Again he was troubled, but I held him to it.
"You thought a good deal of her, didn't you, Clem?"
He studied a moment as he rearranged the roses in the bowl on the table, seeking a way to let me understand. Then he sighed hopelessly.
"Well, Mahstah Majah, Genevieve she cyahed a raght smaht fo' me, also, an' she mek it up fo' me t' come along t' town with huh. She sais Ah git a mewl an' a fahm an' thousan' dollehs money fum yo' Nawthen President an' we all live lahk th' quality. But, yo'-all see, th' ole Mahstah Cunnel say when he go off to th' wah, 'Clem, yo' black houn', ef Ah doan' eveh come back, these yeh ladies is lef in yo' pussenal chahge. Yo' unde'stan' that? Yo' go on an' do fo' 'em jes' lahk Ah was yeh.' An' young Mahstah Cap'n Bev'ly,—he's Little Miss's engaged-to-mahy genaman,—he sais, 'Clem, ef Ah doan' neveh come back, Ah pray an' entrus' yo'-all t' cyah fo' Miss Kate an' huh Maw jes lahk Ah was yeh on th' spot.' An Ah said, 'Yes, seh,' an' they ain't neithah one a' them eveh did come back. Mahstah Cunnel he daid by th' hand o' yo' Nawthen President at th' battle a' Seven Pines, an' Mahstah Cap'n Bev'ly Glentwo'th—yo' ole Mahstah Gen'al She'dan shoot him all t' pieces in his chest one day. So theah Ah is—Ah cain't leave—an' Genevieve comes a' repohtin' huhse'f to mek mah rediments, 'cause we all free an' go'n' a' go t' Richmond t' live high an' maghty, an' Ah sais, 'Ah'm Miss Cahline's pussenal propity—Ah ain't no fiel' niggeh!' She sais, 'Is yo' a' comin' aw is you ain't a-comin'?' Ah sais, 'Ole Cunnel daid, young Cap'n daid—yo' go 'long an' min' yo' own mindin's—'"
He paused to look out over the waters with shining eyes. After a bit he said slowly, "Ah neveh thought Genevieve would go—but she did."
"Then what?"
"Well, seh, Ah stayed on th' place twell we moved oveh to Miss Cahline's secon' cousin, Mahstah Cunnel Peavey, but they wa'n't nothin' theah, so Ah sais t' Miss Cahline that Ah's goin' Nawth wheah all th' money is, an' Ah send fo' huh. So she sais, 'Ve'y good, Clem—yo' all Ah got lef t' mah name,' an' so Ah come off. Then afteh while Little Miss she git resty an' tehible fractious an' she go off t' Baltimoah t' teach in th' young ladies' educationals, an' Miss Cahline she still theah waitin' fo' me. Yes, seh, sh' ain't doin' nothin' but livin' on huh secon' cousin an' he ain' got nothin'—an' Ah lay Ah ain't go'n' a' have that kind a' doin's. No, seh—a-livin' on Cunnel Looshe Peavey. Ah'm go'n' a' git huh yeh whah she kin be independent—"
Again he stopped to see visions.
"An' then, afteh a tehible shawt while, Ah git Little Miss fum the educationals an' they both be independent. Yes, seh, Ah'm gittin' th' money—reglah gole money—none a' this yeh Vaginyah papah-rags money. Ah ain't stahted good when Ah come, but Ah wagah ten hund'ed thousan' dollehs Ah finish up good!"
The last was a pointed reference to the Colonel.