'But I have nothing to start, no furniture or anything.'
'Your mother will surely give you something, and Sula’s mother.' The squire looked commandingly at Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Hill. 'It is better for young ones to begin alone.'
'I have nothing to spare,' said Mrs. Myers stiffly.
'I wouldn’t take any of your things,' blazed Sula. 'I wouldn’t use any of your things, or have any of your things.'
'You knew how much he had when you married him,' said Mrs. Myers calmly. 'You needn’t have run after him.'
'Run after him!' cried Sula.
It was the climax of sordid insult. They had been two irresponsible children mating as birds mate, with no thought for the future. It was not true that she had run after him. She burst into loud crying.
'If you and your son begged me on your knees to come back, I wouldn’t.'
'Run after him!' echoed Sula’s mother. 'I had almost to take the broom to him at ten o’clock to get him to go home!'
Adam looked up quickly. For the moment he was a man. He spoke as hotly as his mother; his warmth startled even his pretty wife.