Chapter 19 April 8, 1928 (2)

April 8, 1928 (2) "Can we go up to the ranch?" Luster said. "Fine. Find a way to keep him from coming back anyway. I've had enough." "All right, you," said Luster. "Where's Mr. Jason, Grandma?" "You're meddling again, aren't you?" Dilsey said.She started clearing the table. "Don't mess around, Benji. Luster will take you out in a minute." "What the hell has he done to Miss Quentin, Granny?" said Luster. "I didn't do anything, you all get out of here quickly." "I bet she wasn't home," said Luster.

Dilsey stared at him. "How did you know she wasn't home?" "Me and Benji saw her climb out of the window last night, didn't we, Ben." "Did you really see that?" Dilsey said, staring at him closely. "We see her climb every night," said Luster, "and slip down that pear tree." "Don't you tell me nonsense, nigger," Dilsey said. "I'm not lying. You asked Benji if what I said was true." "Why didn't you say anything before, huh?" "It doesn't matter to me," Luster said. "I don't want to meddle in white people's business. Come on, Benji, let's go out and play."

They walked out.Dilsey stood at the table for a while, then walked out of the kitchen to clean up the breakfast in the dining room, then ate breakfast herself, and cleaned up the kitchen.Then she took off her apron, hung it up, went to the landing, and listened for a while.There was no sound from upstairs.She put on her coat and hat, and went across the yard to her cabin. The rain has stopped.A fresh wind blows from the southeast, revealing patches of blue sky above.Over the treetops of the town.The roof and peaks are increased, and the sun can be seen reclining on the top of the hill, like a small piece of gray cloth, fading away little by little.A bell rang in the limelight, and then the other bells responded one after another as if they had received some signal.

The cabin door opened, and Dilsey appeared in the doorway, again in the purple dress and maroon shoulders, and a pair of long, curved, dirty white gloves, which she managed to take off this time. scarf.She went into the courtyard and called to Luster.She waited a while, then went up to the big house, rounded the corner to the cellar door, and walked close to the wall, looking in through the door.Ben sat on the steps.Ahead of him, Luster was on the wet ground.He was holding a saw in his left hand, and the blade was a little bent from pressing down on it with his hand, and he was beating it with an old wooden hammer that Dilsey used to make biscuits, and it was over thirty years old years.Every time it was knocked, the saw blade made a feeble trill, and then stopped silently, lifelessly.I saw the saw blade forming a slightly curved arc between Luster's palm and the floor.It was silent, and its belly puffed out inscrutablely.

"That's what the man did," Luster said. "I just haven't found the right thing to knock on." "So you're here doing stuff like that, okay?" Dilsey said. "Give me back that little wooden hammer," she said. "I didn't break Ro," said Luster. "Give it back to me," Dilsey said. "Where did you get the saw or where did you put it back?" He put down the saw and handed her the little wooden hammer.And now Ben was wailing again, desperately, languidly.It is nothing but a sound, this mournful cry of injustice may have existed in space since ancient times, and it was only formed into sound in an instant due to the meeting of planets.

"Listen to him," said Luster, "he's been like this since you called us out. I don't know if he's bewitched this morning or something." "Call him up," Dilsey said. "Come on, Benji," Luster said, stepping down to grab Ben's arm.He came up docilely, still wailing, with a tinge of the slow hiss of a ship in his voice; the quaking began before the wail, and died before it was over. "You run and get his cap," Dilsey said. "Don't make a noise for Miss Caroline to hear. Come on, go, we're getting late. "If you don't try to stop him, she's sure to hear him growl," Luster said.

"He won't bark as soon as we're out the gate," Dilsey said. "He smelled it. That's all." "Smell what, Grandma?" said Luster. "Go get your hat," Dilsey said.Luster walked away.The two remaining men stood at the cellar door, Ben on a step below her.The sky was now split into swift gray clouds, which trailed their shadows over the dirty garden.Flying over broken fences and yards.Slowly and evenly, Dilsey stroked Ben's head, smoothing the bangs on his forehead.His wailing became calm and unhurried. "Don't cry," Dilsey said, "let's not cry. Let's go. Well, let's not cry." He was quiet.humming steadily.

