ch14c

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peasants

Backbone or not, it was in the constant observance of the peasantry that Stephen chiefly delighted. Physically, they were almost Mongolian types, tall, angular and oblique-eyed. Stephen whenever he walked behind a peasant always looked first for the prominent cheek-bones that seemed to cut the air and the peasants in their turn must have recognized metropolitan features for they stared very hard at the youth as if he were some rare animal. One day Dan was sent into the town to buy some medicine at the druggist’s and Stephen went in with him. The trap stopped in the main street before the druggist’s and Dan handed down the order to a ragged boy telling him to take it into the shop. The ragged boy first showed the paper to an equally ragged friend and then went into the shop. When they came out they stood at the door of the shop gazing alternately from Stephen to the horse’s tail and back again. While they were thus gazing they were confronted by a lame beggar who advanced towards them gripping his stick:



— It was yous called out names after me yestherday.



The two children huddling in the doorway, gazed at him and answered:



— No, sir.



— O yes it was, though.



The beggar thrust his malign face down at their faces and began moving his stick up and down.



— But mind what I'm tellin' you. D'ye see that stick?



— Yes, sir.



— Well, if ye call out after me the next time I'll cut yez open with that stick. I'll cut the livers out of ye. He prodeeded to explain himself to the frightened children.



— D’ye hear me now? I’ll cut ye open with that stick. I’ll cut the livers and the lights out of ye.


    "In Mullingar: an evening in autumn
    The Lame Beggar-- (gripping his stick) ...It was you called out after me yesterday.
    The Two Children-- (gazing at him) ...No, sir.
    The Lame Beggar-- O, yes it was, though... (moving his stick up and down) ...But mind what I'm telling you... D'ye see that stick?
    The Two Children-- Yes, sir.
    The Lame Beggar-- Well, if ye call out after me any more I'll cut ye open with that stick. I'll cut the livers out o' ye... (explains himself) ...D'ye hear me? I'll cut ye open. I'll cut the livers and the lights out o' ye." [more]




This incident was stolidly admired by a few bystanders who made way for the beggar as he limped along the footpath. Dan, who had watched the scene from the trap, now descended to the ground and asking Stephen to look to the horse went into a very dirty public-house. Stephen sat alone in the car thinking of the beggar's face. He had never before seen such evil expressed in a face. He had sometimes watched the faces of prefects as they 'pandied' boys with a broad leather bat but those faces had seemed to him less malicious than stupid, dutifully inflamed faces. The recollection of the beggar's sharp eyes struck a fine chord of terror in the youth and he set himself to whistle away the keen throb of it. After a few minutes a fat young man with a very red head came out of the druggist's shop holding two neat parcels. Stephen recognized Nash and Nash testified that he recognized Stephen by changing complexion very painfully. Stephen could have enjoyed his old enemy's discomfiture had he chosen but disdaining to do so he held out his hand instead. Nash was junior assistant in the shop and when he learned that Stephen was on a visit to Mr Fulham his manner was tinged with discreet respectfulness. Stephen, however, soon put him at his ease and when Dan emerged from the grimy public-house the two were engaged in familiar chat. Nash said Mullingar was the last place God made, a God-forgotten hole, and asked Stephen how he could stick it.

pandying is mentioned for first time!

— I only wish I was back again in Dublin, that's all I know.



— How do you amuse yourself here? asked Stephen.



— Amuse yourself? You can't. There's nothing here.



— But haven't you concerts sometimes? The first day I came here I saw some bills up about a concert.



— O, that's off. Father Lohan put the boot on that — the P.P. you know.



— Why did he?



— O, you better ask him that. He says his parishioners don't want comic songs and skirt dances. If they want a decent concert, he says, they can get one up in the school-house, — O, he bosses them, I tell you.



— O, is that the way?



— They're afraid of their life of him. If he hears any dancing in a house at night he raps at the window and pouf! out goes the candle.



— By Jove!



— Fact. You know he has a collection of girl's hats.



— Girl's hats!



— Yes. Of an evening when the girls go out walking with the soldiers he goes out too and any girl he catches hold of he snaps off her hat and takes it back with him to the priest's house then if the girl goes to ask him for it he gives her a proper blowing-up.



— Good man!... Well, we must be off now. I suppose I'll see you again.



— Come in tomorrow, will you: it's a short day. And I'll tell you I'll introduce you to a friend of mine here — very decent sort — on the Examiner. You'll like him.



— Very good. Until then!



— So long! About two o'clock.



As they drove home together Stephen asked Dan some questions which Dan pretended not to hear and when Stephen pressed him for answers he gave the shortest possible answers. It was plain that he did not care to discuss his spiritual superior and Stephen had to desist.




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