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The Egotist Becomes a Personage
"What’syourdifficulty?Lostyourjob?"
"Notexactly,but—well,callitthat."
"Whatwasit?"
"Writingcopyforanadvertisingagency."
"Lotsofmoneyinadvertising."
Amorysmileddiscreetly.
"Oh,I’lladmitthere’smoneyiniteventually.Talentdoesn’tstarveanymore.Evenartgetsenoughtoeatthesedays.Artistsdrawyourmagazinecovers,writeyouradvertisements,hashoutrag-timeforyourtheatres.Bythegreatcommercializingofprintingyou’vefoundaharmless,politeoccupationforeverygeniuswhomighthavecarvedhisownniche.Butbewaretheartistwho’sanintellectualalso.Theartistwhodoesn’tfit—theRousseau,theTolstoi,theSamuelButler,theAmoryBlaine—"
"Who’she?"demandedthelittlemansuspiciously.
"Well,"saidAmory,"he’sa—he’sanintellectualpersonagenotverywellknownatpresent."
Thelittlemanlaughedhisconscientiouslaugh,andstoppedrathersuddenlyasAmory’sburningeyesturnedonhim.
"Whatareyoulaughingat?"
"Theseintellectualpeople—"
"Doyouknowwhatitmeans?"
Thelittleman’seyestwitchednervously.
"Why,itusuallymeans—"
"Italwaysmeansbrainyandwell-educated,"interruptedAmory."Itmeanshavinganactiveknowledgeoftherace’sexperience."Amorydecidedtobeveryrude.Heturnedtothebigman."Theyoungman,"heindicatedthesecretarywithhisthumb,andsaidyoungmanasonesaysbell-boy,withnoimplicationofyouth,"hastheusualmuddledconnotationofallpopularwords."