①This is a superstition of Dilsey's. She believes that when something bad happens in the house, a fool can detect it with his supernatural senses. Luster came back, himself wearing a new crisp straw hat with a floral ribbon, and a cloth cap in his hand.The straw hat was bent here and flattened, and it had a strange shape. Wearing it on Luster's head was like a spotlight, making others look sideways.This straw hat is really special. At first glance, it looks like it is worn on the head of another person who is closely behind Luster.Dilsey studied the straw hat. "Why don't you wear your old hat?" she said.

"I can't find it," said Luster. "Of course you can't find it. You must have arranged not to find it last night. You wanted to destroy the new hat." "Oh, grandma," Luster said. "It won't rain." "How do you know? You'd better get the old hat and put the new one away." "Oh, grandma." "Then go get an umbrella." "Oh, grandma." "Whatever you want," Dilsey said. "It's either an old hat or an umbrella. I don't care which one you choose." Luster walked toward the cabin.Ben whimpered softly.

"Let's go," said Dilsey, "they'll catch up. We're going to the singing." They rounded the corner and started toward the gate. "Don't cry," Dilsey said after a while as they walked down the drive.They came to the gate.Dilsey went to open the gate.Luster catches up in the driveway with an umbrella, and a woman walks with him. "Here they come," Dilsey said.They walk out the gate. "Okay, time to stop crying," she said.Ben silenced his voice.Luster and his mother caught up.Frony was dressed in light blue silk, with flowers in her hat.She is thin and small, with a flat face.An amiable face.

"You're wearing six weeks' salary," Dilsey said. "What will you do if it rains?" "Just get wet, so what," said Frony. "It's going to rain, I can't stand it." "Grandma keeps talking about rain," Luster said. "I don't know who would worry about it if I didn't," Dilsey said. "Come on, we're getting late," "We're going to be preaching to us today by Reverend Higgok," said Frony. "Really?" Dilsey said. "Who is he?" "He's from St. Louis," said Frony, "a high priest." "Well," said Dilsey, "there's going to be some capable man right now to put the fear of God in these niggers who are nothing." "Reverend Higgock preached this one today," said Frony. "That's what everybody says." They walked along the street. On this long, quiet street, groups of white people dressed in gardens were walking towards the church in the wind with the bells ringing. They walked in from time to time and showed their faces tentatively. in the sun.The wind was coming in gusts from the southeast, and it felt cold and hard, all because of the warm weather the previous few days. "I wish you didn't keep taking him to church, Mummy," said Frony. "People are talking about it." "Who's talking about?" Dilsey said. "I heard it all," Frony said. "I know what kind of guy it is," Dilsey said, "poor white dude. That's the guy. They don't think he's good enough to go to a white church, and they don't think he's good enough to go to a black church." "Anyway, people are talking about it anyway," said Frony. "You asked them to come and tell me," Dilsey said. "Tell them a merciful God doesn't care whether his followers are smart or stupid. Nobody cares except poor white people." There was a small road that intersected the main street at right angles. Following it, the terrain dropped a little bit until it became a dirt road.On either side of the dirt road the terrain became steeper, and a wide flat field emerged, dotted with small wooden houses with weather-beaten roofs as high as the road.The cabins are all located in yards where no grass grows, and the ground is littered with junk, such as bricks, planks, earthen pots, and other things that were once useful.What can grow there is nothing but undying weeds and mulberry, acacia, sycamore and other indelicate trees-they also contribute to the dry smell around the house; Even if the trees catch up with the budding season, it seems that the bleak, bleak autumn after September, as if even the spring is passing by them, leaving them, and handing them over to the black ghettos that are closely related to them, so that They feed on the pungent, distinctive smell. The Negroes at the door greeted him as they passed, usually speaking to Dilsey. "Miss Gibson, how are you this morning?" "I'm fine. How are you?" "Me too, thank you." Negroes came out of the cabins and struggled up the shaded