This passage marks the opening of a nautical adventure centered on a young naval officer’s first major career milestone. It balances the professional pride of naval command with the youthful exuberance of a twenty-three-year-old celebrating his promotion.
Summary of the Passage
The story introduces a young Ensign (the “Kid”) who has just been given command of the Dirigo, a 122-foot gunboat. After serving in a subordinate role on the Ohio, he transitions to a position of significant responsibility in Shanghai.
The narrative emphasizes his excitement through his emotional and financial reactions: cabling his mother in Baltimore and spending his modest salary on a celebratory “jamboree” for his peers at a local club. The passage sets a tone of optimistic bravado, contrasted by the more reserved older civilians watching the boisterous celebration.
Etymology and Origins
Dirigo
* Origin: Latin.
* Meaning: It is the first-person singular present indicative of dirigere, meaning “I direct” or “I guide.”
* Context: It is famously the state motto of Maine. In the context of a ship, it implies a vessel that leads the way or is expertly steered.
Petrel
* Origin: Diminutive of Peter (Latin: Petrus).
* Meaning: These are tube-nosed seabirds (Procellariiformes).
* History: The name is a reference to Saint Peter and his attempt to walk on water. Petrels often appear to “walk” on the surface of the ocean as they hover and dabbing their feet to pick up food. In literature, being “swift as a petrel” suggests agility and a soul at home in stormy seas.
Hi-tai-sha
* Origin: Geographical / Mandarin Chinese.
* Context: This refers to the Haitaisha Island (or Haitai Sha), located in the Yangtze River delta near Shanghai.
* Meaning: In Chinese, sha (沙) refers to a shoal or sandbar. The “mists off Hi-tai-sha” describe the atmospheric conditions of the Estuary where the Yangtze meets the East China Sea, a common setting for naval activity in early 20th-century literature.
This section of the story shifts from the “Kid’s” youthful celebration to the quiet, weary perspective of the older officers, particularly Follansbee, the executive officer of the Ohio. It highlights the stark reality of a lifelong naval career in the early 20th century.
Themes and Key Elements
* The Cost of Service: The passage paints a melancholy picture of naval life. Officers’ families are described as “migrating from boarding house to boarding house,” living transient lives while trying to stay near their husbands’ ever-shifting stations.
* The “Waiting Game”: Follansbee serves as a foil to the young Ensign. While the boy is celebrating his first command at twenty-three, Follansbee has been waiting thirty-five years for a battleship command. This reflects the slow promotion tracks and the stagnation often felt in the peacetime navy of that era.
* Legacy and Health: The mention of Jack Russell (the boy’s father) dying of “liver and disappointment” at Teng-chan is a grim nod to the physical and mental toll of long-term service in the Tropics and the Far East, where isolation and alcohol were common pitfalls.
* Paternal Silence: Despite his own cynicism, Follansbee chooses not to “butt in.” He recognizes that the boy’s exuberance is a necessary rite of passage before the long, grueling years of service begin to take their toll.
Nautical and Geographical Context
* Woosung (Wusong): Located at the mouth of the Huangpu River, Woosung served as the deep-water port for Shanghai. Larger warships like the flagship Ohio would anchor there because they were too large to navigate the shallower waters directly up to the Shanghai Bund.
* The Bund: The famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai. Follansbee walking “down the bund” places him in the heart of the International Settlement, the center of foreign social and commercial life.
* The “Empress of India”: A famous ocean liner of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. It was one of the primary ways people traveled between North America and the Far East, highlighting the long wait times for families to reunite.
The atmosphere in this scene shifts from Follansbee’s quiet, melancholy reflection to a sudden, jarring interruption that signals the end of the celebration. The sensory details of Shanghai’s harbor—the “discordant shrieks” of launches and the blinding searchlights—serve as a metaphor for the abrupt intrusion of duty into the “Kid’s” big night.
Scene Breakdown
* The Contrast of Shanghai: The passage juxtaposes the “soft, fragrant air” of the evening with the industrial chaos of the harbor. The “colored lanterns” and “starlit night” are pierced by modern naval technology—the searchlights—which literally blind the characters, foreshadowing the “blindside” of the Admiral’s urgent summons.
