Убить пересмешника

           Someofthemenoughttogooutthereandtellthatpreachertoencourageher."

           "Excuseme,Mrs.Merriweather,"Iinterrupted,"areyoualltalkingaboutMayellaEwell?"

           "May—?No,child.Thatdarky’swife.Tom’swife,Tom—"

           "Robinson,ma’am."

           Mrs.Merriweatherturnedbacktoherneighbor."There’sonethingItrulybelieve,Gertrude,"shecontinued,"butsomepeoplejustdon’tseeitmyway.Ifwejustletthemknowweforgive‘em,thatwe’veforgottenit,thenthiswholething’llblowover."

           "Ah—Mrs.Merriweather,"Iinterruptedoncemore,"what’llblowover?"

           Again,sheturnedtome.Mrs.Merriweatherwasoneofthosechildlessadultswhofinditnecessarytoumeadifferenttoneofvoicewhenspeakingtochildren."Nothing,JeanLouise,"shesaid,instatelylargo,"thecooksandfieldhandsarejustdissatisfied,butthey’resettlingdownnow—theygrumbledallnextdayafterthattrial."

           Mrs.MerriweatherfacedMrs.Farrow:"Gertrude,Itellyouthere’snothingmoredistractingthanasulkydarky.Theirmouthsgodowntohere.Justruinsyourdaytohaveoneof‘eminthekitchen.YouknowwhatIsaidtomySophy,Gertrude?Isaid,‘Sophy,’Isaid,‘yousimplyarenotbeingaChristiantoday.JesusChristneverwentaroundgrumblingandcomplaining,’andyouknow,itdidhergood.Shetookhereyesoffthatfloorandsaid,‘Nome,MizMerriweather,Jesusneverwentaroundgrumblin’.’Itellyou,Gertrude,youneveroughttoletanopportunitygobytowitnessfortheLord."