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Chapter 12
Wedidn’tknow.
Calpurniasaid,"YourGranddaddyFinchgaveittome."
"WereyoufromtheLanding?"Jemasked."Younevertoldusthat."
"Icertainlyam,MisterJem.GrewupdowntherebetweentheBufordPlaceandtheLandin’.I’vespentallmydaysworkin’fortheFinchesortheBufords,an’ImovedtoMaycombwhenyourdaddyandyourmammamarried."
"Whatwasthebook,Cal?"Iasked.
"Blackstone’sCommentaries."
Jemwasthunderstruck."YoumeanyoutaughtZeebooutathat?"
"Whyyessir,MisterJem."Calpurniatimidlyputherfingerstohermouth."TheyweretheonlybooksIhad.YourgrandaddysaidMr.BlackstonewrotefineEnglish—"
"That’swhyyoudon’ttalkliketherestof‘em,"saidJem.
"Therestofwho?"
"Restofthecoloredfolks.Cal,butyoutalkedliketheydidinchurch...."
ThatCalpurnialedamodestdoublelifeneverdawnedonme.Theideathatshehadaseparateexistenceoutsideourhouseholdwasanovelone,tosaynothingofherhavingcommandoftwolanguages.
"Cal,"Iasked,"whydoyoutalknigger-talktothe—toyourfolkswhenyouknowit’snotright?"