* The Midshipman’s Interruption: The young officer accidentally stumbling into Follansbee underscores the chaotic energy of the waterfront. His frantic search for Russell indicates that the “first command” is already bringing its first real-world test.
* The “Hwang-ho” (Yellow River): The chant mentions the Hwang-ho (Huang He). Navigating this river was notoriously difficult due to its shifting currents and heavy silt, symbolizing the treacherous path ahead for the inexperienced Ensign.
* White Duck: The “figure in white duck” refers to the white cotton drill fabric used for naval tropical uniforms. It’s a stark visual image—a bright, white figure shouting from a balcony—that highlights how exposed and vulnerable Russell’s reputation is at this moment.
Key Terms
| Term | Definition/Context |
|—|—|
| ‘Rikishas | A pulled rickshaw; the primary mode of short-distance urban transport in early 20th-century Shanghai. |
| Midshipman | The lowest rank of commissioned officer (or an officer candidate), often acting as a messenger for the Admiral. |
| Ship’s Launch | A large, open motorboat used for transporting personnel and supplies between a ship and the shore. |
| White Duck | Durable, closely woven cotton fabric used for summer naval uniforms because of its cooling properties. |
This scene marks the transition from celebration to high-stakes duty. The Admiral’s orders provide the “inciting incident” for the adventure, moving the story from the social circles of Shanghai into the dangerous, unmapped interior of China during a period of violent unrest.
Mission Analysis: The Rescue of the Missionaries
The Admiral’s briefing outlines a mission that is as much about navigation and diplomacy as it is about rescue.
* The Geography of the Mission:
* The Route: 600 miles up the Yang-tse-Kiang (Yangtze River) past Hankow and Yochow.
* The Destination: Chang-Yuan, located on the Yuang-Kiang (Yuan River) within Lake Tung-ting (Dongting Lake).
* The Hazard: Lake Tung-ting is notoriously difficult to navigate because it is seasonal. In the winter, it becomes a series of shallow channels; in the summer, it floods the surrounding plains, making the actual riverbed impossible to find without a local guide.
* The Political Stakes: * “Forbidden Territory”: Russell is ordered to go past Tung-an, the “treaty limit.” In the early 20th century, foreign gunboats were technically restricted to specific treaty ports. Crossing these limits was a violation of Chinese sovereignty, hence the Admiral’s instruction to “run by” the forts rather than explain.
* The Rebellion: The mention of “Hu-peh” (Hubei) and “Kui-chan” (Guizhou) suggests the mission is set during a period of significant anti-foreign sentiment, likely the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion or the early unrest leading toward the 1911 Revolution.
* The Guide and Interpreter:
* The Admiral provides a Shan-si-man (a man from Shanxi province). This is a calculated risk; while he knows the river, his loyalty and the accuracy of his “local knowledge” in a shifting lake environment will be the deciding factors in the Dirigo’s success.
Key Vocabulary & Context
| Term | Historical/Literary Significance |
|—|—|
| Treaty Limits | Boundaries set by “Unequal Treaties” where foreign powers had legal jurisdiction. Crossing them was an act of war or a “provocation.” |
| Hankow | Part of the modern city of Wuhan; a major inland commercial hub and the furthest point many large ships could reach. |
| Lake Tung-ting | China’s second-largest freshwater lake, famous in literature for its “shifting” nature and treacherous shoals. |
| White Duck | (Recap) The standard summer uniform. Note that Russell is “cap in hand,” showing immediate deference to the Admiral’s authority despite his recent “jamboree.” |
This story is a classic naval adventure set during the era of “Gunboat Diplomacy” in early 20th-century China. It follows the professional and personal “coming of age” of a young American officer.
Core Narrative Arc
The story centers on Jack Russell, a twenty-three-year-old Navy Ensign who has just been given his first independent command: the gunboat Dirigo.
The narrative moves through three distinct phases:
* The Celebration: It begins with Russell’s youthful, boisterous celebration in Shanghai. He is full of pride and a bit of naivety, spending his meager salary to celebrate with friends.
