按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the same rich brown color as did Portia's。 They did not look
him in the eye； and in their faces there was neither love nor
hate。
123
It sure is a pity everybody couldn't come—Aunt Sara and Jim
and all the rest；' said Highboy。 'But this here is a real pleasure
to us。'
'Wagon too full；' said one of the children。 'Us had to walk a
long piece 'cause the wagon too full anyways。'
Grandpapa scratched Ms ear with a matchstick。 'Somebody
got to stay home。'
Nervously Portia licked her dark； thin lips。 'It our Willie I
thinking about。 He were always a big one for any kind of party
or to…do。 My mind just won't stay off our Willie。'
Through the room there was a quiet murmur of agreement。
The old man leaned back in bis chair and waggled his head up
and down。 'Portia； Hon； supposing you reads to us a little
while。 The word of God sure do mean a lot in a time of
trouble。'
Portia took up the Bible from the table in the center of the
room。 'What part you want to hear now； Grandpapa？'
'It all the book of the Holy Lord。 Just any place your eye fall
on will do。'
Portia read from the Book of Luke。 She read slowly； tracing
the words with her long； limp finger。 The room was still。
Doctor Copeland sat on the edge of the group； cracking his
knuckles； his eyes wandering from one point to another。 The
room was very small； the air close and stuffy。 The four walls
were cluttered with calendars and crudely painted
advertisements from magazines。 On the mantel there was a
vase of red paper roses。 The fire on the hearth burned slowly
and the wavering light from the oil lamp made shadows on the
wall。 Portia read with such slow rhythm that the words slept in
Doctor Copeland's ears and he was drowsy。 Karl Marx lay
sprawled upon the floor beside the children。 Hamilton and
Highboy dozed。 Only the old man seemed to study the
meaning of the words。
Portia finished the chapter and closed the book。
'I done pondered over this thing a many a time/ said
Grandpapa。
The people in the room came out of their drowsiness。 'What？
'
asked Portia。
'It this way。 You recall them parts Jesus raising the dead and
curing the sick？
'
'Course we does； sir；' said Highboy deferentially。124
CARSON Me CULLERS
I
'Many a day when I be plowing or working；' Grandpapa said
slowly； 'I done thought and reasoned about the time when
Jesus going to descend again to this earth。 'Cause I done
always wanted it so much it seem to me like it will be while I
am living。 I done studied about it many a time。 And this here
the way I done planned it。 I reason I will get to stand before
Jesus with all my childrens and grandchil…drens and great
grandchildrens and kinfolks and friends and I say to him；
〃Jesus Christ； us is all sad colored peoples。〃 And then he will
place His holy hand upon our heads and straightway us will be
white as cotton。 That the plan and reasoning that been in my
heart a many and a many a time。'
A hush fell on the room。 Doctor Copeland jerked the cuff of
his sleeves and cleared his throat。 His pulse beat too fast and
his throat was tight Sitting in the corner of the room he felt
isolated and angry and alone。
'Has any of you ever had a sign from Heaven？' asked
Grandpapa。
'I has； sir；' said Highboy。 'Once when I were sick with the
pneumonia I seen God's face looking out the fireplace at me。 It
were a large white man's face with a white beard and blue
eyes。'
'I seen a ghost；' said one of the children—the girL
'Once I seen' began the little boy。
Grandpapa held up his hand。 'You childrens hush。 You； 。 I
Celia—and you； Whitman—it now the time for you to * listen
but not be heard；' he said。 'Only one time has I had a real sign。
And this here the way it come about。 It were in the summer of
last year； and hot。 I were trying to dig up the roots of that big
oak stump near the hogpen and when I leaned down a kind of
catch； a misery； come suddenly in the small of my back。 I
straightened up and then aU around went dark。 I were holding
my hand to my back and looking up at the sky when suddenly
I seen this little angel。 It were a little white girl angel—look to
me about the size of a field pea—with yellow hair and a white
robe。 Just flying around near the sun。 After that I come in the
house and prayed。 I studied the Bible for three days before I
went out in the field again。'
Doctor Copeland felt the old evil anger in him。 The words
rose inchoately to his throat and he could not speak
125
them。 They would listen to the old man。 Yet to words of
