Портрет художника в юності

           Addressingitasitlay,hesaid:

           —Departfromme,yecursed,intoeverlastingfire!TakingStephen’sarms,hewentonagainandsaid:

           —DoyounotfearthatthosewordsmaybespokentoyouonthedayofJudgement?

           —Whatisofferedmeontheotherhand?Stephenasked.Aneternityofblissinthecompanyofthedeanofstudies?

           —Remember,Cranlysaid,thathewouldbeglorified.

           —Ay,Stephensaidsomewhatbitterly,bright,agile,impassibleand,aboveall,subtle.

           —Itisacuriousthing,doyouknow,Cranlysaiddispassionately,howyourmindissupersaturatedwiththereligioninwhichyousayyoudisbelieve.Didyoubelieveinitwhenyouwereatschool?Ibetyoudid.

           —Idid,Stephenanswered.

           —Andwereyouhappierthen?Cranlyaskedsoftly,happierthanyouarenow,forinstance?

           —Oftenhappy,Stephensaid,andoftenunhappy.Iwassomeoneelsethen.

           —Howsomeoneelse?Whatdoyoumeanbythatstatement?

           —Imean,saidStephen,thatIwasnotmyselfasIamnow,asIhadtobecome.

           —Notasyouarenow,notasyouhadtobecome,Cranlyrepeated.Letmeaskyouaquestion.Doyouloveyourmother?

           Stephenshookhisheadslowly.

           —Idon’tknowwhatyourwordsmean,hesaidsimply.

           —Haveyouneverlovedanyone?Cranlyasked.