* The Reality Check: The perspective shifts to the older, weary officers (like Follansbee) who see the “Kid” and remember their own lost youth. They reflect on the hardships of naval life—broken families, slow promotions, and the physical toll of serving in the East.
* The Mission: The “fun” is abruptly cut short when the Admiral summons Russell for a high-stakes, dangerous mission. He is ordered to navigate 600 miles into “forbidden territory” to rescue American missionaries caught in a violent rebellion.
Key Themes
* Responsibility vs. Youth: The transition from a “messenger boy” on a flagship to a commander responsible for a ship and a rescue mission.
* Naval Legacy: Russell is following in the footsteps of his father, a Lieutenant Commander who died in service. The Admiral explicitly mentions this legacy as a reason for trusting him with the task.
* Perilous Navigation: The physical challenge of the story lies in the treacherous, unmapped waters of Lake Tung-ting, which changes with the seasons, symbolizing the unpredictable nature of the command he has just assumed.
In short, it is a story about a young man being forced to grow up instantly when the weight of command and the lives of others are placed in his hands.
Moving on from the gunboats of Shanghai! “The Vagabond” (or La Vagabonde) is a much more intimate, psychological story. Since you are diving into different literary worlds, it’s worth noting that there are two very famous “Vagabonds” in French literature—one by Colette and a short story by Guy de Maupassant.
Given your interest in character analysis and complex narratives, here is a breakdown of both so you can see which one we should tackle next:
1. The Vagabond by Colette (1910)
This is a semi-autobiographical novel and is widely considered Colette’s masterpiece.
* The Story: It follows Renée Néré, a woman in her thirties who has survived a disastrous, unfaithful marriage. To support herself, she becomes a music-hall dancer and mime in Paris—a “vagabond” of the stage.
* The Conflict: A wealthy, persistent suitor named Maxime falls in love with her. The heart of the story is Renée’s internal struggle: Does she accept the comfort and “safety” of a second marriage, or does she protect her hard-won, lonely independence?
* Themes: Feminine autonomy, the reality of aging, and the “solitude” of the artist.
2. The Vagabond (Le Vagabond) by Guy de Maupassant (1887)
This is a much darker, naturalistic short story.
* The Story: It follows Jacques Randel, a skilled carpenter who has been unemployed for months. He wanders the French countryside looking for work, slowly starving and being treated with suspicion by everyone he meets.
* The Conflict: It’s a “man vs. society” story. As Jacques becomes hungrier and more desperate, the law and social prejudice turn him into a criminal, even though he only wants to work.
* Themes: Social injustice, the thin line between “honest man” and “criminal,” and the cruelty of poverty.
This opening immediately establishes Voltaire McCartney as the “gentleman vagabond” we suspected—a man of high intellect and deep aesthetic sensibility living in a state of physical decay. The quote by Oscar Wilde serves as a perfect thesis for the character: he is a man of “culture” who exists on the fringes of society.
Character Analysis: Voltaire McCartney
The passage uses subtle details to paint a portrait of a man who has “fallen” from a higher social or intellectual station:
* The Name: “Voltaire McCartney” is a striking juxtaposition. Voltaire suggests the Enlightenment, wit, and skepticism, while McCartney grounds him in a more common reality. It suggests a man who perhaps renamed himself or was born to highly intellectual, unconventional parents.
* The Setting: He is in a “dingy” room with a “patchwork quilt” and a “painted rocker,” overlooking the industrial landscape of the Palisades and a glucose factory. The contrast between his “hollow face” and the “gaudy west” of the sunset emphasizes his exhaustion.
* The Rituals: His “automatic groping” for tobacco and the way he “awoke absolutely” are signs of a life fueled by “stimulants and narcotics.” He isn’t lazy; he is “nervously ready,” a state of high-strung existence common to Train’s more tragic figures.
* The Literacy: He doesn’t just read; he “devours” the page with “peculiar exaltation.” The poem he recites—a desperate plea for feeling, even if it is the “eternal fire” of hell—suggests a man suffering from a profound spiritual or emotional numbness.
Literary & Cultural References
* The Poem: The verses McCartney recites are from “The Pessimist’s Resurrection” (often attributed to Eugene Lee-Hamilton). It reflects a “Better to feel pain than to feel nothing” philosophy, which explains his restless, haggard state.
