第25部分(第4/8頁)

e　table；　and　said：　〃Well？　Do　you？〃

〃Kids！〃　he　called　down　the　hill；　leaning　forward　a　little　in　his　chair　to　do　it。　〃Y'all　e　on　up　here　now　n　get　your　cookies！〃　Then　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　again　and　looked　at　me。　That　little　smile　…　the　one　I　didn't　much　care　for　…　had　reappeared。

〃Tell　you　something；〃　he　said。　〃You　want　to　listen　close；　too；　because　this　might　just　be　something　you　need　to　know。〃

〃I'm　listening。〃

〃We　had　us　a　dog　named　Sir　Galahad；〃　he　said；　and　cocked　a　thumb　at　the　doghouse。　〃A　good　dog。　No　particular　breed；　but　gentle。　Calm。　Ready　to　lick　your　hand　or　fetch　a　stick。　There　are　plenty　of　mongrel　dogs　like　him；　wouldn't　you　say？〃

I　shrugged；　nodded。

〃In　many　ways；　a　good　mongrel　dog　is　like　your　negro；〃　he　said。　〃You　get　to　know　it；　and　often　you　grow　to　love　it。　It　is　of　no　particular　use；　but　you　keep　it　around　because　you　think　it　loves　you。　If　you're　lucky；　Mr。　Edgebe；　you　never　have　to　find　out　any　different。　Cynthia　and　I；　we　were　not　lucky。〃　He　sighed　…　a　long　and　somehow　skeletal　sound；　like　the　wind　rummaging　through　fallen　leaves。　He　pointed　toward　the　doghouse　again；　and　I　wondered　how　I　had　missed　its　general　air　of　abandonment　earlier；　or　the　fact　that　many　of　the　turds　had　grown　whitish　and　powdery　at　their　tops。

〃I　used　to　clean　up　after　him；〃　Hammersmith　said；　〃and　keep　the　roof　of　his　house　repaired　against　the　rain。　In　that　way　also　Sir　Galahad　was　like　your　Southern　negro；　who　will　not