

“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.