* Ixion’s Whirling Wheel: A reference to Greek mythology. Ixion was punished by Zeus by being bound to a forever-spinning, winged fiery wheel. McCartney would rather endure this eternal torture than the emptiness of his current life.
* Isabeau: Naming his cat “Isabeau” (a medieval French name) further reinforces his romantic, cultured nature. He envies the cat’s “perfect symmetry”—the simplicity of being a creature that just is, without the burden of a human soul.
Etymology & Vocabulary
* Palisades: From the Latin palus (stake). Historically, it refers to a fence of wooden stakes, but here it refers to the famous line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in New York and New Jersey.
* Translucent: From Latin trans (through) + lucere (to shine). It perfectly describes the “mass of cloud” McCartney sees—letting light through but not perfectly clear.
This scene is a masterful display of Arthur Train’s legal and criminal wit. It shows Voltaire McCartney—the cultured, poetic soul we met in the previous scene—transitioning into his role as a “con man” or “sharper.” He uses his superior intellect and theatrical presence to fleece unsuspecting patrons in a saloon.
Summary of the Action
McCartney performs a “time-worn” routine in a bar to win the favor (and free food) of the patrons. He then identifies two “Dutchmen” (a common 19th-century American term for Germans, derived from Deutsch) as his marks. Using a psychological trick involving “transparent” dice, he goads them into a bet.
The genius of his “scam” is that the dice are not “loaded” (weighted) in the traditional sense, which is why they pass the German’s inspection. Instead, they are mis-spotted. By the time McCartney explains the trick, he is already making his exit, leaving his victims in a state of confused rage.
Interpretation of the German Terms & Dialect
Train writes the dialogue in a “stage German” phonetic accent, which was very popular in American literature of that era.
| Term / Phrase | Literal German | Meaning / Context |
|—|—|—|
| “Dot’s goot!” | Das ist gut! | “That’s good!” |
| “Gif us ‘n odder!” | Gib uns noch einen! | “Give us another (story/joke)!” |
| “Kommen sie unt haf a glass bier” | Kommen Sie und haben Sie ein Glas Bier | “Come and have a glass of beer.” |
| “Hoch der Kaiser!” | Hoch der Kaiser! | “Long live the Emperor!” (A common patriotic toast of the era). |
| “Die Schnapps” | Der Schnaps | Strong liquor/spirits. |
| “Zum teuffel!” | Zum Teufel! | “To the devil!” (Equivalent to “Damn it!” or “What the hell!”). |
| “Betrüger!” | Betrüger | “Cheater” or “Fraud.” This is the strongest word used. |
| “Skivinded” | Geschwindelt | A phonetic play on “swindled.” |
The Mechanics of the Cheat: “The Law of Evolution”
McCartney’s explanation is the highlight of the scene. He tells the Germans that their “powers of observation are uncultivated.”
* The Illusion: Most people check dice for weight (loading) or transparency (to see if anything is inside).
* The Reality: McCartney uses “Tops and Bottoms” (or a variation). He reveals that three of the dice in his pocket “bear no even numbers.” * The Math: If a die only has odd numbers (1, 3, 5 repeated), it is impossible to throw certain totals, and much easier to manipulate “poker hands” or high/low outcomes.
Character Note: “Heaven for Climate—Hell for Society”
This famous quip (often attributed to Mark Twain or James Clarke) perfectly captures McCartney’s persona. He views himself as an elite intellectual who belongs with the “interesting” sinners rather than the “boring” saints. He doesn’t just steal their six dollars; he lectures them on “the law of evolution” and “necessity” while doing it, showing that even in crime, he maintains his “culture.”
You’re absolutely right—Arthur Train leans heavily on the reader’s ability to hear the phonetic German accent and understand specific vocabulary to get the full effect of the scene. In the early 20th century, this “stage German” was a staple of New York literature, reflecting the massive immigrant populations of the time.
Without knowing that “Betrüger” means “Cheater/Fraud” or that “Sheet!” is a phonetic rendering of “Cheat!”, the climax of the scam loses its punch.
