“Go on, T. P.” Jason said.
“Hum up, Queenie.” T. P. said. The shapes flowed on. The ones on the other side began again, bright and fast and smooth, like when Caddy says we are going to sleep.
Cry baby, Luster said. Aint you shamed. We went through the barn. The stalls were all open. You aint got no spotted pony to ride now, Luster said. The floor was dry and dusty. The roof was falling. The slanting holes were full of spinning yellow. What do you want to go that way, for. You want to get your head knocked off with one of them balls.
“Keep your hands in your pockets.” Caddy said. “Or they’ll be froze. You dont want your hands froze on Christmas, do you.”
We went around the barn. The big cow and the little one were standing in the door, and we could hear Prince and Queenie and Fancy stomping inside the barn. “If it wasn’t so cold, we’d ride Fancy.” Caddy said. “But it’s too cold to hold on today.” Then we could see the branch, where the smoke was blowing. “That’s where they are killing the pig.” Caddy said. “We can come back by there and see them.” We went down the hill.
“You want to carry the letter.” Caddy said. “You can carry it.” She took the letter out of her pocket and put it in mine. “It’s a Christmas present.” Caddy said. “Uncle Maury is going to surprise Mrs Patterson with it. We got to give it to her without letting anybody see it. Keep your hands in your pockets good, now.” We came to the branch.
“It’s froze.” Caddy said. “Look.” She broke the top of the water and held a piece of it against my face. “Ice. That means how cold it is.” She helped me across and we went up the hill. “We cant even tell Mother and Father. You know what I think it is. I think it’s a surprise for Mother and Father and Mr Patterson both, because Mr Patterson sent you some candy. Do you remember when Mr Patterson sent you some candy last summer.”
There was a fence. The vine was dry, and the wind rattled in it.
“Only I dont see why Uncle Maury didn’t send Versh.” Caddy said. “Versh wont tell.” Mrs Patterson was looking out the window. “You wait here.” Caddy said. “Wait right here, now. I’ll be back in a minute. Give me the letter.” She took the letter out of my pocket. “Keep your hands in your pockets.” She climbed the fence with the letter in her hand and went through the brown, rattling flowers. Mrs Patterson came to the door and opened it and stood there.
Mr Patterson was chopping in the green flowers. He stopped chopping and looked at me. Mrs Patterson came across the garden, running. When I saw her eyes I began to cry. You idiot, Mrs Patterson said, I told him never to send you alone again. Give it to me. Quick. Mr Patterson came fast, with the hoe. Mrs Patterson leaned across the fence, reaching her hand. She was trying to climb the fence. Give it to me, she said, Give it to me. Mr Patterson climbed the fence. He took the letter. Mrs Patterson’s dress was caught on the fence. I saw her eyes again and I ran down the hill.
“They aint nothing over yonder but houses.” Luster said. “We going down to the branch.”
They were washing down at the branch. One of them was singing. I could smell the clothes flapping, and the smoke blowing across the branch.
“You stay down here.” Luster said. “You aint got no business up yonder. Them folks hit you, sho.”
“What he want to do.”
“He dont know what he want to do.” Luster said. “He think he want to go up yonder where they knocking that ball. You sit down here and play with your jimson weed. Look at them chillen playing in the branch, if you got to look at something. How come you cant behave yourself like folks.” I sat down on the bank, where they were washing, and the smoke blowing blue.
“Is you all seen anything of a quarter down here.” Luster said.
“What quarter.”
“The one I had here this morning.” Luster said. “I lost it somewhere. It fell through this here hole in my pocket. If I dont find it I cant go to the show tonight.”
“Where’d you get a quarter, boy. Find it in white folks’ pocket while they aint looking.”
“Got it at the getting place.” Luster said. “Plenty more where that one come from. Only I got to find that one. Is you all found it yet.”
“I aint studying no quarter. I got my own business to tend to.”
“Come on here.” Luster said. “Help me look for it.”
“He wouldn’t know a quarter if he was to see it, would he.”
“He can help look just the same.” Luster said. “You all going to the show tonight.”
