Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 4
Theirdiving-stone,poisedonitsrudesupportsandrockingundertheirplunges,andtherough-hewnstonesoftheslopingbreakwateroverwhichtheyscrambledintheirhorseplaygleamedwithcoldwetlustre.Thetowelswithwhichtheysmackedtheirbodieswereheavywithcoldseawater;anddrenchedwithcoldbrinewastheirmattedhair.
Hestoodstillindeferencetotheircallsandparriedtheirbanterwitheasywords.Howcharacterlesstheylooked:Shuleywithouthisdeepunbuttonedcollar,Enniswithouthisscarletbeltwiththesnakyclasp,andConnollywithouthisNorfolkcoatwiththeflaplessside-pockets!Itwasapaintoseethem,andasword-likepaintoseethesignsofadolescencethatmaderepellenttheirpitiablenakedness.Perhapstheyhadtakenrefugeinnumberandnoisefromthesecretdreadintheirsouls.Buthe,apartfromthemandinsilence,rememberedinwhatdreadhestoodofthemysteryofhisownbody.
—StephanosDedalos!BousStephanoumenos!BousStephaneforos!
Theirbanterwasnotnewtohimandnowitflatteredhismildproudsovereignty.Now,asneverbefore,hisstrangenameseemedtohimaprophecy.Sotimelessseemedthegreywarmair,sofluidandimpersonalhisownmood,thatallageswereasonetohim.AmomentbeforetheghostoftheancientkingdomoftheDaneshadlookedforththroughthevestureofthehazewrappedCity.
