One morning you would open the paper； the cabman affirmed； and read； Return of Parnell。 He bet them what they liked。 A Dublin fusilier was in that shelter one night and said he saw him in South Africa。 Pride it was killed him。 He ought to have done away with himself or lain low for a time after mittee Room No。 15 until he was his old self again with no…one to point a finger at him。 Then they would all to a man have gone down on their marrowbones to him to e back when he had recovered his senses。 Dead he wasn't。 Simply absconded somewhere。 The coffin they brought over was full of stones。 He changed his name to De Wet； the Boer general。 He made a mistake to fight the priests。 And so forth and so on。
All the same Bloom （properly so dubbed） was rather surprised at their memories for in nine cases out of ten it was a case of tarbarrels； and not singly but in their thousands； and then plete oblivion because it was twenty odd years。 Highly unlikely； of course； there was even a shadow of truth in the stories and； even supposing； he thought a return highly inadvisable； all things considered。 Something evidently riled them in his death。 Either he petered out too tamely of acute pneumonia just when his various different political arrangements were nearing pletion or whether it transpired he owed his death to his having neglected to change his boots and clothes after a wetting when a cold resulted and failing to consult a specialist he being confined to his room till he eventually died of it amid widespread regret before a fortnight was at an end or quite possibly they were distressed to find the job was taken out of their hands。 Of course nobody being acquainted with his movements even before； there was absolutely no clue as to his whereabouts which were decidedly of the Alice； where art thou order even prior to his starting to go under several aliases such as Fox and Stewart； so the remark which emanated from friend cabby might be within the bounds of possibility。 Naturally then； it would prey on his mind as a born leader of men； which undoubtedly he was； and a manding figure； a sixfooter or at any rate five feet ten or eleven in his stockinged feet； whereas Messrs So…and…So who； though they weren't even a patch on the former man； ruled the roost after their redeeming features were very few and far between。 It certainly pointed a moral； the idol with feet of clay。 And then seventytwo of his trusty henchmen rounding on him with mutual mudslinging。 And the identical same with murderers。 You had to e back … that haunting sense kind of drew you … to show the understudy in the title r？le how to。 He saw him once on the auspicious occasion when they broke up the type in the Insuppressible or was it United Ireland； a privilege he keenly appreciated； and； in point of fact； handed him his silk hat when it was knocked off and he said Thank you； excited as he undoubtedly was under his frigid expression notwithstanding the little misadventure mentioned between the cup and the lip … what's bred in the bone。 Still； as regards return； you were a lucky dog if they didn't set the terrier at you directly you got back。 Then a lot of shillyshally usually followed。 Tom for and Dick and Harry against。 And then； number one； you came up against the man in possession and had to produce your credentials； like the claimant in the Tichborne case； Roger Charles Tichborne。 Bella was the boat's name to the best of his recollection he； the heir； went down in； as the evidence went to show； and there was a tattoo mark too in Indian ink； Lord Bellew； was it？ As he might very easily have picked up the details from some pal on board ship and then； when got up to tally with the description given； introduce himself with； Excuse me； my name is So…and…So or some such monplace remark。 A more prudent course； Mr Bloom said to the not over effusive； in fact like the distinguished personage under discussion beside him； would have been to sound the lie of the land first。
That bitch； that English whore； did for him； the shebeen proprietor mented。 She put the first nail in his coffin。
Fine lump of a woman； all the same； the soi…disant town…clerk； Henry Campbell remarked； and plenty of her。 I seen her picture in a barber's。 Her husband was a captain or an officer。
Ay； Skin…the…Goat amusingly added。 He was； and a cottonball one。
This gratuitous contribution of a humorous character occasioned a fair amount of laughter among his entourage。 As regards Bloom； he； without the faintest suspicion of a smile； merely gazed in the direction of the door and reflected upon the historic story which had aroused extraordinary interest at the time when the facts； to make matters worse； were made public with the usual affectionate letters that passed between them； full of sweet nothings。 First； it was strictly platonic till nature intervened and an attachment sprang up between them； till bit by bit matters came to a climax and the matter became the talk of the town till the staggering blow came as a wele intelligence to not a few evildisposed however； who were resolved upon encouraging his downfall though the thing was public property all along though not to anything like the sensational extent that it subsequently blossomed into。 