(bloom half rises. his back trousers button snaps.)the button bip！
(two sluts of the coombe dance rainily by， shawled， yelling flatly.)the sluts
o leopold lost the pin of his drawers
he didn't know what to do，
to keep it up，
to keep it up.
bloom (coldly.) you have broken the spell. the last straw. if there were only ethereal where would you all be， postulants and novices？ shy but willing， like an ass pissing.
the yews (their silverfoil of leaves precipitating， their skinny arms ageing and swaying.) deciduously！
the nymph sacrilege！ to attempt my virtue！ (a large moist stain appears on her robe.) sully my innocence！ you are not fit to touch the garment of a pure woman. (she clutches in her robe.) wait， satan. you'll sing no more lovesongs. amen. amen. amen. amen. (she draws a poniard and， clad in the sheathmail of an elected knight of nine， strikes at his loins.) nekum！
bloom (starts up， seizes her hand.) hoy！ nebrakada！ cat of nine lives！ fair play， madam. no pruning knife. the fox and the grapes， is it？ what do we lack with your barbed wire？ crucifix not thick enough？ (he clutches her veil.) a holy abbot you want or brophy， the lame gardener， or the spoutless statue of the watercarrier or good mother alphonsus， eh reynard？
the nymph (with a cry， flees from him unveiled， her plaster cast cracking， a cloud of stench escaping from the cracks.) poli... ！
bloom (calls after her.) as if you didn't get it on the double yourselves. no jerks and multiple mucosities all over you. i tried it. your strength our weakness. what's our stud fee？ what will you pay on the nail？ you fee men dancers on the riviera， i read. (the fleeing nymph raises a keen.) eh！ i have sixteen years of black slave labour behind me. and would a jury give me five shillings alimony tomorrow， eh？ fool someone else， not me. (he sniffs.) but. onions. stale. sulphur. grease.
(the figure of bella cohen stands before him.)bella you'll know me the next time.
bloom (composed， regards her.) passée. mutton dressed as lamb. lone in the tooth and superfluous hairs. a raw onion the last thing at night would benefit your complexion. and take some double chin drill. your eyes are as vapid as the glass eyes of your stuffed fox. they have the dimensions of your other features， that's all. i'm not a triple screw propeller.