cwilleford.theburntorangeheresy-第6部分

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　　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　modern　art。　At　the　time；　Hitler　was　on　an　ethnic　kick；　and　the　official　line　was　folk；　or　people's；　art。　Modern　art；　with　its　subjective　individualistic　viewpoint；　was　considered　political　and　cultural　anarchy；　and　Hitler　ordered　it　suppressed。　Even　ruthlessly。　Then；　as　now；　no　one　was　quite　sure　what　modern　art　was；　and　it　became　necessary　to　make　up　a　show　of　'degenerate　art'　so　that　party　men　throughout　Germany　would　know　what　in　the　hell　they　were　supposed　to　prevent。　So；　in　July　1937；　they　opened　an　exhibit　of　modern　art　in　Munich。　It　was　for　adults　only；　so　no　children　would　be　corrupted；　and　the　exhibit　was　called　Entartete　Kunst。　It　was　supposed　to　be　an　example；　a　warning　to　artists；　and　to　people　who　might　find　such　art　attractive。　After　the　Munich　showing；　it　traveled　all　over　Germany。〃
　　I　leaned　forward。　〃Listen　to　the　names　of　the　painters　represented…Otto　Dix；　Emil　Nolde；　Franz　Marc；　Paul　Klee；　Kandinsky；　Max　Beckmann；　and　many　more。　I　have　a　copy　of　the　original　catalogue　in　New　York；　locked　away　in　the　bottom　drawer　of　my　desk　at　the　office。〃
　　〃Those　paintings　would　be　worth　a　fortune　today。〃
　　〃The　painters　are　all　a　part　of　art　history　now…and　any　of；　say；　Marc's　paintings　are　expensive。　But　suppose　you　had　every　painting　in　this　particular　show？　Every　German　museum　was　'purified。'　That　was　the　term　they　used；　'purified。'　And　the　painters　represented　by　the　show；　if　the　museum　happened　to　have　any　of　their　work；　were　removed。　Some　were　destroyed；　some　were　hidden；　and　some　were　smuggled　out　of　the　country。　But　to　have　the　original　traveling　exhibit；　and　it　would　be　possible　to　obtain　these　pictures　。　。　。〃
　　Cassidy　drew　a　line　through　the　two　words　on　his　pad　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　could　never　swing　anything　like　that　by　myself。　I'd　have　to　get　a　group　together　to　raise　the　money；　and…no；　it　wouldn't　be　worth　it　to　me。　Any　more　ideas？〃
　　〃Sure；　but　you　didn't　ask　me　here　for　my　ideas　on　collecting。〃
　　〃That's　right。　Basically；　James；　you　and　I　are　honest　men；　and；　in　our　own　ways；　we　are　equally　ambitious。　One　dishonest　act　doesn't　make　a　person　dishonest；　not　when　it's　the　only　one　he　ever　performs。　That　is；　a　slightly　dishonest　act。　A　little　thing；　really。　Suppose；　James；　that　you　were　given　the　opportunity　to　interview〃…he　hesitated；　moistened　his　lips　with　his　tongue…〃Jacques　Debierue？〃
　　〃It　would　merely　set　me　up　with　the　greatest　exclusive　there　is！　But　Debierue　is　in　France；　and　he's　only　given　three　interviews　in　forty　years…no；　four…and　none　since　his　home　burned　down　a　year　or　so　ago。〃
　　〃In　other　words；〃　he　chuckled；　〃you　would　be　somewhat　elated　if　you　could　look　at　his　new　work　and　talk　to　him　about　it　personally？〃
　　〃Elated　isn't　the　word。　Ecstatic　isn't　strong　enough。　Now　that　Duchamp　is　dead；　Debierue　is　Mr。　Grand　Old　Man　of　Modern　Art。〃
　　〃Don't　go　on；　I　know。　Just　listen。　Suppose　I　told　you　that　I　could　make　arrangements　for　you　to　see　and　talk　with　Debierue？〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　believe　you。〃
　　〃But　if　it　was　true…and　I　am　now　telling　you　that　it　is　true…what　would　you　do　for　me　in　return？〃
　　My　throat　and　mouth　were　suddenly　dry。　I　tipped　the　plastic　ice　bucket　and　poured　some　ice　water　into　my　empty　glass。　I　sipped　it；　and　it　tasted　almost　warm。　〃You　have　something　dishonest　in　mind。　Isn't　that　what　you　implied　a　moment　ago？〃
　　〃No。　Not　dishonest　for　you；　dishonest　for　me。　But　even　so；　Debierue　is　in　debt　to　me；　if　I　want　to　look　at　it　that　way；　and　I　do。　I　don't　want　money　from　him；　I　want　one　of　his　paintings。〃
　　I　laughed。　〃Who　doesn't？　No　individual；　and　not　a　single　museum；　has　a　Debierue。　if　you　had　one；　you'd　be　the　only　collector　in　the　world　to　have　one！　As　far　as　I　know；　only　four　critics　have　been　privileged　to　see　any　of　his　work。　A　servant　or　two　has　seen　his　paintings；　probably；　I　don't　know…　maybe　some　of　his　mistresses　a　few　years　back；　when　he　was　still　young　enough　to　have　them。　But　no　one　else…〃
　　〃I　know。　And　I　want　one。　In　return　for　the　interview；　I　want　you　to　steal　a　picture　for　me。〃
　　I　laughed。　〃An