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〃Not a copper more； I tell you。 Let me go； my good woman； I can't stand here all night。〃
〃Des a minute； marster。 Dese yer chickings ain' never sot dey feet on de yearth； caze dey's been riz right in de cabin； en dey's done et dar vittles outer de same plate wid me en Cephus。 Ef'n dey spy a chice bit er bacon on de een er de knife hit 'uz moughty likely ter fin' hits way down dir throat instid er down me en Cephus'。〃
〃Let me go； I sayI don't want your blamed chickens； take 'em home again。〃
〃Hi！ marster； I'se Mehitable。 You ain't fergot how peart I use ter wuk w'en you wuz over me in ole marster's day。 You know you ain' fergot Mehitable； suh。 Ain't you recollect de time ole marster gimme a dollar wid his own han' caze I foun' de biggest wum in de hull 'baccy patch？ Lawd！ dey wuz times； sho's you bo'n。 I kin see ole marster now es plain es ef twuz yestiddy； so big en shiny like satin； wid his skin des es tight es a watermillion's。〃
〃Shut up； confound you！〃 cut in Fletcher sharply。
〃If you don't stop your chatter I'll set the dogs on you。 Shut up； I say！〃
He strode into the house； slamming the heavy door behind him； and a moment afterward Carraway heard him scolding brutally at the servants across the hall。
The old Negress had gone muttering from the porch with her unsold chickens； when the door softly opened again； and the girl； who had entered through the front with her basket of flowers； came out into the growing moonlight。
〃Wait a moment； Aunt Mehitable；〃 she said。 〃I want to speak to you。〃
Aunt Mehitable turned slowly； putting a feeble hand to her dazed eyes。 〃You ain' ole miss come back agin； is you； honey？〃 she questioned doubtfully。
〃I don't know who your old miss was；〃 replied the girl； 〃but I am not she； whoever she may have been。 I am Maria Fletcher。 You don't remember meyet you used to bake me ash…cakes when I was a little girl。〃
The old woman shook her head。 〃You ain' Marse Fletcher's chile？〃
〃His granddaughterbut I must go in to supper。 Here is the money for your chickensgrandpa was only joking； you know he loves to joke。 Take the chickens to the hen…house and get something hot to eat in the kitchen before you start out again。〃
She ran hurriedly up the steps and entered the hall just as Fletcher was shaking hands with his guest。
CHAPTER III。 Showing that a Little Culture Entails Great Care
Carraway had risen to meet his host in a flutter that was almost one of dread。 In the eight years since their last interview it seemed to him that his mental image of his great client had magnified in proportionsthat Fletcher had 〃out…Fletchered〃 himself； as he felt inclined to put it。 The old betrayal of his employer's dependence； which at first had been merely a suspicion in the lawyer's mind； had begun gradually； as time went on； to bristle with the points of significant details。 In looking back； half…hinted things became clear to him at last； and he gathered； bit by bit； the whole clever； hopeless villainy of the schemethe crime hedged about by law with all the prating protection of a virtue。 He knew now that Fletcherthe old overseer of the Blake slaveshad defrauded the innocent as surely as if he had plunged his great red fist into the little pocket of a child； had defrauded； indeed； with so strong a blow that the very consciousness of his victim had been stunned。 There had been about his act all the damning hypocrisy of a great theftall the air of stern morality which makes for the popular triumph of the heroic swindler。
These things Carraway understood； yet as the man strode into the room with open palm and a general air of bluff hospitalityas if he had just been blown by some fresh strong wind across his tobacco fieldsthe lawyer experienced a relief so great that the breath he drew seemed a fit measure of his earlier foreboding。 For Fletcher outwardly was but the common type of farmer； after all； with a trifle more intelligence； perhaps； than is met with in the average Southerner of his class。 〃A plain man but honest； sir；〃 was what one expected him to utter at every turn。 It was written in the coarse open lines of his face； half…hidden by a bushy gray beard； in his small sparkling eyes； now blue； now brown； in his looselimbed； shambling movements as he crossed the room。 His very clothes spoke； to an acute observer； of a masculine sincerity naked and unashamedas if his large coffee…spotted cravat would not alter the smallest fold to conceal the stains it bore。 Hale； hairy； vehement； not without a quality of Rabelaisian humour； he appeared the last of all men with whom one would associate the burden of a troubled conscience。
〃Sorry to have kept youon my word I am；〃 he began heartily； 〃but to tell the truth； I thought thar'd be somebody in the house with sense enough to show you to a bedroom。 Like to run up now for a wash before supper？〃
It was what one expected of him； such a speech blurted in so offhand a manner； and the lawyer could barely suppress a threatening laugh。
〃Oh； it was a short trip；〃 he returned； 〃and a walk of five miles on a day like this is one of the most delightful things in life。 I've been looking out at your garden； by the way； andI may as well confess itoverhearing a little of your conversation。〃
〃Is that so？〃 chuckled Fletcher； his great eyebrows overhanging his eyes like a mustache grown out of place。 〃Well； you didn't hear anything to tickle your ears； I reckon。 I've been having a row with that cantankerous fool； Blake。 The queer thing about these people is that they seem to think I'm to blame every time they see a spot on their tablecloths。 Mark my words； it ain't been two years since I found that nigger Boaz digging in my asparagus bed； and he told me he was looking for some shoots for ole miss's dinner。〃
〃The property idea is very strong in these rural counties； you see；〃 remarked the lawyer gravely。 〃They feel that every year adds a value to the hereditary possession of land； and that when an estate has borne a single name for a century there has been a veritable impress placed upon it。 Your asparagus bed is merely an item； you find； I fancy； other instances。〃
Fletcher turned in his chair。
〃That's the whole blamed rotten truth；〃 he admitted； waving his great red hand toward the door； 〃but let's have supper first and settle down to talk on a full stomach。 Thar's no hurry with all night before us； and that； to come to facts； is why I sent for you。 No lawyer's office for me when I want to talk business； but an easy…chair by my own table and a cup of coffee beforehand。〃
As he finished； a bell jangled in the hall； and the door opened to admit the girl whom Carraway had seen a little earlier upon the porch。
〃Supper's a good hour late； Maria；〃 grumbled Fletcher； looking at his heavy silver watch； 〃and I smelt the bacon frying at six o'clock。〃
For an instant the girl looked as if she had more than half an intention to slap his face； then quickly recovering her self…possession； she smiled at Carraway and held out a small white hand with an air of quiet elegance which was the most noticeable thing in her appearance。
〃I am quite a stranger to you； Mr。 Carraway；〃 she said； with a laugh； 〃but if you had only known it； I had a d