Улісс

           Theirfullbuckeyesregardedhimashewentby,amidthesweetoatenreekofhorsepiss.TheirEldorado.Poorjugginses!Damnalltheyknoworcareaboutanythingwiththeirlongnosesstuckinnosebags.Toofullforwords.Stilltheygettheirfeedallrightandtheirdoss.Geldedtoo:astumpofblackguttaperchawagginglimpbetweentheirhaunches.Mightbehappyallthesamethatway.Goodpoorbrutestheylook.Stilltheirneighcanbeveryirritating.

           Hedrewtheletterfromhispocketandfoldeditintothenewspaperhecarried.Mightjustwalkintoherhere.Thelaneissafer.

           Hepassedthecabman’sshelter.Curiousthelifeofdriftingcabbies.Allweathers,allplaces,timeorsetdown,nowilloftheirown.Voglioenon.Liketogivethemanoddcigarette.Sociable.Shoutafewflyingsyllablesastheypass.Hehummed:

           Làcidaremlamano

           Lalalalalala.

           HeturnedintoCumberlandstreetand,goingonsomepaces,haltedintheleeofthestationwall.No-one.Meade’stimberyard.Piledbalks.Ruinsandtenements.Withcarefultreadhepassedoverahopscotchcourtwithitsforgottenpickeystone.Notasinner.Nearthetimberyardasquattedchildatmarbles,alone,shootingthetawwithacunnythumb.Awisetabby,ablinkingsphinx,watchedfromherwarmsill.Pitytodisturbthem.Mohammedcutapieceoutofhismantlenottowakeher.Openit.AndonceIplayedmarbleswhenIwenttothatolddame’sschool.Shelikedmignonette.MrsEllis’s.AndMr?Heopenedtheletterwithinthenewspaper.

           Aflower.Ithinkit’sa.Ayellowflowerwithflattenedpetals.