尤利西斯-第184章
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Were there marks of hospitality which he contemplated but suppressed； reserving them for another and for himself on future occasions to plete the act begun？
The reparation of a fissure of the length of 1 1/2 inches in the right side of his guest's jacket。 A gift to his guest of one of the four lady's handkerchiefs； if and when ascertained to be in a presentable condition。
Who drank more quickly？
Bloom； having the advantage of ten seconds at the initiation ad taking； from the concave surface of a spoon along the handle of which a steady flow of heat was conducted； three sips to his opponent's one； six to two； nine to three。
What cerebration acpanied his frequentative act？
Concluding by inspection but erroneously that his silent panion was engaged in mental position he reflected on the pleasures derived from literature of instruction rather than of amusement as he himself had applied to the works of William Shakespeare more than once for the solution of difficult problems in imaginary or real life。
Had he found their solution？
In spite of careful and repeated reading of certain classical passages； aided by a glossary； he had derived imperfect conviction from the text； the answers not bearing on all points。
What lines concluded his first piece of original verse written by him； potential poet； at the age of 11 in 1877 on the occasion of the offering of three prizes at 10/…； 5/… and 2/6 respectively by the Shamrock； a weekly newspaper？
An ambition to squint
At my verses in print
Makes me hope that for these you'll find room。
If you so condescend
Then please place at the end
The name of yours truly； L。 Bloom。
Did he find four separating forces between his temporary guest and him？
Name； age； race； creed。
What anagrams had he made on his name in youth？
Leopold Bloom
Ellpodbomool
Molldopeloob。
Bollo edoom
Old Ollebo； M。 P。
What acrostic upon the abbreviation of his first name had he （kinetic poet） sent to Miss Marion Tweedy on the 14 February 1888？
Poets oft have sung in rhyme
Of music sweet their praise divine。
Let them hymn it nine times nine。
Bearer far than song or wine；
You are mine。 The world is mine。
What had prevented him from pleting a topical song （music by R。 G。 Johnston） on the events of the past； or fixtures for the actual years； entitled If Brian Boru could but e back and see old Dublin now； missioned by Michael Gunn； lessee of the Gaiety Theatre； 46； 47； 48； 49 South King street； and to be introduced into the sixth scene； the valley of diamonds； of the second edition （30 January 1893） of the grand annual Christmas pantomime Sinbad the Sailor （written by Greenleaf Whittier； scenery by George A。 Jackson and Cecil Hicks； costumes by Mrs and Miss Whelan； produced by R。 Shelton 26 December 1892 under the personal supervision of Mrs Michael Gunn； ballets by Jessie Noir； harlequinade by Thomas Otto） and sung by Nelly Bouverist principal girl？
Firstly； oscillation between events of imperial and of local interest； the anticipated diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria （born 1820； acceded 1837） and the posticipated opening of the new municipal fish market： secondly； apprehension of opposition from extreme circles on the questions of the respective visits of Their Royal Highnesses； the duke and duchess of York （real）； and of His Majesty King Brian Boru （imaginary）； thirdly； a conflict between professional etiquette and professional emulation concerning the recent erections of the Grand Lyric Hall on Burgh Quay and the Theatre Royal in Hawkins street： fourthly； distraction resultant from passion for Nelly Bouverist's non…intellectual； non…political； nontopical expression of countenance and concupiscence caused by Nelly Bouverist's revelations of white articles of nonintellectual； non…political； non…topical underclothing while she （Nelly Bouverist） was in the articles： fifthly； the difficulties of the selection of appropriate music and humorous allusions from Everybody's Book of Jokes （1；000 pages and a laugh in every one）； sixthly； the rhymes homophonous and cacophonous； associated with the names of the new lord mayor； Daniel Tallon； the new high sheriff； Thomas Pile and the new solicitorgeneral； Dunbar Plunket Barton。
What relation existed between their ages？
16 years before in 1888 when Bloom was of Stephen's present age Stephen was 6。16 years after in 1920 when Stephen would be of Bloom's present age Bloom would be 54。 In 1936 when Bloom would be 70 and Stephen 54 their ages initially in the ratio of 16 to 0 would be as 17 1/2 to 13 1/2； the proportion increasing and the disparity diminishing according as arbitrary future years were added； for if the proportion existing in 1883 had continued immutable； conceiving that to be possible； till then 1904 when Stephen was 22 Bloom would be 374 and in 1920 when Stephen would be 38； as Bloom then was； Bloom would be 646 while in 1952 when Stephen would have attained the maximum postdiluvian age of 70 Bloom； being 1190 years alive having been born in the year 714； would have surpassed by 221 years the maximum antediluvian age； that of Methusalah； 969 years； while； if Stephen would continue to live until he would attain that age in the year 3072 A。D。； Bloom would have been obliged to have been alive 83；300 years； having been obliged to have been born in the year 81；396 B。C。
What events might nullify these calculations？
The cessation of existence of both or either； the inauguration of a new era or calendar； the annihilation of the world and consequent extermination of the human species； inevitable but impredictable。
How many previous encounters proved their preexisting acquaintance？
Two。 The first in the lilacgarden of Matthew Dillon's house； Medina Villa； Kimmage road； Roundtown； in 1887； in the pany of Stephen's mother； Stephen being then of the age of 5 and reluctant to give his hand in salutation。 The second in the coffeeroom of Breslin's hotel on a rainy Sunday in the January of 1892； in the pany of Stephen's father and Stephen's granduncle； Stephen being then 5 years older。
Did Bloom accept the invitation to dinner given then by the son and afterwards seconded by the father？
Very gratefully； with grateful appreciation； with sincere appreciative gratitude； in appreciatively grateful sincerity of regret； he declined。
Did their conversation on the subject of these reminiscences reveal a third connecting link between them？
Mrs Riordan； a widow of independent means； had resided in the house of Stephen's parents from 1 September 1888 to 29 December 1891 and had also resided during the years 1892； 1893 and 1894 in the City Arms Hotel owned by Elizabeth O'Dowd of 54 Prussia street where during parts of the years 1893 and 1894 she had been a constant informant of Bloom who resided also in the same hotel； being at that time a clerk in the employment of Joseph Cuffe of 5 Smithfield for the superintendence of sales in the adjacent Dublin Cattle market on the North Circular road。
Had he performed any special corporal work of mercy for her？
He had sometimes propelled her on warm summer evenings； an infirm widow of independent； if limited means； in her convalescent bathchair with slow revolutions of its wheels as far as the corner of the North Circular road opposite Mr Gavin Low's place of business where she had remained for a certain time scanning through his onelensed binocular fieldglasses unrecognisable citizens on tramcars； roadster bicycles； equipped with inflated pneumatic tyres； hackney carriages； tandems； private and hired landaus； dogcarts； ponytraps and brakes passing from the city to the Phoenix Park and vice versa。
Why could he then support that his vigil with the greater equanimity？
Because in middle youth he had often sat observing through a rondel of bossed glass of a multicoloured pane the spectacle offered with continual changes of the thoroughfare without； pedestrians； quadrupeds； velocipedes； vehicles； passing slowly； quickly； evenly； round and round and round the rim of a round precipitous globe。
What distinct different memories had each of her now eight years deceased？
The older； her bezique cards and counters； her Skye terrier； her suppositions wealth； her lapses of responsiveness and incipient catarrh
