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           Fromlongyearsofexperience,Icouldtellhewastryingtocometoadecisionaboutsomething.

           "MissMayella,"hesaid,smiling,"Iwon’ttrytoscareyouforawhile,notyet.Let’sjustgetacquainted.Howoldareyou?"

           "SaidIwasnineteen,saidittothejudgeyonder."Mayellajerkedherheadresentfullyatthebench.

           "Soyoudid,soyoudid,ma’am.You’llhavetobearwithme,MissMayella,I’mgettingalongandcan’trememberaswellasIusedto.Imightaskyouthingsyou’vealreadysaidbefore,butyou’llgivemeananswer,won’tyou?Good."

           IcouldseenothinginMayella’sexpressiontojustifyAtticus’sumptionthathehadsecuredherwholeheartedcooperation.Shewaslookingathimfuriously.

           "Won’tanswerawordyousaylongasyoukeeponmockin’me,"shesaid.

           "Ma’am?"askedAtticus,startled.

           "Long’syoukeeponmakin’funo’me."

           JudgeTaylorsaid,"Mr.Finchisnotmakingfunofyou.What’sthematterwithyou?"

           MayellalookedfromunderloweredeyelidsatAtticus,butshesaidtothejudge:"Long’shekeepsoncallin’mema’amansayin’MissMayella.Idon’thaftatakehissass,Iain’tcalledupontotakeit."

           AtticusresumedhisstrolltothewindowsandletJudgeTaylorhandlethisone.JudgeTaylorwasnotthekindoffigurethateverevokedpity,butIdidfeelapangforhimashetriedtoexplain."That’sjustMr.Finch’sway,"hetoldMayella.