登陆注册
5572400000010

第10章

-- He knew what money was, Mr Deasy said. He made money. A poet but an Englishman too. Do you know what is the pride of the English? Do you know what is the proudest word you will ever hear from an Englishman's mouth?

The seas' ruler. His seacold eyes looked on the empty bay: history is to blame: on me and on my words, unhating.

-- That on his empire, Stephen said, the sun never sets.

-- Ba! Mr Deasy cried. That's not English. A French Celt said that. He tapped his savingsbox against his thumbnail.

-- I will tell you, he said solemnly, what is his proudest boast. I paid my way.

Good man, good man.

-- I paid my way. I never borrowed a shilling in my life. Can you feel that? I owe nothing. Can you?

Mulligan, nine pounds, three pairs of socks, one pair brogues, ties. Curran, ten guineas. McCann, one guinea. Fred Ryan, two shillings. Temple, two lunches. Russell, one guinea, Cousins, ten shillings, Bob Reynolds, half a guinea, Kohler, three guineas, Mrs McKernan, five weeks' board. The lump I have is useless.

-- For the moment, no, Stephen answered.

Mr Deasy laughed with rich delight, putting back his savingsbox.

-- I knew you couldn't, he said joyously. But one day you must feel it. We are a generous people but we must also be just.

-- I fear those big words, Stephen said, which make us so unhappy.

Mr Deasy stared sternly for some moments over the mantelpiece at the shapely bulk of a man in tartan fillibegs: Albert Edward, Prince of Wales.

-- You think me an old fogey and an old tory, his thoughtful voice said. I saw three generations since O'Connell's time. I remember the famine. Do you know that the orange lodges agitated for repeal of the union twenty years before O'Connell did or before the prelates of your communion denounced him as a demagogue? You fenians forget some things.

Glorious, pious and immortal memory. The lodge of Diamond in Armagh the splendid behung with corpses of papishes. Hoarse, masked and armed, the planters' covenant. The black north and true blue bible. Croppies lie down.

Stephen sketched a brief gesture.

-- I have rebel blood in me too, Mr Deasy said. On the spindle side. But I am descended from sir John Blackwood who voted for the union. We are all Irish, all kings' sons.

-- Alas, Stephen said.

-- Per vias rectas, Mr Deasy said firmly, was his motto. He voted for it and put on his topboots to ride to Dublin from the Ards of Down to do so.

Lal the ral the ra

The rocky road to Dublin.

A gruff squire on horseback with shiny topboots. Soft day, sir John. Soft day, your honour... Day... Day... Two topboots jog dangling on to Dublin. Lal the ral the ra, lal the ral the raddy.

-- That reminds me, Mr Deasy said. You can do me a favour, Mr Dedalus, with some of your literary friends: I have a letter here for the press. Sit down a moment. I have just to copy the end.

He went to the desk near the window, pulled in his chair twice and read off some words from the sheet on the drum of his typewriter.

-- Sit down. Excuse me, he said over his shoulder, the dictates of common sense. Just a moment.

He peered from under his shaggy brows at the manu by his elbow and, muttering, began to prod the stiff buttons of the keyboard slowly, some times blowing as he screwed up the drum to erase an error.

Stephen seated himself noiselessly before the princely presence. Framed around the walls images of vanished horses stood in homage, their meek heads poised in air: lord Hastings' Repulse, the duke of Westminster's Shotover, the duke of Beaufort's Ceylon, prix de Paris, 1866. Elfin riders sat them, watchful of a sign. He saw their speeds, backing King's colours, and shouted with the shouts of vanished crowds.

-- Full stop, Mr Deasy bade his keys. But prompt ventilation of this important question...

Where Cranly led me to get rich quick, hunting his winners among the mudsplashed brakes, amid the bawls of bookies on their pitches and reek of the canteen, over the motley slush. Even money Fair Rebel: ten to one the field. Dicers and thimbleriggers we hurried by after the hoofs, the vying caps and jackets and past the meatfaced woman, a butcher's dame, nuzzling thirstily her clove of orange.

Shouts rang shrill from the boys' playfield and a whirring whistle.

Again: a goal. I am among them, among their battling bodies in a medley, the joust of life. You mean that knockkneed mother's darling who seems to be slightly crawsick? Jousts. Time shocked rebounds, shock by shock. Jousts, slush and uproar of battles, the frozen deathspew of the slain, a shout of spear spikes baited with men's bloodied guts.

-- Now then, Mr Deasy said, rising.

He came to the table, pinning together his sheets. Stephen stood up.

-- I have put the matter into a nutshell, Mr Deasy said. It's about the foot and mouth disease. Just look through it. There can be no two opinions on the matter.

