ry street I myself saw some Aztecs； as they are called； sitting bowlegged。 They couldn't straighten their legs if you paid them because the muscles here； you see； he proceeded； indicating on his panion the brief outline； the sinews； or whatever you like to call them； behind the right knee； were utterly powerless from sitting that way so long cramped up； being adored as gods。 There's an example again of simple souls。
However； reverting to friend Sinbad and his horrifying adventures （who reminded him a bit of Ludwig； alias Ledwidge； when he occupied the boards of the Gaiety when Michael Gunn was identified with the management in the Flying Dutchman； a stupendous success； and his host of admirers came in large numbers； everyone simply flocking to hear him though ships of any sort； phantom or the reverse； on the stage usually fell a bit flat as also did trains）； there was nothing intrinsically inpatible about it； he conceded。 On the contrary； that stab in the back touch was quite in keeping with those Italianos； though candidly he was none the less free to admit those ice creamers and friers in the fish way； not to mention the chip potato variety and so forth； over in little Italy there； near the Coombe； were sober thrifty hardworking fellows except perhaps a bit too given to pothunting the harmless necessary animal of the feline persuasion of others at night so as to have a good old succulent tuck in with garlic de rigueur off him or her next day on the quiet and； he added； on the cheap。
Spaniards； for instance； he continued； passionate temperaments like that； impetuous as Old Nick； are given to taking the law into their own hands and give you your quietus double quick with those poignards they carry in the abdomen。 It es from the great heat； climate generally。 My wife is； so to speak； Spanish； half； that is。 Point of fact she could actually claim Spanish nationality if she wanted； having been born in （technically） Spain； i。e。 Gibraltar。 She has the Spanish type。 Quite dark； regular brunette； black。 I； for one； certainly believe climate accounts for character。 That's why I asked you if you wrote your poetry in Italian。
The temperaments at the door； Stephen interposed with； were very passionate about ten shillings。 Roberto ruba roba sua。
Quite so； Mr Bloom dittoed。
Then； Stephen said； staring and rambling on to himself or some unknown listener somewhere； we have the impetuosity of Dante and the isosceles triangle； Miss Portinari； he fell in love with and Leonardo and san Tommaso Mastino。
It's in the blood； Mr Bloom acceded at once。 All are washed in the blood of the sun。 Coincidence； I just happened to be in the Kildare street Museum today； shortly prior to our meeting； if I can so call it； and I was just looking at those antique statues there。 The splendid proportions of hips； bosom。 You simply don't knock against those kind of women here。 An exception here and there。 Handsome； yes； pretty in a way you find； but what I'm talking about is the female form。 Besides； they have so little taste in dress； most of them； which greatly enhances a woman's natural beauty； no matter what you say。 Rumpled stockings … it may be； possibly is； a foible of mine； but still it's a thing I simply hate to see。
Interest； however； was starting to flag somewhat all round and the others got on to talking about accidents at sea； ships lost in a fog； collisions with icebergs； all that sort of thing。 Shipahoy； of course； had his own say to say。 He had doubled the Cape a few odd times and weathered a monsoon； a kind of wind； in the China seas and through all those perils of the deep there was one thing； he declared； stood to him； or words to that effect； a pious medal he had that saved him。
So then after that they drifted on to the wreck of Daunt's rock； wreck of that illfated Norwegian barque … nobody could think of her name for the moment till the jarvey who had really quite a look of Henry Campbell remembered it； Palme； on Booterstown Strand； that was the talk of the town that year （Albert William Quill wrote a fine piece of original verse of distinctive merit on the topic for the Irish Times） breakers running over her and crowds and crowds on the shore in motion petrified with horror。 Then someone said something about the case of the s。 s。 Lady Cairns of Swansea； run into by the Mona； which was on an Opposite tack； in rather muggyish weather and lost with all hands on deck。 No aid was given。 Her master； the Mona's； said he was afraid his collision bulkhead would give way。 She had no water； it appears； in her hold。
At this stage an incident happened。 It having bee necessary for him to unfurl a reef； the sailor vacated his seat。
Let me cross your bows； mate； he said to his neighbour； who was just gently dropping off into a peaceful dose。