embankment to the road—men in prim, dull black or brown suits, gold watch chains, and a few carrying walking sticks. ; the boys in tacky, harsh blue striped suits and new, trendy hats; They spied on the second-hand goods that were sold with the furtive look of nocturnal animals. "I bet you wouldn't dare go up and touch him." "How do you know I dare not?" "You sure don't. I think you're a coward." "He doesn't hurt. He's just a big dork." "Idiots don't hurt people?" "This one doesn't hurt. I've touched him before." "You sure don't dare right now." "Because Miss Dilsey was watching." "You don't dare if she's not here." "He won't hurt anyone. He's just an idiot." Older people kept coming up to talk to Dilsey, but unless they were very old, Dilsey generally let Frony do the talking. "Mommy isn't feeling well this morning." "Too bad. But Reverend Higgok will heal her. He will comfort her and unburden her." The terrain of the dirt road rose little by little, and came to a place where the scenery was like a painted set.The dirt road led to a gap in the red clay hill topped with oak trees, and the dirt road seemed to be cut here, like a cut ribbon.There is a weather-beaten church beside the road. The church’s grotesque spire pierces the sky like the church in the painting. The whole scene is like a cardboard propped on a flat open space in front of the abyss. The scenery in the depth of field, but the surrounding area is the vast clear sky in April, it is a windy day, and it is a small noon with all kinds of bells rippling.People flocked to the church with a slow, Sabbath, prim gait.The women and children went straight in, but the men stopped at the door, chatting quietly in groups, until the bell died away, after which they went in too. The interior of the church has been newly decorated, with some flowers collected from the vegetable garden and hedges behind the kitchen sparsely placed, and strands of colorful crepe paper ribbons are hung.Over the pulpit hung a sunken Christmas paper clock, the kind that folds up like an accordion.The pulpit was empty, but the choir had already taken their seats.The weather is not hot, but the rest hands are fanning themselves. Most of the women were gathered on one side of the hall, talking chirpingly.The clock struck, and the women dispersed and took their seats.The congregation sat for a while, quietly waiting.The clock rang again.The choir stood up and began singing hymns.The congregation all turned their heads and moved as one, for at that moment six little children walked in—four little girls with floral bows in braids as thin as mouse tails, and two with short hair. Little boys with mane hair—they walked through the central aisle to the pulpit. White ribbons and flowers connected the six children into one whole, followed by two men.The second one is tall, with light brown skin, wearing elegant glasses and a white tie, with a majestic and dignified demeanor.His head also looks majestic.He was very thoughtful, and his chin was protruding from his collar in a majestic way.The congregation knew him well, so after he passed by, everyone's necks were still twisted, and it was not until the choir stopped singing that they realized that the guest pastor had entered.They fixed their eyes on the man who had just walked in front of their own pastor and was still leading up to the pulpit, and an indescribable sound rose up. It was a sigh, and it was also a sound of surprise and disappointment. The visiting priest was of unusually small stature, and wore a battered alpaca coat.He had the shrunken black face of a skinny old monkey.When the choir re-opened and the six children stood up and joined in the chorus with shrill, timid, out-of-pitch voices, the congregation kept their eyes on the inconspicuous little old man, and they stared at the burly old man with some amazement. Compared with the people around the stalwart local pastor, he looked more like a dwarf and looked more rustic.When the local pastor stood up and introduced him in a deep, resonant tone, the congregation still looked at him with astonishment and distrust. The more enthusiastic the local pastor made the introduction, the more wretched and vulgar the image of the guest pastor appeared. ①This is a Christmas decoration, usually red, made of hard paper, wrinkled, and bell-shaped when opened. "They brought him all this way from St. Louis," Frony said quietly. "I've seen the Lord use even weirder tools than this," Dilsey said. "Okay, stop arguing," she said to Ben