Улісс

           Maeterlincksays:IfSocratesleavehishousetodayhewillfindthesageseatedonhisdoorstep.IfJudasgoforthtonightitistoJudashisstepswilltend.Everylifeismanydays,dayafterday.Wewalkthroughourselves,meetingrobbers,ghosts,giants,oldmen,youngmen,wives,widows,brothers-in-love,butalwaysmeetingourselves.Theplaywrightwhowrotethefolioofthisworldandwroteitbadly(Hegaveuslightfirstandthesuntwodayslater),thelordofthingsastheyarewhomthemostRomanofcatholicscalldioboia,hangmangod,isdoubtlessallinallinallofus,ostlerandbutcher,andwouldbebawdandcuckoldtoobutthatintheeconomyofheaven,foretoldbyHamlet,therearenomoremarriages,glorifiedman,anandrogynousangel,beingawifeuntohimself.

           —Eureka!BuckMulligancried.Eureka!

           SuddenlyhappiedhejumpedupandreachedinastrideJohnEglinton’sdesk.

           —MayI?hesaid.TheLordhasspokentoMalachi.

           Hebegantoscribbleonaslipofpaper.

           Takesomeslipsfromthecountergoingout.

           —Thosewhoaremarried,MrBest,douceherald,said,allsaveone,shalllive.Therestshallkeepastheyare.

           Helaughed,unmarried,atEglintonJohannes,ofartsabachelor.

           Unwed,unfancied,wareofwiles,theyfingerpondernightlyeachhisvariorumeditionofTheTamingoftheShrew.

           —Youareadelusion,saidroundlyJohnEglintontoStephen.YouhavebroughtusallthiswaytoshowusaFrenchtriangle.Doyoubelieveyourowntheory?

           —No,Stephensaidpromptly.

           —Areyougoingtowriteit?MrBestasked.