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Has been？ the more experienced of the two objected； sticking to his original point。 I'm not so sure about that。 That's a matter of every man's opinion and； without dragging in the sectarian side of the business； I beg to differ with you in toto there。 My belief is； to tell you the candid truth； that those bits were genuine forgeries all of them put in by monks most probably or it's the big question of our national poet over again； who precisely wrote them； like Hamlet and Bacon； as you who know your Shakespeare infinitely better than I； of course I needn't tell you。 Can't you drink that coffee； by the way？ Let me stir it and take a piece of that bun。 It's like one of our skipper's bricks disguised。 Still； no one can give what he hasn't got。 Try a bit。
Couldn't； Stephen contrived to get out； his mental organs for the moment refusing to dictate further。
Faultfinding being a proverbially bad hat； Mr Bloom thought well to stir； or try to； the clotted sugar from the bottom and reflected with something approaching acrimony on the Coffee Palace and its temperance （and lucrative） work。 To be sure it was a legitimate object and beyond yea or nay did a world of good。 Shelters such as the present one they were in run on teetotal lines for vagrants at night； concerts； dramatic evenings； and useful lectures （admittance free） by qualified men for the lower orders。 On the other hand； he had a distinct and painful recollection they paid his wife； Madam Marion Tweedy who had been prominently associated with it at one time； a very modest remuneration indeed for her pianoplaying。 The idea； he was strongly inclined to believe； was to do good and net a profit； there being no petition to speak of。 Sulphate of copper poison； SO4 or something in some dried peas he remembered reading of in a cheap eatinghouse somewhere but he couldn't remember when it was or where。 Anyhow； inspection； medical inspection； of all eatables； seemed to him more than ever necessary which possibly accounted for the vogue of Dr Tibble's Vi…Cocoa on account of the medical analysis involved。
Have a shot at it now； he ventured to say of the coffee after being stirred。
Thus prevailed on to at any rate taste it； Stephen lifted the heavy mug from the brown puddle … it clopped out of it when taken up … by the handle and took a sip of the offending beverage。
Still； it's solid food； his good genius urged； I'm a stickler for solid food； his one and only reason being not gormandising in the least but regular meals as the sine qua non for any kind of proper work； mental or manual。 You ought to eat more solid food。 You would feel a different man。
Liquids I can eat； Stephen said。 But oblige me by taking away that knife。 I can't look at the point of it。 It reminds me of Roman history。
Mr Bloom promptly did as suggested and removed the incriminated article； a blunt hornhandled ordinary knife with nothing particularly Roman or antique about it to the lay eye； observing that the point was the least conspicuous point about it。
Our mutual friend's stories are like himself； Mr Bloom； apropos of knives； remarked to his confidente sotto voce。 Do you think they are genuine？ He could spin those yarns for hours on end all night long and lie like old boots。 Look at him。
Yet still； though his eyes were thick with sleep and sea air； life was full of a host of things and coincidences of a terrible nature and it was quite within the bounds of possibility that it was not an entire fabrication though at first blush there was not much inherent probability in all the spoof he got off his chest being strictly accurate gospel。
He had been meantime taking stock of the individual in front of him and Sherlockholmesing him up； ever since he clapped eyes on him。 Though a wellpreserved man of no little stamina； if a trifle prone to baldness； there was something spurious in the cut of his jib that suggested a jail delivery and it required no violent stretch of imagination to associate such a weirdlooking specimen with the oakum and treadmill fraternity。 He might even have done for his man； supposing it was his own case he told； as people often did about others； namely； that he killed him himself and had served his four or five goodlooking years in durance vile to say nothing of the Antonio personage （no relation to the dramatic personage of identical name who sprang from the pen Of our national poet） who expiated his crimes in the melodramatic manner above described。 On the other hand he might be only bluffing； a pardonable weakness； because meeting unmistakable mugs； Dublin residents； like those jarvies waiting news from abroad； would tempt any ancient mariner who sailed the ocean seas to draw the long bow about the schooner Hesperus and etcetera。 And when all was said and done； the lies a fellow told about himself couldn't probably hold a proverbial candle to the wholesale whoppers other fellows coined about him。
Mind you； I'm not saying that it's all a pure invention； he resumed。 Analogous scenes are occasionally； if not often； met with。 Giants； though； that is rather a far cry you see once in a way。 Marcella； the midget queen。 In those waxworks in Henry street I myself saw some Aztecs； as they are called； sitting bowlegged。 They couldn't straighten their legs if you paid them because the muscles here； you see； he proceeded； indicating on his panion the brief outline； the sinews； or whatever you like to call them； behind the right knee； were utterly powerless from sitting that way so long cramped up； being adored as gods。 There's an example again of simple souls。
However； reverting to friend Sinbad and his horrifying adventures （who reminded him a bit of Ludwig； alias Ledwidge； when he occupied the boards of the Gaiety when Michael Gunn was identified with the management in the Flying Dutchman； a stupendous success； and his host of admirers came in large numbers； everyone simply flocking to hear him though ships of any sort； phantom or the reverse； on the stage usually fell a bit flat as also did trains）； there was nothing intrinsically inpatible about it； he conceded。 On the contrary； that stab in the back touch was quite in keeping with those Italianos； though candidly he was none the less free to admit those ice creamers and friers in the fish way； not to mention the chip potato variety and so forth； over in little Italy there； near the Coombe； were sober thrifty hardworking fellows except perhaps a bit too given to pothunting the harmless necessary animal of the feline persuasion of others at night so as to have a good old succulent tuck in with garlic de rigueur off him or her next day on the quiet and； he added； on the cheap。
Spaniards； for instance； he continued； passionate temperaments like that； impetuous as Old Nick； are given to taking the law into their own hands and give you your quietus double quick with those poignards they carry in the abdomen。 It es from the great heat； climate generally。 My wife is； so to speak； Spanish； half； that is。 Point of fact she could actually claim Spanish nationality if she wanted； having been born in （technically） Spain； i。e。 Gibraltar。 She has the Spanish type。 Quite dark； regular brunette； black。 I； for one； certainly believe climate accoun