Page 493 - ULYSSES

Ulysses

Tenderly Bloom over liverless bacon saw the tightened
features strain. Backache he. Bright’s bright eye. Next
item on the programme. Paying the piper. Pills, pounded
bread, worth a guinea a box. Stave it off awhile. Sings too:

Down among the dead men. Appropriate. Kidney pie. Sweets
to the. Not making much hand of it. Best value in.
Characteristic of him. Power. Particular about his drink.
Flaw in the glass, fresh Vartry water. Fecking matches
from counters to save. Then squander a sovereign in dribs
and drabs. And when he’s wanted not a farthing. Screwed
refusing to pay his fare. Curious types.
Never would Richie forget that night. As long as he
lived: never. In the gods of the old Royal with little
Peake. And when the first note.
Speech paused on Richie’s lips.
Coming out with a whopper now. Rhapsodies about
damn all.
Believes his own lies. Does really. Wonderful liar. But
want a good memory.
—Which air is that? asked Leopold Bloom.
—All is lost now.
Richie cocked his lips apout. A low incipient note
sweet banshee murmured: all. A thrush. A throstle. His
breath, birdsweet, good teeth he’s proud of, fluted with

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