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Chapter 24
They’reperfectlywillingtolethimwreckhishealthdoingwhatthey’reafraidtodo,they’re—"
"Bequiet,they’llhearyou,"saidMissMaudie."Haveyoueverthoughtofitthisway,Alexandra?WhetherMaycombknowsitornot,we’repayingthehighesttributewecanpayaman.Wetrusthimtodoright.It’sthatsimple."
"Who?"AuntAlexandraneverknewshewasechoinghertwelve-year-oldnephew.
"ThehandfulofpeopleinthistownwhosaythatfairplayisnotmarkedWhiteOnly;thehandfulofpeoplewhosayafairtrialisforeverybody,notjustus;thehandfulofpeoplewithenoughhumilitytothink,whentheylookataNegro,therebutfortheLord’skindnessaml."MissMaudie’soldcrispnesswasreturning:"Thehandfulofpeopleinthistownwithbackground,that’swhotheyare."
HadIbeenattentive,IwouldhavehadanotherscraptoaddtoJem’sdefinitionofbackground,butIfoundmyselfshakingandcouldn’tstop.IhadseenEnfieldPrisonFarm,andAtticushadpointedouttheexerciseyardtome.Itwasthesizeofafootballfield.
"Stopthatshaking,"commandedMissMaudie,andIstopped."Getup,Alexandra,we’veleft‘emlongenough."
AuntAlexandraroseandsmoothedthevariouswhaleboneridgesalongher.Shetookherhandkerchieffromherbeltandwipedhernose.Shepattedherhairandsaid,"DoIshowit?"
"Notasign,"saidMissMaudie."Areyoutogetheragain,JeanLouise?"
"Yesma’am."
"Thenlet’sjointheladies,"shesaidgrimly
