Rosalie put her arm about Emmy Lou. Being High Church, she did not take it to herself; she took it for Emmy Lou.
Emmy Lou hesitated. Ought she to be offended? Was she a Heretic? Emmy Lou was cautious, for she had contradicted Hattie about being an Animal, and then had to confess on paper that such she was.
But Sadie had no doubts. Sadie, following the revival, had joined the church, and she felt she knew where she stood. “I’d have you know,” said Sadie, “I’m a Christian,” and Sadie began to cry.
Rebecca Steinau lifted her black eyes. She gave her beringed little hand a dramatic and conclusive wave. “You’re all of you Gentiles,” said Rebecca.
Emmy Lou left the group. As Animal, Biped, Intermediate, Low Church, Episcopalian, Gentile, and possible Heretic, she went upstairs to seek the Dictionary. It was a moment of doubt and perplexity; with labouring absorption she and her index finger pored over the page.
“One whose errors are doctrinal and usually of a malignant character—” Ought she to be offended?
The bell rang. The class filed in. Sadie’s eyes were red. Miss Fanny tried not to see her—her eyes were chronically red. But so insistently and ostentatiously did Sadie continue to mop them, that Miss Fanny was compelled to take notice.
Sadie told her grievances. Her voice broke on Heretic, and she wept afresh at Gentile.
