CHAPTER III 

[ Scene-The Studio.] 

"Oh, John, friend of my boyhood, I am the unhappiest of men." 

"You're a simpleton!" 

"I have nothing left to love but my poor statue of America--and see, even she has no sympathy for me in her cold marble countenance--so beautiful and so heartless!" 

"You're a dummy!" 

"Oh, John!" 

Oh, fudge! Didn't you say you had six months to raise the money in?" 

"Don't deride my agony, John. If I had six centuries what good would it do? How could it help a poor wretch without name, capital, or friends?" 

"Idiot! Coward! Baby! Six months to raise the money in--and five will do!" 

"Are you insane?" 

"Six months--an abundance. Leave it to me. I'll raise it." 

"What do you mean, John? How on earth can you raise such a monstrous sum for me?" 

"Will you let that be my business, and not meddle? Will you leave the thing in my hands? Will you swear to submit to whatever I do? Will you pledge me to find no fault with my actions?" 

"I am dizzy--bewildered--but I swear." 

John took up a hammer and deliberately smashed the nose of America! He made another pass and two of her fingers fell to the floor--another, and part of an ear came away--another, and a row of toes was mangled and dismembered--another, and the left leg, from the knee down, lay a fragmentary ruin! 

John put on his hat and departed. 

George gazed speechless upon the battered and grotesque nightmare before him for the space of thirty seconds, and then wilted to the floor and went into convulsions. 
Who is unhappy
Why?
What does he need?
what does he need in that time?
How much?
Does he think he can do it?
Who thinks he can?
Who is his friend?
What did John do?
and did what?
of what?
Did he hit it once?
George
George
nothing left to love
nothing left to love
six months time
six months
raise the money
 raise the money 
monstrous sum
monstrous sum
yes and no
 If I had six centuries
someone with name, capital, or friends
name, capital, or friends
statue of America
statue of America
took up a hammer
took up a hammer
smashed the nose
smashed the nose
of America the statue
of America
no
pass and two