THE FACTS OF LIFE
401
likes Terry and Larry swell, but he hates his big brother; but he
promises just not to notice him any more. "He probably hates
your papa as much as you hate
him,"
Marcia observes judiciously,
"so that's something you know on
him."
This insight, this knowl–
edge, casts such an angel light on Harry's usually puzzled coun–
tenance that Marcia turns and stares at him. He explains to her
that he likes geography and history, but Miss Jensen doesn't make
it interesting the way Mr. Bee used to, and that's why he's not
smart; and when Marcia tells him that she was in Egypt and the
Near·-East (as opposed to the Far-East), he is struck with
admiration. But how different now is this admiration and his
pleasure and pride in her ability to form complete sentences, as if
she were a teacher whom he can kiss and lick and not even have to
discuss certain things with, from the animosity he felt yesterday
when she was so god-damned smart. She draws on the blackboard
the dolphins playing at the
Ile de France's
prow.
"There are geniuses in every race," says Ronnie passionately,
with all the energy of his desire for Rosina; "but both per capita
and absolutely there are more of them among the Jews."
"I thought you said there was no Jewish race?"
"That's what
I
thought, but facts are facts and you can't get
around it. Einstein Ehrlich Freud."
"Yes, the Jews· are always going in for syphilis or psycho-
analysis or the 4th dimension," says Martha.
"Picasso-"
"Ha, the same thing!"
"Proust-"
"There you have it!" says Martha triumphantly. "I'm not
saying the Jews are not geniuses, but they're
queer,
they're just
queer, that's all."
"What about Dali? He's not a Jew."
"Will
you please tell me what you're trying to prove by that?
I
thought you were trying to prove that all the Jews, including
lf
.
"
yourse , were gemuses.
"No, but you said that Proust and Picasso were Jews."
"[
said it?
I
said it?"
"I didn't say you said it especially; they
are
Jews,
half-Jews."
"Oh don't be a fool."
