And
several times he was "discovered" by men who could have made him famous
overnight. We all believe that genius will out, despite anything, but it
doesn't always. Musicians respected him, but they were afraid of him, too.
He criticized them for their shortcomings in other things, just as he
criticized others for their shortcomings in art. He wouldn't accept any
talent, no matter how fine, if it went with anything small or destructive.
You can imagine the china shops he left in fragments! Just think! Once in
Berlin it was all arranged for him to have a recital--he was working
furiously on his program and I was dancing on air--when just at the last
moment he heard the director make some light remark or other about women.
Paul was raging! He threw the words back in the fellow's teeth, and made
him apologize, but there we were. They called off the recital, naturally.
And I couldn't blame Paul. I was just beginning to understand. Another
time ... no, he never had luck. Paul had bad luck. I often think of the
Greek tragedies.
VERA
Another time?
JEAN
Another time--it was in Warsaw--we had gone with a letter of introduction
to Sbarovitch--
VERA _The_ Sbarovitch?
JEAN
Yes.
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