His voice faded into silence. No heed was paid to his words. He turned his olive face, equine in expression, towards Stephen, inviting him to speak again.

MacCann began to speak with fluent energy of the Tsar's rescript, of Stead, of general disarmament arbitration in cases of international disputes, of the signs of the times, of the new humanity and the new gospel of life which would make it the business of the community to secure as cheaply as possible the greatest possible happiness of the greatest possible number.

The gipsy student responded to the close of the period by crying:

----Three cheers for universal brotherhood!

----Go on, Temple, said a stout ruddy student near him. I'll stand you a pint after.

----I'm a believer in universal brotherhood, said Temple, glancing about him out of his dark oval eyes. Marx is only a bloody cod.

Cranly gripped his arm tightly to check his tongue, smiling uneasily, and repeated:

----Easy, easy, easy!

Temple struggled to free his arm but continued, his mouth flecked by a thin foam:

----Socialism was founded by an Irishman and the first man in Europe who preached the freedom of thought was Collins. Two hundred years ago. He denounced priestcraft, the philosopher of Middlesex. Three cheers for John Anthony Collins!

A thin voice from the verge of the ring replied:

----Pip! pip!

Moynihan murmured beside Stephen's ear:

----And what about John Anthony's poor little sister:

Lottie Collins lost her drawers;
Won't you kindly lend her yours?