Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 2
—Andwasheannoyed,Simon?
—Annoyed?Nothe!MANLYLITTLECHAP!hesaid.
MrDedalusimitatedthemincingnasaltoneoftheprovincial.
FatherDolanandI,whenItoldthemallatdinneraboutit,FatherDolanandIhadagreatlaughoverit.YOUBETTERMINDYOURSELFFATHERDOLAN,saidI,ORYOUNGDEDALUSWILLSENDYOUUPFORTWICENINE.Wehadafamouslaughtogetheroverit.Ha!Ha!Ha!
MrDedalusturnedtohiswifeandinterjectedinhisnaturalvoice:
—Showsyouthespiritinwhichtheytaketheboysthere.O,ajesuitforyourlife,fordiplomacy!
Hereassumedtheprovincial’svoiceandrepeated:
—ITOLDTHEMALLATDINNERABOUTITANDFATHERDOLANANDIANDALLOFUSWEHADAHEARTYLAUGHTOGETHEROVERIT.HA!HA!HA!
***
ThenightoftheWhitsuntideplayhadcomeandStephenfromthewindowofthedressing-roomlookedoutonthesmallgrass-plotacrosswhichlinesofChineselanternswerestretched.Hewatchedthevisitorscomedownthestepsfromthehouseandpassintothetheatre.Stewardsineveningdress,oldBelvedereans,loiteredingroupsabouttheentrancetothetheatreandusheredinthevisitorswithCeremony.Underthesuddenglowofalanternhecouldrecognizethesmilingfaceofapriest.
