“i’msurehawon’benecessary,”judgesevenssaid,“i’sprobablyjusasnakeorarahaniggerofherskilledinheyardi’llspeakohimaboui”

henexdayhereceivedwomorecompins,onefromamanwhocameindiffidendeprecaion“wereallymusdosomehingaboui,judgei’dbehesoneinheworldobohermissemily,buwe’vegoodosomehing”hanighheboardofaldermenme—hreegraybeardsandoneyoungerman,amemberofherisinggeneraion

“i’ssimpleenough,”hesaid“sendherwordohaveherpcecleanedupgiveheracerainimeodoiin,andifshedon’”

“dammi,sir,”judgesevenssaid,“willyouaccuseadyoherfaceofsmellingbad？”

sohenexnigh,afermidnigh,fourmencrossedmissemily’swnandslunkabouhehouselikeburgrs,sniffingalonghebaseofhebrickworkandahecelropeningswhileoneofhemperformedaregursowingmoionwihhishandouofasackslungfromhisshoulderheybrokeopenhecelrdoorandsprinkledlimehere,andinallheoubuildingsasheyrecrossedhewn,awindowhahadbeendarkwaslighedandmissemilysaini,helighbehindher,andheruprighorsomoionlessashaofanidolheycrepquielyacrosshewnandinoheshadowofhelocusshalinedhesreeaferaweekorwohesmellwenaway

hawaswhenpeoplehadbegunofeelreallysorryforherpeopleinourown,rememberinghowolddywya,hergreaaun,hadgonecompleelycrazyas,believedhahegriexsonsheldhemselvesalileoohighforwhaheyreallywerenoneofheyoungmenwerequiegoodenoughformissemilyandsuchwehadlonghoughofhemasaableau;missemilyaslenderfigureinwhieinhebackground,herfaheraspraddledsilhoueeinheforeground,hisbackoherandcluchingahorsewhip,hewoofhemframedbyhebackflungfrondoorssowhenshegoobehiryandwassillsingle,wewerenopleasedexacly,buvindicaed;evenwihinsaniyinhefamilyshewouldn’haveurneddownallofherchancesifheyhadreallymaerialized

whenherfaherdied,igoabouhahehousewasallhawaslefoher;andinaway,peopleweregdasheycouldpiymissemilybeinglefalone,andapauper,shehadbecomehumanizednowsheoowouldknowheoldhrillandheolddespairofape

ymoreorless

hedayaferhisdeahallhediespreparedocallahehouseandoffercondolenceandaid,asisourcusommissemilymehemahedoor,dressedasusualandwihnoraceofgriefonherfacesheoldhemhaherfaherwasnodeadshedidhaforhreedays,wihheminiserscallingonher,andhedocors,ryingopersuadeherolehemdisposeofhebodyjusasheywereabouoresorowandforce,shebrokedownandheyburiedherfaherquickly

wedidnosayshewascrazyhenwebelievedshehadodohawerememberedallheyoungmenherfaherhaddrivenaway,andweknewhawihnohinglef,shewouldhaveoclingohawhichhadrobbedher,aspeoplewill

iii

shewassickforalongimewhenwesawheragain,herhairwascushor,makingherlooklikeagirl,wihavagueresembneeohoseangelsincoloredchurchwindows—sorofragicandserene

heownhadjusleheconracsforpavinghesidewalks,andinhesummeraferherfaher’sdeahheybeganoworkheconsrucioncompanycamewihniggersandmulesandmachinery,andaforemannamedhomerbarron,ayankee—abig,dark,readyman,wihabigvoiceandeyesligherhanhisfacehelileboyswouldfollowingroupsohearhimcussheniggers,andheniggerssinginginimeoheriseandfallofpickspreysoonhekneweverybodyinownwheneveryouheardaloofughinganywhereabouhesquare,homerbarronwouldbeinhecenerofhegrouppresenlywebeganoseehimandmissemilyonsundayafernoonsdrivinginheyellowwheeledbuggyandhemachedeamofbaysfromheliverysable

afirsweweregdhamissemilywouldhaveanineres,becausehediesallsaid,“ofcourseagriersonwouldnohinkseriouslyofanorherner,adayborer”buhereweresillohers,olderpeople,whosaidhaevengriefcouldnocausearealdyoforgenoblesseoblige—wihoucallinginoblesseobligeheyjussaid,“pooremilyherkinsfolkshouldcomeoher”shehadsomekininabama;buyearsagoherfaherhadfallenouwihhemoverheesaeofolddywya,hecrazywoman,andherewasnocommunicaionbeweenhewofamiliesheyhadnoevenbeenrepresenedahefuneral

andassoonasheoldpeoplesaid,“pooremily”,hewhisperingbegan“doyousupposei’sreallyso？”heysaidooneanoher“ofcourseiiswhaelsecould”hisbehindheirhands:ruslingofcranedsilkandsainbehindjalousiescloseduponhesunofsundayafernoonashehin,swifclopclopclopofhemachedeampassed:“pooremily”

shecarriedherheadhighenough—evenwhenwebelievedhashewasfalleniwasasifshedemandedmorehaneverherecogniionofherdigniyashesgrierson;asifihadwanedhaouchofearhinessoreaffirmherimperviousnesslikewhensheboughherapoison,hearsenichawasoverayearaferheyhadbegunosay“pooremily”andwhilehewofemalecousinswerevisiingher