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barest cabinet…outside of a rented motel room…I had ever seen。
I returned to the living room in time to hear Berenice say； 〃Don't you get lonely； Mr。 Debierue； living way out here all alone？〃
He smiled； patted her hand； and shook his head。
〃It's the nature of the artist to be lonely；〃 I answered for him。 〃But the painter has his work to do； which is ample pensation。〃
〃I know；〃 Berenice said； 〃but this place is a million miles from nowhere。 You ought to get a car； Mr。 Debierue。 Then you could drive over to Dania for jai…alai at night or something。〃
〃No； no；〃 he protested； still patting her hand； 〃I am too old now to learn how to drive an automobile。〃
〃You could take some students；〃 Berenice said eagerly。 〃There would be a lot of students who would like to work with you in your studio！ And I bet they'd e with cars from all over〃…she turned to me…〃wouldn't they； James？〃
Debierue laughed； and I joined him； although I was laughing more at Berenice's droll expression…half anger and half bewilderment…because we were laughing at her。 For any other painter of equal stature； Picasso； for instance； the suggestion of a student working with a master was valid enough。 But for Debierue； who showed his work to no one； the idea was absurd。 Debierue had sidetracked me neatly。 It was time to get back to business。
I put an affectionate arm around Berenice's waist and squeezed her as a signal to keep quiet。 〃You didn't answer my question a while ago； M。 Debierue；〃 I said soberly。 〃You have been very nice to me…to us both…even though we've invaded your privacy。 But I would like to see your present work…〃
He sighed。 〃I'm sorry； M。 Figueras。 You have made your visit without reason。 You see；〃 he shrugged； 〃I have no work to show you。〃
〃Nothing at all？ Not even a drawing？〃
The corners of his mouth drooped morosely。 〃Work I have； yes。 But what things I have done in Florida are not deserving of your attention。〃
〃Why don't you let me be the judge of that？〃
His strained half…smile was weary； but his features stiffened with a mask of discernible dignity。 His voice dropped to a husky whisper。 〃The artist alone is the final judge of his work； M。 Figueras。〃
I flushed。 〃please don't misunderstand me；〃 I said quickly。 〃I didn't mean what I said to e out that way。 What I meant was that I don't intend to criticize your work； or judge it in any way。 I meant to say that I would prefer to be the judge of whether I'd like to see it or not。 And I would。 It would be an honor。〃
〃No。 I am sorry but I must refuse。 You are a critic and you cannot help yourself。 For you； to see a picture is to make a judgment。 I do not want your judgment。 I paint for Debierue。 I please myself and I displease myself。 For a young man like you to say to me； 'Ah； M。 Debierue； here in this corner a touch of terracotta might strengthen the visual weight；〃 or 'I like the tactile texture； but I believe I see a hole in the overall position。。。：〃 He chuckled drily。 〃I must say No； M。 Figueras。〃
〃You are putting me down； sir；〃 I said。 〃I know there are critics such as you describe； but I'm not one of them。〃 My face was flaming； but my voice was under control。
〃With the art of Debierue； one man is a crowd。 Me。 Debierue。 Two people are a noisy audience。 But to have one spectator with a pen； the critic； is to have many thousands of spectators。 Surrealism does not need your rationale； M。 Figueras。 And Debierue does not paint 'bicephalous centaursY'
〃He won't let you see his pictures； will he？〃 Berenice guessed； looking at my face。
I shook my head。
〃Maybe；〃 she turned and looked coyly at Debierue； 〃you'll let me see them instead； Mr。 Debierue？〃
He stepped back a few feet and examined her figure admiringly。 〃You have a wide pelvis； my dear； and it will be very easy for you to have many fine； beautiful babies。〃
〃By that he means No for me too； doesn't he？〃
〃What else？〃 I shrugged； and lit a cigarette。
As I had suspected； Debierue had disliked Galt's criticism。 I could have begged； but that would have been abhorrent to me。 If this was the way he felt there was no point in pursuing the matter anyway。 In one way； he was right about me。 It would have been impossible for me to look at his work without judging it。 And although I would not have said anything derogatory about his work； no matter how I felt about it； there was bound to be some indication of how I felt…pro or con…reflected in my face。 If he didn't actually believe that his paintings were worthy （although his faculty for criticism was certainly not as good as mine）； all I could do now was take him at his word。 I felt almost like crying。 It was one of the greatest disappointments of my life。
〃Perhaps another time； then； M。 Debierue；〃 I said。
〃Yes； perhaps。〃 He stroked his beaked nose pensively and studied my face。 Not rudely； but earnestly。 He glanced toward the hallway leading to his padlocked studio； looked back at me； smiled at Berenice； and tugged pensively at his lower lip。 I suspect that he had expected me to put up a prolonged； involved argument； and now he didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed by my failure to protest。
〃Tell me something； M。 Figueras。 I am called the Nihilistic Surrealist； but I have never known why。 Do you see much disorder here； in my little house？〃
〃No； sir' I looked around。 〃Far from it。〃
For an artist； the lack of clutter was most unusual。 Painters； as a 〃class〃； are a messy lot。 They collect things。 An old board with concentric swirls； a rock with an intriguing shape； jumbles of wire； seashells； any and all kinds of things that have； to them； interesting shapes or colors。 A chunk of wood； for example； may gather a heavy patina of dust for years before a sculptor finally detects the shape within the object and liberates it into a piece of sculpture。
Painters are even messier； in most instances； than sculptors。 They stick drawings up here and there。 Pads with sketches are scattered about haphazardly； and they clutter their quarters with all kinds of props and worthless junk。 Things are needed for visual stimulation and possible ideas。 This clutter is not confined to their studios either。 It generally spills over into their everyday habitat； including the kitchen and bathroom。
