" Good morning." " Morning, Mose." "Get out from under there!" "I told you once." "How many times I got to tell you?" "You come back here again..." "Good morning." "Get!" "Good morning, Harold." "Morning, Miss Zan." "What does your papa write from Baltimore?" " He writes that he feels better." " That's good." "Write him my greetings and tell him don't worry about the brass." "I'm keeping his name fine and clean." "Thanks, I will." "Those crabs will make fine eating, Addie." "They better." "We got high-tone company for dinner tonight." " Bye, Miss Zan." " Good-bye, Harold." "Hello." "You're out early." " We've been to buy crabs." " We're having gumbo tonight." "Gonna give Mr. Marshall of Chicago a real Southern dinner." "How's your mama, Mr. David?" "She's fine, thank you." "Zan, she says your petticoats are ready to be fitted." "She said you're getting older and I shouldn't say "petticoats" to you..." "I should say "underskirts," or else keep still." "You shouldn't be saying "petticoats" to me, but you know all about them." "Leo says you know almost as much as he does." "I wouldn't take your cousin Leo's word for anything." "Nobody else does." "You don't like Leo, do you?" "You don't like anybody in my family." "Yes, I do." "There's one person I'm mighty fond of." " Yes?" " Mr. David." "It's your papa." "Don't laugh at him." "He's beneath notice." "I'll take you on a picnic Sunday, if you bring your own lunch." "Good morning, darling." "Good morning, Aunt Birdie." "Is your headache better?" " Yes, it's all gone." " Good morning." "I'm going to stop a minute." "You drive the horse in." "Your mama will be waiting to have breakfast with you, baby." " She ain't nobody to keep waiting." " All right." "Guess where we drove this morning." "To Lionnet." "Darling, was it beautiful?" "Of course it was." "It was always beautiful this time of year." "I've learned the Schubert for tonight." "I can play everything except the middle." "Couldn't we skip the middle?" "Maybe Mr. Marshall wouldn't notice." "We couldn't." "I'll come down and play it through for you." "You wait now." "Your mama says that Mr. Marshall's a very educated, cultured gentleman." "I'm sure he'd notice." "Now, watch." "Two and one, and two and one." " Hey, there!" " Ow." "Good morning, Uncle Ben." "I've been awaken by many things, but never by a concert." "Is this the new musical hour?" "Good morning, Ben." "I didn't realize." "I'm so sorry." "Aunt Birdie is showing me how to play a piece for Mr. Marshall tonight." "I can't complain then." " Alexandra, your breakfast is ready." " Yes, Mama." "All of you, stop that vulgar shouting out of windows." " Morning, Regina." " Really, Ben." "You look very silly in your nightgown." " You shouldn't show yourself." " That's why I never got married." "I'll dress and come over for breakfast with you and Alexandra." "Don't." "I hate conversation before I've had something hot." "What does your papa say?" ""I still miss you, Zannie, more than I can say." "But you're not to worry." "I'm not lonesome, and everybody at the hospital has been very kind."" "He addresses the letters to me to make me think I'm grown up... the way he used to when I was little." "You don't have to explain to me." "Cal, get out that special bottle of old port for this evening." " Yes, ma'am." " The one I've been saving." "That Mr. Marshall must be a mighty honored guest." " The grits is cold." "Take it back." " Yes, ma'am." "The grits didn't hold their heat!" "Danver's girl is getting married in Memphis." "Is that so?" "I knew her mother." "She stayed with me once at Lionnet." "She was a Calhoun, and the Calhouns were kin of ours." "Mama said she was too thin for the styles, but I didn't think so." "I thought she was very pretty." " Be pleasant to Mr. Marshall at dinner." " Of course, Oscar." "No need to say too much." "If he should happen to ask about your family... the way people are interested in where other people come from... you might tell him who they were." "He'll probably recognize the names." "A good name is always useful." "Remember that, Leo." "Yes, sir?" "I mean, I heard you, sir." "Good names are always useful." " More coffee?" " If it's ready, Mama." "I've got to get back to the paper in a few minutes." "Well, the medium-size bear and the little bear." "You don't like the Hubbards much, do you?" "Mama, you're a high-tone guesser." " Where are you going?" " I'm walking you to the store." "I've been walking there a good many years without your help." "Get back to the bank." " Leo?" " Yes, sir?" " Do a good day's work." " Yes, sir." "I always do." " Hello, Harold." "Howdy, Joe." " Good morning, Mr. Leo." "Good morning, Mr. Manders." "What can I do for you today?" " You can do one thing." " Yes, sir." "What's that?" "Try keeping awake, all day." " Good morning, Mr. Ben." " Good morning to you, Miss Hannah." "And here comes the big bear." "Now the sun can really shine, the day has begun." "Mr. Ben looks mighty pleased this morning." "And no wonder. "Our leading citizen, Mr. Benjamin Hubbard... will confer this evening with Mr. William Marshall of Chicago... about the building of a cotton mill here." "Mr. Ben will advance many reasons for bringing the mill to our town."" "But the real one is our justly renowned average wage... which ranks as the lowest in the country." "Are they gonna print that in the paper?" "Mr. William Marshall, Chicago industrialist and opera patron... is in our midst to take supper with the Hubbards and the Giddens... who will show him what our famous Southern hospitality is like." " That's pretty." " That's the way they'll print it." " Ow!" " Hold still, Zan." "You had pretty hair when you was little." "You was a mighty pretty little girl." "Addie, will anybody think I'm pretty now?" "Someday some fool of a man will, I reckon." "Seems there's always somebody for somebody." "But you'll do, baby." "You're too young to worry about such things, Alexandra." "You're going to have all the things I wanted when I was your age." "Addie, make the dinner biscuits yourself tonight." "Be sure the coffee is strong and the wine is cold." "Don't worry, Miss Regina." "The dinner will go fine tonight." "They used to go to Europe every year, Mr. Marshall." "Imagine going all the way to Europe just to listen to music!" "Once Mama met Mr. Wagner, the composer, you know." "Mrs. Wagner gave Mama and Papa a signed program." "Another time..." "No, thank you, Cal." "It's remarkable to me how you Southern aristocrats... have kept together, kept what belonged to you." "We're not aristocrats." "Our brother's wife is the only one who is." "You make great distinctions." "They've been made for us." "Take Birdie's family." "They owned the plantation Lionnet." "You've probably heard of it." "Beautiful place." "Best cotton land I ever saw." "My mother's grandfather was governor before the war." "Those folks had their day, and a great day too." "Cloth from Paris, horses you can't raise anymore..." " darkies to work for them." " We were good to our people." " Everybody knew that." " But when the war comes... these fine gentlemen ride off and leave the cotton and the women to rot." "My father was killed in the war." "He was a fine soldier." " A fine man." " Yes, certainly." "A famous soldier." "That's not the tale I'm telling Mr. Marshall, Birdie." "The war ends." "Lionnet is almost ruined, and the sons finish ruining it." "Why?" "Because the Southern aristocrat could adapt himself to nothing." "Too high-toned to try." " It's difficult to learn new ways." " You're right, it is difficult." "But maybe that's why it's profitable." "Our grandfather and our father learned the new ways, learned to make them pay." "They were in trade." "Others, like Birdie's family, looked down on them." "To make a long story short, Lionnet now belongs to us." "Twenty years ago, we took over their land, their cotton and their daughter." "You are boring Mr. Marshall with these ancient family tales." "I hope not." "I'm just making an important point for our future business partner." " You see..." " Will you come and try a very old port?" "I've been saving it for a special occasion." " Come, Alexandra." " My brother and I feel... a man ain't only in business for himself." " May I?" " Thank you." "You're most polite." "It's got to give him some satisfaction, something here." "Money ain't all, not by three shots." "Really?" "I always thought it meant a great deal." "So did I, Mr. Marshall." " I've always contended..." " What's the matter with you?" "First you chatter like a magpie, now you're sulking like a schoolgirl." " I'm not doing anything." " You've had too much wine." "Get yourself in hand, and stop acting like a fool." "You look pretty tonight, Miss Birdie, and young." "Me, young?" "Birdie, Mr. Marshall wants you and Alexandra to play for him." "Yes, Regina." "I'm coming." "You don't have to convince me you're the right people for the deal." "You want the mill here, and I do too." "It's not my business why you want it." "To bring the machine to the cotton, and not the cotton to the machine." " Henry, serve the port." " My reason is more simple." "I want to make money, and I believe I can make it on you." "However, I have no objection to more high-minded reasons." " Mr. Marshall, I feel..." " Birdie, we're ready." "Yes, Regina." "You know, Mr. Marshall..." " Thank you." "You both play charmingly." " My wife had the very best teachers." " Those folks had the best of everything." " I must be leaving for my train." "Thank you so very much." " I'm sorry you can't stay." "Come again." " Thank you." "The