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           It’shardtoexplain—ignorant,trashypeopleuseitwhentheythinksomebody’sfavoringNegroesoverandabovethemselves.It’sslippedintousagewithsomepeoplelikeourselves,whentheywantacommon,uglytermtolabelsomebody."

           "Youaren’treallyanigger-lover,then,areyou?"

           "Icertainlyam.Idomybesttoloveeverybody...I’mhardput,sometimes—baby,it’sneveraninsulttobecalledwhatsomebodythinksisabadname.Itjustshowsyouhowpoorthatpersonis,itdoesn’thurtyou.Sodon’tletMrs.Dubosegetyoudown.Shehasenoughtroublesofherown."

           OneafternoonamonthlaterJemwasploughinghiswaythroughSirWalterScout,asJemcalledhim,andMrs.Dubosewascorrectinghimateveryturn,whentherewasaknockonthedoor."Comein!"shescreamed.

           Atticuscamein.HewenttothebedandtookMrs.Dubose’shand."Iwascomingfromtheofficeanddidn’tseethechildren,"hesaid."Ithoughttheymightstillbehere."

           Mrs.Dubosesmiledathim.ForthelifeofmeIcouldnotfigureouthowshecouldbringherselftospeaktohimwhensheseemedtohatehimso."Doyouknowwhattimeitis,Atticus?"shesaid."Exactlyfourteenminutespastfive.Thealarmclock’ssetforfive-thirty.Iwantyoutoknowthat."

           ItsuddenlycametomethateachdaywehadbeenstayingalittlelongeratMrs.Dubose’s,thatthealarmclockwentoffafewminuteslatereveryday,andthatshewaswellintooneofherfitsbythetimeitsounded.TodayshehadantagonizedJemfornearlytwohourswithnointentionofhavingafit,andIfelthopelesslytrapped.Thealarmclockwasthesignalforourrelease;ifonedayitdidnotring,whatwouldwedo?