218
PARTISAN REVIEW
On the contrary, said the Negro. This morning he had re·
ceived a note, warning him to present his appeal tonight. In
general, Wiley Bey did not recognize the right of these people
to order him about as they pleased, and in any case such abomi·
nably short notice only proved
(h~
smiled blandly and leaned
back in his chair) that they were out to get his hide. Everyone
in the neighborhood, even the landlords and storekeepers who ran
the draft board, knew where
he
would be tonight.
"But I don't understand," said Simon. "Surely with your
ah, physical handicap, they don't expect-"
"That has nothing to do with it," said Wiley Bey. "They
want me to register as an American citizen."
"They do! And you registered as-?"
"A Moslem, of course."
With thai, he winked: a wink such as Simon had never seen
be£ore, the most shameless, the most guileless, the most mad!
"0 yes, to be sure, as a Moslem!" cried Simon. And, to hide
his amazement and because he had nothing better to say, he as–
sumed an air of intense chattiness: "That's very interesting! You
must tell me about that! I understand there are several sects?"
Wiley Bey leaned forward and frowned. Solemn, minis–
terial, he suddenly reminded Simon of a Jew he had seen
in
Vienna, an old man who had emerged from the rear of his shop,
clad in his colorful ritual garments, his eyes still lost in the misty
distance of prayer. The old Jew had removed his prayer
shaw~
rubbed his hands, focussed his eyes and presto! he was a merchant.
"You are lost," intoned Wiley Bey. "You don't know where
to turn...." ·
Withal, he kept his warmth and good humor, his curious
mixture of falseness and sincerity, the unsaintly attitude of a
political believer: a man capable, (as we later discovered) of
misusing the funds of his church; and of all sorts of petty calcu·
lations. And immensely naif! He shook his finger under Simon's
nose.
"You are one of God's humble creatures," he said, "even
though you are white. But like most of my people, you're tortured
by the idea that you need dignity."
"That's very true," said Simon voluptuously.
