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The Egotist Becomes a Personage
HepicturedhimselfinanadobehouseinMexico,half-recliningonarug-coveredcouch,hisslender,artisticfingersclosedonacigarettewhilehelistenedtoguitarsstrummingmelancholyundertonestoanage-olddirgeofCastileandanolive-skinned,carmine-lippedgirlcaressedhishair.Herehemightliveastrangelitany,deliveredfromrightandwrongandfromthehoundofheavenandfromeveryGod(excepttheexoticMexicanonewhowasprettyslackhimselfandratheraddictedtoOrientalscents)—deliveredfromsuccessandhopeandpovertyintothatlongchuteofindulgencewhichled,afterall,onlytotheartificiallakeofdeath.
Thereweresomanyplaceswhereonemightdeterioratepleasantly:PortSaid,Shanghai,partsofTurkestan,Constantinople,theSouthSeas—alllandsofsad,hauntingmusicandmanyodors,wherelustcouldbeamodeandexpressionoflife,wheretheshadesofnightskiesandsunsetswouldseemtoreflectonlymoodsofpassion:thecolorsoflipsandpoppies.
STILLWEEDING
Oncehehadbeenmiraculouslyabletoscentevilasahorsedetectsabrokenbridgeatnight,butthemanwiththequeerfeetinPhoebe’sroomhaddiminishedtotheauraoverJill.Hisinstinctperceivedthefetidnessofpoverty,butnolongerferretedoutthedeeperevilsinprideandsensuality.
Therewerenomorewisemen;therewerenomoreheroes;BurneHolidaywassunkfromsightasthoughhehadneverlived;Monsignorwasdead.Amoryhadgrownuptoathousandbooks,athousandlies;hehadlistenedeagerlytopeoplewhopretendedtoknow,whoknewnothing.
