Chapter 23

           "IwishBobEwellwouldn’tchewtobacco,"wasallAtticussaidaboutit.

           AccordingtoMissStephanieCrawford,however,AtticuswasleavingthepostofficewhenMr.Ewellapproachedhim,cursedhim,spatonhim,andthreatenedtokillhim.MissStephanie(who,bythetimeshehadtoldittwicewasthereandhadseenitall—passingbyfromtheJitneyJungle,shewas)—MissStephaniesaidAtticusdidn’tbataneye,justtookouthishandkerchiefandwipedhisfaceandstoodthereandletMr.Ewellcallhimnameswildhorsescouldnotbringhertorepeat.Mr.Ewellwasaveteranofanobscurewar;thatplusAtticus’speacefulreactionprobablypromptedhimtoinquire,"Tooproudtofight,younigger-lovin’bastard?"MissStephaniesaidAtticussaid,"No,tooold,"puthishandsinhispocketsandstrolledon.MissStephaniesaidyouhadtohandittoAtticusFinch,hecouldberightdrysometimes.

           JemandIdidn’tthinkitentertaining.

           "Afterall,though,"Isaid,"hewasthedeadestshotinthecountyonetime.Hecould—"

           "Youknowhewouldn’tcarryagun,Scout.Heain’tevengotone—"saidJem."Youknowhedidn’tevenhaveonedownatthejailthatnight.Hetoldmehavin’agunaround’saninvitationtosomebodytoshootyou."

           "Thisisdifferent,"Isaid."Wecanaskhimtoborrowone."

           Wedid,andhesaid,"Nonsense."

           DillwasoftheopinionthatanappealtoAtticus’sbetternaturemightwork:afterall,wewouldstarveifMr.