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J O Y C E 21hurried word with Joyce, said he noticed his own name on the list, andwould see to it that the defaulted rates were paid up promptly. Joyce wasgreatly relieved, and said, 'Oh of course, at any time, at your convenience.. . .' Then the applications were heard. One householder appearedholding his receipt for payment. To the relief of John Joyce, themagistrate promptly intervened: 'We all know that Mr. Joyce is a mostcapable and conscientious officer. Decree granted.' 46Not all John Joyce's jokes were at the expense of others. He liked totell how, as a civil servant, he was obliged to attend certain functions atDublin Castle. On one occasion there was a masquerade ball, and for alark he went dressed as a British officer. The jarvey who drove him in acab to the castle was expecting a tip befitting his passenger's rank, butJohn Joyce gave him the minimum. 'Holy Jaysus,' said the jarvey, 'and Ithought I had a real officer!' 'And so you have, my man,' said JohnJoyce, refusing to be intimidated. 'I have,' said the jarvey, looking at thecoin in his fist, 'a cotton-ball one.'* 47John Joyce applied himself with equal diligence to the begetting ofchildren and the contracting of mortgages on his inherited properties. Hisfirst child was born in 1881 and did not survive; he lamented, 'My lifewas buried with him,' 4 8but was soon solaced with another. During hiswife's second pregnancy, on December 2, 1881, he mortgaged the firstof his Cork properties. 49The second child, James Augusta (as the birthwas incorrectly registered),t was born on February 2, 1882, by whichtime the Joyces had moved from Kingstown to 41 Brighton Square Westin Rathgar. 50Three mortgages followed, on March 9, October 18, andNovember 27, 1883, and then Margaret Alice ('Poppie') was born onJanuary 18, 1884. 51On August 5, 1884, another property was mortgaged;John Stanislaus ('Stannie') was born on December 17, 1884, and CharlesPatrick on July 24, 1886. There were two other mortgages on April 21and May 6, 1887, and George Alfred was born on his father's birthday,July 4, 1887. Eileen Isabel Mary Xavier Brigid was born on January 22,1889, Mary Kathleen on January 18, 1890, and Eva Mary on October26, 1891. Then came Florence Elizabeth on November 8, 1892, whowas followed by mortgages on December 24, 1892, and January 13, 1893.Mabel Josephine Anne ('Baby') was born November 27, 1893, and twomortgages, on February 8 and 16, came quickly after in 1894. The total,not including three misbirths, was four boys and six girls. There were nomore babies, and after eleven mortgages, there was no more property.John Joyce filled his house with children and with debts.This reckless, talented man, convinced that he was the victim of cir-* In the Eumaeus episode of Ulysses (651 [755]), someone says of Captain W. H. O'Shea,the husband of Parnell's mistress, 'Her husband was a captain or an officer.' 'Ay, Skinthe-Goatamusingly added. He was, and a cotton-ball one.'t The significance of the error was not lost upon Joyce, who gave Leopold Bloom thesecond name of Paula as a result.