Tuesday 12 March 2019

Monday, 11 March 2019, Pages 537 - 539

We stopped reading at " ... that this is to come." (539.7)

Continuing his defence, HCE justifies his behaviour that he did not cophetuise milady's maid. This refers to the African king, Cophetua, who married a beggar maid. To find out who HCE's beggar maid i.e., milady's maid is, we have to go back to page 530 where we had read that the 4 old men conducting the enquiry had decided to call as witness, Kitty the Beads, who had worked as a maid in the HCE household and pub. She had described how she had made HCE go all hot for her (I messaged his dilltoyds sausepander mussels on the kisschen table; 531.5)

According to HCE, it is 'Utterly improperable!'  He would not do it (catch venereal diseases) for any amount of money, not for all ecus in the Cunzie House, (the mint in old Edinburgh according to McHigh). He addresses his inquirers, saying, 'My herrings! The surdity of it!' (Meine Herren! The absurdity of it!). This is as absurd as the rumour about him in the Phoenix park with the two girls because in his own words, 'I would not know to contact such gretched youngsteys ...' 

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