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[Aetat. 50-53] J O Y C E 657ent that her relations with both him and Nora were intricately enwoundin her condition; she exhibited the familiar pattern of hostility towardsthe mother and excessive preoccupation with the father. The doctors werebeginning to advise that she be kept strictly away from both parents. Dr.Maillard urged them to leave the young woman at l'Hay-les-Roses, butwhen the immediate cure for which Joyce continued to hope was notforthcoming, he determined upon a treatment of his own, by which hemight avoid the impersonality of mental homes. He was obliged to go toZurich to consult Vogt about his right eye, which was developing a cataract;the Jolas family was to be close by at Feldkirch, and Joyce decidedto take Lucia, with a nurse from the clinic, to Feldkirch, where MariaJolas had agreed to look after her.Leon urged him to consult a neurologist rather than take Lucia's cureupon himself, but Joyce's mind was fixed.The night before the trip toZurich, Joyce and Nora were joined at the Trianons by William Bird,who urged them to come for a ride in his car through the Bois de Boulogne.When they reached the Bois Joyce began guiding him, right hereand left there, and soon they pulled up at a restaurant under the samemanagement as the Trianons. Nora protested but Joyce said they wouldhave just one bottle. Nora kept insisting they leave, but her husbanddelayed. Then Joyce asked Bird to see him to the men's lavatory, becausehe was afraid of stumbling in the dark. As soon as they were out of Nora'ssight he whirled on Bird and said, 'Bird, I may never see you again. Willyou do me a great favor?' 'Anything in my power,' said Bird, 'but surelywe shall have many more occasions to meet.' 'To meet, yes. But I go toZurich tomorrow for another operation, and this time I feel sure it willleave me sightless. So I say, I may never see you again.' Bird tried clumsilyto reassure him, and asked what favor he wanted. Joyce grasped himby the arm and said gleefully, 'Come back and have another bottle.'Nora, however, refused to stay if more champagne was ordered, and whenher husband nevertheless persisted, she summoned a taxi and left. Birdsaw her into it and promised to have Joyce home in half an hour. It wassomewhat longer.* 46The next day, July 3, 1932, Joyce 'smuggled' Lucia and her nurse outof the clinic and by train to Feldkirch. 47 He left them there under thesurveillance of the Jolases, having firsturged Lucia to continue work onher lettrines. Then with Nora he traveled to Zurich for his much postponedconsultation with Dr. Vogt. This went badly; Vogt was annoyedwith Joyce for having stayed away for two years instead of reporting atfrequent intervals; Joyce replied, i have had one damned thing after another.'48As the result of neglect, Vogt said, the right eye had deteriorated* Myron Nutting remembered a comparable evening in the late 1920's when Nora Joycesucceeded only with difficulty in getting her unsteady husband to leave a cafe. Outsideshe expostulated with him. Joyce suddenly leaped into the middle of the street like anunstrung marionette, and shouted, '1 am free! I am free!'

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