again, "they're going to be singing again soon." The visiting pastor stood up and spoke, with an accent that sounded white.His voice was flat, cold, and loud, as if it didn't come from him.At first, everyone listened curiously, as if listening to a monkey talking.At first they looked at him as they would watch a man walk a tightrope, running up and down the tightrope of his indifferent, unchanging voice, making gestures and somersaults and pulling out all the stops.His humble and wretched image was no longer in their eyes.At last, when he slumped on the lectern, one arm resting on the lectern table at his chest height, his monkey-like body as motionless as a mummy or an empty boat, the congregation was relieved. After taking a deep breath, he moved his body on the seat, as if he had just woken up from a big dream that the group had had together.Behind the pulpit, the choir kept waving their fans.Dilsey said quietly, "Quiet it up. They're sure to be singing soon." At this time, a voice sounded: "Brothers." The priest didn't move.His arms were still resting across the table, and he remained in that position as the echo of the sonorous voice died away from the walls.Compared with his voice just now, this voice is quite different. It is like an alto speaker, sad and gloomy, deeply embedded in their hearts. Still echoing in their hearts. "Brothers and sisters," the voice said again.The pastor withdrew his arms and began to walk up and down in front of the lecturing table. His hands were folded behind his back, making him look even thinner. His body was low and low, like a man chained to the land after long-term struggle with this cruel land. people. "I take to heart the story of the blood of the lamb!" He stomped to and fro under twisted confetti and Christmas paper clocks, hunched over, hands clasped behind his back.He is very much like a small stone that has been rubbed away by his continuous sound waves.He also seems to be feeding his own voice with his body, and this voice is gnawing at his heart like a witch.The congregation seemed to see the voice devouring him, until he was gone, they were gone, and even his voice was gone, leaving only their hearts talking to each other, in chanting rhythms, There was no need for living words, so when at last he leaned on the lectern table to catch his breath again, his monkey face was turned up, and his whole figure was like the holy, suffering figure on the cross, stripped of the The original humble and wretched temperament seemed to be a completely insignificant matter. At this moment, the congregation let out a long breath and groaned. In addition, a woman shouted in a shrill voice: "Yes, Jesus!" As time raced overhead, the dim windows shone for a moment and then receded into eerie gloom.A car passed by on the road outside, struggling on the sand, its sound fading away.Dilsey sat upright, one hand on Ben's lap.Two tears flowed down the sunken cheek, in and out of a thousand reflective folds of sacrifice, self-denial, and time. "Brethren," the pastor said in a hoarse whisper, without moving. ①In the "Bible New Testament", Jesus is called "the Lamb of God"; and it is believed that "the blood of the Lamb" can be used to wash away human sins. "Yes, Jesus," the woman's voice called, but it was lowered. "Brothers and sisters!" the preacher's voice rang out again, this time from the alto trumpet, and he took his arms off the platform and stood straight, hands raised. "I keep the story of the blood of the lamb in my heart!" The congregation didn't notice when his accent and intonation changed from Negro, but his voice caught them, and they rocked slightly in their seats involuntarily. . "Long, cold years—oh, I tell you, brethren, long, cold years—I saw the light, I saw the oracle, poor sinner! They passed through Egypt, and the cars The rickety wagon; generations have passed since then. The rich once, and now, brethren? The poor, now, now, sisters? Oh, I tell you, the long .The cold years have passed, and what would have happened if you had not the milk and nectar to save your life!" "Yes, Jesus!" "I tell you, brethren, and I will tell you, sisters, that such a day will come. Say the poor sinner: Let me lie down beside the Lord, let me lay down my heavy burden. To the What would Jesus say then? Brothers? Sisters? Do you remember the story of the blood of the lamb? Because I don't want to burden heaven too much!" He fumbled in his coat for a long time, took out a handkerchief, and wiped his face.The congregation