Page 742 - ULYSSES

Ulysses

congratulated in the liveliest fashion with the young
gentleman and, interrupting the narrative at a salient point,
having desired his visavis with a polite beck to have the
obligingness to pass him a flagon of cordial waters at the

same time by a questioning poise of the head (a whole
century of polite breeding had not achieved so nice a
gesture) to which was united an equivalent but contrary
balance of the bottle asked the narrator as plainly as was
ever done in words if he might treat him with a cup of it.
Mais bien sûr, noble stranger, said he cheerily, et mille
compliments. That you may and very opportunely. There
wanted nothing but this cup to crown my felicity. But,
gracious heaven, was I left with but a crust in my wallet
and a cupful of water from the well, my God, I would
accept of them and find it in my heart to kneel down
upon the ground and give thanks to the powers above for
the happiness vouchsafed me by the Giver of good things.
With these words he approached the goblet to his lips,
took a complacent draught of the cordial, slicked his hair
and, opening his bosom, out popped a locket that hung
from a silk riband, that very picture which he had
cherished ever since her hand had wrote therein. Gazing
upon those features with a world of tenderness, Ah,
Monsieur, he said, had you but beheld her as I did with

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