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drank the soup and ate part of his dessert。 His thick； heavy lips
still trembled and he bowed his head far down over his plate。
Biff noted this。 He was thinkng that in nearly every person
there was some special physical part kept always guarded。
With the mute his hands。 The kid Mick picked at the front of
her blouse to keep the cloth from rubbing the new； tender
nipples beginning to come out on her24
breast。 With Alice it was her hair； she used never to let him
sleep with her when he rubbed oil in his scalp。 And with
himself？
Lingeringly Biff turned the ring on his little finger。 Anyway
he knew what it was not。 Not。 Any more。 A sharp line cut into
his forehead。 His hand in his pocket moved nervously toward
his genitals。 He began whistling a song and got up from the
table。 Funny to spot it in other people； though。
They helped Blount to his feet。 He teetered weakly。 He was
not crying any more； but he seemed to be brooding on
something shameful and sullen。 He walked in the direction he
was led。 Biff brought out the suitcase from behind the counter
and explained to the mute about it。 Singer looked as though he
could not be surprised at anything。
Biff went with them to the entrance。 'Buck up and keep your
nose clean；' he said to Blount。
The black night sky was beginning to lighten and turn a deep
blue with the new morning。 There were but a few weak；
silvery stars。 The street was empty； silent； almost cool。 Singer
carried the suitcase with his left hand； and with his free hand
he supported Blount。 He nodded goodbye to Biff and they
started off together down the sidewalk。 Biff stood watching
them。 After they had gone hah* a block away only their black
forms showed in the blue darkness —the mute straight and
firm and the broad…shouldered； stumbling Blount holding on
to him。 When he could see them no longer； Biff waited for a
moment and examined the sky。 The vast depth of it fascinated
and oppressed him。 He rubbed his forehead and went back
into the sharply lighted restaurant。
He stood behind the cash register； and his face contracted and
hardened as he tried to recall the things that had happened
during the night。 He had the feeling that he wanted to explain
something to himself。 He recalled the incidents in tedious
detail and was still puzzled。
The door opened and closed several times as a sudden spurt of
customers began to come in。 The night was over。 Willie
stacked some of the chairs up on the tables and mopped at the
floor。 He was ready to go home and was singing。 Willie was
lazy。 In the kitchen he was always stopping to play for a while
on the harmonica he carried
around with him。 Now he mopped the floor with sleepy
strokes and hummed his lonesome Negro music steadily。
The place was still not crowded—it was the hour when men
who have been up all night meet those who are freshly
wakened and ready to start a new day。 The sleepy waitress
was serving both beer and coffee。 There was no noise or
conversation； for each person seemed to be alone。 The mutual
distrust between the men who were just awakened and those
who were ending a long night gave everyone a feeling of
estrangement。
The bank building across the street was very pale in the dawn。
Then gradually its white brick walls grew more distinct。 When
at last the first shafts of the rising sun began to brighten the
street； Biff gave the place one last survey and went upstairs。
Noisily he rattled the doorknob as he entered so that Alice
would be disturbed。 'Motherogod！' he said。 'What a night！'
Alice awoke with caution。 She lay on the rumpled bed like a
sulky cat and stretched herself。 The room was drab in the
fresh； hot morning sun； and a pair of silk stockings hung limp
and withered from the cord of the window…shade。
'Is that drunk fool still hanging around downstairs？' she
demanded。
Biff took off his shirt and examined the collar to see if it were
clean enough to be worn again。 'Go down and see for yourself。
I told you nobody will hinder you from kicking him out。'
Sleepily Alice reached down and picked up a Bible； the blank
side of a menu； and a Sunday…School book from the floor
beside the bed。 She rustled through the tissue pages of the
Bible until she reached a certain passage and began reading；
pronouncing the words aloud with painful concentration。 It
was Sunday； and she was preparing the weekly lesson for her
class of boys in the Junior Department of her church。 'Now as
he walked by the sea of Galilee； he saw Simon and Andrew
his brother casting a net into the sea： for they were fishers。
And Jesus said unto them； 〃Come ye after me； and I will make
you to become fishers of men。〃 And straightway they forsook
their nets； and followed him。'26
Biff went into the bathroom to wash himself。 The silky
murmuring continued as Alice studied aloud。 He listened。 。。
and in the morning； rising up a great while before day； He
went out； and departed into a solitary place； and there prayed。
And Simon and they that were with Him followed after Him。
And when they had found Him； they said unto Him； 〃All men
seek for Thee。〃 '
She had finished。 Biff let the words revolve again gently
inside him。 He tried to separate the actual words from the
sound of Alice's voice as she had spoken them。 He wanted to
remember the passage as his mother used to read it when he
was a boy。 With nostalgia he glanced down at the wedding
ring on his fifth finger that had once been hers。 He wondered
again how she would have felt about bis giving up church and
religion。
'The lesson for today is about the gathering of the disciples；'
Alice said to herself in preparation。 'And the text is； 〃All men
seek for Thee。〃 '
Abruptly Biff roused himself from meditation and turned on
the water spigot at full force。 He stripped off his undervest
and began to wash himself。 Always he was scrupulously clean
from the belt upward。 Every morning he soaped his chest and
arms and neck and feet—and about twice during the season he
got into the bathtub and cleaned all of his parts。
Biff stood by the bed； waiting impatiently for Alice to get up。
From the window he saw that the day would be windless and
burning hot。 Alice had finished reading the lesson。 She still
lay lazily across the bed； although she knew that he was
waiting。 A calm； sullen anger rose in him。 He chuckled
ironically。 Then he said with bitterness： 'If you like I can sit
and read the paper awhile。 But I wish you would let me sleep
now。'
Alice began dressing herself and Biff made up the bed。 Deftly
he reversed the sheets in all possible ways； putting the top one
on the bottom； and turning them over and upside down。 When
the bed was smoothly made he waited until Alice had left the
room before he slipped off his trousers and crawled inside。
His feet jutted out from beneath the cover and his wiry…haired
chest was very dark against the pillow。 He was glad he had not
told Alice about what had happened to the drunk。 He had
wanted to talk
to somebody about it； because maybe if he told all the facts
out loud he could