The Annotated "Ulysses"/Page 079
Mr Bloom looked back towards the choir. Not going to be any music.
Pity. Who has the organ here I wonder? Old Glynn he knew how to make
that instrument talk, the vibrato : fifty pounds a year they say he had in Gar-
diner street. Molly was in fine voice that day, the Stabat Mater of Rossini.
Father Bernard Vaughan’s sermon first. Christ or Pilate? Christ, but don’t
keep us all night over it. Music they wanted. Footdrill stopped. Could hear a
pin drop. I told her to pitch her voice against that corner. I could feel the
thrill in the air, the full, the people looking up :
Quis est homo!
Some of that old sacred music is splendid. Mercadante : seven last words.
Mozart’s twelfth mass : the Gloria in that. Those old popes were keen on
music, on art and statues and pictures of all kinds. Palestrina for example too.
They had a gay old time while it lasted. Healthy too chanting, regular hours,
then brew liqueurs. Benedictine. Green Chartreuse. Still, having eunuchs in
their choir that was coming it a bit thick. What kind of voice is it? Must
be curious to hear after their own strong basses. Connoisseurs. Suppose they
wouldn’t feel anything after. Kind of a placid. No worry. Fall into flesh
don’t they? Gluttons, tall, long legs. Who knows? Eunuch. One way out
of it.
He saw the priest bend down and kiss the altar and then face about and
bless all the people. All crossed themselves and stood up. Mr Bloom glanced
about him and then stood up, looking over the risen hats. Stand up at the
gospel of course. Then all settled down on their knees again and he sat back
quietly in his bench. The priest came down from the altar, holding the thing
out from him, and he and the massboy answered each other in Latin. Then
the priest knelt down and began to read off a card :
— O God, our refuge and our strength…
Mr Bloom put his face forward to catch the words. English. Throw them
the bone. I remember slightly. How long since your last mass? Gloria and
immaculate virgin Joseph her spouse. Peter and Paul. More interesting if you
understood what it was all about. Wonderful organisation certainly, goes like
clockwork. Confession. Everyone wants to. Then I will tell you all. Penance.
Punish me, please. Great weapon in their hands. More than doctor or solicitor.
Woman dying to. And I schschschschschsch. And did you chachachachacha?
And why did you? Look down at her ring to find an excuse. Whispering
gallery walls have ears. Husband learn to his surprise. God’s little joke.
Then out she comes. Repentance skindeep. Lovely shame. Pray at an altar.