第12部分(第2/7 頁)

up　and　snarling　at　himin　a　lowered　voice　so　that　the　visitor　might　not　hear：

‘I　wish　you’d　tell　me　just　how　you　think　we’s　going　to　live　all　week　on　a　turkey　and　fivepounds　of　coffee？’

‘Honey；　I　ain’t　bought　nothing　we　didn’t　need！’

She　sighed　in　helpless　fury；　and　felt　tears　springing　to　her　eyes。

‘I　done　told　you　time　and　again　to　give　me　the　money　when　you　get　paid；　and　let　me　do　theshopping—’cause　you　ain’t　got　the　sense　that　you　was　born　with。’

‘Baby；　I　wasn’t　doing　a　thing　in　the　world　but　trying　to　help　you　out。　I　thought　maybe　youwanted　to　go　somewhere　to…night　and　you　didn’t　want　to　be　bothered　with　no　shopping。’

‘Next　time　you　want　to　do　me　a　favor；　you　tell　me　first；　you　hear？　And　how　you　expect　meto　go　to　a　show　when　you　done　brought　this　bird　home　for　me　to　clean？’

‘Honey；　I’ll　clean　it。　It　don’t　take　no　time　at　all。’

He　moved　to　the　table　where　the　turkey　lay　and　looked　at　it　critically；　as　though　he　wereseeing　it　for　the　first　time。　Then　he　looked　at　her　and　ginned。　‘That　ain’t　nothing　to　get　mad　about。’

She　began　to　cry。　‘I　declare　I　don’t　know　what　gets　into　you。　Every　week　the　Lord　sendsyou　go　out　and　do　some　foolishness。　How　do　you　expect　us　to　get　enough　money　to　get　away　fromhere　if　you　all　the　time　going　to　be　spending　your　money　on　foolishness？’

When　she　cried；　he　tried　to　fort　her；　putting　his　great　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　kissingher　where　the　tears　fell。

‘Baby；　I’m　sorry。　I　thought　it’d　be　a　nice　surprise。’

‘The　only　surprise　I　want　from　you　is　to　learn　some　sense！　That’d　be　a　surprise！　You　thinkI　want　to　stay　around　here　the　rest　of　my　life　with　these　dirty　niggers　you　al　the　time　bring　home？’

‘Where　you　expect　us　to　live；　honey；　where　we　ain’t　going　to