feels his trouser pocket) Poor mamma’s panacea.  Heel easily catch in track or bootlace in a cog.  Day the wheel of the black Maria peeled off my shoe at Leonard’s corner.  Third time is the charm.  Shoe trick.  Insolent driver.  I ought to report him.  Tension makes them nervous.  Might be the fellow balked me this morning with that horsey woman.  Same style of beauty.  Quick of him all the same.  The stiff walk.  True word spoken in jest.  That awful cramp in Lad lane.  Something poisonous I ate.  Emblem of luck.  Why?  Probably lost cattle.  Mark of the beast. (He closes his eyes an instant) Bit light in the head.  Monthly or effect of the other.  Brainfogfag.  That tired feeling.  Too much for me now.  Ow!

(A sinister figure leans on plaited legs against O’BEIRNE’S wall, A
visage unknown, injected with dark Mercury.  From under A wideleaved
sombrero the figure regards him with evil eye.)

Bloom:  BUENAS NOCHES, senorita Blanca.  QUE Calle ES esta?

The figure:  (Impassive, raises A signal arm) Password.  SRAID MABBOT.

Bloom:  Haha.  MERCI.  Esperanto.  SLAN Leath. (He Mutters) Gaelic league spy, sent by that fireeater.

(He steps forward.  A SACKSHOULDERED ragman bars his path.  He steps left,
RAGSACKMAN left.)

Bloom:  I beg. (He swerves, Sidles, Stepaside, slips past and on.)

Bloom:  Keep to the right, right, right.  If there is a signpost planted by the Touring Club at Stepaside who procured that public boon?  I who lost my way and contributed to the columns of the irish cyclist the letter headed in darkest Stepaside.  Keep, keep, keep to the right.  Rags and bones at midnight.  A fence more likely.  First place murderer makes for.  Wash off his sins of the world.

(Jacky Caffrey, hunted by Tommy Caffrey, runs full tilt against bloom.)

BLOOM:  O

(Shocked, on weak hams, he halts.  Tommy and Jacky vanish there, there. 
Bloom pats with parcelled hands watch FOBPOCKET, BOOKPOCKET, PURSEPOKET,
sweets of sin, potato soap.)

Bloom:  Beware of pickpockets.  Old thieves’ dodge.  Collide.  Then snatch your purse.