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The moonlight was white on the roof next door and the sky
was a gentle summer blue。 It was agreed without words that
Jake would stay with Singer a few days until he found a room。
When the wine was finished the mute60
put a mattress on the floor beside the bed。 Without removing
any of his clothes Jake lay down and was instantly asleep。
JL AR from the main street； in one of the Negro sections of the
town； Doctor Benedict Mady Copeland sat in his dark kitchen
alone。 It was past nine o'clock and the Sunday bells were
silent now。 Although the night was very hot； there was a small
fire in the round…bellied wood stove。 Doctor Copeland sat
close to it； leaning forward in a straight…backed kitchen chair
with his head cupped in his long； slender hands。 The red glow
from the chinks of the stove shone on his face—in this light
his heavy lips looked almost purple against his black skin； and
his gray hair； tight against his skull like a cap of lamb's wool；
took on a bluish color also。 He sat motionless in this position
for a long time。 Even his eyes； which stared from behind the
silver rims of his spectacles； did not change their fixed；
somber gaze。 Then he cleared his throat harshly； and picked
up a book from the floor beside his chair。 All around him the
room was very dark； and he had to hold the book close to the
stove to make out the print。 Tonight he read Spinoza。 He did
not wholly understand the intricate play of ideas and the
complex phrases； but as he read he sensed a strong； true
purpose behind the words and he felt that he almost
understood。
Often at night the sharp jangle of the doorbell would rouse
him from his silence； and in the front room he would find a
patient with a broken bone or with a razor wound。 But this
evening he was not disturbed。 And after the solitary hours
spent sitting in the dark kitchen it happened that he began
swaying slowly from side to side and from his throat there
came a sound like a kind of singing moan。 He was making this
sound when Portia came。
Doctor Copeland knew of her arrival in advance。 From the
street outside he caught the sound of an harmonica playing a
blues song and he knew that the music was played by William；
his son。 Without turning on the light he went through the hall
and opened the front door。 He did not step out on the porch；
but stood in the dark behind
61
the screen。 The moonlight was bright and the shadows of
Portia and William and Highboy lay black and solid on the
dusty street。 The houses in the neighborhood had a miserable
look。 Doctor Copeland's house was different from any other
building near…by。 It was built solidly of brick and stucco。
Around the small front yard there was a picket fence。 Portia
said good…bye to her husband and brother at the gate and
knocked on the screen door。
'How come you sit here in the dark like this？'
They went together through the dark hall back to the kitchen。
'You haves grand electric lights。 It don't seem natural why you
all the time sitting in the dark like this。'
Doctor Copeland twisted the bulb suspended over the table
and the room was suddenly very bright。 'The dark suits me；' he
said。
The room was clean and bare。 On one side of the kitchen table
there were books and an inkstand—on the other side a fork；
spoon； and plate。 Doctor Copeland held himself bolt upright
with his long legs crossed and at first Portia sat stiffly； too。
The father and daughter had a strong resemblance to each
other—both of them had the same broad； flat noses； the same
mouths and foreheads。 But Portia's skin was very light when
compared to her Father's。
'It sure is roasting in here；' she said。 'Seems to me you would
let this here fire die down except when you cooking。'
'If you prefer we can go up to my office；' Doctor Copeland
said。
'I be all right； I guess。 I don't prefer。'
Doctor Copeland adjusted his silver…rimmed glasses and then
folded his hands in his lap。 'How have you been since we were
last together？ You and your husband—and your brother？'
Portia relaxed and slipped her feet out of her pumps。 'Highboy
and Willie and me gets along just fine。'
'William still boards with you？'
'Sure he do；' Portia said。 'You see—us haves our own way of
living and our own plan。 Highboy—he pay the rent。 I buys all
the food out of my money。 And Willie—he tends to all of our
church dues； insurance； lodge dues； and Saturday Night。 Us
three haves our own plan and each one of us does our
parts。'tJAKSUIN
Doctor Copeland sat with his head bowed； pulling at his long
fingers until he had cracked all of his joints。 The clean cuffs
of his sleeves hung down past his wrists—below them his thin
hands seemed lighter in color than the rest of his body and the
palms were soft yellow。 His hands had always an immaculate；
shrunken look； as though they had been scrubbed with a brush
and soaked for a long time in a pan of water。
'Here； I almost forgot what I brought；' Portia said。 'Haves you
had your supper yet？'
Doctor Copeland always spoke so carefully that each syllable
seemed to be filtered through his sullen； heavy lips。 'No； I
have not eaten。'
Portia opened a paper sack she had placed on the kitchen
table。 'I done brought a nice mess of collard greens and I
thought maybe we have supper together。 I done brought a
piece of side meat； too。 These here greens need to be seasoned
with that。 You don't care if the collards is just cooked in meat；
do you？'
'It does not matter。'
'You still don't eat nair meat？'
*No。 For purely private reasons I am a vegetarian； but it does
not matter if you wish to cook the collards with a piece of
meat'
Without putting on her shoes Portia stood at the table and
carefully began to pick over the greens。 This here floor sure
do feel good to my feets。 You mind if I just walk around like
this without putting back on them tight； hurting pumps？'
'No；' said Doctor Copeland。 'That will be all right'
'Then—us'll have these nice collards and some hoecake and
coffee。 And I； going to cut me off a few slices of this here
white meat and fry it for myself。'
Doctor Copeland followed Portia with his eyes。 She moved
slowly around the room in her stockinged feet； taking down
the scrubbed pans from the wall； building up the fire； washing
the grit from the collards。 He opened his mouth to speak once
and then composed his lips again。
'So you and your husband and your brother have your own cooperative plan；' he said finally。
〃That's right。'
Doctor Copeland jerked at his fingers and tried to pop
THE HEAR！ IS A LUWHL I rtuiN mis。 i。
the joints again。 'Do you intend to plan for children？'
Portia did not look at her father。 Angrily she sloshed the water
from the pan of collards。 〃There be some things；' she said；
'that seem to me to depend entirely upon God。'
They did not say anything else。 Portia left the supper to cook
on the stove and sat silently with her long hands dropping
down limp between her knees。 Doctor Cope…land's head rested
on his chest as though he slept。 But he was not sleeping； now
and then a nervous tre