“I’m hungry.” Jason said. He passed us and ran on up the walk. He had his hands in his pockets and he fell down. Versh went and picked him up.
“If you keep them hands out your pockets, you could stay on your feet.” Versh said. “You cant never get them out in time to catch yourself, fat as you is.”
Father was standing by the kitchen steps.
“Where’s Quentin.” he said.
“He coming up the walk.” Versh said. Quentin was coming slow. His shirt was a white blur.
“Oh.” Father said. Light fell down the steps, on him.
“Caddy and Quentin threw water on each other.” Jason said.
We waited.
“They did.” Father said. Quentin came, and Father said, “You can eat supper in the kitchen tonight.” He stooped and took me up, and the light came tumbling down the steps on me too, and I could look down at Caddy and Jason and Quentin and Versh. Father turned toward the steps. “You must be quiet, though.” he said.
“Why must we be quiet, Father.” Caddy said. “Have we got company.”
“Yes.” Father said.
“I told you they was company.” Versh said.
“You did not.” Caddy said. “I was the one that said there was. I said I would ”
“Hush.” Father said. They hushed and Father opened the door and we crossed the back porch and went in to the kitchen. Dilsey was there, and Father put me in the chair and closed the apron down and pushed it to the table, where supper was. It was steaming up.
“You mind Dilsey, now.” Father said. “Dont let them make any more noise than they can help, Dilsey.”
“Yes, sir.” Dilsey said. Father went away.
“Remember to mind Dilsey, now.” he said behind us. I leaned my face over where the supper was. It steamed up on my face.
“Let them mind me tonight, Father.” Caddy said.
“I wont.” Jason said. “I’m going to mind Dilsey.”
“You’ll have to, if Father says so.” Caddy said. “Let them mind me, Father.”
“I wont.” Jason said. “I wont mind you.”
“Hush.” Father said. “You all mind Caddy, then. When they are done, bring them up the back stairs, Dilsey.”
“Yes, sir.” Dilsey said.
“There.” Caddy said. “Now I guess you’ll mind me.”
“You all hush, now.” Dilsey said. “You got to be quiet tonight.”
“Why do we have to be quiet tonight.” Caddy whispered.
“Never you mind.” Dilsey said. “You’ll know in the Lawd’s own time.” She brought my bowl. The steam from it came and tickled my face. “Come here, Versh.” Dilsey said.
“When is the Lawd’s own time, Dilsey.” Caddy said.
“It’s Sunday.” Quentin said. “Dont you know anything.”
“Shhhhhh.” Dilsey said. “Didn’t Mr Jason say for you all to be quiet. Eat your supper, now. Here, Versh. Git his spoon.” Versh’s hand came with the spoon, into the bowl. The spoon came up to my mouth. The steam tickled into my mouth. Then we quit eating and we looked at each other and we were quiet, and then we heard it again and I began to cry.
“What was that.” Caddy said. She put her hand on my hand.
“That was Mother.” Quentin said. The spoon came up and I ate, then I cried again.
“Hush.” Caddy said. But I didn’t hush and she came and put her arms around me. Dilsey went and closed both the doors and then we couldn’t hear it.
“Hush, now.” Caddy said. I hushed and ate. Quentin wasn’t eating, but Jason was.
“That was Mother.” Quentin said. He got up.
“You set right down.” Dilsey said. “They got company in there, and you in them muddy clothes. You set down too, Caddy, and get done eating.”
“She was crying.” Quentin said.
“It was somebody singing.” Caddy said. “Wasn’t it, Dilsey.”
“You all eat your supper, now, like Mr Jason said.” Dilsey said. “You’ll know in the Lawd’s own time.” Caddy went back to her chair.
“I told you it was a party.” she said.
Versh said, “He done et all that.”
“Bring his bowl here.” Dilsey said. The bowl went away.
“Dilsey.” Caddy said. “Quentin’s not eating his supper. Hasn’t he got to mind me.”
“Eat your supper, Quentin.” Dilsey said. “You all got to get done and get out of my kitchen.”
“I dont want any more supper.” Quentin said.
“You’ve got to eat if I say you have.” Caddy said. “Hasn’t he, Dilsey.”