children will drive you to the depot." "Yes, sir." "I'll drive you down, sir." "Come on, Zan." " Be careful how you drive." " Good-bye, Mrs. Hubbard." " Good-bye, sir." " Fill them up, Oscar." "You promised to let me show you Chicago." " Do I have to make you promise again?" " I promise again." "Wait." "Before you leave, sir, here we have a strange custom." "We drink the last drink for a toast." "That's to prove that the Southerner's always on his feet for the last drink." "I give you the firm of Hubbard Sons and Marshall Cotton Mills... and to it a long and prosperous life." "Hubbard Sons and Marshall." "What y'all want?" "A little biscuit with a little gravy on it." "Somebody write you a golden letter and tell you we got gravy tonight?" " We got told." " Mr. David Hewitt tell us." " Say you got high-tone company." " Lots of meat and gravy." "Go on, get!" "Ain't my food to give away." "Feed the hungry, the Lord said." "Give them some supper, Belle." "Miss Regina say supplies going mighty fast around here... and she ain't the stingy kind." "A little bit here and there, she don't mind." " But feeding the whole town." " Stop fretting." "Tell her I did it." "Here." "You children keep quiet." "Where did the Lord say that about feeding the hungry?" "What book?" "I don't know, but if He didn't, He should have." "Go ahead." "Don't the children make a handsome pair?" "Leo, you ride here." "Let John do the driving." "Good-bye and a pleasant journey to you, sir." "Giddap." "Ben, you did it." "Looks like we did." "Looks like it?" "Don't pretend." "You look like a cat that's been licking the cream." "Let's have a drink to celebrate." "I thought the children made a very handsome couple." "Yes, you said that before." "Yes, it's beginning to look as if the deal's all set." "Remember I told him that here we drink the last drink for a toast." " I never heard that before." " Nobody ever heard it before." "The Lord forgives those who invent what they need." "I already had his signature." "But we've all done business with men... whose word over a glass is better than a bond." "Anyway, it didn't hurt to have both." " You understand what Ben means?" " Yes, I understand." " I understood when it was happening." " Did you, Regina?" "When he lifted his glass, I saw the bricks going into place." "Did you?" "I saw a lot more than that." "I'm gonna leave you and Oscar to count the bricks." " I'm going to Chicago." " Really, Regina?" "Yes, I'm going to live there." "I'm taking Alexandra with me." "I'll give big parties for her and see that she meets the best people... and the right young men too." "Later on, I'll take trips to New York and Paris... and have everything I want." "You shall come to Chicago to visit us." "Not too often, of course." "Ben, you won't have to learn to be subtle." "You'll be very rich, and the rich can be as eccentric as they like." " So you want to live in Chicago?" " Yes." "Let's all say what we'll want when we're very rich." " What do you want, Oscar?" " Might take a few trips, eh, Birdie?" " Do you good." " Yes, I'd like that." " Might even go to Jekel Island." " You know what I'd like?" "I'd like to have Lionnet back." "Maybe we could even live there." "I do think we could all be happier..." " What are you chattering about?" " About Lionnet." " Everybody was saying what they'd like." " I can't hear a word you're saying." " I was only saying..." " We heard you." "I'm waiting for you and Birdie to finish." "Four conversations are three too many." "First I said I don't know where you'll get the money to live in Chicago." "Then I was about to say I thought you heard me say that... and were pretending you didn't." "What does that mean?" "It's like this:" "For 49 percent, Marshall will put up $400,000." "Yes, I know all the terms." "Then you also know the contracts will be signed this week... and Marshall will want to see our money soon after." "Oscar and I are ready with our two-thirds of the money." "But your third, Horace's I mean, doesn't seem to be here." "You've written him, Ben's written him, we've all written him." "He answers, but..." "He answers, but there's never a word about whether he's going into this." "You're our sister." "We want you to benefit from anything we do." "And in addition to your concern for me... you do not want control to go out of the family." " That right, Ben?" " That's cynical." "But cynicism's an unpleasant way of telling the truth." "Why doesn't Horace come home and talk business?" "It's beginning to look like he doesn't want to." "Of course he wants to come home." "You can't move around with heart trouble at any moment you choose." "You know what doctors are like on a case like this." "If he wants to, why doesn't he?" "Doctors or no doctors!" "Has it ever occurred to you that Horace is also a good businessman?" " The bank's proof of that." " Then perhaps he's remaining silent... because he doesn't think he's getting enough for his money." "Seventy-five thousand he has to put up." "That's a lot of money." "Nonsense." "That seventy-five thousand will make him a million." "That ain't what Regina means." "May I interpret you?" "Regina's saying Horace wants more than a third of our share." "He's putting up a third of the money." "You put up a third, you get a third." "What else could he expect?" "I don't know about those things." "It would seem if you put up a third, you would get a third." "And yet again, there's no law about it, is there?" "I should think if you knew your money was badly needed... you might just say, "I want more." "I want a larger share."" "You boys have done that." "I've heard you say so." "So you believe Horace is deliberately holding out?" "I don't." "But I do believe that's what you want." "Am I right, Regina?" "I wouldn't like to persuade Horace unless he gets a larger share." "He's my husband." "I must look after his interests." "Where would this larger share be coming from?" "I don't know about things like this." "Maybe it could come off your share, Oscar." "What kind of talk is this?" "I haven't said a thing." "You're talking big tonight." "Am I?" "You should know me well enough by now... to know I don't ask for things I don't think I can get." "I don't believe you can get the money or get Horace to come home." "I can get him home." "How can you get him home?" "I will send Alexandra to Baltimore." "She will tell her father that she wants him to come home... that I miss him very much and that I want him to come home." "You know Horace." "He'll come home." "I admire you, Regina." "But before he comes, what's he going to get?" "How much do you want?" "Twice what you offered." " You won't get it." " You've gone crazy." " I don't want to fight." " I don't either, Regina." "You're holding us up." "Now, that's not pretty." "But we need you, and I'm a peaceful man." "Here's what I'll do:" "I'll give Horace 40 percent... instead of the thirty-three and a third he really should get... provided he's home and his money is up within two weeks." " How's that?" " All right." "I've asked before:" "Where is this extra share coming from?" " From your share." " So that's my reward." "For 30 years I've worked for you, done the things you didn't want to do." "My, I'm being attacked on all sides tonight." "I can't believe the Lord means for the strong to parade their strength... but I don't mind doing it if it's got to be done." "Oscar, you'll be a very rich man." "What does it matter if a little more goes here, a little less goes there?" " It's all in the family." " That's right." "I'll never marry, so my money will go to Alexandra and Leo." "They might even marry someday." "That would make a great difference in my feelings if they married." " That's what I mean." " Is that what you mean, Regina?" "It's all too far away." "Addie, clean up." " We'll talk about it in a few years." " I want to talk about it now!" " But Zan is so young." " There are many things to consider." " They are first cousins." " That isn't unusual." "Grandmother and Grandfather were first cousins." "Yes, and look at us." "You're both being very gay with my money." "Regina, Oscar is giving up something for you." "You ought to try and manage something for him." " But Leo is a very wild boy." " Yes, but... please assure Oscar that you will think about it seriously." "Very well." "I assure you I will think about it seriously." " What kind of an answer is that?" " My, you're in a bad humor." "Now leave me alone." "Weren't those fine clothes Mr. Marshall had?" "Looks like maybe they were done in England." "You should have come with us, Aunt Birdie." "It's a lovely night." " Were you gracious to Mr. Marshall?" " I think so, Mama." "Good." "Now I have news for you." "You're going to Baltimore in the morning to bring your father home." "Oh, Mama!" "Addie, Papa's coming back." "We're going to bring him home." "You're going alone, Alexandra." "Going alone?" "A child that age?" "Mr. Horace ain't gonna like Miss Zan traipsing..." "Go upstairs and lay out Miss Alexandra's things." "I'll attend to your railroad ticket." "He'd expect me to be along." "I'll be up in a minute to tell you what to pack!" "Good night." "Have a nice trip." " I could go with her." " No, Birdie." "She's old enough to assume some responsibility." "Better learn now." "Almost old enough to get married." " Eh, son?" " Huh?" "Old enough to get married, you're thinking, huh?" "Yes, sir." "Lots of girls get married at Zan's age." "Look at Mary Prester and Johanna." "Alexandra is not getting married tomorrow... but she is going to Baltimore." "So let's talk about that." "I should