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PARTISAN REVIEW
Stiffly fair-minded, Wilhelm said, "Well, of course that's up to you,
Father."
The round-headed old man with his fine feather-white, ferny hair
said, "No, Wilky. There's not a thing on those canvases. I don't believe
it ; it's a case of the Emperor's clothes. I may be old enough for my
second childhood, but at least the first is well behind me. I was glad
enough to buy crayons for her when she was four. But now she's a
woman of forty and too old to be encouraged in her delusions. She's no
painter."
"I wouldn't go so far as to call her a born artist," said Wilhelm.
"But you can't blame her for trying something worthwhile."
"Let her husband pamper her."
Wilhelm had done his best to be just to his sister, and he had
sincerely meant to spare his father, but the old man's tight, benevolent
deafness had its usual effect on him. He said, "When it comes to women
and money, I'm completely in the dark. What makes Margaret act
like this?"
"She's showing you that you can't make it without her," said the
doctor. "She aims to bring you back by financial force."
"But if she ruins me, Dad, how can she expect me to come back?
No, I have a sense of honor. What you don't see is that she's trying
to put an end to me."
His father stared. To him this was absurd. And Wilhelm thought,
Once a guy starts to slip, he figures he might as well be a clunk.
A real big clunk. He even takes pride in it. But there's nothing to be
proud of-hey, boy? Nothing. I don't blame Dad for his attitude.
"I don't understand that. But if you feel like this why don't you
settle with her once and for all?"
"What do you mean, Dad?" said Wilhelm, surprised. "I thought
I told you. Do you think I'm not willing to settle? Four years ago
when we broke up, I gave her everything-goods, furniture, savings.
I tried to show good will, but I didn't get anywhere. Why when I
wanted Scissors, the dog, because the animal and I were so attached
to each other-it was bad enough to leave the kids-she absolutely re–
fused me. Not that she cared a damn about the animal. I don't think
you've seen him. He's an Australian sheep dog. They usually have one
blank or whitish eye which gives a misleading look, but they're the
gentlest dogs, and have unusual delicacy about eating or talking. Let
me at least have the companionship of this animal! Never!" Wilhelm
was greatly moved. He wiped his face at all corners with his napkin.
Dr. Adler felt that his son indulged himself too much in his emotions.
"Whenever she can hit me, she hits, and she seems to live for
that alone. And she demands more and more, and still more. Two years
ago she wanted to go back to college and get another degree. It increased
my burden but I thought it would be wiser in the end if she got a bet–
ter job through it. But still she takes as much from me as before. Next
thing she'll want to be a Doctor of Philosophy. She says the women in
her family live long, and I'll have to pay and pay for the rest of my
life."
