"Catch him." Dilsey said. "Catch him back."
My hand jerked back and I put it in my mouth and Dilsey caught me.
I could still hear the clock between my voice.
Dilsey reached back and hit Luster on the head.
My voice was going loud every time.
"Get that soda." Dilsey said.
She took my hand out of my mouth.
My voice went louder then and my hand tried to go back to my mouth, but Dilsey held it. My voice went loud. She sprinkled soda on my hand.
"Look in the pantry and tear a piece off of that rag hanging on the nail." she said. "Hush, now.
You dont want to make your maw sick again, does you.
Here, look at the fire.
Dilsey make your hand stop hurting in just a minute.
Look at the fire." She opened the fire door.
I looked at the fire, but my hand didn't stop and I didn't stop.
My hand was trying to go to my mouth, but Dilsey held it.
She wrapped the cloth around it.
Mother said,
"What is it now.
Cant I even be sick in peace.
Do I have to get up out of bed to come down to him, with two grown negroes to take care of him."
"He all right now." Dilsey said. "He going to quit.
He just burnt his hand a little."
"With two grown negroes, you must bring him into the house, bawling." Mother said. "You got him started on purpose, because you know I'm sick." She came and stood by me. "Hush." she said. "Right this minute.
Did you give him this cake."
"I bought it." Dilsey said. "It never come out of Jason's pantry.
I fixed him some birthday."
"Do you want to poison him with that cheap store cake." Mother said. "Is that what you are trying to do.
Am I never to have one minute's peace."
"You go on back up stairs and lay down." Dilsey said. "It'll quit smarting him in a minute now, and he'll hush.
Come on, now."
"And leave him down here for you all to do something else to." Mother said. "How can I lie there, with him bawling down here.
Benjamin.
Hush this minute."
"They aint nowhere else to take him." Dilsey said. "We aint got the room we use to have.
He cant stay out in the yard, crying where all the neighbors can see him."
"I know, I know." Mother said. "It's all my fault.
I'll be gone soon, and you and Jason will both get along better." She began to cry.
"You hush that, now." Dilsey said. "You'll get yourself down again.
You come on back up stairs.
Luster going to take him to the liberry and play with him till I get his supper done."
Dilsey and Mother went out.
"Hush up." Luster said. "You hush up.
You want me to burn your other hand for you.
You aint hurt.
Hush up."
"Here." Dilsey said. "Stop crying, now." She gave me the slipper, and I hushed. "Take him to the liberry." she said.
"And if I hear him again, I going to whip you myself."
We went to the library.
Luster turned on the light.
The windows went black, and the dark tall place on the wall came and I went and touched it.