GUILLOTINE PARTY
49
ican newspapers. When this Lindberg baby is kidnapped, I read
that your AI Capone wants to get out of jail and help find the
kidnappers. In France, do you think that could happen? Why
you think we let our criminals read newspapers and turn our
jails into hotels," said Jacques, arising, circling about the room.
"Since I have been reading Proust, I have been thinking of
how each human being is such a complicated human organism,
and to think of how much there is involved in any single human
life. Just think. Each human mind is a complicated and dra–
matic world of its own, rich with feelings and passions and hopes.
And in a war when millions are killed, millions of people are just
destroyed, blotted out," Morton Brooks said.
"You are young, Brooks, and a sentimentalist. It is no
tragedy when pigs chew each other to death," sneered Sorel.
"Jacques, I see we'll meet on the opposite sides of the bar–
ricades," said Reynolds laconically.
"I cannot understand you, Reynolds, g1vmg your sympa–
thies, wasting it on fools," said Jacques, picking up another
sandwich.
"You know politics just bores me," lisped Alvin.
"Anything that disturbs my afternoon siesta is too much for
me. After all, I'm a southerner from Illinois," said Jack Soules.
"Politicians are all alike," Jacques began, ignoring these
last remarks. "They get the peoples' money and they have jobs.
So they got to do something. They go to their desks each morn–
ing, and. they have nothing to do, and nothing inside their heads.
So they make laws and sign their names on papers. Fools! No
nobility I"
"Oh, let's change the subject," lisped Chuck Smith, drawing
approval from Alvin.
''All right, Alvin, tell us what happened at the
Cafe Flora
last night," Jack Soules said, his sarcasm softened by a mild tone
of voice.
"I saw Glenway Westcott."
"Did he smile at you?" asked Reynolds, causing Alvin to
pout.
"Ha," exclaimed Sorel, laughing bitterly. "I tell you be–
fore they start the next war, they should write a motion picture
scenario of it, and photograph it, managing and directing it,
and the murders they will perpetrate. These assassins."
"Good idea. Maybe we could get Bill Faulkner
to
write
the scenario," said Jack Soules.
