Ulysses - Gabler Edition [252]
(Bella goes to the table to count the money while Stephen talks to himself in monosyllables. Zoe bends over the table. Kitty leans over Zoe’s neck. Lynch gets up, rights his cap and, clasping Kitty’s waist, adds his head to the group.)
FLORRY
(strives heavily to rise) Ow! My foot’s asleep. (She limps over to the table. Bloom approaches.)
BELLA, ZOE, KITTY, LYNCH, BLOOM
(chattering and squabbling) The gentleman ... ten shillings .... paying for the three ... allow me a moment ... this gentleman pays separate .... who’s touching it? ... ow! ... mind who you’re pinching ... are you staying the night or a short time? ... who did? ... you’re a liar, excuse me ... the gentleman paid down like a gentleman ... drink ... it’s long after eleven.
STEPHEN
(at the pianola, making a gesture of abhorrence) No bottles! What, eleven? A riddle!
ZOE
(lifting up her pettigown and folding a half sovereign into the top of her stocking) Hard earned on the flat of my back.
LYNCH
(lifting Kitty from the table) Come!
KITTY
Wait. (she clutches the two crowns)
FLORRY
And me?
LYNCH
Hoopla!
(He lifts her, carries her and bumps her down on the sofa.)
STEPHEN
The fox crew, the cocks flew,
The bells in heaven
Were striking eleven.
’Tis time for her poor soul
To get out of heaven.
BLOOM
(quietly lays a half sovereign on the table between Bella and Florry) So. Allow me. (he takes up the poundnote) Three times ten. We’re square.
BELLA
(admiringly) You’re such a slyboots, old cocky. I could kiss you.
ZOE
(points) Him? Deep as a drawwell.
(Lynch bends Kitty back over the sofa and kisses her. Bloom goes with the poundnote to Stephen.)
BLOOM
This is yours.
STEPHEN
How is that? The distrait or absentminded beggar. (He fumbles again in his pocket and draws out a handful of coins. An object falls.) That fell.
BLOOM
(stooping, picks up and hands a box of matches) This.
STEPHEN
Lucifer. Thanks.
BLOOM
(quietly) You had better hand over that cash to me to take care of. Why pay more?
STEPHEN
(hands him all his coins) Be just before you are generous.
BLOOM
I will but is it wise? (he counts) One, seven, eleven, and five. Six. Eleven. I don’t answer for what you may have lost.
STEPHEN
Why striking eleven? Proparoxyton. Moment before the next Lessing says. Thirsty fox. (he laughs loudly) Burying his grandmother. Probably he killed her.
BLOOM
That is one pound six and eleven. One pound seven, say.
STEPHEN
Doesn’t matter a rambling damn.
BLOOM
No, but ....
STEPHEN
(comes to the table) Cigarette, please. (Lynch tosses a cigarette from the sofa to the table) And so Georgina Johnson is dead and married. (A cigarette appears on the table. Stephen looks at it) Wonder. Parlour magic. Married. Hm. (he strikes a match and proceeds to light the cigarette with enigmatic melancholy)
LYNCH
(watching him) You would have a better chance of lighting it if you held the match nearer.
STEPHEN
(brings the match near his eye) Lynx eye. Must get glasses. Broke them yesterday. Sixteen years ago. Distance. The eye sees all flat. (He draws the match away. It goes out.) Brain thinks. Near: far. Ineluctable modality of the visible. (he frowns mysteriously) Hm. Sphinx. The beast that has two backs at midnight. Married.
ZOE
It was a commercial traveller married her and took her away with him.
FLORRY
(nods) Mr Lambe from London.
STEPHEN
Lamb of London, who takest away the sins of our world.
LYNCH
(embracing Kitty on the sofa, chants deeply) Dona nobis pacem.
(The cigarette slips from Stephen’s fingers. Bloom picks it up and throws it in the grate.)
BLOOM
Don’t smoke. You ought to eat. Cursed dog I met. (to Zoe) You have nothing?
ZOE
Is he hungry?
STEPHEN
(extends his hand to her smiling and chants to the air of the bloodoath in The Dusk of the Gods)
Hangende Hunger,
Fragende Frau,
Macht uns alle kaputt.
ZOE
(tragically) Hamlet, I am thy father’s gimlet! (she takes his hand) Blue eyes beauty I