The Washington herald., 1922-09-09
FICTION
The Beautiful
And Damned
By r. Scott Fitzgerald.
Continued from Yesterday.

yious thar the musician is prac-
ticing rather than performing. for
from time to time the gnarled strain
breaks of and, after an interval of
indistinct mutterings. recommences.
Just prior to the seventh false
start a third sound contributes to
the subdued discord. II is taxi
outside. A minutes silence. then
the taxi again. its boisterous re-
treat almost obliterating the scrape
Of footsteps on the cinder walk.
The door-bell shrieks alarmingly
through the house.
From the kitchen enters a small.
fatigued japanese. hastily button
ing a servants coat of white duck.
He opens the front screen-door and
admits a handsome young man OF
thirty, clad in the sort of we'll
intentioned clothes peculiar to those
who serve mankind. To his whole
personality clinEs well-inten-
toned air: his glance about the
room Is compounded of curiosity
and a determined optimism: when
he looks at Tana the entire burden
of uplifting the goddess Oriental is
in his eyes. His name is Frederick
z. Paramore. He was at Harvard
with Anthony. where because of the
initials of their surnames they were
constantly placed next to each
other in classes \ lragmentary ac-
qusintance developed - but since
that time they have never met.
Nevertheless. Paramore enters the
room with a certain air of arriving
for the evening.
Tsna is answering a question.
ticn) Gone to Inn for dinnah. Be
back half-hour Gone since ha'
past six.
Psramore: CReEardng the glasses
on the tablet Have they company?
Tana: Yes. Company. Mistah
Caramel. Mistah and Missays
Barnes. Miss Kane. all stay here.
Paramore: ! see. CKindlyl They've
been having a spree. | see.
Tana: no un-stan'
Paramore: They've been having
a fling.
Tsna: Yes. they have drink. Oh.
many. many. many drink.
Paramore: breeding deIicately
from the subjectD Didn't 1 hear
the sounds of music as l approached
the house?
Tana: with spasmodic giggle)
Yes. ! play.
Paramore: One of the Japanese
Instruments
CHe is quite obviously a sub
scriber TO the National Geo
graphic MaEazineD
Tana: 1 play fiu-u-ute. japanese
fu-u-ute.
Paramore: What song were you
playing? One of your Japanese
melodies?
Tana: (His brow undergoing pre-
pOsterous contraction | play train
song. How you CalI2-railroad onE.
So call in my COuntree. Like train.
1t go 5000; that mean whistle
train start. Then go 5000: that
mean train go. Go like that Vera
nice song in my cOuntree Children
song.
Paramore: 1t sounded very nice.
Ut is apparent at this pOin- that
only gigantic effort at control
restraints Tana from rushing up
stairs for his postcards. inClud-
ing the six made in AmeriCaD
Tana: 1 fix hiGh-balI for Gentle-
man?
Paramore: No. thanks dot
use it. (He smilesD
tTana withdrawS into the kitchen.
leaving the intervening door
slightly ajar. From the crevice
there suddenly issues again the
melody Of the japanese train
sOnE-this time not a practice.
surely. hut a performance. 4
lIsty. spirited performance.
The phone rings. Tana. absorbed
in his harm"nics. gives no heed.
so PGramOre takes up the re-
Ceiver.)
ParamOre: HeIlo.... Yes. No.
he's not here now. but he'll he back
any moment. Buttcrworth" Hello,
didn't quite catch the name
Hello. hello. hello. Hello. Huh,
CThe phone ObstinateIy refuses to
yield up any more sound. Para
more replaces the receiver.
At this point the taNt motif re-
enters, waiting with it a sec
ond young man. he carries a
suitcase and opens the front
door wit out ringing the bellJ
Maury: That's it. Gle advances.
YCho' CHe comes into . large
room and sees Param"rc) How do
ParamOre: Gazing at him with
gathering Intensity Is this-is this
Maury Noble?
Maury: That's u. Ole advances.
smiling. and holding out his hand)
How are you. old boy. i.avent seen
You for years.
(He has vaguely associated the
face with Harvard. but is not
even positive about that The
name. if he ever knew il. he
has lOn= since forgotten. How
ever, with a fine sensitivcness
and an eQual'y Commen, lie
charity Pa-am0rc recognizes the
fact and tactfUlly relieves the
situatiOnD
Paramore. You've forgotten Fred
Paramorec We were bob in old
Unc Roberts history class.
Maury: No. I haven't. U-uc-T mean
Fred Fred was-I near the was
a great old fellow. wasn't he
ParamOre: tNodding his head
humorously several timesD Great
old character. Great old character.
Maury: CATER short pause) Yes
he was Where's Anthony
Paramore: TIE Japanes" servant
told me he was At some inn. Hav-
ing dinner. I suppose.
Maury: U.o"king at his wgtch)
Gone long
Paramore: 7 guess So. The Jap
anese told me they'd he back shortly.
Naury: suppose We have drinl.
ParamOTe: No. thanks. | don't use
it. (He smiles.)
Ma Try: Mind If ! do" (YawuinE
as he helps himself from tttIe)
What have you been doing since YOU
left college?
ParamOre. ,sh D11ny tbirpS Isvo