A NEW YEAR'S FABLE
245
He now admits only one fonn of enjoyment-that which you
regard as mere duty."
"Tell me ... " the chief began after a moment's silence.
"How do you know all these details? This man has altered
his
face, his identity . . . . He is probably no fool and does not
confide in the first man he meets."
"I am not the first man he meets."
"In that case, you must denounce him if you are a con–
scientious man," the personnel manager suddenly intervened.
"You should report him. He has committed so many crimes and
broken out of jail...."
"Nothing would make me do it!" our colleague replied.
"Nothing! He is no bandit now. He
is
harmless. Even useful.
When he achieves his objective, he will declare himself before
all men."
Thereupon he pulled out of his pocket his famous watch
-a weighty bulbous instrument attached to a steel chain.
"Excuse me. I must go down and check the instruments."
On going out, he paused in the doorway.
"All of you should ponder this story. And you especially,"
he said, looking me straight in the face-"perhaps you will
heed the experience of some people and will stop playing with
toys. Perhaps you will put an end to your fruitless polemic with
that corresponding member... ."
I had no reason to suppose then that life would link me,
too, with that affair and make me its second hero, the prota–
gonist's
alter ego!"
Mter about half an hour, in order to verify a certain sus–
picion which had suddenly hit me, I walked down to the base–
ment and almost noiselessly opened the door behind which this
man was seated amid the surrounding glitter of glass and brass
instruments. The door creaked almost inaudibly, but he leapt
aside so violently that he broke several retorts.
"Excuse me," I said.
