Портрет художника в юности

           Arewenottofollowthemanthatwasborntoleadus?

           —Atraitortohiscountry!repliedDante.Atraitor,anadulterer!Thepriestswererighttoabandonhim.ThepriestswerealwaysthetruefriendsofIreland.

           —Werethey,faith?saidMrCasey.

           Hethrewhisfistonthetableand,frowningangrily,protrudedonefingerafteranother.

           —Didn’tthebishopsofIrelandbetrayusinthetimeoftheunionwhenBishopLaniganpresentedanaddressofloyaltytotheMarquessCornwallis?Didn’tthebishopsandpriestsselltheaspirationsoftheircountryin1829inreturnforcatholicemancipation?Didn’ttheydenouncethefenianmovementfromthepulpitandintheconfessionbox?Anddidn’ttheydishonourtheashesofTerenceBellewMacManus?

           HisfacewasglowingwithangerandStephenfelttheglowrisetohisowncheekasthespokenwordsthrilledhim.MrDedalusutteredaguffawofcoarsescorn.

           —O,byGod,hecried,IforgotlittleoldPaulCullen!AnotherappleofGod’seye!

           DantebentacrossthetableandcriedtoMrCasey:

           —Right!Right!Theywerealwaysright!Godandmoralityandreligioncomefirst.

           MrsDedalus,seeingherexcitement,saidtoher:

           —MrsRiordan,don’texciteyourselfansweringthem.

           —Godandreligionbeforeeverything!Dantecried.Godandreligionbeforetheworld.