"Listen. Bloom listened. Richie Goulding listened. And by the door deaf Pat, bald Pat, tipped Pat, listened.
The chords harped slower.
The voice of penance and of grief came slow, embellished, tremulous. Ben's contrite beard confessed. In nomine Domini, in God's name he knelt. He beat his hand upon his breast, confessing: mea culpa." (U11.1028)
The chords harped slower.
The voice of penance and of grief came slow, embellished, tremulous. Ben's contrite beard confessed. In nomine Domini, in God's name he knelt. He beat his hand upon his breast, confessing: mea culpa." (U11.1028)
"Latin again. That holds them like birdlime. Priest with the communion corpus for those women. Chap in the mortuary, coffin or coffey, corpusnomine. Wonder where that rat is by now. Scrape.
Tap." (U11.1034)
In this holy card, pope Pius X is officiating the mass.
Tap." (U11.1034)
In this holy card, pope Pius X is officiating the mass.
"They listened: tankards and Miss Kennedy, George Lidwell eyelid well expressive, fullbusted satin, Kernan, Si.
The sighing voice of sorrow sang. His sins. Since Easter he had cursed three times. You bitch's bast. And once at masstime he had gone to play. Once by the churchyard he had passed and for his mother's rest he had not prayed. A boy. A croppy boy." (U11.1038)
The sighing voice of sorrow sang. His sins. Since Easter he had cursed three times. You bitch's bast. And once at masstime he had gone to play. Once by the churchyard he had passed and for his mother's rest he had not prayed. A boy. A croppy boy." (U11.1038)
"Bronze, listening by the beerpull, gazed far away. Soulfully. Doesn't half know I'm. Molly great dab at seeing anyone looking.
Bronze gazed far sideways. Mirror there. Is that best side of her face? They always know. Knock at the door. Last tip to titivate." (U11.1044)
Bronze gazed far sideways. Mirror there. Is that best side of her face? They always know. Knock at the door. Last tip to titivate." (U11.1044)
"Cockcarracarra.
What do they think when they hear music? Way to catch rattlesnakes. Night Michael Gunn gave us the box. Tuning up." (U11.1048)
What do they think when they hear music? Way to catch rattlesnakes. Night Michael Gunn gave us the box. Tuning up." (U11.1048)
"Shah of Persia liked that best. Remind him of home sweet home. Wiped his nose in curtain too." (U11.1051)
Nasser al-Din (b. 1831, Shah 1848-1896) was the first Persian shah to visit the West (1873, 1878, and 1889). Mme Waddington describes him thus: "The Shah was not at all a striking figure, short, stout, with a dark skin, and hard black eyes. He had handsome jewels, a large diamond fastening the white aigrette of his high black cap, and his sword-hilt incrusted with diamonds. He gave a stiff little nod in acknowledgment of the bows and curtseys every one made when he appeared." He was a big hit with the public. 'Have you seen the Shah?' became a catchphrase in conversation and music-hall song. Stories circulated of the kind Bloom recalls. Others: * That he wore a coat covered with precious stones 'as big as walnuts'. * That he stayed at Buckingham while Queen Victoria was away, and was so annoyed by the incompetence of a servant that he had the man strangled and cremated in the palace garden. * At a court ball, he told the Prince of Wales: "Tell those people to stop now, I have seen enough" thinking it was a ballet performing for his amusement. * When presented to an aging European monarch and his wife, he told the husband: "Laide, vieille, pourquoi garder?" (= She is ugly and old, why keep her?) etc.