The bowl steamed up to my face, and Versh’s hand dipped the spoon in it and the steam tickled into my mouth.
“I dont want any more.” Quentin said. “How can they have a party when Damuddy’s sick.”
“They’ll have it down stairs.” Caddy said. “She can come to the landing and see it. That’s what I’m going to do when I get my nightie on.”
“Mother was crying.” Quentin said. “Wasn’t she crying, Dilsey.”
“Dont you come pestering at me, boy.” Dilsey said. “I got to get supper for all them folks soon as you all get done eating.”
After a while even Jason was through eating, and he began to cry.
“Now you got to tune up.” Dilsey said.
“He does it every night since Damuddy was sick and he cant sleep with her.” Caddy said. “Cry baby.”
“I’m going to tell on you.” Jason said.
He was crying. “You’ve already told.” Caddy said. “There’s not anything else you can tell, now.”
“You all needs to go to bed.” Dilsey said. She came and lifted me down and wiped my face and hands with a warm cloth. “Versh, can you get them up the back stairs quiet. You, Jason, shut up that crying.”
“It’s too early to go to bed now.” Caddy said. “We dont ever have to go to bed this early.”
“You is tonight.” Dilsey said. “Your paw say for you to come right on up stairs when you et supper. You heard him.”
“He said to mind me.” Caddy said.
“I’m not going to mind you.” Jason said.
“You have to.” Caddy said. “Come on, now. You have to do like I say.”
“Make them be quiet, Versh.” Dilsey said. “You all going to be quiet, aint you.”
“What do we have to be so quiet for, tonight.” Caddy said.
“Your mommer aint feeling well.” Dilsey said. “You all go on with Versh, now.”
“I told you Mother was crying.” Quentin said. Versh took me up and opened the door onto the back porch. We went out and Versh closed the door black. I could smell Versh and feel him. You all be quiet, now. We’re not going up stairs yet. Mr Jason said for you to come right up stairs. He said to mind me. I’m not going to mind you. But he said for all of us to. Didn’t he, Quentin. I could feel Versh’s head. I could hear us. Didn’t he, Versh. Yes, that right. Then I say for us to go out doors a while. Come on. Versh opened the door and we went out.
We went down the steps.
“I expect we’d better go down to Versh’s house, so we’ll be quiet.” Caddy said. Versh put me down and Caddy took my hand and we went down the brick walk.
“Come on.” Caddy said. “That frog’s gone. He’s hopped way over to the garden, by now. Maybe we’ll see another one.” Roskus came with the milk buckets. He went on. Quentin wasn’t coming with us. He was sitting on the kitchen steps. We went down to Versh’s house. I liked to smell Versh’s house. There was a fire in it and T. P. squatting in his shirt tail in front of it, chunking it into a blaze.
Then I got up and T. P. dressed me and we went to the kitchen and ate. Dilsey was singing and I began to cry and she stopped.
“Keep him away from the house, now.” Dilsey said.
“We cant go that way.” T. P. said.
We played in the branch.
“We cant go around yonder.” T. P. said. “Dont you know mammy say we cant.”
Dilsey was singi
ng in the kitchen and I began to cry.
“Hush.” T. P. said. “Come on. Les go down to the barn.”
Roskus was milking at the barn. He was milking with one hand, and groaning. Some birds sat on the barn door and watched him. One of them came down and ate with the cows. I watched Roskus milk while T. P. was feeding Queenie and Prince. The calf was in the pig pen. It nuzzled at the wire, bawling.
“T. P.” Roskus said. T. P. said Sir, in the barn. Fancy held her head over the door, because T. P. hadn’t fed her yet. “Git done there.” Roskus said. “You got to do this milking. I cant use my right hand no more.”
T. P. came and milked.
“Whyn’t you get the doctor.” T. P. said.
“Doctor cant do no good.” Roskus said. “Not on this place.”
“What wrong with this place.” T. P. said.
“Taint no luck on this place.” Roskus said. “Turn that calf in if you done.”
Taint no luck on this place, Roskus said. The fire rose and fell behind him and Versh, sliding on his and Versh’s face. Dilsey finished putting me to bed. The bed smelled like T. P. I liked it.
