¡¶The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦ and Other Stories¡·


 Back Cover:

    y-t novel, t Is A Lonely er, created a literary sensation. Sive ers errible as it is real, ering voyages into tual isolation t underlies tion.

    A grotesque riangle in a primitive Souto lessons of maneful encounter ive land and former love. . . ts of t, ternal strangers at lifes feast.  revelations of love and longing, bitter break and occasional ales t probe t of our lives.

    y-t novel, t Is a Lonely er, became a literary sensation. Since t time, ation h every successive work.

    Sucions In a Golden Eye, t ers as Melville, Flaubert and Faulkner -- ic alent.

    Perly represents ty and ric title, and in tales tably.

    the Sad Caf¨¦

    underkind

    the Jockey

    Madame Zilensky and the King of Finland

    the Sojourner

    A Domestic Dilemma

    A tree, a Rock, a Cloud

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-1

    tON itself is dreary; not muc tton mill, treet only a urdays tenants from talk and trade. Oto is far off and estranged from all ot train stop is Society City, and te Bus Lines use ters  and rae .

    If you reet on an August afternoon tsoever to do. t building, in ter of toely and leans so far to t t it seems bound to collapse at any minute. t it a curious, cracked look t is very puzzling until you suddenly realize t at one time, and long ago, t side of t porced, and part of t ting  unfinision of tely deserted. Nevert boarded; sometimes in te afternoon  its  a ter and a face o is a face like terrible dim faces knoo be exc gaze of grief. t tters are dosed once more, and as likely as not t be anoto be seen along treet. t afternoons -- o do; you migo ten to the chain gang.

    oables reamers from tric fans, great gaturday nig t responsible for ty of t in tory of terrible cer o toer a long term in tentiary, caused ruin, and t on  it is still remembered.

    t al ore t carried mostly feed, guano, and staples sucion to tore sed a still t t liquor in ty. Sall  s and brus ense, y. S  sliged  Miss Amelia cared notary person. racted in ty -- it range and dangerous marriage, lasting only for ten days, t left toen s ly guarding till.

    itterlins and sausage in toumn days, ss ely flavored. S tore in only tering. It  Miss Amelia  at ease. People, unless t be taken into t to sometable. So t t Miss Amelia o make money out of tgages on crops and property, a sa  for  failing, and t s. Ster litigation over just a trifle. It  if Miss Amelia so mucumbled over a rock in tinctively as to sue about it. Aside from ts seady life and every day o cil t Miss Amelia y years old.

    It o evening in April. t. t spring promised   s. Doory , and t, steady  o o make love. Or  to sit quietly and pick a guitar, or simply to rest alone and t all. treet t evening ed, but Miss Amelias store umpy MacPy, purplisop step e imid person le manners and nervous tom step. Miss Amelia ood leaning against t crossed in ts, patiently untying knots in a rope s talked for a long time.

    One of t to speak. quot;I see somet; he said.

    quot;A calf got loose,quot; said her.

    till too distant to be clearly seen. ted srees along t spring grass mingled he near-by lagoon.

    quot;No. Its somebodys youngun,quot; said Stumpy MacPhail.

    Miss Amelia c do continued until a voice called out and   until te close,  from t t had come.

    tranger, and it is rare t a stranger enters to at t  tall and y coat t reaco tle legs seemed too to carry t of   sat on  blue eyes and a stle mout and sassy -- at t  and tcase h a rope.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-2

    quot;Evening,quot; said t of breath.

    Miss Amelia and ting nor spoke. t him.

    quot;I am ing for Miss Amelia Evans.quot;

    Miss Amelia pus;;

    quot;Because I am kin to ; the hunchback said.

    tumpy MacP Miss Amelia.

    quot;ts me,quot; s;;

    quot;Because --quot; t as t to cry. ed tcase on ttom step, but did not take ;My mot Cy years ago oday tell me t ;

    Miss Amelia listened urned slige ives, and s-aunt  aunt y miles a t get on so ried very ime to time, to  some kind of far-fetcion  ely no success.

    t into a long rigmarole, mentioning names and places t o teners on to o do . quot;So Fanny and Marters. And I am t ;  doo unfasten case. y sparrorembling. t looked like parts out of a se out an old pograp;ture of my moter.quot;

    Miss Amelia did not speak. So side, and you could tell from  s. Stumpy MacPook tograp out to. It ure of ttle c tiny  migure in anyones album.

    Stumpy MacP back . quot;; he asked.

    tain. quot;I raveling.quot;

    Still Miss Amelia did not speak. S stood leaning against t togetly  ttom step and disappeared. uation ouc. t  to  and cy and run  of toood tom step; o feel . Maybe  a miserable t o be a stranger in tocase full of junk, and claiming kin  any rate  doeps and suddenly began to cry.

    It  a common to o tore at midnig doo.

    At last one of t;Ill be damned if  a regular Morris Finestein.quot;

    Everyone nodded and agreed, for t is an expression ain special meaning. But t knoalking about. Morris Finestein le Jee ligy o Society City. But since t, ein.

    quot;ell, ed,quot; said Stumpy MacP;t;

    Miss Amelia crossed trides. S doeps and stood looking tfully at tranger. Gingerly, oucill , but er no  and till s, dear lig ting colder. t a bottle from  and after polisop  to to drink. Miss Amelia could seldom be persuaded to sell , and for o give so muc unknown.

    quot;Drink,quot; s;It ;

    topped crying, neatly licked tears from around old. ook a slo. ttle they had paid for.

    quot;It is smoot; Stumpy MacP;Miss Amelia, I o fail.quot;

    t evening (ttles of it) is important. Ot  for  ty of its o is clean and songue, but once do gloer is not all. It is kno if a message is ten  of paper t. But if t to tters turn bro t t  iced, ts t  only of t drink some on a Sunday and come across a mars y cup, and in  come a sness keen as pain. A ime t January sky, and a deep frig op . Suc  truthere.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-3

    til it  midnig t ill sat on ttom steps, bent over miserably ing on ood s, one foot resting on tep of tairs. S for a long time. en seen in slig appears to be bot last s;I dont kno;

    quot;Im Lymon illis,quot; said the hunchback.

    quot;ell, come on in,quot; s;Some supper  in tove and you can eat.quot;

    Only a feimes in ed anyone to eat o trick t of t ter, t s ter part of ternoon. At any rate s tumpy MacP on off ed t door and looked all around to see t  to tc tore. tcase, sniffing and .

    quot;Sit do; said Miss Amelia. quot;Ill just warm up ws ;

    It oget nig grudge  of  potatoes. Miss Amelia ate slo able, bent over te,  and  braced on t smelled food in montear crept do  a little leftover tear and meant not all. table rimmed, burning blue at ting a c in tcen e carefully  bread, and t syrup over t t e. ilted back ig, and felt t arm beneatsleeves -- an unconscious   took table and jerked oaircase as an invitation for to folloer her.

    Above tore t  tremely clean. And noaking up y little ranger, come from God knoeps at a time,  t made on taircase , ted sore  of town.

    t morning oenants  ting out tobacco plants. to t blue so out early rees ligheir blossoms.

    Miss Amelia came do about daly set about er in t to see about y, planted ton, up near t to tore in t. But no one as yet  and till no one range guest. A fe Miss Amelias moter -- but to ringer. As for t it rumped-up business. And to surely s  of ter feeding  to o  tore. Miss Amelia ore for a o o puzzled and talkative.

    t day Miss Amelia did not open tore, but stayed locked up inside  tarted -- terrible t tory about unned by it tarted by a  every times  of w was w urned suddenly and said:

    quot;I kno suitcase.quot;

    atement of fact. And  to ale to up t day. In it  to s burial in treets of too prison, t old in ed ail. It rained and  to bring in tals, o Miss Amelia, even put on Sunday clot ogetreet, talking and core.

    It rue to say t all toook part in tival. t Miss Amelia, being ric go out of o murder a vagabond for a ferifles of junk. In to  t even for terest and t commotion it ail; it gave to to tentiary and being electrocuted in Atlanta. t rary in every single respect as sed to suc t t once -- t. t Miss Amelia  queer of face, raised motary man, t early in youto be six feet t natural for a  s of life oo peculiar ever to reason about. Above all, t unreasonable scandal ever to own.

    So t toy. And  for a debt, or getting ter concerning toion, a ridiculous little inside tickle, and a deep, unnamable sadness. But enoug of town was making a ernoon.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-4

    Miss Amelia range reason, seemed una most of airs. ore, ss of  so lo ucked inside t. tain on en sopped and just stood somberly looking do ting a lock of -cropped o  most of t upstairs.

    Dark came on. t afternoon  tertime. tars in t, icy drizzle  in. tcreet. A o from to th.

    toruck eigill not, after talk of t a fear in some people, and tayed o toget or ten men ore. t and  ing about. t knoing for, but it imes of tension, ion is impending, men gat in ter a time t  in unison, not from t or from t as tincts oget to no single one of t to t sucime, no individual ates. And tled peaceably, or ion  in ransacking, violence, and crime, depends on destiny. So ted soberly on tore, not one of t t kno t , and t time  come.

    Noo tore  o t er , rock candy, and tobacco . Beed  and meal. t side of tore ly filled s and suc tore, to t, airs, and it  t of tore to a little room t Miss Amelia called  eig evening Miss Amelia could be seen tting before op desk, figuring ain pen and some pieces of paper.

    ted, and Miss Amelia did not seem to notice tion on t order, as usual. t try. It ransacted all business. On typeer  used only for t important documents. In terally to t. toring and did a great deal of it. tles and various parap tients sat. S needle so t it  turn green. For burns s syrup. For unlocated sickness t medicines  be given to small cirely separate draugler and s-flavored. Yes, all in all, sor.  touc t imagination and used  cures. In t dangerous and extraordinary treatment s ate, and no disease errible but o cure it. In tion. If a patient came  s tion of tand t t, or rubbing s toget songued c in otters people trusted soever and alients.

    On te ain pen a good deal. But even so s be forever unaing out tcime to time seadily. But s  to to demand  al ter a time t seemed to annoy  up, and closed the office door.

    Noo ture acted as a signal. time ood for a long reet beed long and just at t moment tinct to act came on t once, as to tore. At t moment t men looked very muc of tis, dreaming look in t t no one kno at t instant t taircase. tood dumb  ure  at all as ured to t a pitiful and dirty little cterer, alone and beggared in til t time. till as death.

    t. In t days ly cill le coat, but it  belonging to Miss Amelia.  rousers suc to  a pair of tigting little knee-lengtockings, and   completely covered,  touche floor.

    tore iff little strut and tood in ter of t  ood looking  t eadily at  belt line for an ordinary man. tion  to tisfied  and s  amount to muco confirm ilted back ook in tare. t side of tore, and . Cozily settled, tle legs crossed, ook from  pocket a certain object.

    No took some moments for tore to regain tarted t day,  to speak.  t whe hunchback was fondling, and said in a hushed voice:

    quot; is it you ;

    Eac it  o Miss Amelias faty embellis of  tling to herself.

    quot;Yes, , Peanut?quot;

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-5

    to speak. quot;o catc;

    ttle fingers and ate somet aste. It  even proper snuff  a mixture of sugar and cocoa. took, ting a little  beneatly into tongue w grimace come over his face.

    quot;teetasted sour to me,quot; ion. quot;t is take t snuff.quot;

    till clustered around, feeling someion never quite  it empered by anotimacy in tivity. No evening  Calvert . M. illin, Rosser Cline, Rip ellborn,  for Reverend illin, taken pleasure from somet and suffered in some  of tractable unless exasperated. Eac en dollars or t afternoon, for it urday. So, for t, them as a whole.

    ting t in ably settled o c ions suco in an average  cetera -- picking o inquiries imate. Soon too fetcooed into tore, stole a box of animal crackers, and made off very quietly. So t yet opened her office door.

    type of person   sets  from otinct  to establise and vital contact betype. ore e contact ablisoing and talking t guano sack for countless evenings. toget t it urday nig for t gladness in tore. tension, also, partly because of ty of tuation and because Miss Amelia ill closed off in  yet made her appearance.

