Henry:  (In A low dulcet voice, touching the strings of his guitar) There is a flower that bloometh.

(Virag truculent, his jowl set, stares at the lamp.  Grave bloom regards Zoe’s neck.  Henry gallant turns with pendant DEWLAP to the piano.)

Stephen:  (To himself) Play with your eyes shut.  Imitate pa.  Filling my belly with husks of swine.  Too much of this.  I will arise and go to my.  Expect this is the.  Steve, thou art in a parlous way.  Must visit old Deasy or telegraph.  Our interview of this morning has left on me a deep impression.  Though our ages.  Will write fully tomorrow.  I’m partially drunk, by the way. (He touches the keys again) Minor chord comes now.  Yes.  Not much however.

(Almidano Artifoni holds out A BATONROLL of music with vigorous MOUSTACHEWORK.)

Artifoni:  CI RIFLETTA.  Lei ROVINA TUTTO.

Florry:  Sing us something.  Love’s old sweet song.

Stephen:  No voice.  I am a most finished artist.  Lynch, did I show you the letter about the lute?

Florry:  (SMIRKING) The bird that can sing and won’t sing.

(The Siamese twins, Philip drunk and Philip sober, two Oxford dons with LAWNMOWERS, appear in the window embrasure.  Both are masked with Matthew Arnold’s face.)

Philip sober:  Take a fool’s advice.  All is not well.  Work it out with the buttend of a pencil, like a good young idiot.  Three pounds twelve you got, two notes, one sovereign, two crowns, if youth but knew.  Mooney’s en ville, Mooney’s sur mer, the Moira, Larchet’s, Holles street hospital, Burke’s.  Eh?  I am watching you.

Philip drunk:  (Impatiently) Ah, bosh, man.  Go to hell!  I paid my way.  If I could only find out about octaves.  Reduplication of personality.  Who was it told me his name? (His lawnmower begins to purr) Aha, yes.  Zoe Mou Sas AGAPO.  Have a notion I was here before.  When was it not Atkinson his card I have somewhere.  Mac Somebody.  Unmack I have it.  He told me about, hold on, Swinburne, was it, no?

Florry:  And the song?

Stephen:  Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Florry:  Are you out of Maynooth?  You’re like someone I knew once.

Stephen:  Out of it now. (To himself) Clever.

Philip drunk and Philip sober:  (Their LAWNMOWERS purring with A rigadoon of grasshalms) Clever ever.  Out of it out of it.  By the bye have you the book, the thing, the ashplant?  Yes, there it, yes.  Cleverever outofitnow.  Keep in condition.  Do like us.