尤利西斯-第174章
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gh； personally； he would never be a party to any such thing； off the same bat as those love vendettas of the south … have her or swing for her … when the husband frequently； after some words passed between the two concerning her relations with the other lucky mortal （the man having had the pair watched）； inflicted fatal injuries on
his adored one as a result of an alternative postnuptial liaison by plunging his knife into her until it just struck him that Fitz； nicknamed Skin…the…Goat； merely drove the car for the actual perpetrators of the outrage and so was not； if he was reliably informed； actually party to the ambush which； in point of fact； was the plea some legal luminary saved his skin on。 In any case that was very ancient history by now and as for our friend； the pseudo Skin…the…etcetera； he had transparently outlived his wele。 He ought to have either died naturally or on the scaffold high。 Like actresses； always farewell … positively last performance then e up smiling again。 Generous to a fault； of course； temperamental； no economising or any idea of the sort； always snapping at the bone for the shadow。 So similarly he had a very shrewd suspicion that Mr Johnny Lever got rid of some #。 s。 d。 in the course of his perambulations round the docks in the congenial atmosphere of the Old Ireland tavern； e back to Erin and so on。 Then as for the others； he had heard not so long before the same identical lingo； as he told Stephen how he simply but effectually silenced the offender。
He took umbrage at something or other； that much injured but on the whole eventempered person declared； I let slip。 He called me a jew； and in a heated fashion； offensively。 So I； without deviating from plain facts in the least； told him his God； I mean Christ； was a jew too； and all his family； like me； though in reality I'm not。 That was one for him。 A soft answer turns away wrath。 He hadn't a word to say for himself as everyone saw。 Am I not right？
He turned a long you are wrong gaze on Stephen of timorous dark pride at the soft impeachment； with a glance also of entreaty for he seemed to glean in a kind of a way that it wasn't all exactly 。
Ex quibus； Stephen mumbled in a nonmittal accent； their two or four eyes conversing； Christus or Bloom his name is； or； after all； any other； secundum carnem。
Of course； Mr Bloom proceeded to stipulate； you must look at both sides of the question。 It is hard to lay down any hard and fast rules as to right and wrong but room for improvement all round there certainly is though every country； they say； our own distressful included； has the government it deserves。 But with a little goodwill all round。 It's all very fine to boast of mutual superiority but what about mutual equality？ I resent violence or intolerance in any shape or form。 It never reaches anything or stops anything。 A revolution must e on the due instalments plan。 It's a patent absurdity on the face of it to hate people because they live round the corner and speak another vernacular； so to speak。
Memorable bloody bridge battle and seven minutes' war； Stephen assented； between Skinner's alley and Ormond market。
Yes； Mr Bloom thoroughly agreed； entirely endorsing the remark； that was overwhelmingly right and the whole world was overwhelmingly full of that sort of thing。
You just took the words out of my mouth； he said。 A hocuspocus of conflicting evidence that candidly you couldn't remotely。
All those wretched quarrels； in his humble opinion； stirring up bad blood … bump of bativeness or gland of some kind； erroneously supposed to be about a punctilio of honour and a flag … were very largely a question of the money question which was at the back of everything； greed and jealousy； people never knowing when to stop。
They accuse … remarked he audibly。 He turned away from the others； who probably。。。 and spoke nearer to； so as the others。。。 in case they。。。
Jews； he softly imparted in an aside in Stephen's ear； are accused of ruining。 Not a vestige of truth in it； I can safely say。 History … would you be surprised to learn？ … proves up to' the hilt Spain decayed when the Inquisition hounded the jews out and England prospered when Cromwell； an unmonly able ruffian； who； in other respects； has much to answer for； imported them。 Why？ Because they are practical and are proved to be so。 I don't want to indulge in any。。。 because you know the standard works on the subject； and then； orthodox as you are。。。 But in the economic； not touching religion； domain； the priest spells poverty。 Spain again； you saw in the war； pared with goahead America。 Turks； it's in the dogma。 Because if they didn't believe they'd go straight to heaven when they die they'd try to live better … at least； so I think。 That's the juggle on which the p。p。's raise the wind on false pretences。 I'm； he resumed； with dramatic force； as good an Irishman as that rude person I told you about at the outset and I want to see everyone； concluded he； all creeds and classes pro rata having a fortable tidysized ine； in no niggard fashion either； something in the neighbourhood of #300 per annum That's the vital issue at stake and it's feasible and would be provocative of friendlier intercourse between man and man。 At least that's my idea for what it's worth。 I call that patriotism。 Ubi patria； as we learned a small smattering of in our classical day in Alma Mater； vita bene。 Where you can live well； the sense is； if you work。
Over his untasteable apology for a cup of coffee； listening to this synopsis of things in general； Stephen stared at nothing in particular。 He could hear； of course； all kinds of words changing colour like those crabs about Ringsend in the morning； burrowing quickly into all colours of different sorts of the same sand where they had a home somewhere beneath or seemed to。 Then he looked up and saw the eyes that said or didn't say the words the voice he heard said … if you work。
Count me out； he managed to remark； meaning to work。
The eyes were surprised at this observation； because as he； the person who owned them pro。 tem。 observed； or rather； his voice speaking did： All must work； have to； together。
I mean； of course； the other hastened to affirm； work in the widest possible sense。 Also literary labour； not merely for the kudos of the thing。 Writing for the newspapers which is the readiest channel nowadays。 That's work too。 Important work。 After all； from the little I know of you； after all the money expended on your education； you are entitled to recoup yourself and mand your price。 You have every bit as much right to live by your pen in pursuit of your philosophy as the peasant has。 What？ You both belong to Ireland； the brain and the brawn。 Each is equally important。
You suspect； Stephen retorted with a sort of a half laugh； that I may be important because I belong to the faubourg Saint Patrice called Ireland for short。
I would go a step farther； Mr Bloom insinuated。
But I suspect； Stephen interrupted； that Ireland must be important because it belongs to me。
What belongs？ queried Mr Bloom； bending； fancying he was perhaps under some misapprehension。 Excuse me。 Unfortunately I didn't catch the latter portion。 What was it you？。。。
Stephen； patently crosstempered； repeated and shoved aside his mug of coffee； Or whatever you like to call it； none too politely； adding：
We can't change the country。 Let us change the subject。
At this pertinent suggestion； Mr Bloom； to change the subject； looked down； but in a quandary； as he couldn't tell exactly what construction to put on belongs to which sounded rather a far cry。 The rebuke of some kind was clearer than the other part。 Needless to say； the fumes of his recent orgy spoke then with some asperity in a curious bitter way； foreign to his sober state。 Probably the home life； to which Mr Bloom attached the utmost importance； had not been all that was needful or he hadn't been familiarised with the right sort of people。 With a touch of fear for the young man beside him； whom he furtively scrutinised with an air of some consternation remembering he had just e back from Paris； the eyes more especially reminding him forcibly of father and sister； failing to throw much light on the subject； however； h
