298
PARTISAN REVIEW
Jesus Christ president of the soviet. The idea perhaps mightn't be a bad
one if the son of the Nazareth carpenter were really on this earth still
and could exercise that function in person; but, when the nomination was
made and note duly taken of his absence, you would have to find a
substitute for him. And we in this country know how the representatives
of J esus begin and how they end; eh, and don't we know it. The poor
newly-converted Negroes and Indians of the missions don't know it, hut
we know
it
only too well.
2.
DoN PAoLo, Lurm MuRrcA.
DoN PAOLO
and
MurucA
remain standing for some time motionless, face
to fa ce, staring fixedly at each other.
DoN PAoLo
appears surprised that
MuRICA
is standing up to his scrutiny with so much assurance and with–
out flickering an eyelid.
DoN PAOLO
(in a decided and impatient tone, motioning to the valle)·
path).
I .et's walk a pace or two.
MurucA
(not moving).
I \Vant to speak to you.
DoN PAOLO
(sternly).
We have really got nothing to say to each other.
Your idle prating doesn't interest me, and for my part all I have to give
you is a brief and curt Party message.
MURICA
(forcing himself to an ironical tone).
A message . . . in my
back?
DoN PAOLO
(suddenly abandoning all prudence).
If
you like to put it
that way.
MumcA
(proffering a closed envelope).
Don Benedetto asked
me-~1;
give you this letter.
DoN PAoLo
(sarcastically, leaving
MuRICA
with outstretched hand).
So you thought it a bright idea to come to me armed with a letter of
introduction? But it was superfluous because I know you very well by
this time, only too well in fact.
MuRICA
wants to tear up the lette1·, but
DoN PAOLO
snatches it from
him; he then opens and reads it and remains sunk in thought for a while.
DoN PAoLo
(entering the garden, follo wed by
MurucA). Do you know
what the letter says?
MumcA. No. I closed it the moment it was handed to me.
DoN PAOLO. H ave you known Don Benedetto for a long time?
MuRrCA. Since childhood. We're even distant relations.