Breaking Down the Action & Symbolism
The Science of the Scam
The “mis-spotted” dice McCartney uses are a classic gambler’s tool. By using dice with no even numbers (only 1s, 3s, and 5s), he mathematically guarantees he can’t throw certain numbers, while his “Full House” or “Five of a Kind” becomes much easier to hit.
The Germans are looking for “loated” (loaded) dice—weights or magnets—but McCartney’s trick is purely visual. As he says, their “powers of observation are uncultivated.” He relies on the fact that most people count the pips on a die without checking if all six faces are unique.
Long Acre Square
McCartney steps out into Long Acre Square, which we know today as Times Square. (The name was changed in 1904).
* The “electric display… sacred to the Scottish bard” is a clever reference to Robert Burns (the bard) cigars.
* This setting creates a sharp contrast: the high-tech, gleaming lights of the city versus McCartney’s dingy room and his “fleshless” horse-drawn procession.
The “Sea Serpent” of Carriage History
Train uses a fantastic metaphor for the line of horse-drawn vehicles. He describes a Victoria, a Phaeton, and a Brougham. These were the luxury cars of the 19th century, now “decrepit” and “debilitated,” being hauled away like a skeleton.
McCartney, ever the poetic observer, doesn’t just see old wagons; he sees the “fleshless vertebræ of a sea serpent.” His decision to hop into the Victoria (a carriage known for its comfort and low entry) shows his “vagabond” nature—he’d rather ride in ruined luxury than walk in “respectable” shoes.
German Terms Recap for the Passage
* Betrüger: Fraud/Swindler.
* Skivinded: Swindled (Gershwindelt).
* Sheet: Cheat.
* Zum Teuffel: To the devil (as an exclamation).
In this specific context, absolutely. This is where Arthur Train’s use of “stage German” dialect gets very clever—and a bit confusing if you aren’t listening to the sound of the words rather than just reading them.
The Phonetic Shift
In the passage, the German character isn’t talking about bed linens or pieces of paper. He is yelling “Sheet! Sheet!” because, in a thick German accent, the English word “Cheat” is often pronounced with a “sh” sound.
* English “Cheat”: To act dishonestly to gain an advantage.
* German-accented “Sheet”: The character’s attempt to say “Cheat.”
Because the German “ch” sound (like in ich) or the “sch” sound (sh) is so prominent in the language, authors of that era often wrote German characters as substituting the English “ch” (as in chair) with a “sh” (as in share).
The German Word: Betrüger
To make it crystal clear to the reader that the character is accusing McCartney of fraud, Train has him shout “Betrüger!” first.
| German Word | Pronunciation (Approx.) | English Meaning |
|—|—|—|
| Betrüger | beh-TROO-ger | Swindler / Cheater / Impostor |
| Schwindel | SHVIN-del | A scam or swindle |
When the German shouts “Dot feller skivinded us!”, he is combining the German “geschwindelt” (swindled) with English grammar.
Why Train Uses This
Train uses this dialect to highlight the “essential incongruity between crime and culture” mentioned in the Wilde quote.
* The Germans: Are depicted as “abdominal” and “stupid,” using broken, loud, and gutteral language.
* McCartney: Is calm, uses “transparent” dice (a metaphor for his supposed honesty), and speaks in polished, scientific terms like “evolution” and “cultivation.”
By the time the Germans figure out how to even say the word “Cheat” properly, McCartney has already used his superior “culture” to vanish into the night.
This scene brings the “essential incongruity” of Voltaire McCartney into sharp focus. After swindling the “Dutchmen” out of six dollars with the cold precision of a mathematician, he gives nearly all of it away to a stranger with the impulsive grace of a saint.
The Philosophy of the Vagabond
McCartney’s actions reveal a man who lives by a strictly aesthetic and intellectual code, rather than a moral or social one:
* The “Luxury” of Poverty: He finds “human happiness” in the smallest things—a cigarette, a ruined carriage cushion, and the “plethora” of having six dollars without a destination. He refers to the “monotonous feet,” a poetic way of describing the boring, predictable lives of those who walk with a purpose.