let out a low groan in unison: "(mother)——————" The woman cried again: "Yes, Jesus! Jesus!" "Brothers! Look at those little children sitting there. Jesus was like that for a time. His mammy was in glory and pain. Maybe, sometimes, in the evening when it was getting dark, she held Jesus, the angels sang to lull him to sleep; perhaps she looked out and saw the Roman policeman passing by the door." He was trudging up and down as he wiped his face. "Listen to me, brethren! I saw that day. Maria sat in the doorway, and on her lap lay Jesus, the child Jesus. Just like the little children sitting there, it was the child Jesus. I heard the angels Singing peace, singing glory; I saw the eyes of the lady, I saw Maria jump up, I saw the soldier's face, he was saying: We're going to kill! We're going to kill! We're going to kill your little Jesus! I heard The weeping and whining of the poor mother, for she cannot be saved by the Lord, the oracle of the Lord!" "(Mother)————————! Jesus! Baby Jesus!" At this moment, another voice shouted sharply: "I see it, Jesus! Oh, I see it!" Another voice rang out, just a voice without words, like bubbles coming out of water. "I have seen it, brethren! I have seen the sight! I have seen the astonishing, stupefying sight! I have seen Calvary, with the sacred tree, and I have seen thieves, robbers, and the most vile I heard the big words, the ravings: If you were Jesus, why didn't you take up the cross and go! I heard the weeping of the women and the mourning of the night; I heard the weeping, the wailing, God Turn your face away and say: They really killed Jesus; they really killed my son!" "(Mother)———————! Jesus! I see, Jesus!" "Blind sinners! I tell you, brethren; I say unto you, sisters. When God cast His omnipotent face down, He said: I don't want to overburden heaven! I can see The widowed God has shut his door; I have seen the floods of heaven and earth; I have seen the darkness and death that have been ever present from generation to generation. Then, behold, brethren! Yes, brethren! What do I see What have I seen, sinners? I have seen the resurrection and the light; I have seen meek Jesus saying: It is because they killed me that you will rise; He who dies never dies. O brethren, brethren! I have seen the thunderbolt of the last day, and I have heard the golden trumpet rejoicing to the tune of the beatitude of the kingdom, and the dead are raised to life who remember the deeds of the blood of the Lamb." ①The place where Jesus was crucified. Among the trees of the congregation's voices and upraised hands, Ben sat staring ecstatically into his tender blue eyes.Dilsey sat upright next to him, weeping dumbly and quietly, still saddened by people's memories of the pain and blood of the garlic sheep. Dilsey was still weeping as they walked down the gravel-faced dirt road in the bright midday sun, and the scattered congregation chatted easily in small circles, and Dilsey was still weeping, not in the mood to join in the chatter of others. "What a terrific clergyman he is, my God! He doesn't seem like much at first, but then he's so sweet!" "He saw power and glory." "Yes, that's right. He did see it. Face to face." Dilsey said nothing, and the muscles of her face didn't even twitch as the tears trickled down the sunken, twisting channel, and she walked with her head held high, and she didn't even try to wipe away the tears. "What are you doing, Mummy?" said Frony. "So many people are looking at you. We're almost at the point where there are white people." "I saw the beginning and I saw the end," Dilsey said. "You leave me alone." "What's the beginning and the end?" said Frony. " "Never mind," Dilsey said. "I saw the beginning, now I see the end." ① See the thirteenth chapter of the twenty-second chapter of "Bible Revelation": "I am the Alpha, I am the Omega, I am the first, I am the last, I am the beginning, and I am the end." But before they reached the main street, she stopped, lifted her skirts, and wiped her tears with the hem of her outermost petticoat.Then they went on.Ben Jian walked quietly beside Dilsey, watching Luster make various strange appearances in front of him, just like a big stupid dog watching a clever little dog.Luster held an umbrella in one hand, and the new straw hat was slanted on his head, showing his face in the sun.They came to the door of the house and turned in.Ban immediately whimpered again.For a while they all looked toward the big house at the end of the drive, a square house that hadn't