Nasser al-Din (b. 1831, Shah 1848-1896) was the first Persian shah to visit the West (1873, 1878, and 1889). Mme Waddington describes him thus: "The Shah was not at all a striking figure, short, stout, with a dark skin, and hard black eyes. He had handsome jewels, a large diamond fastening the white aigrette of his high black cap, and his sword-hilt incrusted with diamonds. He gave a stiff little nod in acknowledgment of the bows and curtseys every one made when he appeared." He was a big hit with the public. 'Have you seen the Shah?' became a catchphrase in conversation and music-hall song. Stories circulated of the kind Bloom recalls. Others: * That he wore a coat covered with precious stones 'as big as walnuts'. * That he stayed at Buckingham while Queen Victoria was away, and was so annoyed by the incompetence of a servant that he had the man strangled and cremated in the palace garden. * At a court ball, he told the Prince of Wales: "Tell those people to stop now, I have seen enough" thinking it was a ballet performing for his amusement. * When presented to an aging European monarch and his wife, he told the husband: "Laide, vieille, pourquoi garder?" (= She is ugly and old, why keep her?) etc.
He was succeeded by his son Mozaffar al-Din (1853 - 1907, Shah 1896-1907). Like his father, Mozaffar visited Europe 3 times, borrowing money from Nicholas II of Russia to pay for his extravagant traveling expenses. Stories circulated about him, though not as colorful as those about his father. In 1902, he visited England expecting to receive the Order of the Garter, that King Edward VII had no intention of giving him. A quick thinking secretary had a special medal made that resembled the Order (but missing the Cross of St. George) and dispatched it to the royal yacht just in time for the Shah's arrival. The Shah was enraged by the sight of the fake medal, and threw it out of a porthole. As a consolation, Edward VII introduced him to his personal tailor, Henry Poole and Co. on Savile Row. [P.S. in 1903, Edward VII relented and appointed him a member of the Order]. In France, Mozaffar was introduced to the 'cinematographe,' fell in love with it, and ordered his personal photographer to acquire all the equipment and knowledge needed to bring the moving picture to Iran, thus starting Iranian Cinema.
"Custom his country perhaps. That's music too. Not as bad as it sounds. Tootling. Brasses braying asses through uptrunks. Doublebasses helpless, gashes in their sides. Woodwinds mooing cows." (U11.1052)
"She looked fine. Her crocus dress she wore, lowcut, belongings on show. Clove her breath was always in theatre when she bent to ask a question. Told her what Spinoza says in that book of poor papa's. Hypnotised, listening. Eyes like that. She bent. Chap in dresscircle, staring down into her with his operaglass for all he was worth. Beauty of music you must hear twice. Nature woman half a look. God made the country man the tune. Met him pike hoses. Philosophy. O rocks!" (U11.1056)
"All gone. All fallen. At the siege of Ross his father, at Gorey all his brothers fell. To Wexford, we are the boys of Wexford, he would. Last of his name and race.
I too, last my race. Milly young student. Well, my fault perhaps. No son. Rudy. Too late now. Or if not? If not? If still?
He bore no hate.
Hate. Love. Those are names. Rudy. Soon I am old. " (U11.1063)
I too, last my race. Milly young student. Well, my fault perhaps. No son. Rudy. Too late now. Or if not? If not? If still?
He bore no hate.
Hate. Love. Those are names. Rudy. Soon I am old. " (U11.1063)
"Letters read out for breach of promise. From Chickabiddy's own Mumpsypum. Laughter in court. Henry. I never signed it. The lovely name you.
Low sank the music, air and words. Then hastened." (U11.1078)
Low sank the music, air and words. Then hastened." (U11.1078)
"The false priest rustling soldier from his cassock. A yeoman captain. They know it all by heart. The thrill they itch for. Yeoman cap.
Tap. Tap." (U11.1081)
Tap. Tap." (U11.1081)
"Thrilled, she listened, bending in sympathy to hear.
Blank face. Virgin should say: or fingered only. Write something on it: page. If not what becomes of them? Decline, despair. Keeps them young. Even admire themselves. See. Play on her. Lip blow. Body of white woman, a flute alive. Blow gentle. Loud. Three holes all women. Goddess I didn't see." (U11.1086)
Blank face. Virgin should say: or fingered only. Write something on it: page. If not what becomes of them? Decline, despair. Keeps them young. Even admire themselves. See. Play on her. Lip blow. Body of white woman, a flute alive. Blow gentle. Loud. Three holes all women. Goddess I didn't see." (U11.1086)