第9章

“Areyoumarried，Howard？“

“No，Mother；andthereain’tanyexcuseforme-notabit，“hesaid，droppingbackintohercolloquialisms。“I’mashamedwhenIthinkofhowlongit’sbeensinceIsawyou。Icouldhavecome。“

“Itdon’tmatternow，“sheinterruptedgently。“It’sthewaythingsgo。Ourboysgrowupandleaveus。“

“Well，comeintosupper，“saidGrant’sungraciousvoicefromthedoorway。“Come，Mother。“

Mrs。McLanemovedwithdifficulty。Howardsprangtoheraid，andleaningonhisarmshewentthroughthelittlesittingroom，whichwasunlighted，outintothekitchen，wherethesuppertablestoodnearthecookstove。

“How，thisismywife，“saidGrantinacold，peculiartone。

Howardbowedtowardaremarkablyhandsomeyoungwoman，onwhoseforeheadwasascowl，whichdidnotchangeasshelookedathimandtheoldlady。

“Setdown，anywhere，“wastheyoungwoman’scordialinvitation。

Howardsatdownnexttohismother，andfacingthewife，whohadasmall，fretfulchildinherarms。AtHoward’sleftwastheoldman，Lewis。Thesupperwasspreaduponagay-coloredoilcloth，andconsistedofapanofmilk，setinthemidst，withbowlsateachplate。Besidethepanwasadipperandalargeplateofbread，andatoneendofthetablewasadishoffinehoney。

Aboyofaboutfourteenleaneduponthetable，hisbentshouldersmakinghimlooklikeanoldman。Hishickoryshirt，likethatofGrant，wasstillwetwithsweat，anddiscoloredhereandtherewithgrease，orgreenfromgrass。Hishair，freshlywetandcombed，wassmoothedawayfromhisface，andshoneinthelightofthekerosenelamp。Asheate，hestaredatHoward，asifhewouldmakeaninventoryofeachthreadofthevisitor’sclothing。

“DidIlooklikethatathisage？“thoughtHoward。

“Youseewelivejestaboutthesame’sever，“saidGrantastheybeganeating，speakingwithagrim，almostchallenginginflection。

Thetwobrothersstudiedeachothercuriously，astheytalkedofneighborhoodscenes。Howardseemedincrediblyelegantandhandsometothemall，withhisrich，softclothing，hisspotlesslinen，andhisexquisiteenunciationandeaseofspeech。Hehadalwaysbeen“smooth-spoken，“andhehadbecome“elegantlypersuasive，“ashisfriendssaidofhim，anditwasalargefactorinhissuccess。

Everydetailofthekitchen，theheat，thefliesbuzzingaloft，thepoorfurniture，thedressofthepeople-allsmotehimlikethelashofawirewhip。Hisbrotherwasamanofgreatcharacter。Hecouldseethatnow。Hisdeep-set，grayeyesandruggedfaceshowedatthirtyamanofgreatnaturalability。HehadmoreoftheScotchinhisfacethanHoward，andhelookedmucholder。

Hewasdressed，liketheoldmanandtheboy，inacheckedshirtwithoutvest。Hissuspenders，oncegay-colored，hadgivenmostoftheircolortohisshirt，andhadmarkedirregularbroadbandsofpinkandbrownandgreenoverhisshoulders。Hishairwasuncombed，merelypushedawayfromhisface。Heworeamustacheonly，thoughhisfacewascoveredwithaweek’sgrowthofbeard。Hisfacewasrathergauntandwasbrownasleather。

Howardcouldnoteatmuch。Hewasdisturbedbyhismother’sstrangesilenceandoppression，andsickenedbythelong-drawngaspswith。whichtheoldmanatehisbreadandmilk，andbythewaytheboyate。Hehadhisknifegrippedtightlyinhisfist，knucklesup，andwasscoopinghoneyuponhisbread。

Thebaby，havingceasedtobeafraid，wascurious，gazingsilentlyatthestranger。

“Hello，littleone!Comeandseeyouruncle。Eh？’Course’ewill，“

cooedHowardintheattempttoescapethedepressingatmosphere。

Thelittleonelistenedtohisinflectionsasakittendoes，andatlastlifteditsarmsinsignofsurrender。

Themother’sfaceclearedupalittle。“Ideclare，shewantstogotoyou。“

“’Courseshedoes。DogsandkittensalwayscometomewhenIcall’em。Whyshouldn’tmyownniececome？“

Hetookthelittleoneandbeganwalkingupanddownthekitchenwithher，whileshepulledathisbeardandnose。“Ioughttohaveyou，mylady，inmynewcomedy。You’dbringdownthehouse。“

