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time and at rock…bottom prices had made him another fortune…if he ever decided to put his collection on the market。
The houseboy still hovered about； wanting but unwilling to leave。 He was upset because I didn't eat the sandwich。
〃Close the bar； Rizal；〃 Cassidy ordered quietly； 〃and tell Mrs。 Bentham that I'll see that Mr。 Figueras gets home all right。〃 He exposed his toothy smile。 〃You don't mind sticking around for a while； do you； James？〃
〃Of course not； Mr。 Cassidy。〃
Because of my upbringing； which has been on the formal side…insofar as observing the amenities was concerned…I resented the easy use of my first name by Mr。 Cassidy without my permission or invitation。 But I knew that he wasn't trying to patronize me。 He was attempting to put me at my ease。 Nevertheless； although I considered the idea； I couldn't drop to his level and call him Joe。 There's too much informality in America as it is； and in Palm Beach； during the season； it is often carried to ridiculous lengths。
Rizal left to close the bar； which meant that the party was over。 The guests would depart without saying good…bye to their host； and that would be that。 Not out of rudeness； but out of deference。 If Cassidy had gone out for a series of formal good…nights they would have adjusted to that kind of leave…taking just as easily。
After Rizal closed the door； Cassidy took a cigar out of his desk humidor； lighted it； and sat down again。 He didn't offer me one。
〃James；〃 Cassidy said earnestly； 〃I know a lot more about you than you think I do。 I rarely miss one of your critical articles； and I think you write about art with a good deal of insight and perception。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃This is all straight talk； James。 I'm not in the habit of handing out fulsome praise。 A second…rate critic doesn't deserve it； and a first…rate critic doesn't need it。 In my opinion； you're well on the way to being one of our best young American critics。 And； according to my investigations； you're ambitious enough to be the best。〃
〃By investigations； if you mean you've been talking to Gloria about me； she isn't the most reliable witness； you know。 We've been friends for several years now； and she's prejudiced in my favor。〃
〃No； not only Gloria； James； although I've talked to her； too。 I've talked to dealers； to some of my fellow collectors； and even to Dr。 Lang。 You might be interested to know that Dr。 Lang's highly impressed with your work； and he knows more about art history and criticism than I'll ever know。〃
〃I'm not so sure about that； Mr。 Cassidy。〃
〃He should。 That's his business…and yours。 I'm an attorney； not an art historian。 I don't even intend to write a foreword to my catalogue…although Lang suggested it to me。〃
〃Most collectors do。〃
He nodded； and waved his right hand slowly so the ash wouldn't fall off the end of his cigar。 〃In the art world； you happen to have a reputation for integrity。 And I've been informed that you're incorruptible。〃
〃I'm not getting rich as an art critic； if that's what you mean。〃
〃I know。 I also know how to make inquiries。 That's my business。 The law is ninety…five percent preparation； and if a man does his homework； it's easy to look good in the courtroom。 To return to corruption for a moment； let me say that I respect your so…called incorruptibility。〃
〃The way you say it makes me feel as if I've missed some opportunity to make a pie of dough or something and turned it down。 If I have missed out on something； I sure don't know about it。〃
〃If you want to play dumb； I'll spell it out for you。 Number one…free pictures。 That kid's show this evening； ah； Westcott。 Suppose you had said to Gloria that you would give Westcott a nice buildup in return for a couple of free pictures； what would have happened？〃
〃In Westcott's case； she'd have given all of them to me。〃 I grinned。 〃But you aren't talking about integrity now； Mr。 Cassidy； you're talking about my profession。 I've never taken a free picture。 The walls of my apartment in the Village are bare except for chance patterns of flaking paint。 But if I ever took one picture； just one； that I could resell for two or three hundred bucks； the word would be out that I was on the take。 From that moment on I would be dead as a critic。 And a good review for pay； which is still being done in Paris； has damned near ruined serious art criticism in France。
〃There are some exceptions； naturally； and those of us in the trade know who they are。 So the way things are； I can't even afford to take legitimate art gifts from friends； even when I know that there are no strings attached。 The strings would be there inadvertently。 The mere fact that I took the gift might influence my opinion if I ever had to cover the man's show。 By the same token； I don't buy anything either。 And I've had some chances to buy some things that even I could afford。 But if I owned a painting； you see； there might be a temptation on my part to push the artist beyond his worth…possibly…I don't know that I would…in order to increase the value of my own painting。 I don't mean that I am pletely objective either。 That's impossible。 I merely try to be most of the time； and that allows me to go overboard and be subjective as hell when I see something I really flip over。〃
I finished the last of my drink and set the glass down a little harder than I had intended。 When I looked up； there was a smile on Cassidy's Irish face。 Perhaps he had been baiting me； but I had been through this kind of probing before。 It was natural； in America； for people to think that a critic had been paid off when he gave some artist a rave write…up； especially when they didn't know anything about art。 But Cassidy knew better。
〃You know all this； Mr。 Cassidy； so don't give me any undeserved credit for integrity。 I like money as much as anyone； and I made more money when I taught art history at CCNY than I do now。 I'm ambitious； yes； but for a reputation； not for money。 When I have a big enough reputation as a critic； then I'll make more money； but never a huge amount。 That isn't the game。 The trick…and it's a hard one…is to earn a living as an art critic； or； if you prefer； art expert。 If you want me to authenticate a painting for you； I'll charge you a fee。 Gladly。 If you want to ask my advice on what to buy next for your collection； I'll give you suggestions free of charge。〃 I held up my empty glass。 〃Except for another drink。 Or is the bar closed for me； too？〃
〃I'll get the bottle。〃 Cassidy left the room and returned almost immediately with an open bottle of Cutty Sark and a plastic bucket of cubes。 I poured a double shot over two ice cubes and lit a cigarette。 Cassidy picked up a yellow legal pad from his desk； sat down with it； and unscrewed the top from a fountain pen。
〃I don't have any pictures for you to authenticate； James。 And I didn't intend to ask you for any advice on collecting； but since you made the offer； what do you have in mind？〃
I decided to tell him about my pet project。
〃Entartete Kunst。 Degenerate art。〃
〃How do you spell that？〃
I told him and he wrote it on the pad。
〃It's a term that was used by Hitler's party to condemn mod