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“OMNIUM GATHERUM”

239

achieved the stern task of living, but his name was

vaguely associated with racing tissues. (Joyce, 1996:

50)

A brazen-faced parasite, Lenehan is probably well-educated:

not only is he armed with a large stock of stories, limericks and

riddles, but speaks French and has an “air of gentility” (57). It

remains uncertain in “Two Gallants” as to how he is associated

with racing, but in

Ulysses

, Joyce makes this association clear

by depicting him as a reporter for a racing paper: “Lenehan

came out of the inner office with

Sport

’s tissues,” asking, “Who

wants a dead cert for the Gold cup?” (1986: 105). Being a

sports journalist, he does not cover the race but tips the winner,

and this can be counted as a violation of professional ethics.

Throughout the entire novel, in fact, we observe Lenehan

fawning on his fellow Dubliners, trying to win favor, rather

than working as a journalist. His parasitism has gone even

farther than before. When O’Molloy offers a cigarette to

MacHugh, “Lenehan promptly struck a match for them and lit

their cigarettes in turn” (107), thereby obtaining one for

himself. Later, the cigarette case is offered to Stephen and

Crawford, and once again, “Lenehan lit their cigarettes as

before and took his trophy” (115). He also grimaces,

caricatures Bloom’s walking, recites a limerick, asks a riddle,

plays word games, and chimes in whenever he can (106-113).

It is noteworthy that his riddle is interrupted by those in the

office and that no one attempts to solve it, suggesting their

unconcern with him. When Stephen proposes a round of

drinks, Lenehan suggests Mooney’s and “[leads] the way”

(118), and in so doing insinuates himself into the gang. More

like a jester than a journalist, Lenehan always tries to interject a

word or to amuse people with banal jokes and funny gestures,

so as to remind others of his presence and obtain his trophies

cigarettes, drinks, etc. As Bloom remarks when spotting the

gang leaving: “Lenehan’s yachting cap on the cadge beyond.