Mr Dedalus, peering through his glasses towards the veiled sun, hurled a mute curse at the sky.

―It’s as uncertain as a child’s bottom, he said.

―We’re off again.

The carriage turned again its stiff wheels and their trunks swayed gently. Martin Cunningham twirled more quickly the peak of his beard.

―Tom Kernan was immense last night, he said. And Paddy Leonard taking him off to his face.

―O draw him out, Martin, Mr Power said eagerly. Wait till you hear him, Simon, on Ben Dollard’s singing of The Croppy Boy .