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not contained in his sacred notes raised in him feelings betrayed just
once in that remark about 〃orriginal rresearch。〃
〃Nineteneleventwelve；〃 went the little timepiece； and Oscar rose。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； closing the sacred notes； 〃we have finished the
causal law。〃
〃That's the whole business except the ego racket； isn't it？〃 said Billy。
〃The duality； or multiplicity of the ego remains；〃 Oscar replied。
〃Oh； I know its name。 It ought to be a soft snap after what we've had。〃
〃Unless it's full of dates and names you've got to know；〃 said Bertie。
〃Don't believe it is；〃 Billy answered。 〃I heard him at it once。〃 （This
meant that Billy had gone to a lecture lately。） 〃It's all about Who am
I？ and How do I do it？〃 Billy added。
〃Hm！〃 said Bertie。 〃Hm！ Subjective and objective again； I suppose；
only applied to oneself。 You see； that table is objective。 I can stand
off and judge it。 It's outside of me； has nothing to do with me。 That's
easy。 But my opinion ofwell； mywell； anything in my nature〃
〃Anger when it's time to get up；〃 suggested Billy。
〃An excellent illustration；〃 said Bertie。 〃That is subjective in me。
Similar to your dislike of water as a beverage。 That is subjective in
you。 But here comes the twist。 I can think of my own anger and judge
it； just as if it were an outside thing； like a table。 I can compare it
with itself on different mornings or with other people's anger。 And I
trust that you can do the same with your thirst。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Billy； 〃I recognize that it is greater at times and less at
others。〃
〃Very well； There you are。 Duality of the ego。〃
〃Subject and object；〃 said Billy。 〃Perfectly true； and very queer when
you try to think of it。 Wonder how far it goes？ Of course； one can
explain the body's being an object to the brain inside it。 That's mind
and matter over again。 But when my own mind and thought； can become
objects to themselvesI wonder how far that does go？〃 he broke off
musingly。 〃What useless stuff！〃 he ended。
〃Gentlemen；〃 said Oscar； who had been listening to them with patient；
Oriental diversion； 〃I〃
〃Oh；〃 said Bertie； remembering him。 〃Look here。 We mustn't keep you
up。 We're awfully obliged for the way you are putting us on to this。
You're saving our lives。 Ten to…morrow for a grand review of the whole
course。〃
〃And the multiplicity of the ego？〃 inquired Oscar。
〃Oh； I forgot。 Well； it's too late tonight。 Is it much？ Are there
many dates and names and things？〃
〃It is more of a general inquiry and analysis；〃 replied Oscar。 〃But it
is forty pages of my notes。〃 And he smiled。
〃Well； look here。 It would be nice to have to…morrow clear for
review。 We're not tired。 You leave us your notes and go to bed。〃
Oscar's hand almost moved to cover and hold his precious property； for
this instinct was the deepest in him。 But it did not so move； because
his intelligence controlled his instinct nearly； though not quite；
always。 His shiny little eyes； however； became furtive and
antagonisticsomething the boys did not at first make out。
Oscar gave himself a moment of silence。 〃I could not brreak my rule；〃
said he then。 〃I do not ever leave my notes with anybody。 Mr。
Woodridge asked for my History 3 notes； and Mr。 Bailey wanted my notes
for Fine Arts 1； and I could not let them have them。 If Mr。 Woodridge
was to hear〃
〃But what in the dickens are you afraid of？〃
〃Well； gentlemen； I would rather not。 You would take good care； I know；
but there are sometimes things which happen that we cannot help。 One
time a fire〃
At this racial suggestion both boys made the room joyous with mirth。
Oscar stood uneasily contemplating them。 He would never be able to
understand them； not as long as he lived； nor they him。 When their
mirth Was over he did somewhat better； but it was tardy。 You see； he
was not a specimen of the first rank； or he would have said at once what
he said now： 〃I wish to study my notes a little myself； gentlemen。〃
〃Go along； Oscar； with your inflammable notes； go along！〃 said Bertie；
in supreme good…humor。 〃And we'll meet to…morrow at tenif there
hasn't been a fireBetter keep your notes in the bath； Oscar。〃
In as much haste as could be made with a good appearance； Oscar buckled
his volume in its leather cover； gathered his hat and pencil； and；
bidding his pupils a very good night； sped smoothly out of the room。
III
Oscar Maironi was very poor。 His thin gray suit in summer resembled his
thick gray suit in winter。 It does not seem that he had more than two；
but he had a black coat and waistcoat； and a narrow…brimmed； shiny hat
to go with these； and one pair of patent…leather shoes that laced； and
whose long soles curved upward at the toe like the rockers of a
summer…hotel chair。 These holiday garments served him in all seasons；
and when you saw him dressed in them； and seated in a car bound for Park
Square； you knew he was going into Boston； where he would read
manuscript essays on Botticelli or Pico della Mirandola； or manuscript
translations of Armenian folksongs； read these to ecstatic； dim…eyed
ladies in Newbury Street； who would pour him cups of tea when it was
over； and speak of his earnestness after he was gone。 It did not do the
ladies any harm； but I am not sure that it was the best thing for Oscar。
It helped him feel every day； as he stepped along to recitations with
his elbow clamping his books against his ribs and his heavy black curls
bulging down from his gray slouch hat to his collar； how meritorious he
was compared with Bertie and Billywith all Berties and Billies。 He
may have been。 Who shall say？ But I will say at once that chewing the
cud of one's own virtue gives a sour stomach。
Bertie's and Billy's parents owned town and country houses in New York。
The parents of Oscar had come over in the steerage。 Money filled the
pockets of Bertie and Billy； therefore were their heads empty of money
and full of less cramping thoughts。 Oscar had fallen upon the reverse
of this fate。 Calculation was his second nature。 He had given his
education to himself； he had for its sake toiled； traded； outwitted； and
saved。 He had sent himself to college； where most of the hours not
given to education and more education； went to toiling and more toiling；
that he might pay his meagre way through the college world。 He had a
cheaper room and ate cheaper meals than was necessary。 He tutored； and
he wrote college specials for several newspapers。 His chief relaxation
was the praise of the ladies in Newbury Street。 These told him of the
future which awaited him； and when they gazed upon his features were put
in mind of the dying Keats。 Not that Oscar was going to die in the
least。 Life burned strong in him。 There were sly times when he took
what he had saved by his cheap meals and room and went to Boston with
it； and for a few h