Chapter 6 April 7, 1928 (Friday)

April 7, 1928 (Friday) Benjamin is a name in the Bible, Katie said.It was a better name for him than Maury. ①According to "Bible Genesis", Benjamin (old translation "Benjamin") was the youngest son of Jacob.Western customs often refer to the most favored youngest son as "Ban Jiming". What kind of a thing is that, Dilsey said. That's what mother said, Katie said. Hum, said Dilsey.A change of name wouldn't help him.But it won't make him fall out even more.Some people change their names as soon as they are unlucky.My name was Dilsey as long as I could remember, and I'll be Dilsey when people don't remember me.

How'd anyone know your name was Dilsey if they didn't remember you, Dilsey, Katie said. It'll be in the big book, baby, Dilsey said.Write clearly. Can you read, Katie said. I don't need to know words, Dilsey said.People will read it to me.I just want to say, where am I.That's it. The long wire brushed over my shoulder and the fire was gone. ②I cried again. ② "Current". Dilsey and Luster fight. "This time I saw it," Dilsey said. "Oh ho, I see you." She dragged Luster out of the corner and shook him hard. "Didn't do anything to mess with him, did you. Just wait for your father to come back. I wish I was as young as I used to be, and I'd kill you and leave you half alive. I'll lock you up Into the cellar and you won't be allowed to go to the show tonight. I'm going to do it."

"Oh, Grandma," Luster said. "Oh, grandma." I stretched out my hand to where the fire was just now. "Hold him," Dilsey said. "Pull him back." My hand snapped back and I put it in my mouth and Dilsey hugged me.I can still hear the ticking of the clock through my own screaming.Dilsey reached over and hit Luster on the head.My voice was getting louder and louder. "Go get the lye," Dilsey said.She pulled my hand out of my mouth.Then I shouted louder and tried to put my hand back to my mouth, but Dilsey held on tight.I shouted louder.She sprinkled some lye powder on my hand.

"Go to the pantry and tear one off the rag hanging on the nail," she said. "Stop yelling, come on. You don't want your mother to get sick again, do you. Well, look at the fire. Dilsey's got your hand from hurting in a minute. Look at the fire." She opened closed the furnace door.I looked at the fire, but my hand still hurt, so I didn't stop shouting.I wanted to put my hand in my mouth, but Dilsey held on tightly. She wrapped the cloth strips around my hands.mother said, "What's the matter. I'm not even allowed to be safe when I'm sick. There are two grown black people watching him in the house. Do I want to get up and go downstairs to take care of him?"

"He's all right now," Dilsey said. "He'll stop shouting in a minute. He just burned his hands a little." "There's two big niggers in the house and he has to come in the house and make a scene," said my mother. "You guys deliberately provoke him when you know I'm sick." She walked over and stood beside me. "Stop crying," she said. "Shut up right now. Did you give him this cake?" "I bought it," Dilsey said. "It's not from Jason's food bill. It's from me for his birthday." "Are you going to poison him with some of this crap store bought thing," said my mother. "That's what you set out to do. I can't live a minute in peace."

"You go back upstairs and lie down," Dilsey said. "I can stop the pain in a minute and he won't cry. All right, let's go." "Leave him here so you can torture him in different ways," said the mother. "How can I lie upstairs with him yelling and yelling, Benjamin. Stop it now." "He's got nowhere to go," Dilsey said. "We don't have as many rooms as we used to. He can't stay in the yard all the time and let all the neighbors watch him cry." "I know, I know," said the mother. "It's all my fault. I'm going to die anyway, and you and Jie will have a better life when I'm gone." She began to cry.

"Stop crying, too," Dilsey said. "It's time to fall ill again. Go back upstairs. Luster will take him to the study now, so I can make his supper." Dilsey walked out with her mother. "Shut up," Luster said. "You shut up. Do you want me to burn your other hand too. You don't hurt at all. Stop crying." "Here you are," Dilsey said. "Okay, stop crying." She handed me the slipper, and I stopped crying. "Take him into the study," she said. "If I hear him cry again, I'll rip your skin off myself." ①This is an old slipper that Katie used to bring comfort to Benji.

