贝壳电子书 > 网络杂集电子书 > 尤利西斯 >

第5章

尤利西斯-第5章

小说: 尤利西斯 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



cries。 
Haines; who had been laughing guardedly; walked on beside Stephen and said: 
 We oughtn't to laugh; I suppose。 He's rather blasphemous。 I'm not a believer myself; that is to say。 Still his gaiety takes the harm out of it somehow; doesn't it? What did he call it? Joseph the Joiner? 
 The ballad of Joking Jesus; Stephen answered。 
 O; Haines said; you have heard it before? 
 Three times a day; after meals; Stephen said drily。 
 You're not a believer; are you? Haines asked。 I mean; a believer in the narrow sense of the word。 Creation from nothing and miracles and a personal God。 
 There's only one sense of the word; it seems to me; Stephen said。 
Haines stopped to take out a smooth silver case in which twinkled a green stone。 He sprang it open with his thumb and offered it。 
 Thank you; Stephen said; taking a cigarette。 
Haines helped himself and snapped the case to。 He put it back in his sidepocket and took from his waistcoatpocket a nickel tinderbox; sprang it open too; and; having lit his cigarette; held the flaming spunk towards Stephen in the shell of his hands。 
 Yes; of course; he said; as they went on again。 Either you believe or you don't; isn't it? Personally I couldn't stomach that idea of a personal God。 You don't stand for that; I suppose? 
 You behold in me; Stephen said with grim displeasure; a horrible example of free thought。 
He walked on; waiting to be spoken to; trailing his ashplant by his side。 Its ferrule followed lightly on the path; squealing at his heels。 My familiar; after me; calling Steeeeeeeeeephen。 A wavering line along the path。 They will walk on it tonight; ing here in the dark。 He wants that key。 It is mine; I paid the rent。 Now I eat his salt bread。 Give him the key too。 All。 He will ask for it。 That was in his eyes。 
 After all; Haines began。。。 
Stephen turned and saw that the cold gaze which had measured him was not all unkind。 
 After all; I should think you are able to free yourself。 You are your own master; it seems to me。 
 I am the servant of two masters; Stephen said; an English and an Italian。 
 Italian? Haines said。 
A crazy queen; old and jealous。 Kneel down before me。 
 And a third; Stephen said; there is who wants me for odd jobs。 
 Italian? Haines said again。 What do you mean? 
 The imperial British state; Stephen answered; his colour rising; and the holy Roman catholic and apostolic church。 
Haines detached from his underlip some fibres of tobacco before he spoke。 
 I can quite understand that; he said calmly。 An Irishman must think like that; I daresay。 We feel in England that we have treated you rather unfairly。 It seems history is to blame。 
The proud potent titles clanged over Stephen's memory the triumph of their brazen bells: et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam: the slow growth and change of rite and dogma like his own rare thoughts; a chemistry of stars。 Symbol of the apostles in the mass for pope Marcellus; the voices blended; singing alone loud in affirmation: and behind their chant the vigilant angel of the church militant disarmed and menaced her heresiarchs。 A horde of heresies fleeing with mitres awry: Photius and the brood of mockers of whom Mulligan was one; and Arius; warring his life long upon the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father; and Valentine; spurning Christ's terrene body; and the subtle African heresiarch Sabellius who held that the Father was Himself His own Son。 Words Mulligan had spoken a moment since in mockery to the stranger。 Idle mockery。 The void awaits surely all them that weave the wind: a menace; a disarming and a worsting from those embattled angels of the church; Michael's host; who defend her ever in the hour of conflict with their lances and their shields。 
Hear; hear。 Prolonged applause。 Zut! Nom de Dieu! 
 Of course I'm a Britisher; Haines' voice said; and I feel as one。 I don't want to see my country fall into the hands of German jews either。 That's our national problem; I'm afraid; just now。 
Two men stood at the verge of the cliff; watching: businessman; boatman。 
