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He did not know where he could find the judge's office； so he
wandered uncertainly through the building； looking at the
placards on the doors。 At last he came to a narrow passage。
Halfway through this corridor three white men stood talking
together and blocked the way。 He drew close to the wall to
pass； but one of them turned to stop him。
What you want？'
〃Will you please tell me where the judge's office is located？'
The white man jerked his thumb toward the end of the
passage。 Doctor Copeland recognized him as a deputy sheriff。
They had seen each other dozens of times but the deputy did
not remember him。 All white people looked
similar to Negroes but Negroes took care to differentiate
between them。 On the other hand； all Negroes looked similar
to white men but white men did not usually bother to fix the
face of a Negro in their minds。 So the white man said； What
you want； Reverend？'
The familiar joking title nettled him。 1 am not a minister；' he
said； 'I am a physician； a medical doctor。 My name is Benedict
Mady Copeland and I wish to see the judge immediately on
urgent business。'
The deputy was like other white men in that a clearly
enunciated speech maddened him。 'Is that so？' he mocked。 He
winked at his friends。 Then I am the deputy sheriff and my
name is Mister Wilson and I tell you the judge is busy。 Come
back some other day。'
'It is imperative that I see the judge；' Doctor Copeland said。 'I
will wait。'
There was a bench at the entrance of the passage and he sat
down。 The three white men continued to talk； but he knew that
the sheriff watched him。 He was determined not to leave。
More than half an hour passed。 Several white men went freely
back and forth through the corridor。 He knew that the deputy
was watching him and he sat rigid； his hands pressed between
his knees。 His sense of prudence told him to go away and
return later in the afternoon when the sheriff was not there。
All of his life he had been circumspect in his dealings with
such people。 But now something in him would not let him
withdraw。
'Come here； you！' the deputy said finally。
His head trembled； and when he arose he was not steady on
his feet。 'Yes？'
What you say you wanted to see the judge about？'
'I did not say；' said Doctor Copeland。 'I merely said that my
business with him was urgent。'
。You can't stand up straight。 You been drinking liquor； haven't
you？ I smell it on your breath。
'
〃That is a lie；' said Doctor Copeland slowly。 1 have not——
'
The sheriff struck him on the face。 He fell against the wall。
Two white men grasped him by the arm and dragged him
down the steps to the main floor。 He did not resist。
'That's the trouble with this country；' the sheriff said。 These
damn biggity niggers like him。'224
He spoke no word and let them do with him as they would。 He
waited for the terrible anger and felt it arise in him。 Rage
made him weak； so that he stumbled。 They put him into the
wagon with two men as guards。 They took him to the station
and then to the jail。 It was only when they entered the jail that
the strength of his rage came to him。 He broke loose suddenly
from their grasp。 In a corner he was surrounded。 They struck
him on the head and shoulders with their clubs。 A glorious
strength was in him and he heard himself laughing aloud as he
fought He sobbed and laughed at the same time。 He kicked
wildly with his feet。 He fought with his fists and even struck
at them with his head。 Then he was clutched fast so that he
could not move。 They dragged him foot by foot through the
hall of the jail。 The door to a cell was opened。 Someone
behind kicked him in the groin and he fell to his knees on the
floor。
In the cramped cubicle there were five other prisoners— three
Negroes and two white men。 One of the white men was very
old and drunk。 He sat on the floor and scratched himself。 The
other white prisoner was a boy not more than fifteen years of
age。 The three Negroes were young。 As Doctor Copeland lay
on the bunk looking up into their faces he recognized one of
them。
'How come you here？' the young man asked。 'Ain't you Doctor
Copeland？'
He said yes。
*My name Dary White。 You taken out my sister's tonsils last
year。'
The icy cell was permeated with a rotten odor。 A pail
brimming with urine was in a corner。 Cockroaches crawled
upon the walls。 He closed his eyes and immediately he must
have slept； for when he looked up again the small barred
window was black and a bright light burned in the hall。 Four