May I trespass on your valuable space. That doctrine of laissez faire which so often in our history. Our cattle trade. The way of all our old industries. Liverpool ring which jockeyed the Galway harbour scheme. European conflagration. Grain supplies through the narrow waters of the channel. The pluterperfect imperturbability of the department of agriculture. Pardoned a classical allusion. Cassandra. By a woman who was no better than she should be. To come to the point at issue.

-- I don't mince words, do I? Mr Deasy asked as Stephen read on.

Foot and mouth disease. Known as Koch's preparation. Serum and virus. Percentage of salted horses. Rinderpest. Emperor's horses at Mürzsteg, lower Austria. Veterinary surgeons. Mr Henry Blackwood Price. Courteous offer a fair trial, Dictates of common sense. Allimportant question. In every sense of the word take the bull by the horns. Thanking you for the hospitality of your columns.

同类推荐
  • 给幸福留一扇门

    给幸福留一扇门

    本书收录了百于则经典哲理美文,其内容涉及青春、爱情、理想等方面,从不同的视角阐释了人生的种种道理。
  • 大学英语四级阅读技巧

    大学英语四级阅读技巧

    全书共涉及以下五个方面的内容:阅读理解概述、阅读理解解题技巧、四级阅读题型模式、历年阅读理解真题详解、全真预测试题。书中比较系统地介绍了阅读方法、技巧,帮助广大考生提高阅读能力,掌握临场解题技法,在进一步提高考生的应试能力的同时更能使其语言的综合能力稳步提升。
  • 美丽英文:越长大越快乐(成长卷)(套装共6册)

    美丽英文:越长大越快乐(成长卷)(套装共6册)

    《美丽英文:越长大越快乐(成长卷)》(套装共6册)包括《美丽英文:致十年后的自己》《美丽英文:遇见成功的自己》《美丽英文:世界上最美的情书》《美丽英文:那些激励我前行的睿思》《美丽英文:那些触动我心扉的故事》《美丽英文:快乐是自找的》。在这里,世界级的大师用发人深省的哲理语言,从不同的角度告诉我们,应如何面对生活、品味情感、看待世间百态、抓住未来的人生。那些岁月如歌的光阴,那些浮生若梦的幻影,是一篇篇难以忘却的经典故事,它们有的激励人心、感人肺腑,有的美轮美奂、令人深思。
  • 用耳朵听最优美的散文

    用耳朵听最优美的散文

    这本《用耳朵听最优美的散文》以“用耳听”为学习理念,精选了130多篇精致散文,均用词精准简洁,语句流畅优美,将引领学习者进入趣、情、爱与理的博大世界,使其更加充满信心地去追求梦想。每篇文章并配有导读语、词汇注释、长难句解析、背诵指数及外教精心录制的录音。本书将为学习者展现一个美丽新世界并使其英语学习更上层楼。
  • 国家负荷·国家电网科技创新实录:英文

    国家负荷·国家电网科技创新实录:英文

    《国家负荷:国家电网科技创新实录》反映了那些不断研究科技创新的电网科技精英们,那些持续探索技术革新的普通工人们,他们从来都只把饱满的激情投入到火热的工作中,他们不谈功,只说业。
热门推荐
  • 火影之最强主宰

    火影之最强主宰

    穿越到火影世界,成为木叶三大家族之一日向分家的人,白眼发生变化,获得了内视的能力……在内视状态下拥有主宰体内的一切的能力……偶然间发现先祖的秘密,从此走上和六道仙人不同的路……新书《诸天之出租师尊》已发布,希望大家支持。
  • 良人在此,快来抢

    良人在此,快来抢

    小时候,她不就是给了一个要饭的一个面包,一件衣服嘛?为何要饭的变成了学霸少年,本认为他是高冷的,结果…萧云瑶道:“我渴了!”只见某条忠犬立刻把水递了过来!
  • 太上玄灵斗姆大圣元君本命延生心经

    太上玄灵斗姆大圣元君本命延生心经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 皇妃别走

    皇妃别走

    她-----二十一世纪经过苛刻筛选,坚强勇敢,百里挑一的女飞行员,一个不乏现代女性时尚与潇洒的女子,她最向往的就是登上她驾驶的飞机,尽情翱翔蓝天,成为一名优秀的女飞行将军。一场突然的遇外,让她掉进时空急流。。。。。他,赋有天下,斩敌无数,战功赫赫。。。。他,斜睨天下,以血肉之躯,霸中原,灭六国。。。。他是骊翼帝国狂暴的主宰者,也是冷血无情的独裁之王------朱邪圣帝天下,是他冲锋陷阵得来的,而不是这个从天而降,被愚蠢臣名朝拜的莫名女子。。。。他的凯旋,是他带兵御驾亲征必然的结果,而并非这个不知从哪儿冒出来装神弄鬼的怪异女人。。。。请历史考究分子绕路,本文纯属自娱自乐,经不起推敲,也和历史无关.下面是痕儿已完结文,呵亲们有兴趣可以欣赏一下!〈冷宫晚妃〉:〈丫环皇后〉:〈罂粟皇后〉:〈将军的替身小妾〉:〈皇妃别走〉:痕儿的新文出炉了,呵,欢迎痕儿最新坑,有空的亲们去踩踩,《总裁的陷井》亲们,痕儿新文,欢迎来踩,都市言情:《恶劣富少极品男》顺便推荐后妃大大超好看的精彩文文,《狂野未婚夫》呵,还有自已的新文《总裁惹不得》痕儿最新现代文,《总裁的惩罚游戏》喜欢现代都市文的亲们,记得过来踩踩哦!推荐好友一本书,《夫君十个不算多》轻松又搞笑的哦!痕儿的新文,望亲们多来踩踩,《总裁的豪夺妻》
  • 氰化钾

