Ulysses page-by-page: Page 84 (6.1-25) "Martin... swaying."

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Delaney: [236]

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.

Mat Kane aka Martin Cunningham

Kane was 39yo when he drowned, a year older than Bloom.

1901

Joyce explained Power later as 37yo Tom Devin: "... all the pleasant nights we used to have singing. Mr Devin's song was ♬ 'O boys, keep away from the girls I say.' The moral of it fell on deaf ears in my case and I don't think it meant very much to him either. He used to play the ♬ Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana—a version of his own and would have been a fine pianist if he had studied as he had a very agreeable touch on the keys. He used to collapse with laughter after a preliminary scream in a high tone at certain sallies of my father's. He must have been a fine looking fellow when he was young and he had charming manners. He comes into Ulysses under the name of 'Mr Power' and also into 'Dubliners.' [Grace]" the Devin faction in 1901 and 1911

(is one of these forged??)

— Come on, Simon.

John Stanislaus Joyce was 54yo. faction in 1901, pdf-signature

JSJ at 39yo

— 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.

(in the cramped carriage, it's obvious there's one empty seat-- does MC not expect LB to join them?)
only Molly uses his first name ('Poldy')

Mr Bloom entered and sat in the vacant place.

Joyce is definitely hiding a puzzle in the unspecified arrangement of the seats. One guess: [debate] [pic]

StreetView today
1909 map

Traffic in Ireland keeps to the left, like Britain but unlike most of the rest of the world. Complicating matters, in a late revision Joyce moved the Dignams from #10 to #9, which he may or may not have realised relocated it to the north side of the street, which should have meant they entered from the opposite side. But in either case, he didn't change the seating arrangement.

I'd expect (with no support) that the forward-facing seats (at 7:00 and 5:00) were the most desirable, so if the first one to enter took a rear-facing seat, it would be a sign of humility. Occupying the far seats first rather than the near just seems logical unless they had other motives (but it's not certain which side they're entering from).

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 carriage window 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.

Delaney: [237]

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.

armstrap
the hearse itself would have had glass sides, and led the procession:

in his schemata, Joyce coins the term 'incubism' for the 'technic' of this episode, hinting that he's trying to capture the point-of-view of the corpse: passively jostled, attracting various sorts of attention

Hamlet IV.v "In hugger-mugger to inter him"
"slipperslapper" [♬]
New Bridge Avenue 1901
(Dignam's Cottages, Irishtown Rd 1901?)

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.

All waited. Then wheels were heard from in front, turning: then nearer: then horses' hoofs. A jolt. Their carriage began to move, creaking and swaying.

mysteries: seating arrangement!!!!!!

[DD 00:11-02:44]