“iwansomepoison,”shesaidohedruggisshewasoverhiryhen,sillaslighwoman,houghhi

erhanusualwihcold,haughybckeyesinafacehefleshofwhichwassrainedacrossheemplesandabouheeyesockesasyouimaginealighhousekeeper’sfaceougholook“iwansomepoison,”shesaid

“yes,missemilywhakind？forrasandsuch？i’drecommend—”

“iwanhebesyouhaveidon’carewhakind”

hedruggisnamedseveral“hey’llkillanyhingupoanelephanbuwhayouwanis—”

“arsenic,”missemilysaid“ishaagoodone？”

“isarsenic？yesma’ambuwhayouwan—”

“iwanarsenic”

hedruggislookeddownahershelookedbackahim,erec,herfacelikeasrainedfg“why,ofcourse,”hedruggissaid“ifha’swhayouwanbuhewrequiresyouoellwhayouaregoingouseifor”

missemilyjussaredahim,herheadiledbackinorderolookhimeyeforeye,unilhelookedawayandwenandgohearsenicandwrappediuphenegrodeliveryboybroughherhepackage;hedruggisdidn’comebackwhensheopenedhepackageahomeherewaswrienonhebox,underheskullandbones:“forras”

iv

sohenexdayweallsaid,“shewillkillherself”;andwesaidiwouldbehebeshingwhenshehadfirsbegunobeseenwihhomerbarron,wehadsaid,“shewillmarryhim”henwesaid,“shewillpersuadehimye,”becausehomerhimselfhadremarked—helikedmen,andiwasknownhahedrankwihheyoungermeninheelk’sclub—hahewasnoamarryingmanerwesaid,“pooremily,”behindhejalousiesasheypassedonsundayafernooninheglieringbuggy,missemilywihherheadhighandhomerbarronwihhishacockedandacigarinhiseeh,reinsandwhipinayellowglove

hensomeofhediesbeganosayhaiwasadisgraceoheownandabadexampleoheyoungpeoplehemendidnowanoinerfere,buashediesforcedhebapisminiser—missemily’speoplewereepiscopal—ocalluponherhewouldneverdivulgewhahappenedduringhainerview,buherefusedogobackagainhenexsundayheyagaindroveabouhesrees,andhefollowingdayheminiser’swifewroeomissemily’sreionsinabama

soshehadbloodkinunderherroofagainandwesabackwachdevelopmensafirsnohinghappenedhenweweresurehaheywereobemarriedwelearnedhamissemilyhadbeenohejeweler’sandorderedaman’soileseinsilver,wihheleershboneachpiecewodayserwelearnedhashehadboughacompleeoufiofmen’sclohing,includinganighshir,andwesaid,“heyaremarried”wewerereallygdweweregdbecausehewofemalecousinswereevenmoregriersonhanmissemilyhadeverbeen

sowewerenosurprisedwhenhomerbarron—hesreeshadbeenfinishedsomeimesince—wasgonewewerealiledisappoinedhaherewasnoapublicblowingoff,buwebelievedhahebadgoneonoprepareformissemily’scoming,orogiveherachanceogeridofhecousins(byhaimeiwasacabal,andwewereallmissemily’salliesohelpcircumvenhecousins)sureenough,aferanoherweekheydeparedand,aswehadexpecedallalong,wihinhreedayshomerbarronwasbackinownaneighborsawhenegromanadmihimahekichendooraduskoneevening

andhawasheswesawofhomerbarronandofmissemilyforsomeimehenegromanweninandouwihhemarkebaske,buhefrondoorremainedclosednowandhenwewouldseeheraawindowforamomen,ashemendidhanighwhenheysprinkledhelime,buforalmossixmonhsshedidnoappearonhesreeshenweknewhahiswasobeexpecedoo;asifhaqualiyofherfaherwhichhadhwaredherwoman’slifesomanyimeshadbeenoovirulenandoofuriousodie

whenwenexsawmissemily,shehadgrownfaandherhairwasurninggrayduringhenexfewyearsigrewgrayerandgrayeruniliaainedanevenpepperandsalirongray,wheniceasedurningupohedayofherdeahasevenyfouriwassillhavigorousirongray,likehehairofanaciveman

fromhaimeonherfrondoorremainedclosed,saveforaperiodofsixorsevenyears,whenshewasaboufory,duringwhichshegavelessonsinchinapainingshefiedupasudioinoneofhedownsairsrooms,wherehedaughersandgranddaughersofcolonelsaroris’conemporariesweresenoherwihhesamereguriyandinhesamespirihaheyweresenochurchonsundayswihawenyfivecenpieceforhecollecionpemeanwhileheraxeshadbeenremied

henhenewergeneraionbecamehebackboneandhespiriofheown,andhepainingpupilsgrewupandfellawayanddidnosendheirchildrenoherwihboxesofcolorandediousbrushesandpicurescufromhedies’magazineshefrondoorcloseduponhesoneandremainedclosedforgoodwhenheowngofreeposaldeliverymissemilyalonerefusedolehemfasenhemealnumbersaboveherdoorandaachamailboxoishewouldnolisenohem