82
PARTISAN REVIEW
ing a G-string in Salvador Dali's Dream of Venus at the World's
Fair.
"Hello, Bill," said Scotty, as Craig strode in, wearing his invis–
ible cavalry boots, and Mr. Ennis added: "I was telling Scot about
the Dream of Venus at the World's Fair. Did you attend?"
"I was in the ro-day-o," said Craig, in his faint, flat Texas drawl,
pressing the palm of his hand like a suction cup on Mr. Ennis' desk
-"You got that booklet, Scotty? I'd like to go over it in my office
for a minute"-"and if you bastards haven't anything better to do
that account's going out of the window."
"The rich who have pocketed their winnings, why are they so
glum?" said Mr. Ennis.
"Think of all the buttons you'd have to sew on ladies' under–
wear to make the dough we pay you," said Craig, with his heavy,
almost audible wink.
"We rich who have pocketed our winnings, we think of that,"
said Mr. Ennis.
Craig grinned and jingled the change in his pocket and turning
on his heel marched out of the office, and Scotty, who had got up and
brushed by the hat-rack on which he had hung his velvet-collared
topcoat, his white silk scarf, and his homburg, said, "Keep it on an
even keel," and fell in by Cr.aig's side. A few feet from the door,
Craig stopped and turned around and coming back to the entrance,
said: "Oh, by the way, I just heard about Gwen.
If
there's anything
I can do ... "
"You might let me catch you in bed with her," said Mr. Ennis,
"so I can get custody of the kid. But it won't be any fun. It hasn't
been any fun for me for twenty years."
"You should worry," said Craig, trying to keep a harsh note
of envy out of his voice, "with all the women you've got on the
string," and gave Mr. Ennis another wink. Leaving the door open,
Craig strode down the long red-carpeted hall under the glowing
neon tube, always on dress parade, erect, stamping along with his
br.acket legs and his feet just slightly spread to keep the invisible
spurs from catching, the great hams surging under his coattails, until
he and Scotty turned into the foot of the staircase almost half a block
away and went out of sight toward the row of offices with the
Spanish grillwork doors one flight above.
And now as they walk .along the hallway, thought Mr. Ennis,
