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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 within fifty miles is carrying his paper。 How much he owes is all that's propping him up。〃 She laughed； but her eyes were frightened。 〃Just something else you didn't know。 Sophie's Randall is a little better off…〃
〃We keep even； but get ahead？〃 Sophie also laughed。 〃Not likely。 Floyd helped all of us along when he could； but since Oren double…crossed him。 。 。〃
〃That snake；〃 Maddy said。 〃That fucking snake。〃
I turned to Floyd； and nodded at the little flask。 〃Maybe you've been taking a little too much of that。 Maybe that's why you didn't mind your business a little better when you had a little more business to mind。〃
Floyd's fist came slowly up again。 This time I stuck out my chin。 You get to a point when you just don't care anymore。 I know that now。
〃Go ahead； Floyd。 If it'll make you feel better； go on ahead。 And if you think twenty or even forty thousand dollars is going to bail y'all out； then go ahead with that； too。 More fools you be。〃
Floyd drew his fist back。 He would have hit me； too； but Maddy stepped between us。 She looked at me； and I looked away。 I couldn't bear what I saw in her eyes。
〃You with the quotes；〃 she said softly。 〃Always with the quotable quotes。 Well； here's one for you； Mr。 Uppity： 'He that hath a wife and children hath given hostages to fortune。 ' Francis Bacon said that almost three hundred years ago； and it was folks like us he was talking about； not folks like you。 Not folks that take twenty or thirty thousand dollars to get educated； then have to do research in floor…polishing。 How much have you given back to your family？ I'll tell you how much！ Nothing！ And nothing！ And nothing！〃
She was standing so close and spat each nothing so hard that spit flew from her lips to mine。
〃Maddy； I…〃
〃Shut up；〃 she said。 〃I'm talking now。〃
〃Tell it！〃 Sophie said happily。 It was a nightmare； I tell you。 A nightmare。
〃I'm getting out of here；〃 I said； and started to turn away。
They wouldn't let me。 That's like nightmares； too； they won't let you get away。 Evelyn grabbed me on one side； Floyd on the other。
〃No；〃 Evvie said； and I could smell booze on her breath； too。 The wine they were drinking downstairs。 〃You listen。 For once in your stuck…up life； you just listen。〃
〃You weren't here when she got funny； but we were；〃 Maddy said。 〃The strokes she had affected her mind。 Sometimes she went wandering； and we had to go find her and bring her back。 Once she did it at night and we had half the town out looking for her with flashlights。 So far as I could tell； you weren't there when we finally found her at two in the morning； curled up on the riverbank fast asleep with half a dozen fat copperheads down there not four yards from her bare feet。 So far as I know； you were up there in your New York apartment when that happened； fast asleep yourself。〃
〃Tell it；〃 Floyd said grimly。 All of them acting as though I live in the Dakota； in a penthouse； instead of my little place in Dobbs Ferry。 。 。 and yet my little place is nice enough； isn't it？ Perfectly affordable； even on a janitor's salary； for a man with no vices and no hostages to fortune。
〃Sometimes she messed herself；〃 Maddy said。 〃Sometimes she talked crazy in church。 She'd go to her book…circle and rave half an hour about some book she'd read twenty years ago。 She'd be all right for awhile。 。 。 she had plenty of good days until the last few months。 。 。 but sooner or later the nutty stuff would start in again； each time a little worse； a little longer。 And you didn't know about any of it； did you？〃
〃How could I？〃 I asked。 〃How could I； when none of you wrote and told me？ Not so much as a word？〃
That was the one shot of mine that went home。 Maddy flushed。 Sophie and Evvie looked away； saw the treasure scattered on the bed； and then looked away from that； too。
〃Would you have e？〃 Floyd asked quietly。 〃If we'd written you； Riddie； would you have e？〃
〃Of course；〃 I said； and heard the terrible stiff falsity in my voice。 So； of course； did they。 。 。 and the moral advantage passed away from me。 For tonight； most likely for good； as far as they are concerned。 That their own moral stance was at least partly an excuse for reprehensible behavior I do not doubt。 But their anger at me was genuine； and at least partly justified…I don't doubt that； either。
〃Of course；〃 he said； nodding and grinning his red…eyed grin。 〃Of course。〃
〃We took care of her；〃 Maddy said。 〃We banded together and we took care of her。 There was no hospital and no nursing home； even after she started to wander。 After the riverbank adventure I slept here some nights； so did Sophie； so did Evelyn and Floyd。 Everyone but you； Rid。 And how did she thank us？ By leaving us a worthless house and a worthless barn and four acres of nearly worthless land。 The things that were worth something…money that could pay off the credit cards Floyd uses for his business and give Jack a little more breathing…space…those she denied us。 So we took them。 And you e in； Mr。 Smart Northern Nigger es in； and tells us we're ghouls stealing the pennies off a dead woman's eyes。〃
〃But Maddy。 。 。 don't you see that if what you take isn't what she wanted to give； no matter how much of a tight place you're in or how bad you need it； that's stealing？ Stealing from your own mother？〃
〃My own mother was crazy！〃 she cried at me in a whispered shriek。 She pistoned her tiny fists in the air； I think expressing her frustration that I should continue to balk over a point that was so clear to her。 。 。 perhaps because she had been there； she had seen Mama's craziness at its fruitiest； and I had not。 〃She lived the last part of her life crazy and she died crazy！ That will was crazy！〃
〃We earned this here；〃 Sophie said； first patting Maddy's back and then drawing her gently away from me； 〃so never mind your talk about stealing。 She tried to give away what was ours。 I don't blame her for it； she was crazy； but it's not going to stand。 Riddie； you just want to take all your Boy Scout ideas on out of here and let us finish our business。〃
〃That's right；〃 Evvie said。 〃Go on down and get a glass of wine。 If Boy Scouts drink wine； that is。 Tell them we'll be down directly。〃
I looked at Floyd。 He nodded； not smiling now。 By then none of them were smiling。 Smiling was done。 〃That's it； little brother。 And never mind that oh…poor…me look on your face。 You stuck your nose in where it didn't belong。 If you got bee…stung； it's nobody's fault but your own。〃
At the last I looked at Maddy。 Just hoping。 Well； hope in one hand and shit in the other； even a puffick idiot knows how that one turns out。
〃Go on；〃 she said。 〃I can't bear to look at you。〃
I went back down the stairs like a man in a dream； and when Aunt Olympia laid her hand on my arm and asked what was wrong up there； I smiled and said nothing； we were just talking over old times and got a little hot under the collar。 The Southern family at its finest； paging Tennessee Williams。 I said I was going into town to get a f