We go into the study.Luster turned on the light.Some of the windows were darkened, and a shadow appeared high on the wall, and I went to touch it.Begging is like a door, only it is not a door. Behind me the fire was lit, and I went to it and sat down on the floor with the slipper in my hand.The fire rose higher and it illuminated the cushions on Mother's chair. "Stop yelling," Luster said. "Can't you stop for a while. I'm lighting a fire for you here, and you won't even look at it." Your name is Benji. ① Katie said.Did you hear that.bangui.bangui. ① Back to the day when the name was changed.

Don't call him that, my mother said.You bring him here. ② Mrs. Compson disapproved of calling Benjimin by his nickname "Benji". Katie put her hands under my armpits and picked me up. Get up, Mao—I mean, Benji, she said. You don't have to hug him, said the mother.Won't you bring him here?Don't you even understand such a simple thing? I can hold him, Katie said. "Let me carry him upstairs, Dilsey."③ ③Back to the night when Damdi died. "You go, little one," Dilsey said. "You're only a little bit old yourself, and you can't even move a flea. Go away, quietly, just as Mr. Jason ordered."

There is a little light at the top of the stairs.Father stood there, wearing only his shirt.He looked like he was saying "keep quiet".Katie whispered, "Is mother sick?" Versh put me down and we went into Mother's room. ⑤ There is a fire in the house.The fire rose and fell on the four walls.There is also a fire in the mirror.I can smell sick.It was from a folded cloth resting on the mother's head.Her hair was spread out on the pillow.The light of the fire did not reach there, but it illuminated her hand, and the rings shone and flickered. ④ refers to Mr. Compson.

⑤ The day the name was changed. "Come on, go and say good night to mother," said Katie.We come to the bed.The fire walked out of the mirror, my father stood up from the bed, hugged me up, and my mother put her hand on my head. "What time is it now," said the mother.Her eyes are closed. "Ten to seven," said my father. "It's too early to put him to bed," said the mother. "He'll wake up before dawn, and I can't bear another day like this." "Here it goes again, here it goes again," said the father.He patted his mother's cheek. "I know I'm nothing but a burden to you," said the mother. "But I'm leaving soon. I won't hold you down any longer." "Stop it," said the father. "I'll take him downstairs to play for a while." He picked me up. "Come on, old chap. Let's go downstairs and play for a while. Quentin's doing his homework, and we have to take it easy." Katie stepped forward and threw her head on the bed, and her mother's hand came into the firelight.Her rings danced on Katie's back. Mother is ill, said father. ① Dilsey will take you to bed.Where is Quentin? ①The night that Damdi passed away. Versh went to him, Dilsey said. Father stood there, watching us go by. ②We can hear the mother's voice in her bedroom.Katie said, "Shh." Jason was still going upstairs.He put his hands in his trouser pockets. ②The day the name was changed. "You all have to be good tonight," said the father. "Be quiet and don't disturb Mommy." "We must not quarrel," said Katie. "Jason, you need to be quiet now," she said.We stamped our feet. We could hear voices from the roof.I can also see the firelight in the mirror.Katie picked me up again. "Okay, come on," she said. "You can come to the fire in a moment. Well, don't cry." "Cadance," said the mother. "Don't cry, Benji," Katie said. "Mother wants you to come over for a while. Be good. You'll be right back, Benji." Katie put me down and I stopped crying. "Just let him stay here, mother. You'll tell him when he doesn't look at the fire." "Cadance," said the mother.Katie bent down and picked me up.We stumbled. "Cadance," said the mother. "Don't cry," said Katie. "You can still see the fire. Don't cry." "Bring him here," said the mother. "He's too big for you to hold. You can't hold him anymore. It's going to affect your back. Girls like us take pride in being upright. You want to look Become like the washerwoman?" "He's not too heavy," Katie said. "I can hug it." "Anyway, I don't want others to hug