There was a silence while he ate. Then he said:

―Well now, the day kept up fine after all. There were plenty of strangers down too.

Nobody spoke. He said again:

―I think there were more strangers down than last Christmas.

He looked round at the others whose faces were bent towards their plates and, receiving no reply, waited for a moment and said bitterly:

―Well, my Christmas dinner has been spoiled anyhow.

―There could be neither luck nor grace, Dante said, in a house where there is no respect for the pastors of the church.

Mr. Dedalus threw his knife and fork noisily on his plate.