344
PARTISAN REVIEW
No one knew that this was to be the infamous year of the
Munich Pact, but everyone knew that soon there would be a new
world war because only a few unimportant or powerless people be–
lieved in God or in the necessity of a just society sufficiently to be
willing to give anything dear for it.
As
Shenandoah, Nicholas, and Wilhelmina parted in emptiness
and depression, Shenandoah was already locked in what was soon
to be a post-Munich sensibility: complete hopelessness of perception
and feeling.
"Some other world," he said to himself, "some world of good–
ness; some other life; some life where the nobility we admire is lived;
some life in which those who had dedicated their being to the ex–
amination of consciousness live by the laws they face at every turn."
"What are you babbling about?" said Wilhelmina.
"I am sorry for the whole world, said Sadie Thompson," was
Shenandoah's reply. But he knew well enough that he was chiefly
sorry for himself. But he shrewdly decided not to admit this to Nich–
olas and Wilhelmina.
"I wish I had not come," said Wilhelmina, "I will never have
any children."
"I won't marry you, unless we are going to have children," said
Shenandoah.
"I don't want to marry you," said Wilhelmina.
"I wish everyone would drop dead," said Nicholas as they des–
cended into the subway.
"Wh_y?"
asked Shenandoah.
"Who are
you?"
replied Nicholas, deciding to have nothing
further to do with Shenandoah and going home by himself.