him." Mother said. "Five. No, no. Don't put it on my lap. Make him stand up straight." "He won't cry if you hold him," said Katie. "Stop crying," she said. "You'll be back in a minute. Here. Here's your mat. Look." "Come on, Cadence," said the mother. "Just show him the mat and he won't cry," Katie said. "Let me pull the mat out, please, Benji. Here, Benji. Look." I looked at the cushion and stopped talking. "You are too accommodating to him," said the mother. "You and your father are like this. You don't understand that it's me who suffers in the end. Big Mudi made Xiaojie like that, and it took him two years to change his bad habits. I'm not in good health." , It’s not enough to ask me to teach Benjiming energy well.” "You needn't worry about him," said Katie. "I like taking care of him. Don't you, Benji." "Cadance," said the mother. "I told you not to call him that. It's bad enough that your father has to call you by that stupid nickname. I won't let anyone call him that. It's so tacky." .Only lower class people use the nickname. Benjamin," she said. "Look at me," said the mother. "Benjamin," she said.She took my face in her hands and turned it to face hers. "Benjamin," she said. "Take that cushion away, Cadance." "He'll cry," Katie said. "Take that cushion away, and do as I tell you," said the mother. "He has to learn to listen to adults." That pad is gone. "Don't cry, Benji," Katie said. "Go over there and sit down for me," said the mother. "Benjamin." She held my face up and pointed it at hers. "Come on," she said. "do not do that." But I didn't stop, and my mother hugged me and cried, and I cried too.Then the mat came back, and Katie held it up over her mother's head.She pulled her mother into the chair, and the mother leaned back on the red and yellow cushion and cried. "Don't cry, Mother," said Katie. "You go back upstairs and lie down and take care of your sickness. I'll get Dilsey." She led me to the fire, and I looked at the bright, slippery shapes, and I could hear the fire and the roof on the sound. Father picked me up. ①He smelled like rain. ① Later in the day. "Hi, Benji," he said. "Are you being nice today?" Katie and Jason got into a fight in the mirror. "What's the matter with you, Katie," said Father. They are still fighting.Jason began to cry. "Katie," said Father.Jason was crying.He stopped beating, but we could see Katie was still beating in the mirror, so my father put me down and went over to the mirror and begged too.He lifted Katie up.Katie was still fighting.Jason lay on the ground crying.He has scissors in his hand.Father held Katie back. "He cracked all of Benji's paper dolls," Katie said. "I'm going to slit his stomach too." "Cadance," said the father. "I'm going to hinge," Katie said. "I want to hinge." She was struggling.Father hugged her.She kicked Jason.Jason rolled into a corner, away from the mirror.Father carried Katie to the fire.They all left the mirror.Only the fire was still there.It was like a fire in a door. "Stop beating," my father said. "Are you going to make mother lie sick in her room again?" Katie stopped struggling. "He smashed all the dolls that Moo-Benji and I made," Katie said. "He did it on purpose." "I'm not." Jason said.He sat up, still crying. "I had no idea it was his. I thought it was some scrap paper," "You don't know," said Katie. "You totally mean it." "Don't cry," said the father. "Jason," he said. "I'll make more for you tomorrow," Katie said. "We'll make lots and lots more. Well, you can still look at this cushion." Jason came in. ① ① Return to "Current". Benji's second brother Jason came home from get off work and walked into the study. Didn't I keep telling you not to cry, Luster said. What's the matter, Jason said. "He's making trouble," Luster said. "He's been like this all day today." "If you don't mess with him, it's over." Jason said. "If you can't coax him, take him into the kitchen. We people can't shut ourselves up in a room like mother." "Grandma says she won't let Benji in until she's done making dinner," Luster said. "Then you play with him and don't let him make a fuss. Jason said." Could it be that I have been busy all day, and I have to go back to a madhouse at night. "He opened the newspaper and read it. You can look at the fire, you can look at the mirror, you can look at the cushions, Katie said. ②You don't have to wait until dinner to look at the cushions.We could hear voices from the roof.We could also hear Jason crying through the walls. ②The day the name was changed. Dilsey said, "You're back, Jason. You didn't mess with him, did you?"