Page 1173 - ULYSSES

Ulysses

Sensible of a benignant persistent ache in his footsoles
he extended his foot to one side and observed the creases,
protuberances and salient points caused by foot pressure in
the course of walking repeatedly in several different

directions, then, inclined, he disnoded the laceknots,
unhooked and loosened the laces, took off each of his two
boots for the second time, detached the partially
moistened right sock through the fore part of which the
nail of his great toe had again effracted, raised his right
foot and, having unhooked a purple elastic sock suspender,
took off his right sock, placed his unclothed right foot on
the margin of the seat of his chair, picked at and gently
lacerated the protruding part of the great toenail, raised the
part lacerated to his nostrils and inhaled the odour of the
quick, then, with satisfaction, threw away the lacerated
ungual fragment.
Why with satisfaction?
Because the odour inhaled corresponded to other
odours inhaled of other ungual fragments, picked and
lacerated by Master Bloom, pupil of Mrs Ellis’s juvenile
school, patiently each night in the act of brief genuflection
and nocturnal prayer and ambitious meditation.
In what ultimate ambition had all concurrent and
consecutive ambitions now coalesced?

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