“Dont talk to me about no show. Time I get done over this here tub I be too tired to lift my hand to do nothing.”
“I bet you be there.” Luster said. “I bet you was there last night. I bet you all be right there when that tent open.”
“Be enough niggers there without me. Was last night.”
“Nigger’s money good as white folks, I reckon.”
“White folks gives nigger money because know first white man comes along with a band going to get it all back, so nigger can go to work for some more.”
“Aint nobody going make you go to that show.”
“Aint yet. Aint thought of it, I reckon.”
“What you got against white folks.”
“Aint got nothing against them. I goes my way and lets white folks go theirs. I aint studying that show.”
“Got a man in it can play a tune on a saw. Play it like a banjo.”
“You go last night.” Luster said. “I going tonight. If I can find where I lost that quarter.”
“You going take him with you, I reckon.”
“Me.” Luster said. “You reckon I be found anywhere with him, time he start bellering.”
“What does you do when he start bellering.”
“I whips him.” Luster said. He sat down and rolled up his overalls. They played in the branch.
“You all found any balls yet.” Luster said.
“Aint you talking biggity. I bet you better not let your grandmammy hear you talking like that.”
Luster got into the branch, where they were playing. He hunted in the water, along the bank.
“I had it when we was down here this morning.” Luster said.
“Where bouts you lose it.”
“Right out this here hole in my pocket.” Luster said. They hunted in the branch. Then they all stood up quick and stopped, then they splashed and fought in the branch. Luster got it and they squatted in the water, looking up the hill through the bushes.
“Where is they.” Luster said.
“Aint in sight yet.”
Luster put it in his pocket. They came down the hill.
“Did a ball come down here.”
“It ought to be in the water. Didn’t any of you boys see it or hear it.”
“Aint heard nothing come down here.” Luster said. “Heard something hit that tree up yonder. Dont know which way it went.”
They looked in the branch.
“Hell. Look along the branch. It came down here. I saw it.”
They looked along the branch. Then they went back up the hill.
“Have you got that ball.” the boy said.
“What I want with it.” Luster said. “I aint seen no ball.”
The boy got in the water. He went on. He turned and looked at Luster again. He went on down the branch.
The man said “Caddie” up the hill. The boy got out of the water and went up the hill.
“Now, just listen at you.” Luster said. “Hush up.”
“What he moaning about now.”
“Lawd knows.” Luster said. “He just starts like that. He been at it all morning. Cause it his birthday, I reckon.”
“How old he.”
“He thirty three.” Luster said. “Thirty three this morning.”
“You mean, he been three years old thirty years.”
“I going by what mammy say.” Luster said. “I dont know. We going to have thirty three candles on a cake, anyway. Little cake. Wont hardly hold them. Hush up. Come on back here.?
?? He came and caught my arm. “You old looney.” he said. “You want me to whip you.”
“I bet you will.”
“I is done it. Hush, now.” Luster said. “Aint I told you you cant go up there. They’ll knock your head clean off with one of them balls. Come on, here.” He pulled me back. “Sit down.” I sat down and he took off my shoes and rolled up my trousers. “Now, git in that water and play and see can you stop that slobbering and moaning.”
I hushed and got in the water and Roskus came and said to come to supper and Caddy said,
It’s not supper time yet. I’m not going.
She was wet. We were playing in the branch and Caddy squatted down and got her dress wet and Versh said,
“Your mommer going to whip you for getting your dress wet.”
“She’s not going to do any such thing.” Caddy said.
“How do you know.” Quentin said.
“That’s all right how I know.” Caddy said. “How do you know.”
“She said she was.” Quentin said. “Besides, I’m older than you.”
“I’m seven years old.” Caddy said. “I guess I know.”
“I’m older than that.” Quentin said. “I go to school. Dont I, Versh.”
“I’m going to school next year.” Caddy said. “When it comes. Aint I, Versh.”
“You know she whip you when you get your dress wet.” Versh said.
“It’s not wet.” Caddy said. She stood up in the water and looked at her dress. “I’ll take it off.” she said. “Then it’ll dry.”