③ ③ "Current". "No, Grandma," Luster said. "Where's Miss Quentin?" Dilsey said. "Dinner is almost ready." "I don't know," Luster said. "I didn't see her." Dilsey walked away. "Quentin," she yelled in the hall. "Quentin. Supper's ready," We could hear voices from the roof.Quentin smelled of rain too. ① ①The day the name was changed.This Quentin is Benji's big brother. What did Jason do, he said. He smashed all of Benji's dolls, Katie said. Mother said stop calling him Benji, Quentin said.He sat down on the rug beside us.I really hope it doesn't rain, he said.Try to do everything. You got into a fight with someone, Katie said.Did you hit it? Just a few hits, Quentin said. It was obvious at a glance, Katie said.Father will see. I'm not afraid, Quentin said.I really hope the sky doesn't fall. Quentin said, "Didn't Dilsey say supper was ready?" ② refers to little Quentin.Here it goes back to "current". "Yes, sir," said Luster.Jason glanced at Quentin.Then he read his newspaper again.Quentin came in. "She means it's coming soon," said Luster.Quentin sat down heavily on his mother's chair.Luster said, "Mr. Jason." "What is it?" Jason said. "Give me a quarter," said Luster. "Why." Jason said. "Let me go to the show tonight," said Luster. "Didn't Dilsey ask Frony for a quarter for you," Jason said. "She did," Luster said. "I lost it: me and Benji spent all day looking for that coin. You can ask him." "Then you should borrow one from him." Jason said. "I work for all my money." He read the paper again.Quentin was watching the fire.Firelight danced in her eyes and on her mouth.Her mouth was blood red. "I've been careful not to let him go there," Luster said. "Don't talk to me," said Quentin.Jason stared at her. "I didn't tell you, what would I do if I saw you hanging out with that actor again," he said.Quentin watched the fire. "Didn't you hear that?" Jason said. "Of course I heard," said Quentin, "then why don't you do it." "You don't have to worry about that," Jason said. "I don't worry about it," Quentin said.Jason read the paper again. I can hear voices on the roof.Father leaned forward, staring at Quentin. ① ①Back to the day when the name was changed, Quentin here is "big" Quentin again. hello, he said.Who wins. "No one wins," Quentin said. "They pulled us apart. Teachers." "Who is the opponent?" said the father. "Can you tell me about it?" "There's nothing to say," Quentin said. "He's my age." "That's good," said the father. "Can you tell me what it is for?" "No reason," said Quentin. "He said he was going to put a toad in her desk, and she sure wouldn't dare whip him." "Oh." Father said. "Her. Then." "Yes, Dad," Quentin said. "Then I hit him for some reason." We can hear voices on the roof.The sound of the fire and the sniffling outside the door. "Where can he find a toad in November weather?" said the father. "Then I don't know, Dad," Quentin said. We can hear those voices. "Jason," my father said.We can hear Jason's voice. "Jason," my father said. "Come in, don't do that." We could hear voices on the roof, the fire and Jason's voice. "Don't do that, that's fine." Father said, "Do you want me to beat you again." Father picked Jason up and put him in the chair beside him.Jason was sobbing.We could hear the fire and the roof.Jason's sobs got louder. "Tell you again," said the father.We could hear the fire and the roof. Dilsey said, all right.You can all come to dinner. ① ① "Current". Versh smelled of rain. ②He also smells like a dog.We could hear the fire and the roof. ②The day the name was changed. We could hear Katie hurrying along. ③Father and mother looked at the door.Kitty walked quickly, past the door.She did not glance in the door.She walks very fast. ③Recalling the situation in the late summer of 1909, when Katie had a tryst with her boyfriend and returned home