Sino their names were coupled； though； since he was her declared favourite； where was the particular necessity to proclaim it to the rank and file from the housetops； the fact namely； that he had shared her bedroom； which came out in the witnessbox on oath when a thrill went through the packed court literally electrifying everybody in the shape of witnesses swearing to having witnessed him on such and such a particular date in the act of scrambling out of an upstairs apartment with the assistance of a ladder in night apparel； having gained admittance in the same fashion； a fact that the weeklies； addicted to the lubric a little； simply coined shoals of money out of。 Whereas the simple fact of the case was it was simply a case of the husband not being up to the scratch with nothing in mon between them beyond the name and then a real man arriving on the scene； strong to the verge of weakness； falling a victim to her siren charms and forgetting home ties。 The usual sequel； to bask in the loved one's smiles。 The eternal question of the life connubial； needless to say； cropped up。 Can real love； supposing there happens to be another chap in the case； exist between married folk？ Though it was no concern of theirs absolutely if he regarded her with affection carried away by a wave of folly。 A magnificent specimen of manhood he was truly； augmented obviously by gifts of a high order as pared with the other military supernumerary； that is （who was just the usual everyday farewell； my gallant captain kind of an individual in the light dragoons； the 18th hussars to be accurate）； and inflammable doubtless （the fallen leader； that is； not the other） in his own peculiar way which she of course； woman； quickly perceived as highly likely to carve his way to fame； which he almost bid fair to do till the priests and ministers of the gospel as a whole； his erstwhile staunch adherents and his beloved evicted tenants for whom he had done yeoman service in the rural parts of the country by taking up the cudgels on their behalf in a way that exceeded their most sanguine expectations； very effectually cooked his matrimonial goose； thereby heaping coals of fire on his head； much in the same way as the fabled ass's kick。 Looking back now in a retrospective kind of arrangement； all seemed a kind of dream。 And the ing back was the worst thing you ever did because it went without saying you would feel out of place as things always moved with the times。 Why； as he reflected； Irishtown Strand； a locality he had not been in for quite a number of years； looked different somehow since； as it happened； he went to reside on the north side。 North or south however； it was just the wellknown case of hot passion； pure and simple； upsetting the applecart with a vengeance and just bore out the very thing he was saying； as she also was Spanish or half so； types that wouldn't do things by halves； passionate abandon of the south； casting every shred of decency to the winds。
Just bears out what I was saying； he with glowing bosom said to Stephen。 And； if I don't greatly mistake； she was Spanish too。
The king of Spain's daughter； Stephen answered； adding something or other rather muddled about farewell and adieu to you Spanish onions and the first land called the Deadman and from Ramhead to Scilly was so and so many。
Was she？ Bloom ejaculated surprised； though not astonished by any means。 I never heard that rumour before。 Possible； especially there it was； as she lived there。 So； Spain。
Carefully avoiding a book in his pocket Sweets of； which reminded him by the by of that Capel street library book out of date； he took out his pocketbook and； turning over the various contents rapidly； finally he。
Do you consider； by the by； he said； thoughtfully selecting a fades photo which he laid on the table； that a Spanish type？
Stephen； obviously addressed； looked down on the photo showing a large sized lady； with her fleshy charms on evidence in an open fashion； as she was in the full bloom of womanhood； In evening dress cut ostentatiously low for the occasion to give a liberal display of bosom； with more than vision of breasts； her full lips parted； and some perfect teeth； standing near； ostensibly with gravity； a piano； on the rest of which was In old Madrid； a ballad； pretty in its way； which was then all the vogue。 Her （the lady's） eyes； dark； large； looked at Stephen； about to smile about something to be admired； Lafayette of Westmoreland street； Dublin's premier photographic artist； being responsible for the esthetic execution。
Mrs Bloom； my wife the prima donna； Madam Marion Tweedy； Bloom indicated。 Taken a few years since。 In or about '96。 Very like her then。
Beside the young man he looked also at the photo of the lady now his legal wife who； he intimated； was the acplished daughter of Major Brian Tweedy and displayed at an early age remarkable proficiency as a singer having even made her bow to the public when her years numbered barely sweet sixteen。 As for the face； it was a speaking likeness in expression