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ought to be thoroughly well ashamed of yourself.
BLOOM: Gentlemen of the jury, let me explain. A pure
mare’s nest. I am a man misunderstood. I am being made
a scapegoat of. I am a respectable married man, without a
stain on my character. I live in Eccles street. My wife, I am
the daughter of a most distinguished commander, a gallant
upstanding gentleman, what do you call him, Majorgeneral
Brian Tweedy, one of Britain’s fighting men who helped to
win our battles. Got his majority for the heroic defence of
Rorke’s Drift.
FIRST WATCH: Regiment.
BLOOM: (Turns to the gallery) The royal Dublins, boys,
the salt of the earth, known the world over. I think I see
some old comrades in arms up there among you. The R.
D. F., with our own Metropolitan police, guardians of our
homes, the pluckiest lads and the finest body of men, as
physique, in the service of our sovereign.
A VOICE: Turncoat! Up the Boers! Who booed Joe
Chamberlain?
BLOOM: (His hand on the shoulder of the first watch) My
old dad too was a J. P. I’m as staunch a Britisher as you are,
sir. I fought with the colours for king and country in the ab-
sentminded war under general Gough in the park and was
disabled at Spion Kop and Bloemfontein, was mentioned in
dispatches. I did all a white man could. (With quiet feeling)
Jim Bludso. Hold her nozzle again the bank.
FIRST WATCH: Profession or trade.
BLOOM: Well, I follow a literary occupation, author-
journalist. In fact we are just bringing out a collection of