    S t evening at ten oclock. And ting some drama at rance ed. Sreak of ink on one side of ted t o notice noto tting, and for a moment lingered t of tore sh only a peaceable surprise.

    quot;Does anyone  ing on?quot; sly.

    tomers, because it urday niged liquor. Noo bottles back by till. t sook tomers and counted it beneat lig after t  ordinary. Al o go around to t your bottle tcransaction. After getting omer o t. Or, if   in to come back around to t porcore and guzzle treet. Noreet before it y of Miss Amelia, and no mistake about it -- but s regard t t door and took in tire inside of to be opened or drunk by anyone but  time s to tc  back ttles into t store. More t s tably in a platter on ter and anyone wake one free.

    So no one but t ;Cousin Lymon, ove?quot;

    quot;If you please, Amelia,quot; t time o address Miss Amelia by  a title of respect? -- Certainly not en days. In fact, not since ttle, o address ;If you please, Ill  ;

    No . Recall t t ertime, and to  around ty outside  inside ttled up tove in t bottles ss of licorice, a Neill a novelty and  in, togetra c ter or made table on barrels and sacks. Nor did tiousness, indecent giggles, or misbesoever. On trary te even to t of a certain timidness. For people in too gatoget to ing -- and t is a pleasure, tention of to s into you a keen fear of ty. But t of a caf¨¦ is altoget. Even t, greediest old rascal  tefully and pinc in a dainty and modest manner. For tmospies: felloions of tain gaiety and grace of beold to tore t nig t of til t time own.

    Noood most of to tc ticed c  on, but most of time ened lonesomely on trutted about tore, eating from  once sour and agreeable. ood, t from tove cast a glo  brigo be looking iny, and uncertain joy.  so firmly set as usual, and sen. y ing.  nighe lover.

    to an end at midnigo everyone else in a friendly fas t door of  forgot to bolt it. Soon everytreet s tores, to -- . And so ended ts in  of the caf¨¦.

    Noime must pass. For t four years are muc c t about bit by bit, in simple steps o be important. tinued to live o sell ables ore. tomers every evening, and on Saturday a great croo serve fried catfis fifteen cents a plate. to buying a fine mecore no longer, but ed into a proper caf¨¦, open every evening from six until twelve oclock.

    Eac tairs ly of turnip greens, as Miss Amelia rubbed  and morning  liquor to give rengto a point beyond reason, but noto strengt of ill s and overalls, but on Sunday s on a dark red dress t  peculiar fasly cill loved a fierce la, but s so quick to c o exact cruel payments. Because tremely sociable, s about a little -- to revivals, to funerals, and so fortoring self proved profitable and he only place of pleasure for many miles around.

    So for t regard ted viesteps  out for to . See ties -- anding by and doing absolutely not quick to point out any laziness among tumn afternoons t on teps c back in ter cypress is a deep black green, rees tretcer see Miss Amelia bend doo let Cousin Lymon scramble on tled on o o  and treated Cousin Lymon to a picture-so some distant fair or cockfigook a passionate deligacles. Of course, ten sit for ogetairs. For t nigo lie looking into t leave o suffer  It may even be reasoned t t mainly on t; it  broug . So compose from suc let it rest.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-6

    Noion is due for all time o speak about love. For Miss Amelia loved Cousin Lymon. So muco everyone. toget. to Mrs. MacPy-nosed old busybody ure from one part of t room to anoto o certain oted, t and second cousins, and even t could in no  tall -- and Cousin Lymon a tle o . But so mucter for Mrs. Stumpy MacPions  t t if tion of t ter concerning t ture -- and t top.  sort of this love?

    First of all, love is a joint experience bet t t it is a joint experience does not mean t it is a similar experience to t t countries. Often timulus for all tored-up love ime o. And some ary to knorange loneliness and it is to do.

    create for ense and strange, complete in  it be added  t ure on th.

    Noion. t outlandisimulus for love. A man may be a doddering great-grandfatill love only a strange girl reets of Cernoon t. treaco evil s. Yes, and t t does not affect tion of . A most mediocre person can be t of a love , and beautiful as timulus for a love bot and debased, or a jabbering madman may bring about in tender and simple idyll. ty of any love is determined solely by the lover himself.

    It is for t most of us  everyone s to be t trut, in a deep secret ate of being be loved is intolerable to many. tes t of reasons. For trying to strip bare ion his experience can cause him only pain.

    It ioned before t Miss Amelia  as ed for at t Remember t it all  it act, before to his phenomenon -- love.

    to is no tores instead of trees along treet een years old at time, and o t time a loom-fixer named Marvin Macy. o kno t man in t one incall, co a picture of a erfall. From t of vieunate felloo no one and al just  from a more serious and tful vie Marvin Macy  a person to be envied, for er. ation   of any young man in ty. For years, ed ear of a man . ails of squirrels in t to please   o tempt to in spite of ation  time several young girls ender s little buttocks and cle young girls  ty-t solitary, gangling, queer-eyed girl   solely out of love.

    And love cime ioned if suc and soul. Yet tion for ter, for Marvin Macy ed cs could s at all; ts o t nig t kno to seek t corner of try to  ttle  speak, not even to eacs altoget to to  t t a too let : t c years old, o Cook a freigrain some into t amongst to around from one kitco anote ter time. t to a oed well.

    But ts of small ce organs. A cruel beginning in t to curious s of a  c forever after is ted as t of sucer and sil it is a misery to carry  by t ordinary t is o  and gentlest man in tounate, and in to care for ts  turday nig  and suffers. Marvin Macy, o be bold and fearless and cruel.  turned tougan, and until time o  srouble.

    But love reversed ter of Marvin Macy. For ty gray. ely. o er mot. Moreover,  toended c at all religious meetings. rained o rise and give o a lady, and  sion and improved er in every  to Miss Amelia, carrying a buncterlins, and a silver ring -- t night Marvin Macy declared himself.

    And Miss Amelia married er everyone o get s. Ot came about t-aunt in Cerrible old  steps doin and at least ter afternoon and t a curious gloar. As t making an odd gesture -- s in  ient, bored, and exasperated. At last  taking t  least two paces ahead of him.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-7

    tance from tore so t is said t on to talk about some deal s, sreated ly tomer ore to buy a pint from  so far all ly enougoified, as people  to Marvin Macy and  it mig least, ted on to tone doemper, to put a bit of bride-fat on o c last into a calculable woman.

    tc nig t actually e a grand supper prepared by Jeff, took second servings of everyt t about ory of tock in tore, and so fort in t noticed. At eleven oclock took a lamp and  upstairs. tly enoug er was unholy.

    itomped doairs in breec.  it looked quite black. Sc an ugly kick. trolled  do  up on tcove. Sern, and ened to its natural color. Sometimes so jot doion from too ypeer,   t. At daylig out to soever ering on a rabbit cended to sell somewhere.

    A groom is in a sorry fix o. Marvin Macy came do day still in  t.  tc keeping some distance ao  off in tion of Society City. urned s -- an opal ring, a pink enamel doreen of t , and a box of candy  of ts s to sum up t ter out for sale. t  in muc t Miss Amelia brougtress to make a pallet by tcove, and s fairly well.

    t on like t about ook great interest in some rumor t a bridge o be built some ten miles doill follo  to Co en acres of timberland udied ternly to make sure ty of a trick and filed it soberly in t afternoon Marvin Macy took a quart bottle of  alone out in till soo Miss Amelia   rying to tell  before  and

    t teeth was broken.

    t of tioned in bare outline. After t blo surned ogeto suffer publicly. During t outside ty and sometimes c t, peering at Miss Amelia steadily. If s s, but erner ten s on t foolis o climb in tore one nigo sit tsoever, until sairs next morning. For t off immediately to tion t s entiary for trespassing. Marvin Macy left to day, and no one sater, partly ten in pencil and partly  ter -- but in it s, and  in  even ed for ten days. And to tisfaction t people feel werrible means.

    Miss Amelia   Marvin Macy imberc so attactle value to t spring s up o cover obacco plants. So all t o make o bring , strange to say, s errible and spiteful bitterness. So  alioned ;t loom-fixer I o.quot;

    And later, rue cer of Marvin Macy finally revealed itself, once ure and e. ations and ore of Society City ed of t-Eye Sam  ries. tured ourist cabin, ar by y-seven dollars in  sried, sentenced, and sent off to tentiary near Atlanta. Miss Amelia ified.

    ell, all time ago, and it is tory of Miss Amelias marriage. toesque affair. But ts of t must be remembered t tory   God can be t nig of tentiary, many miles a follo altogetten in to t of rapped in entiary, roubling undertone beneaty of t forget to act a terrible part in tory o come.

    During tore became a caf¨¦ tairs  c of tly as it  ime of  likely  is already knoely clean. t object s exact place, and everyted by Jeff, t of Miss Amelia, eac room belonged to Cousin Lymon -- it ayed during ts  it iff ed at topped table. ter made of carved, dark rose tresses, bolsters, and a number of s. t beneat eps -- no occupant eps before, but Cousin Lymon dre eac and ate. Beside teps, but pusly out of vie painted ains uff, also croced at the edges.

    On t s, and Sunday dress, and s ains, rugs, or ornaments of any kind.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-8

    te. tered in topped tables, tant piece of furniture in t in reasures and curios. Miss Amelia s to tion -- one er oak, ttle velvet box imes ake out t box and stand by tones in t ture of fascination, dubious respect, and fear. tones of Miss Amelia aken from or in C bad been a terrible experience, from t minute to t, and all s out of it tle stones; so set great store by t to a mig tay  as ornaments in a co  so tion, to   her face was always saddened and perplexed.

    quot;Amelia,  signify?quot; Cousin Lymon asked her.

    quot;s just an acorn,quot; s;Just an acorn I picked up on ternoon Big Papa died.quot;

    quot;; Cousin Lymon insisted.

    quot;I mean its just an acorn I spied on t day. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. But I dont know w;

    quot; a peculiar reason to keep it,quot; Cousin Lymon said.

    talks of Miss Amelia and Cousin Lymon in tairs, usually in t fe  letting ongue run  t o pop into ain topics of conversation, ook pleasure. All ts  in common -- terminable. So contemplate problems alking on any subject erer. to any conversation oget. Miss Amelia al to ties of tter, going on endlessly in a loful voice and getting no o pick up, magpie fasail ,  least concrete and bearing on some practical facet close at e subjects of Miss Amelia ars, t treatment for cancer, and so forterminable subject wo her.

    quot;; so Lymon. quot;t. Id go to bed just as turned on and sleep --  stirring, Little,quot; er airs from tcove ;Fried grits,quot; ;e meat and gravy. ; And Id run doairs and dress by t stove o till or maybe --quot;

    quot;ts ;Fried too quick so t ted.quot;

    quot;And ion retc before ter or summer te, as Lymon ured.  in a lo quite toucorso usually  or tioned o anyone else except Cousin Lymon.

    t  delicate and vital matters.  t t sain barrels of  of curios. ook money from ter, ed t made inside s.  everyt and find  -- so t no close at o give  of  s  Cousin Lymon to sen-day marriage. Marvin Macy  t  any time, discussed bethem.

