PARAMORE: One of the j.a.panese instruments.
(_He is quite obviously a subscriber to the "National Geographic Magazine_.")
TANA: I play flu-u-ute, j.a.panese flu-u-ute.
PARAMORE: What song were you playing? One of your j.a.panese melodies?
TANA:(_His brow undergoing preposterous contraction_) I play train song.
How you call?--railroad song. So call in my countree. Like train. It go so-o-o; that mean whistle; train start. Then go so-o-o; that mean train go. Go like that. Vera nice song in my countree. Children song.
PARAMORE: It sounded very nice. (_It is apparent at this point that only a gigantic effort at control restrains Tana from rushing up-stairs for his post cards, including the six made in America_.)
TANA: I fix high-ball for gentleman?
PARAMORE: "No, thanks. I don"t use it". (_He smiles_.)
(TANA _withdraws into the kitchen, leaving the intervening door slightly ajar. From the crevice there suddenly issues again the melody of the j.a.panese train song--this time not a practice, surely, but a performance, a l.u.s.ty, spirited performance._
_The phone rings._ TANA, _absorbed in his harmonics, gives no heed, so_ PARAMORE _takes up the receiver_.)
PARAMORE: h.e.l.lo.... Yes.... No, he"s not here now, but he"ll be back any moment.... b.u.t.terworth? h.e.l.lo, I didn"t quite catch the name.... h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo. h.e.l.lo! ... Huh!
(_The phone obstinately refuses to yield up any more sound. Paramore replaces the receiver._
_At this point the taxi motif re-enters, wafting with it a second young man; he carries a suitcase and opens the front door without ringing the bell._)
MAURY: (_In the hall_) "Oh, Anthony! Yoho"! (_He comes into the large room and sees_ PARAMORE) How do?
PARAMORE: (_Gazing at him with gathering intensity_) Is this--is this Maury n.o.ble?
MAURY: "That"s it". (_He advances, smiling, and holding out his hand_) How are you, old boy? Haven"t seen you for years.
(_He has vaguely a.s.sociated the face with Harvard, but is not even positive about that. The name, if he ever knew it, he has long since forgotten. However, with a fine sensitiveness and an equally commendable charity_ PARAMORE _recognizes the fact and tactfully relieves the situation_.)
PARAMORE: You"ve forgotten Fred Paramore? We were both in old Unc Robert"s history cla.s.s.
MAURY: No, I haven"t, Unc--I mean Fred. Fred was--I mean Unc was a great old fellow, wasn"t he?
PARAMORE: (_Nodding his head humorously several times_) Great old character. Great old character.
MAURY: (_After a short pause_) Yes--he was. Where"s Anthony?
PARAMORE: The j.a.panese servant told me he was at some inn. Having dinner, I suppose.
MAURY: (_Looking at his watch_) Gone long?
PARAMORE: I guess so. The j.a.panese told me they"d be back shortly.
MAURY: Suppose we have a drink.
PARAMORE: No, thanks. I don"t use it. (_He smiles_.)
MAURY: Mind if I do? (_Yawning as he helps himself from a bottle_) What have you been doing since you left college?
PARAMORE: Oh, many things. I"ve led a very active life. Knocked about here and there. (_His tone implies anything front lion-stalking to organized crime._)
MAURY: Oh, been over to Europe?
PARAMORE: No, I haven"t--unfortunately.
MAURY: I guess we"ll all go over before long.
PARAMORE: Do you really think so?
MAURY: Sure! Country"s been fed on sensationalism for more than two years. Everybody getting restless. Want to have some fun.
PARAMORE: Then you don"t believe any ideals are at stake?
MAURY: Nothing of much importance. People want excitement every so often.
PARAMORE: (_Intently_) It"s very interesting to hear you say that. Now I was talking to a man who"d been over there----
(_During the ensuing testament, left to be filled in by the reader with such phrases as "Saw with his own eyes," "Splendid spirit of France,"
and "Salvation of civilization,"_ MAURY _sits with lowered eyelids, dispa.s.sionately bored._)
MAURY: (_At the first available opportunity_) By the way, do you happen to know that there"s a German agent in this very house?
PARAMORE: (_Smiling cautiously_) Are you serious?
MAURY: Absolutely. Feel it my duty to warn you.
PARAMORE: (_Convinced_) A governess?
MAURY: (_In a whisper, indicating the kitchen with his thumb_) _Tana!_ That"s not his real name. I understand he constantly gets mail addressed to Lieutenant Emile Tannenbaum.
PARAMORE: (_Laughing with hearty tolerance_) You were kidding me.
MAURY: I may be accusing him falsely. But, you haven"t told me what you"ve been doing.
PARAMORE: For one thing--writing.
MAURY: Fiction?
PARAMORE: No. Non-fiction.
MAURY: What"s that? A sort of literature that"s half fiction and half fact?
PARAMORE: Oh, I"ve confined myself to fact. I"ve been doing a good deal of social-service work.