been painted for a long time, with a crumbling colonnaded front. "What's going on in the big house today?" said Frony. "Anyway, something happened." "Nothing happened," Dilsey said. "Just mind your own business, white people's business, let them worry about it themselves." "Something happened anyway," said Frony. "I heard him humming early this morning. Of course, it's none of my business." "I don't know what it is," said Luster. "You know too much that you shouldn't know," Dilsey said. "Didn't you hear Frony just say it's none of your business? You take Benji out in the backyard, don't let him make a fuss, and I'll call you when I'm ready for lunch." "Do I know where Miss Quentin is," said Luster. "Then you shut up," Dilsey said. "When Quentin needs your advice, I'll let you know. Now go and play in the backyard." "Don't you know what happens when they start playing on the ranch?" "They won't start for a while. Then T. P. will be back and take him to the carriage. Come, take off that new hat and give it to me." ① refers to Bangui. Luster gave her the hat and walked through the backyard with Ben.Ben was still humming, but not loudly.Dilsey and Frony went into the cabin, and a moment later Dilsey came out, putting on her faded calico dress again, and she went into the kitchen.The fire has gone out.The whole house was silent.She put on her apron and went upstairs.There was no sound anywhere.Quentin's room was just as they had left it.She went in, picked up the underwear, stuffed the stockings into the auction room, and closed the drawers tightly.Mrs. Compson's door was closed.Dilsey stood by the door for a moment, listening.Then she opened the door and walked in. There was a strong smell of camphor in the room.The shutters were drawn, and the room was half-dark, and the bed was lost in the gloom, so that at first she thought Mrs. Compson was asleep.She was about to close the door when the person on the bed spoke. "Huh?" she said. "Who is it?" "It's me," Dilsey said. "Do you need anything?" Mrs. Compson did not answer.She didn't move her head, and after a while, she said, "Where's Jason?" "He's not back yet," Dilsey said. "Do you need anything?" Mrs. Compson said nothing.Like many apathetic and feeble beings, when she finally faced an irreversible catastrophe, she always found a kind of perseverance, a strength somewhere.In the present situation, her strength comes from an unshakable faith in an event whose truth has not yet been revealed. "Oh," she said finally, "did you find that thing?" "Found what? What did you say?" "A note. At least she must have been considerate enough to leave us a note. Even Quentin left a note." ① refers to her eldest son. "What are you talking about?" Dilsey said. "Don't you know she's all right?" I'll bet she'll be walking in this door before dark. " "Nonsense," said Mrs. Compson. "It's a hereditary thing. There's a niece like an uncle. Or like a mother like a daughter, I don't know which one is worse for her." , it seems like they don't care." "What's the point of you keeping saying that?" Dilsey said. "Besides, why should she not think about taking such a road?" "I don't know. What is the reason for Quentin to do that at that time? Why did he need it? It can't be just to mock me and break my heart. This kind of thing is often not tolerated by God, no matter who is God That's all right. I'm a lady. People may not believe it when they see my offspring like this, but I am." "Just wait and see," Dilsey said. "She'll come home as soon as it's dark, and lie down on her bed," said Mrs. Compson in silence.The camphor-soaked cloth was placed on her forehead.The black nightgown lay across the foot of the bed, and Dilsey stood in the doorway with one hand on the doorknob. "All right," said Mrs. Conguson. "What else do you want? Do you want to get Jason and Benjamin some lunch, or leave it at that?" "Jason ain't back," Dilsey said. "I'm making lunch. You really don't want anything? Is your hot water bottle still hot?" "Just bring me my Bible." "I gave it to you before I went out this morning." "You put it on the edge of the bed. Can it stay there forever?" Dixie walked across the room to the bed, groped under the bed, and found the "Bible" with the cover folded on the floor.She smoothed the nestled pages and put the book back on the bed.Mrs. Compson didn't even open her eyes.Her hair was the same color as the pillow, and her head was wrapped in a cloth soaked in liquid medicine. She looked like a praying old nun. "Don't put it