    So let to a Saturday evening six years after time o to  and to ed an inc and ttle c en, sed, and ful. t noon. People in treet sat resting on teps and tto fans. At Miss Amelias t t of tticed s turning ten  and ice and removed to lick a bit and see c morning Miss Amelia  a notice on t porcy Cents tonite. t finis tables une.

    In a corner near tting at a table  easily to  eye antly in a nervous tic, as it  to do ed. o t, and  to o  at Miss Amelias t morning to be doctored.

    Miss Amelia came out from s. Stended to a feails in tcered t in general all  over to table by urned t straddling ted to pass time of day and  yet ready for tle of Kroup Kure in t of  ingredient. Miss Amelia uncorked ttle and put it to turned to  eye, she asked:

    quot; ails you?quot;

    of saying somet, but, after a long look into t speak.

    So Miss Amelia returned to ient. Only table top. ly open.  to Miss Amelia so t it could be opened. But Miss Amelia used a special met like to see t, struggling, and terrified. So s t doses of to table o side and sometimes as tle  grunt.

    tir in trutted into t, and er of topped s and looked stern of tional material at  nig misco-do, and  saying a  eac  o  t, and  spoken one o eac at t bet Calvert  for t matter since o toe business of everybody, and trespassed every   responsible for t popularity of to tension, because  telling o y of commotion or calamity ao t burst of talking and a drawing of corks.

    Lymon umpy MacPting ;I o Rotten Lake today to fis; ;And on tepped over  first to be a big fallen tree. But tepped over I felt sometir and I taken traddling tor long as from t door to tc;

    ttered on. Everyone looked at ime to time, and some kept track of tering and ot. times onigrue.  up in te afternoon in order to turn t ood ting t it was enougo she ears.

    Miss Amelia cs and urned to one side. tness about ly to o t t of a t, as to try to o account for all es, and tric fans in t stir of coolness in the air.

    quot;ttle youngun is asleep,quot; said henry Macy finally.

    Miss Amelia looked do tient beside ter in ing on table edge and a trickle of spit or Kroup Kure e closed, and a little family of gnats ered peacefully in t  roug tient did not aed table, being careful not to touc of  into ter he office door.

    Cousin Lymon  evening. t muce of t tomers in t at table   brigy road, and trees ionless: toes  far doo t tune art and no finises ood leaning against ter of ty road as t someone would come along.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-9

    tsteps be;Cousin Lymon, your dinner is set out upon table.quot;

    quot;My appetite is poor tonig; said ting s snuff all t;t;

    quot;Just a pick,quot; said Miss Amelia. quot;t, t.quot;

    toget back into t caf¨¦, and sat doable  one in t t of stle. Miss Amelia ient and isfied ient could errified it tle arms dangling loose along o go home.

    ill silent. e carefully, making no noise o ite and ting down er  Miss Amelia and again held his peace.

    It ypical Saturday nigry ated for a moment at to come inside. togetry couple, t ttle s. t early, and by midnig of tomers ill played cumpy MacP tle on able ( allo in tions  yet gone a al to bed soon after nig Lymon less and s suggest t t.

    Finally, at one oclock,  tly to Miss Amelia: quot;I got a letter today.quot;

    Miss Amelia  one to be impressed by ts of business letters and catalogues came addressed to her.

    quot;I got a letter from my brot; said henry Macy.

    tepping about topped suddenly. o sense any cmosp eaced.

    Miss Amelia sco quot;You are o it,quot; she said.

    quot; of tentiary.quot;

    t umpy MacP.

    quot;; asked Cousin Lymon. o gro;?quot;

    Miss Amelia slapped able. quot;Because Marvin Macy is a --quot; But er a fes s;o be in t penitentiary t;

    quot; did ; asked Cousin Lymon.

    tly o ans;ations,quot; said Stumpy MacP  sound complete and t unmentioned.

    tient.  bear to be left out of anyt misery. to  it tantalized ion of subjects  orn doein, or tion of any event t ime. Aside from ty, took a great interest in robbers and crimes of all varieties. As rutted around table tering t;released on parolequot; and quot;penitentiaryquot; to  altioned insistently, o find anyto talk about Marvin Macy before Miss Amelia in the caf¨¦.

    quot;tter did not say very muc; said ; say w;

    quot;; said Amelia, and ill ;  ;

    Sable, and made ready to close t Marvin Macy may  o brooding, for ser back to tc it in a private place.  off do ime on t porcer Merlie Ryan o make certain claims, to s on t nig o come. But totention, for t  t of t Merlie Ryan alked for a time in t last t t o netting over ed until  on goer a long time  to sleep.

    t autumn ryside  t tobacco  year. After t summer t cool days  sness. Goldenrod grey roads, and to carry off a feo ted sco get an education. Boys ed foxes in ter quilts  on t potatoes bedded in tra to come. In te sumn sky. tillness like t of t cold nigimes, late in t le of train t goes ty City on its o th.

    For Miss Amelia Evans time of great activity. S il sundoy.  ao t frost, because sraded for tremendous ended to make mucterlins, and sausage.

    During ty about Miss Amelia t many people noticed. Sen, ling uneful trickery. Srying out rengting up s, or poking oug doo ypeer and e a story -- a story in raipsing along be-tails, and  look, and wone of love.

    t cold spell came at last.  floc a roaring fire in tcove, t out of doors to judge tly people began to come in from try to find out  of to kill t  round tryside. tered and a loarted in t. tamp of footsteps, ter air. Miss Amelia  of the work was done.

    Sicular business to do in C day, so after making sure t all o leave. So come , simes, but o leave tion and ed to remain. to trouble Miss Amelia, as so o o be terribly o go any distance a after asking imes, s urge ick and dre t back from told  to trespass beyond t boundary. S after dinner and intended to be back before dark.

    No is not so rare to ruck or an automobile pass along too someor comes to argue oion t o get a car on credit, or to pay doric icebox sucise in tore  asking meddlesome questions, finding out all roubles, and ruining allment plan. Sometimes, especially since toly people in automobiles get lost and stop to inquire  road again. So, late t afternoon it o ruck pass top in truck, and truck  on its way.

    tood in t all man, . t, and a  of tooled leatin suitcase and a guitar. t person in too see ting gears and come around to investigate. tuck  did not step out altogeto full vie eac  trangers meeting for t time and sly summing up eac are tcer a fes o follow along carefully, keeping many paces away.

    It ely kno to Marvin Macy ,  to to c o a sort of numb confusion. t t vats, t about tumpy MacP knoly o do. Marvin Macy still smiled   cer looking over t doo t case and guitar on t porcores, and t of torudged along quietly at some distance bes, and tle face still very pale.

    It e. ter sun ting, and to t ts fleo ts; lamps oopped before Miss Amelias premises and read t ating to trespass, le ble, and t umpy MacPood around ty and looked on. Very little ood by , and t of tered togetood some from everyone, and  take he face of Marvin Macy.

    quot;Did you ime in tentiary?quot; asked Merlie Ryan, h a silly giggle.

    Marvin Macy did not ans slo and  to stand directly beumpy MacPhail.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-10

    Miss Amelia did not come il almost dark. ttle of omobile ance a steps of , and in ter evenings. Miss Amelia came doeps sloed very quietly. Feand up to Miss Amelia, and against Marvin Macy ster e. Everyone ed to see  into a terrible c, and coget of to first s see Marvin Macy, and  ural to er ance away.

    Miss Amelia must  tant. So t it  trel from tentiary on o see.

    tood at t, ed by t glo, iate and very still, and  a little concentration, rick ed to get somet of Miss Amelia, and to  ible. No it  Miss Amelia at  Marvin Macy reaty t o desperation. At first Marvin Macy paid no attention to  t  any appreciation wsoever.

    quot; ails t; humb.

    No one ans  ting s of persuasion. tered  trapped mots.  around on t, and finally began doing a little trotlike dance. In t gloomy liger afternoon .

    Marvin Macy, alone of all the yard, was unimpressed.

    quot;Is t t?quot; epped foraggered, t  Marvin Macy, and  effort  forlorn little flap.

    Nourned to Miss Amelia to see o t off tals credit and find ime afterward. So now if Miss Amelia  open Marvin Macys  she kind.

    times o a sort of trance. And trances ood. For Miss Amelia or, and did not grind up ss and otried ingredients and give to t patient  out first on fully back and forto ten, e still, aring do ts clencrying to decide  be most likely to cure. And noaken no ne day.

    quot;t ; said Marvin Macy.

    isumpy MacP, and tskirts of ty made not a sound. Marvin Macy folded ter looking about  of t urning to gray feat e dark.

    t entiary. Not a living soul in all too see  t siger mot s into tears. But not Marvin Macy.  on teps of tar, and e meat to go round. After eating tled  and  sleeping place in t room and roubled by dreams.

    Miss Amelia did not open t nig long.

    Marvin Macy brougune, rig, as could be expected. t day turned suddenly, and it became . Even in ticky sultriness in tmospten smell of te soes   t, and mucy  sausage could keep in sucer a fe, and an atmospe. orse yet, a family reunion near te pork roast and died, every one of t  ted -- and  ? People orn betaste of pork, and t ime of e and confusion.

    t t t and paraded up and doar. ill rong s too famous for o get  measured only by tual sins ted. true, ations. And before t enderest girls in ty, and laug it Any number of ed against  quite apart from t  meanness t clung to  like a smell. Anoted, not even in August, and t surely is a sign h pondering over.

    No seemed to to entiary in Atlanta   on Cousin Lymon be explained? For since first setting eyes on Marvin Macy tural spirit. Every minute ed to be follotract attention to ill Marvin Macy eitreated efully or failed to notice  all. Sometimes ter of t porcelephone wire, and grieve publicly.

    quot;But aring at s closed tight.

    quot;O; groaned to upset t ;o Atlanta.quot;

    Miss Amelia ience raveling; trip to Atlanta or traveled fifty miles from o see tless people s;Going to Atlanta does no credit to ;

    quot;o tentiary,quot; said th longing.

    o argue against sucy Miss Amelia did not oo sure of o tentiary, Cousin Lymon? rip like t is no travel to brag about.quot;

    During tc about absent-mindedly, e as to one of rances. For some reason, after t aside ime reserved for Sundays, funerals, and sessions of t. to take some steps to clear up tuation. But s and. If it  o see Cousin Lymon follo toell t if urn   to  Miss Amelia seemed to   time in ated as to just o pursue. And, like most people in sucion of uncertainty, s t once, all of trary to eacher.

    t as usual, and, strangely enoug  turn . S  time s a terrible trap for  in t surely e o Sunday dinner, and tried to trip  doeps. S campaign of pleasure for Cousin Lymon -- making exing trips to various spectacles being ant places, driving tomobile ty miles to a Cauqua, taking o Forks Falls to c racting time for Miss Amelia. In t people sed to see  urn out.

    turned cold again, ter o on all ts s to toast t ter it rained, ts, t flickers of lampligrees  niger-time ter point of tos sly t ter of a mile a iron stove at turned red. Miss Amelia ains for to bunc looked very real.

    But it  only tions, and tness, t made t it o too do ain pride t  o been knos. to understand t be kept in mind. ty of people clustered around a mill -- but it  every family s, and fat back to go t to get to keep alive. And t is t only  is t o reason about it tton, or a quart of molasses. But no value  on  is given to us free and taken  being paid for.  is it  times to be little or not all. Often after you ed and tried and t better for you, t you are not h much.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-11

    But t t to to everyone, even to come to t o buy tion of liquor. ttled drinks for a nickel. And if you could not even afford t, Miss Amelia . Almost everyone, ion of Reverend t. M. illin, came to t least once during to sleep in o eat at a neigable; on sucly and are proud. toing at tables in to Miss Amelias, and scraped t very politely on tered t least, tter kno you are not his world could be laid low.

    t to bacunate people, and consumptives. And  may be mentioned t to suspect t Cousin Lymon ive. tness of ence, alkativeness, and o be some connection bet o Miss Amelia soms ter ve on treated Cousin Lymon  c platters, Kroup Kure, and sucer times even on cold days  in a . But t prevent er Marvin Macy.

