Page 732 - ULYSSES

Ulysses

spoke French like a gentleman too. From a child this
Frank had been a donought that his father, a headborough,
who could ill keep him to school to learn his letters and
the use of the globes, matriculated at the university to

study the mechanics but he took the bit between his teeth
like a raw colt and was more familiar with the justiciary
and the parish beadle than with his volumes. One time he
would be a playactor, then a sutler or a welsher, then
nought would keep him from the bearpit and the cocking
main, then he was for the ocean sea or to hoof it on the
roads with the romany folk, kidnapping a squire’s heir by
favour of moonlight or fecking maids’ linen or choking
chicken behind a hedge. He had been off as many times as
a cat has lives and back again with naked pockets as many
more to his father the headborough who shed a pint of
tears as often as he saw him. What, says Mr Leopold with
his hands across, that was earnest to know the drift of it,
will they slaughter all? I protest I saw them but this day
morning going to the Liverpool boats, says he. I can scarce
believe ‘tis so bad, says he. And he had experience of the
like brood beasts and of springers, greasy hoggets and
wether wool, having been some years before actuary for
Mr Joseph Cuffe, a worthy salesmaster that drove his trade
for live stock and meadow auctions hard by Mr Gavin

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