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There was a large organ in this cathedral, a magic organ of the modern
style, which played itself when you put in a roll of paper and pressed
an electric switch. It played the very latest jazz tunes from Broadway,
and the company danced, and Vee Tracy came to Bunny and said, “My doctor
allows me only one drink in an evening, and I want a sober partner.”
Bunny was glad to oblige, and so the time passed pleasantly. He danced
with his hostess, and with the blonde fairy, Bessie Barrie. In between
dances they chatted, and the Chinese spectre continued to flit about,
and the deeps of the human spirit were more and more unveiled.
In front of Bunny stood Tommy Paley, super-director, handsome,
immaculate if slightly ruffled, flushed of face, and steady upon his
legs if not in his thoughts. “Look here, Ross,” he said, “I want you to
tell me something.”
“What is it?”
“I want to know what it’s all about.”
“What, Mr. Paley?”
“Life! What the hell are we here for, and where do we go when we get
through?”
“If I knew,” said Bunny, “I would surely tell you.”
“But, lookit, man, I thought you went to college! I never got any
education, I was a newsboy and all that. But I thought when a fellow’s
read a lotta books and goes to college—”
“We haven’t got to it yet,” said Bunny. “Maybe it comes in the last two
years.”
“Well, by God, if they tell you, you come tell me. And find out, old
son, what the hell we going to do about sex? You can’t live with ’em and
you can’t live without ’em, and what sort of a mess is it?”
“It’s very puzzling,” admitted Bunny.
“It’s the devil!” said the other. “I’d pay anybody ten year’s salary if
they’d teach me to forget the whole damn business.”
“Yes,” said Bunny; “but then, what would you direct?”
And the super-director looked at him, bewildered, and suddenly burst out
laughing. “By God, that’s so! That’s a good one! Ho, ho, ho!” And he
went off, presumably to pass the good one on.
His place was taken by Harvey Manning, who was no longer able to stand
up, but sprawled over a chair, and in a voice of the deepest injury
declared, “I wanna know whoze been tellin bout me!”
“Telling what?” asked Bunny.
“Thaz what I wanna know. What they been tellin?”
“I don’t know what you mean, Harvey.”
“Thass it! Why don’t you know? Why don’t you tell me? Mean say I ain’t
askin straight? You think I’m drunk—that it? I say, I wanna know whoze
been talkin bout me an what they been sayin. I gotta take care my
reputation. I wanna know why you won’t tell me. I’m gonna know if I have
to keep askin all night.” And accordingly he started again, “Please, ole
feller, what they been tellin you?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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