    Early every morning  t to ted and ed -- as Marvin Macy  softly.  like t patiently over tiny little  to live, poking traively: quot;Doodlebug, Doodlebug -- fly a. Your ; In just suc once sad, luring, and resigned --  for trail  toimes toget in the swamp.

    And Miss Amelia continued to do t t is, to try to follo once.  t call  only stood in tcil  of sigurned up  dinnertime, and ate at able. Miss Amelia opened table   boer peas. It is true t on one occasion Miss Amelia tried to poison Marvin Macy -- but take, tes   bitterness of t day se no dinner. S tilted back in  Marvin Macy.

    Every nigo ttled  t and largest table, ter of t  pay a cent. Marvin Macy bruso, and not only did itude for t if t in ;Out of my c;  from beer and approacs clencs and t, altc. time for t  yet ready.

    ticular reason ill talked about. A great t togettle ignorant c of t to cry. Old people s to equal t it er midnigarted falling softly on torange snoened to to collapse, and some tself -- ty about it feured it to be; in t colors of blue and silver, tle sness of falling sno?

    People reacted to t of fully oes of , gato goime, to draters and lock every ely, lig solemnly over s. t t Miss Amelia feared t  so form an immediate opinion of t, and unless sly and definitely ter (. Sno it one  if sted to come to some decision, and in traction in  ed ended t notrary, c excitement, and he door.

    Marvin Macy laid claim to t  in Atlanta, and from t to day it  ttle c timidly out of to taste. Reverend illin rying to o  people ;t; and quot;pleasequot; more ters, of course,  drunk -- but t numerous. to everyone ted to go to t night.

    Cousin Lymon follo all day, seconding o t sno fall as does rain, and stared up at tly falling flakes until umbled from dizziness. And took on   resist calling out to ; O  ;

    Miss Amelia did not intend to serve dinner. But steps on t door cautiously. It  a table and served ter, and trees t s up delicate flurries from t come until after dark, in suitcase and ar.

    quot;So you mean to travel?quot; said Miss Amelia quickly.

    Marvin Macy ove. ttled do able and carefully stle stick. eetly taking tick out of o look at t on t.  boto answer.

    t Miss Amelia,  beseece sure of ly. . quot;Marvin Macy is going to visit a spell ; he said.

    Miss Amelia made no protest. S from beer and ove, as t ing  only an inc y about Miss Amelia, and sly seemed to forget altoget tood  it. urned to one side, and salking one of accusation and reproac plain. Meano te rooms led.

    t is to Miss Amelias  first Cousin Lymon,  t on  a cold t turned into a er quinsy, so Miss Amelia gave up o oo s for  lapped over ten so t  clouded s; everytried to do against Marvin Macy rebounded on  caugricks, and found iful positions. But still s put Marvin Macy off t s alone. Once you  is a great torture to o live alone. t room icking, ty  is better to take in your mortal enemy terror of living alone.

    t last. t and o as it  open il every flake ed. t in t before t, t t again into o tie a rope to t brancree. At tied a crocus sack tiguffed  day on s out in er -- a little , but knohis.

    Miss Amelia, as ioned, measured six feet to a y pounds. Marvin Macy age in slyness of movement, and in toug. In fact from t of vieoget almost everybody in toting on Miss Amelia; scarcely a person  up money on Marvin Macy. to figo c rapping fello  ters dead  only alent as a boxer t errifying faces and fierce noises, so t even tators imes co. So people ed. Of course t date for t. t t oo plain to be overlooked.

    During times trutted around tle pince and clever rouble betantly plucking at Marvin Macys trouser leg to dratention to imes steps -- but t o imitate ures in a  made o be a freak. terrible about t even t customers of t laug corner of ions. S t, dismal reproacurn toeeth clamped.

    quot;Bust a gut!quot; sterly.

    And Marvin Macy, most likely, ar from t and slimy, as oo muc in unes  like eels. rong fingers picked trings y skill, and everyted. tand.

    quot;Bust a gut!quot; s, in a s.

    But alo silence tover tones, and reply h slow, sure insolence.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-12

    quot;Everyt me bounces back on yourself. Ya;

    Miss Amelia and ted a  of trap. S s out abuse t would bounce back on  of hing she could do.

    So t on like t s in tairs nobody kno t. A neable o be broug, took to tuation and came one nigo look in at t caf¨¦. And time  eac er any especial argument, but it seemed to come about mysteriously, by means of some instinct on t of bot times t t you could  of paper roses rustling in t. And eac ting stance a little longer t before.

    t took place on Ground ral temperature. t ted day, and by ten oclock ty. Early in t out and cut doep in can of  betoy of Miss Amelia. tables in t to t t. te four  for dinner, and ternoon to store up strengted in tairs, c on t iff face orment it ill and doing not s as a corpse .

    Cousin Lymon less day, and tle face igement.   out to find turned, ten, and said t to be bad ing to gatrengt to  occurred to   as  t porc been painted for years -- in fact, God kno ed at all. Cousin Lymon scrambled around, and soon ed  green. It ing as anding on a crate to get up a foot  ran out, t side of t green and tion of  ed. Cousin Lymon left it at t.

    t isfaction ing. And in t a curious fact sioned. No one in to even Miss Amelia, ained t oill a cain t  forty. eady as a c t ed of age. It o guess eetill in  ained t snuff t it o decide eetioned directly about o knoely noten years or a hundred! So his age remained a puzzle.

    Cousin Lymon finising at five-ty oclock in ternoon. turned colder and t taste in ttling il at last it caugree. People began to come in from try; packed automobiles t bristled  o smile in a ired eyes y City. All ts and caps put on backriplets, and could al cock figings. At six oclock tle sounded t and te. Naturally, among ters, and so fort even so t. A orange in t. Darkness ly; for a moment t  in dark and bare outline, to night.

    Seven is a popular number, and especially it e er for reatment nearly alies, and all ore by it. So t o take place at seven oclock. to everyone, not by announcement or  understood in tioning  rain is understood, or an evil odor from ty of Miss Amelia. t got into tself and stood lining to t porcook a stand in the yard.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-13

    Miss Amelia and Marvin Macy  yet ser resting all afternoon on tairs. On t your elboe, tting  one minute to seven oclock o ter. All .

    It must  at troke of seven Miss Amelia s tairs. At tant Marvin Macy appeared in front of tly. tos already gripped, and to ted and srengt . Marvin Macy rouser legs -- o t and   tentiary. Stumpy MacPepped fors  o make sure ter of t caf¨¦.

    t truck out simultaneously. Bot t a little groggy. For a feer t blo around on ting ions, and making mock fists. ts, ting, and t t it ake in  once Miss Amelia  fell, and anotime Marvin Macy caug spun op. So t  on in t her side.

    During a struggle like trong as t is o turn from t itself and observe tators. ttened back as close as possible against tumpy MacPs tigrange noises. Poor Merlie Ryan  a fly buzzed into it, and ood on ter, so t  forle legs bent so t tted outement  in a rash shivered.

    Per o catc arm and pinion it beruggled and got a grasp around ; t ling is tural oo quick and requires mucration. And no Miss Amelia and Marvin  of its daze and pressed in closer. For a o muscle, t eaco side, till  sed, but Miss Amelias overalls  footprints on test s of terrible effort, it ricky to grasp, but sronger. Gradually s o t errible to c last sraddled; rong big

    But at t instant, just as t  caused a s so run do took place ery ever since. too testify ed t. For ter on  least t from ters in ter of t at tant Miss Amelia grasped t of Marvin Macy trong back of Miss Amelia and clutc tle fingers.

    t is confusion. Miss Amelia en before to t  tionless. Marvin Macy stood over  popeyed, but smiling ened about  ed to glory  any rate  of teps. Someone poured er on Miss Amelia, and after a time s up sloing at  of ing,  fist toget times on top of ill. Stumpy MacPepped forhe door.

    t, and one by one t tied, automobiles cranked, and ty City roamed off do. t a figo alk about after o for t every room was lig long.

    Marvin Macy and t  to a they did:

    te cabinet of curios and took everyt.

    the mechanical piano.

    terrible ables.

    tc opened in to sure of a erfall and took t also.

    tche jars of preserves.

    t out in tely ill, ruining tting fire to tself.

    te food, grits  o kill off ty, and placed temptingly on ter.

    t actually breaking into tayed t. t off togethem.

    t ooen as not be kindly if to clear up t Miss Amelia only looked at t crossed eyes and sumpy MacPo buy a plug of Queenie tobacco, and Miss Amelia said to be  sort of a caf¨¦ is t? Also, sor. In all tor. Sients soul, taking aobacco, and so fort ient never to eat fried ermelon or some suc o a person to  in t place. Nooring s t to die outrigo tc no one in  mind .

    Miss Amelia let  urning gray.  muscles of il s  eac to exctle glance of grief and lonely recognition. S pleasant to listen to; ongue erribly.

    ioned t;o   to t!quot; But it  so muc errible, but t its old vigor; t used to ion quot;t loom-fixer I o,quot; or some ot, and sad as the church pump-organ.

    For t out on t steps every nig, looking doing. But turned. t Marvin Macy used o climb into eal, and ot Marvin Macy o a side s bots raced back to Merlie Ryan. Notrue  Miss Amelia er and hose closed rooms she has remained ever since.

    Yes, to afternoons ty, , and t as glass. Notrees seem to groo t t it is noion of time ely, and people are careful not to o be bougo still is eig t gros on to a dangerous inely noto do in toand kicking at a rotten stump, figure out s  as o ten to the chain gang.

 The Ballad of the Sad Caf¨¦-14

    tELVE MORtAL MEN

    to is y decided to patc at a certain dangerous place. triped prison suits, and c to red slits by t soon after daybreak, and being driven off again in t to t, t. And every day tart a pion. And after a moment anotricately blended, botil at last it seems t t come from t from tself, or t is music t causes t to broaden and tener to groasy and frigil at last t he silence.

    And  can make suc tal men, seven of te boys from ty. Just tal men her.

 Wunderkind-1

    So tc er-stockinged legs and ed doood for a moment listening to tudio. A soft procession of piano cuning of a violin. ter Bilderbac to tural tones:

    quot;t you, Bienc;

    As stens s co tions of ticed t morning. quot;Yes,quot; s;Its me;quot;

    quot;I,quot; ted. quot;Just a moment.quot;

    Ser Lafkoz talking --  in a silky, unintelligible  like a o Mister Bilderbaclessness scattered tention. Sry book and Le Voyage de Monsieur Perricting table. S doo take cendons t stretcip capped ape. t s o torment  fehs.

    Noiselessly s to  used to be -- olid sound of Mister Bilderbacsteps across tudio and t slid open.

    For a moment s during most of teen years of  t jutted from beurbed only by ted, blank plucking of a violin string. Mister Bilderbaceac, t and tes of eetemples to be observed across the room.

    quot;Arent you a little early?quot;  telpiece t ed to five minutes of t;Josefs in tle sonatino by someone ;

    quot;Good,quot; srying to smile. quot;Ill listen.quot; So a blur of piano keys. S tired -- felt t if   tremble.

    ood uncertain, eet, s;; ;t;

    quot;Ill  till after; s;t;

    quot;After you finis; o crumble at the corners.

    tudio and Mister Lafkoz pus tood beside him.

    quot;Frances?quot; ;And ;

    it meaning to, Mister Lafkoz al t. today racted. Sco t purpose, ipped boe  slits today and t flowed down from hem.

    quot;I gat no; smiled Mister Lafkoz, alt yet ansion.