after committing herself to someone for the first time. "Cadance," said the mother.Katie stopped in her tracks. "Hey, Mom," she said. "Stop it, Caroline," said Father. "Come in," said the mother. "Stop it, Caroline," said Father. "Let her go." Katie came to the door and stood there, looking at Father and Mother.Her eyes flicked to me, then moved away.I burst into tears.The crying grew louder and I stood up.Katie came into the room and stood with her back against the wall, looking at me.I was crying and walking towards her, she flinched against the wall, I saw her eyes, so I cried harder, and I grabbed her dress.She stretched out her hands, but I grabbed her dress.Her tears flowed down. Versh said, now your name is Benjamin. ①Do you know why I changed your name to Ben Jimin?They're going to turn you into a black kid with bluetooth gums.Mommy said that your grandpa used to change the name of Black Boy all the time, and then he became a priest, and when people saw him, his gums also turned blue.His gums weren't blue before.If pregnant women saw him face to face on a full moon night, their babies would be blue gums too.One night, a dozen kids with blue gums ran up and down his door, and he never came back.The possum catchers found him later in the woods, eaten to the bone.Do you know who ate him?It's the kids with the blue gums. ② ①The day the name was changed. ②In the folklore of southern blacks, people with blue gums have magic, can confuse people, and can cause people to die for no reason.Negroes often use them to frighten children. We come into the hall.Katie was still staring at me. ③She put one hand on her mouth, I saw her eyes, and I cried.Let's go upstairs.She stopped again, leaning against the wall, staring at me, I cried, she continued upstairs, I followed, crying as she walked, she flinched against the wall, staring at me.She opened her bedroom door, but I grabbed her by the dress, so we went to the bathroom, and she was standing against the door, staring at me.Then she put one arm up and covered her face, and I pushed her while weeping. ④ ③Late summer of 1909. ④Benji felt that his beloved sister had changed, and he wanted to push her into the bathroom to wash off her infidelity just like washing off the smell of perfume earlier. What's the matter with him, Jason said. ①Can't you not mess with him? ① "Current". I didn't even touch him, Luster said.He's been so awkward all day.He really deserves a beat. He should be sent to Jackson, Quentin said.Who can bear to live in such a house. If you don't like it here, miss, you can go away, Jason said. I'm going, Quentin said.You don't have to worry about that. Versh said, "Go back and let me roast my legs." He pushed me aside. "Come on, don't start yelling again. You can still see. You just want to watch the fire. You don't have to be like me. You have to run outside when it rains. You don't know the blessing when you are in the blessing." He lay down sprawled in front of the fire. ②The day the name was changed. "Now you know why you changed your name to Benjamin," Versh said. "Your mother is so proud and thinks you've disgraced her. That's what my mother said." "You just stay there and let me dry my legs," Versh said. "Or you know what I'm going to do. I'm gonna take the skin off your ass." We could hear the sound of the fire, the sound on the roof, and Welsh venting. Versh sat up hastily and put his legs back.Dad said, "Okay, Versh." "I'll feed him tonight," said Katie. "Wilsh feed him sometimes he cries." "Take this tray upstairs," Dilsey said. "Come back and feed Benji." "Don't you want Katie to feed you?" Katie said. Does he still have to bring that dirty old slipper to the table, Quentin said. ①Why don't you feed him in the kitchen.It was like eating with a pig. ① "Current". If you don't like this way of eating, you don't have to come to the table, Jason said. Heat came from Roskus. ②He sat in front of the stove.The oven door was open, and Roskus put his feet in.Steam rises from the bowl.Katie brought the spoon lightly into my mouth.There is a dark spot inside the rim of the bowl. ②The day the name was changed. All right, all right, Dilsey said.He won't give you any more trouble. ③ ③ "Current". "He" refers to Bengui. The contents of the bowl fell under the black spot. ④ Then the bowl was empty.The bowl is gone. "He's very hungry tonight," said Katie.The bowl is back.I can't see that dark spot.Then I saw it again. "He's starving tonight," said Katie. "Look how much he ate." ④The day the name was changed. Well, he will, Quentin said. ⑤You all sent him to watch me.I hate this home.I must escape. ⑤ "Current". Roskus said, "It looks like it's going to rain all night."