The sound and the fury (8 page)

19.18

Jason came in.
I kept telling you to hush, Luster said.
What's the matter now, Jason said.
"He just trying hisself." Luster said. "That the way he been going on all day."
"Why dont you let him alone, then." Jason said. "If you cant keep him quiet, you'll have to take him out to the kitchen. The rest of us cant shut ourselves up in a room like Mother does."
"Mammy say keep him out the kitchen till she get supper." Luster said.
"Then play with him and keep him quiet." Jason said. "Do I have to work all day and then come home to a mad house." He opened the paper and read it.

2.8

You can look at the fire and the mirror and the cushion too, Caddy said. You wont have to wait until supper to look at the cushion, now. We could hear the roof. We could hear Jason too, crying loud beyond the wall.

19.19

Dilsey said, "You come, Jason. You letting him alone, is you."
"Yessum." Luster said.
"Where Quentin." Dilsey said. "Supper near bout ready."
"I don't know'm." Luster said. "I aint seen her."
Dilsey went away. "Quentin." she said in the hall. "Quentin. Supper ready."

2.9

We could hear the roof. Quentin smelled like rain, too.
What did Jason do, he said.
He cut up all Benjy's dolls, Caddy said.
Mother said to not call him Benjy, Quentin said. He sat on the rug by us. I wish it wouldn't rain, he said. You cant do anything.
You've been in a fight, Caddy said. Haven't you.
It wasn't much, Quentin said.
You can tell it, Caddy said. Father'll see it.
I dont care, Quentin said. I wish it wouldn't rain.

19.20

Quentin said, "Didn't Dilsey say supper was ready."
"Yessum." Luster said. Jason looked at Quentin. Then he read the paper again.

Quentin came in. "She say it bout ready." Luster said. Quentin jumped down in Mother's chair. Luster said,
"Mr Jason."
"What." Jason said.
"Let me have two bits." Luster said.
"What for." Jason said.
"To go to the show tonight." Luster said.
"I thought Dilsey was going to get a quarter from Frony for you." Jason said.
"She did." Luster said. "I lost it. Me and Benjy hunted all day for that quarter. You can ask him."
"Then borrow one from him." Jason said. "I have to work for mine." He read the paper. Quentin looked at the fire. The fire was in her eyes and on her mouth. Her mouth was red.
"I tried to keep him away from there." Luster said.
"Shut your mouth." Quentin said. Jason looked at her.
"What did I tell you I was going to do if I saw you with that show fellow again." he said. Quentin looked at the fire. "Did you hear me." Jason said.
"I heard you." Quentin said. "Why dont you do it, then."
"Dont you worry." Jason said.
"I'm not." Quentin said. Jason read the paper again.

2.10

I could hear the roof Father leaned forward and looked at Quentin.
Hello, he said. Who won.
"Nobody." Quentin said. "They stopped us. Teachers."
"Who was it." Father said. "Will you tell."
"It was all right." Quentin said. "He was as big as me."
"That's good." Father said. "Can you tell what it was about."
"It wasn't anything." Quentin said. "He said he would put a frog in her desk and she wouldn't dare to whip him."
"Oh." Father said. "She. And then what."
"Yes, sir." Quentin said. "And then I kind of hit him."
We could hear the roof and the fire, and a snuffling outside the door.
"Where was he going to get a frog in November." Father said.
"I dont know, sir." Quentin said.
We could hear them.
"Jason." Father said. We could hear Jason.
"Jason." Father said. "Come in here and stop that."
We could hear the roof and the fire and Jason.
"Stop that, now. " Father said. "Do you want me to whip you again." Father lifted Jason up into the chair by him. Jason snuffled. We could hear the fire and the roof. Jason snuffled a little louder.
"One more time." Father said. We could hear the fire and the roof.

2.13

Dilsey said, All right. You all can come on to supper.
Versh smelled like rain. He smelled like a dog, too. We could hear the fire and the roof.

