthosewhoareinterestedinthespreadofhumancultureamongtheloweranimalsandtheirnameislegionshouldmakeapointofnotmissingthereallymarvellousexhibitionofcynanthropygivenbythefamousoldIrishredwolfdogsetterformerlyknownbythesobriquetofGarryowenandrecentlyrechristenedbyhislargecircleoffriendsandacquaintancesOwenGarry。Theexhibition,whichistheresultofyearsoftrainingbykindnessandacarefullythoughtoutdietarysystem,comprises,amongotherachievements,therecitationofverse。Ourgreatestlivingphoneticexpertwildhorsesshallnotdragitfromus!hasleftnostoneunturnedinhiseffortstodelucidateandcomparetheverserecitedandhasfounditbearsastrikingresemblancetheitalicsareourstotherannsofancientCelticbards。WearenotspeakingsomuchofthosedelightfullovesongswithwhichthewriterwhoconcealshisidentityunderthegracefulpseudonymoftheLittleSweetBranchhasfamiliarisedthebooklovingworldbutratherasacontributorD。O。C。pointsoutinaninterestingcommunicationpublishedbyaneveningcontemporaryoftheharsherandmorepersonalnotewhichisfoundinthesatiricaleffusionsofthefamousRafteryandofDonaldMacConsidinetosaynothingofamoremodernlyristatpresentverymuchinthepubliceye。WesubjoinaspecimenwhichhasbeenrenderedintoEnglishbyaneminentscholarwhosenameforthemomentwearenotatlibertytodisclosethoughwebelieveourreaderswillfindthetopicalallusionrathermorethananindication。Themetricalsystemofthecanineoriginal,whichrecallstheintricatealliterativeandisosyllabicrulesoftheWelshenglyn,isinfinitelymorecomplicatedbutwebelieveourreaderswillagreethatthespirithasbeenwellcaught。PerhapsitshouldbeaddedthattheeffectisgreatlyincreasedifOwen’sversebespokensomewhatslowlyandindistinctlyinatonesuggestiveofsuppressedrancour。ThecurseofmycursesSevendayseverydayAndsevendryThursdaysOnyou,BarneyKiernan,HasnosupofwaterTocoolmycourage,AndmygutsredroaringAfterLowry’slights。SohetoldTerrytobringsomewaterforthedogand,gob,youcouldhearhimlappingitupamileoff。AndJoeaskedhimwouldhehaveanother。
Iwill,sayshe,achara,toshowthere’snoillfeeling。
Gob,he’snotasgreenashe’scabbagelooking。Arsingaroundfromonepubtoanother,leavingittoyourownhonour,witholdGiltrap’sdogandgettingfedupbytheratepayersandcorporators。Entertainmentformanandbeast。AndsaysJoe:
Couldyoumakeaholeinanotherpint?
Couldaswimduck?saysI。
Sameagain,Terry,saysJoe。Areyousureyouwon’thaveanythinginthewayofliquidrefreshment?sayshe。
Thankyou,no,saysBloom。AsamatteroffactIjustwantedtomeetMartinCunningham,don’tyousee,aboutthisinsuranceofpoorDignam’s。
Martinaskedmetogotothehouse。Yousee,he,Dignam,Imean,didn’tserveanynoticeoftheassignmentonthecompanyatthetimeandnominallyundertheactthemortgageecan’trecoveronthepolicy。
HolyWars,saysJoelaughing,that’sagoodoneifoldShylockislanded。Sothewifecomesouttopdog,what?
