The Washington herald., 1922-08-23
Tie Beautiful
And Damned
confinued from Yesterday.
BY r. Scott Fitzgerald.

II assumed more neariy tne propor-
tons Of a formal code. From her
conversation 1t might be assumed
that all her energy and vitality
went into a violent affirmation Of
the negative principle Never give
a damn"
Not for anything or anybody" she
said. except myself and. by implica-
tion, for Anthony. That's the rule
of all life and IL IL weren't I'd be
that way anyhow. Nobody'd do any
thing for me IL 1t didn't crafty
Them to-. and Id do as little for
them"
She was on the front porch of the
incest lady in Marietta when she
said this, and as she finished she
gave a curious little cry and sank
in a dead faint to the porch floor.
The lady brought her to and drove
her home in her car. 1t had occurred
to the estimable Gloria that she was
probably with child.
She lay upon the long lounge
warmly out the window. touching
the late roses on the porch pillars.
'All I think of ever Is that love
you" she walled. II value my body
because you think it's beautiful
And this body of mine-of yours
to have II grow ugly and shapeless?
, It's simply intolerable. Oh. Anthony,
I'm not afraid of the pain"
He consoled her desperately-but
in vain She continued:
And then afterward I might have
wide hips and be pale. with all my
freshness gone and no radiance In
my hair"
He paced the floor with his HANDS
in his pockets. asking:
lis il certain?"
II don't know anything. I've al
ways hated obstrics, or whatever
YOU call them. / thought I'd have a
child some time: But not now"
We'll. for Gods sake don't lie
there and go to pieces"
Her, sobs lapsed. She drew down
a mercifil silence from the twilight
which filled the room. Turn on the
lights" she pleaded. These days
seem so short-June seemed-tI
have--ionger days when 1 was a
little girl"
The lights snapped on and II was
as though blue drapes of softest
silk had been dropped behind the
windows and the door. Her pallor.
her immobility, without grief now,
or joy, awoke his sympathy.
DO you want me to have it," she
asked listlessly.
I'm Indifferent. That Is. I'm neu-
trail II you have it I'll probably
he glad II you don't-well., that's
all right too"
Il wish you'd make up your mind
one way or the other"
Suppose you make up your
mind"
She looked at him contemptuously.
scorning to answer.
You'd think you'd been singled
out of all the women in the world
for this crowning indignity."
what II do" she cried anCrfly.
1T isn't an indignity for them. It's
their one excuse for living. It's the
one thing they're good for. 1t is an
indiznity for me-
See here. Gloria. I'm with you
whatever you 10. but for Gods sake
be a sport about it,"
"Oh, don't fuss at me-" she waileo.
They exchanged a mute look OF
no particular significance but of
much stress. Then Anthony took
book from the shelf and dropped
into a chair.
Half an hour later her voice came
out Of the intense stiffness that per-
vaded the room and hung like in
cense on the air.
I'll drive over and see Constance
Merriam tomorrow"
All right. And I'll go to larry
town and see Grampa"
You see" she added, lit isn't
that I'm afraid-of this or anything
else I'm being true to me. you.
know"
Il know" he agreed.
The Practical Men
- Adam Patch, in pIous rage
against the Germans. subsisted on
the war news. Pin maps pIastered
his walls: aliases were piled deep
on tables convenient to his hand,
together with Photographic His
tories of the World War" official
Explain-alls. and the Personal I'M
pressions" of war correspondents
and of Rrivates Y. and z. Several
times during Anthony's visit his
crandfather's secretary. Edward
romplished in-physician" of Pats
Place in Hoboken, now shod with
righteous indignation, would appear
with an extra. The old man at
tackled each paper with untiring
fury. tearing out those columns
which appeared to him of SUFFICIENT
pregnancy for preservation, and
thrusting them into one of his al
ready bulging files.
We'll. what have you been do
ing% he asked Anthony blandly.
Nothing7 Well. 1 thought so. I've
been intending to drive over ana
see you, all summer"
I've been writing. Don't you re-
member the essay 1 sent you-the
one I sold to The Florentine last
winter,'
Essay? You never sent me any
essay
oh. yes. I did. We talked about
Adam Patch shook his head mildly.
Oh. no. You never sent me any
essay. You may have thought YOU
sent IL but II never reached me-"
why. you read IL, Grampa," in
sisted Anthony. somewhat exasper-
atsd, you read IL and disagreed
with It,"
The old man suddenly remem-
bered. but this was made apparent
only by partial falling open of his
mouth. displaying rows of gray
gums. -Eying Anthony with a green
and ancient stare he hesitated be-
tween confessing his error and
covering Il up.
so you're writing" he said
quickly. well, why don't you go
OVer ard write about theae Ger