Ulysses
I saw. Innocence. Girl in the monkeyhouse. Zoo. Lewd
chimpanzee. (Breathlessly) Pelvic basin. Her artless blush
unmanned me. (Overcome with emotion) I left the precincts.
(He turns to a figure in the crowd, appealing) Hynes, may
I speak to you? You know me. That three shillings you can
keep. If you want a little more ...
HYNES: (Coldly) You are a perfect stranger.
SECOND WATCH: (Points to the corner) The bomb is
here.
FIRST WATCH: Infernal machine with a time fuse.
BLOOM: No, no. Pig’s feet. I was at a funeral.
FIRST WATCH: (Draws his truncheon) Liar!
(The beagle lifts his snout, showing the grey scorbutic face
of Paddy Dignam. He has gnawed all. He exhales a putrid
carcasefed breath. He grows to human size and shape. His
dachshund coat becomes a brown mortuary habit. His green
eye flashes bloodshot. Half of one ear, all the nose and both
thumbs are ghouleaten.)
PADDY DIGNAM: (In a hollow voice) It is true. It was
my funeral. Doctor Finucane pronounced life extinct when
I succumbed to the disease from natural causes.
(He lifts his mutilated ashen face moonwards and bays lu-
gubriously.)
BLOOM: (In triumph) You hear?
PADDY DIGNAM: Bloom, I am Paddy Dignam’s spirit.
List, list, O list!
BLOOM: The voice is the voice of Esau.
SECOND WATCH: (Blesses himself) How is that possi-
ble?