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Narcissus Off Duty
Thenagain,thatveryfall,Burnehadcausedasensation.AcertainPhyllisStyles,anintercollegiateprom-trotter,hadfailedtogetheryearlyinvitationtotheHarvard-Princetongame.
JesseFerrenbyhadbroughthertoasmallergameafewweeksbefore,andhadpressedBurneintoservice—totheruinationofthelatter’smisogyny.
"AreyoucomingtotheHarvardgame?"Burnehadaskedindiscreetly,merelytomakeconversation.
"Ifyouaskme,"criedPhyllisquickly.
"OfcourseIdo,"saidBurnefeebly.HewasunversedintheartsofPhyllis,andwassurethatthiswasmerelyavapidformofkidding.Beforeanhourhadpassedheknewthathewasindeedinvolved.Phyllishadpinnedhimdownandservedhimup,informedhimthetrainshewasarrivingby,anddepressedhimthoroughly.AsidefromloathingPhyllis,hehadparticularlywantedtostagthatgameandentertainsomeHarvardfriends.
"She’llsee,"heinformedadelegationwhoarrivedinhisroomtojoshhim."Thiswillbethelastgamesheeverpersuadesanyyounginnocenttotakeherto!"
"But,Burne—whydidyouinviteherifyoudidn’twanther?"
"Burne,youknowyou’resecretlymadabouther—that’stherealtrouble."
"Whatcanyoudo,Burne?WhatcanyoudoagainstPhyllis?"
ButBurneonlyshookhisheadandmutteredthreatswhichconsistedlargelyofthephrase:"She’llsee,she’llsee!"
TheblithesomePhyllisborehertwenty-fivesummersgaylyfromthetrain,butontheplatformaghastlysightmethereyes.