第37章 A Rose for Miss Emily (第2/3页)

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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,