“Youdon’tmeantosayyouputbabiesonthestage，Howard，“saidhismotherinsurprise。

“Oh，yes。Domesticcomedymusthaveababythesedays。“

“Well，that’sanotherwayofmakin’alivin’，sure，“saidGrant。Thebabyhadclearedtheatmospherealittle。“Is’poseyoufellersmakeapileofmoney。“

“Sometimeswemakeathousandaweek；oftenerwedon’t。“

“Athousanddollars!“Theyallstared。

“Athousanddollarssometimes，andthenloseitallthenextweekinanothertown。Thedramaticbusinessisagooddeallikegambling-youtakeyourchances。“

“Iwishyouweren’tinit，Howard。Idon’tliketohavemyson-“

“IwishIwasinsomethin’thatpaidbetter’nfarmin’。AnythingunderGod’sheavensisbetter’nfarmin’，“saidGrant。

“No，Iain’tlaidupmuch，“Howardwenton，asifexplainingwhyhehadn’thelpedthem。“Costsmeagooddealtolive，andIneedabouttenthousanddollarslee-waytoworkon。I’vemadeagoodliving，butI-Iain’tmadeanymoney。“

Grantlookedathim，darklymeditative。

Howardwenton：

“How’dyecometoselltheoldfarm？Iwasinhopes-“

“How’dwecometosellit？“saidGrantwithterriblebitterness。

“Wehadsomethingonitthatdidn’tleaveanythingtosell。Youprobablydon’trememberanythingaboutit，buttherewasamortgageonitthateatusupinjustfouryearsbythealmanac。

’MostkilledMothertoleaveit。Wewrotetoyouformoney，butI

don’ts’poseyourememberthat。“

“No，youdidn’t。“

“Yes，Idid。“

“Whenwasit？Idon’t-why，it’s-Ineverreceivedit。ItmusthavebeenthatsummerIwentwithRobMannmgtoEurope。“Howardputthebabydownandfacedhisbrother。“Why，Grant，youdidn’tthinkIrefusedtohelp？“

“Well，itlockedthatway。Weneverheardawordfromyehallsummer，andwheny’didwrite，itwasallaboutyerself’nplays’nthingswedidn’tknowanythingabout。IsworetoGodI’dneverwritetoyouagain，andIwon’t。“

“But，goodheavens!Inevergotit。“

“Supposeyoudidn’t。YoumightofknownwewerepoorasJob’soff-ox。Everybodyisthatearnsaliving。Wefellersonthefarmhavetoearnalivin’forourselvesandyoufellersthatdon’twork。I

don’tblameyeh。I’ddoitifIcould。“

“Grant，don’ttalkso!Howarddidn’trealize-“

“ItellyehIdon’tblame’im。OnlyIdon’twanthimtocomethebrotherlybusinessoverme，afterlivin’ashehas-that’sall。“Therewasabitteraccusationintheman’svoice。

Howardleapedtohisfeet，hisfacetwitching。“ByGod，I’llgobacktomorrowmorning!“hethreatened。

“Go，an’bedamned!Idon’tcarewhatyehdo，“Grantgrowled，risingandgoingout。

“Boys，“calledthemother，piteously，“it’sterribletoseeyouquarrel。“

“ButI’mnottoblame，Mother，“criedHowardinasicknessthatmadehimwhiteaschalk。“Themanisasavage。Icamehometohelpyouall，nottoquarrel。“

“Grant’sgotoneo’hisfitson，“saidtheyoungwife，speakingforthefirsttime。“Don’tpayanyattentiontohim。He’llbeallrightinthemorning。“

“Ifitwasn’tforyou，Mother，I’dleavenowandneverseethatsavageagain。“

Helashedhimselfupanddownintheroom，inhorribledisgustandhateofhisbrotherandofthishomeinhisheart。Herememberedhistenderanticipationsofthehomecomingwithakindofself-pityanddisgust。Thiswashisgreeting!

Hewenttobed，totossaboutonthehard，straw-filledmattressinthestuffylittlebestroom。Tossing，writhingunderthebludgeoningofhisbrother’saccusinginflections，adozentimeshesaid，withahalf-articulatesnarl：

“Hecangotohell!I’llnottrytodoanythingmoreforhim。Idon’tcareifheismybrother；hehasnorighttojumponmelikethat。

Onthenightofmyreturn，too。MyGod!heisabrute，asavage!“

Hethoughtofthepresentsinhistrunkandvalisewhichhecouldn’tshowtohimthatnight，afterwhathadbeensaid。Hehadintendedtohavesuchahappyeveningofit，suchatenderreunion!Itwastobesobrightandcheery!