    S Mister Bilderbacurned ae afternoon sun came tudio and sed yelloy living room. Beeac long piano, t of Brahms.

    quot;No,quot; so Mister Lafkoz, quot;Im doing terribly.quot;  t;I dont knoter,quot; s Mister Bilderbacooped muscular back t stood tense and listening.

    Mister Lafkoz smiled. quot;times, I suppose, w;

    A ;Dont you tter get on ; asked Mister Bilderbach.

    quot;Immediately,quot; said Mister Lafkoz, giving tarting toop of t rument quot;Youve seen ture of ;

    igc; picture?quot;

    quot;One of able. Inside top cover.quot;

    tina began. Discordant yet somey but  style of its own. S.

    t-rings for a pizzicato. itrapped neatly beneater and rolled collar. It ure. Alt oograp ring. o turn around toure-taking apparatus. omac poke out no  chs.

    alented young violinist, snapped er Israelsky, ed to play to h --

    t morning, after siced from six until eig do table . Sed breakfast; it gave er four ce bars y cents lunctle morsels from t under cover of opping dead  t a fried egg on e and s if it burst -- so t te -- s able and closed her eyes.

    tudio seemed to be urging violently and clumsily for somet  to be er a moment s dreure -- and il so tudio -- t tations on tfully dra all t here.

    S forget ter Bilderbacared at  ago. ill tco tions of tired, s often came to  before so sleep on ts  buzzed and carried  into their own whirligig space.

    A underkind -- a underkind -- a underkind. t rolling in t o a murmur. Along  in distortion, diminiso pale blobs -- Mister Bilderbacer Lafkoz. Around and around in a circle revolving to ttural underkind. Mister Bilderbachers around him.

    Pes sicing falling over eacairs. Bacimed grotesquely to tired body and the buzzing circle.

    Sometimes -- ayed out from  so confused. ttle memories ;Age of Innocencequot; picture er t concert was over.

    A underkind -- a underkind. t er Bilderbac to ed the word.

    Not t o ;Bienc; (S  except ;Bienc; ;I kno must be terrible. Carrying around all time a  t;

    Mister Bilderbacc. ry and  imes s been born and broug Cincinnati. er Bilderbac is Dutc understand you?

    t day so tudio. After swilighe piano.

    quot;No;  first day. quot;It -- playing music -- is more to a second -- t means not;

    apped  and ubby ;o understand t.quot; ed a cigarette and gently ble exion above ;And art noions and ttle Sc; ime to jerk t to t;I en carefully no;

    S t tired.  raying inside ime. Sed to reac and touc pointed out ted to feel trong hairy back of his hand.

    Suesday after scurday afternoons. Often sayed,  and took treetcar  morning. Mrs. Bilderbac dumb  and sloc boto spend all ime in tairs, reading magazines or just looking  not sing anymore (s en to a pupil s it , very gut.

    een it came to  t seemed strange. Once scriding in from tudio, tense  some pupil irring til  and rested on urned -- stood placid --   moving. And to a quiet inexpressiveness, and urned to tudio.

    After sarted er Bilderbac ime to see anyt er Lafkozs pupil and o Mister Bilderbacen to teacen t over coget sonatas or Bloch.

    A underkind -- a underkind.

    hen.

    o go to scer Lafkozs broto teacry and European ory and Frencernoon. een ec in Cincinnati -- everyone said so. But playing t be easier t must be.

    o smell of corduroy pants and ten and rosin. ime, too, y around ts peeped out dingily from ter. Sc ts tle blobs of fles-cut nails and t s.

    In t only in a blur. S kno er. true, t er tood togetage o  made a difference ter of ta togethe Bloch.

 Wunderkind-2

    quot;No, no -- I dont t e.quot; Mister Bilderbaced to end t;No Joe Virginianesque.quot;

    S understood ted it to be ter Lafkoz and heime.

    Mister Bilderbacer, after temperament for t type of music, after t ced.

    quot;t oie oie stuff,quot; said Mister Bilderbac ;Not for you, Bienc to tses and skys.quot;

    A underkind. No matter  was w he had called her.

    ter at t t scimes, cry problem on tion  knife-like inside  it in bed, and even sometimes rating at t  just t being Jeirely. It  t  o go to scraining so early, eit was --?

    Once s she knew.

    quot;Play tasia and Fugue,quot; Mister Bilderbacer er Lafkoz ogether.

    to ail of er Bilderbacically from tisfied ood up from t o loosen t to  and c. But --

    quot;Frances --quot; Mister Lafkoz   covered by te lids. quot;Do you know ;

    Surned to ;A good many. ty some odd.quot;

    quot;ell t; tcly in ; ;

    Mister Bilderbac pleased; tural effulgence of German z raised  t easily enoug s no deception in keeping ure because t er Bilderbaced o look.

    Yet suco do . Not least, for ser Bilderbacood t, and even Mister Lafkoz  meant just w he said.

    In ter Bilderbac and contracted in ter of tly, temples insisting.

    But sometimes, before s, tocking do . quot;Bienc; And bringing Mrs. Bilderbac in and s s gatogether in a lumpy heap.

    And time sed from Junior high.

    quot; you ; asked Mrs. Bilderbac breakfast  iced to marco torium.

    quot;An evening dress my cousin  year.quot;

    quot;A;  ;I bet I kno;

    ed.  believe  sly didnt care at all.

    quot;Like t; able and mincing to the room, swishing his hips, rolling up his eyes behind his horn-rimmed glasses.

    t Saturday afternoon, after ook o tment stores dooaffetas t ts. o o one side, and selected pink. Soo.  some tle like old ladies so ep y look. But it really didnt matter at all. o cut out t it to errupted o stand by and suggest ruffles around tte on t and such made no difference.

    Nottered muc playing t must be played, bringing out t must be in icing, practicing, playing so t Mister Bilderbac some of its urging look. Putting to  Myra hess had, and Yehudi Menuhin -- even heime!

    o o es began springing out onation. Adolescence, s. Some kids played il, like  little tart t rying to get t -- someto  not so be. She --

    Once it  lose t. A underkind. . . A underkind. . . Of , rolling tain t at ernoon Mister Bilderbac ser Lafkoz to t door, as ayed at tly pressing a solitary note. Listening, Frances c wind  .

    quot;A good picture of ; s;I got a letter from elling about  Carnegie o eat at tea Room.quot;

    to put off going into tudio a moment longer sed until Mister Lafkoz o leave and tood bey cold outside cut into t e and ter ts  t to be.

    As s into tudio Mister Bilderbac up from tly ctle  the keyboard.

    quot;ell, Bienc; ;ternoon o begin all over. Start from scratc t fe;

    rying to act a part in a movie. oe to ogetisfied, movie  to run tack of music s in. quot;t yet,quot; ;tion Sonata. Opus. 26.quot;

    tiff and we and dead-seeming.

    quot;ait a minute,quot; ood in t ;today I expect someta -- its t Beeta you ever e is under control -- teco cope  ts all you t.quot;

    led til eacurned it around and seated raddling th his legs.

    For some reason, sion of  on  today s t sice urbed. iffly tilted, ense. to balance dangerously on t;No; ory dart of ion.

    notes oo loud, ther phrases followed dryly.

    Arrestingly ;ait! te w youre playing. ;

    quot;An-andante.quot;

    quot;All rig drag it into an adagio to t snatc off s oned andante --quot;

    Sried again. e from t was in her.

    quot;Listen,quot; errupted. quot;ions dominates t;

    quot;t; she answered.

    quot;t. te -- but its not salon stuff as you just played it. Start out softly, piano, and make it s just before t ic. And doer melody sing out. You kno. eve gone over all t side of it before. No. Feel it as Beete it do tragedy and restraint.quot;

    S stop looking at o rest tentatively on to fly up as a stop signal as soon as so . quot;Mister Bilderbac me play on t variation  stopping I could do better.quot;

    quot;I  interrupt,quot; he said.

    oo close to t part, and, obeying a nod from  jarred on  t into t s.

    o speak ness: quot;I  ally, t o take on intensity, develop t o be in in t part. Go on  one, t;

    Sed to start it o a feeling of deep, s o gum in t imagine t should be.

    note opped vibrating, ely got up from to side -- and beteetop of t of op once more. quot;No,quot;  her.

    o quiver. quot;I cant . I --quot;

    Suddenly rained o a smile. quot;Listen, Bienc; ;You still play t you? I told you not to drop it from your repertoire.quot;

    quot;Yes,quot; s;I practice it no;

    ;It  togetrongly you used to play it -- like a real blacksmiter. You see, Bienc you ifully. You used to --quot;

    opped in confusion and inub of cigarette. t from  around her lank hair and childish forehead.

    quot;Make it ; cepping back from the piano.

    For a moment ood just inside t circle t made. tted doo t;Vigorous,quot; he said.

    S stop looking at ting on one  resting squarely before rong training under trousers, raigaunc;Simply no; ed ure of ;t in turbed.quot;

    S look do t brigspread ter.

    quot;All of it,quot; ;No;

    S t t in  t   all afternoon felt suddenly dead. S gray and limp and s ter.

    o t in space before ion in temples. In retreat, s tears made te keys blur in a ery line. quot;I cant,quot; s;I dont kno cant -- cant any more.quot;

    ense body slackened and, o c him.

    . ttens and galosc room t was o speak.

    As sibule s  see  from  leaned against tudio door, relaxed and purposeless. t to firmly. Dragging cumbled doone steps, turned in tion, and reet t her children.

 The Jockey

    to ter a moment stepped to one side and stood motionless, o tels in tos of August roses scattered tals on te table linen and from ted o tinized til at last able in a corner diagonally across from  ed o one side, iffened so t tense against tced in this way.

    of green C evening, tailored precisely and tume outfit for a c ie striped el colors.  iff,  bang on  emples and  in a er a time  c t nod; ill ense  of .

    t table rainer, a bookie, and a ricrainer er -- a large, loosely built fellozer, ernoon. te-coated er  broughe dinner.

    It er  dos Bitsy Barlo; ;Standing over t c;

    quot;O; said turned o look be;Ask ;

    quot;God no,quot; Sylvester said.

    quot;; Simmons said. t and  inflection. ed, t deadlock between fear and greed.

    quot;ell, I  call  exactly,quot; said Sylvester. quot;Ive kno six mont if  see ing anot cant.quot;

    quot;It was w ; said Simmons.

    quot;?quot; asked the rich man.

    Sylvester glanced across t t tongue. quot;A accident. A kid got  on track. Broke a leg and a icular pal of Bitsys. A Iris a bad rider, eit;

    quot;ts a pity,quot; said the rich man.

    quot;Yeaicular friends,quot; Sylvester said. quot;You s page toget;

    quot;ell, t; said the rich man.

    Simmons cut into eak. e and carefully piled on mus;; ed. quot;;

    All tables in ty at t table in ter, and green- mot and fluttered about to treet outside came teria.

    quot;t in August Saratoga is t toa in t; Sylvester turned to t; do you t;

    quot;I  kno; said t;It may very ;

    Daintily, Simmons  --quot;

    quot;ait,quot; said Sylvester. quot;o come over ;

    t table in trut, s ep, ing smartly into t carpet on t t in at t table; epped back and boesy, e closed.  at a corner of table, beter and t a nod of greeting or a c, gray face.

    quot;; Sylvester asked.

    quot;Some people mig t.quot; tter, clear.

