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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
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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
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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 make out。〃
〃You have decided your own fate；〃 said the Fool… Killer； in a low but
terrible voice。 〃You may con… sider yourself as one dead。 You have had
your last chance。〃
〃In the moonlight；〃 went on Kerner； softly； 〃we will sit under the
skylight with our guitar and sing away the false delights of pride and
money。〃
〃On your own head be it；〃 hissed the Fool…Killer； and my scalp
prickled when I perceived that neither Kerner's eyes nor his ears took the
slightest cog… nizance of Jesse Holmes。 And then I knew that for some
reason the veil had been lifted for me alone； and that I bad been elected to
save my friend from de… struction at the Fool…Killer's bands。 Something of
the fear and wonder of it must have showed itself in my face。
〃Excuse me；〃 said Kerner； with his wan； amiable smile； 〃was I talking
to myself？ I think it is getting to be a habit with me。〃
The Fool…Killer turned and walked out of Far… ronils。
〃Wait here for me；〃 said I； rising； 〃I must speak to that man。 Had you
no answer for him？ Because you are a fool must you die like a mouse
under his foot？ Could you not utter one squeak in your own defence？
〃You are drunk；〃 said Kerner； heartlessly。 〃No one addressed me。〃
〃The destroyer of your mind；〃 said I； 〃stood above you just now and
marked you for his victim。 You are not blind or deaf。〃
〃I recognized no such person；〃 said Kerner。 〃I have seen no one but
you at this table。 Sit down。 Hereafter you shall have no more absinthe
drips。〃
〃Wait here；〃 said I； furious； 〃if you don't care for your own life； I will
save it for you。〃
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I hurried out and overtook the man in gray half… way down the block。
He looked as I bad seen him in my fancy a thousand times … truculent； gray
and awful。 He walked with the white oak staff； and but for the street…
sprinkler the dust would have been fly… ing under his tread。 I caught him
by the sleeve and steered him to a dark angle of a building。 I knew he was
a myth； and I did not want a cop to see me conversing with va… cancy； for I
might land in Bellevue minus my silver matchbox and diamond ring。
〃Jesse Holmes；〃 said I； facing him with apparent bravery； 〃I know you。
I have heard of you all my life。 I know now what a scourge you have been
to your country。 Instead of killing f