empty tin plates were on the floor。 His dinner of cabbage and
cornbread was beside him。
He sat on the bunk and sneezed violently several times。 When
he breathed the phlegm rattled in his chest。 After a while the
young white boy began to sneeze also。 Doctor Copeland ran
out of squares of paper and had to use sheets from a notebook
in his pocket。 The white boy
leaned over the pail in the corner or simply let the water run
from his nose onto the front of his shirt。 His eyes were dilated；
his clear cheeks flushed。 He huddled on the edge of a bunk
and groaned。
Soon they were led out to the lavatory； and on their return
they prepared for sleep。 There were six men to occupy four
bunks。 The old man lay snoring on the floor。 Dary and another
boy squeezed into a bunk together。
The hours were long。 The light in the hall burned his eyes and
the odor in the cell made every breath a discomfort。 He could
not keep warm。 His teeth chattered and he shook with a hard
chill。 He sat up with the dirty blanket wrapped around him and
swayed to and fro。 Twice he reached over to cover the white
boy； who muttered and threw out his arms in sleep。 He
swayed； his head in his hands； and from his throat there came
a singing moan。 He could not think of William。 Nor could he
even cogitate upon the strong； true purpose and draw strength
from that。 He could only feel the misery in him。
Then the tide of his fever turned。 A warmth spread through
him。 He lay back； and it seemed he sank down into a place
warm and red and full of comfort。
The next morning the sun came out。 The strange Southern
winter was at its end。 Doctor Copeland was released。 A little
group waited outside the jail for him。 Mr。 Singer was there。
Portia and Highboy and Marshall Nicolls were present also。
Their faces were confused and he could not see them clearly。
The sun was very bright。
'Father； don't you know that ain't no way to help our Willie？
Messing around at a white folks' courthouse？ Best thing us
can do is keep our mouth shut and wait。'
Her loud voice echoed wearily in his ears。 Thev climbed into a
ten…cent taxicab； and then he was home and his face pressed
into the fresh white pillow。
M
ICK could not sleep all night。 Etta was sick； so she had to sleep
in the living…room。 The sofa was too narrow and short。 She
had nightmares about Willie。 Nearly a month had gone by
since Portia had told about what they226
had done to him—but still she couldn't forget it。 Twice in the
night she had these bad dreams and woke up on the floor。 A
bump came out on her forehead。 Then at six o'clock she heard
Bill go to the kitchen and fix his breakfast。 It was daylight； but
the shades were down so that the room was half…dark。 She felt
queer waking up in the living…room。 She didn't like it。 The
sheet was twisted around her； half on the sofa and hah* on the
floor。 The pillow was in the middle of the room。 She got up
and opened the door to the hall。 Nobody was on the stairs。 She
ran in her nightgown to the back room。
'Move over； George。' K
The kid lay in the very center of the bed。 The night had been
warm and he was naked as a jay bird。 His fists were shut tight；
and even in sleep his eyes were squinted like he was thinking
about something very hard to figure out。 His mouth was open
and there was a little wet spot on the pillow。 She pushed him。
'Wait' he said in his sleep。
'Move over on your side。' 。WaitLemme just finish
this here dream—this
here'
She hauled him over where he belonged and lay down close to
him。 When she opened her eyes again it was late； because the
sun shone in through the back window。 George was gone。
From the yard she heard kids' voices and the sound of water
running。 Etta and Hazel were talking in the middle room。 As
she dressed a sudden notion came to her。 She listened at the
door but it was hard to hear what they said。 She jerked the
door open quick to surprise them。
They were reading a movie magazine。 Etta was still in bed。
She had her hand halfway over the picture of an actor。 'From
here up don't you think he favors that boy who used to date
with'
'How you feel this morning； Etta？' Mick asked。 She looked
down under the bed and her private box was still in the exact
place where she had left it
'A lot you care；' Etta said。
'You needn't try to pick a fight'
Etta's face was peaked。 There was a terrible pain in her
stomach and her ovary was diseased。 It had something
227
to do with being unwell。 The doctor said they would have to
cut out her ovary right away。 But their Dad said t