    Sylvester put e. ted ion, turning sides, unpoliss, and a s -- tfit day and nig on h his dinner.

    quot;Like a spot of seltzer er?quot; asked Sylvester. quot;Or somet?quot;

    t anse case from  and snapped it open. Inside tes and a tiny gold penknife. o cut a cigarette in ed o a er passing by table. quot;Kentucky bourbon, please.quot;

    quot;Noen, Kid,quot; said Sylvester.

    quot;Dont Kid me.quot;

    quot;Be reasonable. You kno to be;

    t corner of iff jeer. o t on table, but instantly er . ttered corn, and a side dis black olives. A plate of Frencatoes able before t look at t kept er piece of full-blo;I dont suppose you remember a certain person by t; he said.

    quot;Noen,quot; said Sylvester.

    ter broug fondling trong, callused   t clinked against table edge. After turning t;No, I dont suppose your memory is t long and extensive,quot; he said.

    quot;Sure enougsy,quot; said Sylvester. quot; makes you act like today?quot;

    quot;I received a letter,quot; t;tain person  aken out from t on ednesday. One leg is ts all.quot;

    Sylvester clucked ongue and s;I realize ;

    quot;Do you?quot; t table. o te of fried potatoes. igtered and als, bruised it bet in h.

    quot;ell, t; said the rich man.

    trainer and ting, but t on tes. ttery fingers in er glass and h his napkin.

    quot;ell,quot; said t;Doesnt somebody  me to pass to re-order. Anoteak, gentlemen, or --quot;

    quot;Please,quot; said Sylvester. quot;Be reasonable.  you go on upstairs?quot;

    quot;Yes, ; the jockey said.

    it teria.

    quot; I go up to my god-damn room and e some letters and go to bed like a good boy?  I just --quot;  up. quot;O; ;Foo to you. I  a drink.quot;

    quot;All I can say is its your funeral,quot; said Sylvester. quot;You kno does to you. You know well enoug;

    t into ttan, and Sylvester cand igogettle finger out from tail glass and sipping the drink slowly.

    quot;; said Simmons. quot;Like I said.quot;

    Sylvester turned to t;If s a lamb c in omacer t of ;

    quot;A jockey s drink,quot; said the rich man.

    quot;t satisfy  used to and  s it out. If s a lamb cc tooc in omac dont go do;

    ttan. tom of tanding at , turned toouts arted an argument about ain in t nigy-dollar bill and didnt count the change.

    o to table at   sit do;No, I  presume to t extensive,quot;  table top reac to , and oop. quot;No, youre too busy gobbling up dinners in dining rooms. Youquot;re too --quot;

    quot;ly,quot; begged Sylvester. quot;You got to be;

    quot;Reasonable! Reasonable!quot; t in a mean, frozen grin. able so t tes rattled, and for a moment it seemed t  over. But suddenly opped.  toe nearest to ely  a featoes in urned and spat out t ines,quot;  ance t gratified ;You libertines,quot; urned and  of the dining room.

    Sylvester ser t ableclot speak until ter came to clear away.

 Madame Zilensky and the King of Finland-1

    to MR. BROOK, tment at Ryder College,  for getting Madame Zilensky on ty. tself fortunate; ation ook on y of finding a able place  to t to tment house where he himself lived.

    No one in estbridge ures in musical journals, and once ten to  ticity of a certain Buxte. Also, tled t so join ty, tters on practical affairs. Se in a clear, square  of tters  t tained an occasional reference to objects and persons altogeto Mr. Brook, suc;t in Lisbonquot; or quot;poor ; t doo tting  of Europe.

    Mr. Brook el person; years of Mozart minuets, of explanations about diminisriads, cional patience. For t part,  to tees. Years before,  o gang toget of t at t moment and took a solitary trip to Peru. ricities olerant of ties of oten, uation, tle inside tickle, wiffened  in his gray eyes.

    Mr. Brook met Madame Zilensky at tbridge station a er. antly. Sall, straige  ract t made Mr. Brook dra and stand nervously undoing e of  and a broken-do -- sen and six, all blond, blank-eyed, and beautiful. turned out later to be t.

    t tation. ts, t of tten in tation at Springfield  is t of t can o anyone.  to a taxi,  t difficulties  Madame Zilensky suddenly tried to scramble over  out of the door.

    quot;My God!quot; s;I left my -- ick-tick-tick --quot;

    quot;Your c; asked Mr. Brook.

    quot;O; sly. quot;You knoick-tick-tick,quot; and so side, pendulum fashion.

    quot;tick-tick,quot; said Mr. Brook, putting o ;Could you possibly mean a metronome?quot;

    quot;Yes! Yes! I t  it trains.quot;

    Mr. Brook managed to quiet ry, t   day. But at time o admit to  t tronome  luggage to consider.

    to t door, and on t. t coget. Among te-sounding family Esperanto made up of Russian, Frencrangely silent. It  any one t t made Mr. Brook uneasy. t little incidents. For example, somet t roubled  t ted it single file on ted, tood in t go inside. Anoto make no effort to get settled or to furnisable and some beds. t door  open day and nigo take on a queer, bleak look like t of a place abandoned for years.

    to be satisfied augence. S if some Mary O clean up ti trills. S udio and set four dazed students to playing Bacoget t came from ment raordinary, but Madame Zilensky did not seem to  can get over a musical idea, t ter. At nigo sleep; no matter ime of nigo look out of ting-room  in udio   because of any professional consideration t Mr. Brook became so dubious.

    It e October  time t sometakably  of an African safari ser in ternoon sopped in at ood ratractly in the doorway.

    Mr. Brook looked up from ;Is t?quot;

    quot;No, t; said Madame Zilensky. Siful, sombre voice. quot;I  ronome. Do you t I mig it  Frenc;

    quot;; asked Mr. Brook.

    quot; Frenco,quot; she answered.

    quot;Frenc; Mr. Brook said mildly. ried to imagine t tered o ;t;

    quot;But no,quot; said Madame Zilensky ;t;

    Mr. Brook  prescience.  instincts ill,  for order,  ;And t;

    Madame Zilensky put o t, cropped s s ansly, quot;Boris is of a Pole w;

    quot;And Sigmund?quot; ack of corrected papers, t papero side. At last s;e ;

    quot;; said Mr. Brook. quot;to do t.quot;

    Madame Zilensky ans;ryman.quot;

    Mr. Brook really did not care one een times and  t tion  botood. t look at all like Madame Zilensky, but tly like eac fat tonishing.

    But Madame Zilensky . S and turned away.

    quot;t is exactly ,quot; s;C Frenc;

 Madame Zilensky and the King of Finland-2

    Affairs in tment  s to deal eac year  o begin  globe-trotter, and ions o far-fetc opening s of  and ation. tton on a long, volatile monologue,  and alk about anyt all. Yet,  exception, ted sort of  every episode sioned. If saking Sammy to ted  as foreign as if selling of an afternoon in Bagdad. Mr. Brook could not make it out.

    truto rutly clear, or at least clarified tuation. Mr. Brook ed a fire in ttle grate in ting room.  comfortable and at peace t evening.  before tocking feet, able by  brandy. At ten oclock ing s. t once, out of te stupor, four o ;t; t for t moment  place t once racked t afternoon o ack of canons turned in by erpoint class. Noions of o itude, Madame Zilensky arted off ;One day,  of a patisserie, t;

    Mr. Brook jerked raig doered outside of class rut, s of o tell you s t te lunc tavern, so mention t s  accounted for everything.

    Mr. Brook cracked  up from  reaction ion. t day after day Madame Zilensky  trageous falseensely provoked.  into cte and made himself a sardine sandwich.

    An er, as  before tation o a scful uation impersonally and look on Madame Zilensky as a doctor looks on a sick patient. . S dissimulate ention to deceive, and trutold o any possible advantage. t ive be all.

    Mr. Brook finis of t  midniganding came to  teacing tiful and immense to  muc over for anyt so make up for it. If s over a table in ter declared t s t time playing cards, it o do bottle of ence t  over from ed ttle rag end of her personal life.

    Mr. Brook looked into tely disciplined mout, and a feeling of pity, protectiveness, and dreadful understanding. For a e of lovely confusion.

    Later on eet into  be practical.  did t Frencer all, or acles and put table by  come to an immediate understanding  in tment a situation ical. It  in Madame Zilenskys ill on. Mr. Brook got into bed, made terrible faces in tried to plan w  day.

    Mr. Brook rap Madame Zilensky as s o  long, and as soon as steps  her name.

    Madame Zilensky stood in t;s rest,quot; she said.

    quot;Pray be seated, if you please,quot; said Mr. Brook. quot;I ;

    Madame Zilensky put aside folio and leaned back ;Yes?quot; she asked.

    quot;Yesterday you spoke to me as I ; ;And if I am not mistaken, I believe you said somet a pastry s correct?quot;

    Madame Zilensky turned o one side and stared retrospectively at a corner of the window sill.

    quot;Somet a pastry s; ed.

    ired face brig;But of course,quot; s;I told you about time I anding in front of t;

    quot;Madame Zilensky!quot; Mr. Brook cried. quot;t;

    Madame Zilensky looked absolutely blank. ter an instant, sarted off again. quot;I anding in front of Bjarnes patisserie ;

    quot;Madame Zilensky, I just told you t t;

    quot;In ; sarted off again desperately, and again   as far as ther.

    quot;Finland is a democracy,quot; ;You could not possibly  you  said is an untrutrut;

    Never after t t moment. In onis, dismay, and a sort of cornered cerior  open and disintegrate.

    quot;It is a pity,quot; said Mr. Brook hy.

    But Madame Zilensky pulled oget;I am a Finn.quot;

    quot;t I do not question,quot; ans, ion it a little.

    quot;I ;

    quot;t may very ; said Mr. Brook in a rising voice.

    quot;In t; sinued passionately, quot;I rode a motorcycle and ;

    quot;Your patriotism does not enter into it.quot;

    quot;Just because I am getting out t papers --quot;

    quot;Madame Zilensky!quot; said Mr. Brook. ;t is only an irrelevant issue. t is t you maintained and testified t you sa you sa; But  finisopped  suddenly like a murderer. A great commotion of feelings -- understanding, remorse, and unreasonable love -- made  speak until tation in ed doly, quot;Yes. Of course. t;

    An er, Mr. Brook sat looking out of trees along t estbridge street  bare, and took in ticed treet. It cimes before, so  t struck range? t tcil  of sigurned in by terpoint

 The Sojourner-1

    tILIGains and arcreets, ty of blossoms and age-soft stone. Sometimes in tel. Sometimes, also, in a fallo ing da he yearless region of dreams.

    Joel.  somet ing  it inal necessities, lingered even after airs. It umn day and t sliced betel skyscrapers. Ferris  into t-door drugstore and sat at t to t overlooked t h scrambled eggs and sausage.

    Ferris o aken place toemples  and  for an incipient belly bulge. Ferris raordinarily close -- but tion; ted for a long time,  ayed as long as possible to be near  o leave t morning.

    Ferris pulled out o verify a number. urned ttentiveness. Names and addresses from Neals of Europe, a fe ones from ate in ted names, spraty ills: a random love, married no, un.O. in television, getting ric ter tarium no s range to t soo, silly girl, could die. As Ferris closed transience, almost of fear.

    It  aring out of te close to  understand t, nor t lingered after she was gone.

    Quickly Ferris paid  to tood on ting to cross Fifto ts creet before aken  ably. c once  Elizabet;beautiful carriage.quot; Surned at t corner and Ferris folloention to overtake ioned turbance t t of Elizabet-strokes.

    It  first, after t destroyed er time, ainly . So  umn day. Ferris  running, o tel.

    Ferris poured   yet eleven oclock.  in an armced, nursing er.  morning for Paris. ions: take luggage to Air France, lunc. And somet telepory.

    o call ime for self-debate.  Cmastime, and Ferris  a carving set o call. But as ed, listening to t tted him.

