The Cold Millions

by Jess Walter

It seemed to Rye that his brother usually had a famous saying at the ready, and as they moved down the trail, he went with an old favorite: “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.” Early Reston squinted as they walked, the same grin on his face. “Well, go on, you well-read son of a bitch, don’t stop there.” “For if you gaze long enough into an abyss—” “The abyss gazes back,” Early said. “And that’s me, friend. The abyss smiling back.” Rye had never seen anyone compete with Gig in the quoting of famous men. This Early Reston was like Gig meeting his match and his best friend at the same time, and they went back and forth about this fella Nitchee, or that one Marks, or some guy Russo, who Early said believed that “liberty with danger is preferable to peace with slavery.” “Tommy Russo?” Rye tossed in from behind, thinking of a young Italian they’d picked apples alongside. “Jean-Jacques Rousseau,” said Gig over his shoulder, less to educate Rye than to show off for his new friend. “His Discourse on Inequality is basically the Wobbly pitch after a bath and a glass of port.” This caused even Jules to laugh, and Rye felt left out, as he often did when Gig broke out the union talk. He’d been listening

discussing philosophy : "Nichee, Marks, Ruso" Jean-Jacque Rosseau " Discourse on Inequality like a wobbly pitch after a bath and a glass of wine."