“What you know about it.” Dilsey said. “What trance you been in.”
“Dont need no trance.” Roskus said. “Aint the sign of it laying right there on that bed. Aint the sign of it been here for folks to see fifteen years now.”
“Spose it is.” Dilsey said. “It aint hurt none of you and yourn, is it. Versh working and Frony married off your hands and T. P. getting big enough to take your place when rheumatism finish getting you.”
“They been two, now.” Roskus said. “Going to be one more. I seen the sign, and you is too.”
“I heard a squinch owl that night.” T. P. said. “Dan wouldn’t come and get his supper, neither. Wouldn’t come no closer than the barn. Begun howling right after dark. Versh heard him.”
“Going to be more than one more.” Dilsey said. “Show me the man what aint going to die, bless Jesus.”
“Dying aint all.” Roskus said.
“I knows what you thinking.” Dilsey said. “And they aint going to be no luck in saying that name, lessen you going to set up with him while he cries.”
“They aint no luck on this place.” Roskus said. “I seen it at first but when they changed his name I knowed it.”
“Hush your mouth.” Dilsey said. She pulled the covers up. It smelled like T. P. “You all shut up now, till he get to sleep.”
“I seen the sign.” Roskus said.
“Sign T. P. got to do all your work for you.” Dilsey said. Take him and Quentin down to the house and let them play with Luster, where Frony can watch them, T. P., and go and help your paw.
We finished eating. T. P. took Quentin up and we went down to T. P.’s house. Luster was playing in the dirt. T. P. put Quentin down and she played in the dirt too. Luster had some spools and he and Quentin fought and Quentin had the spools. Luster cried and Frony came and gave Luster a tin can to play with, and then I had the spools and Quentin fought me and I cried.
“Hush.” Frony said. “Aint you shamed of yourself. Taking a baby’s play pretty.” She took the spools from me and gave them back to Quentin.
“Hush, now.” Frony said. “Hush, I tell you.”
“Hush up.” Frony said. “You needs whipping, that’s what you needs.” She took Luster and Quentin up. “Come on here.” she said. We went to the barn. T. P. was milking the cow. Roskus was sitting on the box.
“What’s the matter with him now.” Roskus said.
“You have to keep him down here.” Frony said. “He fighting these babies again. Taking they play things. Stay here with T. P. now, and see can you hush a while.”
“Clean that udder good now.” Roskus said. “You milked that young cow dry last winter. If you milk this one dry, they aint going to be no more milk.”
Dilsey was singing.
“Not around yonder.” T. P. said. “Dont you know mammy say you cant go around there.”
They were singing.
“Come on.” T. P. said. “Les go play with Quentin and Luster. Come on.”
Quentin and Luster were playing in the dirt in front of T. P.’s house. There was a fire in the house, rising and falling, with Roskus sitting black against it.
“That’s three, thank the Lawd.” Roskus said. “I told you two years ago. They aint no luck on this place.”
“Whyn’t you get out, then.” Dilsey said. She was undressing me. “Your bad luck talk got them Memphis notions into Versh. That ought to satisfy you.”
“If that all the bad luck Versh have.” Roskus said.
Frony came in.
“You all done.” Dilsey said.
“T. P. finishing up.” Frony said. “Miss Cahline want you to put Quentin to bed.”
“I’m coming just as fast as I can.” Dilsey said. “She ought to know by this time I aint got no wings.”
“That’s what I tell you.” Roskus said. “They aint no luck going be on no place where one of they own chillen’s name aint never spoke.”
“Hush.” Dilsey said. “Do you want to get him started.”
“Raising a child not to know its own mammy’s name.” Roskus said.
“Dont you bother your head about her.” Dilsey said. “I raised all of them and I reckon I can raise one more. Hush, now. Let him get to sleep if he will.”
“Saying a name.” Frony said. “He dont know nobody’s name.”
“You just say it and see if he dont.” Dilsey said. “You say it to him while he sleeping and I bet he hear you.”
“He know lot more than folks thinks.” Roskus said. “He knowed they time was coming, like that pointer done. He could tell you when hisn coming, if he could talk. Or yours. Or mine.”