think you'd like to go." "At your age, I would have been delighted." "Addie has babied you too much." "I wanted to go before, Mama... but you said you couldn't go and that I couldn't go alone." "I've changed my mind." "I must help Addie get your things together." "Why don't you all go home?" "Good night." " Don't be long, Zan." " Come along." "Imagine not wanting to go." "Wish it was me." "What I could do in a place like Baltimore." "I can guess the kind of things you could do." "No, you couldn't." "Oscar, don't be so glum." "You're getting to look as if your shoes were always pinching." " I must..." " I can take care of myself." "That's not what I'm worried about." "It's about Leo." "He's my own son, but you're more to me than my own child." " What's the matter?" " You're not going to marry Leo." " Marry Leo?" " I couldn't stand to think of it." "Don't you understand?" "They'll make you." "That's foolish." "I'm grown up." "Nobody can make me do anything." "I'm waiting for you." "Good night, Aunt Birdie." "Good night, Uncle Oscar." "What happened, Aunt Birdie?" "Nothing, darling." "Nothing happened." "You go to bed." "I only twisted my ankle." "I'm coming, Mama." "And don't forget about brushing your hair:" "Fifty strokes in the morning, a hundred at night." " Mm-hmm." " And don't use no store soap." " Just use the soap I made you." " Uh-huh." "Don't "uh-huh" me." "Are you listening?" " Yes." " Good morning." "That Hannah Francis is sure an ugly little girl, just like her ma." "There's smelling salts and perfumed water in the little satchel." "Keep your gloves on so your hands don't get dirty." "And don't talk to nobody on the train, and don't get off more than you have to." "Just sit still like a lady." "Stop at Mrs. Hewitt's a minute." "I want to ask about my new dress." " We ain't got no time to be stopping." " Got plenty of time." "David!" "Good morning." "Where are you going?" "To Baltimore all by myself to bring Papa home." " I'll be gone a whole week maybe." " Good for you." "Is that all you can say?" "What do you want me to say?" "At least say you're sorry you can't go to the depot with me." " Just getting up at 11:00." " Morning, Zan." "He's just going to bed." "He's been writing all night." "Writing things to put in the newspaper?" "He says he's writing things they won't put... in the newspaper." " I'm coming to the depot to see you off." " No, you ain't dressed." " That's right." " Cal, get this carriage going." "Get out of here!" "Get going!" "Hurry up!" "Shoo!" "Don't you just keep sitting there." "Get off at stations." "Take a walk around." "Talk to people." " I told her not to talk to nobody." " You'll talk to people." "Go to the coaches." "Talk to everybody." "It'll do you good." " 'Board!" " Bye, Addie." " Bye." "Take good care of yourself." " You, sir." " Bring your papa home safe and sound." " Would you mind sitting in this seat?" " Take good care of yourself." " Sit here, please." "Right here." "Thank you." "Now, talk to him." "He looks nice." "Find out what he thinks, where he comes from." " Find out everything you can." " 'Board!" " I just found out one thing." " Good-bye." " I'm going to miss you, David." " What?" "I said I'm going to miss you." " What?" " I said I..." "Nothing!" "Hello." "In there." "In the room next to Miss Regina's." " All right." " And hurry up!" "Walk it slow, Ezra." " Where will I put these books?" " Put them on that table." "Yes, ma'am." " Put that by the fireplace." " Yes, ma'am." "Mr. Horace sure gonna like being moved back in his old room." "That's all." "Get back to work." " Bring me Mr. Horace's green lamp." " Yes." "There's the carriage!" " They're here!" " Don't get so excited." "Go and help with the bags." " They ain't on the train." " What?" "My goodness!" " They ain't on the train!" " What do you mean?" " Cal, what happened?" " They ain't on the train." " They must have been." " They wasn't." "I looked and I looked." "I even asked Mr. Jonsie." "He say they didn't get on at Mobile at all." " What you think happened?" " How should I know?" "Probably nothing." "Don't ask me questions the rest of the night!" "Go get that green lamp." "Go on." " Evening, Regina." " Good evening, Ben." "You dropping in for supper?" "They didn't come on the 6:00." "There's no other train tonight." " What do you think happened?" " They probably stopped off somewhere." "They'll be along." "Put that on Mr. Horace's desk." "So you're moving Horace back to his old room." " You're a smart woman." " Where would they stop off?" "Horace has got that cousin in Savannah he's so fond of." "Maybe they stopped off to see him." "I don't know where they stopped off." "How do you know they even started from Baltimore?" "Of course they started." "I have a letter from Alexandra." "What is so strange about people arriving late?" "Don't worry so much." "I'm a natural worrier... especially when I'm ready to close a business deal... and one of my partners remains silent and invisible." "They'll be along tomorrow." "You boys might as well go home now." "Good night." "That cousin of Horace's has been dead for years." "And anyway, the train doesn't go through Savannah." "Did he die?" "Ben, you're always remembering about people dying." " It's so bad for your health." " Good night." "My father's tired." "We must stay overnight so he can rest." " He'll need a room on this floor." " All the rooms on this floor are taken." "Then you'll have to move somebody it won't hurt to climb stairs." "You'll have to do it right away." "My father must have rest and quiet." "Come help my father out of the carriage, please." "My, she's turning out to be her mother's daughter." "You'd better move that Mr. Clark from 105." "Put him on the third floor." "Mr. Dawson, where's the Tom Bixby Commission meeting tonight?" "Room A, 9:00." "Think they'll let you in?" "I think so." " Be sure that his soup is very hot." " Yes, ma'am." "And for dessert he can have fresh fruit..." " but it's got to be perfectly fresh." " Yes, ma'am." "I think that's all he'll want." "I'll want a lot." "I'm very hungry." " I think I'll have the whole dinner." " Yes, ma'am." " And..." " And mocha cake." "Excuse me." "Hello." "How are you?" "How's your father?" "Come here a minute." "This is Miss Julia Jordan." "Miss Alexandra Giddens." "I'm mighty glad to meet you." "Forgive Miss Giddens." "It's not entirely her fault." "She comes from a bad-mannered family." "Did you order dinner?" "Yes, Papa." "It will be right along." " How do you feel?" " Much better, dear." "What's the matter?" "Nothing, Papa." "You remember David Hewitt?" "Of course I remember him." "How is he?" "He's changed." "After all his working up north and wandering around the country... coming back and talking about people's rights... and how everybody ought to be decent." "Now for all his fine talk, he's out there in the dining room... with one of those girls." "One of what girls?" "She's got powder on her nose." "And he's with her." "And does it concern you?" "Of course it doesn't." " You can just bet it doesn't." " Then why not forget about him?" "I did go for some walks with him and three picnics." "Really three and a half." "Halftime it rained and..." "I tried to understand the fine things he was talking about." "Then he dared to introduce her to me!" "Did he?" "I didn't say a word to her." "I just looked." "Then I walked away." "Did you?" "That was very virtuous of you." "Wasn't that right, Papa?" "Who's been teaching you to hurt the feelings of other people?" "I didn't think about it that way." "What should I do, Papa?" "You'll have to decide for yourself." "So I want to ask your pardon." "I don't ever want to hurt anybody's feelings." "If you'll be gracious enough to forgive my rudeness and shake my hand..." "Then you'll show me that your manners are far better than mine could ever be." "Thank you." "That's real friendly of you." "I thank you too." "Come on." "I'll take you back to your father." "Excuse me, Julia." "You look tired." "Was it a hard trip?" "You going back on the early morning train?" "I'll be on it." "Maybe I can help." "Thank you very much." " May I come in and pay my respects?" " Papa must rest tonight." "That was a mighty sweet thing you did just now." "I still don't approve of your conduct." "Very well." "I'll make a note of it." "Go back and tell your friend to wash her face." " Morning, Papa." " You just getting up?" " What kind of working hours you keeping?" " My, you're nervous this morning." "Nervous about Uncle Horace not coming home, I guess." "I've told you before, you've got to start working harder at the bank." "Got to convince Uncle Horace you'll make a fit husband for Alexandra." "Yes, sir." "You think Uncle Horace don't want to go in on this?" "That's my hunch." "Ain't showing signs of loving it yet." "But he hasn't listened to Aunt Regina yet either." "He'll go along." "It's too good a thing." "He's got plenty and plenty to invest with." "He don't even have to sell anything." "Ninety thousand worth of Union Pacific bonds... sitting right in his safe-deposit box." "All he's got to do is open the box." "Yeah." "He's had those bonds for 15 years." "Bought them when they were low and just locked them up." "Yeah, he just has to open the box and take them out." "That's all." "Easy as easy can be." "The things in that box." "There's all those bonds looking mighty fine." "Then right next to them is a baby shoe of Zan's... and a cheap old cameo on a string." "And nobody would believe this:" "A piece of an old violin." "Not even a whole violin, just a piece of an old thing." "A piece