    氰化钾

    一对异国男女的情感——那种在离乱人生表象之下的、微不足道的,却又深入骨髓的男女情愫。等到所有的人都知趣地离开,唐雅从随身的行囊中取出一瓶美国的伏特加,还有产自涪陵的米酒,调酒器、子弹杯,一样一样摆开在墓碑前,开始调制那款叫氰化钾的鸡尾酒。她席地而坐,一边摇酒,一边惊喜地说,我又见到那个调酒师了,原来他没有回国,他在上海开了一家自己的酒吧……我终于知道,我为什么再也品不出那种火辣的味道……原来,我在这里面一直少放了一味盐。唐雅又见到了那个在人群中转身向她回望的男子。
  • 将门孤女之田园美眷

    将门孤女之田园美眷

    夏潋出自古乐世家,在她看来,她要做的就是学习家传的各种技艺,然后嫁到一个合适的家族去,平平静静的当个小夫人,再慢慢老去。然而她做梦都想不到,有一天她会莫名其妙的脱出这一个圈环,来到这个陌生的世界。她还记得,那一日,她那个神神叨叨的好友林苏晚,在她耳边念叨什么镜里空花、水中圆月的话,如今她却看不分明,这花那一朵是真、那一朵是假。那天晚上,她被林苏晚生拉硬拽去看流星雨,然后,在那一片绚烂的流星雨童话中,她变成了西山村的小媳妇夏潋。乡村生活平淡安宁,夏潋一向随遇而安,倒不觉得有什么不妥,但是,从什么时候开始,麻烦开始一桩桩一件件找上门来?功臣之后的相公,将门冤狱的出身,她一步步远离一开始所向往的宁静生活,好在自始至终,一直有他相伴。片段一:夜风中,夏潋仰起头,望着墙头飘飘欲仙的美男子,悠然笑道:“当家的不解释一下,所谓位高权重,究竟是什么意思?”苏墨轻飘飘落在夏潋面前,微笑道:“为夫也不知,娘子还有这样一手绝活。”片段二:“你究竟是什么人?”慕容少宣皱眉道。“自然是苏墨,还能是谁?”苏墨笑道。慕容少宣摇摇头,道:“当日我中了化功散,武功全失,所以并没有察觉,而等我武功恢复了,才发现,你自称是个普通的猎户,武功竟比我还要高深,这未免太过奇怪。何况虽然藏得隐秘,我也察觉得到,你身边藏着暗卫,你究竟是什么人?”苏墨好整以暇的听慕容少宣说完,道:“你是在提醒我杀人灭口吗?”“…”慕容少宣一愣,苏墨却笑笑道:“你猜,我知不知道你的真实身份?”“…”“或者,你猜猜,我为什么将你留下?会不会放你离开?”“…”“唉,乡下日子安逸得很,留下你解解闷也好,放心吧,我暂时不打算杀你灭口。好好给娘子挖鱼塘,等鱼塘挖好了,我就放你离开!”苏墨笑着挥挥手,往院子里打水洗漱去了,留下慕容少宣对着月亮磨得牙齿咯咯作响。片段三:苏墨没有什么形象的将慕容少宣按在桌上,咬牙道:“混蛋!你丫的你断袖不能提前跟我说一声?”慕容少宣一面努力吸气,免得自己闷死,一面不怕死的说道:“我要是早说,不早让你弄死了吗?”“你信不信我现在弄死你?”“我以为,你现在弄死我,对小曦来说并没有什么好处。”“啪——”桌子四分五裂,慕容少宣怕怕的缩缩脖子。
  • 绝宠毒医妖妃

