4.AnUnwrittenNovel

    Suexpressionofunhappinesswasenoughbyitselftomakeone’seyesslideabovethepaper’sedgetothepoorwoman’sfasignifitwithoutthatlook,almostasymbolofhumainywithit.Life’swhatyouseeinpeople’seyes;life’swhattheylearn,and,haviit,houghtheyseektohideit,ceasetobeawareof—what?Thatlife’slikethat,itseems.Fivefacesopposite—fivematurefaces—andtheknowledgeineachface.Strahough,howpeoplewanttocealit!Marksofreticeareonallthosefaces:lipsshut,eyesshaded,eaeofthefivedoingsomethingtohideorstultifyhisknowledge.Onesmokes;anotherreads;athirdchetriesinapocketbook;afourthstaresatthemapofthelineframedopposite;ah—theterriblethingaboutthefifthisthatshedoesnothingatall.Shelooksatlife.Ah,butmypoor,unfortunatewoman,doplaythegame—do,foralloursakes,cealit!

    Asifsheheardme,shelookedup,shiftedslightlyinherseatandsighed.Sheseemedtoapologiseandatthesametimetosaytome,“Ifonlyyoukhenshelookedatlifeagain.“ButIdoknow,”Iansweredsilently,glangattheTimesformanners’sake.“Iknowthewholebusiness.‘PeacebetweenGermanyandtheAlliedPowerswasyesterdayofficiallyusheredinatParis—SignorNitti,theItalianPrimeMinister—apasserainatDoncasterwasincollisionwithagoodstrain...’Weallknow—theTimesknows—butwepretendwedon’t.”Myeyeshadoncemorecreptoverthepaper’srimSheshuddered,twitchedherarmqueerlytothemiddleofherbadshookherhead.AgainIdippedintomygreatreservoiroflife.“Takewhatyoulike,”Itinued,“births,deaths,marriages,CourtCircular,thehabitsofbirds,LeonardodaVinci,theSandhillsmurder,highwagesaofliving—oh,takewhatyoulike,”I