284
JAMES
IIALDWIN
"Why, your husband did, you bitch. You told me yourself
he had a thing on him like a horse. You told me yourself how
he did you-he kept telling you how he had the biggest thing
in Dixie, black
or
white. And you said you couldn't stand it.
Ha-ha. That's
one of the funniest things I
ever
heard,' and
he grimaced, making a dry, barking sound.
"Didn't
you tell
me all that?'
"I guess," she said, wearily, after a silence, "I told you a
lot of things I shouldn't have."
Rufus snorted. "I guess you did." He said-to Vivaldo, the
room, the river-"it was her husband ruined this bitch. Your
husband and all of them funky niggers screwed you in the
Georgia bushes. That's why your husband threw you out. Why
don't you tell the truth? I wouldn't have to beat you if you'd
tell the truth." He grinned at Vivaldo. "Man, this chick can't
get
enough"- and he broke off, staring at Leona.
"Rufus," said Vivaldo, trying to be calm, "I don't know
what you're putting down. I think you must be crazy. You
got a great chick, who'd go all the way for you-and you know
it-and you keep coming on with this Gone With The Wind
crap. What's the matter with your head, baby?" He tried to
smile; his lips threatened to split. "Baby, please don't do this.
Please."
Rufus said nothing. He sat down on the bed, in the posi–
tion in which he had been sitting when Vivaldo arrived.
"Come on, Leona,'" said Vivaldo at last and Rufus stood
up, looking at them both with a little smile, with hatred.
"I'm just going to take her away for a few days, so you
can both cool down. There's no point in going on like this."
"Sir Walter Scott-with a hard-on," Rufus sneered.
"Look," said Vivaldo,
"If
you don't trust me, man, I'll
get a room at the Y. I'll come back here. Goddammit," he
shouted, "I'm not trying to steal your girl. You know me
better than that."