of a violin." " What do you think of that?" " Yes, sir." "And a lot of other crazy things too." "A poem I guess it is, signed with his mother's name." "How do you know what's in the box, son?" "It was one of the boys at the bank." "He took old Manders' keys." "It was Joe Horn." "He just took old Manders' keys and took the box out." "Then they asked me if I wanted to see too, so I looked a little." "But I made them close the box, and I told them..." "Joe Horn, you say?" "He opened it?" "Yes, sir, he did." "My word of honor." "That don't excuse me for looking, but I did make him close it... and put the keys back in Manders' drawer." "Tell me the truth." "I'm not gonna be angry with you." " Did you open the box yourself?" " No, sir, I didn't." "Sometimes a young fellow deserves credit for looking around him... see what's going on." "Many great men have made their fortune with their eyes." "Did you open the box?" "It may have been a good thing if you had." "Did you?" "I opened it." "Does anybody else know you opened it?" "Don't be afraid of speaking the truth." " Nobody was in the bank when I did it." " Will Horace know you opened it?" "He only looks in it once every six months when he cuts a coupon." "Sometimes Manders even does that for him." "Uncle Horace don't even have the keys." "Manders keeps them for him." "Imagine not looking at all that." "You can bet if I had those bonds, I'd watch them like..." "If you had them, you could have a share in the mill." "You and me." "A fine big share too." "A man can't be shot for wanting to see his son get on in the world." " Can he, boy?" " No, he can't." "But I haven't got the bonds and Uncle Horace has." "You think your Uncle Horace likes you well enough... to lend you the bonds if he decides not to use them himself?" "Papa, it must be you gone crazy." "Lend me the bonds?" "No, I suppose not." "Just a fancy of mine." "A loan for three months, maybe four." "Easy enough for us to pay it back then." "Anyway, this is only April." "If he doesn't look at the bonds till fall... he wouldn't even miss them out of the box." "That's it." "He wouldn't even miss them." "How could he miss them if he never looks at them?" "You laugh when I say he could lend you the bonds... if he's not gonna use them." "But would it hurt him?" "It wouldn't hurt him." "People ought to help other people." "So she got him home at last." "Careful, Addie." " They're here." " Yes, Belle." " Tidy up the room." " Yes, ma'am." "And me sitting up all night worrying about you." "We don't want to hear how worried you've been." "We had to stay in Mobile overnight for Papa to rest." " Upstairs?" " No, I'll wait, David." "I'll rest here for a minute." "Thank you." "Thank you for coming with us." "I like talking to you." " In fact, I like you." "I always have." " Thank you, sir." " Do you like me?" " Not today." "I'll come back tomorrow." "Good-bye, sir." "Good-bye, David." "Remember me to your mother." "I will." "Good-bye, funny." "I bet Mama's been worried." " I better tell her we're back." " Not for a minute." "You feel bad again." "I knew you did." " Do you want your medicine?" " I don't feel that way." "I just wanted to rest a little." " Them fancy doctors do you any good?" " They did their best." "This is Father's very special medicine." "We'll keep one bottle down here and one in his room." "He must have the pills every four hours." "And the special medicine, only if he feels very bad." "Careful." "Since when I ain't old enough to hold a bottle of medicine?" "You feel all right?" "He says he does, but he doesn't." "The trip was very hard on him." "He's got to go right to bed." "Help me." "No, I don't need that much help." "Addie, is your coffee as good as it used to be?" "Dr. Boden said not much coffee." "Just now and then." "Do you hear me?" "I'm the nurse now." "You'd be a better one if you didn't look so dirty." "Take a bath, change your linens, get on a fresh dress and brush your hair good." "Will you be all right?" "I'll look after Mr. Horace." "Ring for Belle and have her help you." " Hurry." " Yes, ma'am." "My old room." "I haven't slept here since..." "Since a mighty long time." "Before I see anybody else..." "Thank you, Addie." " I want to know why Zan came for me." " I don't know." "All I know is big things is going on." "Everybody gonna be high-tone rich." "You too." "All 'cause smoke gonna start from a building that ain't even up yet." "I've heard about that." "And Miss Zannie, she's gonna marry Mr. Leo in a little while." " What are you talking about?" " That's right." "That's the talk." " What's the talk?" " There's gonna be a wedding." "Over my dead body there is." "Horace, you finally arrived." "All right, Addie." "I'm very happy to see you." " How are you?" " What happened to you and Alexandra?" "We stopped overnight in Mobile." "I didn't feel good." " Just a little weak, I suppose." " Here we are." "Been a long time." "You know how much I wanted to come to the hospital and be with you." "But I didn't know where my duty lay:" "Here or with you." "But you know how much I wanted to come." "That's kind of you." "There was no need to come." "I didn't have a bad time." "Maybe at first when the doctors told me, but after I got used to the idea..." "I sort of liked it there." "You're looking very well, very handsome." "You liked it there." "Isn't it strange you liked it so well you didn't want to come home?" "That's not the way to put it." "But I did like lying there and thinking." "I never had much time to think." "Time's become valuable to me." " It sounds almost like a holiday." " It was, sort of." " I was thinking you were in pain." " I was in pain." "Instead you were having a holiday of thinking." " I was thinking about us." " About us?" "About you and me after all these years?" "You shall tell me everything you thought, someday." "What's this crazy talk about Zan and Leo marrying?" "Who gossips so much around here?" "It's some foolishness Oscar thought up." "I'll explain later." "It was simply a way of keeping him quiet... in all this business I've been writing you about." "I have no intention of allowing any such arrangement." "Neither have I, so put it out of Oscar's head immediately." " You know what I think of Leo." " There's no need to talk about it now." "There's no need to talk about it ever." "Not as long as I live." "I suppose they've written you." "I can't live very long." "I have never understood why people have to talk about this kind of thing!" "You must understand." "I don't intend to gossip about my sickness." "I thought it was only fair to tell you." "I was not asking for your sympathy." "Let's try to get along a little better than we usually do." "Yes." "It's foolish for us to fight this way." "I didn't mean to be unpleasant." "It was very stupid of me." "I didn't either." "I came home wanting so much not to fight." "Yes, let's try to get along better." "I want to very much." "Can we pay our respects?" "Yes, you can pay your respects, as you say." "So the fugitives have arrived at last." "Welcome home, Horace." "You had us all mighty worried." " Hello, Ben, Oscar." " It sure is good to see you." " You're looking tip-top." "Yes, sir." " Am I?" "Everybody in town's been asking for you." "But then you only know how folks really feel through an absence." " Ain't that true?" " I hope so." "Horace!" "I just found out you were back." "You don't look well." "No, you don't." " What a thing to say." " Oscar thinks I look tip-top." "What is that costume you have on?" "Now that you're home, you'll feel better." "We'll take fine care of you." "I asked what is that strange costume you're parading around in?" "Me?" "Oh, it's my wrapper." "I was so excited about Horace..." "Did you come across the street dressed that way?" "My dear Birdie!" "Just like old times." " No fights." "This is a holiday." " I'll go right home." "You'll be running back across the square like that." "I'm sorry, Oscar." "We've been having some mighty fine weather." "Yes, sir." "You'll enjoy the good sunshine and fresh air..." "I don't like to worry you when you're tired... but Ben has some very important business to talk over with you." " Tomorrow." " I'd like to now." "It's very important to me, very important to all of us." "Important to your beloved daughter." "She'll be a very great heiress." " Will she?" "That's nice." " Please." "You said we'll try to get along better." "I'll try, I really will, only please do this for me now." "You'll see what I've done for you while you've been away." "Ben, tell Horace all about it, only be quick because he's very tired... and he must go to bed." "See how I've watched your interests." "I think that your news will be better for him... than all the doctors and medicine in the world." "I hope so, but my news can wait." "Horace may not feel like talking today." "What an old faker you are." "You know it can't wait." "You know the deal must be closed this week." "You've been as anxious for him to come home as I've been." "I suppose I have been." "And why not?" "Horace has done Hubbard Sons many a good turn." "Why shouldn't I be anxious to help him now?" "Help him when you need him." "That's what you mean." "What a woman you married, Horace." "Then I'll make it quick." "For 30 years I've cried..." ""Bring the cotton mills to the cotton."" "I'm here to tell you they're on their way." " Get..." " Can I get you something?" "Water." "I'm sorry." "I will." "You must excuse me now." "I'm feeling the trip." " Would you ask Cal to come help me?" " Yes." "But the deal is coming to a close, and Ben must move quickly." " I