Blooms Bury

At least, thought Molly to herself as her shovel chewed through cold
ground, this one is neither stately nor plump. That had been one hell
of a pyre, to send off Mulligan. She and Poldy had laid out the
kindling, rolled the fellow onto it and doused him liberally in
lighter-fuel, burnt him in blue flames and lit tight fat cigars off the
fire. It had been too sweet a smell to stand too close after a time,
honeyrichmeltingbone scent.

While she dug, Poldy bit into his warm ham and gorgonzola sandwich,
strands of cheese chinclinging, he trying to catch them in his mouth
like a trout after brightweaved flyfishing bait. He stamped his
grossbooted feet on the floor, trying to warm them up.

He was grateful that Molly was working hard and not in the mood to be
talkative. She spoke perhaps four sentences a day, but o what
sentences. He looked down at the corpse, wrapped in newsprint fastened
with thick brown tape. The telephone cord was still around Boylan's
neck, his last words having been, "Might I say a few words into your
telephone, missy?"

Have to purchase another one, replacement. Would be wrong, Poldy feels,
to uncoil the cord and use again, after this use. It seems a finality,
to retire the device and begin again. Boylan entered the world attached
to a cord, spent his whole adult life trying to climb back to the sort
of place he'd left and finally would leave the world with a cord to
guide him again. Ariadne's thread. He's always been fond of Greek myth,
Poldy.

"Where was it we buried Dedalus? " he asks, half to himself, "Wasn't it
near to here? I remember nettles and snotgreen sea. "

"Don't start with all those questions again, " snaps Molly, shortly,
"Every time you and Stephen get together, it is just a long exchange of
questions and answers. "

The hole seems deep enough now, she has worked hard. Poldy takes her by
the arm, kisses her soft and warm, marvelling at her curves and weight,
she's a body filled with ripening fruits of different sizes.

"Last one, Molly, " he promises her, "No more secret funerals for us. I
promise."