Коллекционер

           ThatispreciselythestateIshouldn’thavegothiminto.

           It’sdifficult,though.WhenI’mbeingbeastlytohim,hehassuchawayoflookingsorryforhimselfthatIbegintohatemyself.ButassoonasIbegintobenicetohim,asortofself-satisfactionseemstocreepintohisvoiceandhismanner(verydiscreet,he’sbeenhumilityitselfallday,noreproachaboutlastnight,ofcourse)andIbegintowanttogoadandslaphimagain.

           Atightrope.

           Butit’sclearedtheair.

           (Night.)Itriedtoteachhimwhattolookforinabstractartaftersupper.It’shopeless.Hehasitfixedinhispoordimnoddlethatartisfiddlingaway(hecan’tunderstandwhyIdon’t"rubout")untilyougetanexactphotographiclikenessandthatmakinglovelycooldesigns(BenNicholson)isvaguelyimmoral.Icanseeitmakesanicepattern,hesaid.Buthewon’tconcedethat"makinganicepattern"isart.Withhim,it’sthatcertainwordshaveterriblystrongundertones.Everythingtodowithartembarrasseshim(andIsupposefascinateshim).It’sallvaguelyimmoral.Heknowsgreatartisgreat,but"great"meanslockedawayinmuseumsandspokenaboutwhenyouwanttoshowoff.Livingart,modernartshockshim.Youcan’ttalkaboutitwithhimbecausetheword"art"startsoffawholeseriesofshocked,guiltyideasinhim.

           IwishIknewifthereweremanypeoplelikehim.OfcourseIknowthevastmajority—especiallytheNewPeople—don’tcareadamnaboutanyofthearts.