Убить пересмешника

           Atticuspushedmyheadunderhischin."It’snottimetoworryyet,"hesaid."IneverthoughtJem’dbetheonetolosehisheadoverthis—thoughtI’dhavemoretroublewithyou."

           IsaidIdidn’tseewhywehadtokeepourheadsanyway,thatnobodyIknewatschoolhadtokeephisheadaboutanything.

           "Scout,"saidAtticus,"whensummercomesyou’llhavetokeepyourheadaboutfarworsethings...it’snotfairforyouandJem,Iknowthat,butsometimeswehavetomakethebestofthings,andthewayweconductourselveswhenthechipsaredown—well,allIcansayis,whenyouandJemaregrown,maybeyou’lllookbackonthiswithsomecompassionandsomefeelingthatIdidn’tletyoudown.Thiscase,TomRobinson’scase,issomethingthatgoestotheessenceofaman’sconscience—Scout,Icouldn’tgotochurchandworshipGodifIdidn’ttrytohelpthatman."

           "Atticus,youmustbewrong...."

           "How’sthat?"

           "Well,mostfolksseemtothinkthey’rerightandyou’rewrong...."

           "They’recertainlyentitledtothinkthat,andthey’reentitledtofullrespectfortheiropinions,"saidAtticus,"butbeforeIcanlivewithotherfolksI’vegottolivewithmyself.Theonethingthatdoesn’tabidebymajorityruleisaperson’sconscience."

           WhenJemreturned,hefoundmestillinAtticus’slap,"Well,son?"saidAtticus.Hesetmeonmyfeet,andImadeasecretreconnaissanceofJem.Heseemedtobeallinonepiece,buthehadaqueerlookonhisface.Perhapsshehadgivenhimadoseofcalomel.