小说园>最后一片叶子人物形象 > 第37章 a re fr i eily（第2页）
第37章 a re fr i eily（第2页）
"hesaid。
"Why，sendherwordtostoit，
"thewomansaid，
"Isn&aos;ttherealaw?
"
"I&aos;msurethatwon&aos;tbenecessary，
"JudgeStevenssaid，
"It&aos;srobablyjustasnakeoraratthatniggerofherskilledintheyard。I&aos;llseaktohimaboutit。
"
Thenextdayhereceivedtwomorecomlaints，onefromamanwhocameindiffidentderecation。
"Wereallymustdosomethingaboutit，Judge。I&aos;dbethelastoneintheworldtobotherMissEmily，butwe&aos;vegottodosomething。
"ThatnighttheBoardofAldermenmet-threegraybeardsandoneyoungerman，amemberoftherisinggeneration。
"It&aos;ssimleenough，
"hesaid。
"Sendherwordtohaveherlacecleanedu。Giveheracertaintimetodoitin，andifshedon&aos;t。。。
"
"Dammit，sir，
"JudgeStevenssaid，
"Willyouaccusealadytoherfaceofsmellingbad?
"
Sothenextnight，aftermidnight，fourmencrossedMissEmily&aos;slawnandslunkaboutthehouselikeburglars，sniffingalongthebaseofthebrickworkandatthecellaroeningswhileoneofthemerformedaregularsowingmotionwithhishandoutofasackslungfromhisshoulder。Theybrokeoenthecellardoorandsrinkledlimethere，andinalltheoutbuildings。Astheyrecrossedthelawn，awindowthathadbeendarkwaslightedandMissEmilysatinit，thelightbehindher，andherurighttorsomotionlessasthatofanidol。Theycretquietlyacrossthelawnandintotheshadowofthelocuststhatlinedthestreet。Afteraweekortwothesmellwentaway。
Thatwaswheneolehadbeguntofeelreallysorryforher。Peoleinourtown，rememberinghowoldladyWyatt，hergreat-aunt，hadgonecomletelycrazyatlast，believedthattheGriexsonsheldthemselvesalittletoohighforwhattheyreallywere。NoneoftheyoungmenwerequitegoodenoughforMissEmilyandsuch。Wehadlongthoughtofthemasatableau;MissEmilyaslenderfigureinwhiteinthebackground，herfatherasraddledsilhouetteintheforeground，hisbacktoherandclutchingahorsewhi，thetwoofthemframedbytheback-flungfrontdoors。Sowhenshegottobethirtyandwasstillsingle，wewerenotleasedexactly，butvindicated;evenwithinsanityinthefamilyshewouldn&aos;thaveturneddownallofherchancesiftheyhadreallymaterialized。
Whenherfatherdied，itgotaboutthatthehousewasallthatwaslefttoher;andinaway，eolewereglad。AtlasttheycouldityMissEmily。Beingleftalone，andaauer，shehadbecomehumanized。Nowshetoowouldknowtheoldthrillandtheolddesairofaennymoreorless。
Thedayafterhisdeathalltheladiesrearedtocallatthehouseandoffercondolenceandaid，asisourcustom。MissEmilymetthematthedoor，dressedasusualandwithnotraceofgriefonherface。Shetoldthemthatherfatherwasnotdead。Shedidthatforthreedays，withtheministerscallingonher，andthedoctors，tryingtoersuadehertoletthemdisoseofthebody。Justastheywereabouttoresorttolawandforce，shebrokedown。andtheyburiedherfatherquickly。
Wedidnotsayshewascrazythen。Webelievedshehadtodothat。Werememberedalltheyoungmenherfatherhaddrivenaway，andweknewthatwithnothingleft，shewouldhavetoclingtothatwhichhadrobbedher，aseolewill。
III
Shewassickforalongtime。Whenwesawheragain，herhairwascutshort，makingherlooklikeagirl，withavagueresemblaneetothoseangelsincoloredchurchwindows-sortoftragicandserene。
Thetownhadjustletthecontractsforavingthesidewalks，andinthesummerafterherfather&aos;sdeaththeybegantowork。Theconstructioncomanycamewithniggersandmulesandmachinery，andaforemannamedHomerBarron，aYankee-abig，dark，readyman，withabigvoiceandeyeslighterthanhisface。Thelittleboyswouldfollowingroustohearhimcusstheniggers，andtheniggerssingingintimetotheriseandfalloficks。PrettysoonhekneweverybodyintownWheneveryouheardalotoflaughinganywhereaboutthesquare，HomerBarronwouldbeinthecenterofthegrou。PresentlywebegantoseehimandMissEmilyonSundayafternoonsdrivingintheyellow-wheeledbuggyandthematchedteamofbaysfromtheliverystable。
AtfirstweweregladthatMissEmilywouldhaveaninterest，becausetheladiesallsaid，
"OfcourseaGriersonwouldnotthinkseriouslyofaNortherner，adaylaborer。
"Buttherewerestillothers，oldereole，whosaidthatevengriefcouldnotcausearealladytoforgetnoblesseoblige-withoutcallingitnoblesseoblige。Theyjustsaid，
"PoorEmily。Herkinsfolkshouldcometoher。
"ShehadsomekininAlabama;butyearsagoherfatherhadfallenoutwiththemovertheestateofoldladyWyatt，thecrazywoman，andtherewasnocommunicationbetweenthetwofamilies。Theyhadnotevenbeenreresentedatthefuneral。
Andassoonastheoldeolesaid，
"PoorEmily
