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Chapter 18
Atticuswasmakinghisslowpilgrimagetothewindows,ashehadbeendoing:hewouldaskaquestion,thenlookout,waitingforananswer.Hedidnotseeherinvoluntaryjump,butitseemedtomethatheknewshehadmoved.Heturnedaroundandraisedhiseyebrows."Was—"hebeganagain.
"Yesitwas."
"Didn’tyoueveraskhimtocomeinsidethefencebefore?"
Shewaspreparednow."Ididnot,Icertainlydidnot."
"Onedidnot’senough,"saidAtticusserenely."Youneveraskedhimtodooddjobsforyoubefore?"
"Imighta,"concededMayella."Therewasseveralniggersaround."
"Canyourememberanyotheroccasions?"
"No."
"Allright,nowtowhathappened.YousaidTomRobinsonwasbehindyouintheroomwhenyouturnedaround,thatright?"
"Yes."
"Yousaidhe‘gotyouaroundtheneckcussingandsayingdirt’—isthatright?"
"’t’sright."
Atticus’smemoryhadsuddenlybecomeaccurate."Yousay‘hecaughtmeandchokedmeandtookadvantageofme’—isthatright?"
"That’swhatIsaid."
"Doyourememberhimbeatingyouabouttheface?"
Thewitnesshesitated.
"Youseemsureenoughthathechokedyou.Allthistimeyouwerefightingback,remember?You‘kickedandholleredasloudasyoucould.’Doyourememberhimbeatingyouabouttheface?"
Mayellawassilent.Sheseemedtobetryingtogetsomethingcleartoherself.IthoughtforamomentshewasdoingMr.
