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and life bad so much in store for him。 Yes； he was
almost riotously sad。 That was his youth。 When a
man begins to be hilarious in a sorrowful way you
can bet a million that he is dyeing his hair。 Ker…
ner's hair was plentiful and carefully matted as an
artist's thatch should be。 He was a cigaretteur； and
be audited his dinners with red wine。 But； most of
all； be was a fool。 And； wisely； I envied him； and
listened patiently while he knocked Velasquez and
Tintoretto。 Once he told me that he liked a story of
mine that he bad come across in an anthology。 He
described it to me； and I was sorry that Mr。 Fitz…
James O'Brien was dead and could not learn of the
eulogy of his work。 But mostly Kerner made few
breaks and was a consistent fool。
I'd better explain what I mean by that。 There
was a girl。 Now； a girl； as far as I am concerned；
is a thing that belongs in a seminary or an album；
but I conceded the existence of the animal in order
to retain Kerner's friendship。 He showed me her
picture in a locket she was a blonde or a brunette
I have forgotten which。 She worked in a factory
for eight dollars a week。 Lest factories quote this
wage by way of vindication； I will add that the girl
bad worked for five years to reach that supreme ele…
vation of remuneration； beginning at 1。50 per week。
Kerner's father was worth a couple of millions
He was willing to stand for art； but he drew the
line at the factory girl。 So Kerner disinherited his
father and walked out to a cheap studio and lived
on sausages for breakfast and on Farroni for dinner。
Farroni had the artistic soul and a line of credit for
painters and poets； nicely adjusted。 Sometimes Ker…
rier sold a picture and bought some new tapestry； a
ring and a dozen silk cravats； and paid Farroni
two dollars on account。
One evening Kerner had me to dinner with himself
and the factory girl。 They were to be married as
soon as Kerner could slosh paint profitably。 As for
the ex…father's two millions pouf！
She was a wonder。 Small and half…way pretty；
and as much at her ease in that cheap cafe as though
she were only in the Palmer House； Chicago； with a
souvenir spoon already safely hidden in her shirt
waist。 She was natural。 Two things I noticed about
her especially。 Her belt buckle was exactly in the
middle of her back； and she didn't tell us that a large
man with a ruby stick…pin had followed her up all the
way from Fourteenth Street。 Was Kerner such a fool？
I wondered。 And then I thought of the quantity of
striped cuffs and blue glass beads that 2；000；000
can buy for the heathen； and I said to myself that he
was。 And then Elise certainly that was her name
told us； merrily； that the brown spot on her waist
was caused by her landlady knocking at the door
while she （the girl confound the English language）
was heating an iron over the gas jet； and she hid the
iron under the bedclothes until the coast was clear；
and there was the piece of chewing gum stuck
to it when she began to iron the waist； and well；
I wondered bow in the world the chewing gum
came to be there don't they ever stop chewing
it？
A while after that don't be impatient； the ab…
sinthe drip is coming now Kerner and I were dining
at Farroni's。 A mandolin and a guitar were being
attacked； the room was full of smoke in nice； long
crinkly layers just like the artists draw the steam
from a plum pudding on Christmas posters； and a
lady in a blue silk and gasolined gauntlets was be…
ginning to bum an air from the Catskills。
〃Kerner；〃 said I； 〃you are a fool。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Kerner； 〃I wouldn't let her go
on working。 Not my wife。 What's the use to wait？
She's willing。 I sold that water color of the Pali…
sades yesterday。 We could cook on a two…burner gas
stove。 You know the ragouts I can throw together？
Yes； I think we will marry next week。〃
〃Kerner；〃 said I； 〃you are a fool。〃
〃Have an absinthe drip？〃 said Kerner； grandly。
〃To…night you are the guest of Art in paying quan…
tities。 I think we will get a flat with a bath。〃
〃I never tried one I mean an absinthe drip；〃
said I。
The waiter brought it and poured the water slowly
over the ice in the dripper。
〃It looks exactly like the Mississippi River water
in the big bend below Natchez；〃 said I； fascinated；
gazing at the be…muddled drip。
〃There are such flats for eight dollars a week；〃
said Kerner。
〃You are a fool；〃 said I； and began to sip the
filtration。 〃What you need；〃 I continued； 〃is the
official attention of one Jesse Holmes。〃
Kerner； not being a Southerner； did not compre…
hend； so he sat； sentimental； figuring on his flat in
his sordid； artistic way； while I gazed into the green
eyes of the sophisticated Spirit of Wormwood。
Presently I noticed casually that a procession of
bacchantes limned on the wall immediately below the
ceiling bad begun to move； traversing the room from
right to left in a gay and spectacular pilgrimage。 I
did not confide my discovery to Kerner。 The artistic
temperament is too high…strung to view such devia…
tions from the natural laws of the art of kalsomining。
I sipped my absinthe drip and sawed wormwood。
One absinthe drip is not much but I said again to
Kerner； kindly：
〃You are a fool。〃 And then； in the vernacular：
〃Jesse Holmes for yours。〃
And then I looked around and saw the Fool…Killer；
as he had always appeared to my imagination； sitting
at a nearby table； and regarding us with his reddish；
fatal； relentless eyes。 He was Jesse Holmes from top
to toe； he had the long； gray； ragged beard； the
gray clothes of ancient cut； the executioner's look；
and the dusty shoes of one who bad been called from
afar。 His eyes were turned fixedly upon Kerner。 I
shuddered to think that I bad invoked him from his
assiduous southern duties。 I thought of flying； and
then I kept my seat； reflecting that many men bad es…
caped his ministrations when it seemed that nothing
short of an appointment as Ambassador to Spain
could save them from him。 I had called my brother
Kerner a fool and was in danger of hell fire。 That
was nothing； but I would try to save him from Jesse
Holmes。
The Fool…Killer got up from his table and came
over to ours。 He rested his hands upon it； and
turned his burning； vindictive eyes upon Kerner； ig…
noring me。
〃You are a hopeless fool；〃 be said to the artist。
〃Haven't you had enough of starvation yet？ I of…
fer you one more opportunity。 Give up this girl and
come back to your home。 Refuse； and you must take
the consequences。〃
The Fool…Killer's threatening face was within a
foot of his victim's； but to my horror； Kerner made
not the slightest sign of being aware of his presence。
〃We will be married next week；〃 be muttered ab…
sent…mindedly。 〃With my studio furniture and some
second…hand stuff we can mak