there anymore," she said, eyes still closed. "You put it there earlier, you want me to get out of bed and pick it up?" Dilsey reached over her and put the book on the wider edge of the bed on the other side. "You can't see, you can't read," she said.Shall I open the blinds a little? " "No. Let it go, go get Jason something to eat." Dilsey went out.She closed the door and went back into the kitchen.The stove is almost cold.While she was standing there the clock above the cupboard struck ten. "One o'clock," she said aloud. "Jason hasn't come back yet. I saw the beginning and the end," she said, looking at the cold stove. "I saw the beginning and the end." She put some cold food on the table.She walked up and down, singing a hymn.She sang the words of the first two lines throughout the tune.After setting the meal, she went to the door and called Luster. After a while, Luster and Ben came in.Ben was still humming softly, as if humming to himself. "He didn't stop for a moment," Luster said. "You all eat first," Dilsey said. "Jason won't be back for lunch." They sat down at the table.Ben had no problem eating his own dry food, but Dilsey tied a cloth under his chin even though he had cold meals in front of him at the moment.He and Luster ate.Dilsey walked up and down the kitchen singing the two hymn lines she remembered over and over again. "You go ahead and eat," she said, "Jason won't be coming back." Jason was twenty miles away at this time.In the morning, when he was out of the house, he galloped toward the town, overtaking the slow-moving churchgoers and the imperious ringing of the bells in the intermittent wind.He crossed the empty square and turned into a narrow side street that suddenly became quieter after the car entered.He stopped in front of a wood-framed house, got out of the car and walked along the flower-lined path to the porch. Someone was talking through the screen door.He was about to raise his hand to knock on the door, but when he heard footsteps, he withdrew his hand.Then a big man in black wool trousers and a collarless white shirt came out and opened the door.This man has thick and hard iron-gray messy hair, and Sanhuan's gray eyes are round and bright, like the eyes of a little boy.He took Jason's hand and pulled him into the room, holding on to it all the time. "Come in," he said, "Come in." "Are you ready to go?" Jason said. "Come on in," the man said, pushing Jason's elbow to walk inside into a room where a man and a woman were sitting. "You know Myrtle's husband, don't you? This is Jason Compson, and this is Vernon." "I know it," Jason said.He didn't even look at the man.That's when the sheriff pulled a chair from across the room, the man said. "Let's go so you can talk. Come on, Myrtle." "No, no," said the sheriff, "you just sit in your seat. I don't think it's that serious, Jason? You sit." "Let's talk as we go," Jason said, "get your hat and coat." "We're leaving," the man said, standing up. "Take your seats," said the sheriff, "Jason and I will go out on the porch and talk." "You put on your hat and field," Jason said. "They've been gone for twelve hours." The sheriff led him back to the porch.A man and a woman happened to pass by the door and spoke to the sheriff, who answered them with enthusiasm and exaggeration.The bell was still ringing, and it was coming from the direction of the so-called Negro's Valley. " "Put on your hat, Sheriff," Jason said.The sheriff dragged over two chairs. ①Myrtle is the sheriff's daughter. "Sit down and tell me what happened." "我在电话里已经告诉你了，"杰生说，他站着不坐。"我那样做是为了节约时间。是不是得让我通过法庭来迫使你执行你宣誓过要履行的义务呢？" "你先坐下，把情况跟我说一说，"警长说。"我会保障你的利益的。" "保障，算了吧，"杰生说。"你就管这叫保障利益？" "现在是你在妨碍我们采取行动，"警长说。"你坐下来把情况说一说嘛。" 杰生跟他说了，他一肚子气没地方出，嗓门说着说着就大了起来。片刻之后，他为自己辩护的急躁心情与火气越来越厉害，已经把他的当务之急抛诸脑后了。警长用那双冷静闪光的眼睛一动不动地盯着他。 "不过你并不真的知道是他们干的，"他说，"你只是认为是他们干的。" "不知道？"杰生说。"我整整花了两天工夫尾随着她在大街小巷钻进钻出，想把她跟他拆开，我后来还跟她说过要是再让我碰到他们在一起我会怎样做。在发生了这些事情以后，你还居然说我不知道是那小娼——" "好，行了，"警长说，"清楚了。说这些也就够了。"他把头扭开去，望着街对面，双手插在口袋里。 "在我来到你这一位正式委任的执法官吏的西前时，你却……"杰生说。 "戏班子这个星期是在莫特生①演出，"警官说。 ①在福克纳虚构的约克纳帕塔法县里，莫特生在杰弗生西南二十五英里，也是一个小镇。 "是的，"杰生说，"如果在我面前的执法官吏对选他上台的人民的利益多少有一点责任心，那我这会儿也在莫特生了。"他又将他的故事的要点粗粗的说了一遍，好象能从自己的发怒与无可奈何中得到一种真正的乐趣似的。警长好象根本没在听他。 "杰生，"他说，"你干吗把三千块钱藏在家里呢？" "什么？"杰生说；"我将钱放在那儿是我自己的事。你的任务是帮我把钱我回来。" "你母亲知不知道你有这么多钱放在家里？" "嗨，我说，"杰生说，"我家里边抢劫了，我知道这是谁干的，也知道他们在什么地方。我到这来是找你正式委任的执法官吏的，我要再一次问你，你到底是出力帮我把钱找回来呢，还是不干？" "如果你找到了他们，你打算把那姑娘怎么办？" "不怎么办，"杰生说，"我不把她怎么样。我连碰也不会碰她一下，这小娼妇，她弄丢了我的差事，葬送了我的前程，害死了我的父亲，每日每时都在缩短我母亲的寿命，还使得我在全镇人面前抬不起头来。我是不会把她怎么样的，"他说。"我连毫毛也不动她一根。" "这姑娘的出走是你逼出来的，杰生。"那警长说。