Alas! It was. I could not deny it.

I said to him: "But is real understanding EVER attainable?"

He sighed and said: "Alas! The Unattainable!"

I knew why he sighed--there is so much of it --
the Unattainable!

"What one attains," I said, "is often so intangible --
do you not find it so?"

"Alas!" he said, "the Intangible!"

And I felt, somehow -- in a queer psychic way
that is elusive, you know -- strengthened and
sweetened spiritually by our sad little talk.

Our real Egos had been in communion. That's
what he said.

He has nine very commonplace children, and his
wife is very difficult socially.

She insists on filling some sort of commercial
position, although he says her place is in the home.

So they have grown apart. People don't invite
her places. Only him.