Inthemidstofhiscursings，hishotindignation，wouldcomevisionsofhimselfinhisownmodestrooms。Heseemedtobeyawningandstretchinginhisbeautifulbed，thesunshiningin，hisbooks，foils，picturesaroundhim，tosaygoodmorningandtempthimtorise，whilethesquatlittleclockonthemantelstruckelevenwarningly。

Hecouldseetheolivewalls，theuniquecopper-and-crimsonarabesquefrieze(hisownselection)，andthedelicatedraperies；anopengratefullofglowingcoals，totempertheseawinds；andinthemidstofit，betweenalandscapebyEnnekingandanIndianinacanoeinacanyon，byBrush，hesawasomberlandscapebyamastergreaterthanMillet，amelancholysubject，treatedwithpitilessfidelity。

Afarminthevalley!Overthemountainssweptjagged，gray，angry，sprawlingclouds，sendingafreezing，thindrizzleofrain，astheypassed，uponamanfollowingaplow。Thehorseshadasullenandwearylook，andtheirmanesandtailsstreamedsidewiseintheblast。Theplowmancladinaraggedgraycoat，withuncouth，muddybootsuponhisfeet，walkedwithhisheadinclinedt~wardthesleet，toshieldhisfacefromthecoldandstingofit。Thesoilrolledaway，blackandstickyandwithadullsheenuponit。

Nearby，aboywithtearsonhischeekswaswatchingcattle，adogseatednear，hisbacktothegale。

Ashelookedatthispicture，hisheartsoftened。Helookeddownatthesleeveofhissoftandfleecynightshirt，athiswhite，roundedarm，muscularyetfineasawoman’s，andwhenhelookedforthepictureitwasgone。Thencameagaintheassertiveodorofstagnantair，ladenwithcamphor；hefeltthespringlessbedunderhim，andcaughtdimlyafewsoap-advertisinglithographsonthewalls。Hethoughtofhisbrother，inhisstillmorein-hospitablebedroom，disturbedbythechild，condemnedtoriseatfiveo’clockandbeginanotherday’spitilesslabor。Hisheartshrankandquivered，andthetearsstartedtohiseyes。

“Iforgivehim，poorfellow!He’snottoblame。“

II

HEwoke，however，withadull，languidpulseandanoppressivemelancholyonhisheart。Helookedaroundthelittleroom，cleanenough，butoh，howpoor!howbarren!Coldplasterwalls，acheapwashstand，awashsetofthreepieces，withabluebandaroundeach；thewindows，rectangular，andfittedwithfantasticgreenshades。

Outsidehecouldhearthebeeshumming。Chickensweremerrilymovingabout。Cowbellsfaruptheroadweresoundingirregularly。

Ajaycamebyandyelledaninsolentreveille，andHowardsatup。

Hecouldhearnothinginthehousebuttherattleofpansonthebacksideofthekitchen。Helookedathiswatchandsawitwashalf-pastseven。Hisbrotherwasinthefieldbythistime，aftermilking，curryingthehorses，andeatingbreakfast-hadbeenatworktwohoursandahalf。

Hedressedhimselfhurriedlyinanegligeshirtwithawindsorscad，light-colored，serviceabletrouserswithabelt，russetshoes，andatennishat-aknockaboutcostume，heconsidered。Hismother，goodsoul，thoughtitaspecialsuitputonforherbenefitandadmireditthroughherglasses。

Hekissedherwithabrightsmile，noddedatLauratheyoungwife，andtossedthebaby，allinabreath，andwiththemanner，ashehimselfsaw，ofthereturnedcaptaininthewardramasoftheday。

“Beentobreakfast？“Hefrownedreproachfully。“Whydidn’tyoucallme？Iwantedtogetup，justasIusedto，atsunrise。“

“Wethoughtyouwastired，andsowedidn’t-“

“Tired!JustwaittillyouseemehelpGrantpitchhayorsomething。Hasn’tfinishedhishaying，hashe？“

’No，Iguessnot。Hewilltodayifitdon’trainagain。“

“Well，breakfastisallready-Howard，“saidLaura，hesitatingalittleonhisname-

“Good!Iamreadyforit。Baconandeggs，asI’majay!JustwhatI

waswanting。Iwassayingtomyself。’Nowifthey’llonlygetbaconandeggsandhotbiscuitsandhoney-’Oh，say，mother，Iheardthebeeshummingthismorning；samenoisetheyusedtomakewhenI

wasaboy，exactly。mustbethesamebees。Hey，youyoungrascal!

comehereandhavesomebreakfastwithyouruncle。“