Time: 1 a.m.
Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom have just left the brothel district and are heading towards Bloom’s house. They stop at the cabman’s shelter, where a mysterious and rather sinister sailor begins to narrate the unlikely adventures of his sea travels, among these, a stabbing in the slums of Trieste.
“Possibly perceiving an expression of dubiosity on their faces the globetrotter went on, adhering to his adventures.
– And I seen a man killed in Trieste by an Italian chap. Knife in his back. Knife like that.
Whilst speaking he produced a dangerous looking claspknife quite in keeping with his character and held it in the striking position.
– In a knockingshop it was count of a tryon between two smugglers. Fellow hid behind a door, come up behind him. Like that. Prepare to meet your God, says he. Chuk! It went into his back up to the butt.”
James Joyce, Ulysses, ‘Eumaeus’ 57a
