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Chapter 28
Theauditoriumwasfillingwithpeople;theMaycombCountyHighSchoolbandhadembledinfrontbelowthestage;thestagefootlightswereonandtheredvelvetcurtainrippledandbillowedfromthescurryinggoingonbehindit.
Backstage,CecilandIfoundthenarrowhallwayteemingwithpeople:adultsinhomemadethree-cornerhats,Confederatecaps,Spanish-AmericanWarhats,andWorldWarhelmets.Childrendressedasvariousagriculturalenterprisescrowdedaroundtheonesmallwindow.
"Somebody’smashedmycostume,"Iwailedindismay.Mrs.Merriweathergallopedtome,reshapedthechickenwire,andthrustmeinside.
"Youallrightinthere,Scout?"askedCecil."Yousoundsofaroff,likeyouwasontheothersideofahill."
"Youdon’tsoundanynearer,"Isaid.
Thebandplayedthenationalanthem,andweheardtheaudiencerise.Thenthebassdrumsounded.Mrs.Merriweather,stationedbehindherlecternbesidetheband,said:"MaycombCountyAdAstraPerAspera."Thebassdrumboomedagain."Thatmeans,"saidMrs.Merriweather,translatingfortherusticelements,"fromthemudtothestars."Sheadded,unnecessarily,itseemedtome,"Apageant."
"Reckontheywouldn’tknowwhatitwasifshedidn’ttell‘em,"whisperedCecil,whowasimmediatelyshushed.
"Thewholetownknowsit,"Ibreathed.
"Butthecountryfolks’vecomein,"Cecilsaid.
"Bequietbackthere,"aman’svoiceordered,andweweresilent.
ThebassdrumwentboomwitheverysentenceMrs.Merriweatheruttered.
