Narcissus Off Duty

           DuringPrinceton’stransitionperiod,thatis,duringAmory’slasttwoyearsthere,whilehesawitchangeandbroadenandliveuptoitsGothicbeautybybettermeansthannightparades,certainindividualsarrivedwhostirredittoitsplethoricdepths.Someofthemhadbeenfreshmen,andwildfreshmen,withAmory;somewereintheclassbelow;anditwasinthebeginningofhislastyearandaroundsmalltablesattheNassauInnthattheybeganquestioningaloudtheinstitutionsthatAmoryandcountlessothersbeforehimhadquestionedsolonginsecret.First,andpartlybyaccident,theystruckoncertainbooks,adefinitetypeofbiographicalnovelthatAmorychristened"quest"books.Inthe"quest"booktheherosetoffinlifearmedwiththebestweaponsandavowedlyintendingtousethemassuchweaponsareusuallyused,topushtheirpossessorsaheadasselfishlyandblindlyaspossible,buttheheroesofthe"quest"booksdiscoveredthattheremightbeamoremagnificentuseforthem."NoneOtherGods,""SinisterStreet,"and"TheResearchMagnificent"wereexamplesofsuchbooks;itwasthelatterofthesethreethatgrippedBurneHolidayandmadehimwonderinthebeginningofsenioryearhowmuchitwasworthwhilebeingadiplomaticautocrataroundhisclubonProspectAvenueandbaskinginthehighlightsofclassoffice.ItwasdistinctlythroughthechannelsofaristocracythatBurnefoundhisway.