Eliza finally grew suspicious of the woman, picked
a quarrel withher, and ejected her. I think one manhas said what another said. No, I
suppose not, Eugene admitted slowly, after a moment. The front room upstairs that
thedentists wife has now? In a moment, he added in a surly voice: Who didyou think
it was, you little idiot? And I rememberlittle things, said Eugene.
She keeps her notes and papers hidden away inlittle
drawers and boxes.
Without speech now they faced each other, without
speech they kneweach other. She drove off with them several times aday to look at
property. He was nineteen; he had completed hiscollege course; but he did not know
what he was going to do. He tried to move,but his brother blocked him. The
marvellous hills were blooming in the dusk.
Spoke, continued withoutspeaking, to speak. She had
had no children and, it seemed, wouldhave none.
With an insane fatalismthey had surrendered to the
savage chaos of life. He signed the paper and gave it back to his brother with a
feelingof sad triumph.
He came slowly over past the fire department and
the City Hall.
And I rememberlittle things, said Eugene. What I
mean, said Eugene, is, are we here talking together, ornot? Then, turning, he
plunged off blindly down the path. Then Eugene, clearing his throat in
hisembarrassment, said: I thought you were dead, Ben. Spoke, continued
withoutspeaking, to speak.
Luke looked at him for a moment, then burst into a
crazywhah-whah, digging him in the ribs.
The marvellous hills were blooming in the
dusk.
Dixieland itself had become enormously
valuable.
He climbed the hills to ease his torturedspirit and
stayed away from the house for hours. This power of losinghimself in solitary
absorption would madden her.
He signed the paper and gave it back to his brother
with a feelingof sad triumph.
Fool, said Ben again, I tell you I am not a ghost.
Then, from the edges of moon-bright silence, Ben replied: Fool,why do you look in
the streets?
Without speech now they faced each other, without
speech they kneweach other. He rushed back across the walk and with a single bound
took thesteps that mounted to the porch.
He took her hand in a moment of wild devotion and
kissed it.
After all, he thought, I have myticket and the
money for my escape in my pocket.
He was mad withsuch ecstasy as he had never known.
And in the day he went to talk with Vergil Weldon.