The Studs Lonigan Trilogy - James T. Farrell [218]
“It was the Jews who did it. And he would have settled those profiteering shonickers. It’s a lousy thing, if you ask me, Jews ruining a neighborhood just to make money like Judas did. It’s all greed all over again, the greed of the Jews,” Kelly said.
“Why don’t the Jews all go back to Jerusalem where they belong?” Tommy said.
“And why don’t you Irish go back and sleep with the pigs in the old country,” Barney said.
“Chu Chu, you can’t be serious for a minute,” Stan said to Keefe.
“Speaking seriously, something will have to be done pretty quick if the neighborhood is going to be saved,” Red said.
“It’s too late now,” said Tommy.
“What I want to know is this: Will the mission convert Doyle to work?” said Barney.
“No danger,” said Les.
“He worked all summer warming his fanny in the boat-house,” Red said.
“And don’t think I didn’t put in long hours,” Tommy boasted.
“Say, fellows, I got a letter from Shrimp,” said Red.
“That tb rat,” Barney said.
“He’s a good fellow,” Tommy said.
“Yeah, a snake in the grass. I had a job as sewer-pipe layer all fixed up a couple of years ago. And that louse queered it thinking he could get it. It was muscling in, and I lost it, and he just queered both of us,” Barney said.
They laughed, and Red said anyway, Shrimp didn’t like the Navy at all.
“I hope he falls overboard into the mouth of a shark,” Barney said.
“Say, by the way, did all you guys know that Rolfe has been converted, and is making his first communion Sunday?” Stan said.
“That’s the dope,” Studs said.
“It was your sister, Studs, who did it,” Red said.
“I suspect that guy. Him being a Catholic is too much for me. He’s full of so much B.S. that I doubt how much he means it,” Tommy said.
“If he gets your sister, Studs, he’s getting a damn fine, decent girl. My opinion is that she’s much too good for him,” Red said.
“All right, you guys, step on it! You’re going to church, not to an employment agency. You’re too late for the rosary now, anyway,” Barney said.
II
St. Patrick’s church was packed, and hushed. Father Shannon, a plump, bald-headed priest, emerged from the sacristy door on the right, pushed the back of his right hand to his mouth as he emitted a half-cough, genuflected, facing the altar, and proceeded to climb into the marble pulpit. He laid his beret beside him and faced the audience of young people, his soft, mushy, almost womanly face, half-distinct. He stretched his arms, and smoothed down his cassock. His bald head shone as it was caught in candle flickers. He emitted another cracked cough. In a quiet and confident voice, he said, while blessing himself:
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen!”
He paused pregnantly, and dramatically. In a calm modulated voice, he exclaimed:
“My text for tonight’s sermon is: `Stand, therefore, having your loins girt in truth, and having on the breast-plate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.’ Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, sixth chapter, sixteenth verse.
“In the words, then, of the stern and austere Saint, Paul himself, I come and say unto you boys and girls tonight: `Stand, therefore, having your loins girt in truth, and having on the breast-plate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.’”
His voice lowered almost imperceptibly:
“This evening, I shall have serious things to say, words of more serious import than those which have been, or will be contained in any other sermon or talk of this mission.”
He smiled.
“Hence, I am constrained to ask that those of you who have the habit of sleeping through sermons, will kindly refrain from snoring. You know, there is a commandment of Jesus Christ, our Lord, which dictates that we must all love our neighbor as ourselves. Snoring, when your neighbor may be trying to hear what I say, or, God bless the mark, when he himself may be trying to sleep, is not what I call loving your neighbor.”
He leaned on his arms, chest forwards, and smiled, while there were ripples of laughter.
“I stated that I have serious things to tell you. But don