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The Egotist Considers
He’sabaronwhichathousandthingshavebeenhung—glitteringthingssometimes,asoursare;butheusesthosethingswithacoldmentalitybackofthem."
"AndseveralofmymostglitteringpossessionshadfallenoffwhenIneededthem."Amorycontinuedthesimileeagerly.
"Yes,that’sit;whenyoufeelthatyourgarneredprestigeandtalentsandallthatarehungout,youneedneverbotheraboutanybody;youcancopewiththemwithoutdifficulty."
"But,ontheotherhand,ifIhaven’tmypossessions,I’mhelpless!"
"Absolutely."
"That’scertainlyanidea."
"Nowyou’veacleanstart—astartKerryorSloanecanconstitutionallyneverhave.Youbrushedthreeorfourornamentsdown,and,inafitofpique,knockedofftherestofthem.Thethingnowistocollectsomenewones,andthefartheryoulookaheadinthecollectingthebetter.Butremember,dothenextthing!"
"Howclearyoucanmakethings!"
Sotheytalked,oftenaboutthemselves,sometimesofphilosophyandreligion,andlifeasrespectivelyagameoramystery.ThepriestseemedtoguessAmory’sthoughtsbeforetheywereclearinhisownhead,socloselyrelatedweretheirmindsinformandgroove.
"WhydoImakelists?"Amoryaskedhimonenight."Listsofallsortsofthings?"
"Becauseyou’reamediaevalist,"Monsignoranswered."Webothare.It’sthepassionforclassifyingandfindingatype."
"It’sadesiretogetsomethingdefinite."
"It’sthenucleusofscholasticphilosophy."
