Martin Cunningham, first, poked his silkhatted head into the creaking carriage and, entering deftly, seated himself. Mr Power stepped in after him, curving his height with care.
—Come on, Simon.
—After you, Mr Bloom said.
Mr Dedalus covered himself quickly and got in, saying:
Yes, yes.
—Are we all here now? Martin Cunningham asked. Come along, Bloom.
Mr Bloom entered and sat in the vacant place. He pulled the door to after him and slammed it twice till it shut tight. He passed an arm through the armstrap and looked seriously from the open carriagewindow at the lowered blinds of the avenue. One dragged aside: an old woman peeping. Nose whiteflattened against the pane. Thanking her stars she was passed over. Extraordinary the interest they take in a corpse. Glad to see us go we give them such trouble coming. Job seems to suit them. Huggermugger in corners. Slop about in slipperslappers for fear he’d wake. Then getting it ready. Laying it out. Molly and Mrs Fleming making the bed. Pull it more to your side. Our windingsheet. Never know who will touch you dead. Wash and shampoo. I believe they clip the nails and the hair. Keep a bit in an envelope. Grows all the same after. Unclean job.
All waited. Nothing was said. Stowing in the wreaths probably. I am sitting on something hard. Ah, that soap: in my hip pocket. Better shift it out of that. Wait for an opportunity.
annotation:
Several new characters are introduced at the beginning of this chapter; Martin Cunningham, Mr Power, and Simon Dedalus. I looked him up and found out he’s Stephen’s father, and largely based on Joyce’s own father ( source ). I found several references to a painting of Joyce’s father so I styled the drawing to resemble John Joyce.
Bloom’s morbid thought about his own death, who will prepare him for his internment, and the growth of his hair and fingernails after he dies seems to be setting the tone for the chapter, and then he follows it up with a quick reference the the sensual nature of the last chapter. Joyce is perhaps using this thought to help us understand the tone of Hades will be noticeably different.