ECLIPSE
591
So the men were in Brazil now. The heavens came through
the window but the men were in Brazil. Mrs. Herrick looked straight
ahead. The moon had moved into eclipse. There was an incredible
ugly blot on the indigo sky where a pure full moon had been. With–
out stirring Mrs. Herrick sensed that Mrs. Phipps looked straight
ahead too.
"Like you'd expect, quite a dame except-. She circulated
around dancing with 'em. Then she came to our table and said,
'Come awn, you-all, dawnce with me.' "
He paused. The brown blot had not changed yet. Nobody would
dare to name this the moon. His voice rang. "'No, 1 won't dance
with you,' 1 said. 'Lordy me, dawnce with me, big boy,' she says.
'No, 1 won't dance with you.' She cocks her head, 'Dance with me!'
she says and 1 say 'I don't dance with niggers. I'm an American.
Get away.' You should have seen her scuttle."
At the same instant that Mrs. Herrick stood up Mrs. Phipps
stood up and they wheeled about and they took long steps and they
went toward the door together. Neither one spoke. At the door Mrs.
Herrick turned slowly for a last look at the heavens. Silver rimmed
the lower line of the moon. She stood as though there were no other
creature on earth, alone, fastening her eyes on that brightening edge.
Presently the silver rim would spread, have mercy, disrobe the dark
blot. She could visualize how, more piercing than ever before,
dazzling with ascendant life, freed of her misalliance, her encounter
with death, the moon would sail full and disenchanted, not fire, not
ice, triumphantly serene through the night.
Mrs. Herrick was aware of Mrs. Phipps's clean blue glance as
they walked away, side by side, steps matching, down the hall. Mrs.
Phipps nodded. Suddenly Mrs. Herrick liked Mrs. Phipps very much.