understand." " If you could listen a few minutes... then I'll take care of everything for you." " Not today." "Some other time." " This is important to all of us." "Can't you see we've been waiting for months for you to come home and..." "I can see that you did want me to come home." "We'll just run along home now." "We can talk about this tomorrow." "Come along, Oscar." "I didn't mean that was the reason why..." "I think you did mean it, and that makes me very sad." "You think maybe he don't want to go in with us?" "It was a mistake to talk to him today." "He's a sick man, but he ain't a crazy one." "Suppose he is crazy." "What then?" "Then we'll go outside for the money." " There's plenty who'll give it." " They'll want a lot for what they give." "Ones that are rich enough to give will be smart enough to want." "That means we'd be working for them." "You don't have to tell me the things I told you six months ago." "Regina, you're a fool." "Mama told you it's unwise for a good-looking woman to frown." "I told you softness and a smile will do more to the hearts of men." "I'll do things in my own way." "I know what I'm doing." "I hope you do." "There is nothing to worry about." "Come along, Oscar." "Oh, Lord" "Sound the trump of thejudgment" "Hallelujah" "White people may have the pianos... but the colored folks have got the voices." " Weary arms are toting'ol'cotton" " Give me a push." " Good night." "We had a lovely evening." " Thank you." " We had such a good time." " Good night, Sally." " It's good to see Horace again." " I'm sorry he had to go up so early." "He has to be careful till he gets his strength back." "Yes, of course." "Good night." "Good night." " Tell Horace I'll see him tomorrow." " Yes, I will." "Good night." "I'll be along in a minute." "Leo, take your mama home." " Can't I wait for you and Uncle Ben?" " No, run along." " I'll be back." " Never mind." "Go on." "Come along, Mama." "Good night, Aunt Regina." "Didn't you two notice that the party is over?" " We got a little talking to do." " Not much, just a simple question." " Have you got any news for us?" " Not yet, but I've talked to Horace." "I imagined you had, Regina." "I didn't want to hurry him too much." "You saw what happened that first day." "There's got to be a little hurrying done." "I had a rather urgent letter from Marshall this morning." "This thing's got to be closed the end of the week." "That means Oscar's got to leave for Chicago tomorrow." "It turns out we're in more of a hurry than you thought we were." "We got to know tonight whether you and Horace are coming in with us." "That was the time I was working in the..." " It's time you were coming in." " Not yet, Mama." "I'm talking to David." "When you've finished your talking, come straight to bed." "Yes, Mama." " Good night, David." " Good night, Mrs. Giddens." "That's the first time I ever heard your mother tell you to do something... and you didn't hop to do it." "That's a funny thing to say." "You know, you take one step and then you take another." "After a while, you find out you're walking all by yourself." "You don't understand what I'm talking about, do you?" "An awful lot of things I don't understand lately." "Things that are happening here." "I could explain them to you, but you wouldn't like me if I did." "You've got to find them out for yourself." "You'll know tonight." "Let's walk around the square." "Come on." "This cannot wait any longer." "Talk to us about it now." " I've been patient for days." " And persistent." "All right." "I understand we're getting a larger share." "Why?" "Because I did a little bargaining for you." "Convinced my brothers they weren't the only Hubbards with business sense." "Did you have to convince them of that?" "How little people know about each other." "You'll know better about Regina next time, Ben." "Yes." " Who's getting less?" " Oscar." "Oscar's gotten unselfish." "What's happened to you?" "I'll get mine in the end." "He's got his son's future to think about." "Leo." "Everybody will get theirs." "I'm beginning to understand." "I knew you would as soon as you had time to think it over." "Yes, sir, Horace, this 75,000 will get you a million." "Yes, Horace, it will!" "What did you have to promise Marshall besides your money?" "Water power, free and plenty of it." " You have that?" " Easy." "You'd think the governor of a great state would make his price higher... just out of pride." "And cheap labor." ""The wages has got to be cheaper than Massachusetts," Marshall says." "And that averages eight a week." "You bought the water from the governor." "It was his to sell?" "Go on, Ben." ""Eight a week?" I say to Marshall." ""I'd work for eight a week myself."" "There ain't a man in this section, black or white... who wouldn't give his right arm for three silver dollars every week." "They'll take less than that when you play them off against each other." "Your father said he made the thousands..." " and you boys would make the millions." " Millions for us too." "Us?" "You and me?" "I don't think so." "You've got enough money, Regina." "We'll just sit by and watch the boys grow rich." "Then this means you're finally turning us down?" "Is it possible that's what you mean?" "I don't want any part of it." "I've been trying to tell you that." " I want to know your reasons." " I don't know myself." "Leave it at that." "We shall not leave it at that." "I want to know your reasons now." " We've been waiting like children..." " Yes, to nag at me to invest my money." "If you're disappointed, I'm sorry." "But I must do what I think best." "Now, good night." "Please wait downstairs." " Oscar and I will go home now." " Please wait downstairs!" "There will be no more talking about this." "I'm sick and tired of hearing about it." "I've given my answer, and that is all." "I think we'll have to talk about it, Horace." "Just you and me." "I never did believe he was going in with us." "I thought he'd go in." "What do you expect me to do?" "Nothing." "You done your almighty best." "There's nothing you can do." "Maybe there's something I could do for us." "Or, I might better say, Leo could do for us." " Ain't that true, son?" " What do you mean?" "Leo's got a friend." "Leo's friend owns $90,000 worth of Union Pacific bonds." "Leo's friend don't look at the bonds much... not for five or six months at a time." "Union Pacific." "Let me understand this." "Leo's friend would lend him the bonds, and he would..." "Would be kind enough to lend them to us." " Leo." " Yes, sir?" " When would your friend want them back?" " I don't know." "You told me he won't look at them till fall." "That's right, but I..." "Not till fall." " But Uncle Horace..." " Be still." "Your uncle doesn't wish to know your friend's name." "That's a good one." "Not know his name?" "Shut up, Leo." "He won't look at them till September." "That gives us five months." "Leo will return the bonds in three months." "We'll have no trouble raising the money once the mills start going up." "Will Marshall accept bonds?" "Why not?" "We're lucky, Oscar." "We'll take the loan from Leo's friend." "I think he'll make a safer partner than our sister." "How soon do you think you can borrow them?" "Right away, tonight." "They're in the safe-deposit box..." "I don't want to know where they are." "We'll keep it secret from you, Ben." "Good night, Oscar." " Good luck to us." " Leo will be taken care of?" "I'm entitled to Uncle Horace's share." "Gee, that would make me a partner." ""Partner"?" "Why, you..." "He didn't mean it." "I want to be sure he'll get something out of this." "We'll take care of him." "We'll arrange that later." "Then that's settled." "Come on, son." "I didn't mean just that." "I was only gonna say..." "Go on." "You have work to do." "Good night, David." " Good night, Zannie." " Good night, David." "Hello, Zannie." " Won't you leave me alone?" " I won't let you alone!" " If I'd let you alone, you'd still be..." " Uncle Ben, make Mama stop." "She can't do that to Papa." "It isn't right." " Alexandra, you have a tender heart." " If you won't do anything about it..." "I will!" "Now, you see?" "It's all over." "Don't worry so, my dear." "Married folks frequently raise their voices, unfortunately." "How can you treat Papa like this?" "He's very sick." "Don't you know that?" " Mind your business." " This is my business." " It's my business to stop what's wrong." " Don't you dare speak to me like this!" " Go to bed!" " Yes, Mama." "You'll have to put Marshall off for a few days." "I'm afraid I can't do that for you." "I told you his letter was urgent." "How much more time can you give me?" " Horace has refused." " He'll change his mind." "I'll find a way to make him." "How much longer can you wait?" "I could wait a few days, but I can't wait a few days." "I could, but I can't." "Could and can't." "I have to go now." "I'm very late." "You're not going." "I want to talk to you." "I forgot to tell you." "Oscar's going to Chicago tomorrow as we planned... so we can't be here for our usual Friday night supper." "Oscar's..." "What do you mean?" "Just that." "He's going to deliver the money to Marshall." "You're lying." "You're trying to scare me." "You haven't got the money." "How can you have it?" "How can he go to Chicago?" "Did a ghost arrive with the money?" "I don't believe you." " Come back here." "I want to talk to you." " You're getting out of hand." "Since when do I take orders from you?" "Come back!" "Good night." "It's a great day when you and Ben cross swords." "I've been waiting for it for years." "So they found out