    Elizabeto

    day. ter engagement, s sed.

    As  from one engagement to anotill bot odd moments by t sometten. Ferris bate afternoon, often t Jeannine:  quot;Jeannine,quot; ;I o run into my ex-range seeing er all t;

    Elizabet Fifties, and as Ferris taxied uptoersections t, but by time ination it umn dark. tment h floor.

    quot;Come in, Mr. Ferris.quot;

    Braced for Elizabetonis o acknoep back awkwardly.

    quot;tment,quot; tely. quot;Arent you Mr. Ferris? Im Billy. Come in.quot;

    In too  been acknoionally. Bailey was a lumbering red-e manner. ended a welcoming hand.

    quot;Im Bill Bailey. Glad to see you. Elizabete. S;

    t ruck a gliding series of vibrations, memories of table, brusnut , casual intimacy, t-flesably possessed. Ferris so meet Bill Baileys gaze.

    quot;Billy,  tray of drinks from tcable?

    tly, and ;Fine boy you ;

    quot;e t;

    Flat silence until turned ray of glasses and a cocktail sinis. ition: Russia, tment situation in Mantan and Paris.

    quot;Mr. Ferris is flying all tomorro; Bailey said to ttle boy  you o be a sto;

    Billy pus;I  to fly in an airplane and be a ne; ;ts o do w;

    Bailey said, quot;I t you ed to be a doctor.quot;

    quot;I do!quot; said Billy. quot;I o be bot to be a atom-bomb scientist too.quot;

    Elizabeth came in carrying in her arms a baby girl.

    quot;O; stled t;Its grand to see you. Im a;

    ttle girl sat demurely on Baileys knees. Scying back  curls. anned and ook t . quot;;

    Elizabetiful, more beautiful perraiger, glo  on the family ambiance.

    quot;Youve  all,quot; Elizabet;but it ime.quot;

    quot;Eig; oucies were exchanged.

    Ferris felt ator -- an interloper among tary, a fragile column supporting not t  bear muco stay in the family room.

    c;Youre going to ter?quot;

    quot;Its a s; Elizabet;but  surely, Joaying  going to be an expatriate, are you?quot;

    quot;Expatriate,quot; Ferris repeated. quot;I dont muc;

    quot;s a better ; she asked.

    for a moment. quot;Sojourner mig;

    Ferris glanced again at c;If only ;

 The Sojourner-2

    quot;I just o ;

    quot;Papa Ferris is dead?quot;

    quot;Yes, at Jo;

    quot;Oe people.quot;

    ttle boy moved from be o ;;

    Ferris o apprestretced silk o Elizabeths calm voice.

    quot;Mr. Ferris fat kno;

    quot;But w;

    Bailey and Elizabetrapped look. It ime ago,quot; ;your motime ago.quot;

    quot;Mr. Ferris?quot;

    ttle boy stared at Ferris, amazed and unbelieving. And Ferris eyes, as urned too. as it indeed true t at one time ranger, Elizabettle Butterduck during nig togets and -- finally -- endured in tude truction of the fabric of married love.

    Bailey said to t;Its somebodys supper-time. Come on no;

    quot;But Daddy! Mama and Mr. Ferris -- I --quot;

    Billys everlasting eyes -- perplexed and ility -- reminded Ferris of t tle face and knobby knees w.

    quot;Quick marc; Bailey gently turned Billy to;Say good nig;

    quot;Good nig; fully, quot;I t I aying up for t;

    quot;You can come in after; Elizabet;Run along no;

    Ferris and Elizabet of tuation descended on t moments of silence. Ferris asked permission to pour  tail sable at  ticed the rack.

    quot;Do you still play as beautifully as you used to?quot;

    quot;I still enjoy it.quot;

    quot;Please play, Elizabet;

    Elizabetely. o perform wies; she added readiness of relief.

    S as a prism in a morning room. t voice of t pure and solitary, ed intermingling ed ed frame, tiple music, al and serene, floy. tless ingenuities -- no, again submerged, it y of a single t does not fear surrender to toy of terial gat enricence on t first motif and atement ted he hall.

    quot;Daddy, ; A door was closed.

    t  in . No spoke to ime, anot o play. te air summoned a  in t of past longings, conflicts, ambivalent desires. Strange t talyst for tumultuous anarche maid.

    quot;Miz Bailey, dinner is out on table no;

    Even after Ferris ed at table betill overcast tle drunk.

    quot;Limprovisation de la vie ; ;t makes you so aion of ence as a song unfinis;

    quot;Address book?quot; repeated Bailey. topped, noncommittal and polite.

    quot;Youre still t; Elizabetrace of tenderness.

    It  evening, and tes. t potatoes. During t alive a conversation  t Ferris o speak of Jeannine.

    quot;I first kne autumn -- about time of taly. S in Rome. I expect ;

    true, inevitable, t Ferris did not at first acknoo  year spoken of marriage. And indeed, sill married -- to a e Russian moneyced for five years. But it oo late to correct t;to knoulations, Jo;

    ried to make amends rut;tumn is so beautiful. Balmy and blossoming.quot; ;Jeannine tle boy of six. A curious trilingual little felloo tuileries sometimes.quot;

    A lie again. aken to ts t bared  in te pond and ridden ted to go in to t s t time, for Ferris  at tel. o ternoon. Only once aken Valentin to tuileries.

    tir. t in a ed cake ered in t clotill did not understand.

    quot;; Elizabet;Blo t;

    Ferris recognized e. t lingeringly and ty-eigemples darkened and pulsed visibly.

    quot;Its time you started for ter.quot;

    Ferris te good-byes. to the door.

    A reets  turnal city e attentiveness of departure and pertime and the coming journey.

    t day y from t, toylike, precise. t belantic and tant European s of to of Elizabetle envy and inexplicable regret.  t ed tones,  remained; tself evaded ead t voice of t Elizabet came to ed mockingly and in a minor key. Suspended above ties of transience and solitude no longer troubled  of y. During the shore of France.

    At midnigaxi crossing Paris. It s of t bistros gleamed on t pavements. As aler a transocean fliginents oo sudden. Ne morning, t Paris. Ferris glimpsed ties, of transitory loves; and time, ter glissando of time always.

    quot;Vite! Vite!quot; error. quot;D¨¦p¨ºc;

    Valentin opened to tle boy gro, tarily.

    quot;Jattends Maman.quot;

    Jeannine urned to a drating  t es and rip balloon.

    quot;e o tuileries.quot;

    to  Elizabeto , ttisoned -- time bringing only recognition and sudden joy.

    quot;Monsieur Jean,quot; t;did you see ;

    Confused, Ferris t only of anot;See ;

    quot;Your dead papa in Georgia.quot; t;as ;

    Ferris spoke ;e en to tuileries. Ride to t s;

    quot;Monsieur Jean,quot; Valentin said. quot;t;

    Again, terror t of ed years and deatin, responsive and confident, still nestled in ouc c te eyelasion ion as protean as e time.

 A Domestic Dilemma-1

    ON tin Meado to make t express bus  reets, but by time t toerminal t city nigin liked to get  year  been -- ired and,  no regular commuter ion, ened tention to til ton Bridge. Once on 9- in al t trip  t t ry air. It used to be t at t o t in t year nearness brougension and  anticipate tin kept o tcs of passing too Martin tryside seemed vast and somee t evening. ook  from t  of  a fees before time to pull the cord.

    ttage op, near t not directly on treet and opposite yard and see ttage  too  of yard. In summer t and brigin carefully tended a florellis. But during ttage seemed naked. Lig evening in all ttle in  eps opped to move a  of the way.

    tent on play t t door  first unnoticed. Martin stood looking at tom draary and taken out tmas decorations. Andy o plug in tmas tree lig-of-season festivity on t t rying to trail t cord over Mariannes rocking  on tartling in s little baby girl up to  hers legs.

    quot;Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!quot;

    Martin set dotle girl carefully and simes like a pendulum. tmas tree cord.

    quot;s all tuff doing out?  it back in t to fool  socket. Remember I told you t before. I mean it, Andy.quot;

    t tary drain stroked  enderly on the childs frail neck.

    quot;, Bumpkin?quot;

    quot;It . toast ;

    tumbled on ter t surprise of to cry; Martin picked o tchen.

    quot;See, Daddy,quot; said Andy. quot;toast --quot;

    Emily able. tes  and eggs and silver mugs t ter of cinnamon toast, untouc for one toote. Martin sniffed tten piece and nibbed gingerly. t toast into t; on eart;

    Emily aken tin of cayenne for the cinnamon.

    quot;I like to  up,quot; Andy said. quot;Drank er and ran outdoors and opened my mout eat none.quot;

    quot;Any,quot; corrected Martin. ood c;ell, ts t, I guess,quot; ;;

    quot;S;

    Martin left tc up to side ted for a moment to still  knock and once inside the door behind him.

    Emily sat in t room. Sumbler and as ered s ttitude t o y.

    quot;Oy! You ime slipped up on me. I  going do; So rong ood unresponsive sepped back a pace and giggled nervously.

    quot;s tter anding t;

    quot;rong ; Martin bent over tumbler from t;If you could only realize  is for all of us.quot;

    Emily spoke in a false, airy voice t oo familiar to en at sucimes sed a slig, copying perress s;I  t idea o t of s , pray tell me? Im quite all rige all rig;

    quot;So anyone can see.quot;

    As s into ty. Surned on ter and dasted oured and young, unblemished.

    quot;I  going doo make dinner.quot; Sottered and balanced o the door frame.

    quot;Ill take care of dinner. You stay up  up.quot;

    quot;Ill do not. ;

    quot;Please,quot; Martin said.

    quot;Leave me alone. Im quite all rig on t;

    quot;Mind ;

    quot;Mind your grandmot;

    So Martin caug;I dont  to see you in tion. Be reasonable.quot;

    quot;Condition!quot; Emily jerked ;ernoon youre trying to make me out a drunkard. Condition!  even touc s bars. And ts more t even ail at dinnertime. I only sometimes , I ask you, is t? Condition!quot;

    Martin sougo calm ;ell  supper by ourselves up s a good girl.quot; Emily sat on ture. quot;Ill be back in a jiffy.quot;

    As airs  in tion as to ill living in Alabama tails as a matter of course. For years t bedtime a long nig get a buzz on, migtle tig alcoo   er ransferred o Ne Martin  certainly oo mucippling, iced, during the day.

    tried to analyze to Neo torix of to accommodate o tricter, lonelier mores of ties of moto y, so  tifice of alcoions of incontinence insidiously undermined ions of imes of unexplainable malevolence, times ent coarseness in Emily, inconsistent ural simplicity. S drinking and deceived ed stratagems.

    t. Coming  a year ago, ed  and naked from riking table edge, so t a to toxicated. As Martin cradled t cely precious at t moment, ed vision of ture.

    t day Marianne  ities of beer, or slandisbox of empty cr¨ºme de menttles. Martin found a dependable maid ly. Virgie in ell Emily tomary in Neirely secret no imperceptible -- a looseness of movement or times of irresponsibilities, sucoast, in could dismiss  t, neverty ent, a t of indefined disaster t underlay his days.

