登陆注册
40414100000078

第78章

Mr Bloom turned over idly pages of The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, then of Aristotle's Masterpiece. Crooked botched print. Plates: infants cuddled in a ball in bloodred wombs like livers of slaughtered cows. Lots of them like that at this moment all over the world. All butting with their skulls to get out of it. Child born every minute somewhere. Mrs Purefoy.

He laid both books aside and glanced at the third: Tales of the Ghetto by Leopold von Sacher Masoch.

-- That I had, he said, pushing it by.

The shopman let two volumes fall on the counter.

-- Them are two good ones, he said.

Onions of his breath came across the counter out of his ruined mouth. He bent to make a bundle of the other books, hugged them against his unbuttoned waistcoat and bore them off behind the dingy curtain.

On O'Connell bridge many persons observed the grave deportment and gay apparel of Mr Denis J. Maginni, professor of dancing &c.

Mr Bloom, alone, looked at the titles. Fair Tyrants by James Lovebirch. Know the kind that is. Had it? Yes.

He opened it. Thought so.

A woman's voice behind the dingy curtain. Listen: The man.

No: she wouldn't like that much. Got her it once.

He read the other title: Sweets of Sin. More in her line. Let us see.

He read where his finger opened.

-- All the dollarbills her husband gave her were spent in the stores on wondrous gowns and costliest frillies. For him! For Raoul!

Yes. This. Here. Try.

-- Her mouth glued on his in a luscious voluptuous kiss while his hands felt for the opulent curves inside her déshabillé.

Yes. Take this. The end.

-- You are late, he spoke hoarsely, eyeing her with a suspicious glare. The beautiful woman threw off her sabletrimmed wrap, displaying her queenly shoulders and heaving embonpoint. An imperceptible smile played round her perfect lips as she turned to him calmly.

Mr Bloom read again: The beautiful woman.

Warmth showered gently over him, cowing his flesh. Flesh yielded amid rumpled clothes. Whites of eyes swooning up. His nostrils arched themselves for prey. Melting breast ointments (For him! For Raoul!). Armpits' oniony sweat. Fishgluey slime (her heaving embonpoint!). Feel! Press! Crushed! Sulphur dung of lions!

Young! Young!

An elderly female, no more young, left the building of the courts of chancery, king's bench, exchequer and common pleas, having heard in the lord chancellor's court the case in lunacy of Potterton, in the admiralty division the summons, exparte motion, of the owners of the Lady Cairns versus the owners of the barque Mona, in the court of appeal reservation of judgment in the case of Harvey versus the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation.

Phlegmy coughs shook the air of the bookshop, bulging out the dingy curtains. The shopman's uncombed grey head came out and his unshaven reddened face, coughing. He raked his throat rudely, spat phlegm on the floor. He put his boot on what he had spat, wiping his sole along it and bent, showing a rawskinned crown, scantily haired.

Mr Bloom beheld it.

Mastering his troubled breath, he said:

-- I'll take this one.

The shopman lifted eyes bleared with old rheum.

-- Sweets of Sin, he said, tapping on it. That's a good one.

The lacquey by the door of Dillon's auctionrooms shook his handbell twice again and viewed himself in the chalked mirror of the cabinet.

Dilly Dedalus, listening by the curbstone, heard the beats of the bell, the cries of the auctioneer within. Four and nine. Those lovely curtains. Five shillings. Cosy curtains. Selling new at two guineas. Any advance on five shillings? Going for five shillings.

The lacquey lifted his handbell and shook it:

-- Barang!

Bang of the lastlap bell spurred the halfmile wheelmen to their sprint. J. A. Jackson, W. E. Wylie, A. Munro and H. T. Gahan, their stretched necks wagging, negotiated the curve by the College Library.

Mr Dedalus, tugging a long moustache, came round from Williams's row. He halted near his daughter.

-- It's time for you, she said.

-- Stand up straight for the love of the Lord Jesus, Mr Dedalus said. Are you trying to imitate your uncle John the cornetplayer, head upon shoulders? Melancholy God!

Dilly shrugged her shoulders. Mr Dedalus placed his hands on them and held them back.

-- Stand up straight, girl, he said. You'll get curvature of the spine. Do you know what you look like?

He let his head sink suddenly down and forward, hunching his shoulders and dropping his underjaw.

-- Give it up, father, Dilly said. All the people are looking at you.

Mr Dedalus drew himself upright and tugged again at his moustache.

-- Did you get any money? Dilly asked.

-- Where would I get money? Mr Dedalus said. There is no-one in Dublin would lend me fourpence.

-- You got some, Dilly said, looking in his eyes.

-- How do you know that? Mr Dedalus asked, his tongue in his cheek.

Mr Kernan, pleased with the order he had booked, walked boldly along James's street.

-- I know you did, Dilly answered. Were you in the Scotch house now?

-- I was not then, Mr Dedalus said, smiling. Was it the little nuns taught you to be so saucy? Here.

He handed her a shilling.

-- See if you can do anything with that, he said.

-- I suppose you got five, Dilly said. Give me more than that.

-- Wait awhile, Mr Dedalus said threateningly. You're like the rest of them, are you? An insolent pack of little bitches since your poor mother died. But wait awhile. You'll all get a short shrift and a long day from me. Low blackguardism! I'm going to get rid of you. Wouldn't care if I was stretched out stiff. He's dead. The man upstairs is dead.

He left her and walked on. Dilly followed quickly and pulled his coat.

-- Well, what is it? he said, stopping.

