Улисс

           IsawthreegenerationssinceO’Connell’stime.Irememberthefaminein’46.DoyouknowthattheorangelodgesagitatedforrepealoftheuniontwentyyearsbeforeO’Connelldidorbeforetheprelatesofyourcommuniondenouncedhimasademagogue?Youfeniansforgetsomethings.

           Glorious,piousandimmortalmemory.ThelodgeofDiamondinArmaghthesplendidbehungwithcorpsesofpapishes.Hoarse,maskedandarmed,theplanters’covenant.Theblacknorthandtruebluebible.Croppiesliedown.

           Stephensketchedabriefgesture.

           —Ihaverebelbloodinmetoo,MrDeasysaid.Onthespindleside.ButIamdescendedfromsirJohnBlackwoodwhovotedfortheunion.WeareallIrish,allkings’sons.

           —Alas,Stephensaid.

           —Perviasrectas,MrDeasysaidfirmly,washismotto.HevotedforitandputonhistopbootstoridetoDublinfromtheArdsofDowntodoso.

           Laltheralthera

           TherockyroadtoDublin.

           Agruffsquireonhorsebackwithshinytopboots.Softday,sirJohn!Softday,yourhonour!...Day!...Day!...TwotopbootsjogdanglingontoDublin.Laltheralthera.Laltheraltheraddy.

           —Thatremindsme,MrDeasysaid.Youcandomeafavour,MrDedalus,withsomeofyourliteraryfriends.Ihavealetterhereforthepress.Sitdownamoment.Ihavejusttocopytheend.

           Hewenttothedesknearthewindow,pulledinhischairtwiceandreadoffsomewordsfromthesheetonthedrumofhistypewriter.

           —Sitdown.Excuseme,hesaidoverhisshoulder,thedictatesofcommonsense.Justamoment.