* The Rejection of the “Island”: When the woman mentions “the Island,” she is referring to Blackwell’s Island (now Roosevelt Island), which in 1906 housed a notorious almshouse, a lunatic asylum, and a penitentiary. To the poor of New York, it was a place of ultimate shame and suffering.
* A “Night of Comedy”: McCartney is annoyed by the woman’s suffering because it ruins his “scheme” of a fun, cynical night. Yet, he helps her not out of religious duty, but because he “knows how” to get more money and she doesn’t. He views her struggle as a “graft” (a con or a job) that she isn’t skilled enough to play.
Symbolic Contrast: The Church vs. The Curb
Train uses the setting to critique the “Christian charity” of the era:
* The Music: From the church comes a “gray unison” of a hymn—suggesting something dull, lifeless, and uniform.
* The Reality of Hell: To the “prayerful folk” inside, Hell is a “vital reality” like Jersey City—a place they fear. To McCartney, it’s just “society.”
* The Empty Poorbox: McCartney drops a coin into the box and hears a “loud rattle,” meaning the box is empty. This confirms his cynical recitation of Thomas Hood’s poem: “Alas for the rarity / Of Christian charity / Under the sun.”
The Vanished Respectability
McCartney’s ride on the “skeleton snake” of carriages ends at the church. These carriages, once symbols of high society (like the Victoria or the Brougham), are now just “fleshless vertebrae.” By sitting on the curb and giving away his “winnings,” McCartney shows that he, too, is a piece of “vanished respectability”—he has the manners and the money of a gentleman, but prefers the freedom of the street.
This scene showcases the “essential incongruity” of McCartney in its highest form: the shift from a street-level gambler to a high-stakes psychological actor. Having just given away his honest “stolen” money to a woman in need, he now employs a sophisticated “con” to infiltrate the home of a wealthy, austere figure—Deacon Andrews.
The Anatomy of the Infiltration
McCartney’s strategy is a masterpiece of manipulation, tailored specifically to the psychology of a religious man of status:
* The Name Drop: He calls himself “Blake of the Daily Dial.” This is a strategic threat; if the Deacon turns him away, McCartney implies he has the power of the press to damage the man’s reputation.
* The Appeal to Vanity: He tells the Deacon, “a man of your character… must suffer for the sake of his reputation.” He is playing on the Deacon’s pride in his own public “Christianity.”
* The Physical Performance: The “touch of faintness” and seizing the yellow-plush portière are classic theatrical moves designed to bypass the Deacon’s “prudence and common sense” and trigger a paternalistic response.
Symbolic Setting: The House of Austerity
Arthur Train uses the interior of the Deacon’s home to describe the man’s soul. The house is a “great desert,” characterized by:
* The Brussels Carpet & Ponderous Walnut: These represent old, stagnant wealth—heavy, traditional, and uninviting.
* The Shrouded Furniture: The mahogany chair “shrouded in a ticking cover” suggests a life that is preserved but not lived, cold and clinical.
* The Gas Jet: The Deacon lights the gas and immediately turns it down to “half its original volume.” This small detail speaks volumes about his stinginess and the “musty” lack of true warmth in his charity.
* St. John & Religious Art: The heavy oils of mythological and religious purport are “shrouded” in the same gloom as the furniture, suggesting that for the Deacon, religion is an ornament of the walls, not a fire in the heart.
Key Vocabulary & Context
* Portière: A heavy curtain hung over a doorway or opening. McCartney uses it as a prop to simulate physical collapse.
* Brussels Carpet: A high-quality, durable wool carpet with a looped pile, very popular in upper-class Victorian and Edwardian homes.
* Sulphur Match: An old-fashioned match that produced a distinct, sharp smell when struck. Its mention highlights the Deacon’s old-fashioned (and perhaps cheap) ways.
* Bed Ticket: A voucher given by charities that provided a night’s stay in a homeless shelter or “flop house.” The Deacon’s first instinct is to give a ticket rather than personal help.
In this passage, McCartney delivers a performance that would rival any actor on the Broadway stages he just passed. Having successfully read the Deacon’s character—a man who values status, fears the press, and demands rigid details—McCartney tailors his “yarn” with calculated precision.