And a Surrealist； like Debierue； dealing in the juxtaposition of the unlikely； would ordinarily require a great many unrelated objects in his home…studio to nudge his subconscious。 But then； Debierue was an anomaly among painters。 My experience with the habits of other painters could hardly apply to him。 Besides； I had not； as yet； seen the inside of his studio。 。 。 。
〃As you see； I am an orderly； clean old man。 Always it was so； even as a young man。 So it may be； after all； that I am not the Surrealist。 Is it not so？〃 The grooved amusement lines crowding his blue eyes deepened as he smiled。
〃It's a relative term；〃 I said politely。 〃A convenient label。 'Superrealist' or 'Subrealist' would both have served as well。 The term 'Dada' itself was just a catchall word at first； but the motto 'Dada hurts；' when it was truly followed or lived up to in plastic expression； was quite important to me。 In fact it stifi is； but I've always considered 'Surrealism' as a misnomer。〃
〃Debierue does not like any label。 Debierue is Debierue。 Marcel Duchamp I admired very much； and he too did not like labels。 Do you remember what Duchamp did when a young writer asked him for permission to write his biography？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃When Duchamp was asked for the quite personal information about himself he said nothing。 He did not have to think。 He emptied all of the drawers from his desk onto the floor and walked out of the room。〃
〃An existential act。〃 The story was one I hadn't heard。
〃Another label； M。 Figueras？〃 He clucked his tongue。 〃So now on the floor are odds and ends； little things saved in the desk for many years for no good reason。 Snapshots； little notes one receives or makes for himself。 Old letters from friends； enemies； ladies。 And； what is it？…the doodles； little pencil squigglings。 And pretty canceled stamps； saved because they are exotic perhaps。 Stubs from the theater。〃 He shrugged。
〃It sounds like my desk in New York。〃
〃But this was the Duchamp biography。 The clever young man picked up everything from the floor and went away。 He pasted all of the objects in a big book； entitled it The Biography of Marcel Duchamp and sold it for a large sum of dollars to a rich Texas Jew。〃
〃It's funny！ never heard about it。 I thought I knew practically everything about Duchamp there was to know 。 。 。〃
〃And so did the young man who 'wrote' the biography about Duchamp out of odds and ends from a desk。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 I said； 〃I'd like to take a look at that book。 Every scrap of information about Duchamp is important because it helps us to understand his art。〃
The artist shrugged。 〃There is no such book。 The story is apochryphal…I made it up myself and spread it to a few friends many years ago to see what would happen。 And because it is something Duchamp might do； many believed it as you were prepared to do。 The chance debris of an artist's life does not explain the man； nor does it explain the artist's work。 The true artist's vision es from here。〃 He tapped his forehead。
Debierue's face was expressionless now； and I was unable to tell whether he was serious； teasing me； or getting hostile。 He turned to Berenice and smiled。 He took her right hand in both of his and spoke in English。
〃If a man had a wife and children； perhaps a short biography to leave his family； a record for them to remember him。 。 。 but old Debierue has no wife； children； no relatives now living； to want such a book。 The true artist； my dear； is too responsible to marry and have a family。〃
〃Too responsible to fall in love？〃 Berenice asked softly。
〃No。 Love he must have。〃
I cleared my throat。 〃The entire world is the artist's family； M。 Debierue。 There are thousands of art lovers all over the world who would like to read your biography。 Those who write to you； I know； and those who…〃
He patted my arm。 〃Let us be the friends。 It is not friendly to talk about nothing with such seriousness on your face。 It is getting late； and you will both stay to dinner with me； please。〃
〃Thank you very much。 We would like very much to stay。〃 He had changed the subject abruptly； but the longer I stayed the better my chances became to gain information about the old man。 Or did they？
〃Good！〃 He rubbed his dry hands together and they made a rasping sound。 〃First I will turn on my electric oven to four…two…five degrees。 I do not have the printed menu； but you may decide。 There is the television turkey dinner。 Very good。 There is the television Salisbury steak。 Also very good。 Or maybe； M。 Figueras； you would most like the television patio dinner？ Enchilada； tamale； Spanish rice； and refried beans。〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃I guess I'll have the turkey。〃
〃I'd rather have the Salisbury steak；〃 Berenice said。 〃And let me help you…〃
〃No。 Debierue will also have the turkey！〃 He smiled happily； and turned toward the stove。 Relenting； he changed direction； went to the sideboard and got out a box of Piknik yellow plastic forks and spoons。 There was a four…mat set of sticky rubber yellow place mats in the drawer。 He handed the mats and the box of plastic utensils to Berenice and asked her to set the card table on the porch。
So far； I thought bitterly； as I glumly watched this bustling domestic activity； except for a few gossipy ments on a low curiosity level； I had picked up damned little information of any real interest from the old artist。 If anything； he had learned more about me than I had about him。 He had refused to let me see his work； and just as he had started to open up he had slammed the lid on what might have been an entire trunkful of fascinating material。 He was a bewildering old man； all right； and I couldn't decide whether he was somewhat senile （no； not that）； putting me down； with some mysterious purpose in mind； or what。。。
Working away； stripping the cardboard outer covers from the aluminum TV dinners he had taken from the freezer partment of the purple Kentone refrigerat