Ulysses
plored me to soil his letter in an unspeakable manner, to
chastise him as he richly deserves, to bestride and ride him,
to give him a most vicious horsewhipping.
MRS BELLINGHAM: Me too.
MRS YELVERTON BARRY: Me too.
(Several highly respectable Dublin ladies hold up improp-
er letters received from Bloom.)
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS:
(Stamps her jingling spurs in a sudden paroxysm of fury) I
will, by the God above me. I’ll scourge the pigeonlivered cur
as long as I can stand over him. I’ll flay him alive.
BLOOM: (His eyes closing, quails expectantly) Here? (He
squirms) Again! (He pants cringing) I love the danger.
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS: Very
much so! I’ll make it hot for you. I’ll make you dance Jack
Latten for that.
MRS BELLINGHAM: Tan his breech well, the upstart!
Write the stars and stripes on it!
MRS YELVERTON BARRY: Disgraceful! There’s no ex-
cuse for him! A married man!
BLOOM: All these people. I meant only the spanking
idea. A warm tingling glow without effusion. Refined birch-
ing to stimulate the circulation.
THE HONOURABLE MRS MERVYN TALBOYS:
(Laughs derisively) O, did you, my fine fellow? Well, by
the living God, you’ll get the surprise of your life now, be-
lieve me, the most unmerciful hiding a man ever bargained
for. You have lashed the dormant tigress in my nature into
fury.