III
Chapter 1
PreparatorytoanythingelseMrBloombrushedoffthegreaterbulkoftheshavingsandhandedStephenthehatandashplantandbuckedhimupgenerallyinorthodoxSamaritanfashionwhichheverybadlyneeded.His(Stephen’s)mindwasnotexactlywhatyouwouldcallwanderingbutabitunsteadyandonhisexpresseddesireforsomebeveragetodrinkMrBloominviewofthehouritwasandtherebeingnopumpofVartrywateravailablefortheirablutionsletalonedrinkingpurposeshituponanexpedientbysuggesting,offthereel,theproprietyofthecabman’sshelter,asitwascalled,hardlyastonesthrowawaynearButtbridgewheretheymighthituponsomedrinkablesintheshapeofamilkandsodaoramineral.Buthowtogettherewastherub.ForthenoncehewasrathernonplussedbutinasmuchasthedutyplainlydevolveduponhimtotakesomemeasuresonthesubjectheponderedsuitablewaysandmeansduringwhichStephenrepeatedlyyawned.Sofarashecouldseehewasratherpaleinthefacesothatitoccurredtohimashighlyadvisabletogetaconveyanceofsomedescriptionwhichwouldanswerintheirthencondition,bothofthembeinge.d.ed,particularlyStephen,alwaysassumingthattherewassuchathingtobefound.
