Worthy Reading for Gentlemen: Faulkner, Sound and Fury. Online reading The Sound and the Fury The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

Through the fence, into the gaps of thick curls, I could see how they beat. They go to the flag, and I went by the fence. Laster is looking in the grass under a tree in bloom. They pulled out a flag, they beat. They inserted the flag back, went to the smooth one, hit one, and the other hit. Let's move on and I'll go. Laster came up from the tree, and we walk along the fence, they stood, and so did we, and I look through the fence, and Luster is looking in the grass.

- Give me the clubs, caddy! - Hit. Send us a meadow. I hold on to the fence and watch them leave.

“Nursed again,” Luster says. - Good baby, thirty-three years old. And I was still dragging you to the city for a cake. Stop howling. Better help me look for a coin, otherwise I'll go to the artists in the evening.

They walk across the meadow, hit infrequently. I follow the fence to where the flag is. His trembling among the bright grass and trees.

“Come on,” Luster says. We've been looking there. They won't come back now. Let's go look by the stream until the washerwomen pick it up.

He is red, he is shaking in the middle of the meadow. A bird flew up obliquely, sat on him. Luster threw. The flag flutters on the bright grass, on the trees. I'm holding on to the fence.

“Stop making noise,” Luster says. - I can’t bring the players back, since they left. Shut up or mammy won't give you a name day. Shut up, you know what I'll do? Eat the whole cake. And eat candles. All thirty-three candles. Let's go down to the stream. We need to find this coin. Maybe we can pick up some balls. Look where they are. Over there, far, far away. - He went to the fence, showed his hand: - See? They won't come here anymore. Let's go.

We follow the fence and approach the garden. Our shadows on the garden fence. Mine is taller than Luster's. We climb into the gap.

“Stop,” Luster says. - Again you caught on this nail. You can't help but get caught.

Caddy unhooked me, we climbed through. “Uncle Maury told us to walk so that no one could see us. Let's get down," Caddy said. Get down, Benji. That's it, got it?" We ducked, went through the garden, flowers. They rustle, rustle about us. The earth is solid. We climbed over the fence, where the pigs grunted and breathed. “The pigs must feel sorry for the one that was stabbed this morning,” Caddy said. The earth is hard, in lumps and pits.

“Put your hands in your pockets,” Caddy said. - More fingers, you'll freeze. Benji is smart, he doesn't want to get frostbite for Christmas."

“It's cold outside,” Versh said. - You don't need to go there.

“What is he?” Mom said.

“He wants to go for a walk,” Versh said.

“And God bless you,” Uncle Maury said.

“Too cold,” Mom said. - Better stay at home. Stop it, Benjamin.

“Nothing will happen to him,” Uncle Maury said.

“Benjamin,” Mom said. - If you're bad, I'll send you to the kitchen.

“Mammy didn't tell me to take him to the kitchen today,” Versh said. “She says she can't handle all this cooking anyway.

“Let him take a walk,” Uncle Maury said. - It will upset you, you will lie down more, Caroline.

“I know,” Mom said. - The Lord punished me as a child. Why is a mystery to me.

“Riddle, riddle,” said Uncle Maury. You need to keep up your strength. I'll make you punch.

“Punch will only upset me more,” Mom said. - You know.

“Punch will keep you going,” Uncle Maury said. - Wrap him up, brother, well and walk a little.

Uncle Maury is gone. Versh is gone.

“Shut up,” Mom said. - Dress, and now you will send. I don't want you to catch a cold.

Versh put on boots and a coat for me, we took a hat and went. In the dining room, Uncle Maury puts the bottle on the sideboard.

“Walk with him for half an hour, brother,” said Uncle Maury. - Just don't let me out of the yard.

We went out into the yard. The sun is cold and bright.

- Where are you going? Versh says. - What a cunning - in the city, or what, going? We are walking, rustling through the leaves. The wicket is cold. “Put your hands in your pockets,” Versh says. - They will freeze to the iron, then what will you do? Like you can't wait at home. He puts my hands in his pockets. He rustles through the leaves. I smell cold. The wicket is cold.

- It's better for nuts. Wow, you jumped on a tree. Look, Benji, the squirrel!

Hands do not hear the gates at all, but it smells of bright cold.

“Better put your hands back in your pockets.

Caddy is coming. I ran. The bag dangles, beats behind.

“Hi, Benji,” Caddy says. She opened the gate, entered, leaned over. The caddy smells like leaves. You came out to meet me, didn't you? she says. – Meet Caddy? Why are his hands so cold, Versh?

“I told him to put it in your pockets,” Versh says. - I grabbed the gate, the iron.

“You came out to meet Caddy, didn’t you?” Caddy says and rubs my hands. - Well? What do you want to tell me? “Caddy smells like trees and like when she says we woke up.”

“Well, what are you howling about,” Luster says. “They will be visible again from the stream. On the. Here's a fool for you." Gave me a flower. We went over the fence to the barn.

- Well, what, what? Caddy says. What do you want to tell Caddy? They sent him out of the house - didn't they, Versh?

“You can’t keep him,” Versh says. - He yelled until they let him out, and straight to the gate: look at the road.

- Well? Caddy says. “Did you think I would come home from school and it would be Christmas right away?” Thought so? And Christmas is the day after tomorrow. With gifts, Benji, with gifts. Well, let's go home to warm up. She takes my hand and we run, rustling through the bright leaves. And up the stairs, from the bright cold into the dark. Uncle Maury puts the bottle on the sideboard. He called, "Caddy." Caddy said:

“Get him to the fire, Versh. Go with Versh,” Caddy said. – I am now.

We went to the fire. Mom said:

“Is he cold, Versh?”

“No, ma'am,” Versh said.

“Take off his coat and boots,” Mom said. “How many times have you been told to take off your boots first and then go in.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Versh said. - Stay still.

He took off my boots, unbuttoned my coat. Caddy said:

“Wait, Versh. Mom, can Benji go for a walk? I will take him with me.

"Don't take it," Uncle Maury said. - He's been walking around today.

“Don’t go anywhere,” Mom said. “Dilsey says it's getting even colder outside.

“Oh, Mom,” Caddy said.

“Nothing,” said Uncle Maury. - I've been sitting at school all day, she needs to get some fresh air. Run for a walk, Candace.

“Let him be with me, Mom,” Caddy said. - Oh please. Otherwise, he will cry.

- And why was it necessary to mention the festivities in front of him? Mom said. Why did you have to come in here? To give him a reason to torment me again? You've been outdoors enough today. Better sit with him here and play.

“Let them go for a walk, Caroline,” said Uncle Maury. The frost won't hurt them. Don't forget that you need to conserve your strength.

“I know,” Mom said. No one can understand how the holidays scare me. Nobody. These chores are beyond me. How I wish I was in better health for Jason and for the kids.

“You try not to let them worry you,” Uncle Mori said. “Come on, both of you guys. Just for a little while, so that mom does not worry.

“Yes, sir,” Caddy said. Let's go, Benji. Let's go for a walk! She buttoned my coat and we went to the door.

“So you are taking the little one into the yard without boots,” said mother. - The house of guests is full, and you want to catch a cold.

“I forgot,” Caddy said. I thought he was wearing boots.

We have returned.

“You have to think about what you’re doing,” Mom said. Yes, you stand still Versh said. Gave me boots. “If I’m gone, then you’ll have to take care of him.” “Now stomp,” Versh said. “Come kiss your mother, Benjamin.

Caddy led me to my mother's chair, my mother put her hands on my face and pressed me to her.

“My poor little one,” she said. Let go. “You and Versh are taking good care of him, honey.

“Yes, ma'am,” Caddy said. We went out. Caddy said, “You don't have to come with us, Versh. I will walk with him myself.

“All right,” Versh said. - It's not very interesting to go out in such a cold. - He went, and we stood in the front. Caddy sat down, hugged me, pressed her bright and cold face to mine. She smelled like trees.

“You are not a poor little one. Really not poor? You have a Caddy. You have your caddy.

“Buzzing, drooling,” says Luster. And you are not ashamed to raise such a roar. "We pass a shed where a chaise is. It has a new wheel.

“Sit down and sit still, wait for your mother,” Dilsey said. She pushed me into a chaise. T.P. has the reins in his hands. “I don't understand why Jason doesn't buy a new one,” Dilsey said. “Wait for this one to fall apart under you.” Some wheels are worth it.

Mom came out, lowered the veil. Holding flowers.

"Where's Roskus?" Mom said.

“Roskus was broken today, he couldn’t raise his arms,” Dilsey said. “T.P. rules well too.

“I'm afraid,” Mom said. “God knows, I ask little of you: once a week I need a coachman, and I can’t interrogate even this little.

“You know as well as I do, Ms. Caline, that Roskus was crippled with rheumatism,” Dilsey said. - Go sit down. T.P. will take you no worse than Roskus.

“I'm afraid,” Mom said. - I'm afraid for the little one.

Dilsey went up to the porch.

“Good little one,” she said. I took my mother by the hand. - Consider, the same age as my T.P. Go when you want to go.

“I'm afraid,” Mom said. They stepped off the porch and Dilsey sat her mother down. “Well, it will be better for all of us that way.

"And you're not ashamed to say that," Dilsey said. “It’s like you don’t know how quiet Queenie is. For her to carry, you need a scarecrow more terrible than an eighteen-year-old Negro. She's older than him and Benji put together. Don't be naughty, T.P., drive quietly, do you hear? Let Miss Caline complain to me, Roskus will take care of you. He hasn't lost his arms yet.

"Yes, ma'am," said TP.

“It won’t end well, I know,” Mom said. Stop it, Benjamin.

“Give him a flower,” Dilsey said. He wants to keep the flower.

She extended her hand to the flowers.

“No, no,” Mom said. “You will tear them all apart.

“Hold on,” said Dilsey. “I only have one to pull out. - She gave me a flower, and the hand went away.

“Now touch before Quentin sees and wants to go with you too,” Dilsey said.

- Where is she? Mom said.

“Near my house, playing with Luster,” Dilsey said. - Move, TP. Rule as Roskus taught you.

“Listen, ma'am,” said TP. “B-but, Queenie!

“For Quentina,” Mom said. - Look for...

“Don't worry,” said Dilsey.

The charaban is shaking along the alley, creaking on the sand.

“I'm afraid to leave Quentin,” Mom says. “We'd better get back, TP.

We left the gate, no longer shakes. TP lashed Queenie with the whip.

“What are you doing, T.P.!” Mom said.

“We need to cheer her up,” said TP. - To not sleep on the go.

“Turn back,” Mom said. “I'm afraid for Quentin.

"You can't turn around here," said TP.

We arrived, where it is wider.

“But you can do it here,” Mom said.

“All right,” said TP. They began to turn.

“What are you doing, T.P.!” Mom said, grabbing onto me.

"We've got to turn around somehow," said TP. “Whoa, Queenie.

We have become.

“You will turn us over,” Mom said.

- So what do you want? TP said.

"Don't turn, I'm afraid," Mom said.

“I know Dilsey will oversight without me and something will happen to Quentina,” Mom said. “We need to get back as soon as possible.

“B-but, Queenie,” said TP. Kicked Queenie.

“T-P-e-e,” Mom said, grabbing onto me. Queenie's hooves are heard, and bright spots float smoothly on both sides, and the shadows from them float on Queenie's back. They float all the time, like the bright tops of the wheels. Then they froze from the side where the white pedestal with the soldier at the top was. And from the other side everyone is swimming, but not so fast.

- What do you want, mother? Jason says. He has his hands in his pockets and a pencil behind his ear.

“We are going to the cemetery,” Mom says.

“Please,” Jason says. - I don't seem to mind. That's all, why did you call me?

“You won’t come with us, I know,” Mom says. “With you, I wouldn’t be so afraid.

- Were afraid of what? Jason says. “Father and Quentin won’t touch you.

Mom puts a handkerchief under her veil.

“Stop it, mother,” Jason says. “Do you want this dumbass to howl in the middle of the square?” Move, T.P.

“B-but, Queenie,” said TP.

“God punished me,” my mother said. But soon I won't be either.

“Stop it,” Jason said.

“Whoa,” said TP. Jason said:

“Uncle Maury wants fifty dollars from your account. Give?

Why are you asking me? Mom said. - You are the owner. I'm trying not to be a burden on you and Dilsey. Soon I will be gone, and then you ...

“Go ahead, TP,” Jason said.

“B-but, Queenie,” said TP. The bright ones floated again. And from the other side too, fast and smooth, like when Caddy says we're going to sleep.

"Reva," Luster says. "And you're not ashamed." We pass the barn. The stalls are open. "You don't have a pinto now," says Luster. The floor is dry and dusty. The roof has collapsed. Yellow dust grains jostle in oblique holes. “Where did you go? Do you want to have your head knocked off with a ball there?

“Put your hands in your pockets,” Caddy says. - You'll freeze your fingers. Benji is smart, he doesn't want to get frostbite for Christmas.

We go around the barn. There is a big cow and a small one in the doorway, and you can hear Prince, Queenie, and Fancy stepping in the stalls.

“If it were warmer, we could ride the Fancy,” Caddy says. “But it’s not possible today, it’s too cold. - You can already see the stream, and the smoke is spreading. “They tar the pig,” Caddy says. “Let’s go back that way, we’ll see.” - We're going down the mountain.

“If you want, bring the letter,” Caddy says. - Here, take it. She shifted the letter from her pocket to mine. This is a Christmas surprise from Uncle Maury. We need to give Mrs. Patterson so no one can see. Just don't take your hands out of your pockets.

We came to the stream.

“The stream is frozen over,” Caddy said. - Look. She broke the water on top and put a piece to my face. - Ice. That's how cold it is. - She took me by the hand, we climb the mountain. “I didn’t even tell my mom and dad to talk. I think you know what this letter is about? About gifts for mom, and dad, and Mr. Patterson, too, because Mr. Patterson sent you candy. Remember last summer.

Fence. Dry flowers curl, and the wind rustles them.

“I just don't know why Uncle Maury Versha didn't send it. Versh wouldn't blab. Mrs. Patterson is looking out the window. “Wait here,” Caddy said. - Stay where you are and wait. I'll be right back. Give me a letter. She took a letter out of my pocket. - Don't take your hands out. - With a letter in her hand she climbed the fence, she walks, rustling with brown flowers. Mrs. Patterson has gone to the door, opened it, stands on the threshold.

Mr. Patterson is waving a green-colored chopper. He stopped and looked at me. Mrs. Patterson is running towards me in the garden. I saw her eyes and cried. "Oh, you idiot," says Mrs. Patterson. “I told him not to send you alone again. Give it to me. Quicker". Mr. Patterson is coming towards us with a chopper, quickly. Mrs. Patterson reaches over the fence. Wants to jump over. "Give it here," says Mrs. "Give it here." Mr. Patterson climbed over the fence. I took the letter. Mrs.'s dress caught on the fence. I saw her eyes again and ran down the mountain.

“There’s nothing there but houses,” Luster says. - Let's go to the stream.

By the stream they wash, they clap. One sings. Smoke creeps through the water. It smells of laundry and smoke.

“There you are,” Luster says. - There is nothing for you there. There you have a ball on the head.

– What does he want?

“Like he knows what,” Luster says. He needs to go upstairs to where they play golf. Sit here and play with the flower. And look - see how the guys swim. Behave like people.

I sit down by the water, where they rinse and blow blue smoke.

- No one raised a coin here? Luster says.

- What coin?

- What I had in the morning. Twenty-five cents,” Luster says. - I sowed somewhere out of my pocket. It fell into a hole, into this one. If I don't find it, there won't be anything to buy a ticket for in the evening.

- And where did you get it, a coin? I suppose the white man in his pocket?

“Where I got it, it’s not there now, and there will be more later,” Luster says. For now, I need to find this one. Didn't you see anyone?

I just need to look for coins. I have enough to do.

“Come here,” Luster says. Help me search.

- Yes, he is like a coin, like a pebble.

“Let him help anyway,” Luster says. - Do you go to the artists in the evening?

- Not before me. Until I manage this trough, I will get so tired that I can’t even raise my hands, or rather go to these artists.

“We bet you go,” Luster says. - I bet you were there yesterday. As soon as they open it, everyone will immediately go to that tent.

- Blacks will fill up there even without me. It's enough that I went yesterday.

- I suppose we spend the same money as the whites.

- White prompted the nonsense of money, and he knows: another white with music will come and pimper all of them to the cent, and again go, Negro, earn money.

“No one is going to take you to the show.

- Not yet driven. Didn't think of it.

- You got the white ones.

- Gave not given. I go my way and they go theirs. I really need this show.

- They have one there on the saw playing songs. Just like a banjo.

“You were yesterday,” says Luster, “and I will go today. Just find a coin.

"So you're going to take him with you?"

“Yeah,” Luster says. - How. So that he razvil me there.

- What do you do when it breaks?

“I smack him, that’s what I do,” Luster says. Sat down, rolled up his pants. Children play in the water.

“Didn’t anyone find Benjin’s balls?” Luster says.

- You, boy, do not say bad words. If your grandmother finds out, she won't say hello to you.

Luster entered the stream where the children were. Searching along the coast.

“I still had the coin when they walked around this morning,” Luster says.

- Where did you sow it?

“It fell out of my pocket, into this hole,” Luster says. They are looking in the stream. Then they all straightened up at once, stood, rushed with a splash, jostled. Luster grabbed, sat down in the water, looking at the mountain through the bushes.

- Where are they? Luster says.

- Not to be seen yet.

Luster put it in his pocket. They went down the mountain.

- Then the ball fell - did not you see, guys?

- Not otherwise, he plopped into the water. Haven't you heard?

“Nothing flopped around here,” Luster said. “Something hit a tree over there. Where it went, I don't know.

They look into the stream.

- Crap. Look in the stream. He fell here. I have seen.

They go along the coast, look. We went back to the mountain.

- Don't you have a ball? said the boy.

Why did he give up on me? Luster said. I didn't see any ball.

The boy entered the stream. Walked on the water. He turned and looked at Luster again. Went down the stream.

An adult called from the mountain: "Caddy!" The boy got out of the water and went up the mountain.

- Started again? Luster says. - Shut up.

- What is it from?

“Who knows why,” Luster says. - From nothing. Howls all morning. Since today is his birthday.

- How old is he?

“Thirty-three years old,” Luster says. Exactly thirty years and three years.

- Tell me better - exactly thirty years, as he is three years old.

“What mammy told me, I tell you,” Luster says. “I only know that thirty-three candles will be lit. And the cake is slick. Barely fit. Shut up. Come here. He came up and grabbed my hand. “You old fool,” he says. - Do you want to be whipped?

- It's hard for you to flog him.

- I've already screwed up more than once. Shut up, Luster says. – How many you interpret, that there cannot be. They'll knock your head off with balls. Come here, he pulled me back. - Sit down. - I sat down, he took off my shoes, rolled up my pants. - Go there, into the water, play for yourself and not to howl and drool.

I shut up and went into the water, and Roskus came, calling for dinner, and Caddy said: “It's too early for dinner. Will not go".

She's wet. We were playing in the stream, and Caddy sat down in the water, soaked her dress, and Versh said:

- Soaked the dress, now your mother will whip you.

“No, no,” Caddy said.

- How do you know it's not? Quentin said.

“I know,” Caddy said. – How do you know that yes?

“Mom said she would,” Quentin said. And besides, I'm older than you.

“I'm already seven years old,” Caddy said. “I know everything myself.

“And I'm even older,” Quentin said. - I'm a student. Really, Versh?

“And I'm going to school next year,” Caddy said. - As soon as it starts. Really, Versh?

“You know yourself, they’ll flog you for a wet dress,” Versh said.

“It's not wet,” Caddy said. She stood in the water, looks at the dress. I'll take it off and let it dry.

“You can’t take it off,” Quentin said.

“I'll take it off,” Caddy said.

“Better not take it off,” Quentin said.

Caddy walked up to Versh and me, turned her back.

“Unzip me, Versh,” Caddy said.

“Don't you dare, Versh,” Quentin said.

“Your dress, unbutton it yourself,” Versh said.

“Unzip it, Versh,” Caddy said. “I’ll tell Dilsey what you did yesterday.” And Versh unbuttoned it.

“Just try and take it off,” Quentin said. Caddy took off her dress and threw it on the beach. She was wearing a bra and panties, nothing else, and Quentin slapped her, she slipped, fell into the water. She got up and began to splash on Quentin, and Quentin began to splash on her. Both Versha and I were splattered. Versh picked me up and carried me to the shore. He said he'd tell about Caddy and Quentin, and they started splashing Versh. Versh went behind the bush.

“I'll tell mammy about you,” Versh said.

Quentin climbed ashore, wanted to catch Versh, but Versh ran away, and Quentin did not catch up. Quentin returned, then Versh stopped and shouted that he would tell. And Caddy yelled at him that if she didn't tell, she might come back. And Versh said that he would not tell, and went to us.

“Rejoice now,” Quentin said. “Now they’ll flog us both.”

“Let it go,” Caddy said. - I'll run away from home.

“You’ll run away, of course,” Quentin said.

“Run away and never come back,” Caddy said. I started crying, Caddy turned around and said, “Don't cry. - And I stopped. Then they played in the water. And Jason too. It is separate, further down the stream. Versh came out from behind a bush and carried me into the water again. The caddy is all wet and dirty in the back and I started crying and she came over and sat down in the water.

"Don't cry," Caddy said. “I won't run away.

And I stopped. Caddy smelled like trees in the rain.

"What's the matter with you?" Luster says. "Stop howling, play in the water like everyone else."

“You should take him home. After all, you are not ordered to drive him from the yard.

“And he thinks their meadow is the same as before,” Luster says. "And still you can't see it from home."

“But we see it. And looking at a fool is not pleasant enough. And yes, it's a bad omen."

Roskus came, calling for dinner, and Caddy says it's too early for dinner.

“No, not early,” Roskus says. “Dilsey told you to go home. Lead them, Versh.

Roskus went to the mountain, where the cow mooed.

“Maybe we can dry off by the time we get home,” Quentin said.

“It's all your fault,” Caddy said. “Here, let them flog us.”

She put on a dress, and Versh buttoned it up.

“They won't know you're wet,” Versh said. - It's invisible. Unless Jason and I tell us.

“Can you tell me, Jason? Caddy asked.

- About whom? Jason said.

“He won't tell,” Quentin said. “Really, Jason?

“You'll see, he'll tell you,” Caddy said. - Grandmother.

How will he tell her? Quentin said. - She's sick. We will go slowly, it will get dark - and they will not notice.

“Let them notice,” Caddy said. - I'll take it and tell you. He can't get up here on his own, Versh.

“Jason won't tell,” Quentin said. “Do you remember, Jason, what bow and arrows I made for you?”

“It's already broken,” Jason said.

“Let him talk,” Caddy said. - I'm not afraid at all. Get Maury on your back, Versh.

Versh sat down, I climbed on his back.

"Bye, see you tonight, before the show," says Luster. "Come on, Benji. We still need to find a coin.

“If we go slowly, it will get dark by the time we get there,” Quentin said.

“I don't want to take it slow,” Caddy said. We went up the mountain, but Quentin didn't go. Already there was a smell of pigs, and he was still by the stream. They grunted in the corner and breathed into the trough. Jason followed us, hands in his pockets. Roskus was milking a cow in the shed by the door.

From the barn rushed towards the cows.

“Come on, Benji,” said TP. - Start it up again. I'll pull up. Whoo! Quentin kicked TP again. Pushed into the pig trough and TP fell in there. - Oh man! TP said. - Deftly he me. You saw how this white man kicked me. Wow you!

I don't cry, but I can't stop. I do not cry, but the earth does not stand still, and I cried. The earth keeps climbing up, and the cows run up. TP wants to get up. He fell again, the cows run down. Quentin holds my hand as we walk towards the barn. But then the barn left, and we had to wait until it returned. I didn't see the barn come back. He came back behind us, and Quentin put me in the cow-feeding trough. I'm holding on to the trough. It also leaves, but I hold on. Again the cows ran - down, past the door. I can not stop. Quentin and TP rocked up, fighting. TP went down. Quentin drags him up. Quentin hit T.P. I can not stop.

“Get up,” Quentin says. - And sit in the barn. Don't leave until I'm back.

“Benji and I are back to the wedding now,” TP says. - U-uh!

Quentin hit TP again. Shakes it and knocks it against the wall. TP laughs. Every time he gets slammed against the wall, he wants to say "woo" and can't with laughter. I'm silent, but I can't stop. TP fell on me and the barn door ran away. I went down, and T.P. was fighting with himself and fell again. He laughs, but I can't stop, and I want to get up, and I fall back, and I can't stop. Versh says:

Well, you showed yourself. Nothing to say. Yes, stop screaming.

TP keeps laughing. Floats on the floor, laughing.

- U-uh! TP says. “Me and Benji back to the wedding. We drank sasprelev - and back!

“Hush, you,” Versh says. - Where did you get it?

“In the cellar,” says TP. - U-uh!

- Quiet! Versh says. - Where is the cellar?

“Yes, everywhere,” says TP. Laughs again. - There are a hundred bottles. Million. Back off, boy. I will sing.

Quentin said:

- Get him up.

Versh picked me up.

“Drink, Benji,” Quentin said.

Hot in a glass.

“Shut up,” Quentin said. - Drink better.

“Drink sasprele,” TP said. “Give me a drink, Mr. Quentin.

“Shut up,” Versh said. “I haven't gotten much from Mr. Quentin yet.

“Support him, Versh,” Quentin said.

They are holding me. Chin flows hot and on the shirt. “Drink,” Quentin says. They hold my head. I feel hot inside and I cried. I cry, but something is happening inside me, and I cry harder, and they hold me until it's gone. And I shut up. Everything is spinning again, and now the bright ones have gone. "Versh, open the chest." The bright ones float slowly. "Put these bags on the floor." We swam faster, almost as it should. "Come on, grab your feet." You can hear T.P. laughing. The bright ones float smoothly. I swim with them up the bright slope.

At the top, Versh put me down on the ground.- Quentin, let's go! - called, looks down from the mountain. Quentin is still standing there by the stream. Throws pebbles in the shade, where the water is.

“Let the coward stay,” Caddy said. She took my hand, we go past the barn, into the gate. The path is paved with bricks, with a frog in the middle. Caddy stepped over her, tugging on my arm.

“Come on, Maury,” Caddy said. The frog is still sitting, Jason kicked it with his foot.

“Here comes a wart,” Versh said. The frog jumped.

“Come on, Versh,” Caddy said.

“You have guests there,” Versh said.

- How do you know? Caddy said.

“All the lights are on,” Versh said. - In all windows.

"Like you can't fire without guests," Caddy said. - They wanted it and turned it on.

“We bet, guests,” Versh said. “It’s better to go up the back stairs and up to the nursery.”

“And have guests,” Caddy said. “I’ll go straight to their living room.”

“We bet your dad will whip you then,” Versh said.

“Let it go,” Caddy said. - I'll go straight to the living room. No, I'll go straight to the dining room and sit down to supper.

– Where will you sit? Versh said.

"Granny's place," Caddy said. “They wear her to bed now.

“I want to eat,” Jason said. He overtook us, ran along the path, hands in his pockets, fell. Versh came up and picked him up.

“Hands in your pockets, you’re slapping,” Versh said. - Where do you, fat, have time to take them out in time and lean on.

At the kitchen porch is dad.

Where is Quentin? - he said.

“Walking along the path there,” Versh said. Quentin walks slowly. Shirt with white stain.

“I see,” Dad said. Light falls from the veranda on him.

“And Caddy and Quentin were splashing each other,” Jason said.

We stand waiting.

“Like this,” Dad said. Quentin came over and Dad said, “You'll have supper in the kitchen tonight. - He stopped talking, picked me up, and immediately the light from the veranda fell on me too, and I look down at Caddy, Jason, at Quentin and Versh. Dad turned to go up the porch. “Just don’t make noise,” he said.

- Why, dad? Caddy said. - We have guests?

“Yes,” said dad.

“I said they were guests,” Versh said.

“Not at all,” Caddy said. - That's what I said. And what will I go ...

“Hush,” Dad said. They fell silent, and dad opened the door, and we went through the veranda, entered the kitchen. There Dilsey, dad put me on a chair, closed the front, rolled up to the table where dinner was. From dinner couples.

“The Dilseys must obey,” Dad said. “Don't let them make noise, Dilsey.

“Good,” said Dilsey. Dad left.

“So remember: listen to Dilsey,” he said behind us. I leaned over for dinner. Steam in my face.

“Daddy, let them listen to me today,” Caddy said.

"I won't listen to you," Jason said. “I will obey Dilsey.

“If Daddy says, you will,” Caddy said. “Daddy, tell them to obey me.”

“I won’t,” Jason said. - I won't listen to you.

“Hush,” Dad said. “So, everyone, listen to Caddy. When they're done, you'll show them, Dilsey, up the back door.

“Very well, sir,” said Dilsey.

“Yeah,” Caddy said. “Now you will listen to me.

“Hush now,” said Dilsey. - You can't make noise today.

- And why? Caddy said in a whisper.

“You can't, that's all,” said Dilsey. When the time comes, you will find out why. The Lord will enlighten.

She put down my bowl. Steam rises from her and tickles her face.

“Come here, Versh.

“Dilsey, how is that enlightening?” Caddy said.

“He teaches at church on Sundays,” Quentin said. “You don't even know that.

“Shh,” said Dilsey. “Mr. Jason told me not to make any noise. Let's eat. Here, Versh, take his spoon. Versh's hand dips the spoon into the bowl. The spoon rises to my lips. The steam tickles your mouth. They stopped eating, silently looked at each other, and then they heard again, and I began to cry.

- What is this? Caddy said. She put her hand on mine.

“This is Mom,” Quentin said. The spoon rose to my lips, I swallowed, wept again.

“Stop it,” Caddy said. But I did not stop, and she came up and hugged me. Dilsey went and closed both doors, and there was no sound.

“Well, stop it,” Caddy said. I shut up and began to eat. Jason eats but Quentin doesn't.

“This is Mom,” Quentin said. Got up.

“Sit down right now,” Dilsey said. “They have guests there, and you are in those dirty clothes. And sit down, Caddy, and finish your dinner.

“She was crying in there,” Quentin said.

“Someone sang it,” Caddy said. "Really, Dilsey?"

“Better eat quietly, as Mr. Jason said,” said Dilsey. - The time will come - you will know.

Caddy went and sat down.

“I told you we were having a dinner party,” Caddy said.

Versh said:

He has already eaten everything.

“Give me his bowl,” said Dilsey. The mouse is gone.

"Dilsey," Caddy said. “Quentin doesn't eat. And he was told to obey me.

“Eat, Quentin,” Dilsey said. - Stop and leave the kitchen.

“I don't want any more,” Quentin said.

“If I say so, you must eat,” Caddy said. "Really, Dilsey?"

Steam comes from the bowl into his face, Versh's hand dips the spoon, and the steam tickles his mouth.

“I don't want any more,” Quentin said. What a dinner party when grandma is sick.

“Well, well,” Caddy said. - The guests are below, and she can go out and look from above. I'll also put on my nightgown and go up the stairs.

“It was Mom who was crying,” Quentin said. "Really, Dilsey?"

"Don't bother me, dove," said Dilsey. - Here I fed you, and now I’ll cook dinner for the whole company.

Soon even Jason had finished eating. And cried.

“He's been whining every night since Grandma was sick and he can't sleep with her,” Caddy said. - Whine.

“I'll tell you about you,” Jason said.

“You already told me that,” Caddy said. “And you have nothing more to say.

"It's time for you to sleep, that's what," Dilsey said. She came over, lowered me to the floor and wiped my mouth and hands with a warm rag. “Versh, take them upstairs by the back door, quietly. And you, Jason, stop whining.

"It's not time for bed yet," Caddy said. We never go to bed this early.

“Go to bed tonight,” Dilsey said. “Dad told you to go to bed as soon as you had dinner. You yourself have heard.

“Dad told me to obey,” Caddy said.

“I won't listen to you,” Jason said.

"You'll be fine," Caddy said. "Now come on, everyone, and listen to me."

“Just keep it quiet, Versh,” Dilsey said. - Today, children, be quieter than water, lower than grass.

- And why? Caddy said.

“Your mother is not well,” said Dilsey. - Everyone follow Versh.

“I told you mom was crying,” Quentin said. Versh lifted me onto my back and opened the door to the veranda. We left and Versh closed the door. It's dark, just the shoulders and the scent of Versh. "Do not make noise. - We're still walking. “Mr. Jason said straight upstairs. He told me to obey. - I won't listen to you. He told everyone. And you, Quentin." I feel the back of Versh's head, I hear all of us. “Really, Versh? - Is it true. - Here, listen. Now let's go for a walk in the yard. Let's go." Versh opened the door and we went out.

They went down the stairs.

"Let's go," Caddy said. - The frog jumped off. She has been in the garden for a long time. Maybe we'll meet another one.

Roskus carries buckets of milk. Passed by. Quentin didn't come with us. Sitting on the steps of the kitchen. We go to the house where Versh lives. I love the way it smells. The fire is burning. T.P. sat down - shirt hem to the floor - puts it on to make it burn harder.

Then I got up, TP dressed me, we went to the kitchen and ate. Dilsey began to sing, and I began to cry, and she stopped.

“We can’t go there,” says TP.

We are playing in the stream.

“You can’t go in there,” says TP. “I heard mammy didn’t say so.

In the kitchen Dilsey sings, I cried.

“Quiet,” says TP. - Let's go. Let's go to the shed.

At the barn Roskus is milking. He milks with one hand and groans. The birds sat on the door, watching. One sat down on the ground, eating with the cows. I watch Roskus milk and TP feed Queenie and Prince. A calf in a pig fence. He pokes his muzzle into the wire, mooing.

“T.P.,” Roskus called. TP called back from the shed, "Yes." Fancy stuck her head out of the stall because TP hadn't fed her yet. “Get in there quickly,” Roskus said. - You'll have to finish it. The right hand doesn't work anymore.

T.P. came and sat down to milk.

Why don't you go to the doctor? TP said.

"The doctor can't help here," Roskus said. - This is our place.

- What is it? TP said.

“It’s an unfortunate place here,” Roskus said. - You finished - let the calf in.

"It's an unfortunate place," said Roskus. Behind him and Versha, the fire rose, fell, slid over their faces. Dilsey put me to bed. The bed smelled of T.P. Smelled good.

– What do you mean by that? Dilsey said. - You had an insight, a sign was given, or what?

“No need for insight,” Roskus said. - Here he is, a sign, in bed. Fifteen years since people see this sign.

- So what? Dilsey said. “He did no harm to you or yours. Versh is working, Fronya is married, T.P. will grow up - he will intercede for you, as if he will twist you with rheumatism.

“God has already taken two from them,” Roskus said. - Third in line. The sign is clear, you see yourself no worse than me.

“The owl hooted that night,” said TP. - Since the evening. I poured Dan some stew and the dog never came. Closer to the barn in any. And only it got dark - howled. Versh heard it too.

“We're all in that queue,” Dilsey said. Show me a man to live forever.

‘It’s not just about the deaths,’ said Roskus.

“I know what you mean,” Dilsey said. - That will be your misfortune, as you say her name out loud - you yourself will sit with him, calm her down.

“It’s an unfortunate place here,” Roskus said. - I noticed him from the very birth, and how they changed his name, I finally understood.

“Enough,” said Dilsey. She covered me with a blanket. It smelled like T.P. - Shut up, let him sleep.

‘The sign is clear,’ said Roskus.

“Yeah, a sign that TP is going to have to do all your work for you,” Dilsey said. “TP, take him and Quentin, let them play with Luster near the house. Frony will look after them. Go and help your father."

We've finished eating. TP took Quentin in his arms and we went to the house where TP lives. Laster sits on the ground, plays. T.P. put Quentin in, and she began to play too. Luster had coils, Quentin - take away, took away. Luster began to cry, Frony came, gave Luster a tin to play, and then I took the reels, Quentina began to fight, and I began to cry.

“Calm down,” said Froni. “It’s not shameful for you to take away a small toy. “I took the coils and gave them to Quentina.

“Calm down,” said Froni. “Shush, they tell you.

“Shut up,” Frony said. - A good spanking, that's what you need. She took Luster and Quentin in her arms. “Let’s go,” Frony said. We went to the barn. TP is milking a cow. Roskus sits on a box.

What else did he do there? Roskus asked.

“Yes, I brought him to you,” said Froni. - Offends the little ones again. Takes away toys. Stay here with TP and don't cry.

“Give it clean,” said Roskus. “Last winter I brought that that young woman lost her milk. Now you'll ruin this one, we'll be left without milk at all.

Dilsey sings.

“Don’t go there,” says TP. “You know what mammy didn’t say.

They sing there.

“Come on,” says TP. “Let's play with Quentina and Luster. Let's go.

Quentin and Luster are playing on the ground in front of the house where TP lives. The fire rises and falls in the house, Roskus sits in front of the fire - a black spot on the fire.

“So the Lord took away the third one,” says Roskus. “I predicted last year. An unfortunate place.

“So I would move to another place,” says Dilsey. She undresses me. - Only Versha confused me with his croaking. If it wasn't for you, Versh wouldn't have left us for Memphis.

“Let it be all bad luck for Versh,” Roskus says.

Frony entered.

- Finished already? Dilsey said.

“T.P. is coming,” said Frony. “Miss Caline is calling to put Quentin to bed.”

“I’ll manage and go,” said Dilsey. “It’s time for her to know that I don’t have wings.”

"That's it," Roskus said. “How can a place not be ill-fated when the name of one’s own daughter is banned here.

“You will,” said Dilsey. Do you want to wake him up?

“So that the girl grows up and doesn’t know what her mother’s name is,” Roskus said.

“Not your sadness,” Dilsey said. “I raised them all, and this one too, somehow. Now shut up. Let him sleep.

“Think about it, wake it up,” said Froni. “He seems to recognize names.

“He can still tell,” said Dilsey. - You tell him this name in a dream - he will hear.

"He knows more than people think," Roskus said. “He smelled them all three times when their time came, just as good as our pointer. And when his own time comes, he also knows, but he cannot say. And when yours comes. And mine when.

“Mammy, move Luster away from him to another bed,” Frony said. "He'll bring damage to Luster."

“Pip on your tongue,” Dilsey said. - Didn't you think of something smarter? I found someone to listen to - Roskus. Get down, Benji.

She pushed me, and I lay down, and Luster was already lying there and sleeping. Dilsey took a long piece of wood and placed it between Luster and me.

"You can't go to Luster's side," Dilsey said. He is small, he will be hurt.

"Can't go there yet," said TP. "Wait."

We watch from behind the house as the chariots drive off.

“Now you can,” said TP. I took Quentin in my arms, and we ran, stood at the end of the fence, we watched how they were going. "They're taking him over there," said TP. - Over there in the one with the windows. Look. There he lies. See?

"Let's go," Luster says. “Let’s take it home so it doesn’t get lost. No, you won't get that ball. They will see you, they will say - stole. Shut up. You can't have him. Why would you? You don't need balls-balls."

Frony and T.P. play at the doorstep on the ground. TP has fireflies in a bottle.

Are you still allowed to walk? Froni said.

“There are guests,” Caddy said. “Dad told me to obey today. So you and TP need to listen to me too.

“I won’t,” Jason said. “And Frony and T.P. don’t need to listen to you at all.

“I command them, and they will obey,” Caddy said. “Only, maybe I don’t want to order it yet.

“TP doesn't listen to anyone,” Frony said. - What, the funeral has already begun?

- What is a funeral? Jason said.

“You forgot, mammy didn't tell them to tell,” Versh said.

“No,” Caddy said. - This is the blacks. White people don't have funerals.

“Frony,” Versh said. We weren't told to tell them.

What didn't they tell you about? Caddy said.

Dilsey was wailing, and when we heard, I cried, and Gray howled under the porch, "Luster," said Frony from the window. “Take them to the barn. I have to cook, but I can't because of them. And this dog too. Get them out of here."

"I'm not going to the shed," Luster said. “Grandpa will also be seen. He waved his hands at me from the shed last night.

- Why not speak? Froni said. “White people are dying too. Your grandmother is dead - just like any black woman.

“The dogs are dying,” Caddy said. “Or horses, like when Nancy fell into the ditch and Roskus shot her and the buzzards came and stripped her to the bone.

Under the moon, the bones from the moat are rounded, where the dark vine and the moat are black, as if some of the bright ones went out, while others did not. And then they went out, and it became dark. I stopped to breathe, and again, and I heard my mother, and the steps go away quickly, and I can hear the smell. Then the room came, but my eyes closed. I didn't stop. I can smell. TP unfastens the pin on the sheet.

“Quiet,” he says. - Shh.

But I can smell it. TP put me in bed, dresses me quickly.

“Hush, Benji,” TP says. - Let's go to us. We have a good house there, Fronya is there. Quiet. Tsh-sh.

I tied my shoelaces, put on my hat, and we went out. There is light in the hallway. You can hear your mother in the hallway.

“Shh, Benji,” says TP. - Let's leave now.

The door opened, and the smell was quite strong, and a head stuck out. Not papa. Dad is lying there sick.

- Take him to the yard.

“We’re already on our way,” says TP. Dilsey went up the stairs.

“Hush, Benji,” Dilsey says. - Quiet. Bring him to us, TP. Froni will make a bed for him. Watch him there. Quiet, Benji. Go with T.P.

I went where I could hear my mother.

- Let it stay there. - It's not dad. I closed the door, but I can smell it.

We're going down. The steps go into the dark, and TP took my hand, and we went out through the dark door. In the yard, Dan sits and howls.

“He can smell it,” says TP. - And you, then, also have a flair for this?

We go down the steps from the porch, where our shadows are.

“I forgot to put your jacket on,” TP says. - And it should. But I won't turn back.

Dan howls.

“Shut up,” says TP. Our shadows are walking, but Dan is nowhere, only howls when Dan howls.

“Buzzed,” says TP. How can we lead you to us? Previously, at least you didn’t have this toad bass. Let's go.

We go along the brick path, and our shadows too. The barn smells like pigs. A cow is standing nearby, chewing on us. Dan howls.

“You will raise the whole city to its feet with your roar,” says TP. - Stop doing that.

Fancy is grazing by the stream. We approach, the moon shines on the water.

“Well, no,” says TP. - It's too close. Let's go even further. Went. Well, clubfoot - almost waist-deep in dew. Let's go.

Dan howls.

The grass is noisy, and the ditch has opened in the grass. Bones are rounded from black vines.

“Well, here it is,” said TP. - Now yell as much as you like. All night is yours and twenty acres of meadow.

TP lay down in the ditch, and I sat down, looking at the bones, where the buzzards pecked at Nancy and flew up from the ditch heavily and darkly.

“When we walked around here in the morning, the coin was there,” Luster says. “I also showed you. Do you remember? We are standing right here, I took it out of my pocket and show it.”

- Well, in your opinion, the buzzards will undress the grandmother too? Caddy said. - What nonsense.

"You're a badass," Jason said. I cried.

"You're stupid," Caddy said. Jason is crying. Hands in pockets.

“Jason should be rich,” Versh said. - All the time for the money keeps.

Jason is crying.

“Here, teased,” Caddy said. Don't cry, Jason. Is it possible for buzzards to get to their grandmother? Dad won't let them. You are small - and that would not have been given to them. Do not Cry.

Jason was silent.

“And Frony says it's a funeral,” Jason said.

“No, no,” Caddy said. - This is our dinner party. Fronya doesn't know a thing. He wants to hold fireflies. Give it to him, T.P.

TP gave me a bottle of fireflies.

“Let's go around the house and look out the window into the living room,” Caddy said. Then you will see who is right.

“I already know,” Frony said. - I don't even need to look.

“Better be quiet, Frony,” Versh said. “Or you’ll get a spanking from mammy.”

- Well, what do you know? Caddy said.

“What I know, I know,” said Froni.

“Come on,” Caddy said. - Let's go look out the window.

We are going.

“Did you forget to return the fireflies?” Froni said.

“Let him hold it some more—can I, T.P.?” Caddy said. - We'll bring it.

“You didn't catch them,” Frony said.

- And if I allow you to go with us, then can I still hold? Caddy said.

“T.P. and I weren’t told to listen to you,” Frony said.

- And if I say that you do not need to obey me, then can you still hold it? Caddy said.

“All right,” Frony said. “Let him hold it, TP. But we'll see how they vote.

“You can’t see what they have there from here,” Versh said.

“Well, let's go,” Caddy said. “Frony and T.P. can disobey me. And everyone else should listen. Get him up, Versh. It's almost dark already.

Versh took me on his back, we went to the porch and further around the house.

We looked out from behind the house - two lights are going to the house along the alley. TP returned to the cellar, opened the door.

"Do you know what's down there?" T.P. said. Soda. I saw Mr. Jason carrying bottles from there in both hands. Stay here a minute."

TP went and looked in the kitchen door. Dilsey said, “Well, what are you looking at? Where's Benji?

"He's here in the yard," TP said.

"Go watch him," Dilsey said. "Don't go into the house."

"Okay, ma'am," said TP. “What, has it already begun?”

A snake crawled out from under the house. Jason said he wasn't afraid of snakes, and Caddy said he was, but she wasn't, and Versh said they were both afraid, and Caddy said don't make a fuss, Dad didn't say so.

"Found when to cry," says TP. "Take a sip better than this sasprel."

She tickles my nose and eyes.

“If you don't want it, let me have a drink,” says TP. “That's it, once - and no. Now for a new bottle to go, while no one bothers us. Shut up."

We stood under a tree where the window to the living room was. Versh sat me down in the wet grass. Cold. Light in all windows.

"Grandma's over there at that window," Caddy said. She is sick all day now. And when he gets better, we'll have a picnic.

The trees rustle and the grass.

“And next door is the room where we get measles,” Caddy said. – Frony, where do you and T.P. get measles?

“Yes, where it is necessary,” said Froni.

“It hasn't started yet,” Caddy said.

"They'll start now," said TP. “You stay here, and I’ll go and drag the box, you can see it through the window. Let's finish the bottle first. Wow, she just makes you want to hoot like an owl.

We drank. TP pushed the bottle through the bars under the house and left. I can hear them in the living room, I grabbed the wall with my hands. TP is dragging the box. Fell down laughing. Lies and laughs in the grass. He got up and dragged the box under the window. Holding back not to laugh.

- Horror, how to bawl hunting, - says TP. - Climb on the box, look, it didn’t start there?

“It hasn't started yet,” Caddy said. There are no musicians yet.

“And there will be no musicians,” said Froni.

“You know a lot,” Caddy said.

“What I know, I know,” said Froni.

“You don't know anything,” Caddy said. Went up to the tree. “Put me on, Versh.

“Your dad didn't tell you to climb a tree,” Versh said.

“That was a long time ago,” Caddy said. - He already forgot. And then, he ordered me to obey today. What, isn't it true?

“I won't listen to you,” Jason said. “And Frony and T.P. won’t either.”

“Get me on, Versh,” Caddy said.

“All right,” Versh said. “You will be beaten, not me.

He approached, planted Caddy on a tree, on the lower bough. She has dirty pants on the back. And now she is invisible. Branches crack and sway.

“Mr. Jason said he'd whip you if you broke a tree,” Versh said.

“I’ll tell you about her too,” Jason said.

The tree stopped swaying. We look at quiet branches.

- Well, what did you see there? - Fronie in a whisper.

I saw them. Then I saw Caddy, flowers in her hair, and a long veil like a bright wind. Caddy. Caddy.

- Quiet! TP says. - They will hear! Get down faster. - Pulls me. Caddy. I cling to the wall. Caddy. TP is pulling me.

“Quiet,” says TP. - It's quiet. Let's get out of here quickly. - It drags me further. Caddy... - Quiet, Benji. You want to be heard. Let's go, have another drink and come back - if you shut up. Let's go get another bottle before the two of us bawl. Let's say it was Dan who drank them. Mr. Quentin keeps saying what a smart dog - let's say he knows how to drink wine.

Light from the moon on the stairs to the cellar. We drink more.

- Do you know what I want? TP says. - So that the bear comes here to the cellar. Do you know what I'll do to him? I'll go right up and spit in my eyes. Give me a bottle - shut your mouth, otherwise I'll bawl now.

TP fell. I laughed, the cellar door and the light of the moon rushed, and I hit.

“Hush, you,” says TP, and wants not to laugh. - They'll hear it. Get up, Benji. Get back on your feet, hurry up. - Flounders and laughs, but I want to get up. The steps from the cellar go up, the moon is on them. TP fell down the stairs, into the moonlight, I ran into the fence, and TP runs after me and: "Quiet, quiet." Fell into the flowers, laughs, I ran into the box. I want to climb in, but the box jumped back, hit me on the back of the head, and my throat said: "Uh." It said again, and I lie quietly, but my throat does not stop, and I began to cry. TP is dragging me, but my throat won't stop. It doesn't stop all the time and I don't know if I'm crying or not. TP fell on me, laughing, but his throat wouldn't stop, and Quentin kicked TP, and Caddy hugged me, and a light veil, but Caddy doesn't smell of trees anymore, and I cried.

"Benji," Caddy said. "Benji". She hugged me again with her arms, but I left."What are you on about, Benji?" Because of this hat? - She took off her hat, came up again, I left.

"Benji," she said. “For what then?” What did Caddy do wrong?

“Yes, because of that dress,” Jason said. You think you're big already, don't you? You think you're the best, right? Dressed up.

“You bastard, bite your tongue,” Caddy said. Why are you crying, Benji?

“If you’re fourteen, you think you’re already big, don’t you?” Jason said. - Big swell, you think, huh?

“Hush, Benji,” Caddy said. “And then you’ll upset your mother.” Stop doing that.

But I did not stop, she left me, I followed her, she stood, waiting on the stairs, I also began.

"What are you on about, Benji?" - she said. “Tell Caddy and Caddy will fix it. Well, speak up.

“Candace,” Mom said.

“Yes, ma'am,” Caddy said.

Why are you teasing him? Mom said. - Come here with him.

We went into my mother's room, mother is lying there, and on her forehead the disease is a white rag.

"What's the matter with you again, Benjamin?" Mom said.

"Benji," Caddy said. Came back, but I left.

“It’s probably because of you,” Mom said. “Why are you touching him, why don’t you let me lie down quietly. Get him a box and please go away, leave him alone.

Caddy took out the box, set it on the floor, opened it. It's full of stars. I stand quietly - and they are quiet. I move - they play with sparks. I stopped talking.

Then he heard Caddy leaving and started crying again.

“Benjamin,” Mom said. “Come here,” he went to the door. “They tell you, Benjamin,” my mother said.

– What do you have here? Dad said. – Where did you go?

“Take him down, Jason, and have someone look after him,” Mom said. “You know how unwell I am, and yet you—”

We went out and dad closed the door.

– T.P.! - he said.

“Yes, sir,” said TP from below.

“Benji is coming down to see you,” Dad said. - Stay with T.P.

I listen to water.

Hear the water. I'm listening to.

“Benji,” said TP from below.

I listen to water.

The water has stopped and Caddy is at the door.

- Oh, Benji! - she said. Looks at me, I came up, hugged me. “Found Caddy after all,” she said. “Did you think I ran away?” Caddy smelled like trees.

We went to Caddin's room. She sat down in front of the mirror. Then she stopped her hands and turned to me.

What are you, Benji? Why are you? Do not Cry. Caddy doesn't go anywhere. Look, she said. She took the bottle, took out the cork, brought it to my nose. - How it smells! Smell. Good as!

I left and did not stop, and she holds the bottle and looks at me.

“So there it is,” Caddy said. She put down the bottle, came up and hugged me. “So that’s what you are for. And he wanted to tell me, but he couldn't. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Of course, Caddy will not be perfumed. Of course it won't. I'll just get dressed.

Caddy got dressed, picked up the bottle again, and we went into the kitchen.

"Dilsey," Caddy said. Benji is giving you a present. Caddy bent down and put the bottle in my hand. “Give it to Dilsey now. She held out my hand and Dilsey took the bottle.

- No, you think! Dilsey said. - My child gives me perfume. Just look, Roskus.

Caddy smells like trees.

“And Benji and I don't like spirits,” Caddy said.

Caddy smelled like trees.

"Well, here's another one," said Dilsey. - Big boy already, you need to sleep in your bed. You are already thirteen years old. You will sleep alone now, in Uncle Maurya's room,” said Dilsey.

Uncle Maury is not well. He has an unhealthy eye and mouth. Versh brought him dinner on a tray.

“Mori is threatening to shoot the bastard,” Dad said. - I advised him to be quiet, otherwise this Patterson would not hear. Dad drank from a glass.

“Jason,” Mom said.

- Whom to shoot, eh, papa? Quentin said. - Shoot for what?

“Because Uncle Maury was joking, and he doesn’t understand jokes,” said dad.

“Jason,” Mom said. - How can you do that? What good, Maury will be killed from around the corner, and you will sit and laugh.

- And who to shoot? Quentin said. Who will Uncle Maury shoot?

“No one,” said Dad. - I don't have a gun.

Mom started crying.

“If it is a burden for you to show hospitality to Mori, then be a man and tell him to his face, and do not mock in front of the children.

“What are you, what are you,” said dad. “I admire Mori. It immeasurably reinforces in me a sense of racial superiority. I wouldn't trade it for a team of brown horses. And you know, Quentin, why?

“No, sir,” Quentin said.

“Et ego in Arcadia…2 I forgot the Latin word for hay,” Dad said. “Well, don’t be angry,” said dad. - These are all jokes. - I drank, put down a glass, went up to my mother, put his hand on her shoulder.

“Inappropriate jokes,” Mom said. “Our family is not one iota worse than yours, the Compsonian. And if Mori is in poor health, then ...

“Of course,” Dad said. Poor health is the root cause of life in general. Born in sickness, nourished by decay, subject to decay. Versh!

"Sir," Versh said from behind my chair.

- Go fill the decanter.

“And tell Dilsey to take Benjamin upstairs and put him to bed,” Mom said.

“You're a big boy now,” Dilsey said. “Caddy got tired of sleeping with you. So shut up and sleep.

The room left, but I didn't stop talking, and the room came back, and Dilsey came, sat on the bed, looked at me.

“So you don’t want to be nice and go to sleep?” Dilsey said. - Don't you want to? Can you wait a minute?

Gone. The doors are empty. Then Caddy at the door.

“Shh,” Caddy says. - I'm coming.

I paused, Dilsey pulled back the covers, and Caddy lay down on the blanket under the covers. She didn't take off her bathrobe.

“There you are,” Caddy said. - Here I am.

Dilsey came in with a blanket, covered her up, tucked her around.

“He's a minute and ready,” Dilsey said. “I won’t turn off your light.

"Okay," Caddy said. She rested her head next to mine on the pillow. - Good night, Dilsey.

“Good night, dove,” said Dilsey. Blackness fell over the room. Caddy smelled like trees.

We look at the tree where Caddy is.

“What can she see there, Versh?” - Fronie in a whisper.

“Shh,” Caddy said from the tree.

- Come on, sleep! Dilsey said. She left the house. “Dad told me to go upstairs, and you sneaked in here behind my back?” Where are Caddy and Quentin?

“I told her not to climb the tree,” Jason said. - Let me tell you about her.

Who, what tree? Dilsey said. - Came up, looks at the tree up. - Caddy! Dilsey said. Again the branches swayed.

You are Satan! Dilsey said. - Get down on the ground.

“Shh,” Caddy said. “Dad didn’t tell me to make noise.”

Caddy's legs showed up. Dilsey reached out and lifted it from the tree.

- Do you have a mind? Why did you let them come here? Dilsey said.

“What could I do with her,” Versh said.

– Why are you here? Dilsey said. - Who gave you permission?

“She is,” Frony said. She called us.

Who told you to obey her? - said Dilsey - Come on, march home! Frony and T.P. leave. You can't see them, but you can still hear them.

“Night outside and you wandering about,” said Dilsey. She picked me up and we went to the kitchen.

“Sneaked in behind me,” Dilsey said. “And they know it’s time for bed.”

“Shh, Dilsey,” Caddy said. - Speak more quietly. We were not told to make noise.

“Shut up, don’t make any noise,” Dilsey said. "Where's Quentin?"

“He's mad that he was told to obey me,” Caddy said. “And we still have to give T.P. the bottle of fireflies.”

“T.P. can do without fireflies,” Dilsey said. “Go, Versh, look for Quentin. Roskus saw him walking towards the barn. Versh is leaving. The top is not visible.

“They don't do anything in the living room,” Caddy said. “Just sit on chairs and watch.

“Your help seems to be expected,” said Dilsey. We turned around the kitchens.

"Where did you turn?" Luster says. “Again looking at the players? We've already searched there. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Stay here and stay where you are while I run home for that ball. I thought of one thing."

The kitchen window is dark. Trees blacken in the sky. From under the porch, Dan waddle, gently grabbing his leg. I went behind the kitchen, where the moon is. Dan is behind me.

- Benji! TP said in the house.

The flowered tree by the living room window does not turn black, but the thick trees are all black. The grass chirps under the moon, my shadow walks on the grass.

- Hey, Benji! TP said in the house. – Where did you disappear to? Moved into the yard. I know.

Luster is back. "Stop," he says. "Do not go. You can't go there. There's Miss Quentin in the hammock with a gentleman. Let's go through here. Turn back, Benji!"

It's dark under the trees. Dan didn't go. Stay where the moon is. The hammock became visible, and I began to cry.

"Better come back, Benji," Luster says. "Miss Quentin will be angry."

There are two in the hammock, then one. The caddy walks fast, white in the dark.

- Benji! she says. How did you run away from home? Where is Versh?

She put her arms around me, I stopped talking, holding on to the dress, pulling her away.

What are you, Benji? Caddy said. - Well, why? T.P., she called.

The one in the hammock got up, came over, I cried, pull Caddy by the dress.

"Benji," Caddy said. - This is Charlie. You know Charlie.

- And where is Niger, what is looking after him? Charlie said. Why are they letting him in unsupervised?

“Shh, Benji,” Caddy said. - Go away, Charlie. He doesn't like you. - Charlie left, I was silent. I pull Caddy by the dress.

“Well, what are you, Benji? Caddy said. "Can't I just sit here and talk to Charlie?"

“Call the Niger,” Charlie said. Fits again. I cried louder, pull Caddy by the dress.

“Go away, Charlie,” Caddy said. Charlie came up, took Caddy with his hands. I cried harder. Loud.

“No, no,” Caddy said. - No. No.

"He's dumb anyway," Charlie said. - Caddy.

“You're crazy,” Caddy said. She breathed. “Mute, but not blind. Let it go. No need. - Caddy breaks out. Both are breathing. “Please, please,” Caddy whispered.

“Get him out,” Charlie said.

"Okay," Caddy said. - Let go!

- Will you drive away? Charlie said.

“Yes,” Caddy said. - Let go. Charlie is gone. "Don't cry," Caddy said. - He left. - I stopped talking. She breathes loudly and her chest moves.

“We'll have to take him home,” Caddy said. She took my hand. “I am now,” in a whisper.

"Don't go," Charlie said. Let's call Niger.

“No,” Caddy said. - I'll come back. Let's go, Benji.

- Caddy! Charlie whispers loudly. We are leaving. Come back, I say! - Caddy and I run. - Caddy! Charlie follow. We ran under the moon, we run to the kitchen.

- Caddy! Charlie follow.

Caddy and I are running. Up the steps to the verandah, and Caddy sat down in the dark and hugged me. She breathes audibly, her chest walks against mine.

“I won’t,” Caddy says. “Never again.” Benji, Benji. - I cried, I too, we hold each other. “Hush, Benji,” Caddy said. - Quiet. Never will again. - And I stopped. Caddy got up and we went into the kitchen, turned on the light, and Caddy got some kitchen soap, washes her mouth under the tap, scrubs hard. Caddy smells like trees.

“How many times have you been told not to come here,” Luster says. We got up quickly in the hammock. Quentin's hair with his hands. He has a red tie on.

“Oh, you nasty wretched idiot,” says Quentina. “And you deliberately follow me everywhere. I'll tell Dilsey now, she will belt you.

“What could I do when he's rushing,” Luster says. Turn around, Benji.

“Could, could,” Quentina says. - I just didn't want to. The two of them were watching me. Did your grandmother send you to spy? - She jumped off the hammock. “Just don’t take him away this minute, just stick him in here again and I’ll complain and Jason will whip you.”

“I can't handle him,” Luster says. “If we tried it ourselves, then we would talk.

“Shut up,” Quentina says. Are you going to get out of here or not?

“Let it go,” he says. His tie is red. On the tie - the sun. - Hey, Jack! Look here! - I lit a match in my mouth. Taken out of his mouth. She's still on fire. - Come on, try this! he says. I went. - Open your mouth! - I opened. Quentina struck the match with her hand, the match went away.

- Well, to hell with you! Quentina says. - Do you want him to blow up? Him after all only start – and on the whole day. I'll complain to Dilsey about them now. - She's gone, she's gone.

“Come back, baby,” he says. - Do not go. We will not train him.

Quentin runs towards the house. Wrapped up behind the kitchen.

“Hey, Jack,” he says. - You've done things.

“He doesn’t understand what you told him,” Luster says. - He's deaf.

“Yes, well,” he says. - And how long has it been?

“It's exactly thirty-three today,” Luster says. - He's a fool from birth. Are you not an artist?

- And what? he says.

“Yes, I haven’t seen you in our city before,” Luster says.

- So what? he says.

“Nothing,” Luster says. - I'm going to the show today.

He looks at me.

“And you won’t be the one who plays the saw?” Luster says.

“If you buy a ticket, you will find out,” he says. Looks at me. “That one needs to be locked up,” he says. "What are you doing here with him?"

“I have nothing to do with it,” Luster says. “I can't handle him. I’m walking around and looking for a coin - I lost it, and now there’s nothing to buy a ticket for. Just stay at home. - Looks at the ground. “Do you happen to have a quarter of a dollar?” Luster says.

“No,” he says. - It won't happen by accident.

“We'll have to look for that coin,” Luster says. He put his hand in his pocket. “Would you like to buy a ball too?”

- What ball? he says.

“For golf,” Luster says. “Only a quarter of a dollar.

- What is he to me? he says. - What will I do with him?

“That's what I thought,” Luster says. “Come on, donkeyhead,” he says. Let's go watch the balls being played. Look, I found you a toy. On, keep it together with dope. Luster picked it up and gave it to me. She shines.

Where did you get this box? he says. The tie blushes in the sun.

“Under the bush here,” Luster says. I thought it was your coin.

He came and took it.

“Don't cry,” Luster says. He will look and give.

- "Agnes", "Mabel", "Becky",3 - he says. Looked at the house.

“Quiet,” Luster says. - He'll give up now.

He gave it to me, I shut up.

Who was here yesterday? he says.

“I don't know,” Luster says. “They are here every evening when she can climb down the tree from the window. You can't follow them.

“One still left a trace,” he says. Looked at the house. I went to bed in a hammock. - Get out of here. Don't get on your nerves.

“Come on,” Luster says. - You did business. Let's go while Miss Quentin's complaining about you.

We go to the fence, look into the gaps of flowers. Laster is looking in the grass.

“It was in this pocket,” he says. The flag is flashing, and the sun is slanting across the wide meadow.

“Someone is going to pass through here,” Luster says. - Yes, not those - those players have already passed. Come on, help me find it.

We go along the fence.

“Stop howling,” Luster says. “If they don’t go, you can’t force them to come!” You have to wait a minute. Look. Vaughn showed up.

I walk along the fence to the gate, where schoolgirls pass with bags.

- Hey, Benji! Luster says. - Back!

"Well, what's the use of hanging out there, looking down the road," said TP. “Miss Caddy is far from us now. She got married and left. What's the use of holding on to the gate there and crying? She won't hear."

"What does he want?" mother said. "Entertain him, TP, keep him quiet."

“Yes, he wants to go to the gate, look at the road,” said TP.

“That’s just not right,” Mom said. “It's raining outside. Can't you play with him to keep him quiet? Stop it, Benjamin."

"He won't shut up for anything," said TP. "He thinks if you stand at the gate, then Miss Caddy will return."

"What nonsense," said my mother.

I can hear them talking. I went out the door, and they can no longer be heard, and I go to the gate, where schoolgirls pass with bags. They pass quickly, look at me, turning their faces. I want to say, but they leave, I go along the fence and I want to say, but they are faster. Now I’m running, and the fence is over, I have nowhere to go, I hold on to the fence, look after me and want to speak out.

- Benji! TP says. Why are you running away from home? Wanted Dilsey to be whipped?

“What’s the use of you howling there and mooing over the fence,” says TP. - The kids just scared. You see, they ran to the other side of you.

"How did he open the gate?" dad said. "Didn't you lock it behind you when you came in, Jason?"

“Of course I did,” Jason said. "What am I, a fool? Or do you think I wanted this to happen? Our family is already funny things. I knew it would not end well. Now, I think you will send it to Jackson 4 Unless Mrs. Burges shoots him first…"

"Shut up," said dad.

“I knew it all along,” Jason said.

I touched the gate - it is not locked, and I hold on to it, I look into the twilight, I do not cry. Schoolgirls pass by at dusk, and I want everything to be in place. I'm not crying.

- There he is.

Stopped.

He can't go out the gate. And then - he is humble. Went!

- Afraid. I'm afraid. I'd rather go that side.

- He can't get out of the gate.

I'm not crying.

- Also a cowardly bunny. Went!

They go at dusk. I'm not crying, I'm holding on to the gate. They don't fit quickly.

- I'm afraid.

- He won't touch it. I pass here every day. He only runs along the fence.

Come up. He opened the gate, and they stopped, turned around. I want to say, I caught her, I want to say, but she screamed, but I want to say, utter it, and the bright spots have ceased, and I want to get out of here. I want to tear it off my face, but the bright ones swam again. They swim up the mountain and to the cliff, and I want to cry. I inhaled, but exhaled, I can’t cry and I don’t want to fall off the cliff - I fall - into a whirlwind of bright spots.

"Look here, you idiot!" Luster says. “They are coming. Stop screaming, pick up drool.

They approached the flag. He pulled it out, hit it, put the flag back in.

- Mister! Luster said.

He turned around.

- What? - speaks.

- Would you like to buy a golf ball? Luster says.

“Show me,” he says. Came up, and Luster gave him the ball over the fence.

- Where did you get it? he says.

“Yes, I did,” Luster says.

“What I found is understandable,” he says. - But where did you find it? The players in the bag?

“He was lying in our yard,” Luster says. - I'll sell it for a quarter of a dollar.

- Someone else's ball - to sell? he says.

“I found him,” Luster says.

“Go ahead and find it again,” he says. He put it in his pocket and leaves.

“I need a ticket,” Luster says.

– Is that how? he says. Went to smooth. “Step aside, Caddy,” he said. hit.

“You can’t make out,” Luster says. - If you don't have them - you howl, they come - you also howl. Could you shut up? Do you think it's nice to listen to you all day long? And the dope dropped his. On the! - He picked it up and gave me a flower. - Already exhausted, at least go pick a new one. - We stand at the fence, look at them.

“You can’t cook porridge with this white,” Luster says. Did you see how he took my ball? - They're leaving. We are walking along the fence. We reached the garden, we have nowhere else to go. I hold on to the fence, look into the gaps of flowers. Gone.

On the grass are our shadows. They go to the trees ahead of us. Mine arrived first. Then we got there, and there are no more shadows. There is a flower in the bottle. I am my flower - there too.

“A grown-up bastard,” Luster says. “You play with weed in a bottle. When Miss Calaine dies, do you know where they'll put you? Mr. Jason said they'll take you where you're supposed to be, in Jackson. Sit there with other psychos, hold on to the bars all day long and let them drool. You will have fun.

Luster hit the flowers with his hand, fell from the bottle.

- That's how you are in Jackson, you will only try to howl there.

I want to pick up flowers. Luster picked up and the flowers left. I cried.

“Come on,” Luster says, “roar!” The only problem is that there is no reason. Okay, now you have a reason. Caddy! - in a whisper. - Caddy! Well, roar, Caddy!

– Luster! Dilsey said from the kitchen. The flowers are back.

- Quiet! Luster says. Here are your herbs. Look! Again, everything is exactly as it was. Cum!

– La-aster! Dilsey says.

“Yes, ma'am,” Luster says. - Let's go now! And all because of you. Get up. He grabbed my hand and I stood up. We went out of the trees. Our shadows are not.

- Quiet! Luster says. All the neighbors are watching. Quiet!

“Get him here,” Dilsey says. She got off the stairs.

What else have you done to him? she says.

“I didn't do anything to him,” Luster says. - He is so simple, with nothing.

“No,” says Dilsey. - Did something. Where did you go with him?

“Yes, under the trees,” Luster says.

“Quentina was driven to wickedness,” Dilsey says. “Why are you taking him to where she is?” You know she doesn't like it.

“She's too busy,” Luster says. “I suppose Benjy is her uncle, not me.

- You, boy, stop being impudent! Dilsey says.

“I didn't touch it,” Luster says. - He was playing, and then suddenly he took it and roared.

“So you plundered his graves,” Dilsey says.

“I didn't touch them,” Luster says.

“Don’t lie to me, son,” Dilsey says. We went up the steps to the kitchen. Dilsey opened the stove door, put a chair beside it, and I sat down. Stopped talking.

"Why did you have to disturb her?" Dilsey said. "Why did you go there with him?"

"He sat quietly and looked at the fire," Caddy said. “And his mother taught him to respond to a new name. We didn't want her to cry at all."

“Yes, they didn’t want to,” said Dilsey. “Here you mess with him, there with her. Don't let him near the stove, okay? Don't touch anything here without me."

"Aren't you ashamed to tease him?" Dilsey says. She brought the cake to the table.

“I didn't tease,” Luster says. - He played with his herbs in a bottle, suddenly took it and roared. You yourself have heard.

“Say you didn’t touch his flowers,” Dilsey says.

“I haven't touched it,” Luster says. - What do I need his herbs for. I was looking for my coin.

“Lost her,” says Dilsey. I lit the candles on the cake. Some candles are thin. Others are thick, stubby in pieces. - I told you to hide. And now, then, you want me to get another one for you from Fronya.

“Though Benji, even razbendzhi, but I’ll go to the artists,” Luster says. - Not enough during the day, so maybe even at night you can mess with it.

“That's why you're assigned to him,” Dilsey says. - Get it on your nose, granddaughters.

“Yes, I am,” Luster says. Whatever he wants, I do everything. Really, Bendy?

“That’s right,” Dilsey says. “And not to bring him to roar all over the house,” annoyed Ms. Calaine. Let's eat the cake before Jason comes. Now it will become attached, even though I bought this cake with my own money. Try specs here, when he keeps score for every testicle. Don't you dare tease him here without me if you want to go to the artists.

Dilsey is gone.

“It’s hard for you to blow out the candles,” Luster says. “Look how I do them. - He bent down, puffed out his cheeks. The candles are gone. I cried. “Come on,” Luster says. “Look at the fire on the stove. I'll cut the cake.

I can hear the clock, and Caddy behind me, and I can hear the roof. "Pour and pour," Caddy said. “I hate the rain. I hate everything." Her head rested on my knees. Caddy is crying, put her arms around me and I started crying. Then again I look into the fire, again the bright ones floated smoothly. You can hear the clock and the roof and the Caddy.

I eat a piece of cake. Luster's hand came, took another piece. You can hear him eating. I look into the fire. A long piece of iron from behind my shoulder reached out to the door, and the fire went out. I cried.

- Well, what did you howl? Luster says. - Look. - The fire is back. I am silent. “I should have sat there, looking at the fire, and kept quiet, as Mammy said, but no,” Luster says. “And you are not ashamed. On the. Here's another piece for you.

What did you do to him here? Dilsey says. Why do you hate him?

“But I try to keep him quiet and not annoy Ms. Caline,” Luster says. - He again with nothing roared.

“I know it’s yours for nothing,” Dilsey says. - When Versh arrives, he will teach you with a stick, so as not to mischief. You've been asking for sticks since morning. Did you take him to the stream?

“No, ma'am,” Luster says. - We've been out of the yard all day, as ordered.

His hand came for a new piece. Dilsey hit her arm.

“Hold it out again,” Dilsey says. - I'll chop it off with this cutter. He hasn't eaten a single bite yet.

“I ate it too,” Luster says. - I'm alone, he's two. Let him say.

“Just try to get more,” Dilsey says. - Just hold out your hand.

"Yes, yes," said Dilsey. “Now, that’s right, it’s my turn to cry. I must also squish over poor Mori.

"His name is Benji now," Caddy said.

"What for?" Dilsey said. “What, his old, dear name has already been demolished, is it no good?”

“Benjamin is from the Bible,” Caddy said. "It suits him better than Mori."

"What makes it better?" Dilsey said.

"Mom said it's better."

"Thought too," said Dilsey. “A new name won't help him. The old one won't hurt. Change names - there will be no happiness. Dilsey I was born, and so it will remain Dilsey, when everyone has long forgotten me.

"How will it remain when you are forgotten, huh, Dilsey?" Caddy said.

"It will stay in the Book, dear," Dilsey said. "It's written there."

From behind the shoulder to the door again a long piece of iron, and the fire went out. I cried.

Dilsey and Luster fight.

- No, I got it! Dilsey says. - No, I saw it! - She pulled Luster out of the corner, shaking him. - So this is what it is - yours for nothing! Wait, your father is coming. If I were younger, I would tear your ears off by the roots. I’ll lock you up in the cellar for the whole evening, you will be in place of the artists. You'll see, shut up.

- Oh, mammy! Luster says. - Oh, mammy!

I reach out to where the fire was.

- Don't let him! Dilsey said. - It will burn your fingers!

My hand pulled back, I into her mouth. Dilsey grabbed me. When my voice is not there, even now I can hear the clock. Dilsey turned to Luster, slapping him on the head. My voice is loud again and again.

- Give me some soda! Dilsey says. She took her hand out of my mouth. My voice is loud. Dilsey pours baking soda on my arm.

“There’s a rag on a nail in the pantry, tear off the strip,” she says. - Shhhh. And then mom will get sick again from your crying. Look at the fire. Dilsey will heal his hand, the hand will stop in a minute. Look, what a fire! - She opened the stove door. I look into the fire, but the hand does not stop, and neither do I. You want to put your hand in your mouth, but Dilsey holds on.

She wrapped her hand in a rag. Mom says:

- Well, what's with him again? And they won't let me get sick in peace. Two adult blacks cannot look after him, I have to get out of bed and go down to calm him down.

“It's all over now,” Dilsey says. - He'll shut up now. I just burned my hand a little.

“Two adult blacks can’t walk with him so that he doesn’t yell in the house,” Mom says. “You know that I am sick, and they make him cry on purpose. - Came up to me, standing. “Stop,” he says. - Stop this minute. Did you treat him to this?

“There is no Jason flour in this cake,” Dilsey says. I bought it with my own in the store. Benji celebrated her birthday.

“You wanted to poison him with that cheap shop cake,” Mom says. - Not otherwise. Will I ever have a moment of peace?

“You go back upstairs,” Dilsey says. - The hand will pass now, it will stop. Come on, lie down.

“Go away and leave him here to be torn apart by you?” Mom says. “Is it possible to lie quietly there when he is yelling here?” Benjamin! Stop this minute.

"Where are you going with him?" Dilsey says. - Before, at least to the meadow, it used to be taken away, until not all of it was sold. Do not keep him in the yard in front of all the neighbors when he cries.

“I know, I know,” Mom says. - It's all my fault. Soon I will be gone, without me it will be easier for you, and for Jason. She started crying.

- Well, it will be for you, - says Dilsey, - or you will fall ill again. Better go, lie down. And I'll send him and Luster to the office, let them play there while I cook dinner for him.

Dilsey and Mom left the kitchen.

- Quiet! Luster says. - Finish it. And then I'll burn my other hand. After all, it doesn't hurt anymore. Quiet!

“Here,” Dilsey says. “And don't cry. - She gave me a shoe, I fell silent. - Go to the office with him. And even if I hear his cry again, I will flog you with my own hands.

We went to the office. Luster turned on the light. The windows became black, and that spot came on the wall, high and dark, I went up, touched it. It is like a door, but it is not a door.

Behind me, the fire came, I went to the fire, sat on the floor, holding the shoe. The fire has grown. Has grown to the pillow in my mother's chair.

“Shut up,” Luster says. - Shut up a little. Look, I kindled a fire for you, but you don’t even want to look.

"Your name is Benji now," Caddy said. “Do you hear? Benji. Benji."

"Don't mangle his name," Mom said. "Come with him to me."

Caddy grabbed me and lifted me up.

“Get up, Mo… I mean Benji,” she said.

"Don't you dare carry him around," Mom said. “Take the hand and bring it to the chair - you don’t have enough thought for this.”

"I can do it in my arms" Caddy said. “May I carry him upstairs, Dilsey?”

“Something else, little one,” said Dilsey. - Yes, you can’t even raise fleas there. Go quietly, as Mr. Jason said.

There is light on the stairs above. There is a dad in a vest. On his face: "Quiet!" Caddy whisper:

What, is your mother unwell?

Versh lowered me to the floor, we went to my mother's room. There the fire grows and falls on the walls. And in the mirror another fire. Smells like sickness. She is on her mother's forehead - a white rag. Mom's hair on the pillow. The fire does not grow to them, but it burns on the hand, and mother's rings jump.

“Come on, tell your mom goodnight,” Caddy said. We go to bed. The fire has left the mirror. Dad got out of bed, lifted me up to mom, she put her hand on my head.

- What time is it now? Mom said. Her eyes are closed.

“Ten minutes to seven,” Dad said.

“It’s too early to put him down,” Mom said. - Again he will wake up a little light, and repeat as today, and it will finish me.

“Enough for you,” Dad said. Touched my mother's face.

“I know that I am only a burden to you,” said my mother. “But soon I will be gone, and you will breathe freely.

“Come on,” Dad said. - I'll go downstairs with him. - He took me in his arms. “Come on, old man, let’s sit downstairs for a while.” Don't make noise: Quentin is preparing his homework.

Caddy came over, bent her face over the bed, and mother's hand came to where the fire was. Playing her rings on Caddy's back.

"Mommy's not well," said Dad. “Dilsey will put you down. Where is Quentin?

"Versh went after him," Dilsey said.

Dad stands and watches as we pass. I can hear my mother there, in my mother's room. "Shh," Caddy says. Jason is still walking up the stairs. Hands in pockets.

“Be good,” Dad said. Don't make noise, don't disturb your mother.

“We won't make any noise,” Caddy said. “You can't make noise, Jason,” she said. We walk on tiptoe.

I hear the roof. The fire is visible in the mirror. Caddy picked me up again.

“Come on, I’ll bring you to your mother,” she said. Let's go back to the fire. Do not Cry.

“Candace,” Mom said.

"Don't cry, Benji," Caddy said. Mom calls for a minute. You are a good boy. And then we'll be back.

Put me down, I stopped.

“Let him sit there, Mom,” Caddy said. - Look at the fire, and only after that you can teach it.

“Candace,” Mom said. Caddy bent down and picked me up. We staggered. “Candace,” Mom said.

"Don't cry," Caddy said. You can see the fire even now. Do not Cry.

“Bring him here,” Mom said. "And don't you dare take it." He's too heavy. You'll hurt your spine too. Women in our family have always been proud of their posture. Do you want to be stooped, like a washerwoman.

“It's not heavy,” Caddy said. - I can wear it in my arms.

“But I forbid you,” said my mother. - To carry a five-year-old child in your arms. No no. Just don't get on my knees. Put him on the floor.

“On your knees to your mother, then he would be silent,” Caddy said. “Shh,” she said. Now let's get back to the fire. Look. Here is your pillow on the chair. See?

“Stop it, Candace,” Mom said.

“Let him watch and stop crying,” Caddy said. "Rise a little, I'll pull it out." Here she is, Benji, look!

I look at the pillow, do not cry.

“You’re indulging him too much,” Mom said. You and your father. You don't want to know that the consequences will fall heavily on me. That's how grandma spoiled Jason, and had to wean him for two whole years. And for Benjamin, I no longer have the strength.

“Don't be afraid,” Caddy said. “I love babysitting him. Really, Benji?

“Candace,” Mom said. “I forbade you to distort his name. It's enough for me that your father insists on calling you by that stupid name of yours, and I won't allow Benjamin. Diminutive names are vulgar. They are only used by the common people. Benjamin, my mother said.

“Look at me,” Mom said.

“Benjamin,” Mom said. She took my face in her hands and turned it towards her.

“Benjamin,” Mom said. “Put that Candace pillow away.”

“He will cry,” Caddy said.

“I said take the pillow away,” Mom said. He needs to be taught to listen.

The pillow is gone.

“Shh, Benji,” Caddy said.

“Get away from him, sit over there,” Mom said. — Benjamin. He keeps my face close to his. “Stop,” she said. - Shut up.

But I did not stop talking, my mother hugged me, cried, and I cry. The pillow returned, Caddy lifted it over Mom's head, put it down, pulled Mom by the shoulder, and Mom lay down in the chair, crying on the red and yellow pillow.

“Don't cry, Mom,” Caddy said. - Go lie down in bed and get sick yourself there calmly. I'll go and call Dilsey. - Led me to the fire. I watch the bright ones float smoothly. The fire is heard and the roof.

Dad took me in his arms. He smelled like rain.

How are you, Benji? Dad said. Was he a good boy today?

Caddy and Jason fight in the mirror.

- Caddy! Dad said.

They fight. Jason cried.

- Caddy! Dad said. Jason is crying. He doesn't fight anymore, but Caddy fights in the mirror, and dad let me down, went into the mirror and started too. Picked up Caddy from the floor. She breaks out. Jason lies on the floor and cries. He has scissors in his hand. Dad is holding a caddy.

“He carved all Benjin's dolls,” Caddy said. "I'll cut him up right now."

– Candace! Dad said.

“You'll see,” Caddy said. - You'll see. - Breaks out. Dad is holding her. Caddy wants to kick Jason. He rolled into the corner, out of the mirror. Pana went to the fire with Caddy. Now there is no one in the mirror, only fire. Like a door, and a fire outside the threshold.

"You can't fight," Dad said. You don't want your mother to get sick.

Caddy stopped.

“He’s all dolls to pieces—everything that Moe and Benji and I made out of paper. He's out of spite.

"I'm not out of spite," Jason said. He no longer lies, sits on the floor, cries. I didn't know that these were his dolls. I thought it was just old papers.

“Like I knew,” Caddy said. - You're out of spite, out of spite.

“Hush,” said Dad. “Jason,” Dad said.

"I'll make you some more tomorrow," Caddy said. I will make a lot of dolls. Look, here is your pillow.

Jason entered.

"How many times have you been told to stop!" Luster says.

"Why the noise?" Jason says.

“That's just him,” Luster says. He has been crying all day today.

“Don't bother with him,” Jason says. “If you don’t know how to calm down, then go into the kitchen.” We can’t all, like mother, lock ourselves from him to our rooms.

“Mammy didn't tell me to take him into the kitchen until he finished cooking,” Luster says.

“Then play with him and be quiet,” Jason says. - You bend your hump all day, you come home from work - and you are met by a lunatic asylum. - Opened the newspaper, reads.

"Look at the fire and the mirror and the pillow too," Caddy said. "You don't even have to wait until dinner - here it is, your pillow." I hear the roof. And how Jason cries loudly behind the wall.

Dilsey says:

“Sit down, Jason, have dinner. Are you hurting Benji here?

- What are you, ma'am! Luster says.

"Where's Quentin?" Dilsey says. - I'll put it on the table now.

“I don't know, ma'am,” Luster says. “She wasn't here.

Dilsey is gone.

- Quentin! she said in the hallway. - Quentin! Go have dinner.

We can hear the roof. Quentin smells like rain too. "What did Jason do?" Quentin said.

“I cut up all Benjina's dolls,” Caddy said.

“Mom told me to say Benjamin,” Quentin said. Sitting on the carpet with us. “I wish the rain would stop,” Quentin said. "And then sit in the room doing nothing."

"You fought someone," Caddy said. "Will you say no?"

“No, just a little,” Quentin said.

"So you were believed," Caddy said. "Dad will see anyway."

“So be it,” Quentin said. And when will this rain stop?

Did Dilsey invite me to dinner? Quentin says at the door.

“Yes, ma'am,” Luster says. Jason looked at Quentin. Reading the newspaper again. Quentina entered. “Mammy said she'll have it on the table,” Luster said. Quentina swung herself into her mother's chair. Luster said:

- Mr Jason.

- What do you want? Jason says.

Will you give me twenty-five cents? Luster says.

– Why do you? Jason says.

“To the artists today,” Luster says.

“I heard Dilsey was going to get you a ticket from Frony,” Jason says.

“Yes, she did,” Luster says. “Only I lost a coin. Benji and I have been searching all day. Just ask Benji.

“Borrow it from him,” Jason says. “I don’t get money for free. - Reading newspaper. Quentin looks into the fire. Fire in her eyes and on her lips. Lips are red.

“It was he who went to the hammock, I didn’t let him in,” Luster says.

“Shut up,” Quentina says. Jason looks at her.

“Have you forgotten what I promised to do if I see you again with that guy from the booth?” Jason says. Quentin looks into the fire. “Maybe you didn’t hear?

“I heard it,” Quentina says. - What are you not doing?

“Don't worry,” Jason says.

“I don't think so,” Quentina says. Jason is reading the paper again.

I hear the roof. Dad bent down, looks at Quentin.

"Congratulations," said dad. "And who won?"

“No one,” Quentin said. - We were separated. Teachers.

- Who is he? Dad said. - If it `s not a secret.

“Everything was fair,” Quentin said. - He's as tall as me.

“Glad to hear it,” Dad said. - And because of what you have, you can find out?

“Yes,” Quentin said. - He said that he would put a frog on the table for her, but she would not whip him, she would be afraid.

“Like this,” Dad said. - She. And then it means...

“Yes, sir,” Quentin said. “Then I moved it.

You can hear the roof, and the fire, and sniffing outside the door.

“Where would he get a frog in November?” Dad said.

“I don't know, sir,” Quentin said.

Heard again.

“Jason,” Dad said. We hear Jason.

“Jason,” Dad said. - Come in and don't sleep there. We can hear the roof and the fire and Jason.

“Stop it,” Dad said. - I'll punish you again.

He picked Jason up and placed him in a chair next to him. Jason whimpered. The fire is heard and the roof. Jason sobbed louder.

“Just one more laugh,” Dad said. You can hear the fire and the roof.

"There you are," said Dilsey. "Now come in for dinner."

Versh smelled like rain. And dogs too. You can hear the fire and the roof.

You can hear Caddy walking fast. Mom and dad look at the open door. Caddy walks past quickly. Do not look. Goes fast.

“Candace,” Mom said. Caddy stopped walking.

“Yes, mother,” she said.

“Don’t, Caroline,” Dad said.

“Come here,” Mom said.

“Don’t, Caroline,” Dad said. - Leave her alone.

Caddy came over, stood in the doorway, looking at mom and dad. Then Caddina's eyes on me and immediately away from me. I cried. He cried out loud and stood up. Caddy came in, stood against the wall, looking at me. I cried to her, she pressed her back against the wall, I saw her eyes, wept even louder, I pulled her dress. She rests her hands, and I pull. Her eyes run away from me.

Wersh said: "Your name is Benjamin now. And why, can you tell me? They want to make a synedestic out of you. and his gums were blue. Although they used to be like everyone else's. And all it takes is for a pregnant woman to look into the eyes of a blue-dressed one on a full moon - and her child will also be blue-colored. And when there were already a dozen blue-colored children running around the estate, one evening that preacher would not returned home. Hunters found his horns and legs in the forest. Guess who ate him. Those blue-legged children."

We are in the corridor. Caddy keeps looking at me. He holds his hand to his mouth, but I can see my eyes, and I cry. We go up the stairs. Again she stood against the wall, looking, I was crying, went on, I followed her, crying, she pressed herself against the wall, looking at me. She opened the door to her room, but I pull her by the dress, and we go to the bathroom, she stood at the door, looking at me. Then she covered her face with her hand, and I push her crying to the washstand.

“He's crying again,” Jason says. "Why are you going to him?"

“I don't climb,” Luster says. “He’s been like this all day today. He needs a good spanking."

“He should be sent to Jackson,” Quentina says. "It's just impossible to live in this house."

"You, mademoiselle, don't like it here - don't live," says Jason.

“I'm not going to,” Quentina says. "Do not worry".

Versh said:

- Move aside, let your feet dry - Moved me away from the fire - And do not raise a roar here. You see it that way too. The only business you have is to look at the fire. You don't have to get wet in the rain. You don't know how lucky you were born. - Lie down on your back in front of the fire.

Do you know why they changed your name? Wersch said. - Mammy says your mother is too proud, you are a shame to her.

“Be quiet, let me dry my feet,” Versh said. - Do you know what I'll do? Calm down with a belt on the ass.

Fire is heard, and the roof, and Versha.

Versh sat up quickly and jerked his legs back. Papa said:

- Well, Versh, get started.

"Yes, I'll feed him today," Caddy said. “He sometimes cries at Versh’s at dinner.

“Take this tray to Miss Caline,” Dilsey said. - And hurry back - Benji feed.

“Do you want Caddy to feed you?” Caddy said.

“And he definitely needs to put this dirty old shoe on the table,” says Quentina. “Like you can’t feed him in the kitchen. Sitting at the table with him is like sitting with a pig.”

"If you don't like the way we eat, don't sit with us," Jason says.

From Roskus par. He is sitting by the stove. The oven door is open, there are Roskus' legs. From my bowl of steam. Caddy put a spoon in my mouth so easily. Inside the bowl, a chip turns black.

"Well, don't be mad," says Dilsey. "He won't bother you anymore."

The soup has already sunk down the gap. Here is the empty bowl. Gone.

“He's hungry,” Caddy said. The bowl is back, the gaps are not visible. And now it's visible. “Really hungry today,” Caddy said. Think about how much you ate.

"Why, he won't," says Quentina. “All of you here are sending him to spy on me. I hate everything here. I'll run away from here."

“It rained all night,” Roskus said.

“You keep running and running, but every time you come back for dinner,” Jason says.

"You'll see," Quentina says.

"Then I'm in trouble," said Dilsey. - The leg is different, it is simply taken away. All evening I am up and down this staircase.

"Well, you won't surprise me with that," Jason says. "You can expect anything from them."

Quentina tossed her napkin onto the table.

"Shut up, Jason," says Dilsey. She came over and put her arms around Quentin's shoulders. "Sit down, dove. And he is not ashamed to prick your eyes with someone else's fault.

“What is she, sulking in her bedroom again?” Roskus said.

“Shut up,” said Dilsey.

Quentina shoved Dilsey away. Looks at Jason. She has red lips. Looks at Jason, raised her glass of water, waved her hand back. Dilsey caught her hand. They fight. The glass broke on the table, water flowed into the table. Quentin runs away.

“Mom's sick again,” Caddy said.

“Sure,” said Dilsey. This weather will put anyone to bed. When are you going to finish, boy?

"Damn it," Quentina says. "Damn". You can hear her running up the stairs. We go to the office.

Caddy gave me a pillow, and you can look at the pillow, and in the mirror, and at the fire.

“Just don’t make any noise, Quentin is preparing his homework,” Dad said. What are you up to, Jason?

“Nothing,” Jason said.

“Get out of there,” said Dad.

Jason stepped out of the corner.

- What's in your mouth? Dad said.

“Nothing,” Jason said.

“He's chewing paper again,” Caddy said.

“Come here, Jason,” Dad said.

Jason threw into the fire. She hissed, turned around, began to turn black. Now grey. And now there's nothing left. Caddy, dad and Jason are sitting in mom's chair. Jason closes his swollen eyes, moves his lips as if chewing. Caddin's head is on papa's shoulder. Her hair is like fire, and there are grains of fire in her eyes, and I went, dad lifted me into a chair too, and Caddy hugged me. She smells like trees.

She smells like trees. It's dark in the corner, but the window is visible. I sat down there, holding the shoe. I can’t see the shoe, but my hands can see it, and I can hear how the night is coming, and my hands can see the shoe, but I can’t see myself, but my hands can see the shoe, and I’m squatting listening to how darkness sets in.

“There you are,” Luster says. "Look what I have!" Shows me. “Guess who gave this coin? Miss Quentin. I knew I would go to the show anyway. What are you hiding here? I already wanted to go to the yard to look for you. I didn’t howl a little today, but I also came here to an empty room to mutter and sniff. Let's go to bed, otherwise I'll be late for the artists. I don't have time to mess around with you today. As soon as they blow the trumpets, and I went.

We didn't come to the nursery.

“We only get measles here,” Caddy said. “Why not in the nursery today?”

“Like you care where you sleep,” Dilsey said. She closed the door and sat down to undress me. Jason cried. "Quiet," said Dilsey.

“I want to sleep with Grandma,” Jason said.

“She's sick,” Caddy said. - Here he will recover, then sleep to yourself. Really, Dilsey?

- Quiet! Dilsey said. Jason was silent.

“They're our shirts and that's it,” Caddy said. “Are we all here for good?”

"Here, put them on quickly, since they're here," said Dilsey. Undo Jason's buttons.

Caddy unzips. Jason cried.

"Oh, I'll whip you," said Dilsey. Jason was silent.

"Quentina," Mom said in the hallway.

"What?" said Quentin behind the wall. I can hear my mom locking the door. She looked at our door, came in, bent over the bed, kissed me on the forehead.

“When you get Benjamin to bed, you go and ask Dilsey if she can make me a heating pad,” Mom says. “Tell her that if it makes it difficult, then I can do without a heating pad. I just want to know".

"Listen, ma'am," Luster says. "Well, let's take off your pants."

Quentin and Versh entered. Quentin turns his face away.

- Why are you crying? Caddy said.

- Shhhh! Dilsey said. - Get undressed. And you, Versh, go home now.

I undressed, looked at myself and cried. "Quiet!" Luster says. “You don’t have them, at least look, at least don’t look. Rolled away. Stop it, otherwise we won’t arrange it, you have more name days. He puts on my robe. I fell silent, and Luster suddenly stood up, turned his head to the window. Went to the window and looked out. He came back and took my hand. "Look how she's falling off," Luster says. "Just be quiet." Come to the window, look. A window came out of Quentinin, climbed over a tree. Branches swayed up, then down. Descended from the tree, leaves on the grass. Gone. "Now to bed," Luster says. "Yes, turn around! Hear, trumpeted! Lie down while they ask in a good way.

There are two beds. Quentin lay down on that. He turned to face the wall. Dilsey puts Jason next to him. Caddy took off her dress.

“Look at your knickers,” said Dilsey. “You’re lucky your mom doesn’t see.

“I already told her,” Jason said.

"You won't tell me," said Dilsey.

- So what, praised you? Caddy said. - Yabed.

- And what, maybe they carved? Jason said.

"Why don't you change into a shirt," said Dilsey. She went and removed Caddy's bra and panties. “Look at yourself,” Dilsey said. She rolled up her pants, rubbing them against Caddy's back. - Soaked through. There will be no swimming today. I put a shirt on Caddy, and Caddy climbed into bed, and Dilsey went to the door, raised her hand to turn off the light. - And so that not a sound, hear! Dilsey said.

"Okay," Caddy said. Mom won't come to say goodnight today. So, I must continue to listen.

“Yes, yes,” said Dilsey. - Well, sleep.

"Mom's not well," Caddy said. She and her grandmother are both sick.

“Shhh,” said Dilsey. - Sleep.

The room was black all over, except for the door. And now the door is black. Caddy said, "Shh, Maury," put her hand on me. And I lie still. Hear us. And hear the darkness.

The darkness is gone, dad is looking at us. He looks at Quentin and Jason came up, kissed Caddy, stroked my head.

“What, is your mother very unwell?” Caddy said.

“No,” said dad. “Make sure Mori doesn’t fall.

"Okay," Caddy said.

Dad went to the door, looking at us again. The darkness has returned, he stands black in the doorway, and here the door is black again. The caddy is holding me, I can hear us and the darkness, and something smells in the house. Here the windows became visible, trees rustle there. And then the darkness all went smooth, bright, as always, and even when Caddy says that I was sleeping.

It is wrong to think that there is only one way out of any situation. In fact, the space of possibilities is always wide enough. The question is only in the limitations with which we outline the choice. There are always inadequate options for getting out of the situation. Not to mention the hidden ones, for the implementation of which you need to dodge a lot. And The Sound and the Fury is a book about different exit options.

The starting point is the fall of the daughter of the Compson family, who cheated on her husband and became pregnant from her lover. This adultery becomes the final impetus to the destruction of the Compson family, which day by day begins to lose itself. In the first three parts, each of the Compson sons becomes heroes in turn. The first of them - Maury, who later became Benjamin - is a way out of the catastrophe through madness - a fierce attempt to sensually preserve the steadfastness of the usual order, in which there is no way to influence what is happening. The second - Quentin - the sacrificial idealism of the South, the cycle of memory, constantly throwing him to the most painful moments of life - an attempt, if not to reverse the situation, then at least stop the avalanche of change. And the third - Jason Compson - an evil desire to build his own order on the ashes, to accept new rules of the game, but at the same time to be more cunning than these "Jews from New York" - an unsuccessful attempt to be reborn in new conditions.

The fourth part of the novel is separated from the first three - a close-up, devoid of subjective coloring and allowing you to look at the degradation in all its sadness. An old maid is trying to save what can still be saved.

Different points of view lead to different narrative language. If the first part, told on behalf of an oligophrenic, is difficult to read for obvious reasons, then the second turned out to be much more unexpected and difficult for me - the very cycle of painful memories. It's hard to admit it to yourself, but it's really very plausible - trembling circle after circle under the rustle of injury. Further reading is already easier, even with all the confusion of the first parts of them, it is possible to glue the general framework of what happened. Against this background, Jason Compson rises like a surviving little rat over the corpses of dinosaurs - the struggle is petty, tough, but the struggle is alive in its malice. His niece, the one who was born after adultery, is very similar to her hated uncle. She is the fourth exit - the rejection of the roots and the escape into the future without looking back. The Lord is their judge.

And now I have to admit that from the point of view of the embodiment, this novel is now much more interesting to me than from the point of view of the plot. The streams of consciousness are presented in such a way that you are forced to live next to the heroes, not giving preference to anyone. Far from everything is said in clear text, and the reader must twist hints, random phrases, scraps of delirium. Rolled away.

Bottom line: Faulkner is cool, and there's nothing I can do about it. The case when reading is a long difficult road, not exciting, but making you happier and stronger.

Score: 9

The book was recommended by a friend with whom, before this incident, tastes for books always coincided.

If you are a connoisseur-fan, write off my opinion on the inability to understand the great by a simple layman)

IMHO. Too vague, hard to understand. The first part is written on behalf of an oligophrenic (?). But initially we don’t know this, we just read how someone touches the fence for a long time, first it’s called Mori then Benji, and between times we move to the past, then to the present.

In my defense, I will say that I read a lot of books on behalf of schizophrenics, people with dissociative disorders, and I was interested!

Here, there is no bright interest, although there is a perverse pleasure in sorting out this chaotic set of puzzles.

I can’t call the first part absolutely boring against the general background, because the second seemed to me the winner of the world-class boring competition.

The third and fourth parts put everything in its place to some extent (remember - to get here, you need to read half a book). But there is no bright climax or unexpected ending. And the question arises why all this was?

The general meaning of the book is clear, the extinction of the old family, the old way of life... But why was this form of narration chosen? What did the author mean by this?

The technique of the stream of consciousness was generally interesting, with the interweaving of the past and the future, but in my opinion the stream could have been shorter.

In order to put everything in your head in chronological order, you need to reread it. Oh Gods.

Score: 5

I wasn't going to start my acquaintance with Faulkner with this book, but it so happened that a friend and I decided to read it. Reading was hard, insanely hard. And my cold added to the sensations. And in the end it turned out what happened. And what happened, read below.

Chapter first. Benjamin or how not to go crazy while reading. If Faulkner had put this chapter second, third, or fourth in turn, I would have understood much more from this chapter and, as a result, would have received the book better. And so, I absolutely did not understand anything. Because in this chapter there are no clearly defined time boundaries and the feeble-minded Benjamin recalls several events from his life in parallel and it is almost always incomprehensible when he jumps from one time layer to another. Plus, there are names flashing in front of your eyes that do not tell the reader anything, since Faulkner makes no effort to explain who is who. And even writing in a notebook did not help me much to figure it out. There are two heroes with the same name, or one hero with two names, or two characters with almost identical names. The first chapter is the most difficult to understand, and, again, if Faulkner put this chapter in any other place, he would make life easier for many readers.

Chapter two. Quentin or Punctuation, Grammar? No, we haven't heard. I tormented the first chapter and thought that in the second chapter I would get a coherent presentation of the plot, but that was not the case. Quentin is a rather intelligent young man, but in his head he has about the same mess as the feeble-minded Benjamin. Here I present a coherent presentation of the present, but when memories interfere and are impudently woven into the present, write wasted. Again, the same whirlpool of words that I try to cope with, reading slowly and thoughtfully, rereading incomprehensible fragments (although the entire chapter is practically incomprehensible to me), but my efforts do not bring clarity and I surrender to this madness in the hands. Let the river carry me.

Chapter three. Jason or even Wikipedia won't help you. Yeah. There is already a clear, straightforward (almost) presentation of the material. We know it, we've been through it. But, since, due to the previous two chapters, I transferred little information with me to the third chapter, it is not clear to me what Jason is talking about. I turn for help to a special chronological table, written by smart people, and to Wikipedia, where we have a summary of the chapters. I read a summary of the previous two chapters, of which I had previously understood little and the picture is clearing up a little for me, although I remain at a loss how so much material has passed me by, is it really all this was told in these chapters? Am I definitely reading The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner? Not the most sympathetic heroes flash by and you don’t meet a single hero who you want to empathize with. And if you do not empathize with anyone, then there is no particular desire to continue reading. But 3/4 of the book is already behind you, it would be just cowardice and disrespect for yourself to just drop the book that you put so much effort on. Let's go further.

Chapter Four. Faulkner or the collapse of hopes. Finally, the Author Himself steps in to explain to me everything that I, a stupid reader, did not understand before. What were the characters guided by when they performed certain actions? What happened to Caddy? It will help me to collect a complete picture of the plot, explain in plain text everything that was only mentioned in passing or hinted at in previous chapters. But no, Faulkner does not want to stoop to my level and waste his gigantic intellect on explaining things that are already understandable. Stay, says Renat, with a nose. You're not used to it. What's true is true.

RESULT: The book is written in such a way that one reading you will not get rid of it. If you want to fully understand the book, you will definitely have to re-read it, at least the first two chapters (which is already half a book). Some biblical allusions that I do not understand slip through (although I have not read the Bible and it is clear why they are not clear to me). The plot is not original in order to endure all these bullying for its sake. There are many books describing the decline/fall of one family/kind. I can offhand recommend Archibald Cronin's Brody's Castle and John Galworthy's The Forsyte Saga, which in my humble opinion deserve more attention and will give this novel 100 points ahead.

There are positives, of course, but I won't list them. This book already has enough laudatory reviews in which you can learn about the positive aspects of this novel.