reason they would not attend。 These are my people； he tried to
tell himself—but because he was dumb this thought did not
help him now。 He sat tense and sullen。
'It a queer thing；' said Grandpapa suddenly。 'Benedict Mady；
you a fine doctor。 How come I get them miseries sometime in
the small of my back after I been digging and planting for a
good while？ How come that misery bother me？'
'How old are you now？'
'I somewhere between seventy and eighty year old。'
The old man loved medicine and treatment Always when he
used to come in with his family to see Daisy he would have
himself examined and take home medicine and salves for the
whole group of them。 But when Daisy left him the old man
did not come anymore and he had to content himself with
purges and kidney pills advertised in the newspapers。 Now the
old man was looking at him with timid eagerness。
'Drink plenty of water；' said Doctor Copeland。 'And rest as
much as you can。'
Portia went into the kitchen to prepare the supper。 Warm
smells began to fill the room。 There was quiet； idle talking；
but Doctor Copeland did not listen or speak。 Now and then he
looked at Karl Marx or Hamilton。 Karl Marx talked about Joe
Louis。 Hamilton spoke mostly of the hail that had ruined some
of the crops。 When they caught their father's eye they grinned
and shuffled their feet on the floor。 He kept staring at them
with angry misery。
Doctor Copeland clamped his teeth down hard。 He had
thought so much about Hamilton and Karl Marx and William
and Portia； about the real true purpose he had had for them；
that the sight of their faces made a black swollen feeling in
him。 If once he could tell it all to them； from the far away
beginning until this very night； the telling would ease the
sharp ache in his heart。 But they would not listen or
understand。
He hardened himself so that each muscle in his body was rigid
and strained。 He did not listen or look at anything around him。
He sat in a corner like a man who is blind and dumb。 Soon
they went into the supper table and the old man said grace。
But Doctor Copeland did not eat126
When Highboy brought out a pint ；bottle of gin； and they
laughed and passed the bottle from mouth to mouth； he
refused that also。 He sat in rigid silence； and at last he picked
up his hat and left the house without a farewell。 If he could
not speak the whole long truth no other word would come to
him。
He lay tense and wakeful throughout the night。 Then the next
day was Sunday。 He made half a dozen calls； and in the
middle of the morning he went to Mr。 Singer's room。 The visit
blunted the feeling of loneliness in him so that when he said
good…bye he was at peace with himself once more。
However； before he was out of the house this peace had left
him。 An accident occurred。 As he started down the stairs he
saw a white man carrying a large paper sack and he drew close
to the banisters so that they could pass each other。 But the
white man was running up the steps two at a time； without
looking； and they collided with such force that Doctor
Copeland was left sick and breathless。
'Christ！ I didn't see you。'
Doctor Copeland looked at him closely but made no answer。
He had seen this white man once before。 He remembered the
stunted； brutal…looking body and the huge； awkward hands。
Then with sudden clinical interest he observed the white man's
face； for in his eyes he saw a strange； fixed； and withdrawn
look of madness。
'Sorry；' said the white man。
Doctor Copeland put his hand on the banister and passed on。
I
W HO was that？' Jake Blount asked。 'Who was the tall； 〃 thin
colored man that just come out of here？
'
The small room was very neat。 The sun lighted a bowl of
purple grapes on the table。 Singer sat with his chair tilted back
and his hands in his pockets； looking out of the window。
'I bumped into him on the steps and he gave me this look—
why； I never had anybody to look at me so dirty。
'
Jake put the sack of ales down on the table。 He realized
I
127
with a shock that Singer did not know he was in the room。 He
walked over to the window and touched Singer on the
shoulder。
'I didn't mean to bump into him。 He had no cause to
act like that。'
Jake shivered。 Although the sun was bright there was a chill in
the room。 Singer held up his forefinger and went into the hall。
When he returned he brought with him a scuttle of coal and
some kindling。 Jake watched him kneel before the hearth。
Neatly he broke the sticks of kindling over his knee and
arranged them on the foundation of pa