THE STATUES
15
dally the ones which resembled human figures, for in such examples,
although the whole form was of perfect verisimilitude, the face was
either blank as a plate, or ugly and twisted, like gargoyles, or some–
times obscene, as when, in several suburbs, figures clung to each other
in a fashion which could scarcely be called ambiguous. Elsewhere,
however, the shapes had the plumpness and rotundity of great white
clouds, the solidity and stillness of fine buildings, and the delicate
detail of certain flowers, or indeed of a snow crystal. Everywhere there
were shapes which delighted the eye partly because they were beauti–
ful fresh complexes of previously known designs, or compositions of a
kind which had never before been seen. The fondness for them con–
tinually increased and many of them were given nicknames, one of
them being called "Versailles," because of the way in which it glit–
tered in the sunlight, like light shining upon many mirrors; and an–
other, a very big figure, was named "Caliban." Less gifted names, as
I
reported them in my news story, were "Sky Folly," "Sestina,"
"Valledisto," "Parabellem," "Plum Elected," "Old Nick," "Shel–
ley," and "Marianne."
In certain quarters, indeed everywhere for a time, there was
much discussion as to the possible sources or causes of the phenomenal
snow, but it was soon obvious that the entire system of the snow had
been a wonderful chance, like perfect weather. Some for a time spoke
of the fecundity of nature; others, those who were habitually alone,
thought that this was indeed the way in which the haunted and
hunted lives of men took shape- by an unpredictable and continuous
fall to which little or no designing will or mind could be attributed.
Slowly, after much thought, in the middle of troubled sleep, Faber
Gottschalk recognized that for him, at least, these statues were of
such grave interest because they resembled the white teeth which were
the objects, the subject-matter, so to speak, of his profession. But
rcognizing this, an even greater perplexity arose in his mind. Why,
in fact, should he take such delight in the statues when teeth were an
abomination to him?
Attendance at art galleries, and at theatres became almost meagre,
the chief attraction at the motion-picture theatres being the newsreel
in
which the figures from other parts of the city could be seen. The
audience, I observed, was as much interested in the way in which the
people in the newsreels regarded the statues, their attitudes, I mean,
as in the statues themselves, although it would be difficult to draw a
distinction here. No one laughed, although one audience became
angry when a boy of thirteen was shown in the process of drawing a
mustache on one of the figures. No; the audience regarded the scenes
on the screen with the greatest seriousness, and once I saw a woman
