Page 235 - a-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-young-man

ing points we might take up.
Stephen, disheartened suddenly by the dean’s firm, dry
tone, was silent; and through the silence a distant noise of
many boots and confused voices came up the staircase.
—In pursuing these speculations, said the dean conclu-
sively, there is, however, the danger of perishing of inanition.
First you must take your degree. Set that before you as your
first aim. Then, little by little, you will see your way. I mean
in every sense, your way in life and in thinking. It may be
uphill pedalling at first. Take Mr Moonan. He was a long
time before he got to the top. But he got there.
—I may not have his talent, said Stephen quietly.
—You never know, said the dean brightly. We never can
say what is in us. I most certainly should not be despondent.
PER ASPERA AD ASTRA.
He left the hearth quickly and went towards the landing
to oversee the arrival of the first arts’ class.
Leaning against the fireplace Stephen heard him greet
briskly and impartially every Student of the class and could
almost see the frank smiles of the coarser students. A deso-
lating pity began to fall like dew upon his easily embittered
heart for this faithful serving-man of the knightly Loyo-
la, for this half-brother of the clergy, more venal than they
in speech, more steadfast of soul than they, one whom he
would never call his ghostly father; and he thought how this
man and his companions had earned the name of world-
lings at the hands not of the unworldly only but of the
worldly also for having pleaded, during all their history, at
the bar of God’s justice for the souls of the lax and the luke-

235