The lacquey rang his bell behind their backs.

-- Barang!

-- Curse your bloody blatant soul, Mr Dedalus cried, turning on him.

The lacquey, aware of comment, shook the lolling clapper of his bell but feebly:

-- Bang!

Mr Dedalus stared at him.

-- Watch him, he said. It's instructive. I wonder will he allow us to talk.

-- You got more than that, father, Dilly said.

同类推荐
  • 课外英语-七彩音符常青的爱(双语版)

    课外英语-七彩音符常青的爱(双语版)

    本书收录了世界经典英文歌曲,其中包括常青的爱、昔日恋情、无心快语、克莱门泰等多首脍炙人口的歌曲,每首歌曲都有中英文歌词、语言点解析及注释赏析。
  • 美国名家短篇小说赏析(中级)

    美国名家短篇小说赏析(中级)

    本书精选了十二位美国文学巨匠的12篇美国短篇小说的精华之作,每篇文章前有简短的引言,文中还附有编者的评注和分析及作者简介。
  • 王子与贫儿(双语译林)

    王子与贫儿(双语译林)

    《王子与贫儿》描写了王子爱德华和贫儿汤姆通过一个偶然的机会,阴差阳错地互换了位置,王子变成了贫儿,贫儿变成了王子的故事。汤姆当上了英国的新国王,而真正的王子爱德华却在外四处流浪。在好人霍顿的帮助下,爱德华王子经历了重重劫难,最终回到王宫。而贫儿汤姆在良心的谴责下,将不属于自己的皇位还给了真正的王子。此后,爱德华成了一位仁慈的君主,和他的子民一起过着幸福的生活。
  • 世界500强企业都在用的国际英文合同大全集

    世界500强企业都在用的国际英文合同大全集

    《世界500强企业都在用的国际英文合同大全集》在介绍英语合同基础知识的基础上,分析英语合同的语言特点和常用词汇及句型,并为读者提供了各类合同实例并加以注释和翻译以方便大家学习。本书最后还提供了国际法规与惯例相关条款及合同术语中英文对照辅助资料,内容从易到难,循序渐进,让您一步一步掌握商务英语合同。
  • 六级写作速成的秘密:3个月写出好成绩

    六级写作速成的秘密:3个月写出好成绩

    本书以新英语等级考试的评分原则和评分标准为准绳,重点体现出改革后的题型变化和分值变化。具有很强的针对性,对考生中普遍存在的写作弱点和不足进行相关的辅导帮助,每一步都有的放矢。本书提供丰富的句型模板、经典的全文模板以及真题范文,按照记叙文、议论文、应用文、说明文等各种常考体裁,对六级作文进行了详细的解释说明。
热门推荐
  • 战锤2图腾战争

    战锤2图腾战争

    种族的分歧,大规模军团战争 图腾国度的信仰与利益 富贵与贫穷,阴暗直指目的 究竟孰生孰死,孰存孰亡 猪狗牛羊,猿鼍马犀,龙凰鹏雀;十二图腾十二宫,十二大圣显神通;
  • 唯卿是爱

    唯卿是爱

    哇呀呀!她不过是站在古城墙旁边,然后,天地昏暗电闪雷鸣怎么就穿越时空了呢?罢了罢了入乡随俗是她的优点,不甘平凡是她的野心,开了馄饨店,办学堂,咦,这个男人,她喜欢,可以拐回家做老公的说.他不认识她,她救了他一命,然后,无踪可寻。他带妃子笑赴京,妃子笑为他挡飞镖,然后,他丢了妃子笑。京城烟花之地,这个箫爷风流成性,美女伴身侧,没事爱调戏他,他要玩是吗?好,他堂堂一个王爷陪他玩b
  • 科学成神路

    科学成神路

    人类总在幻想获得超凡之力,却不知超凡的力量就在我们身边。科学就是让不可能变为可能...可编程材料,人工智能,微型核电池,超光速,空间折叠,时空穿梭,意识永恒,制定规则,宇宙再造,无限能源等科技纷纷面世时,神也微不足道。
  • 无尽为空

    无尽为空

    带着记忆九十八次轮回重生,让我厌倦无尽生离死别,无论如何,这第九十九次重生我都要打穿轮回、撕破苍穹!绝不重生!我只活今世今生!
  • 缘灵珠——众神之毁灭

    缘灵珠——众神之毁灭

    飞花疑似白如雪,斗法台前无生死。明宴暗斗于王府,生死离别缘灵珠。后面暂时还没写——竹子很诚实哦!呵呵
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 简简单单做魔王

    简简单单做魔王

    十步杀一人,千里不留行。事了拂衣去,深藏身与名。诸葛青鱼只想这么简简单单的做一个魔王。奈何,他是地狱派来的内鬼,人类安插的密探,正义潜藏的间谍,邪恶隐秘的卧底……
  • 校草世世恋:猫咪,别跑

    校草世世恋:猫咪,别跑

    “喵—”一声猫叫在黑暗的走廊里飘荡着“猫小萌,你给我站住!”洛少承大吼,走到猫小萌身边一把搂住,“不是叫你等我吗?又耍小脾气?”猫小萌没理他,别过头去。“我要和我的闺密一起走。”过了许久才说了一句,“不然我永远也不会理你。”洛少承呆住了,他明白了,她确实生气了······
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 拐井

    拐井

    本故事由真实案件改编而成,讲的是一位富家千金被坏人拐骗,整个家庭陷入支零破碎的悲情故事!