“You take Luster outen that bed, mammy.” Frony said. “That boy conjure him.”
“Hush your mouth.” Dilsey said. “Aint you got no better sense than that. What you want to listen to Roskus for, anyway. Get in, Benjy.”
Dilsey pushed me and I got in the bed, where Luster already was. He was asleep. Dilsey took a long piece of wood and laid it between Luster and me. “Stay on your side now.” Dilsey said. “Luster little, and you dont want to hurt him.”
You cant go yet, T. P. said. Wait.
We looked around the corner of the house and watched the carriages go away.
“Now.” T. P. said. He took Quentin up and we ran down to the corner of the fence and watched them pass. “There he go.” T. P. said. “See that one with the glass in it. Look at him. He laying in there. See him.”
Come on, Luster said, I going to take this here ball down home, where I wont lose it. Naw, sir, you cant have it. If them men sees you with it, they’ll say you stole it. Hush up, now. You cant have it. What business you got with it. You cant play no ball.
Frony and T. P. were playing in the dirt by the door. T. P. had lightning bugs in a bottle.
“How did you all get back out.” Frony said.
“We’ve got company.” Caddy said. “Father said for us to mind me tonight. I expect you and T. P. will have to mind me too.”
“I’m not going to mind you.” Jason said. “Frony and T. P. dont have to either.”
“They will if I say so.” Caddy said. “Maybe I wont say for them to.”
“T. P. dont mind nobody.” Frony said. “Is they started the funeral yet.”
“What’s a funeral.” Jason said.
“Didn’t mammy tell you not to tell them.” Versh said.
“Where they moans.” Frony said. “They moaned two days on Sis Beulah Clay.”
They moaned at Dilsey’s house. Dilsey was moaning. When Dilsey moaned Luster said, Hush, and we hushed, and then I began to cry and Blue howled under the kitchen steps. Then Dilsey stopped and we stopped.
“Oh.” Caddy said. “That’s niggers. White folks dont have funerals.”
“Mammy said us not to tell them, Frony.” Versh said.
“Tell them what.” Caddy said.
Dilsey moaned, and when it got to the place I began to cry and Blue howled under the steps. Luster, Frony said in the window. Take them down to the barn. I cant get no cooking done with all that racket. That hound too. Get them outen here.
I aint going down there, Luster said. I might meet pappy down there. I seen him last night, waving his arms in the barn.
“I like to know why not.” Frony said. “White folks dies too. Your grandmammy dead as any nigger can get, I reckon.”
“Dogs are dead.” Caddy said. “And when Nancy fell in the ditch and Roskus shot her and the buzzards came and undressed her.”
The bones rounded out of the ditch, where the dark vines were in the black ditch, into the moonlight, like some of the shapes had stopped. Then they all stopped and it was dark, and when I stopped to start again I could hear Mother, and feet walking fast away, and I could smell it. Then the room came, but my eyes went shut. I didn’t stop. I could smell it. T. P. unpinned the bed clothes.
“Hush.” he said. “Shhhhhhhh.”
But I could smell it. T. P. pulled me up and he put on my clothes fast.
“Hush, Benjy.” he said. “We going down to our house. You want to go down to our house, where Frony is. Hush. Shhhhh.”
He laced my shoes and put my cap on and we went out. There was a light in the hall. Across the hall we could hear Mother.
“Shhhhhh, Benjy.” T. P. said. “We’ll be out in a minute.”
A door opened and I could smell it more than ever, and a head came out. It wasn’t Father. Father was sick there.
“Can you take him out of the house.”
“That’s where we going.” T. P. said. Dilsey came up the stairs.
“Hush.” she said. “Hush. Take him down home, T. P. Frony fixing him a bed. You all look after him, now. Hush, Benjy. Go on with T. P.”
She went where we could hear Mother.
“Better keep him there.” It wasn’t Father. He shut the door, but I could still smell it.
We went down stairs. The stairs went down into the dark and T. P. took my hand, and we went out the door, out of the dark. Dan was sitting in the back yard, howling.
“He smell it.” T. P. said. “Is that the way you found it out.”
We went down the steps, where our shadows were.
“I forgot your coat.” T. P. said. “You ought to had it. But I aint going back.”