⑥ ⑥The day the name was changed. You have been outside for a long time, and you only missed three meals outside, Jason said. ⑦ ⑦"Current". See if I can run, said Quentin. "Then I don't know what to do," Dilsey said. ⑧"My thigh joints hurt so much that I can't even move. I went up and down all night." ⑧The day the name was changed. Oh, that's what I expected, Jason said. ①I have long expected that you can do anything. ① "Current". Quentin slammed her napkin on the table. Just keep your words to yourself, Jason, Dilsey said.She went over and put her arms around Quentin.Sit down, baby, Dilsey said.He should be ashamed to put all the bad things that have nothing to do with you on your account. "She's sulking again, isn't she," said Roskus. ② ②The day the name was changed. "She" means Mrs. Compson. "Just keep your words to yourself," Dilsey said. Quentin pushed Dilsey away. ③She stared at Jason.Her mouth was blood red.She picked up her glass of water, pulled her arms back, and kept her eyes on Jason.Dilsey grabbed her arm.They fought.The glass fell on the table and shattered, and the water ran all over the table.Quentin ran away. ③, current. "Mother's sick again," said Katie. ④ ④The day the name was changed. "Isn't it?" Dilsey said. "Anyone will get sick in this kind of horrible weather. Boy, when are you going to finish these few mouthfuls of food?" God damn you, said Quentin. ⑤ You killed it today.We could hear her running upstairs.We all go to the study. ⑤ "Current". Katie handed me the mat so I could look at the mat and the mirror and the fire. ⑥ ⑥The day the name was changed. "Quentin is doing his homework, and we have to keep our voices down," said my father. "What are you doing, Jason." "Nothing," Jason said. "Then you'd better come here to play." Father said. Jason came out from the corner of the wall. "What are you chewing in your mouth?" said the father. "Nothing to chew," Jason said. "He's chewing paper again," Katie said. "Come here, Jason," said Father. Jason threw the glob into the fire.It hissed, loosened, and turned black.Then it turned gray.Then it was gone.Katie sat in Mother's chair with her father and Jason.Jason closed his eyes tightly, and pursed his mouth, as if he was trying to taste something.Katie rested her head on her father's shoulder.Her hair was like a fire, and there were little sparks in her eyes, and I walked over, and my father lifted me into the chair, and Katie put his arms around me.She smelled of trees. She smelled of trees.It was already dark in the corner of the wall, but I could see the window. ①I squatted in the corner of the wall, holding the slipper in my hand.I can't see it, but my hands can see it, I can also hear the sound of the sky getting darker, my hands can see the slippers, but I can't see myself, but my hands can see the slippers, I squatted on the wall In the corner, I heard the sound of the sky getting darker. ① "Current".In the study. So you're here, Luster said.Look what I have here.He took it out and showed it to me.Do you know where I got it.Miss Quentin gave it to me.I know it will never fail to be a show.What are you doing hiding here alone.I thought you'd slipped outside.Don't you think it's not enough for you to grunt and mutter today, and you still have to squat in this empty room and mutter endlessly.Go to bed and sleep, lest I can't make it when the show starts.I'm not going to accompany you tonight.As soon as those big horns blow, I'm going to be knocked over. We didn't go back to our own room. ① ①The night that Damdi passed away. "This is where we slept when we had the measles," said Katie. "Why do we have to sleep here tonight?" "You don't care which room he sleeps in," Dilsey said.She closed the door and