The Washington herald., 1922-08-21
The Beautiful
And Damned
cornrusd from Yesterday.
By +. Scott Fitzgerald.


Tana would tell how we do In
my countree."
Such was Tana's garrulous pre-
miere in the gray house-and he
fulfiled its promise. Though he
was conscientious and honorable. he
was unquestionably tefific bore.
He seemed unable to control his
tongue. sometimes continuing from
paragraph to paragraph with look
akin to pain In his small brown
eyes.
Sunday and Monday afternoons
he read the comic sections of the
newspapers. One cartoon which
contained a facetious Japanese but
Ter diverted him enormously. though
he claimed that the protagonist.
who to Anthony appeared clearly
oriental. had really an American
face. The difficulty with the fun
ny paper was that when. aided by
Anthony. he had spelled out the last
three pictures and assimilated their
context with a concentration sure
" adequate for Kants "Critique,"
he had entirely forgotten what the
first pictures were about.
In the middle of June Anthony
and Gloria celebrated their first
anniversary by having a date"
Anthony knocked at the door and
she ran to let him in. Then they
sat together on the couch calling
over those names they had made
for each other. new combinations
Of endearments ages old. Yet to
this date" was appended no at
tenuated good night with its esctasy
Of regret.
Later in June horror leered out
at Gloria, struck at her and fright
ened her bright soul back half a
generation. Then slowly 1t faded
out. faded back into that impene-
trabla darkness whence 1t had come
taking relentlessly its modicum
of youth
with an infallible sense of the
dramatic it chose a little railroad
station in a wretched village near
Portchester. The station platform
lay all day bare as a prairie. ex-
pose to the dusty yellow sun and
to the glance of that most obnoxious
type of countryman who lives near
metropolis and has attained its
cheap smartness without its ur-
banity. A dozen of these yokels.
Ied-eyed. cherries as scarecrows.
saw the incident. Dimly IL passed
across their confused and uncom-
pretending minds, taken at its
broadest for a coarse joke. at its
subtlest for a shame" Meanwhile
there upon the platform a measure
Vt brightness faded from the
world.
With Eric Merriam. Anthony had
been sitting over a decanter of
Scotch all the hot summer after
noon. while Gloria and Constance
Merriam swan and summed them
selves at the Beach CLUB. the lat
ter under a striped parasol-awntng.
Gloria stretched sensuously upon
the soft hot sand, tanning her in
eVitable legs. Later they had all
four played with inconsequential
sandwiches; then Gloria had risen
tapping Anthony's knee with her
parasol to get his attention
We've got to go. dear"
Now" He looked at her un-
willingly. At that moment moth
ing seemed of more Importance
than to idle on that shady porch
drinking mellowed Scotch. while
his host reminisced interminably
political campaign.
We've really got to CO." re-
peated Gloria. We can get a taxi
Anthony she commanded bit
more imperiously.
Now see her" Merriam, his
yarn cut of. made conventional oh
jections, meanwhile provocatively
filing his guests glass with a high
hall that should bave been slipped
through ten minutes. But at Gloria's
annoyed We really mustr" An
thony drank it off. got to his feet
and made an elaborate how to his
hostess.
1T seems we must" he said. with
little grace.
In minute he was following
following Gloria down a garden
walk between tall rosebushes. her
parasol brushing gently the June
blooming leaves. Most inconsider-
ate. he thought. as they reached
the road. He felt with injured
nai"ete that Gloria should not have
interrupted such innocent and HARM
less enjoyment. The whisky had
both soothed and clarified the rest
less things in his mind. 1t oc-
cured to him that she had taken
this same attitude several times
before. Was he always to retreat
from pleasant episodes at a touch
Of her parasol or a flicker OF her
eve: His unwillingness blurred to
i'll will. which rose within him like
a resistless bubble. He kept si-
lent. perversely inhibiting a desire
TO reproach her. They found a
taxi in front of the Inn; rode ST.
lently to the little station. .
Then Anthony knew what he
Nanted-to assert his will against
this cool and impervious girl. to
obtain with one magnificent effort
mastery that seemed Infinitely
desirable.
Let's go over to see the
Harnesses" he said without looking
at her. Il don't feel like going
home"
Mrs. Barnes. nee Rachel Jerryl.
had a summer place several miles
from Redgate
I'VE went there day before yes
terday." she answered shortly.
I'm sure they'd be glad to see
us" He felt that that was not a
strong enough note. braced himself
stubbornly, and added: Il want ito
see the Barneses. l haven't any
desire to go home"
well. 1 haven't any desire to 60
to the Barneses"
Suddenly they stared at each
other.
why. Anthony" she said with
annoyance. 'this IL Sunday night
any they probably have guests for
supper. Why we should go In at
this hour"