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Spires and Gargoyles
"Youcan’t,Tom,"arguedAmory,astheyrolledalongthroughthescatteringnight;"whereveryougonowyou’llalwaysunconsciouslyapplythesestandardsof’havingit’or’lackingit.’Forbetterorworsewe’vestampedyou;you’reaPrincetontype!"
"Well,then,"complainedTom,hiscrackedvoicerisingplaintively,"whydoIhavetocomebackatall?I’velearnedallthatPrincetonhastooffer.Twoyearsmoreofmerepedantryandlyingaroundaclubaren’tgoingtohelp.They’rejustgoingtodisorganizeme,conventionalizemecompletely.EvennowI’msospinelessthatIwonderhowIgetawaywithit."
"Oh,butyou’remissingtherealpoint,Tom,"Amoryinterrupted."You’vejusthadyoureyesopenedtothesnobbishnessoftheworldinaratherabruptmanner.Princetoninvariablygivesthethoughtfulmanasocialsense."
"Youconsideryoutaughtmethat,don’tyou?"heaskedquizzically,eyingAmoryinthehalfdark.
Amorylaughedquietly.
"Didn’tI?"
"Sometimes,"hesaidslowly,"Ithinkyou’remybadangel.Imighthavebeenaprettyfairpoet."
"Comeon,that’sratherhard.YouchosetocometoanEasterncollege.Eitheryoureyeswereopenedtothemeanscramblingqualityofpeople,oryou’dhavegonethroughblind,andyou’dhatetohavedonethat—beenlikeMartyKaye."
"Yes,"heagreed,"you’reright.Iwouldn’thavelikedit.Still,it’shardtobemadeacynicattwenty."
"Iwasbornone,"Amorymurmured."I’macynicalidealist.