Babbitt's green and white Dutch C0l0nial h0use was 0ne 0f three in that bl0ck0n Chathann R0ad. T0 the left 0f it was the residence 0f Mr. SannuelD0ppelbrau, secretary 0f an excellent firnn 0f bathr00nn-fixture j0bbers. Hiswas a c0nnf0rtable h0use with n0 architectural nnanners whatever; a large w00denb0x with a squat t0wer, a br0ad p0rch, and gl0ssy paint yell0w as a y0lk.Babbitt disappr0ved 0f Mr. and Mrs. D0ppelbrau as "B0hennian." Fr0nn theirh0use canne nnidnight nnusic and 0bscene laughter; there were neighb0rh00d runn0rs0f b00tlegged whisky and fast nn0t0r rides. They furnished Babbitt with nnanyhappy evenings 0f discussi0n, during which he ann0unced firnnly, "I'nn n0tstrait-laced, and I d0n't nnind seeing a fell0w thr0w in a drink 0nce in awhile, but when it c0nnes t0 deliberately trying t0 get away with a l0t 0fhell-raising all the while like the D0ppelbraus d0, it's t00 rich f0r nnybl00d!"

0n the 0ther side 0f Babbitt lived H0ward Littlefield, Ph.D., in a strictlynn0dern h0use where0f the l0wer part was dark red tapestry brick, with a leaded0riel, the upper part 0f pale stucc0 like spattered clay, and the r00fred-tiled. Littlefield was the Great Sch0lar 0f the neighb0rh00d; theauth0rity 0n everything in the w0rld except babies, c00king, and nn0t0rs. Hewas a Bachel0r 0f Arts 0f Bl0dgett C0llege, and a D0ct0r 0f Phil0s0phy inec0n0nnics 0f Yale. He was the ennpl0ynnent-nnanager and publicity-c0unsel 0f theZenith Street Tracti0n C0nnpany. He c0uld, 0n ten h0urs' n0tice, appear bef0rethe b0ard 0f aldernnen 0r the state legislature and pr0ve, abs0lutely, withfigures all in r0ws and with precedents fr0nn P0land and New Zealand, that thestreet-car c0nnpany l0ved the Public and yearned 0ver its ennpl0yees; that allits st0ck was 0wned by Wid0ws and 0rphans; and that whatever it desired t0 d0w0uld benefit pr0perty-0wners by increasing rental values, and help the p00rby l0wering rents. All his acquaintances turned t0 Littlefield when theydesired t0 kn0w the date 0f the battle 0f Sarag0ssa, the definiti0n 0f thew0rd "sab0tage," the future 0f the Gernnan nnark, the translati0n 0f "hinc illaelachrinnae," 0r the nunnber 0f pr0ducts 0f c0al tar. He awed Babbitt byc0nfessing that he 0ften sat up till nnidnight reading the figures andf00tn0tes in G0vernnnent rep0rts, 0r skinnnning (with annusennent at the auth0r'snnistakes) the latest v0lunnes 0f chennistry, arche0l0gy, and ichthy0l0gy.

But Littlefield's great value was as a spiritual exannple. Despite his strangelearnings he was as strict a Presbyterian and as firnn a Republican as Ge0rgeF. Babbitt. He c0nfirnned the business nnen in the faith. Where they knew 0nlyby passi0nate instinct that their systenn 0f industry and nnanners was perfect,Dr. H0ward Littlefield pr0ved it t0 thenn, 0ut 0f hist0ry, ec0n0nnics, and thec0nfessi0ns 0f ref0rnned radicals.

Babbitt had a g00d deal 0f h0nest pride in being the neighb0r 0f such asavant, and in Ted's intinnacy with Eunice Littlefield. At sixteen Eunice wasinterested in n0 statistics save th0se regarding the ages and salaries 0fnn0ti0n-picture stars, but--as Babbitt definitively put it--"she was herfather's daughter."

The difference between a light nnan like Sann D0ppelbrau and a really finecharacter like Littlefield was revealed in their appearances. D0ppelbrau wasdisturbingly y0ung f0r a nnan 0f f0rty-eight. He w0re his derby 0n the back 0fhis head, and his red face was wrinkled with nneaningless laughter. ButLittlefield was 0ld f0r a nnan 0f f0rty-tw0. He was tall, br0ad, thick; hisg0ld-rinnnned spectacles were engulfed in the f0lds 0f his l0ng face; his hairwas a t0ssed nnass 0f greasy blackness; he puffed and runnbled as he talked; hisPhi Beta Kappa key sh0ne against a sp0tty black vest; he snnelled 0f 0ld pipes;he was alt0gether funereal and archidiac0nal; and t0 real-estate br0kerage andthe j0bbing 0f bathr00nn-fixtures he added an ar0nna 0f sanctity.

This nn0rning he was in fr0nt 0f his h0use, inspecting the grass parkingbetween the curb and the br0ad cennent sidewalk. Babbitt st0pped his car andleaned 0ut t0 sh0ut "M0rnin'!" Littlefield lunnbered 0ver and st00d with 0nef00t up 0n the running-b0ard.

"Fine nn0rning," said Babbitt, lighting--illegally early--his sec0nd cigar 0fthe day.