9.1

We could hear Caddy walking fast. Father and Mother looked at the door. Caddy passed it, walking fast. She didn't look. She walked fast.
"Candace." Mother said. Caddy stopped walking.
"Yes, Mother." she said.
"Hush, Caroline." Father said.
"Come here." Mother said.
"Hush, Caroline." Father said. "Let her alone."
Caddy came to the door and stood there, looking at Father and Mother. Her eyes flew at me, and away. I began to cry. It went loud and I got up. Caddy came in and stood with her back to the wall, looking at me. I went toward her, crying, and she shrank against the wall and I saw her eyes and I cried louder and pulled at her dress. She put her hands out but I pulled at her dress. Her eyes ran.

2.11

Versh said, Your name Benjamin now. You know how come your name Benjamin now. They making a bluegum out of you. Mammy say in old time your granpaw changed nigger's name, and he turn preacher, and when they look at him, he bluegum too. Didn't use to be bluegum, neither. And when family woman look him in the eye in the full of the moon, chile born bluegum. And one evening, when they was about a dozen them bluegum chillen running around the place, he never come home. Possum hunters found him in the woods, et clean. And you know who et him. Them bluegum chillen did.

9.2

We were in the hall. Caddy was still looking at me. Her hand was against her mouth and I saw her eyes and I cried. We went up the stairs. She stopped again, against the wall, looking at me and I cried and she went on and I came on, crying, and she shrank against the wall, looking at me. She opened the door to her room, but I pulled at her dress and we went to the bathroom and she stood against the door, looking at me. Then she put her arm across her face and I pushed at her, crying.

19.21

What are you doing to him, Jason said. Why cant you let him alone.
I aint touching him, Luster said. He been doing this way all day long. He needs whipping.
He needs to be sent to Jackson, Quentin said. How can anybody live in a house like this.
If you dont like it, young lady, you'd better get out, Jason said.
I'm going to, Quentin said. Dont you worry.

2.12

Versh said, "You move back some, so I can dry my legs off." He shoved me back a little. "Dont you start bellering, now. You can still see it. That's all you have to do. You aint had to be out in the rain like I is. You's born lucky and dont know it." He lay on his back before the fire.
"You know how come your name Benjamin now." Versh said. "Your mamma too proud for you. What mammy say."
"You be still there and let me dry my legs off." Versh said. "Or you know what I'll do. I'll skin your rinktum."
We could hear the fire and the roof and Versh.
Versh got up quick and jerked his legs back. Father said, "All right, Versh."
"I'll feed him tonight." Caddy said. "Sometimes he cries when Versh feeds him."
"Take this tray up." Dilsey said. "And hurry back and feed Benjy."
"Dont you want Caddy to feed you." Caddy said.

19.22

Has he got to keep that old dirty slipper on the table, Quentin said. Why dont you feed him in the kitchen. It's like eating with a pig.
If you dont like the way we eat, you'd better not come to the table, Jason said.

2.14

Steam came off of Roskus. He was sitting in front of the stove. The oven door was open and Roskus had his feet in it. Steam came off the bowl. Caddy put the spoon into my mouth easy. There was a black spot on the inside of the bowl.

19.23

Now, now, Dilsey said. He aint going to bother you no more.

2.15

It got down below the mark. Then the bowl was empty. It went away. "He's hungry tonight." Caddy said. The bowl came back. I couldn't see the spot. Then I could. "He's starved, tonight." Caddy said. "Look how much he's eaten."

19.24

Yes he will, Quentin said. You all send him out to spy on me. I hate this house. I'm going to run away.

2.16

Roskus said, "It going to rain all night."

19.25

You've been running a long time, not to've got any further off than mealtime, Jason said.
See if I dont, Quentin said.

2.17

"Then I dont know what I going to do." Dilsey said. "It caught me in the hip so bad now I cant scarcely move. Climbing them stairs all evening."

19.26

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised, Jason said. I wouldn't be surprised at anything you'd do.
Quentin threw her napkin on the table.
Hush your mouth, Jason, Dilsey said. She went and put her arm around Quentin. Sit down, honey, Dilsey said. He ought to be shamed of hisself throwing what aint your fault up to you.

