"tough troth is stronger than fortuitous fiction"

(278.7-280.4)  Today's reading is unique in that it can basically be divided up into two parts.  First, there's the "standard" setup we've been seeing throughout the second chapter of Book II of the Wake, that is, primary text in the middle, with Shem's commentary in the left margin, Shaun's commentary in the right margin, and Isabel's commentary in the footnotes.  Second, there's an extended footnote from Isabel on page 279, which is significant in that it takes up nearly three-quarters of that page.

The passage begins with a short passage bearing a heading from Shaun which reads, "INCIPIT INTERMISSIO," which McHugh translates as Latin for "intermission begins."  The narrator warns us to beware the heart of a young girl before momentarily meditating upon the nature of letters.  Shem notes a number of different types of correspondence written by men, from an uncle's letter to his niece to Caesar's address to Brutus.  "All the world's in want and is writing letters," the narrator states.  I particularly like this bit, which lists the variety of types of letters and letter writers while highlighting the human tendency to want to raise up individuals before tearing them down:

When men want to write a letters.  Ten men, ton men, pen men, pun men, wont to rise a ladder.  And den men, dun men, fen men, fun men, hen men, hun men wend to raze a leader.

This short early-intermission paragraph ends with Isabel -- that young girl with the heart to beware -- looking to see whether any mail has arrived.  The next paragraph begins with a setting of the scene:  We have traveled far and entered the post-summer season. It's strangely cold for this time of year, but, the narrator notes, "Erigureen is ever," both recognizing that Ireland's green season is over and that evergreens last forever.  With the children taking a break from their studies, their thoughts turn elsewhere.  The boys seem to be enjoying their recess time by playing sports:  "Since alls war that end war let sports be leisure and bring and buy fair.  Ah ah athclete, blest your bally bathfeet!"

Isabel, however, is engaged otherwise.  "A halt for hearsake," the narrator says, indicating that we're taking a further intermission both for Isabel's sake and to hear what she has to say.  This leads to the long footnote, which is a letter from Isabel to her teacher.  She begins gloomily, saying that "I was fairly killing times of putting an end to myself and my malody."  She remembers her teacher's lessons, though, and turns her thoughts toward romance.  She speaks of a time when her and her teacher with "conjugate together" during "amare hour," hinting at a perhaps scandalous relationship.  Nevertheless, she notes that she's engaged to a more age-appropriate young man (the "Jr" to her teacher's "Sr") and goes on to discuss her future plans.  She's going to get her degree and go into acting ("flaunt on the flimsyfilmsies") and make full use of the worldly knowledge she gained from her "old nourse Asa," perhaps during her grammar lesson.  She emphasizes that she "learned all the runes of the gamest game ever" and "knows the ruelles of the rut and she don't fear andy mandy."  Her letter ends with her stating her conviction that her father will provide a good dowry.

With the letter digression complete, the narrator returns us to the scene of dreamy Ireland.  We'll pick up with that scene tomorrow.