aroseformissemily

williamfaulkner

whenmissemilygriersondied,ourwholeownwenoherfuneral:hemenhroughasorofrespecfulaffecionforafallenmonumen,hewomenmoslyouofcuriosiyoseeheinsideofherhouse,whichnoonesaveanoldmanservan—acombinedgardenerandcook—hadseeninaleasenyears

iwasabig,squarishframehousehahadoncebeenwhie,decoraedwihcuposandspiresandscrolledbalconiesinheheavilylighsomesyleofhesevenies,seonwhahadoncebeenourmosselecsreebugaragesandcoonginshadencroachedandoblieraedevenheaugusnamesofhaneighborhood;onlymissemily’shousewaslef,lifingissubbornandcoqueishdecayabovehecoonwagonsandhegasolinepumps—aneyesoreamongeyesoresandnowmissemilyhadgoojoinherepresenaivesofhoseaugusnameswhereheyyinhecedarbemusedcemeeryamongherankedandanonymousgravesofunionandconfederaesoldierswhofellahebaleofjefferson

alive,missemilyhadbeenaradiion,aduy,andacare;asorofherediaryobligaionuponheown,daingfromhadayin1894whencolondsaroris,hemayor—hewhofaheredheedichanonegrowomanshouldappearonhesreeswihouanapron—remiedheraxes,hedispensaiondaingfromhedeahofherfaheroninoperpeuiynohamissemilywouldhaveaccepedchariycolonelsarorisinvenedaninvolvedaleoheeffechamissemily’sfaherhadloanedmoneyoheown,whichheown,asamaerofbusiness,preferredhiswayofrepayingonlyamanofcolonelsaroris’generaionandhoughcouldhaveinvenedi,andonlyawomancouldhavebelievedi

whenhenexgeneraion,wihismoremodernideas,becamemayorsandaldermen,hisarrangemencreaedsomeliledissaisfaciononhefirsofheyearheymailedheraaxnoicefebruarycame,andherewasnoreplyheywroeheraformalleer,askingherocallahesheriff’sofficeaherconvenienceaweekerhemayorwroeherhimself,offeringocallorosendhiscarforher,andreceivedinreplyanoeonpaperofanarchaicshape,inahin,flowingcalligraphyinfadedink,oheeffechashenolongerwenouaallheaxnoicewasalsoenclosed,wihoucommen

heycalledaspecialmeeingofheboardofaldermenadepuaionwaieduponher,knockedahedoorhroughwhichnovisiorhadpassedsincesheceasedgivingchinapaininglessonseighorenyearsearlierheywereadmiedbyheoldnegroinoadimhallfromwhichasairwaymounedinosillmoreshadowismelledofdusanddisuse—aclose,danksmellhenegroledheminoheparloriwasfurnishedinheavy,leahercoveredfurniurewhenhenegroopenedheblindsofonewindow,heycouldseehaheleaherwascracked;andwhenheysadown,afaindusrosesluggishlyabouheirhighs,spi

ingwihslowmoesinhesinglesunrayonaarnishedgileaselbeforehefirepcesoodacrayonporraiofmissemily’sfaher

heyrosewhensheenered—asmall,fawomaninbck,wihahingoldchaindescendingoherwaisandvanishinginoherbel,leaningonanebonycanewihaarnishedgoldheadherskeleonwassmallandspare;perhapshawaswhywhawouldhavebeenmerelyplumpnessinanoherwasobesiyinhershelookedbloaed,likeabodylongsubmergedinmoionlesswaer,andofhapallidhuehereyes,losinhefayridgesofherface,lookedlikewosmallpiecesofcoalpressedinoalumpofdoughasheymovedfromonefaceoanoherwhilehevisiorssaedheirerrand

shedidnoaskhemosishejussoodinhedoorandlisenedquielyunilhespokesmancameoasumblinghalhenheycouldhearheinvisiblewachickingaheendofhegoldchain

hervoicewasdryandcold“ihavenoaxesinjeffersoncolonelsarorisexpinediomeperhapsoneofyoucangainaccessoheciyrecordsandsaisfyyourselves”

“buwehaveweareheciyauhoriies,missemilydidn’yougeanoicefromhesheriff,signedbyhim？”

“ireceivedapaper,yes,”missemilysaid“perhapsheconsidershimselfhesheriffihavenoaxesinjefferson”

“buhereisnohingonhebooksoshowha,youseewemusgobyhe—”

“seecolonelsarorisihavenoaxesinjefferson’’

”bu,missemily—“

”seecolonelsaroris“(colonelsarorishadbeendeadalmosenyears)”ihavenoaxesinjeffersonobe！“henegroappeared,”showhesegenlemenou“

ii

soshevanquishedhem,horseandfoo,jusasshehadvanquishedheirfahershiryyearsbeforeabouhesmellhawaswoyearsaferherfaher’sdeahandashorimeaferhersweehear—heonewebelievedwouldmarryher—haddeseredheraferherfaher’sdeahshewenouverylile;aferhersweehearwenaway,peoplehardlysawheraallafewofhedieshadheemeriyocall,buwerenoreceived,andheonlysignoflifeabouhepcewashenegroman—ayoungmanhen—goinginandouwihamarkebaske

“jusasifaman—anyman—couldkeepakichenproperly,”hediessaid;soheywerenosurprisedwhenhesmelldevelopediwasanoherlinkbeweenhegross,eemingworldandhehighandmighycriersons

aneighbor,awoman,compinedohemayor,judgesevens,eighyyearsold

“buwhawillyouhavemedoaboui,madam？”hesaid

“why,sendherwordosopi,”hewomansaid,“isn’hereaw？”