ALLAN SILVER
423
T hey are mo ra ll y bounded onl y by ou r capac ities to mee t them . T he
beller the fri end , the closer the bond, the less defined the po tential
demands. We canno t know in adva nce a ll th a t may be required o f us.
Scarcity and prudence m ay constra in our responses, but we must justify
each limi ta tion. T he closer the bond , the more the burden of justifica–
tion is on us who are as ked , no t one who as ks of us. No ma tter how
reasonable our refusa l, th a t we refuse a l a ll must diminish us in terms
of the idea l forms o f helping th a t inh abi l the pri va te life o f the modern
world . Because they are limitless, the idea l forms o f helping conta in an
intr insic fa ilure. No ma ller wh a t we may accomplish , th ere lies beyond
the shimmering poss ibility o f ye t furth er achievements o f disinteres ted–
ness , generos ity, and helpfulness. We can never do eno ugh-no t
simpl y because o th ers' n eeds a re insa ti a ble or refrac tory, but because we
have no firm , contro lling forms th a t shape the judgment of mo ra l
achievement as obliga ted helpers.
T he seq ue l fix es th e story's center in a metapho r of compl ex
precision . The lawyer has heard "one little item of rumor " abo ut
Bar tl eby's p as t; though " hardl y knowing wheth er I should di vulge" it,
and thoug h "how true it is I cann o t now tell ," he decides to " briefl y
menti on it" for its "certa in strange sugges tive interes t":
T he report was Ihis: th at Bartl eby had been a subord in a te clerk in
Ih e Dead Letter Office at Washing ton , from which he had been
suddenl y removed by a ch ange in th e administra tion . When
I
think
over th is rumor,
I
canno t adequ ately express th e emotions whi ch
seize me. Dead lellers! does it no t sound like dead men ? Conce ive a
man by n ature and misfortun e prone
to
a pallid hope lessn ess, can
any business seem more fitted
to
heighten it th an th at of continua ll y
hand ling th ese dead lellers, and assortin g th em for the fl ames? For by
the cart-l oad th ey are annu all y burn ed. Sometimes from out th e
folded paper the p ale clerk tames a ring:- th e fin ger it was meant for,
perh aps, mo ulders in the grave; a bank-no te sent in sw iftes t charity:–
he whom it would relieve, nor eats nor hungers an y more; pardon for
those who di ed despa ir ing; hope for those di ed unhoping; good
tid ings for those who d ied stifl ed by unreli eved ca lam ities. On
errands of life, th ese letters speed
to
dea th.
Ah Bartleby! Ah humanit y!
T he littl e item of rumo r is to ld in one sentence o f bare fac tua lity.
The lawyer 's emo ti ons a lon e crea te the sequel's extraordinar y imagery.
His vivid elabo ra ti on o f the un certa in report ma inta ins him as the
story's so le center o f experien ce and meaning. Seeking to dismiss