“I bet you wont.” Quentin said.
“I bet I will.” Caddy said.
“I bet you better not.” Quentin said.
Caddy came to Versh and me and turned her back.
“Unbutton it, Versh.” she said.
“Dont you do it, Versh.” Quentin said.
“Taint none of my dress.” Versh said.
“You unbutton it, Versh.” Caddy said. “Or I’ll tell Dilsey what you did yesterday.” So Versh unbuttoned it.
“You just take your dress off.” Quentin said. Caddy took her dress off and threw it on the bank. Then she didn’t have on anything but her bodice and drawers, and Quentin slapped her and she slipped and fell down in the water. When she got up she began to splash water on Quentin, and Quentin splashed water on Caddy. Some of it splashed on Versh and me and Versh picked me up and put me on the bank. He said he was going to tell on Caddy and Quentin, and then Quentin and Caddy began to splash water at Versh. He got behind a bush.
“I’m going to tell mammy on you all.” Versh said.
Quentin climbed up the bank and tried to catch Versh, but Versh ran away and Quentin couldn’t. When Quentin came back Versh stopped and hollered that he was going to tell. Caddy told him that if he wouldn’t tell, they’d let him come back. So Versh said he wouldn’t, and they let him.
“Now I guess you’re satisfied.” Quentin said. “We’ll both get whipped now.”
“I dont care.” Caddy said. “I’ll run away.”
“Yes you will.” Quentin said.
“I’ll run away and never come back.” Caddy said. I began to cry. Caddy turned around and said “Hush” So I hushed. Then they played in the branch. Jason was playing too. He was by himself further down the branch. Versh came around the bush and lifted me down into the water again. Caddy was all wet and muddy behind, and I started to cry and she came and squatted in the water.
“Hush now.” she said. “I’m not going to run away.” So I hushed. Caddy smelled like trees in the rain.
What is the matter with you, Luster said. Cant you get done with that moaning and play in the branch like folks.
Whyn’t you take him on home. Didn’t they told you not to take him off the place.
He still think they own this pasture, Luster said. Cant nobody see down here from the house, noways.
We can. And folks dont like to look at a looney. Taint no luck in it.
Roskus came and said to come to supper and Caddy said it wasn’t supper time yet.
“Yes tis.” Roskus said. “Dilsey say for you all to come on to the house. Bring them on, Versh.” He went up the hill, where the cow was lowing.
“Maybe we’ll be dry by the time we get to the house.” Quentin said.
“It was all your fault.” Caddy said. “I hope we do get whipped.” She put her dress on and Versh buttoned it.
“They wont know you got wet.” Versh said. “It dont show on you. Less me and Jason tells.”
“Are you going to tell, Jason.” Caddy said.
“Tell on who.” Jason said.
“He wont tell.” Quentin said. “Will you, Jason.”
“I bet he does tell.” Caddy said. “He’ll tell Damuddy.”
“He cant tell her.” Quentin said. “She’s sick. If we walk slow it’ll be too dark for them to see.”
“I dont care whether they see or not.” Caddy said. “I’m going to tell, myself. You carry him up the hill, Versh.”
“Jason wont tell.” Quentin said. “You remember that bow and arrow I made you, Jason.”
“It’s broke now.” Jason said.
“Let him tell.” Caddy said. “I dont give a cuss. Carry Maury up the hill, Versh.” Versh squatted and I got on his back.
See you all at the show tonight, Luster said. Come on, here. We got to find that quarter.
“If we go slow, it’ll be dark when we get there.” Quentin said.
“I’m not going slow.” Caddy said. We went up the hill, but Quentin didn’t come. He was down at the branch when we got to where we could smell the pigs. They were grunting and snuffing in the trough in the corner. Jason came behind us, with his hands in his pockets. Roskus was milking the cow in the barn door.
The cows came jumping out of the barn.
“Go on.” T. P. said. “Holler again. I going to holler myself. Whooey.” Quentin kicked T. P. again. He kicked T. P. into the trough where the pigs ate and T. P. lay there. “Hot dog.” T. P. said. “Didn’t he get me then. You see that white man kick me that time. Whooey.”
