50
PARTISAN REVIEW
Mr. Schmuck's glassy blue eyes narrowed as he mouthed
his cigar.
"Say, what's getting into you these days, Rosie?" he said
grinning. "Got a burr under your tail or something?"
"Never mind what's under my tail," Mr. Rosenberg said.
"I tell you I'm getting fed up with it all, fed up, d'you under–
stand?" he said sawing his hand eloquently across his throat.
"Aw tie a can to that crap," Mr. Schmuck said waving his
hand at the law student. "That won't get you anywheres. I
understand. Sure, I know you get tired and discouraged and all
that kind of thing. It seems like a long hard road to the top.
But you got to keep plugging along, see."
Mr. Rosenberg lifted his hands as if to remonstrate, but
no words came and he let his hands fall hopelessly to his side.
"Well," he mumbled, "I guess I'll get going."
"Alright," Mr. Schmuck said slamming shut the drawer of
his desk. '
1
Tell that guy to come in on your way out."
Mr. John Doe seated himself gingerly on the edge of a
chair, his knees pressed close together, his hands gripping tensely
the rim of the still correct stiff felt hat in his lap.
"I'm Mr. Doe," he said clearing his throat as he leaned
toward the desk. .
Mr. Schmuck continued to thumb the papers in the spread
open file.
"Yeah," he said vaguely.
"I came to see you about this ... er ... notice you sent me,"
Mr. Doe said fumbling for the summons in the inner pocket of
his jacket and bringing it to light with trembling fingers.
"Yeah," said Mr. Schmuck.
"I wanted to ask you if you couldn't please do something
for me. I mean is it really necessary for me to appear in court
tomorrow morning?"
Mr. Schmuck glanced up truculently.
"What do you mean really necessary?" No, not if you
prefer to face contempt proceedings."
"Contempt proceedings ...
I
You mean ... ?"
"You wouldn't like that, eh? Well, take my advice and
show up then."
"But I mean couldn't we settle this outside of court?"
Mr. Schmuck shoved aside the file and leaned back in his
chair, pulling vigorously at his almost extinguished cigar.
An
