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angel。
〃Didn't you see me there； nodding my head because I understood what she wanted？ I know I saw you…all nodding the same way。 It's now I must be dreaming。 Because it can't be that the folks I grew up with down here in this godforsaken map…splat of the world could have turned into graveyard ghouls。〃
Maddy's face sagged at that and she began to cry。 And I was glad I had made her cry。 That's how angry I was； how angry I still am when I think of them sitting there in the lamplight。 When I think of the tin box with its Sweetheart Girl cover set aside； its insides all turned out。 Their hands and laps full of her things。 Their eyes full of her things。 Their hearts； too。 Not her； but her things。 Her remainder。
〃Oh you self…righteous little prig；〃 Evelyn said。 〃And weren't you always！〃
She stood up and swept her hands back along her cheeks； as if to wipe away her tears。 。 。 but there were no tears in those flaming eyes of hers。 Not this evening。 This evening I saw my brother and three sisters with their masks laid aside。
〃Save your accusations；〃 I said。 I have never liked her…regal Evelyn； whose eyes were so firmly fixed on the prize that she never had time for her littlest brother。 。 。 or for anyone who did not think the stars pretty much changed their courses to watch Evelyn Walker Hance in her enchanted walk through life。 〃It's hard to point fingers successfully when your hands are full of stolen goods。 You might drop your loot。〃
〃But she's right；〃 Madeline said。 〃You are self…righteous。 You are a prig。〃
〃Maddy； how can you say that？〃 I asked。 The others could not have hurt me； I don't think； at least not one by one； only she。
〃Because it's true。〃 She let go of Floyd's hand； stood up； and faced me。 I don't believe I will ever forget a single word of what she said。 More memorating； God help me。
〃You were here for the wake； you were here for the reading of a dead…letter her own son wasn't good enough to write； you were here for the burying； you were here for the after…burying； and you're here now； looking at things you don't understand and passing a fool's judgement on them because of all the things you don't know。 Things that went on while you were up in New York； chasing the Pulitzer Prize with a broom in your hand。 Up in New York； playing the nigger and telling yourself whatever different it takes for you to get to sleep at night。〃
〃Amen！ Tell it！〃 Sophie said。 Her eyes were blazing； too。 They were a demon's eyes； almost。 And I？ I was silent。 Stunned to silence。 Filled with that horrible； deathlike emotion that es when someone finally spills out the home truths。 When you finally understand that the person you see in the mirror is not the one others see。
〃Where were you when she died； though？ Where were you when she had the six or seven little heart attacks leading up to the big ones？ Where were you when she had all those little strokes and got so funny in her head？〃
〃Oh； he was in New York；〃 Floyd said cheerily。 〃He was employing his fine arts degree scrubbing floors in some white man's book…publishing office。〃
〃It's research；〃 I said in a voice so low I could barely hear it。 I felt all at once as though I might faint。 〃Research for the book。〃
〃Research； that explains it；〃 Evelyn said with a sage nod； and put the cash money carefully back into the tin box。 〃That's why she went without lunches for four years in order to pay for your schoolbooks。 So you could research the wonderful world of custodial science。〃
〃Oh； ain't you a bitch；〃 I said。 。 。 just as though I had not written many of those same things about my job at Zenith House； not once but several times； in the pages of this journal。
〃Shut up；〃 Maddy said。 〃Just shut up and listen to me； you self…righteous； judgmental prig。〃 She spoke in a low； furious voice that I had never heard before； had never imagined might e from her。 〃You； the only one of us not married and with children。 The only one with the luxury of seeing family through this。 。 。 this。 。 。 I don't know。 。 。〃
〃This golden haze of memory；〃 Floyd suggested。 He had a little silver bottle in his pants pocket。 He drew it out then and had himself a nip。
Maddy nodded。 〃You don't have the slightest idea of what we need； do you？ Of where we are。 Floyd and Sophie have got kids getting ready to go to college。 Evvie's have gone through； and she's got the unpaid bills to prove it。 Mine are ing along。 Only you…〃
〃Why not ask Floyd to help you？〃 I asked her。 〃Mama wrote me a letter and said he cleared a quarter of a million last year。 Don't you see。 。 。 don't any of you see what this is？ This is robbing pennies off a dead woman's eyes！ She…〃
Floyd stepped up。 His eyes were deadly flat。 He held up a clenched fist。 〃You say another word like that； Riddie； and I'm going to break your nose。〃
There was a moment of tense silence； and then from down below Aunt Olympia called up； her voice high and jolly and nervous。 〃Boys and girls？ Everything all right up there？〃
〃Fine； Aunt Olly；〃 Evelyn called back。 Her voice was light and carefree； her eyes； which never left mine； were murderous。 〃Talking over the old times。 We'll be down in a wink。 Y'all stay close； all right？〃
〃You're sure everything is okay？〃
And I； God help me； felt an insane urge to scream： No！ It's not okay！ Get up here！ You and Uncle Michael both get up here！ Get up here and rescue me！ Save me from the pecking of the carrion birds！
But I kept my mouth shut； and Evvie shut the door。
Sophie said； 〃Mama wrote you all the time； we knew that； Rid。 You were always her favorite； she spoiled you rotten； especially after Pop died and there was no more holding her back。 You got plenty of how she saw it。〃
〃That's not true；〃 I said。
〃But it is；〃 Maddy said。 〃And do you know what？ The way Mama saw things was pretty selective。 She told you about all the money Floyd made last year； I've no doubt of it； but I doubt if she told you about how Floyd's partner stole everything he could get his hands on。 Hi…ho； it's Oren Anderson； off to the Bahamas with his chippy of the month。〃
I felt as if I'd been sucker…punched。 I looked at Floyd。 〃Is that true？〃
Floyd took another little nip at the silver flask that had been Pop's before it was his and grinned at me。 It was a ghastly grin。 His eyes were redder than ever and there was spit on his lips。 He looked like a man at the end of a month…long binge。 Or at the beginning of one。
〃True as can be； little brother；〃 he said。 〃I was rooked like an amateur。 I think I'm going to be able to sail through without getting in the papers； but it's still not a sure thing。 I came to her for help and she told me how she was broke。 Never got over putting you through Cornell is what she said。 How broke does that on the bed look to you； little brother？ Eight thousand in cash。 。 。 at least。 。 。 and twice that in jewelry。 Thirty thousand in stocks； maybe。 And she wanted to give it to the library。〃 A glare of contempt closed his face like a cramp。 〃Jesus please us。〃
I looked to Evvie。 〃Your husband Jack。 。 。 the construction business。 。 。〃
〃Jack's had a hard two years；〃 she said。 〃He's in trouble。 Every bank wit