Убить пересмешника

           "Wecan’tdomuchtonight,"hesaid,"excepttrytomakehimascomfortableaswecan.We’llhavetoX-rayhisarm—lookslikehe’llbewearinghisarm‘wayoutbyhissideforawhile.Don’tworry,though,he’llbeasgoodasnew.Boyshisagebounce."

           Whilehewastalking,Dr.Reynoldshadbeenlookingkeenlyatme,lightlyfingeringthebumpthatwascomingonmyforehead."Youdon’tfeelbrokeanywhere,doyou?"

           Dr.Reynolds’ssmalljokemademesmile."Thenyoudon’tthinkhe’sdead,then?"

           Heputonhishat."NowImaybewrong,ofcourse,butIthinkhe’sveryalive.Showsallthesymptomsofit.Gohavealookathim,andwhenIcomebackwe’llgettogetheranddecide."

           Dr.Reynolds’sstepwasyoungandbrisk.Mr.HeckTate’swasnot.Hisheavybootspunishedtheporchandheopenedthedoorawkwardly,buthesaidthesamethingDr.Reynoldssaidwhenhecamein."Youallright,Scout?"headded.

           "Yessir,I’mgoin’intoseeJem.Atticus’n’them’sinthere."

           "I’llgowithyou,"saidMr.Tate.

           AuntAlexandrahadshadedJem’sreadinglightwithatowel,andhisroomwasdim.Jemwaslyingonhisback.Therewasanuglymarkalongonesideofhisface.Hisleftarmlayoutfromhisbody;hiselbowwasbentslightly,butinthewrongdirection.Jemwasfrowning.

           "Jem...?"

           Atticusspoke."Hecan’thearyou,Scout,he’soutlikealight.Hewascomingaround,butDr.Reynoldsputhimoutagain."

           "Yessir."Iretreated.Jem’sroomwaslargeandsquare.