The Anatomy of the Con
McCartney knows that a simple “I’m hungry” won’t work on a man like Deacon Andrews. Instead, he constructs a narrative designed to exploit the Deacon’s specific prejudices and pride:
* The “Double Hook” (Credibility and Fear): By claiming to be a reporter for the Daily Dial, McCartney offers a profession the Deacon recognizes as “respectable” but also fears. A reporter has a “pen” that can either praise the Deacon’s charity or expose his coldness.
* The Appeal to Paternalism: He describes himself as a “hard-working man” who simply made a bad choice. This allows the Deacon to feel superior while “mentoring” a fallen soul.
* Hyper-Specific Details: When the Deacon tests him by asking for the street name in Rochester, McCartney doesn’t flinch, instantly providing “1421 Maple Avenue.” These details (the “fox terrial dog,” the “breaf-crust”) are designed to provide the “artistic verisimilitude” needed to make a lie feel like a memory.
* The Strategic Use of Names: You’ll notice he uses the name Catherine for the child. This is the same name the woman at the church used for her baby. McCartney isn’t just lying; he is recycling the real emotion he witnessed earlier to fuel his performance.
The “Stage” vs. The “Real”
McCartney uses the play The Two Orphans as his cover story. This was a famous 19th-century melodrama about two sisters—one blind—struggling against poverty and villainy.
By choosing this specific play, McCartney subtly aligns his “wife” with a classic image of suffering womanhood, which he knows will resonate with the Deacon’s old-fashioned sensibilities, even if the Deacon “doesn’t approve of play acting.”
Psychological Warfare
The most brilliant stroke is McCartney’s “theological” outburst: “Sometimes I think there can’t be any God.” To a Deacon, this is a crisis he must “solve.” If he lets McCartney leave in this state, he hasn’t just failed a man; he has failed to “save a soul” for his own records. McCartney is essentially holding his own faith hostage to get the Deacon to reach for his wallet.
This scene is the narrative explosion Arthur Train has been building toward. The “essential incongruity” finally shatters as McCartney drops the mask of the grieving father and replaces it with the “avenging angel” of the intellectual vagabond.
It is a masterpiece of invective—a literary form of high-level insulting—where McCartney uses his superior culture to dismantle the Deacon’s entire existence.
The Breakdown of the Invective
McCartney’s insults are not random; they are surgically targeted at the “musty” details he “tabulated” earlier:
* “Christian Shylock”: A biting allusion to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. He is accusing the Deacon of being a predatory moneylender who hides behind a religious facade.
* “Bought those chromos at an auction”: A “chromo” (chromolithograph) was a cheap, mass-produced color print. McCartney is insulting the Deacon’s “culture” by suggesting his “religious and mythological” paintings are actually worthless junk bought to look expensive.
* “Withered old epidermis”: Instead of calling him “old,” McCartney uses a biological term. He is saying the Deacon has no soul or heart—he is just a layer of dead skin.
* “Petticoat on these chairs”: He mocks the “ticking covers” we saw earlier. To McCartney, this isn’t “neatness”; it is a “miserly” fear of even the friction of sitting down wearing out his wealth.
The Contrast of “Life”
McCartney defines the difference between a Vagabond and a Miser:
* The Deacon (The Crawler): Lives in “terms of figures,” “pass books,” and “worthless securities.” He “grubs” for sixty years but has never actually “lived.”
* McCartney (The God-Walker): Claims to “walk among the gods.” He quotes Percy Bysshe Shelley (“That orbed maiden with white fire laden”) to prove that while the Deacon sees the moon as “green cheese” (commodity), McCartney sees it as poetry.
Key Vocabulary & Allusions
* Anathema: A formal curse or a vigorous denunciation. McCartney’s speech is a secular anathema against the “church” of greed.
* Filliped: To strike or toss with a quick motion of the finger. It shows his utter contempt for the two coins—likely quarters—that the Deacon offered.
* Noddy Numbskull: “Noddy” is an old-fashioned term for a fool or a simpleton.
* Ossified: Literally “turned to bone.” He is calling the Deacon a living fossil whose heart has hardened into stone.