Well,that’sapoint,saysBloom,forthewife’sadmirers。
Whoseadmirers?saysJoe。
Thewife’sadvisers,Imean,saysBloom。
ThenhestartsallconfusedmuckingitupaboutthemortgagorundertheactlikethelordchancellorgivingitoutonthebenchandforthebenefitofthewifeandthatatrustiscreatedbutontheotherhandthatDignamowedBridgemanthemoneyandifnowthewifeorthewidowcontestedthemortgagee’srighttillhenearhadtheheadofmeaddledwithhismortgagorundertheact。Hewasbloodysafehewasn’truninhimselfundertheactthattimeasarogueandvagabondonlyhehadafriendincourt。SellingbazaarticketsorwhatdoyoucallitroyalHungarianprivilegedlottery。
Trueasyourethere。O,commendmetoanisraelite!RoyalandprivilegedHungarianrobbery。
SoBobDorancomeslurchingaroundaskingBloomtotellMrsDignamhewassorryforhertroubleandhewasverysorryaboutthefuneralandtotellherthathesaidandeveryonewhoknewhimsaidthattherewasneveratruer,afinerthanpoorlittleWillythat’sdeadtotellher。Chokingwithbloodyfoolery。AndshakingBloom’shanddoingthetragictotellherthat。Shakehands,brother。You’rearogueandI’manother。
Letme,saidhe,sofarpresumeuponouracquaintancewhich,howeverslightitmayappearifjudgedbythestandardofmeretime,isfounded,asIhopeandbelieve,onasentimentofmutualesteem,astorequestofyouthisfavour。But,shouldIhaveoversteppedthelimitsofreserveletthesincerityofmyfeelingsbetheexcuseformyboldness。
No,rejoinedtheother,IappreciatetothefullthemotiveswhichactuateyourconductandIshalldischargetheofficeyouentrusttomeconsoledbythereflectionthat,thoughtheerrandbeoneofsorrow,thisproofofyourconfidencesweetensinsomemeasurethebitternessofthecup。
Thensuffermetotakeyourhand,saidhe。Thegoodnessofyourheart,Ifeelsure,willdictatetoyoubetterthanmyinadequatewordstheexpressionswhicharemostsuitabletoconveyanemotionwhosepoignancy,wereItogiveventtomyfeelings,woulddeprivemeevenofspeech。
Andoffwithhimandouttryingtowalkstraight。Boosedatfiveo’clock。
NighthewasnearbeinglaggedonlyPaddyLeonardknewthebobby,14A。
BlindtotheworldupinashebeeninBridestreetafterclosingtime,fornicatingwithtwoshawlsandabullyonguard,drinkingporteroutofteacups。AndcallinghimselfaFrenchyfortheshawls,JosephManuo,andtalkingagainstthecatholicreligionandheservingmassinAdamandEve’swhenhewasyoungwithhiseyesshutwhowrotethenewtestamentandtheoldtestamentandhuggingandsnugging。Andthetwoshawlskilledwiththelaughing,pickinghispocketsthebloodyfoolandhespillingtheporteralloverthebedandthetwoshawlsscreechinglaughingatoneanother。Howisyourtestament?Haveyougotanoldtestament?OnlyPaddywaspassingthere,Itellyouwhat。ThenseehimofaSundaywithhislittleconcubineofawife,andshewagginghertailuptheaisleofthechapel,withherpatentbootsonher,noless,andherviolets,niceaspie,doingthelittlelady。JackMooney’ssister。Andtheoldprostituteofamotherprocuringroomstostreetcouples。Gob,Jackmadehimtoetheline。Toldhimifhedidn’tpatchupthepot,Jesus,he’dkicktheshiteoutofhim。
SoTerrybroughtthethreepints。
Here,saysJoe,doingthehonours。Here,citizen。
Slanleat,sayshe。
Fortune,Joe,saysI。Goodhealth,citizen。
Gob,hehadhismouthhalfwaydownthetumbleralready。Wantasmallfortunetokeephimindrinks。
Whoisthelongfellowrunningforthemayoralty,Alf?saysJoe。
Friendofyours,saysAlf。
Nannan?saysJoe。Themimber?
Iwon’tmentionanynames,saysAlf。
Ithoughtso,saysJoe。IsawhimupatthatmeetingnowwithWilliamField,M。P。,thecattletraders。HairyIopas,saysthecitizen,thatexplodedvolcano,thedarlingofallcountriesandtheidolofhisown。
SoJoestartstellingthecitizenaboutthefootandmouthdiseaseandthecattletradersandtakingactioninthematterandthecitizensendingthemalltotherightaboutandBloomcomingoutwithhissheepdipforthescabandahoosedrenchforcoughingcalvesandtheguaranteedremedyfortimbertongue。Becausehewasuponetimeinaknacker’syard。Walkingaboutwithhisbookandpencilhere’smyheadandmyheelsarecomingtillJoeCuffegavehimtheorderofthebootforgivingliptoagrazier。MisterKnowall。Teachyourgrandmotherhowtomilkducks。PisserBurkewastellingmeinthehotelthewifeusedtobeinriversoftearssometimeswithMrsO’Dowdcryinghereyesoutwithhereightinchesoffatalloverher。Couldn’tloosenherfartingstringsbutoldcod’seyewaswaltzingaroundhershowingherhowtodoit。What’syourprogrammetoday?Ay。Humanemethods。Becausethepooranimalssufferandexpertssayandthebestknownremedythatdoesn’tcausepaintotheanimalandonthesorespotadministergently。
Gob,he’dhaveasofthandunderahen。