The Sound and the Fury

'You all found any balls yet.' Luster said.

'Aint you talking biggity. I bet you better not let your grandmammy hear you talking like that.'

Luster got into the branch, where they were playing. He hunted in the water, along the bank.

'I had it when we was down here this morning.' Luster said.

'Where bouts you lose it.'

'Right out this here hole in my pocket.' Luster said. They hunted in the branch. Then they all stood up quick and stopped, then they splashed and fought in the branch. Luster got it and they squatted in the water, looking up the hill through the bushes.

'Where is they.' Luster said.

'Aint in sight yet.'

Luster put it in his pocket. They came down the hill.

'Did a hall come down here.'

'It ought to be in the water. Didn't any of you boys see it or hear it.'

'Aint heard nothing come down here.' Luster said. 'Heard something hit that tree up yonder. Dont know which way it went.'

They looked in the branch.

'Hell. Look along the branch. It came down here. I saw it.'

They looked along the branch. Then they went back up the hill.

'Have you got that ball.' the boy said.

'What I want with it.' Luster said. 'I aint seen no ball.'

The boy got in the water. He went on. He turned and looked at Luster again. He went on down the branch.

The man said 'Caddie' up the hill. The boy got out of the water and went up the hill.

'Now, just listen at you.' Luster said. 'Hush up.'

'What he moaning about now.'

'Lawd knows.' Luster said. 'He just starts like that. He been at it all morning. Cause it his birthday, I reckon.'

'How old he.'

'He thirty three.' Luster said. 'Thirty three this morning.'

'You mean, he been three years old thirty years.

'I going by what mammy say.' Luster said. 'I dont know. We going to have thirty three candles on a cake, anyway. Little cake. Wont hardly hold them. Hush up. Come on back here.' He came and caught my arm. 'You old looney.' he said. 'You want me to whip you.'

'I bet you will.'

'I is done it. Hush, now.' Luster said. 'Aint I told you you cant go up there. They'll knock your head clean off with one of them balls. Come on, here.' He pulled me back. 'Sit down.' I sat down and he took off my shoes and rolled up my trousers. 'Now, git in that water and play and see can you stop that slobbering and moaning.'

I hushed and got in the water […]

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[…]and Roskus came and said to come to supper and Caddy said,

It's not supper time yet I'm not going.

She was wet. We were playing in the branch and Caddy squatted down and got her dress wet and Versh said,

'Your mommer going to whip you for getting your dress wet.'

'She's not going to do any such thing.' Caddy said.

'How do you know.' Quentin said.

'That's all right how I know.' Caddy said. 'How do you know.'

'She said she was.' Quentin said. 'Besides, I'm older than you.'

'I'm seven years old.' Caddy said. 'I guess I know.'

'I'm older than that.' Quentin said. 'I go to school. Dont I, Versh.'

'I'm going to school next year.' Caddy said. 'When it comes. Aint I, Versh.'

'You know she whip you when you get your dress wet.' Versh said.

'It's not wet.' Caddy said. She stood up in the water and looked at her dress. 'I'll take it off.' she said. 'Then it'll dry.'

'I bet you wont.' Quentin said.

'I bet I will.' Caddy said.

'I bet you better not.' Quentin said.

Caddy came to Versh and me and turned her back.

'Unbutton it, Versh.' she said.

'Dont you do it, Versh.' Quentin said.

'Taint none of my dress.' Versh said.

'You unbutton it, Versh.' Caddy said. 'Or I'll tell Dilsey what you did yesterday.' So Versh unbuttoned it.

'You just take your dress off.' Quentin said. Caddy took her dress off and threw it on the bank. Then she didn't have on anything but her bodice and drawers, and Quentin slapped her and she slipped and fell down in the water. When she got up she began to splash water on Quentin, and Quentin splashed water on Caddy. Some of it splashed on Versh and me and Versh picked me up and put me on the bank. He said he was going to tell on Caddy and Quentin, and then Quentin and Caddy began to splash water at Versh. He got behind a bush.

'I'm going to tell mammy on you all.' Versh said.

Quentin climbed up the bank and tried to catch Versh, but Versh ran away and Quentin couldn't. When Quentin came back Versh stopped and hollered that he was going to tell. Caddy told him that if he wouldn't tell, they'd let him come back. So Versh said he wouldn't, and they let him.

'Now I guess you're satisfied.' Quentin said. 'We'll both get whipped now.'

'I dont care.' Caddy said. 'I'll run away.'

'Yes you will.' Quentin said.

'I'll run away and never come back.' Caddy said. I began to cry.

Caddy turned around and said 'Hush' So I hushed. Then they played in the branch. Jason was playing too. He was by himself further down the branch. Versh came around the bush and lifted me down into the water again. Caddy was all wet and muddy behind, and I started to cry and she came and squatted in the water.

'Hush now.' she said. 'I'm not going to run away.' So I hushed. Caddy smelled like trees in the rain.

19.6

What is the matter with you, Luster said. Cant you get done with that moaning and play in the branch like folks.

Whyn't you take him on home. Didn't they told you not to take him off the place.

He still think they own this pasture, Luster said. Cant nobody see down here from the house, noways.

We can. And folks dont like to look at a looney. Taint no luck in it.

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