 A Domestic Dilemma-2

    quot;Marianne!quot; Martin called, for even tion of t time broug, but no less precious to o tcin  on ions for t table and took coot  week.

    quot;Andy-t; Martin said. quot;Is t old critter still in your mout Daddy ;

    quot;I got a string to pull it ; t from  a tangled t;Virgie said to tie it to tootie t t;

    Martin took out a clean  toot;t toot of my Andys moutonigootree in t;

    quot;A ;

    quot;A tootree,quot; Martin said. quot;Youll bite into somet tootootake root in poor Andys stomaco a tootree tle teetead of leaves.quot;

    quot;S; Andy said. But ootle t;t any tree like t. I never seen one.quot;

    quot;t any tree like t and I never sa;

    Martin tensed suddenly. Emily airs. ened to steps, tle boy o ts and  s ttle. So yank open dra table.

    quot;Condition!quot; s;You talk to me like t. Dont t. I remember every dirty lie you say to me. Dont you te t I forget.quot;

    quot;Emily!quot; ;t;

    quot;t t see ty plots and scrying to turn my o t see and understand.quot;

    quot;Emily! I beg you -- please go upstairs.quot;

    quot;So you can turn my c; tears coursed rapidly dorying to turn my little boy, my Andy, against ;

    it on tartled c;Listen, my Andy -- you  listen to any lies your fatells you? You  believe elling you before I came doairs?quot; Uncertain, t ;tell me. Mama s to kno;

    quot;About tootree.quot;

    quot;?quot;

    ted terror. quot;tootree!quot; S;I dont knoalking about. But listen, Andy, Mama is all rig s; tears ood up.

    quot;See! You urned my c me.quot;

    Marianne began to cry, and Martin took her in his arms.

    quot;ts all rigake your ciality from t. I dont mind, but at least you can leave me my little boy.quot;

    Andy edged close to ouc;Daddy,quot; he wailed.

    Martin took to t of tairs. quot;Andy, you take up Marianne and Daddy e.quot;

    quot;But Mama?quot; the child asked, whispering.

    quot;Mama ;

    Emily  tcable, in poured a cup of soup and set it before ion, irrespective of toucrain of tenderness. Un up and drink t;  ened and imploring. toucins urned tenor of her mood.

    quot;Ma-Martin,quot; s;Im so as;

    quot;Drink t;

    Obeying er a second cup so lead o trained. go to leave tumult, came again.

    quot;urned a me and turned a;

    Impatience and fatigue  ;You forget t Andy is still a little c compre;

    quot;Did I make a scene? Oin, did I make a scene before t;

    ouc ;Forget it Put on your nigo sleep.quot;

    quot;My curned a urned a;

    S in tin ;For Gods sake go to sleep. t by tomorro;

    As  rue. ould t root in to fester in ter-years? Martin did not kno alternative sickened  of Emily, foresaer ion: ties t glared from terating darkness of simes. Martin anticipated ,  t.  t ary rouble long ago and t sied  of rebellion against e; ed his wife.

    Once in t secure for t time t evening. Marianne fell do;Daddy, c; fell again, got up, and continued tine. Andy sat in tootin ran ter in tub, o throom.

    quot;Lets  t toot; Martin sat on toilet, oot and toot moment split beterror, astonis, and deliger and spat into tory. quot;Look, Daddy! Its blood. Marianne!quot;

    Martin loved to batender, naked bodies as tood in ter so exposed. It  fair of Emily to say t iality. As Martin soaped te boy-body of  t furt ted ty of ions for toucrain of melancleness t o pain.  names for ttle boy ies of daily inspiration -- tle girl alin patted dry t baby stomac little genital fold. t as floals, equally loved.

    quot;Im putting tooto get a quarter.quot;

    quot; for?quot;

    quot;You knoer for oot;

    quot;s ter t; asked Martin. quot;I used to t it in t. It ;

    quot;ts en.quot;

    quot; it t;

    quot;Your parents,quot; Andy said. quot;You!quot;

    Martin er in bent over and kissed iny  lay palm-upward, flung in slumber beside her head.

    quot;Good nig;

    ter a minute Martin took out er underneat a nig in the room.

    As Martin pro tce meal, it occurred to  t once mentioned t must o tant -- tooter -- time less episodes like leaves in t current of a sream en on tin t.

    But tered by a drunkards e, ly undermined. And ty of incompre  be like in a year or so? itable e isasting. trutoe. And o a future of degradation and slow ruin.

    Martin pusable and stalked into t reet. By bedtime t upon  and  dragged as airs.

    t for ting ligin undressed quietly. Little by little, mysteriously, tion sounding gently in tockings made to e appeal. in picked up t, silk brassiere and stood for a moment  time t evening  ed on t foreo Marianne, and tilt at te nose. In race ted c. As Martin cranquil slumber of  of ts of blame or blemisant from in put out t and raised t to a c time.  t flesy of love.

 A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud

    It AS RAINING t morning, and still very dark. reetcar caf¨¦  finise and  in for a cup of coffee. t caf¨¦ oter and stingy man called Leo. After ty street, t: along ter tton mill, and in a corner a man o trap and raised t flap up over tle ear; often as o  t look into alking.  to him:

    quot;Son! ;

    urned back and to   of th a big nose and faded orange hair.

    quot;;

    t to of the paper sack. his face was shallow, freckled, and his eyes were round child eyes.

    quot;Yeaer?quot;

    turned o the boy shrank back uneasily.

    quot;Say! s t;

    t .

    t;I love you.quot;

    All along ter t knoo do. er at Leo, and Leo ctle jeer. tried to laug the man was serious and sad.

    quot;I did not mean to tease you, Son,quot; ;Sit do;

    Cautiously, out of tioned ter to see o t and did not notice  a cup of coffee on ter and a little jug of cream.

    quot;; Leo said.

    to tool. urned flap of t  ;It is important,quot;  and broug someto see.

    quot;Look very carefully,quot; he said.

    tared, but to look at very carefully. tograp  blurred, so t only t and tood out clearly.

    quot;See?quot; the man asked.

    ture in anding on a beac. t made omac iced.

    quot;Got a good look?quot; ;You ever seen ;

    t motionless, staring slant t;Not so I kno;

    quot;Very ; tograp to . quot;t ;

    quot;Dead?quot; the boy asked.

    Slo to ;Nuuu --quot; ;I ;

    ter before t pick it up to drink. Instead  doting ed t. tilted the mug and sipped.

    quot;Some nigo sleep ; said Leo. quot;Prominent transient dro e deat;

    tried to signal to Leo.  looking o question soundlessly: quot;Drunk?quot; But Leo only raised urned ao put some pink strips of bacon on traiger.  t blink, but from time to time te gravity over  ed t of the paper sack.

    quot;I am talking about love,quot; t;it is a science.quot;

    tool. But t   let him go away.

    quot;tograp ss and luxuries. It never crept into my brain t s satisfied. But do you know w ;

    quot;Mgneeo; said Leo.

    t take ;S me. I came in one nigy and s me.quot;

    quot;it; the boy asked.

    Gently ter. quot;urally, Son. A  run off like t alone.quot;

    t, t rain black and endless in treet outside. Leo pressed do;So you ;

    For t time t Leo. quot;Please dont be vulgar. Besides, I  speaking to you.quot; urned back to trusting and secretive undertone. quot;Lets not pay any attention to ;

    tfully.

    quot;It ; tinued. quot;I am a person . tty girl. One ter anot t is t  o finisself up or fit in ion of terwards laying around loose in me. I was a man w;

    Very sloain dra ted and t -- to tremble.

    quot;t ty-one years old and sy. I met  a filling station and  it  cant tell you. All I  oget was finis;

    topped suddenly and stroked o a steady and reproacone: quot;Im not explaining t.  iful feelings and loose little pleasures inside me. And ttle pieces of myself t complete. No;

    quot; he boy asked.

    quot;O; ;I called  t is immaterial.quot;

    quot;Did you try to make ;

    t seem to ;Under tances you can imagine  ;

    Leo took trips of it beted eyes, and a pinc blue s.  give refills on coffee free. te breakfast t tter Leo kneingier reated t to himself.

    quot;And you never got ;

    t knoo tain y and doubt. e; it ill strange to o be out in tohe black, queer early morning.

    quot;Yes,quot; t;I took a number of steps to get  around trying to locate  to tulsa  to every too me, and I ed doulsa, Atlanta, Cter part of trying to lay ;

    quot;But t; said Leo.

    quot;Dont listen to ; tially. quot;And also just forget t important.  matters is t around to o me.quot;

    quot;?quot; the boy asked.

    tilted o take a sip of beer. But as rils fluttered sligaleness of t drink. quot;Love is a curious to begin  first I t only of getting   time  on I tried to remember  do you know w ;

    quot;No,quot; the boy said.

    quot;ried to t  see ake out ures and look. No good. Not?quot;

    quot;Say Mac!quot; Leo called doer. quot;Can you imagine t;

    Slorated and fixed on ttle face of the paper boy.

    quot;But a sudden piece of glass on a sideune in a music box. A s nig migreet and I . You follo;

    quot;A piece of glass. . .quot; the boy said.

    quot;Anyto remember  up a kind of s remembering dont come to a man face for corners around side tead of me combing tryside to find o c;

    t; part of try ;

    quot;Oo; t;I al. It  I boozed. I fornicated. I committed any sin t suddenly appealed to me. I am loato confess it but I  is all curdled in my mind, it errible.quot;

    tapped er. For a feion, tringy neck covered o palm in an attitude of prayer. traig and tremulous and old.

    quot;It  it ; ;And  I started my science.quot;

    Leos mout;ell none of ting any younger,quot;  doailed old Romeo!quot;

    quot; ; the boy asked.

    t;Peace,quot; he answered.

    quot;;

    quot;It is o explain scientifically, Son,quot; ;I guess tion is t s finally  got tangled up toget. Peace. A queer and beautiful blankness. It land and ternoon. All evening I just stayed t is o me.quot;

    treetcar . ttees before t outside. t silently over ts. Leos clock icking on the wall.

    quot;It is ten carefully. I meditated on love and reasoned it out. I realized  time. And ;

    t moutly open and  answer.

    quot;A ; t;it science, o go by, take t dangerous and sacred experience in Gods eart correct, Son?quot;

    quot;Yea; tly.

    quot;tart at t t is so miserable? Do you know ;

    t. le little shake and his green eyes gazed down unblinking and grave.

    quot;Son, do you know ;

    t small and listening and still. Slowly he old man leaned closer and whispered:

    quot;A tree. A rock. A cloud.quot;

    It ill raining outside in treet: a mild, gray, endless rain. tle ble and t a Leo, ttle paper boy.

    quot;tland,quot; ;At time my science ated and I started very cautious. I reet and take it  a goldfisrated on t. I graduated from one to anotting tecland to San Diego --quot;

    quot;A; screamed Leo suddenly. quot;S up! S up!quot;

    till ; rembling and  and brig;For six years noer, Son. I can love anyto t it even. I see a street full of people and a beautiful ligc a traveler on tranger and all loved! Do you realize ;

    tiffly, iger edge. Finally ;Did you ever really find t lady?quot;

    quot;?  say, Son?quot;

    quot;I mean,quot; timidly. quot;;

    turned a time tered look. ed ter, drank doo side. t;No, Son. You see t is t step in my science. I go cautious. And I am not quite ready yet.quot;

    quot;ell!quot; said Leo. quot;ell ;

    tood in t;Remember,quot;  of t . quot;Remember I love you,quot;  nod. And tly behind him.

    t speak for a long time. tle forefinger around ty cup. t looking at Leo he finally asked:

    quot;as ;

    quot;No,quot; said Leo sly.

    t;t;

    quot;No.quot;

    t Leo, and  little face e,  and s;as ic?quot; t. quot;Leo? Or not?quot;

    But Leo  anseen years, and o be a critic of craziness. toransients  to satisfy tions of ting cig.

    So t flap of  and as urned to leave  t seemed safe to  could not be laughed down and despised:

    quot; of traveling.quot;

    Scan Notes, v3.0: Proofed carefully, italics and special cers intact. Cises to quot;American Quotesquot;.