This final exchange is the ultimate “essential incongruity” of Voltaire McCartney. He admits to being a “wilted, useless bundle of nerves” and a drug addict (noted by the needles in his wrist), yet he maintains an intellectual superiority that leaves the “respectable” Deacon trembling.
The Duality of the Vagabond
McCartney’s final speech defines his tragic, brilliant character:
* The Pearl Richer Than All His Tribe: This is a famous allusion to Shakespeare’s Othello. McCartney is admitting he had a “silver spoon” and great “gifts” (talent, education, status) but threw them away. To the Deacon, this is a failure; to McCartney, even his misery is “sweeter” than the Deacon’s hollow safety.
* The “Mummy” vs. The “Live” Soul: He repeats the poem from the beginning of the story. For McCartney, “life” means feeling anything—even the “flames” of hell—while he views the Deacon as a “mummy” whose existence is a frozen state of “monotonous feet.”
* The Value of the Lie: McCartney admits that the story of “Little Catherine” was a “picture” (a creation of his mind). He insults the Deacon one last time by pointing out that even a fake memory of a child should have been worth more to a human soul than fifty cents.
The Final Punctuation
The story ends not with a handshake or a conversion, but with a banging door.
* The Deacon: Stays in his “musty” house, safe but “ossified,” having learned nothing but fear.
* McCartney: Disappears back into the “pacing of monotonous feet” in New York City. He remains a “vagabond”—homeless, penniless, and addicted, but possessing a “spirit” that the Deacon’s gold could never buy.
Etymology & Literary Roots
* Incongruity: From Latin in- (not) + congruere (to come together). The entire story is about things that don’t fit: a thief who is a poet, a Christian who is a miser, and a “mummy” who is technically alive.
* Othello’s Pearl: McCartney’s use of this quote suggests he likely had a classical education, perhaps even at an Ivy League school, before his “nerves” and his “disorder” led him to the Palisades.
The “moral” of Arthur Train’s story is a provocative one, especially for the era in which it was written. It isn’t a traditional “good vs. evil” tale; instead, it’s a study of Aesthetic and Intellectual Integrity versus Social and Moral Hypocrisy.
Train doesn’t necessarily say the Vagabond is a “better man” in a legal or even a purely moral sense—after all, McCartney is a self-confessed drug addict and a professional con artist. However, the story argues that McCartney is more “alive” and “honest” than the Deacon.
1. The Sin of “Ossification”
The story’s primary critique is directed at the Deacon. To Train, the greatest sin isn’t McCartney’s theft or addiction, but the Deacon’s spiritual death.
* The Deacon: He has spent sixty years “grubbing” and “adding figures.” He is “ossified” (turned to bone). He follows the form of religion (singing psalms, kneeling) but has no substance of charity.
* The Incongruity: He owns expensive paintings of “mythological purport” (representing wild life) and “religious purport” (representing sacrifice), yet he lives a “shrouded,” sterile life. He values the cost but fears the feeling.
2. The Integrity of the “Live” Soul
McCartney is “better” only in the sense that he remains connected to the “spirit” of humanity:
* True Charity: Earlier in the night, McCartney gives his last five dollars to a starving woman and her child. He does this with no audience and no “reputation” to protect. The Deacon, however, can’t even offer more than two quarters to a “dying child” without checking a street address first.
* The “Pearl”: McCartney admits he threw his life away (the “pearl richer than all his tribe”), but he still possesses “thoughts and dreams” that the Deacon cannot understand. He would rather be a “wilted bundle of nerves” who can feel the “fire” of life than a “mummy” who only understands green cheese and stock prices.
3. The Oscar Wilde Connection
The moral returns to that opening quote: “There is no essential incongruity between crime and culture.” Train suggests that Culture (the ability to appreciate beauty, poetry, and empathy) is a higher state of being than Respectability (the adherence to social rules and the accumulation of wealth).
> The Verdict: The Vagabond is a “thief” who lives like a “god-walker,” while the Deacon is a “saint” who lives like a “miser.” Train leaves the reader with the uncomfortable realization that the “criminal” understands the “Lord’s teachings” better than the “Deacon” ever will.
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Dancing light of grace 