Улисс

           Ubipatria,aswelearnedasmatteringofinourclassicaldaysinAlmaMater,vitabene.Whereyoucanlivewell,thesenseis,ifyouwork.

           Overhisuntastableapologyforacupofcoffee,listeningtothissynopsisofthingsingeneral,Stephenstaredatnothinginparticular.Hecouldhear,ofcourse,allkindsofwordschangingcolourlikethosecrabsaboutRingsendinthemorningburrowingquicklyintoallcoloursofdifferentsortsofthesamesandwheretheyhadahomesomewherebeneathorseemedto.Thenhelookedupandsawtheeyesthatsaidordidn’tsaythewordsthevoiceheheardsaid,ifyouwork.

           —Countmeout,hemanagedtoremark,meaningwork.

           Theeyesweresurprisedatthisobservationbecauseashe,thepersonwhoownedthemprotem.observedorratherhisvoicespeakingdid,allmustwork,haveto,together.

           —Imean,ofcourse,theotherhastenedtoaffirm,workinthewidestpossiblesense.Alsoliterarylabournotmerelyforthekudosofthething.Writingforthenewspaperswhichisthereadiestchannelnowadays.That’sworktoo.Importantwork.Afterall,fromthelittleIknowofyou,afterallthemoneyexpendedonyoureducationyouareentitledtorecoupyourselfandcommandyourprice.Youhaveeverybitasmuchrighttolivebyyourpeninpursuitofyourphilosophyasthepeasanthas.What?YoubothbelongtoIreland,thebrainandthebrawn.Eachisequallyimportant.

           —Yoususpect,Stephenretortedwithasortofahalflaugh,thatImaybeimportantbecauseIbelongtothefaubourgSaintPatricecalledIrelandforshort.

           —Iwouldgoastepfarther,MrBloominsinuated.