—­And what about John Anthony’s poor little sister: 

    Lottie Collins lost her drawers;
    Won’t you kindly lend her yours?

Stephen laughed and Moynihan, pleased with the result, murmured again: 

—­We’ll have five bob each way on John Anthony Collins.

—­I am waiting for your answer, said MacCann briefly.

—­The affair doesn’t interest me in the least, said Stephen wearily. 
You know that well.  Why do you make a scene about it?

—­Good! said MacCann, smacking his lips.  You are a reactionary, then?

—­Do you think you impress me, Stephen asked, when you flourish your wooden sword?

—­Metaphors! said MacCann bluntly.  Come to facts.

Stephen blushed and turned aside.  MacCann stood his ground and said with hostile humour: 

—­Minor poets, I suppose, are above such trivial questions as the question of universal peace.

Cranly raised his head and held the handball between the two students by way of a peace-offering, saying: 

—­Pax Super TOTUM SANGUINARIUM GLOBUM.

Stephen, moving away the bystanders, jerked his shoulder angrily in the direction of the Tsar’s image, saying: 

—­Keep your icon.  If we must have a Jesus let us have a legitimate Jesus.

—­By hell, that’s a good one! said the gipsy student to those about him, that’s a fine expression.  I like that expression immensely.

He gulped down the spittle in his throat as if he were gulping down the phrase and, fumbling at the peak of his tweed cap, turned to Stephen, saying: 

—­Excuse me, sir, what do you mean by that expression you uttered just now?

Feeling himself jostled by the students near him, he said to them: 

—­I am curious to know now what he meant by that expression.

He turned again to Stephen and said in a whisper: 

—­Do you believe in Jesus?  I believe in man.  Of course, I don’t know if you believe in man.  I admire you, sir.  I admire the mind of man independent of all religions.  Is that your opinion about the mind of Jesus?

—­Go on, Temple, said the stout ruddy student, returning, as was his wont, to his first idea, that pint is waiting for you.

—­He thinks I’m an imbecile, Temple explained to Stephen, because I’m a believer in the power of mind.

Cranly linked his arms into those of Stephen and his admirer and said: 

—­NOS ad MANUM BALLUM JOCABIMUS.

Stephen, in the act of being led away, caught sight of MacCann’s flushed blunt-featured face.

—­My signature is of no account, he said politely.  You are right to go your way.  Leave me to go mine.

—­Dedalus, said MacCann crisply, I believe you’re a good fellow but you have yet to learn the dignity of altruism and the responsibility of the human individual.

A voice said: