And dont you call me boss again, you
bastards!
The train drew under the boat-shed at Newport News.
He was definitely in on it, risking his hidefor Democracy. Ivegiven you a fair value
for your money; I thank you for nothing. The bird-men filled the blue Virginia
weather with thegreat drone of the Liberties. Dogged if you dont grow tall uns up
there, Ben.
Then abruptly, she said:Well, let him go if he
wants to. I have done an apprenticeship here withyou for seventeen years, but it is
coming to an end.
The two young men had a few dollars between them.
The town and the nation seethed in the yeasty fermentof war. Id be the only one who
would, if I did, the boy answered. They were tears ofhunger and weakness: he could
not restrain them. He spat hot sizzlinggobs upon the iron deck. There, by lapping
water, she came torest, like a completed destiny.
Theyre taking her into the stream to get it
on.
She was living in an old frame house farout from
the centre of the town. There was no great bridge tospan, no hard summit to
win.
There was only an insane flux andre-flux of getting
and spending.
Many a fellow would give his right eye for
thechance youve been given.
From obscurity, hunger, loneliness,he might be
lifted in a moment into power, glory, love.
Then abruptly, she said:Well, let him go if he
wants to.
He thought of his family, ofBen, of Laura James, as
if they were ghosts. I should always be afraid of hisdying while I was away. When
the trains slid in and out, the stevedores raised the woodenbridges that spanned the
tracks. The iron decks blistered his feet through the thin soles of
hisshoes.
Its a famous custom: peoplecome from
everywhere.
Boss, blubbered the big black sergeant, we wants to
go toFrance. He saw the sailor, but he no longer tried to see Laura.