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cuttin' a plenty。〃 〃I got a dret'ful tender throat； Dr。 Smiles he told me I
mustn't resk ice…cuttin'。〃 〃Why haven't you gone to Boston； And hunted up
a job？〃 〃Have yer forgot the time I went expressin' In the American office；
down ther？〃 〃And come back two weeks later！ No； I ain't。〃 〃You didn't
want I should git hurted； Did yer？ I'm a sight too light fer all that liftin'
work。 My back was commencin' to strain； as 'twas。 Ef I was like yer
brother now； I'd ha' be'n down to the city long ago。 But I'm too clumsy fer
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a dancer。 I ain't got Arthur's luck。〃 〃Do you call it luck to be a disgrace to
your folks； And git locked up in jail！〃 〃Oh； come now； Alice； ‘Disgrace' is
a mite strong。 Why； the jail was a joke。 Art's all right。〃 〃All right！ All right
to dance； and smirk； and lie For a livin'； And then in the end Lead a silly
girl to give you What warn't hers to give By pretendin' you'd marry her
And she a pupil。〃 〃He'd ha' married her right enough； Her folks was
millionaires。〃 〃Yes； he'd ha' married her！ Thank God； they saved her that。〃
〃Art's a fine feller。 I wish I had his luck。 Swellin' round in Hart； Schaffner
& Marx fancy suits； And eatin' in rest'rants。 But somebody's got to stick to
the old place； Else Foxfield'd have to shut up shop； Hey； Alice？〃 〃You
admire him！ You admire Arthur！ You'd be like him only you can't dance。
Oh； Shame！ Shame！ And I've been like that silly girl。 Fooled with your
promises； And I give you all I had。 I knew it； oh； I knew it； But I wanted to
git away 'fore I proved it。 You've shamed me through and through。 Why
couldn't you hold your tongue； And spared me seein' you As you really
are。〃 〃What the Devil's the row？ I only said Art was lucky。 What you
spitfirin' at me fer？ Ferget it； Alice。 We've had good times； ain't we？ I'll see
Cleve 'bout that job agin to…morrer； And we'll be married 'fore hayin'
time。〃 〃It's like you to remind me o' hayin' time。 I've good cause to love it；
ain't I？ Many's the night I've hid my face in the dark To shut out thinkin'！〃
〃Why； that ain't nothin'。 You ain't be'n half so kind to me As lots o' fellers'
girls。 Gi' me a kiss； Dear； And let's make up。〃 〃Make up！ You poor fool。
Do you suppose I care a ten cent piece For you now。 You've killed yourself
for me。 Done it out o' your own mouth。 You've took away my home； I hate
the sight o' the place。 You're all over it； Every stick an' stone means you；
An' I hate 'em all。〃 〃Alice； I say； Don't go on like that。 I can't marry yer
Boardin' in one room； But I'll see Cleve to…morrer； I'll make him 〃 〃Oh；
you fool！ You terrible fool！〃 〃Alice； don't go yit； Wait a minit； I'll see
Cleve 〃 〃You terrible fool！〃 〃Alice； don't go。 Alice 〃 （Door slams）
Number 3 on the Docket
The lawyer； are you？ Well！ I ain't got nothin' to say。 Nothin'！ I told
the perlice I hadn't nothin'。 They know'd real well 'twas me。 Ther warn't no
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supposin'； Ketchin' me in the woods as they did； An' me in my house dress。
Folks don't walk miles an' miles In the drifted snow； With no hat nor wrap
on 'em Ef everythin's all right； I guess。 All right？ Ha！ Ha！ Ha！
Nothin' warn't right with me。 Never was。 Oh； Lord！ Why did I do it？
Why ain't it yesterday； and Ed here agin？ Many's the time I've set up with
him nights When he had cramps； or rheumatizm； or somethin'。 I used ter
nurse him same's ef he was a baby。 I wouldn't hurt him； I love him！ Don't
you dare to say I killed him。 'Twarn't me！ Somethin' got aholt o' me。 I
couldn't help it。 Oh； what shall I do！ What shall I do！ Yes； Sir。 No； Sir。 I
beg your pardon； I I Oh； I'm a wicked woman！ An' I'm desolate；
desolate！ Why warn't I struck dead or paralyzed Afore my hands done it。
Oh； my God； what shall I do！ No； Sir； ther ain't no extenuatin'
circumstances； An' I don't want none。 I want a bolt o' lightnin' To strike me
dead right now！ Oh； I'll tell yer。 But it won't make no diff'rence。 Nothin'
will。 Yes； I killed him。 Why do yer make me say it？ It's cruel！ Cruel！ I
killed him because o' th' silence。 The long； long silence； That watched all
around me； And he wouldn't break it。 I tried to make him； Time an' agin；
But he was terrible taciturn； Ed was。 He never spoke 'cept when he had to；
An' then he'd only say 〃yes〃 and 〃no〃。 You can't even guess what that
silence was。 I'd hear it whisperin' in my ears； An' I got frightened； 'twas so
thick； An' al'ays comin' back。 Ef Ed would ha' talked sometimes It would
ha' driven it away； But he never would。 He didn't hear it same as I did。 You
see； Sir； Our farm was off'n the main road； And set away back under the
mountain； And the village was seven mile off； Measurin' after you'd got
out o' our lane。 We didn't have no hired man； 'Cept in hayin' time； An'
Dane's place； That was the nearest； Was clear way 'tother side the
mountain。 They used Marley post…office An' ours was Benton。 Ther was a
cart…track took yer to Dane's in Summer； An' it warn't above two mile that
way； But it warn't never broke out Winters。 I used to dread the Winters。
Seem's ef I couldn't abear to see the golden…rod bloomin'； Winter'd come
so quick after that。 You don't know what snow's like when yer with it Day
in an' day out。 Ed would be out all day loggin'； An' I set at home and look
at the snow Layin' over everythin'； It 'ud dazzle me blind； Till it warn't
white any more； but black as ink。 Then the quiet 'ud commence rushin'
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past my ears Till I most went mad listenin' to it。 Many's the time I've
dropped a pan on the floor Jest to hear it clatter。 I was most frantic when
dinner…time come An' Ed was back from the woods。 I'd ha' give my soul to
hear him speak。 But he'd never say a word till I asked him Did he like the
raised biscuits or whatever； An' then sometimes he'd jest nod his answer。
Then he'd go out agin； An' I'd watch him from the kitchin winder。 It
seemed the woods come marchin' out to meet him An' the trees 'ud press
round him an' hustle him。 I got so I was