Улисс

           HisgazeturnedatoncebutslowlyfromJ.J.O’Molloy’stowardsStephen’sfaceandthenbentatoncetotheground,seeking.Hisunglazedlinencollarappearedbehindhisbenthead,soiledbyhiswitheringhair.Stillseeking,hesaid:

           —WhenFitzgibbon’sspeechhadendedJohnFTaylorrosetoreply.Briefly,aswellasIcanbringthemtomind,hiswordswerethese.

           Heraisedhisheadfirmly.Hiseyesbethoughtthemselvesoncemore.Witlessshellfishswaminthegrosslensestoandfro,seekingoutlet.

           Hebegan:

           —MrChairman,ladiesandgentlemen:GreatwasmyadmirationinlisteningtotheremarksaddressedtotheyouthofIrelandamomentsincebymylearnedfriend.ItseemedtomethatIhadbeentransportedintoacountryfarawayfromthiscountry,intoanageremotefromthisage,thatIstoodinancientEgyptandthatIwaslisteningtothespeechofsomehighpriestofthatlandaddressedtotheyouthfulMoses.

           Hislistenersheldtheircigarettespoisedtohear,theirsmokesascendinginfrailstalksthatfloweredwithhisspeech.Andletourcrookedsmokes.Noblewordscoming.Lookout.Couldyoutryyourhandatityourself?

           —AnditseemedtomethatIheardthevoiceofthatEgyptianhighpriestraisedinatoneoflikehaughtinessandlikepride.Iheardhiswordsandtheirmeaningwasrevealedtome.

           FROMTHEFATHERS

           Itwasrevealedtomethatthosethingsaregoodwhichyetarecorruptedwhichneitheriftheyweresupremelygoodnorunlesstheyweregoodcouldbecorrupted.Ah,curseyou!That’ssaintAugustine.