Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 2
Fromforceofhabithehadwrittenatthetopofthefirstpagetheinitiallettersofthejesuitmotto:A.M.D.G.Onthefirstlineofthepageappearedthetitleoftheverseshewastryingtowrite:ToE—C—.HeknewitwasrighttobeginsoforhehadseensimilartitlesinthecollectedpoemsofLordByron.Whenhehadwrittenthistitleanddrawnanornamentallineunderneathhefellintoadaydreamandbegantodrawdiagramsonthecoverofthebook.HesawhimselfsittingathistableinBraythemorningafterthediscussionattheChristmasdinnertable,tryingtowriteapoemaboutParnellonthebackofoneofhisfather’ssecondmoietynotices.Buthisbrainhadthenrefusedtograpplewiththethemeand,desisting,hehadcoveredthepagewiththenamesandaddressesofcertainofhisclassmates:
RoderickKickhamJohnLawtonAnthonyMacSwineySimonMoonan
Nowitseemedasifhewouldfailagainbut,bydintofbroodingontheincident,hethoughthimselfintoconfidence.Duringthisprocessallthoseelementswhichhedeemedcommonandinsignificantfelloutofthescene.Thereremainednotraceofthetramitselfnorofthetram-mennorofthehorses:nordidheandsheappearvividly.Theversestoldonlyofthenightandthebalmybreezeandthemaidenlustreofthemoon.Someundefinedsorrowwashiddenintheheartsoftheprotagonistsastheystoodinsilencebeneaththeleaflesstreesandwhenthemomentoffarewellhadcomethekiss,whichhadbeenwithheldbyone,wasgivenbyboth.AfterthisthelettersL.