they don't need you." "So you'll not have your millions after all." "You hate to see anybody live now, don't you?" "You hate to think I'll be alive and have what I want." " You'd think that was my reason." " Yes." "Because you're going to die and you know you're going to die." "Maybe it's easier for the dying to be honest." "I'm sick of you!" "Sick of this house, sick of my unhappy life with you." "I'm sick of your brothers and their dirty tricks to make a dime!" "There must be better ways of getting rich than building sweatshops... and pounding the bones of the town to make dividends for you to spend." "You'll wreck the town, you and your brothers." "You'll wreck the country, you and your kind, if they let you." "But not me." "I'll die my own way." "I'll do it without making the world any worse." "I'll leave that to you." "I hope you die." "I hope you die soon." " Mama, don't!" " I'll be waiting for you to die." "Don't!" "Papa, don't listen." "Please just don't listen!" "Go away." "Thank you, Birdie." "That was nice." "I hope I didn't disturb Regina." "I should have thought to ask." "Miss Regina ain't home." "I'd have told you." "She's at Mrs. Hewitt's getting a dress fitted." "Thank you, Addie." "Horace, look." "Simon brought me these from Lionnet." "Oscar was out there shooting this morning." "Simon says they're just growing wild there now." "Coming, Addie." "Why don't you pick some?" "I don't like crab apples." "You're getting too old to be climbing trees." " Why?" " Your petticoats are showing." " David Hewitt." " Or should I say "underskirts."" " You certainly should." " Under any name, they're still showing." "If you'd lift me down instead of sitting there, you wouldn't see them." "Hello." "You might at least help me pick some up." "Somebody must be gonna make some mighty fine jelly." "That's right, Simon." "I'll bet Simon was sorry to see your Uncle Oscar come back from Chicago." "Oscar hasn't been over to our house since he got back." "He or Uncle Ben." "Not since that night." "I don't like to think about it." "I try not to all the time." " You never like to think about things." " There you go again." "Always want somebody else to do your thinking for you." "I'm tired of having you say that!" "It just isn't true." "What do you want me to do?" "I think I want you to go away from here." ""Go away"?" "Are you crazy?" "What would I do?" "Where would I go?" "I think you're just trying not to see me anymore." " You do?" " Yes, I do." "But you don't have to try, whether I'm here or not." "I'll tell you what you could do if you went away." "If you can find someplace where they pay wages for talking silly... you could make a fortune." " Addie, a party!" "What for?" " Nothing." "I had the sweet butter, so I made the cakes." "Isn't this nice?" "A party just for us." " Is Mama..." " No, she ain't got back yet." " Sit down, David." " Not by me." "I'm not speaking to him." "He's too dull." "He's always preaching." " It doesn't affect your appetite." " It doesn't affect me in any way." " I just ignore him." " Don't be bad friends." "It's so nice here with just us." " There, David, that's for you." " Thank you." " Elderberry's good for the stomach." " That's what Mama used to say." "Mama used to give it to me when I was a little girl... for hiccups." "I don't think people get hiccups anymore." " Isn't that funny?" " And nobody gets growing pains no more." "Just like there was some style in what you got." "One year an ailment's stylish, and the next year it ain't." "Miss Birdie, that elderberry wine is gonna give you a headache spell." "I don't think so." "I remember now about the hiccups." "It was my first big party, at Lionnet." "There I was with hiccups, and Mama laughing." "Mama always laughed." "A big party, a lovely dress from Mr. Worth in Paris, France... and hiccups." "You know, that was the first day I saw Oscar Hubbard." "We saw him from our window." "He passed and lifted his hat." "And my brother, to tease Mama, said Mama didn't like the Hubbards... and wouldn't invite them to the party because they kept a store." "Then I saw Mama angry for the first time in my life." "She said that wasn't the reason." "She said she just didn't like people who made their money... charging awful interest to poor, ignorant colored folks... and cheating them on what they bought." "Mama was very angry." "Then suddenly she laughed and said..." ""Look, I've frightened Birdie out of her hiccups."" "And so she had." "They were all gone." "Yes, they got mighty well-off cheating the poor." "There's people that eats up the whole Earth and all the people on it... like in the Bible with the locust." "Then there's people that stand around and watch them do it." "Sometimes I think it ain't right to just stand and watch." "There's something else in the Bible, Addie." ""Take us the foxes... the little foxes that spoil the vines... for our vines have tender grapes."" "If we could only go back to Lionnet." "Everybody would be better there." "They'd be good and kind." "I like people to be kind." "Don't you like people to be kind?" " Yes, I do." " Yes." "That was the first day I ever saw Oscar." "Who would have thought..." "Do you want to know something?" "I don't like Leo." "My very own son, and I don't like him." "Isn't that funny?" "I guess I even like Oscar more than I like Leo." "Why did you marry Uncle Oscar?" "That's no question for you to ask." "Why not?" "It's time she was asking questions." "She's heard enough around here to ask anything." " Why did you, Aunt Birdie?" " I don't know." "I thought I liked him, and he was so kind to me then." "I thought it was because he liked me too." "But that wasn't the reason." "Ask why he married me." "I can tell you that!" " He's told me often enough." " Miss Birdie, don't." "My family was good, but the cotton on Lionnet's fields was better." "Ben Hubbard wanted the cotton, and Oscar Hubbard married it for him." "He was kind to me then." "He used to smile at me." "He hasn't smiled at me since." "Everybody knew that's what he married me for." "Everybody but me." "Stupid, stupid me." "You get talking like this, and you'll surely get a headache." "I've never had a headache in my life!" "You know it as well as I do." "I've never had a headache, Zan." "That's a lie they tell for me." "I drink." "All by myself in my own room, I drink." "And when they want to hide it, they say Birdie's got a headache again." " Aunt Birdie, don't." " You won't like me anymore." " I love you." "I'll always love you." " Don't!" "Don't love me!" "Because in 20 years, you'll just be like me." "They'll do all the same things to you... and you'll trail after them just like me... hoping they won't be so mean to you that day... or say something to make you feel so bad." "Only you'll be worse off... because you won't have my mama to remember." "Aunt Birdie, don't." "Come on now." "Let's go home, just you and me." "Poor Miss Birdie." " There you are, sir." " Thank you." "I sure is glad to see you back again, sir." " Thank you, Harold." " Glad to see you back with us again." " Thank you." "How's the family?" " Hello, Mr. Horace." " How are you feeling?" " Fine." "Hello, Mr. Horace." " How are you, Mr. Giddens?" " Sam." " Good to see you, sir." " Thank you." " Hello there, Leo." " Hello, Uncle Horace." " Glad to see you back again, sir." " Thank you." " Good to see you." " Thank you." "Goodness! "Good to see you." "Good to see you."" "Don't nobody never think up no new words?" " All right." "Come along, son." " Yes, sir." "First time I seen anybody who wasn't anxious to grab my silver dollars." "Sam, I want to take a look at my will." "All right, sir." "Come on, son, count my money." "You're mighty careless with other people's money." " Count it." "I'm in a hurry." " Check this..." "Check this for me, Joe." "I've got to see my uncle a minute." "All right." "What's the matter with him?" "Yes, what is it?" "I want to see you a minute." "Yes?" "What about?" " It's about Bert Pembrook." " Yes?" "He's one of the standing renters over at..." "I know who Bert Pembrook is." "What about him?" "It's his note, sir." "I'm worried about it, Uncle Horace." "What's wrong with the note?" "Do you think the crop lien is sufficient collateral?" "All right, Sam, you can put it back." "I haven't been in the bank for months." "I don't know anything about Bert Pembrook's note." " What's wrong with it?" " Leo seems disturbed about it." "Oh, it's nothing." "I just thought..." "He doesn't think the crop lien is sufficient collateral." "We haven't got a crop lien, we've got a chattel mortgage." "Bert's made all the payments so far." "The note will be amortized in 60 days." "Yes, I..." "Oh, that's right." "So it will." "Leo's facts seem to be a trifle hazy." "It ain't the facts that are hazy." "It's Leo." "Sam, I forgot my insurance policies." "I want to take them with me." "When was the last time you opened this box?" "About three weeks ago to clip the coupons." " Why?" "Anything wrong?" " No, I..." "I thought there was a policy missing, but I found it." "I think I'll go home now, and I'll take the box with me." "All right, sir." "Good-bye." "Bye." "We hope to see you back again real soon." "It sure is good to see you." "Uncle Horace, forgot to ask you how you're feeling." "Much better." "Thank you for being so solicitous." "Don't you worry about the bank." "We'll keep everything in apple-pie order." "That's nice." "That Mr. Leo acting mighty sweet." "Like his mouth's filled with melting butter." "Yes." " Cal?" " Yes, sir?" " I want you to do something for me." " Yes, sir." "After you