Улісс
Chapter 1
Stephenhadnotnoticedherandshruggedhisshoulders,merelyremarking:
—Inthiscountrypeoplesellmuchmorethansheeverhadanddoaroaringtrade.Fearnotthemthatsellthebodybuthavenotpowertobuythesoul.Sheisabadmerchant.Shebuysdearandsellscheap.
Theelderman,thoughnotbyanymannerofmeansanoldmaidoraprude,saiditwasnothingshortofacryingscandalthatoughttobeputastoptoinstantertosaythatwomenofthatstamp(quiteapartfromanyoldmaidishsqueamishnessonthesubject),anecessaryevil,werenotlicensedandmedicallyinspectedbytheproperauthorities,athing,hecouldtruthfullystate,he,asapaterfamilias,wasastalwartadvocateoffromtheveryfirststart.Whoeverembarkedonapolicyofthesort,hesaid,andventilatedthematterthoroughlywouldconferalastingboononeverybodyconcerned.
—Youasagoodcatholic,heobserved,talkingofbodyandsoul,believeinthesoul.Ordoyoumeantheintelligence,thebrainpowerassuch,asdistinctfromanyoutsideobject,thetable,letussay,thatcup.Ibelieveinthatmyselfbecauseithasbeenexplainedbycompetentmenastheconvolutionsofthegreymatter.OtherwisewewouldneverhavesuchinventionsasXrays,forinstance.Doyou?
Thuscornered,Stephenhadtomakeasuperhumaneffortofmemorytotryandconcentrateandrememberbeforehecouldsay:
—Theytellmeonthebestauthorityitisasimplesubstanceandthereforeincorruptible.
