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Narcissus Off Duty

           WhenAmorywenttoWashingtonthenextweek-endhecaughtsomeofthespiritofcrisiswhichchangedtorepulsioninthePullmancarcomingback,fortheberthsacrossfromhimwereoccupiedbystinkingaliensGreeks,heguessed,orRussians.Hethoughthowmucheasierpatriotismhadbeentoahomogeneousrace,howmucheasieritwouldhavebeentofightastheColoniesfought,orastheConfederacyfought.Andhedidnosleepingthatnight,butlistenedtothealiensguffawandsnorewhiletheyfilledthecarwiththeheavyscentoflatestAmerica.

           InPrincetoneveryonebanteredinpublicandtoldthemselvesprivatelythattheirdeathsatleastwouldbeheroic.TheliterarystudentsreadRupertBrookepassionately;thelounge-lizardsworriedoverwhetherthegovernmentwouldpermittheEnglish-cutuniformforofficers;afewofthehopelesslylazywrotetotheobscurebranchesoftheWarDepartment,seekinganeasycommissionandasoftberth.

           Then,afteraweek,AmorysawBurneandknewatoncethatargumentwouldbefutileBurnehadcomeoutasapacifist.Thesocialistmagazines,agreatsmatteringofTolstoi,andhisownintenselongingforacausethatwouldbringoutwhateverstrengthlayinhim,hadfinallydecidedhimtopreachpeaceasasubjectiveideal.

           "WhentheGermanarmyenteredBelgium,"hebegan,"iftheinhabitantshadgonepeaceablyabouttheirbusiness,theGermanarmywouldhavebeendisorganizedin"

           "Iknow,"Amoryinterrupted,"I’vehearditall.ButI’mnotgoingtotalkpropagandawithyou.

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