He made tracks heavily； slowly； with a dumpy sort of a gait to the door； stepped heavily down the one step there was out of the shelter and bore due left。 While he was in the act of getting his bearings； Mr Bloom； who noticed when he stood up that he had two flasks of presumably ship's rum sticking one out of each pocket for the private consumption of his burning interior； saw him produce a bottle and uncork it； or unscrew； and； applying its nozzle to his lips； take a good old delectable swig out of it with a gurgling noise。 The irrepressible Bloom； who also had a shrewd suspicion that the old stager went out on a manoeuvre after the counterattraction in the shape of a female； who； however； had disappeared to all intents and purposes； could； by straining； just perceive him； when duly refreshed by his rum puncheon exploit； gazing up at the piers and girders of the Loop Line； rather out of his depth； as of course it was all radically altered since his last visit and greatly improved。 Some person or persons invisible directed him to the male urinal erected by the cleansing mittee all over the place for the purpose but； after a brief space of time during which silence reigned supreme； the sailor； evidently giving it a wide berth； eased himself close at hand； the noise of his bilge…water some little time subsequently splashing on the ground where it apparently woke a horse of the cabrank。
A hoof scooped anyway for new foothold after sleep and harness jingled。 Slightly disturbed in his sentrybox by the brasier of live coke； the watcher of the corporation； who； though now broken down and fast breaking up； was none other in stern reality than the Gumley aforesaid； now practically on the parish rates； given the temporary job by Pat Tobin in all human probability； from dictates of humanity； knowing him before … shifted about and shuffled in his box before posing his limbs again in the arms of Morpheus。 A truly amazing piece of hard times in its most virulent form on a fellow most respectably connected and familiarised with decent home forts all his life who came in for a cool #100 a year at one time which of course the double…barrelled ass proceeded to make general ducks and drakes of。 And there he was at the end of his tether after having often painted the town tolerably pink； without a beggarly stiver。 He drank； needless to be told； and it pointed only once more a moral when he might quite easily be in a large way of business if … a big if； however … he had contrived to cure himself of his particular partiality。
All； meantime； were loudly lamenting the falling off in Irish shipping； coastwise and foreign as well； which was all part and parcel of the same thing。 A Palgrave Murphy boat was put off the ways at Alexandra Basin； the only launch that year。 Right enough the harbours were there only no ships ever called。
There were wrecks and wrecks； the keeper said； who was evidently au fait。
What he wanted to ascertain was why that ship ran bang against the only rock in Galway Bay when the Galway Harbour scheme was mooted by a Mr Worthington or some name like that； eh？ Ask her captain； he advised them； how much palmoil the British Government gave him for that day's work。 Captain John Lever of the Lever line。
Am I right； skipper？ he queried of the sailor now returning after his private potation and the rest of his exertions。
That worthy； picking up the scent of the fagend of the song or words； growled in wouldbe music； but with great vim； some Kind of chanty or other in seconds or thirds。 Mr Bloom's sharp ears heard him then expectorate the plug probably （which it was）； so that he must have lodged it for the time being in his fist while he did the drinking and making water jobs and found it a bit sour after the liquid fire in question。 Anyhow in he rolled after his successful libation…cum…potation； introducing an atmosphere of drink into the soirée； boisterously trolling； like a veritable son of a seacook：
The biscuits was as hard as brass；
And the beef as salt as Lot's wife's arse。
O Johnny Lever！
Johnny Lever； O！
After which effusion the redoubtable specimen duly arrived on the scene and； regaining his seat； he sank rather than sat heavily on the form provided。
Skin…the…Goat； assuming he was he； evidently with an axe to grind； was airing his grievances in a forcible…feeble philippic anent the natural resources of Ireland； or something of that sort； which he described in his lengthy dissertation as the richest country bar none on the face of God's earth； far and away superior to England； with coal in large quantities； six million pounds' worth of pork exported every year； ten millions between butter and eggs； and all the riches drained out of it by England levying taxes on the poor people that paid through the nose always； and gobbling up the best meat in the market； and a lot more surplus steam in the same vein。 Their conversation accordingly became general and all agreed that that was a fact。 You could grow any mortal thing in Irish soil； he stated； and there was Colonel Everard down there in Cavan growing tobacco。 Where would you find anywhere the like of Irish bacon？ But a day of reckoning； he stated crescendo with no uncertain voice … thoroughly monopolising all the conversation … was in store for mighty England； despite her power of pelf on account of her crimes。 There would be a fall and the greatest fall in history。 The Germans and the Japs were going to have their little lookin； he affirmed。 Th