take me home, I want you to walk back to the bank." "I want you to give Mr. Manders a message for me." "Yes, sir." "Only I ain't much good at toting messages." "My memory kind of gets confused." "This is an easy one." "Only you've got to be sure to get it straight." "Listen carefully." "I want you to go to Mr. Manders, and I want you to say..." "Mr. Horace say for you to be taking the evening train for Mobile... and be toting back with you Judge Sol Fowler, his attorney at law..." " What's he want him now for?" " Is this message for you?" " Go on." " Now I got to be starting all over." "Mr. Horace say for you to be taking the evening train for Mobile... and be toting back with you Judge Sol Fowler, his attorney at law... and then you got to fetch him to our house tomorrow." " Did he say why?" " Is that all?" "Yes, sir, that's all." "Kind of short message, ain't it?" "Appears to me, if you got a message, it ought to have more words." "Mr. Manders, sir, there's something I got to do, something I forgot." " Sit down and finish your work." " But you don't understand." "Sit down!" " You can tell him I got his message." " Yes, sir." "Perhaps you're tired?" "Zan left me instructions not to get tired while she was out." " She's mighty firm with me." " Zan, firm?" " What do you feel about Zan anyway?" " What?" "I'm in love with her, I guess." "I mean, I'm not guessing." "I mean, I know I am." "I've never said those words before." "I didn't realize they'd be so hard to say." "Here's your old green lamp." "You don't gotta sit in the dark." "Do hurry, Mrs. Hewitt." "It's very tiresome standing so long." "Yes, I know it is." "I'm just finishing." "David is a constant visitor at our house." "Yes, he plays cribbage with Mr. Horace." "He likes Mr. Horace." "I hope you don't mind his running in and out." "I don't mind." "I've always tried not to interfere with Alexandra too much." "I didn't like people to interfere with me when I was young." "I still don't like them interfering." "I do think Alexandra is a little young to be courted by David." "I'm sure it's nothing like that." "Is that you, David?" " Yes, Mama." " Come in." " Good evening." " We were just talking about you." "Yes, I heard you." "I rather like you." "You've got spirit." "That's good in anyone." "I was telling your mother..." "I wouldn't like to think you were courting Alexandra." "I haven't been doing that." "I'm glad to hear that." "But, if and when I do, I shall not care whether you like it or not." "Don't worry about that." "Horace might see his lawyer about a lot of things." "Fowler's come down here a hundred times before." "But he comes in the bank today, and right after he sends for Fowler." "Nonsense." "Don't worry so much." "It's fine for you to tell me not to worry." "Always say to myself I don't like nervous people." "I can't trust them." "Leo, you're one of the people who bore me." "I'm getting too old to want to be bored." "I'm just getting so I hate it." "You take your nerves out of here and go upstairs and take a warm bath." "That will be good for you." "A nice warm bath." "We agreed you were to stay in your part of this house and I in mine." "This room is my part of the house." " Please don't come down again." " I won't." "I only came down this time to tell you that... we have invested our money in Hubbard Sons and Marshall Cotton Manufacturers." "What are you talking about?" "You haven't seen Ben." "When did you change your mind?" "I didn't change my mind." "I didn't invest the money." "It was invested for me." "What are you talking about?" "I had $90,000 worth of Union Pacific bonds in this box in the bank." "They're not there now." "Come and look." "Those bonds are negotiable as money, and they're gone." "Only $ 15,000 left." "$ 75,000 are gone." "What kind of a joke are you playing?" "Is this for my benefit?" "I don't look in that box very often." "Today, because I decided..." " What are you talking about?" " Don't interrupt me again." "Today, because I decided to do something, I opened the box and..." "Do you think I'm crazy enough to believe what you're saying?" "You don't believe me." "That's good." "For a minute, I thought perhaps you had taken them." ""Taken them"?" "Where are they?" "Where did they go?" "To Chicago." "I should guess that at this minute they're with Mr. Marshall." "I think Leo took the bonds." " I don't believe it." " This fine gentleman... to whom you were willing to marry your daughter... took the keys and opened the box." "I'm only guessing, but remember Oscar made a sudden departure for Chicago... after you and Ben had your great fight." "He took with him the bonds that his son had stolen for him." "And for Ben, too, of course." " This will make a fine little scandal." " Couldn't it?" "A fine scandal to hold over their heads." "How could they be such fools?" "But I'm not going to hold it over their heads." "What?" "I'm gonna let them keep the bonds, as a loan from you." "A loan, not an investment." "An investment would mean a share of the profits." "A loan is simply returned." "Oh, I see." "You're punishing me." "I won't let you punish me." "If you won't do anything about it, I will." "You won't do anything because you can't." "You can't make trouble." "I shall say and go on saying I lent them the bonds." "You would do that?" "Yes." "For once in your life, I'm tying your hands." "There's nothing for you to do." "Why did you say I was making this loan?" "I'm making a new will... leaving you exactly $ 75,000 in Union Pacific bonds." "The rest, and my insurance, will go to Zan." "In the meantime, Ben and Oscar will have returned the bonds, I'm sure, and be very grateful to you." "And that will be the end of that." "There's nothing you can do to them and nothing you can do to me." "You must hate me very much." "No, I don't hate you." "Perhaps because I remember how much I was in love with you." "I don't hate you either." "I've only contempt for you." "I've always had." "Why did you marry me?" "Because I was lonely when I was young." "Yes, lonely." "Not in the way people usually mean." "I was lonely for all the things I wasn't gonna get." "Everybody was so busy at home, and so little place for what I wanted." "Then Papa died and left Ben and Oscar all the money." " So you married me." " Yes." "I thought you'd get the world for me." "You were a small-town clerk then." "You haven't changed." " And that wasn't what you wanted." " No, it wasn't." "It wasn't what I wanted." "But it didn't take me long to find out my mistake." "Then it was just as if I couldn't stand the sight of you." "I couldn't bear to have you touch me." "I thought you were such a soft, weak fool." "You were so kind and understanding when I didn't want you near me." "The lies and excuses I used to make to you." "And you believed them." "That was when I began to despise you." "Why didn't you leave me?" "Where was I to go?" "What money did I have?" "I didn't think about it much." "If I had, I'd have known you'd die before I did." "But I couldn't have guessed you'd get heart trouble so early, so bad." "I'm lucky." "I've always been lucky." "I'll be lucky again." "The other bottle." "Please." "Upstairs in my room in the drawer." "Upstairs, quick." "Addie, quick." "Addie, Cal, come here!" "My goodness, what's the matter?" "Get his legs, Belle." "His special medicine!" "I'll get it!" "Cal, bring him in this room here." "Lay him down flat." "I'll take off his shoes." " Go get Dr. Sloan." "Hurry." " Yes, ma'am." "Here." "I'll get some ice." "Hold his mouth." " What's wrong?" " Now, don't you fret, honey." "Papa!" "Aunt Regina!" "I just heard about Uncle Horace." "How is he?" " Dr. Sloan's in there now." " Is there anything I can do?" "You can keep quiet, that's what you can do." " Dr. Sloan." " Zan, I'm gonna tell you the truth." "It's just a matter of a little while." "Yes, Doctor." "We just heard down at the store." "How is he now?" "I don't know." "Dr. Sloan's with him." "They don't want you to do anything." " Is it a bad attack?" " Addie didn't say." " I wonder if we should go up?" " I think we better wait here." "Did you talk to Sloan?" "Leo, is that Horace's deposit box?" "Why..." "How can it be?" "If it is, what's it doing here?" " You said you saw Manders put it away." " I did see him put it away." "I was there." "Stop jabbering and tell me is that the same box?" "Of course it's the same box, but how did it get here?" " That means he knows." " Put that down." "Are you gonna eat it?" " I'll take it back to the bank." " Don't touch it again, you fool." "I'm a fool?" "Didn't I tell you he'd sent for Judge Fowler?" "And didn't you have me take a warm bath?" "Yes, I am a fool." "I do all the dirty work." " I'm remembering that." " What do you mean?" "Shut him up or I'll show you what I mean." " But, Papa..." " Shut up." "Listen to me." "Maybe he's told Regina." " Maybe..." " Yes, maybe, and maybe he hasn't." "They weren't on such pretty terms." "If she don't know about it, it may work out all right." "If she does know, you're to say he lent you the bonds." "Lent me the bonds?" "Who's gonna believe that?" " Nobody." " Why should I say he lent them to me?" "Why not to you?" "Why not to Uncle Ben?" "Because he didn't lend them to me." "Remember that." "But..." "How is he?" " He's unconscious." " Is there anything we can do?" "He's come through these attacks before." "He'll come through this one." "We haven't seen each other since the day of our fight." "Remember how we used to fight when we were kids?" "Trouble brings us together." "Does Sloan want another doctor?" "We could drive over for