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Chapter 9
IwentsofarastopayanickelfortheprivilegeofrubbingmyheadagainsttheheadofMissRachel’scook’sson,whowasafflictedwithatremendousringworm.Itdidn’ttake.
ButIwasworryinganotherbone."Doalllawyersdefendn-Negroes,Atticus?"
"Ofcoursetheydo,Scout."
"ThenwhydidCecilsayyoudefendedniggers?Hemadeitsoundlikeyouwererunnin’astill."
Atticussighed."I’msimplydefendingaNegro—hisname’sTomRobinson.Helivesinthatlittlesettlementbeyondthetowndump.He’samemberofCalpurnia’schurch,andCalknowshisfamilywell.Shesaysthey’reclean-livingfolks.Scout,youaren’toldenoughtounderstandsomethingsyet,butthere’sbeensomehightalkaroundtowntotheeffectthatIshouldn’tdomuchaboutdefendingthisman.It’sapeculiarcase—itwon’tcometotrialuntilsummersession.JohnTaylorwaskindenoughtogiveusapostponement..."
"Ifyoushouldn’tbedefendin’him,thenwhyareyoudoin’it?"
"Foranumberofreasons,"saidAtticus."Themainoneis,ifIdidn’tIcouldn’tholdupmyheadintown,Icouldn’trepresentthiscountyinthelegislature,Icouldn’teventellyouorJemnottodosomethingagain."
"Youmeanifyoudidn’tdefendthatman,Jemandmewouldn’thavetomindyouanymore?"
"That’saboutright."
"Why?"
