A woman I know belongs to the type that becomes charitable around
Christmas time. She makes a glowing pretense of aiding the poor. As
a matter of fact she probably does aid them, what with the baskets
of food, clothing and necessities she showers upon their hovels.
But the point is that she regards the poor as a sort of social and
spiritual asset. They afford her the opportunity of appearing in
the eyes of her neighbors as a magnanimous soul, of doing something
which reflects great credit upon her character. It is certain that
she would be unhappy if there were no poor, that Christmas wouldn’t
be Christmas without the glow of spiritual righteousness and the lift
of economic superiority the giving of gifts to deserving inferiors
inspires in her. But anyway, she “does good,” and if she panders to
her own egoism as much as she improves the physical comfort of her
charges--that is a complication it will hurt nobody to ignore.
I told this woman about Winkelburg. I became poignant and moving on
the subject of Winkelburg’s misfortunes, his trials, sufferings, and,
above all, his Spartan stoicism. It pleased me to do this. I felt
that I was making amends and that the thing reflected great credit
upon my character--in her eyes.
So she went to the room on the South Side where Winkelburg lived.
And they told her there that Winkelburg was dead. He had died a week
ago. She was upset when she came back and told me about it. She
had come too late. She might have saved him. She accused herself
sorrowfully and I listened with politeness. Her accusation was a
charmingly involved boast. Her sorrow over the matter was merely her
way of telling me all the wonderful things she would have done for
Winkelburg. Her regret that he was dead was obviously enough the
disappointment she felt at not being able to pander to her egoism by
showering poor Winkelburg with largesse.
It was a curious thing--but when she told me that Winkelburg was dead
I felt combatively that it was untrue. And now since I know certainly
that Winkelburg is dead and buried, I have developed a curious state
of mind. I look up from my desk every once in a while expecting to
see him. In the streets I sometimes find myself actually thinking:
“I’ll bump into him when I turn this corner.”
I have managed to discover the secret of this feeling. It is
Winkelburg’s smile. Winkelburg’s smile was the interpretation of the
world’s attitude toward him, including my own, I tell myself. And
thus whenever his name comes to my mind or a thought of him occupies
me his smile appears as if it were the thought in my head. I have
only to think, “He is better off dead,” and at once the image of
Winkelburg comes into my eye, repeating the words to me. This may
sound involved, but it is really very simple. Instead of thinking
of Winkelburg I find that I take the easier way of remembering
Winkelburg’s smile, and his smile somehow says for me everything I
would have thought.
And this, in a way, is Winkelburg’s revenge, that I am unable to
forget him and that I am unable to say “poor Winkelburg” without
Winkelburg smiling back at me and saying with a taunting, irritating
calm, “Yes, yes, he is better off dead.”
[14] Copyright, 1922, by Smart Set Company, Inc.
Copyright, 1923, by Ben Hecht.