Улисс

           —Isthatso?MrBloomasked.Ofcourse,hesubjoinedpensively,attheinwardreflectionoftherebeingmorelanguagestostartwiththanwereabsolutelynecessary,itmaybeonlythesouthernglamourthatsurroundsit.

           Thekeeperoftheshelterinthemiddleofthistête-à-têteputaboilingswimmingcupofachoiceconcoctionlabelledcoffeeonthetableandaratherantediluvianspecimenofabun,orsoitseemed.Afterwhichhebeataretreattohiscounter,MrBloomdeterminingtohaveagoodsquarelookathimlateronsoasnottoappearto.ForwhichreasonheencouragedStephentoproceedwithhiseyeswhilehedidthehonoursbysurreptitiouslypushingthecupofwhatwastemporarilysupposedtobecalledcoffeegraduallynearerhim.

           —Soundsareimpostures,Stephensaidafterapauseofsomelittletime,likenames.Cicero,Podmore,Napoleon,MrGoodbody.Jesus,MrDoyle.ShakespeareswereascommonasMurphies.What’sinaname?

           —Yes,tobesure,MrBloomunaffectedlyconcurred.Ofcourse.Ournamewaschangedtoo,headded,pushingthesocalledrollacross.

           TheredbeardedsailorwhohadhisweathereyeonthenewcomersboardedStephen,whomhehadsingledoutforattentioninparticular,squarelybyasking:

           —Andwhatmightyournamebe?

           JustinthenickoftimeMrBloomtouchedhiscompanion’sbootbutStephen,apparentlydisregardingthewarmpressurefromanunexpectedquarter,answered:

           —Dedalus.

           Thesailorstaredathimheavilyfromapairofdrowsybaggyeyes,ratherbungedupfromexcessiveuseofboose,preferablygoodoldHollandsandwater.