Dr. Morris." "Thank you, but..." " You don't feel well." " No, I don't." "Horace told me about the bonds this afternoon." " The bonds?" "What do you mean?" " What bonds?" "Horace's Union Pacific bonds?" "Yes." "What about them?" "What could he say?" "He said Leo had stolen them and given them to you." " That's ridiculous!" " I don't know what you're talking about." "Isn't it enough that he stole them?" "Do I have to listen to this too?" " I didn't steal anything." " Ben, please ask them to stop this." "Aren't we starting at the wrong end?" "What did Horace tell you?" "He told me that Leo had stolen the bonds." "I didn't..." "Then he said he was going to pretend he had lent them to you... as a present from me to my brothers." "He said there was nothing I could do about it because as long as he lived... he would insist he had lent them to you." "I told you he lent them." "I could've told you." "He said he was leaving the rest of the money to Alexandra." "So I'm very badly off, you see." "Now, you mustn't feel that way." "It can all be explained." "It can all be adjusted." "Things aren't as bad as you seem..." "So you at least are willing to admit the bonds were stolen." "I admit no such thing." "It's possible Horace made up that part about stealing to tease you... or perhaps to punish you." "It's not a pleasant story." "I feel bad." "Now you shall have the bonds safely back." " That was the understanding." " Yes." "I'm glad to hear that." "I had greater hopes." "Remember the night we made all the wishes?" "Now you mustn't talk that way." "That's foolish." "I think we ought to drive over for Morris." "Two doctors are better than one." "Don't think I'm dismissing this other business." "I'm not." "We'll have it all out on a more appropriate day." "I don't think you'd better go yet." " Come back and sit down." " We'll be right back." "I have something more to say." "I've told you before:" "You'll get further with a smile." "I'm a soft man for a woman's smile." "I'm smiling, Ben." "I'm smiling because you are perfectly safe... while Horace lives to say he lent you the bonds." "But Dr. Sloan doesn't think Horace is gonna live." "And if he doesn't, I want 75 percent of the business... in exchange for the bonds." "Greedy." "What a greedy girl you are." "You want so much of everything." "Get those bays hitched up." "I'll drive over there myself." "I'll have that doctor here in no time." "Regina, you tell Sloan that we're bringing Dr. Morris." "Yes, Ben, I'll tell him." "Make some fresh coffee." "You run over to Mrs. Sloan's and get another hypodermic needle." "He's just the same." "Zan's all right." "She's being fine." "I told her you was here, and she said for you to go home and get your supper." "Go on now." "You don't sit still good." "Lots of people don't." "All right." "I'll be back later." " Can I go with you, Uncle Ben?" " You stay right here." "You drive to Dr. Morris' in Centerville as fast as you can." "Leo, did you speak to the doctor?" "What did he say?" "Why's everybody getting so excited?" "Uncle Horace isn't all that sick." "He's had these attacks before." "He'll get over it." " I just asked what the doctor said." " What do you care?" "What's it to you?" "Why are you here anyway?" "Showing off your grief?" "I happen to like Mr. Horace." "Good night." "Yes, you happen to like him, and he happens to have a rich daughter... so you happen to be hanging around." "I'd like to stay here for a little while." "Alone, please." "Please, Mama." "How is he, Regina?" "He's dead." "You look tired." "Why don't you go and rest now?" "Yes, I am tired." "Would you pour me a brandy, please?" "Get one for yourselves." "Perhaps we're all going to need it." "Are you getting a cold, Oscar?" "Ben, shall we take up our conversation where we left off?" "What more is there to talk about?" "Really, Oscar, you're not very bright, are you?" "Ben, would you like to or shall I explain to Oscar... that you were quite safe while Horace lived to say he lent you the bonds." "But Horace is not alive now." "I've already said I want 75 percent of the new firm in exchange for the bonds." "This I have not said:" "If I don't get what I want, I'll put all of you in jail." "What are you talking about?" "On what evidence would you put Oscar and Leo in jail?" "Listen to him, Oscar." "He's getting ready to swear it was you and Leo." "Don't be angry, Oscar." "I'll see he goes in with you." "They were Horace's bonds." "There's nothing you can do." " He was willing to loan them to us." " Stop pretending." " Tomorrow I'm going to Judge Simms." " What proof of all this..." "The bonds are missing, and they're with Marshall." "That's proof enough." "If it isn't, I'll add what's necessary." " I'm sure of that." " We'll deny..." "Deny your heads off." "What jury would believe you?" "I don't think you could find 12 men in this state you haven't cheated." "What kind of talk is this?" "We're your own brothers." "How can you talk this way when not five minutes ago..." "Yes, Mama... not five minutes ago." "We know how you feel." "The whole town loved and respected your father." "Did you love him, Uncle Oscar?" "Did you love him, Uncle Ben?" "And you, Mama, did you love him too?" "Go lie down, my dear." "It takes time for all of us... to get over a shock like this." "Please go." "What was Papa doing on the staircase?" "Go and rest." " I want to talk to you, Mama." " Not now." "I'll wait." "I've plenty of time now." "As I was saying, tomorrow morning I'm going to Judge Simms." " I shall tell him about Leo." " Not in front of the child." "I didn't ask her to stay." "Where was I?" "Yes, they'll convict you." "But, of course, you have your choice." "I don't want to hear any more." "There will be no more bargaining!" "I'll take my 75 percent and forget the story forever." "That's one way of doing it and the way I prefer." "You should know me well enough to know I don't mind taking the other way." "None of us have ever known you well enough." "You're getting old, Ben." "Your tricks aren't as smart as they used to be." "All right, then, I take it that's settled, and I get what I asked for." " Are you going to let her do this?" " You have a suggestion?" "No, he hasn't." "Come, Leo and Oscar." "You can go home now." "Good night." "You too, Ben." "If you all behave yourselves, I'll forget anybody saw the bonds." "You can draw up the necessary papers tomorrow." "Be quick about it because I'm not very good at this legal business." "You boys are sort of working for me from now on." "You're a good loser." "I like that." "I say to myself:" "What's the good?" "You and I aren't like Oscar." "We're not sour people." "I think that comes from a good digestion." "Then too, one loses today and wins tomorrow." "I say to myself:" "Years of planning and I get what I want." "Then I don't get it." "But I'm not discouraged." "The world's open for people like you and me." "There's thousands of us all over the world." "We'll own this country some day." "They won't try to stop us." " We'll get along." " I think so." "Then too, I say to myself:" "Things may change." "I agree with Alexandra." "What was a man in a wheelchair doing on a staircase?" " I ask myself that." " And what do you answer?" "I have no answer." "Maybe someday I will." "Maybe never, but maybe someday." " When I do, I'll let you know." " Write me." "I'll be in Chicago." "I will." "Good night, Alexandra." "You're turning out to be a right interesting girl." "Good night." "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" "I've changed my mind, Mama." "There's nothing to talk about now." "I know you've had a bad shock... but you must have expected this to come." "You knew how sick he was." "Yes, we all knew how sick he was." "I'm very tired, and I'm going up to bed." "Put all the lights out or the whole town will be over." "Be sure the windows are all closed." "The rain may come in." "Don't sit there staring like that." "You've been with Birdie so much, you're getting just like her." "That's what Aunt Birdie said." "Yes, I might have been just like her." "Don't grieve too much." "You'll be better when you get to Chicago." "I'm gonna get you the world I always wanted." "I don't want the world, Mama." "I'm not going to Chicago with you." "You're very upset." "Let's talk about it tomorrow." "There's nothing to talk about." "I'm going away from you because I want to." "Because I know Papa would want me to." "You know your papa would want you to go away from me?" "Yes." "And if I say no?" "Say it, Mama." "Say it and see what happens." "You're very serious about this, aren't you?" "You'll change your mind in a couple of days." "I've come to the end of my rope!" "Somewhere there's got to be what I want too." "Life goes too fast." "You can go where you want, do what you want, think what you want." "I'd like to keep you with me, but I won't make you stay." "You couldn't, Mama, because I don't want to stay with you." "Because I'm beginning to understand about things." "Addie said there were people who ate the Earth... and people who stood around and watched them do it." "Just now, Uncle Ben said the same thing, really the same thing." "Tell him for me, Mama, I'm not going to watch you do it." "Tell him I'll be fighting as hard as he is... someplace where people don't just stand around and watch." "Why, you have spirit after all." "I used to think you were all sugar water." "We don't have to be bad friends." "I don't want us to be bad friends." "Would you like to talk with me, Alexandra?" "Would you like to sleep in my room tonight?" "Why, Mama?" "Are you afraid?"