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"There was so so eternally intimate about Goblin's attentions that they had to be sinful

"Whatever the case, I did nothing but brood about it, and try to keep busy, and the panic grew in an to coht each day

"Now that suer, I knew the waves of panic longer -- soe to ht that the bullet would ht of what that would do to Pops and Aunt Queen and I put it out of my mind

"It was around that period that I hts at four o'clock, couests at Blackwood Manor or not

"I was beco the Lord of Blackwood Manor -- the Little Lord Fauntleroy, I suppose

"Each evening, like a creature driven, I turned on classicalrooehtening out all the pictures on the walls; and, as the panic went away a little, I sat in the kitchen with Pops

"But Pops didn't talk any out the screen door at nothing It ful to be with Pops His eyes wereRaive or take

"Then one night, when the panic was onqueer and loom, I said to Pops:

" 'Do you think Patsy will get pregnant again just to sell you the baby?¡¯

"This was a very unco for me to say to Pops Pops and I spoke in rather fors we had never done was discuss Patsy

"He answered in a quiet flat voice, 'No It was just soured I could save that one I thought that that was so up that one But the truth is, I don't even think she could carry one to terotten rid of too many, and that makes a woman's eak ¡¯

"I was amazed at his candor

"I wondered why I was alive Maybe he'd given herI'd rather be afraid of it than know And Pops' voice had sounded too dead and metallic I wasn't easy with Pops I felt sorrow for him Neither of us said another word about it

"And then at last -- at last -- it was eight o'clock and I could sit down on the bedside with Big Ra white hair and slowly braid it and I'd be safe, safe in the shadows, and ould talk, and then lie down to sleep

"One afternoon, around three pout on the front steps of the house, looking down the long avenue of pecan trees at the changing of the light It was a Tuesday, I'm aluests having gone away, and the guests for the co weekend not yet arrived