Score: 5

Sound and Fury is, perhaps, the most curious and complex family saga in its structure, half as long as other well-known ones, but absorbing so much meaningless essence of being - pardon the oxymoron! The name itself, by the way, is inspired by Shakespeare's play Macbeth, which is also multi-layered in terms of meaning, but not so confusing in structure.

In the novel, Faulkner describes the fall of the Compson family, fixated on Caddy and her daughter, so masterfully and unusually that he just wants to shake hands.

The first chapter is a symbolic roar of a feeble-minded person who struggles in space, a person who smells trees, and, as if spellbound, looks at the events taking place around him, not understanding the essence. The most difficult part, presented in the form of mixed fragments about the various events of their family, which he, Benjamin - the son of my sadness, experienced, regardless of the season and other circumstances. I advise everyone to get through this puzzle, because the second chapter is a second wind.

The second chapter is, for the most part, Quentin's internal stream of consciousness. Thinking about all-killing time to the beat of the ticking of a broken clock, as well as trying to outrun your shadow. An elusive part, like time itself, the battle with which is not won. Not only that, it doesn't even start. And such a burning hatred - rage! - and the attempt to strangle her mixed with the smell of honeysuckle. Quentin's growing up, understanding the very essence of the universe through the prism of his father's conclusions. But what it will lead to - you will find out for yourself.

The third chapter is a logically structured story from the point of view of Jason, Benji's brother, Quentin and Caddy. This is where rage comes into play. The coldest part. And in Jason's mind only trifling, petty things. Both in childhood and in adulthood, he prevents himself from being happy - just like his mother.

The fourth (final) chapter is narrated in the classical style. Doomed and roaring, in which everything rolls to its logical conclusion. It clearly looms the sound and rage. If in the first chapters we saw everything piece by piece, then in the third and fourth the whole picture is visible. Oppressive, however, it gives some kind of liberation - like beating morning rain - from the “Compsonian” shackles that sharpened the first and last representatives of their kind.

And at the end, I ask myself: “Could everything have turned out differently?” And the only answer I find is Benjy's roar, which says everything, in which was not the memory itself, but the feeling of loss, only the devil knows the loss of what.

Still, the book is great! Faulkner narrates with such grace, with such beauty of style, and with such meaning; I was amazed at how clearly he wrote out the influence of society on the fate of people, destroying them. Faulkner shows a blind, cold mother, a drunkard father, and all the children - and they all do not hear each other, instead living in their own world, where there is only Sound and Fury. Where is the place only for attempts, each of which will not be crowned with success.

“The father said: a man is the result of his misfortunes. You might think that one day you will get tired of misfortune, but your misfortune is time, said the father. A seagull attached to an invisible wire, dragged through space. You take away the symbol of your spiritual collapse into eternity. The wings are wider there, said the father, only one can play the harp.”

The first part of the novel features the internal monologue of Benji, the mentally retarded 33-year-old son of the Compsons. The brain resists its slightest perception, because at first glance it looks completely absurd, Benji's thoughts are confused, jumping, the present, past and future are mixed, and in addition to the acting heroes, members of the Compson family, Benji's monologue includes replicas of other fictional and real characters . Naturally, the monologue of the unreasonable Benjy is made in the style of fixing objects and events, in the most primitive language, interspersed with a stream-conscious internal monologue, chaotically absurd, the writer departs from the canons of the classic novel as much as possible, trying to cause the reader as much inconvenience as possible.
And starting from the second chapter, the novel can be disassembled from all the principles of the modernist prose of the 20th century. In the second chapter, set back 18 years from the first, Quentin Compson, a Harvard student, is the narrator. Some of the bait thrown in the first chapter becomes more understandable, and again the narrative paragraphs are interspersed with flow-conscious ones. Here, the stream of consciousness is not of an unreasonable fool, but of a student, although not very diligently studying, but still a student at Harvard, his stream of consciousness is saturated with literary intertexts. Caddy, having become pregnant by a certain Dalton Ames, causes an obsession with her brother Quentin, who is maniacally in love with her, that this child is his, the inability to accept any of the options for reality causes him to commit suicide. In the third chapter, 1 day back from the first, the narrator is Jason Compson, the most vile member of the Compson family, who steals money from his niece Quentina, who is sent by her "fallen" mother Caddy; the fourth chapter is written on behalf of the author of the novel. It is the most unchaotic and consistent, the most “realistic”.
One of the interpretations of the novel is very interesting, in which the novel is presented as a kind of Faulkner's "four gospels". The first part is the most radical, extremely complicated, written in a new language (Faulkner partly repeated that only by writing “ Noise and fury”, he learned to read), the second part is the most intellectual, saturated with reflections of a romantic and thinking student, replete with quotes, the third one, causing disgust, degradation and decline of the world inside and out, manifests itself as sharply as possible, the fourth part is cathartic, it immerses in itself entirely, there is a kind of denouement, this chapter is a plot, style and emotional culmination, the priest's Easter sermon is one of the strongest places in the novel.
The collapse and degradation of the patriarchal American family, the relationship between masters and blacks, incestuous ties, the problems of the American South - the collapse of the familiar world entails the collapse of the standard classic novel. Faulkner considered The Sound and the Fury to be the most significant of all the novels, it has much in common with Ulysses, but is not so graphomaniac and fits very worthily into a number of already read modernist "pillars".

From August 27 to September 6, the Lido di Venezia hosted the 71st Film Festival, Mostra, as the Italians call it, since the establishment of this event by Benito Mussolini, the oldest film festival in Europe, which still competes with Cannes for supremacy on the continent. Thousands of journalists live, sleep and eat in a small “film village” (often felt that the audience interferes with the work process, and that the whole action is far from entertainment, but a tribute to the creative profession) built especially for the duration of the ceremony, but I’m the Venetian Lido accepted as a guest, eager to get on the red carpet and the premiere of the expected film by the famous American actor and director James Franco "Sound and the fury" ("Sound and the fury"). For an unusual look at the work of William Faulkner, Franco was awarded the Jaeger LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award and happily visited Venice for the fourth time with another picture.

On the red carpet, the artist impressed everyone with his new image, namely a clean-shaven head with a temporary tattoo of Elizabeth Taylor on the back of the head. For those who did not know about it he is preparing for the shooting of the new film "Zeroville", and did not just want to shock the audience. To bask in the glory and camera flashes, other actors of the new film Ana O'Reilly and Scott Hayes also came out.

They say that it is difficult to judge a person by meeting him only once, but the first impression is both the most accurate and the most correct. James Franco is undoubtedly one of the most prominent people in Hollywood in our time, his sharp mind, inhuman diligence, self-confidence and lack of fear of seeming somehow “not so” in the eyes of the press and ordinary viewers are already more than an attractive image. Europe loves modern cinema, an unusual and fresh look, and therefore rightfully appreciates Franco, and his work can and should be called cinematic art without a twinge of conscience. Of course, in his directorial and acting projects, Franco appeals to the intellectual public, to people who are close to him in spirit and extraordinary way of thinking, and, definitely, events like Mostre gather just such people who are not afraid of bold experiments, prepared, appreciating and wholeheartedly who love the art of cinema.

I am well acquainted with the work of James Franco and every time I am convinced that he is a great experimenter. All his paintings are not alike, they are truly bold, strong, deep, with the right drop of irony, sometimes even bold and challenging. Faulkner's new film adaptation is no exception.

The picture, like the novel, is divided into parts, only into three, not four. And each part tells about three brothers from the oldest and most influential family of the American South, the Compsons. The family suffers personal and financial ruin, some of its members tragically end their lives. Franco, like Faulkner, is trying to place different accents, to look at current situations from different angles. The withering away of an aristocratic family is always a drama, and the director skillfully reveals it in the smallest detail. We are experiencing nervous upheavals and anguish along with the characters on the screen. Realistically shown and not theatrical life of people, natural actors let us feel the picture in all its details, every part of the soul. Franco himself played the role of the younger mentally retarded brother of Benji Compson (the first part is dedicated to him), who, like a child, was attached to his eccentric and frivolous Caddy with all his heart. It is difficult to say whether this role was successful for him, but the fact that she surprised and made her shudder with every tantrum and Benji's piercingly empty look is certain. The three of them, the sleazy Quentin (Jacob Loeb) and the arrogant and slightly obnoxious character Jason (Scott Hayes) struck a balance in the film's dark atmosphere. The action now and then takes place at different times, as in the novel, as if giving us both a complete and partial perception of events, changes in the behavior of the characters. The second part ("Quentin") is the most pushing to think about the frailty of life and human destiny, and the statements of the father of the family, wise and moderately sarcastic, give a unique gloss to the whole understanding and, as it were, prepare us for a sad denouement. The third part about Jason , perhaps the most noisy and furious, taking the whole climax of the picture on itself, is remembered for the outstanding performance of Scott Hayes, who is trying to cope with the thirst for money of his niece Quentina and all the forgotten Caddy, who no longer wants to return to her family after desecrating it with her own dissolute behavior. Just as Faulkner sometimes pushes punctuation into the background in a novel, narrates it in short, chaotic phrases, Franco also presents the material in large strokes, focusing on emotions, looks, facial expressions, scattered cries or whispers off-screen, and just like a novel, a film ends strongly and anxiously. Immersed in a kaleidoscope of flashbacks and moderately thoughtful digressions, you don’t notice how the film, the plot of which at first glance may seem boring and drawn out, flashes by with a fast and bright flash. I would like to note the camera work: the picture was shot really very beautifully, you want to pay due attention to the little things (which are actually not little things) like the flowers in Benji's hands, there is nothing superfluous in the scenes. Large shots are always appropriate, and the colors of the film are chosen calm and warm, "narrative", to contrast with what is happening on the screen. (I seem to have a weakness for "twitching" and camera shifts in art-house cinema from birth, I must say). In a word, this is an amazing book on the screen, this is what is called contemporary art and, unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?), It is unlikely to be released to the public.

The new breath of the classics of American literature, which Franco gave her, did not leave the audience of the festival indifferent: to hear a storm of applause and stand up with the whole Sala Grande in the luxurious Palazzo del Cinema, bursting with applause this is an unusual unique feeling. (The same as sitting with the author of this is almost in the same row!)

I know that once again some critics will begin to accuse the picture of excessive self-confidence, perhaps, “loudness” and randomness, others will say that this is just another project of an American director and actor out of a thousand others, others will call it a masterpiece. And I would not like to make any verdicts, since it is a happiness to be able to enjoy high and meaningful paintings, which are still (Thank God!) removed in our time by consumer goods, which are created by talented, hardworking and dedicated people with an outstanding intellect, like James Edward Franco.

The title of the novel "The Sound and the Fury" is taken by Faulkner from the famous monologue of Shakespeare's Macbeth - a monologue about the meaninglessness of being. Shakespeare literally uttered the following words: "Life is a story told by an idiot, filled with noise and fury and meaning nothing" ("Macbeth", act V, scene 5).
I read unprepared and tried throughout the book to look into the reviews, to read the author's opinion about his written book. The book was provided with a certain afterword, which is completely not part of this book, there is also a cycle of transmissions savoring the details in the chapters. Many works have been written about Faulkner's time jumps, which are especially noticeable in "The Sound and the Fury." Only with such an arsenal can one understand the whole the charm of a masterpiece of world and American literature. A faithful participant in numerous lists and ratings - "The Sound and the Fury."
The literary technique is, of course, quite curious and interesting - it allows you not only to "listen to the story", or "watch the story in the scenery", but throws the reader into the story itself, right into the events, without explaining or chewing anything. Throw - and then figure it out for yourself what, why and why.
I sometimes enjoyed wading through the stream of consciousness of the characters (not the entire book is written this way, a little more than half), jumping from one event to another, from the past to the present, from one person to another.
But the essence is incomprehensible to me in the end. This is one of those books in which you can safely flip through a few paragraphs and not lose anything in the plot.
Do not come to any conclusion, morality, denouement ...
The open ending of the novel left a lot of questions and persistent bewilderment - what, after all, was going on in this family all this time ?!
1. Benji
The first part of the novel is narrated from the perspective of Benjamin "Benji" Compson, who is a disgrace to the family due to mental retardation.
Oddly enough, I liked it the most. When the children grew up together, the attitude towards each other. If you return to this chapter after reading the novel, then the clues are literally striking, and reading the most awkward chapter in terms of construction turns out to be very interesting. Benji only captures tiny fragments of the Compsons' life, jumping from one time period to another and to a third, returning again the present. In addition, Benji's caretaker character changes to indicate specific time periods: Luster is associated with the present period, T.P. with adolescence, and Versh with childhood.
But due to the impressionistic style of the story, caused by Benji's autism, and because of the frequent time jumps, it was not clear to me that Benji was castrated after he attacked the girl, to which the author refers in a nutshell, noting that Benji was going out out the gate, left unattended. Probably, for a better understanding of this part of the novel, you should read it last))
2. Naively believing that the second part would be from the perspective of another brother, I was wrong, but I was still drawn into this stream of thoughts. Faulkner completely ignores any semblance of grammar, spelling and punctuation, instead using a chaotic collection of words, phrases and sentences, with no indication of where one starts and another ends. This mess is meant to highlight Quentin's depression and his deteriorating state of mind.
Quentin, the most intelligent and suffering child of the Compson family, is the best example of Faulkner's narrative technique in the novel, in my opinion.
Personally, I thought after reading that the child was really born from Quentin ..... and hence his suffering about integrity and further suicide ....
3. This part of the book gives a clearer picture of the inner life of the Compson family. The third part is told on behalf of Jason, Caroline's third and favorite son. the character impresses the most, despite the fact that he is called a negative hero. He goes quite far in blackmailing Caddy, and also, being the only guardian of her daughter. But how else can he survive in this stupid family, the crown of which is an infantile mother. I would say. She will survive Benjy with her whining, washing and complaining.
4. Focuses on Dilsey, the full-fledged mistress of a black servant family. Along with taking care of her grandson Luster, she also takes care of Benji, as she takes him to church, thereby trying to save his soul. The sermon makes her weep for the Compson family, whose decline she sees.
After the church, Dilsey lets Luster get on the wagon and take Benji for a ride. Laster doesn't care that Benji is so ingrained in his habits that even the slightest change in routine infuriates him. Laster circles the monument from the wrong side, from which Benji is seized by a strong outburst of rage, which could only be stopped by Jason, who was nearby, knowing his brother's habits. Jumping up, he hit Luster and spun the wagon, after which Benjy fell silent. Luster looked back to look at Benji, and saw that he had dropped his flower. Benjy's eyes were "...blank and bright again."
I almost briefly retold the novel, which I usually don’t do in reviews. But here the inquisitive mind of the reader will either guess or look for clues wandering in a fog throughout the story.
Despite everything, I am very impressed with its main storyline - the withering of the families of the American South, its way of life, about the rise and collapse of the South from the time of the displacement of the Indians, the formation of the plantation society and its inherent chivalrous code of honor, and up to the tragedy of slavery and the replacement of former values ​​with modern values ​​of the mercantile , the acquisitive North.
I really like this time period enclosed in the narratives of various authors.