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is long while back as no man remembered to be without。 The rosy buds all gone brown and spread out blobs and on the hills nought but dry flags and faggots that would catch at first fire。 All the world saying； for aught they knew； the big wind of last February a year that did havoc the land so pitifully a small thing beside this barrenness。 But by and by； as said； this evening after sundown； the wind sitting in the west； biggish swollen clouds to be seen as the night increased and the weatherwise poring up at them and some sheet lightnings at first and after； past ten of the clock； one great stroke with a long thunder and in a brace of shakes all scamper pellmell within door for the smoking shower； the men making shelter for their straws with a clout or kerchief； womenfolk skipping off with kirtles catched up soon as the pour came。 In Ely place； Baggot street； Duke's lawn； thence through Merrion green up to Holles street； a swash of water running that was before bonedry and not one chair or coach or fiacre seen about but no more crack after that first。 Over against the Rt。 Hon。 Mr Justice Fitzgibbon's door （that is to sit with Mr Healy the lawyer upon the college lands） Mal。 Mulligan a gentleman's gentleman that had but e from Mr Moore's the writer's （that was a papish but is now； folk say； a good Williamite） chanced against Alec。 Bannon in a cut bob （which are now In with dance cloaks of Kendal green） that was new got to town from Mullingar with the stage where his coz and Mal M's brother will stay a month yet till Saint Swithin and asks what in the earth he does there； he bound home and he to Andrew Horne's being stayed for to crush a cup of wine； so he said； but would tell him of a skittish heifer； big of her age and beef to the heel and all this while poured with rain and so both together on to Horne's。 There Leop。 Bloom of Crawford's journal sitting snug with a covey of wags； likely brangling fellows； Dixon jun。； scholar of my lady of Mercy； Vin。 Lynch； a Scots fellow； Will。 Madden； T。 Lenehan； very sad for a racinghorse he fancied and Stephen D。 Leop。 Bloom there for a languor he had but was now better； he having dreamed tonight a strange fancy of his dame Mrs Moll with red slippers on in pair of Turkey trunks which is thought by those in ken to be for a change and Mistress Purefoy there； that got in through pleading her belly； and now on the stools； poor body； two days past her term； the midwives sore put to it and can't deliver； she queasy for a bowl of riceslop that is a shrewd drier up of the insides and her breath very heavy more than good and should be a bullyboy from the knocks they say； but God give her soon issue。 'Tis her ninth chick to live； I hear； and Lady day bit off her last chick's nails that was then a twelvemonth and with other three all breastfed that died written out in a fair hand in the king's bible。 Her hub fifty odd and a methodist but takes the Sacrament and is to be seen any fair sabbath with a pair of his boys off Bullock harbour dapping on the sound with a heavybraked reel or in a punt he has trailing for flounder and pollock and catches a fine bag； I hear。 In sum an infinite great fall of rain and all refreshed and will much increase the harvest yet those in ken say after wind and water fire shall e for a prognostication of Malachi's almanac （and I hear that Mr Russell has done a prophetical charm of the same gist out of the Hindustanish for his farmer's gazette） to have three things in all but this a mere fetch without bottom of reason for old crones and bairns yet sometimes they are found in the right guess with their queerities no telling how。
With this came up Lenehan to the feet of the table to say how the letter was in that night's gazette and he made a show to find it about him （for he swore with an oath that he had been at pains about it） but on Stephen's persuasion he gave over to search and was bidden to sit near by which he did mighty brisk。 He was a kind of sport gentleman that went for a merryandrew or honest pickle and what belonged of woman； horseflesh； or hot scandal he had it pat。 To tell the truth he was mean in fortunes and for the most part hankered about the coffeehouses and low taverns with crimps； ostlers； bookies； Paul's men； runners； flatcaps； waistcoateers； ladies of the bagnio and other rogues of the game or with a chanceable catchpole or a tipstaff often at nights till broad day of whom he picked up between his sackpossets much loose gossip。 He took his ordinary at a boiling…cook's and if he had but gotten into him a mess of broken victuals or a platter of tripes with a bare tester in his purse he could always bring himself off with his tongue； some randy quip he had from a punk or whatnot that every mother's son of them would burst their sides。 The other； Costello； that is； hearing this talk asked was it poetry or a tale。 Faith； no； he says； Frank （that was his name）； 'tis all about Kerry cows that are to be butchered along of the plague。 But they can go hang； says he with a wink； for me with their bully beef； a pox on it。 There's as good fish in this tin as ever came out of it and very friendly he offered to take of some salty sprats that stood by which he had eyed wishly in the meantime and found the place which was indeed the chief design of his embassy as he was sharpset。 Mort aux vaches； says Frank then in the French language that had been indentured to a brandy shipper that has a winelodge in Bordeaux and he spoke French like a gentleman too。 From a child this Frank had been a donought that his father； a headborough； who could ill keep him to school to learn his letters and the use of the globes； matriculated at the university to study the mechanics but he took the bit between his teeth like a raw colt and was more familiar with the justiciary and the parish beadle than with his volumes。 One time he would be a playactor； then a sutler or a welsher； then nought would keep him from the bearpit and the cocking main； then he was for the ocean sea or to hoof it on the roads with the Romany folk； kidnapping a squire's heir by favour or moonlight or fecking maid's linen or choking chickens behind a hedge。 He had been off as many times as a cat has lives and back again with naked pockets as many more to his father the headborough who shed a pint of tears as often as he saw him。 What； says Mr Leopold with his hands across； that was earnest to know the drift of it； will they slaughter all？ I protest I saw them but this day morning going to the Liverpool boats； says he。 I can scarce believe 'tis so bad； says he。 And he had experience of the like brood beasts and of springers； greasy hoggets and wether wools； having been some years before actuary for Mr Joseph Cuffe； a worthy salesmaster that drove his trade for live stock and meadow auctions hard by Mr Gavin Low's yard in Prussia street。 I question with you there； says he。 More like 'tis the hoose of the timber tongue。 Mr Stephen； a little moved but very handsomely； told him no such matter and that he had dispatches from the emperor's chief tailtickler thanking him for the hospitality； that was sending over Doctor Rinderpest； the bestquoted cowcatcher in all Muscovy； with a bolus or two of physic to take the bull by the h