    绝宠毒医妖妃

    苏琉贵为将军府嫡女,却遭深爱之人背叛,重生为王府贵女苏素。面对小娘责难,三皇子退婚,她临危不惧,以雷霆手段震慑府中庶出子女,寻访鬼医,修的一身毒术,更是妙手回春,治好卧病多年的生母。宫中妃子急症,她遭人设计,被迫入宫,却不想自此闻名、宫宴之上,多位王侯示爱,她一一谢绝,偏生找上以风流闻名的二皇子,以色侍君,迷惑他弑兄杀父,争夺王位,借二皇子之手生剐前世仇人谢言。她救出被困在北渊的南昭太子慕容凌,隐藏身份,助他平定天下,两人之间情愫暗生。天下太平,她随中毒已深的北渊二皇子归隐山林,却不料终于慕容凌偶遇。面对她的旧爱与新欢,她该如何选择?
  • 魔帝神妃

    魔帝神妃

    她,是天地万物之灵幻化而出的灵体,灵秀清雅,无心无情。他,是灵界帝后双生子之一,名唤昕,自小被弃凡间,为魔尊所拾,自此认为义子,生活在黑暗、冷漠、丑陋的魔界。直到那一年,他到凡间收妖,于紫菱山上遇到她,以心头精血几滴为其幻化成心,取名卿殷。此后,每年一见,情愫在二人心底暗生。那一年,魔界出事,他未曾守约,她等候多日,仍不见他。直到他出现,她欣喜,迎上去,却再无欣喜之感。他,灵界帝后双生子之二,名唤隐,一次下凡,偶遇紫菱山上痴痴等候的她,惊异于她身上源源不断的灵气,遂带其回灵界修炼,多年之后,封为十二神灵之首,爱情之神。灵界之上,时时能见到他,可却再也感觉不到他的心跳,到底发生什么变故,让他变化至此?卿殷远远望着那张一模一样的脸,明明就在眼前,却总是觉得看不透,心,就像缺了什么,机械地一天一天地过着。她却不知,他不是他,纵使千般疑惑万般忧思,亦是不得其解。直至某一天,灵主隐重伤回来,紧跟着魔界众人打上灵界。她才看到了他,人称他为夜帝,一模一样的脸,却是记忆中的那种感觉。只是,他已不认识她,看到她时,那没有任何表情的脸,无懈可击!他,企图占领灵界,将幽冥暗石的诅咒植入灵主心中,并欲将其打入轮回之门。就在那一刻,她启动封天玄石,阻住魔界众妖,灵主用最后的灵识击伤夜帝,将二人瞬间换位,幻化成彼此的模样。就在他落入轮回之门之时,她似有感觉,飞身而下,启动异次元时空八世轮回。灵主大惊,元气大伤,无力阻止,事后以夜帝身份,进入灵界玄空洞闭关修炼,此事只有当时在他身边的白狐知晓。众神众魔皆以为爱神是绝对灵体,能解幽冥暗石的诅咒,只有灵主、爱神、白狐三人知晓事情真相。八生八世,你忘了一切,我却记得如此清楚。用封天玄石的力量开启的八世轮回,我终究没能以爱神之力化解当年魔尊在你脑中下的那道印记,我终究是唤不回了吗?卿殷苦笑。当八世终结,十二神灵以元神离体之力量推动轮回之门开启的第九世轮回,因元神离体,我也失了记忆。白狐说,只有灵体且与你心思相连的人才能解除这封印,我确信着这一使命,记忆逐渐恢复,才知道你不是灵主,这九世的追寻,都只为你。直到最后一刻,我倒在你的剑下,以心血解除你的印记,终于感觉到你的心。昕,我与你共入寒冰地狱,接受惩罚。三界平衡,自此,你我,永生永世,不离不弃!
  • 皇堂初爱

    皇堂初爱

    她是万众瞩目的皇后娘娘却可知她被他以蛊而治。从柔弱安适到谨慎冷漠,为了逃脱他的手掌甚至可以几乎疯狂。他是为了复仇而生的皇帝,却莫名其妙的喜欢上了这个倔强女人。为了把她可以拴在身旁,他可以为此付出一切。她看着江山,淡淡的看向了他,“你要的帝皇之位,已经在你手中了。”“我知道。”他温柔的把她揽入怀中。“所以……你得履行诺言,让我走。”女人冰冷的双手轻轻的推开了他,不带一丝留恋。“……”他垂目,一言不发。当初的烛下誓言,如今的梦境成空。他死死的捂住胸口,嘴角牵起一笑,目送着她和别的男人挽手离开。苦涩的味道流入了嘴角,他第一次流下了以为鄙夷的泪水。萦指愿弃江山,不负红颜。可当年美人如画,却早已不见。
  • 绝品仙尊

    绝品仙尊

    慕成,炼气期吊车尾,拥有上古记忆,无论到了什么地方,都能冒充前辈高人。听说,你是天骄?对不起,我专踩天骄。听说,你有高级丹药?不好意思,那破玩意我早就大批送人了。听说,你想杀我夺宝?唉,当你有这个想法的时候,就已经被我灰灰掉了。