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Chapter 26
Atticuswouldsnapofftheradioandsay,"Hmp!"IaskedhimoncewhyhewasimpatientwithHitlerandAtticussaid,"Becausehe’samaniac."
Thiswouldnotdo,Imused,astheclassproceededwithitssums.OnemaniacandmillionsofGermanfolks.Lookedtomelikethey’dshutHitlerinapeninsteadoflettinghimshutthemup.Therewassomethingelsewrong—Iwouldaskmyfatheraboutit.
Idid,andhesaidhecouldnotpossiblyanswermyquestionbecausehedidn’tknowtheanswer.
"Butit’sokaytohateHitler?"
"Itisnot,"hesaid."It’snotokaytohateanybody."
"Atticus,"Isaid,"there’ssomethin’Idon’tunderstand.MissGatessaiditwasawful,Hitlerdoin’likehedoes,shegotrealredinthefaceaboutit—"
"Ishouldthinkshewould."
"But—"
"Yes?"
"Nothing,sir."Iwentaway,notsurethatIcouldexplaintoAtticuswhatwasonmymind,notsurethatIcouldclarifywhatwasonlyafeeling.PerhapsJemcouldprovidetheanswer.JemunderstoodschoolthingsbetterthanAtticus.
Jemwaswornoutfromaday’swater-carrying.Therewereatleasttwelvebananapeelsonthefloorbyhisbed,surroundinganemptymilkbottle."Whatchastuffin’for?"Iasked.
"CoachsaysifIcangaintwenty-fivepoundsbyyearafternextIcanplay,"hesaid."Thisisthequickestway."
"Ifyoudon’tthrowitallup.Jem,"Isaid,"Iwantaaskyousomethin’."
"Shoot."Heputdownhisbookandstretchedhislegs.