sat down to help me undress.Jason cried. "Don't cry," Dilsey said. "I'm going to sleep with Big Muddy," Jason said. "She's sick," Katie said. "You'll sleep with her when she's well. Is that right, Dilsey?" "Okay, stop crying," Dilsey said.Jason stopped. "Here's our pajamas, and here's everything else," said Katie. "It's really like moving." "Put on your pajamas quickly," said Dilsey. "You help Jason unbutton it." Katie unbuttons Jason.He began to cry again. "You owe it, don't you?" Dilsey said.Jason fell silent. Quentin, said Mother from the corridor. ② ② "Current".Mrs. Compson was afraid that Quentin would go out and fool around, so she had to lock her door every night. What is it, Quentin said through the wall.We heard mother lock the door.She looked into our room, came in, bent over the bed, and kissed me on the forehead. When you put him to sleep, ask Dilsey if she objects to my hot water bottle, Mother said.Tell her if she objects, then I don't care.Tell her I just want to know what she means. All right, you, Luster said.Come here, take off your pants. Quentin and Versh enter. ①Quentin looks away. "Why are you crying," said Katie. ①The night that Damdi passed away. "Stop crying," Dilsey said. "You all undress and go to sleep. You can go back too, Versh." I undressed, I looked at myself, and I began to cry. ②Stop crying, Luster said.What use are you looking for them.They are long gone.If you do this again, we will never celebrate your birthday again.He helped me into my dressing gown.I fell silent when Luster stopped and turned his head toward the window.Then he went to the window and looked out.He came back and took my arm.She came out, he said.You can't make a sound.We went to the window and looked out.The shadow crawled out of the window of Quentin's room and climbed up the tree.We saw the tree shaking.The wobbly place dropped a little bit, and then the shadow left the tree, and we saw it move across the grass.We won't be able to see it after that.All right, said Luster.ouch.You listen to the horn.You go to bed quickly, I'm going to be spoiled. ② "Current".Benji saw his castrated lower body. There are two beds in the room. ③ Quentin climbed into another bed.He turned his face away, to the wall.Dilsey carried Jason to his bed.Katie took off her dress. ③The night that Damdi passed away. "Look at your panties," Dilsey said. "You're lucky because your mother didn't see it." "I already reported on her," Jason said. "Will you still not tell?" Dilsey said. "What's your gain in suing," said Katie. "tell tales." "I'm not getting any good," Jason said. "Why aren't you in your pajamas yet?" Dilsey said, and she went over to take off the tank top and panties for Katie. "Look at you," Dilsey said.She rolled up her pants and wiped Katie's ass with it. "It's all soaked," she said. "Can't take a shower tonight though. Put them on." She helped Katie into her pajama bottoms and Katie climbed into bed as Dilsey went to the door and put her hand on the switch. "You all be quiet now, do you hear me," she said. "Got it," Katie said. "Mother won't be visiting us tonight," she said. "So everyone has to follow my command." "Okay," Dilsey said. "Okay, go to bed quickly." "Mother's sick," said Katie. "She and Big Muddy are sick." "Shut up," Dilsey said. "You guys go to sleep." The room became dark, only the doorway was lit.Then the doorway also went dark.Katie said, "Shut up, Maury," and she reached out to touch me.So I kept silent.We could hear everyone venting.We can hear the voices of the night. The darkness receded and my father was watching us.He looked at Quentin and Jason, then came over and kissed Katie, and put his hand on my head. "Is mother very ill," said Katie. "Not bad." Father said. "You take good care of Maury, okay?" "Okay," Katie said. Father walked to the door and looked at us again.Then the darkness returned, and he stood in the doorway, a shadow, and then the doorway was dark.Katie put her arms around me, and I could hear everyone breathing, and the night, and something I could smell.Now I could see the window, where the branches were rustling.Then the darkness receded like every night, like a slippery, bright blob, and Katie said I was asleep.