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The Débutante
Alllifewastransmittedintotermsoftheirlove,allexperience,alldesires,allambitions,werenullified—theirsensesofhumorcrawledintocornerstosleep;theirformerlove-affairsseemedfaintlylaughableandscarcelyregrettedjuvenalia.
ForthesecondtimeinhislifeAmoryhadhadacompletebouleversementandwashurryingintolinewithhisgeneration.
ALITTLEINTERLUDE
Amorywanderedslowlyuptheavenueandthoughtofthenightasinevitablyhis—thepageantryandcarnivalofrichduskanddimstreets...itseemedthathehadclosedthebookoffadingharmoniesatlastandsteppedintothesensuousvibrantwalksoflife.Everywherethesecountlesslights,thispromiseofanightofstreetsandsinging—hemovedinahalf-dreamthroughthecrowdasifexpectingtomeetRosalindhurryingtowardhimwitheagerfeetfromeverycorner....Howtheunforgettablefacesofduskwouldblendtoher,themyriadfootsteps,athousandovertures,wouldblendtoherfootsteps;andtherewouldbemoredrunkennessthanwineinthesoftnessofhereyesonhis.Evenhisdreamsnowwerefaintviolinsdriftinglikesummersoundsuponthesummerair.
TheroomwasindarknessexceptforthefaintglowofTom’scigarettewhereheloungedbytheopenwindow.Asthedoorshutbehindhim,Amorystoodamomentwithhisbackagainstit.
"Hello,BenvenutoBlaine.Howwenttheadvertisingbusinessto-day?"
Amorysprawledonacouch.
"Iloatheditasusual!"Themomentaryvisionofthebustlingagencywasdisplacedquicklybyanotherpicture.