2.18

"She sulling again, is she." Roskus said.
"Hush your mouth." Dilsey said.

19.27

Quentin pushed Dilsey away. She looked at Jason. Her mouth was red. She picked up her glass of water and swung her arm back, looking at Jason. Dilsey caught her arm. They fought. The glass broke on the table, and the water ran into the table. Quentin was running.

2.19

"Mother's sick again." Caddy said.
"Sho she is." Dilsey said. "Weather like this make anybody sick. When you going to get done eating, boy."

19.28

Goddam you, Quentin said. Goddam you. We could hear her running on the stairs. We went to the library.

2.20

Caddy gave me the cushion, and I could look at the cushion and the mirror and the fire.
"We must be quiet while Quentin's studying." Father said. "What are you doing, Jason."
"Nothing." Jason said.
"Suppose you come over here to do it, then." Father said.
Jason came out of the corner.
"What are you chewing." Father said.
"Nothing. " Jason said.
"He's chewing paper again." Caddy said.
"Come here, Jason." Father said.
Jason threw into the fire. It hissed, uncurled, turning black. Then it was gray. Then it was gone. Caddy and Father and Jason were in Mother's chair. Jason's eyes were puffed shut and his mouth moved, like tasting. Caddy's head was on Father's shoulder. Her hair was like fire, and little points of fire were in her eyes, and I went and Father lifted me into the chair too, and Caddy held me. She smelled like trees.

19.29

She smelled like trees. In the corner it was dark, but I could see the window. I squatted there, holding the slipper. I couldn't see it, but my hands saw it, and I could hear it getting night, and my hands saw the slipper but I couldn't see myself but my hands could see the slipper, and I squatted there, hearing it getting dark.
Here you is, Luster said. Look what I got. He showed it to me. You know where I got it. Miss Quentin give it to me. I knowed they couldn't keep me out. What you doing, off in here. I thought you done slipped back out doors. Aint you done enough moaning and slobbering today, without hiding off in this here empty room, mumbling and taking on. Come on here to bed, so I can get up there before it starts. I cant fool with you all night tonight. Just let them horns toot the first toot and I done gone.

1.16

We didn't go to our room.
"This is where we have the measles." Caddy said. "Why do we have to sleep in here tonight."
"What you care where you sleep." Dilsey said. She shut the door and sat down and began to undress me. Jason began to cry. "Hush." Dilsey said.
"I want to sleep with Damuddy." Jason said.
"She's sick." Caddy said. "You can sleep with her when she gets well. Cant he, Dilsey."
"Hush, now." Dilsey said. Jason hushed.
"Our nighties are here, and everything." Caddy said. "It's like moving."
"And you better get into them." Dilsey said. "You be unbuttoning Jason.
Caddy unbuttoned Jason. He began to cry.
"You want to get whipped." Dilsey said. Jason hushed.

19.30

Quentin, Mother said in the hall.
What, Quentin said beyond the wall. We heard Mother lock the door. She looked in our door and came in and stooped over the bed and kissed me on the forehead.
When you get him to bed, go and ask Dilsey if she objects to my having a hot water bottle, Mother said. Tell her that if she does, I'll try to get along without it. Tell her I just want to know.
Yessum, Luster said. Come on. Get your pants off.

1.17

Quentin and Versh came in. Quentin had his face turned away. "What are you crying for." Caddy said.
"Hush." Dilsey said. "You all get undressed, now. You can go on home, Versh."

19.31

I got undressed and I looked at myself and I began to cry. Hush, Luster said. Looking for them aint going to do no good. They're gone. You keep on like this, and we aint going have you no more birthday. He put my gown on. I hushed, and then Luster stopped, his head toward the window. Then he went to the window and looked out. He came back and took my arm. Here she come, he said. Be quiet, now. We went to the window and looked out. It came out of Quentin's window and climbed across into the tree. We watched the tree shaking. The shaking went down the tree, then it came out and we watched it go away across the grass. Then we couldn't see it. Come on, Luster said. There now. Hear them horns. You get in that bed while my foots behaves.