272
PARTISAN REVIEW
"It's lonesome," Gabriel admitted judiciously, pouring himself
half a glass of whisky, "but I can think of a lot of things that are
worse than being lonesome. When you're lonely, you're sony for
yourself, you pity yourself, but pity never killed anyone."
"The rich have company," said Tobias to himself, paraphrasing
a quotation.
"I pity myself," said Emma, "and I have a right to, because
I've been badly hurt."
"I pity you," said Gabriel. He did not wholly conceal his
scorn.
"What are you saving it for?" asked Paddles.
"For the worms!" said Emma.
"The worms won't appreciate it," said Paddles.
"How do you know what the worms will and will not dPpre–
ciate," said Emma. "You're no worm, you're just a heel," she added
declaratively and stupidly, putting down her drink, adjusting her
dress, and obviously about to depart.
"I am going somewhere where there
is
a little more refinement,"
she said as she left, moving with an over-meticulous effort at dignity.
"That's the way it
is,"
said Gabriel, commenting on Emma
in
general.
"If
every night were like tonight, the Greek would go bank–
rupt in a month."
"That certainly
is
the way it
is,"
said Tobias pensively. He had
drunk enough to arrive at the reflective or philosophical phase of
drinking. "Someone hurt her, and now she
is
going to hurt every–
one else she can, if he
is
a man."
"Not everyone is like that," said Gabriel. "I am not like that."
"You are right," Tobias admitted judiciously, "not everyone is
just like that and some people become kind because they have
been hurt, kind and generous after being cruel and nasty. But do
you know, that
girl
Emma made me think of how I once was sure
I knew what was wrong with the world, what was really and truly
wrong with the world-"
"Hey, Paddles," Gabriel called out to the trumpeter who was
returning from the men's room, "this guy thinks he has figured out
what
is
really wrong with the whole world." Gabriel was tired, his
irony was forced, but he was curious.
"Let's get in on the ground floor," Gabriel said to Paddles.
