Улисс

           16yearsafterin1920whenStephenwouldbeofBloom’spresentageBloomwouldbe54.In1936whenBloomwouldbe70andStephen54theiragesinitiallyintheratioof16to0wouldbeas171/2to131/2,theproportionincreasingandthedisparitydiminishingaccordingasarbitraryfutureyearswereadded,foriftheproportionexistingin1883hadcontinuedimmutable,conceivingthattobepossible,tillthen1904whenStephenwas22Bloomwouldbe374andin1920whenStephenwouldbe38,asBloomthenwas,Bloomwouldbe646whilein1952whenStephenwouldhaveattainedthemaximumpostdiluvianageof70Bloom,being1190yearsalivehavingbeenbornintheyear714,wouldhavesurpassedby221yearsthemaximumantediluvianage,thatofMethusalah,969years,while,ifStephenwouldcontinuetoliveuntilhewouldattainthatageintheyear3072A.D.,Bloomwouldhavebeenobligedtohavebeenalive83,300years,havingbeenobligedtohavebeenbornintheyear81,396B.C.

           Whateventsmightnullifythesecalculations?

           Thecessationofexistenceofbothoreither,theinaugurationofaneweraorcalendar,theannihilationoftheworldandconsequentexterminationofthehumanspecies,inevitablebutimpredictable.

           Howmanypreviousencountersprovedtheirpreexistingacquaintance?

           Two.ThefirstinthelilacgardenofMatthewDillon’shouse,MedinaVilla,Kimmageroad,Roundtown,in1887,inthecompanyofStephen’smother,Stephenbeingthenoftheageof5andreluctanttogivehishandinsalutation.