438
PARTISAN REVIEW
Iva, after turning off the phonograph, had seated herself near it
in the background and did her best to efface herself. Which signified
to me that she was acknowledging my shame. But there was no
"shame". She too now came into the sphere of my anger.
"What else did he do?" Dolly demanded. "Oh, so you think
she's covering something up! I spanked her. What else are you
fishing for. What are you hoping she'll say. What sort of vulgar·
ity...." "Stop acting like a wild man!" Amos said peremptorily.
"It's your fault, too," I retorted. "Look how you've brought her up.
It's nrighty fine, isn't it. You've taught her to hate the class and,
y~
the very family you come from. There's a whatsoever for you. Are
people to be null because they wear one pair of shoes a year and not
a dozen? Try your teeth on that whatsoever!" "You had no right
to raise your hand to the child," said Dolly. "Why doesn't he tell you
what he was doing in your room," said Etta. I could see Iva sit up in
Iter chair rigidly. "What?" said Dolly. "He was in your room." "I
went there with Amos. Ask him," I said. "Daddy wasn't there when I
saw you. You were looking in mamma's dressing table." "You little
spy!" I shouted, glaring at her. "You hear?" I said to the others. "She
accuses me of being a thief." "What were you doing?" Etta said.
"I was looking for something. You can go down and assure yourself.
There's nothing missing. Or you can search me. I'll let myself be
searched." "Tell us, what was it? Nobody says you're a thief." "It's
wh31t
you're thinking. It's clear enough to me." "Well, tell us," Dolly
insisted.
"It
was only a pin, I needed one." In the darkened corner
near the phonograph Iva lowered her head into her hands. "Hey!
what are you acting up for, back there," I called out to her. "A pin,
is that all?" Dolly said. She allowed herself, despite the seriousness
of the moment, to smile.
"Yes. And it happens to be true." They did not answer. I said :
"This, I suppose, makes my shame. complete. I'm not only rash and
stiff.necked, a beggar (I bowed to Etta who scornfully turned away
her tear smeared face) "and" (to Amos) "a jackass, but really an
idiot." Iva le£t the room without looking at me. "You, Amos," I
continued, "can begin living me down. You, too, Etta. Dolly is not
a blood relative so she's absolved, of course. Unless I bring disgrace
on the whole family. Convicted of theft, or assault, or worse...."
Still neither Dolly nor Amos undertook to reply.
I followed Iva downstairs.
She did not speak •to me on the street car and when we got off
she hurried home ahead of me. I reached the door · of our room in
time to see her drop t'l the edge of the bed and burst into tears.
"Dearest," I shouted. "It's nice to feel that you at least have
faith in me!"
