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The Egotist Becomes a Personage
THEBIGMANWITHGOGGLES
OnthedaythatAmorystartedonhiswalktoPrincetontheskywasacolorlessvault,cool,highandbarrenofthethreatofrain.Itwasagrayday,thatleastfleshlyofallweathers;adayofdreamsandfarhopesandclearvisions.Itwasadayeasilyassociatedwiththoseabstracttruthsandpuritiesthatdissolveinthesunshineorfadeoutinmockinglaughterbythelightofthemoon.Thetreesandcloudswerecarvedinclassicalseverity;thesoundsofthecountrysidehadharmonizedtoamonotone,metallicasatrumpet,breathlessastheGrecianurn.
ThedayhadputAmoryinsuchacontemplativemoodthathecausedmuchannoyancetoseveralmotoristswhowereforcedtoslowupconsiderablyorelserunhimdown.Soengrossedinhisthoughtswashethathewasscarcelysurprisedatthatstrangephenomenon—cordialitymanifestedwithinfiftymilesofManhattan—whenapassingcarsloweddownbesidehimandavoicehailedhim.HelookedupandsawamagnificentLocomobileinwhichsattwomiddle-agedmen,oneofthemsmallandanxiouslooking,apparentlyanartificialgrowthontheotherwhowaslargeandbegoggledandimposing.
"Doyouwantalift?"askedtheapparentlyartificialgrowth,glancingfromthecornerofhiseyeattheimposingmanasifforsomehabitual,silentcorroboration.
"YoubetIdo.Thanks."
Thechauffeurswungopenthedoor,and,climbingin,Amorysettledhimselfinthemiddleofthebackseat.Hetookinhiscompanionscuriously.
