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642 J A M E S [ 1929-1932 ]his appreciation of Huebsch's efforts by inserting a special clause: if atany time during the continuance of this agreement, Mr. B. W. Huebschshould sever his connection with the said Viking Press and either set uppublishing on his own account or acquire interest in another firmofpublishers than the Viking Press, then the said Author shall have theoption of transferring the benefits of this contract to such new firm.' 148It would be wrong, however, to suppose that Joyce could now relyupon adulation in any country. Harold Nicolson in November 1931, wasto speak for the British Broadcasting Company on Joyce, but at the lastmoment the talk was canceled, and Nicolson had to fightvery hard togive it finallyon December 6. In America the Catholic World carried anattack on Joyce by a Dublin judge, Michael Lennon, with whom he hadbeen friendly for several years; it cast slurs upon his family as well asupon the author, 149and seemed to Joyce another inexplicable betrayal.He followed again the method he had suggested for exposing Jung, 'Niedrigerhangeri;when Eugene Jolas announced he wished to devote an issueof transition to Joyce in homage, with Goethe as whippingboy (because,the year being the centenary of Goethe's death, everyone was overpraisinghim), Joyce agreed on condition that quotations be included from Lennon'sarticle, from a vicious article by Oliver Gogarty, and from ananonymous attack by 'One who knows him' which appeared in the Englishpress. 150While Joyce wished to promote controversy about himself,he exhibited also a certain abandon about its outcome.At the end of December 1931, Joyce was recalled once more to hisfamily affairs when word reached him that his father was fatally ill. Allhis remorse at having eloped from Ireland in 1904 against his father'swishes, and at having failed to visit the old man during his eleven yearsin Paris, welled up in him. He telegraphed a friend, Dr. Kerry Reddin,on December 27:My father dangerously ill Drumcondra Hospital diagnosis uncertain willyou please arrange he gets best medical specialists all expenses my chargemy thanks advance James Joyce 2 avenue St. Philibert Paris. 151He telephoned and telegraphed the hospital every day, but John Joycewas past saving. The old man retained his gusto to the end; he said tohis daughter May, 'I've got more out of life than any white man.' 152Onhis deathbed he gasped, 'Tell Jim he was born at six in the morning.' 153It was thought he was delirious, but James had written some time beforeto ask his birth hour because an astrologer was doing his horoscope. OnDecember 29, 1931, his father was dead.Joyce was grief-stricken. His funeral wreath bore the message, 'WithSorrow and Love.' He asked Curran and Michael Healy, who attendedthe funeral, to findout anything the old man might have said of himbefore he died, and both assured him that his father always said, 'Jimnever forgets me.' 154What Joyce hoped for was some word of praise for