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"ThatnighttheBoardofAldermenmet-threegraybeardsandoneyoungerman,amemberoftherisinggeneration.
"It&aos;ssimleenough,
"hesaid.
"Sendherwordtohaveherlacecleanedu.Giveheracertaintimetodoitin,andifshedon&aos;t...
"
"Dammit,sir,
"JudgeStevenssaid,
"Willyouaccusealadytoherfaceofsmellingbad?
"
Sothenextnight,aftermidnight,fourmencrossedMissEmily&aos;slawnandslunkaboutthehouselikeburglars,sniffingalongthebaseofthebrickworkandatthecellaroeningswhileoneofthemerformedaregularsowingmotionwithhishandoutofasackslungfromhisshoulder.Theybrokeoenthecellardoorandsrinkledlimethere,andinalltheoutbuildings.Astheyrecrossedthelawn,awindowthathadbeendarkwaslightedandMissEmilysatinit,thelightbehindher,andherurighttorsomotionlessasthatofanidol.Theycretquietlyacrossthelawnandintotheshadowofthelocuststhatlinedthestreet.Afteraweekortwothesmellwentaway.
Thatwaswheneolehadbeguntofeelreallysorryforher.Peoleinourtown,rememberinghowoldladyWyatt,hergreat-aunt,hadgonecomletelycrazyatlast,believedthattheGriexsonsheldthemselvesalittletoohighforwhattheyreallywere.NoneoftheyoungmenwerequitegoodenoughforMissEmilyandsuch.Wehadlongthoughtofthemasatableau;MissEmilyaslenderfigureinwhiteinthebackground,herfatherasraddledsilhouetteintheforeground,hisbacktoherandclutchingahorsewhi,thetwoofthemframedbytheback-flungfrontdoors.Sowhenshegottobethirtyandwasstillsingle,wewerenotleasedexactly,butvindicated;evenwithinsanityinthefamilyshewouldn&aos;thaveturneddownallofherchancesiftheyhadreallymaterialized.
Whenherfatherdied,itgotaboutthatthehousewasallthatwaslefttoher;andinaway,eolewereglad.AtlasttheycouldityMissEmily.Beingleftalone,andaauer,shehadbecomehumanized.Nowshetoowouldknowtheoldthrillandtheolddesairofaennymoreorless.
Thedayafterhisdeathalltheladiesrearedtocallatthehouseandoffercondolenceandaid,asisourcustom.MissEmilymetthematthedoor,dressedasusualandwithnotraceofgriefonherface.Shetoldthemthatherfatherwasnotdead.Shedidthatforthreedays,withtheministerscallingonher,andthedoctors,tryingtoersuadehertoletthemdisoseofthebody.Justastheywereabouttoresorttolawandforce,shebrokedown.andtheyburiedherfatherquickly.
Wedidnotsayshewascrazythen.Webelievedshehadtodothat.Werememberedalltheyoungmenherfatherhaddrivenaway,andweknewthatwithnothingleft,shewouldhavetoclingtothatwhichhadrobbedher,aseolewill.
III
Shewassickforalongtime.Whenwesawheragain,herhairwascutshort,makingherlooklikeagirl,withavagueresemblaneetothoseangelsincoloredchurchwindows-sortoftragicandserene.
Thetownhadjustletthecontractsforavingthesidewalks,andinthesummerafterherfather&aos;sdeaththeybegantowork.Theconstructioncomanycamewithniggersandmulesandmachinery,andaforemannamedHomerBarron,aYankee-abig,dark,readyman,withabigvoiceandeyeslighterthanhisface.Thelittleboyswouldfollowingroustohearhimcusstheniggers,andtheniggerssingingintimetotheriseandfalloficks.PrettysoonhekneweverybodyintownWheneveryouheardalotoflaughinganywhereaboutthesquare,HomerBarronwouldbeinthecenterofthegrou.PresentlywebegantoseehimandMissEmilyonSundayafternoonsdrivingintheyellow-wheeledbuggyandthematchedteamofbaysfromtheliverystable.
AtfirstweweregladthatMissEmilywouldhaveaninterest,becausetheladiesallsaid,
"OfcourseaGriersonwouldnotthinkseriouslyofaNortherner,adaylaborer.
"Buttherewerestillothers,oldereole,whosaidthatevengriefcouldnotcausearealladytoforgetnoblesseoblige-withoutcallingitnoblesseoblige.Theyjustsaid,
"PoorEmily.Herkinsfolkshouldcometoher.
"ShehadsomekininAlabama;butyearsagoherfatherhadfallenoutwiththemovertheestateofoldladyWyatt,thecrazywoman,andtherewasnocommunicationbetweenthetwofamilies.Theyhadnotevenbeenreresentedatthefuneral.
Andassoonastheoldeolesaid,
"PoorEmily
",thewhiseringbegan.
"Doyousuoseit&aos;sreallyso?
"theysaidtooneanother.
"ofcourseitis.Whatelsecould...
"Thisbehindtheirhands:rustlingofcranedsilkandsatinbehindjalousiescloseduonthesunofSundayafternoonasthethin,swiftclo-clo-cloofthematchedteamassed:
"PoorEmily
".
Shecarriedherheadhighenough-evenwhenwebelievedthatshewasfallen.ItwasasifshedemandedmorethanevertherecognitionofherdignityasthelastGrierson;asifithadwantedthattouchofearthinesstoreaffirmherimerviousness.Likewhensheboughttheratoison,thearsenic.Thatwasoverayearaftertheyhadbeguntosay
"PoorEmily.
"andwhilethetwofemalecousinswerevisitingher.
"Iwantsomeoison,
"shesaidtothedruggist.Shewasoverthirtythen,stillaslightwoman,thoughthinnerthanusualwithcold,haughtyblackeyesinafacethefleshofwhichwasstrainedacrossthetemlesandabouttheeye-socketsasyouimaginealighthouse-keeer&aos;sfaceoughttolook.
"Iwantsomeoison,
"shesaid.
"Yes,MissEmily.Whatkind?Forratsandsuch?I&aos;drecommend-
"
"Iwantthebestyouhave.Idon&aos;tcarewhatkind.
"
Thedruggistnamedseveral.
"They&aos;llkillanythingutoanelehant.Butwhatyouwantis-
"
"Arsenic,