第12部分(第3/7 頁)

be　with　niggers？’

Then　she　turned　away；　looking　out　of　the　kitchen　window。　It　faced　an　elevated　train　thatpassed　so　close　she　always　felt　that　she　might　spit　in　the　faces　of　the　flying；　staring　people。

‘I　just　don’t　like　all　that　ragtag　…　looks　like　you　think　so　much　of。’

Then　there　was　silence。　Although　she　had　turned　her　back　to　him；　she　felt　that　he　was　nolonger　smiling　and　that　his　eyes；　watching　her；　had　darkened。

‘And　what　kind　of　man　you　think　you　married？’

‘I　thought　I　married　a　man　with　some　get　up　and　go　to　him；　who　didn’t　just　want　to　stay　onthe　bottom　all　his　life！’

‘And　what　you　want　me　to　me　to　do；　Florence？　You　want　me　to　turn　white？’

This　question　always　filled　her　with　an　ecstasy　of　hatred。　She　turned　and　faced　him；　and；forgetting　that　there　was　someone　sitting　in　the　parlor；　shouted：

‘You　ain’t　got　to　be　white　to　have　some　self…respect！　You　reckon　I　slave　in　this　house　like　Ido　so　you　and　them　mon　niggers　can　sit　here　every　afternoon　throwing　ashes　all　over　thefloor？’

‘And　who’s　mon　now；　Florence？’　he　asked；　quietly；　in　the　immediate　and　awful　silencein　which　she　recognized　her　error。　‘Who’s　acting　like　a　mon　nigger　now？　What　you　reckon　myfriend　is　sitting　there　a…thinking？　I　declare；　I　wouldn’t　be　surprise　none　if　he　wasn’t　a…thinking：

“Poor　Frank；　he　sure　found　him　a　mon　wife。”　Anyway；　he　ain’t　putting　his　ashes　on　the　floor—he　putting　them　in　the　ashtray；　just　like　he　knew　what　a　ashtray　was。’　She　knew　that　she　had　hurthim；　and　that　he　was　angry；　by　the　habit　he　had　at　such　a　moment　of　running　his　tongue　quicklyand　incessantly　over　his　lower　lip。　‘But　we’s　a…going　now；　so　you　can　sweep　up　the　parlor　and　sitthere；　if　you　want　to；　till　the　judgment　day。’

And　he　left　the　kitch