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The Egotist Considers
Rooneyinhisshirt-sleevesinfrontofthem,andslouchedaroundonchairs,adozenmen:FredSloane,thepitcher,whoabsolutelyhadtogeteligible;"Slim"Langueduc,whowouldbeatYalethisfall,ifonlyhecouldmasterapoorfiftypercent;McDowell,gayyoungsophomore,whothoughtitwasquiteasportingthingtobetutoringherewithalltheseprominentathletes.
"Thosepoorbirdswhohaven’tacenttotutor,andhavetostudyduringthetermaretheonesIpity,"heannouncedtoAmoryoneday,withaflaccidcamaraderieinthedroopofthecigarettefromhispalelips."Ishouldthinkitwouldbesuchabore,there’ssomuchelsetodoinNewYorkduringtheterm.Isupposetheydon’tknowwhattheymiss,anyhow."Therewassuchanairof"youandI"aboutMr.McDowellthatAmoryverynearlypushedhimoutoftheopenwindowwhenhesaidthis....NextFebruaryhismotherwouldwonderwhyhedidn’tmakeaclubandincreasehisallowance...simplelittlenut....
Throughthesmokeandtheairofsolemn,denseearnestnessthatfilledtheroomwouldcometheinevitablehelplesscry:
"Idon’tgetit!Repeatthat,Mr.Rooney!"Mostofthemweresostupidorcarelessthattheywouldn’tadmitwhentheydidn’tunderstand,andAmorywasofthelatter.Hefounditimpossibletostudyconicsections;somethingintheircalmandtantalizingrespectabilitybreathingdefiantlythroughMr.Rooney’sfetidparlorsdistortedtheirequationsintoinsolubleanagrams.
