think for him.” Now stomp Versh said. “Come here and kiss Mother, Benjamin.”
Caddy took me to Mother’s chair and Mother took my face in her hands and then she held me against her.
“My poor baby.” she said. She let me go. “You and Versh take good care of him, honey.”
“Yessum.” Caddy said. We went out. Caddy said,
“You needn’t go, Versh. I’ll keep him for a while.”
“All right.” Versh said. “I aint going out in that cold for no fun.” He went on and we stopped in the hall and Caddy knelt and put her arms around me and her cold bright face against mine. She smelled like trees.
“You’re not a poor baby. Are you. You’ve got your Caddy. Haven’t you got your Caddy.”
Cant you shut up that moaning and slobbering, Luster said. Aint you shamed of yourself, making all this racket. We passed the carriage house, where the carriage was. It had a new wheel.
“Git in, now, and set still until your maw come.” Dilsey said. She shoved me into the carriage. T. P. held the reins. “ ’Clare I don’t see how come Jason wont get a new surrey.” Dilsey said. “This thing going to fall to pieces under you all some day. Look at them wheels.”
Mother came out, pulling her veil down. She had some flowers.
“Where’s Roskus.” she said.
“Roskus cant lift his arms, today.” Dilsey said. “ T. P. can drive all right.”