Портрет художника в юности

           Greatmusic!

           TheyturnedintoLowerMountStreet.Afewstepsfromthecornerafatyoungman,wearingasilkneckcloth,salutedthemandstopped.

           —Didyouheartheresultsoftheexams?heasked.Griffinwasplucked.HalpinandO’Flynnarethroughthehomecivil.MoonangotfifthplaceintheIndian.O’Shaughnessygotfourteenth.TheIrishfellowsinClark’sgavethemafeedlastnight.Theyallatecurry.

           Hispallidbloatedfaceexpressedbenevolentmaliceand,ashehadadvancedthroughhistidingsofsuccess,hissmallfat-encircledeyesvanishedoutofsightandhisweakwheezingvoiceoutofhearing.

           InreplytoaquestionofStephen’shiseyesandhisvoicecameforthagainfromtheirlurking-places.

           —Yes,MacCullaghandI;hesaid.He’stakingpuremathematicsandI’mtakingconstitutionalhistory.Therearetwentysubjects.I’mtakingbotanytoo.YouknowI’mamemberofthefieldclub.

           Hedrewbackfromtheothertwoinastatelyfashionandplacedaplumpwoollen-glovedhandonhisbreastfromwhichmutteredwheezinglaughteratoncebrokeforth.

           —Bringusafewturnipsandonionsthenexttimeyougoout,saidStephendrily,tomakeastew.

           Thefatstudentlaughedindulgentlyandsaid:

           —Weareallhighlyrespectablepeopleinthefieldclub.LastSaturdaywewentouttoGlenmalure,sevenofus.

           —Withwomen,Donovan?saidLynch.