I wasn’t crying, but I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t crying, but the ground wasn’t still, and then I was crying. The ground kept sloping up and the cows ran up the hill. T. P. tried to get up. He fell down again and the cows ran down the hill. Quentin held my arm and we went toward the barn. Then the barn wasn’t there and we had to wait until it came back. I didn’t see it come back. It came behind us and Quentin set me down in the trough where the cows ate. I held on to it. It was going away too, and I held to it. The cows ran down the hill again, across the door. I couldn’t stop. Quentin and T. P. came up the hill, fighting. T. P. was falling down the hill and Quentin dragged him up the hill. Quentin hit T. P. I couldn’t stop.
“Stand up.” Quentin said. “You stay right here. Dont you go away until I get back.”
“Me and Benjy going back to the wedding.” T. P. said. “Whooey.”
Quentin hit T. P. again. Then he began to thump T. P. against the wall. T. P. was laughing. Every time Quentin thumped him against the wall he tried to say Whooey, but he couldn’t say it for laughing. I quit crying, but I couldn’t stop. T. P. fell on me and the barn door went away. It went down the hill and T. P. was fighting by himself and he fell down again. He was still laughing, and I couldn’t stop, and I tried to get up and I fell down, and I couldn’t stop. Versh said,
“You sho done it now. I’ll declare if you aint. Shut up that yelling.”
T. P. was still laughing. He flopped on the door and laughed. “Whooey.” he said. “Me and Benjy going back to the wedding. Sassprilluh.” T. P. said.
“Hush.” Versh said. “Where you get it.”
“Out the cellar.” T. P. said. “Whooey.”
“Hush up.” Versh said. “Where bouts in the cellar.”
“Anywhere.” T. P. said. He laughed some more. “Moren a hundred bottles lef. Moren a million. Look out, nigger, I going to holler.”
Quentin said, “Lift him up.”
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Versh lifted me up.
“Drink this, Benjy.” Quentin said. The glass was hot. “Hush, now.” Quentin said. “Drink it.”
“Sassprilluh.” T. P. said. “Lemme drink it, Mr Quentin.”
“You shut your mouth.” Versh said. “Mr Quentin wear you out.”
“Hold him, Versh.” Quentin said.
They held me. It was hot on my chin and on my shirt. “Drink.” Quentin said. They held my head. It was hot inside me, and I began again. I was crying now, and something was happening inside me and I cried more, and they held me until it stopped happening. Then I hushed. It was still going around, and then the shapes began. Open the crib, Versh. They were going slow. Spread those empty sacks on the floor. They were going faster, almost fast enough. Now. Pick up his feet. They went on, smooth and bright. I could hear T. P. laughing. I went on with them, up the bright hill.
At the top of the hill Versh put me down. “Come on here, Quentin.” he called, looking back down the hill. Quentin was still standing there by the branch. He was chunking into the shadows where the branch was.
“Let the old skizzard stay there.” Caddy said. She took my hand and we went on past the barn and through the gate. There was a frog on the brick walk, squatting in the middle of it. Caddy stepped over it and pulled me on.
“Come on, Maury.” she said. It still squatted there until Jason poked at it with his toe.
“He’ll make a wart on you.” Versh said. The frog hopped away.
“Come on, Maury.” Caddy said.
“They got company tonight.” Versh said.
“How do you know.” Caddy said.
“With all them lights on.” Versh said. “Light in every window.”
“I reckon we can turn all the lights on without company, if we want to.” Caddy said.
“I bet it’s company.” Versh said. “You all better go in the back and slip upstairs.”
“I dont care.” Caddy said. “I’ll walk right in the parlor where they are.”
“I bet your pappy whip you if you do.” Versh said.
“I dont care.” Caddy said. “I’ll walk right in the parlor. I’ll walk right in the dining room and eat supper.”
“Where you sit.” Versh said.
“I’d sit in Damuddy’s chair.” Caddy said. “She eats in bed.”