第13部分(第1/7 頁)

‘I　reckon。’

‘And　what　you　going　to　say？’

‘I’m　going　to　tell　her　she　ought　to　let　him　know　she　know　about　his　wickedness。　Get　up　infront　of　the　congregation　and　tell　them　too；　if　she　has　to。’

He　stirred　restlessly；　and　frowned。　‘Well；　you　know　more　about　it　than　me。　But　I　don’t　seewhere　that’s　going　to　do　no　good。’

‘It’ll　do　her　some　good。　It’ll　make　him　treat　her　better。　You　don’t　know　my　brother　like　Ido。　There　ain’t　but　one　way　to　get　along　with　him；　you　got　to　scare　him　half　to　death。　That’s　all。　Heain’t　got　no　right　to　go　around　running　his　mouth　about　how　holy　he　is　if　he　done　turned　a　tricklike　that。’

There　was　silence；　he　whistled　again　a　few　bars　of　his　song；　and　then　he　yawned；　and　said：

‘Is　you　ing　to　bed；　old　lady？　Don’t　know　why　you　keep　wasting　all　your　time　and　my　moneyon　all　them　old　skin　whiteners。　You　as　black　now　as　you　was　the　day　you　was　born。’

‘You　wasn’t　there　the　day　I　was　born。　And　I　know　you　don’t　want　a　coal…black　woman。’

But　she　rose　from　the　mirror；　and　moved　toward　the　bed。

‘I　ain’t　never　said　nothing　like　that。　You　just　kindly　turn　out　that　light　and　I’ll　make　you　toknow　that　black’s　a　mighty　pretty　color。’

She　wondered　if　Deborah　had　ever　spoken；　and　she　wondered　if　she　would　give　Gabriel　theletter　that　she　carried　in　her　handbag　to…night。　She　had　held　it　all　these　years；　awaiting　some　savageopportunity。　What　this　opportunity　would　have　been　she　did　not；　at　this　moment　she　did　not　wantto　know。　For　she　had　always　thought　of　this　letter　as　an　instrument　in　her　hands　which　could　beused　to　plete　her　brother’s　destruction。　When　he　was　pletely　cast　down　she　would　preventhim　from　ever　rising　again　by　holding　before　him　the　evidence　of　his　blood…guilt。　But　now　shethought　she