 She's making for Bullock harbour。 
The boatman nodded towards the north of the bay with some disdain。 
 There's five fathoms out there; he said。 It'll be swept up that way when the tide es in about one。 It's nine days today。 
The man that was drowned。 A sail veering about the blank bay waiting for a swollen bundle to bob up; roll over to the sun a puffy face; salt white。 Here I am。 
They followed the winding path down to the creek。 Buck Mulligan stood on a stone; in shirtsleeves; his unclipped tie rippling over his shoulder。 A young man clinging to a spur of rock near him moved slowly frogwise his green legs in the deep jelly of the water。 
 Is the brother with you; Malachi? 
 Down in Westmeath。 With the Bannons。 
 Still there? I got a card from Bannon。 Says he found a sweet young thing down there。 Photo girl he calls her。 
 Snapshot; eh? Brief exposure。 
Buck Mulligan sat down to unlace his boots。 An elderly man shot up near the spur of rock a blowing red face。 He scrambled up by the stones; water glistening on his pate and on its garland of grey hair; water rilling over his chest and paunch and spilling jets out of his black sagging loincloth。 
Buck Mulligan made way for him to scramble past and; glancing at Haines and Stephen; crossed himself piously with his thumbnail at brow and lips and breastbone。 
 Seymour's back in town; the young man said; grasping again his spur of rock。 Chucked medicine and going in for the army。 
 Ah; go to God; Buck Mulligan said。 
 Going over next week to stew。 You know that red Carlisle girl; Lily? 
 Yes。 
 Spooning with him last night on the pier。 The father is rotto with money。 
 Is she up the pole? 
 Better ask Seymour that。 
 Seymour a bleeding officer; Buck Mulligan said。 
He nodded to himself as he drew off his trousers and stood up; saying tritely: 
 Redheaded women buck like goats。 
He broke off in alarm; feeling his side under his flapping shirt。 
 My twelfth rib is gone; he cried。 I'm the Uebermensch。 Toothless Kinch and I; the supermen。 
He struggled out of his shirt and flung it behind him to where his clothes lay。 
 Are you going in here; Malachi? 
 Yes。 Make room in !he bed。 
The young man shoved himself backward through the water and reached the middle of the creek in two long clean strokes。 Haines sat down on a stone; smoking。 
 Are you not ing in? Buck Mulligan asked。 
 Later on; Haines said。 Not on my breakfast。 Stephen turned away。 
 I'm going; Mulligan; he said。 
 Give us that key; Kinch; Buck Mulligan said; to keep my chemise flat。 
Stephen handed him the key。 Buck Mulligan laid it across his heaped clothes。 
 And twopence; he said; for a pint。 Throw it there。 
Stephen threw two pennies on the soft heap。 Dressing; undressing。 Buck Mulligan erect; with joined hands before him; said solemnly: 
 He who stealeth from the poor lendeth to the Lord。 Thus spake Zarathustra。 
His plump body plunged。 
 We'll see you again; Haines said; turning as Stephen walked up the path and smiling at wild Irish。 
Horn of a bull; hoof of a horse; smile of a Saxon。 
 The Ship; Buck Mulligan cried。 Half twelve。 
 Good; Stephen said。 
He walked along the upwardcurving path。 
Liliata rutilantium。
Turnia circumdet。
Iubilantium te virginum
The priest's grey nimbus in a niche where he dressed discreetly。 I will not sleep here tonight。 Home also I cannot go。 
A voice; sweettoned and sustained; called to him from the sea。 Turning the curve he waved his hand。 It called again。 A sleek brown head; a seal's; far out on the water; round。 
Usurper。 
Nestor
YOU; COCHRANE; WHAT CITY SENT FOR HIM? 
 Tarentum; sir。 
 Very good。 Well? 
 There was a battle; sir。 
 Very good。 Where? 
The boy's blank face asked the blank window。 
Fabled by the daughters of memory。 And yet it was in some way if not as memory fabled it。 A phrase; then; of impatience; thud of Blake's wings of excess。 I hear the ruin of all space; shattered glass and toppling masonry; and time one livid final flame。 What's left us then? 
 I forgot the place; sir。 279 B。C。 
 Asculum; Stephen said; glancing at the name and date in the gorescarred book。 
 Yes; sir。 And he said: Another victory like t

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的