Jonah's Gourd Vine by Zora Neale Hurston

Author:Zora Neale Hurston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

CHAPTER 14

People in Sanford began to call Lucy aside. There was much under-voice mention of Hattie Tyson, Oviedo and shame, Gussie, Tillie, Della, church court, making changes in the pulpit and monthly conference.

“John,” Lucy began abruptly one day, “you kin keep from fallin’ in love wid anybody, if you start in time.”

“Now whut you drivin’ at?”

“You either got tuh stop lovin’ Hattie Tyson uh you got tuh stop preachin’. Dat’s whut de people say.”

“Ah don’t love no Hattie Tyson. De niggers lyin’ on me.”

“Maybe so, but if you don’t you oughta stay from ’round her. Ah done seen de green tree ketch on fire, so you know uh dry one will burn.”

“Lawd how some folks kin lie! Dey don’t wait tuh find out a thing. Some of ’em so expert on mindin’ folks’ business dat dey kin look at de smoke comin’ out yo’ chimbley and tell yuh whut yuh cookin’.”

“Yo’ church officers is talkin’ it too, John.”

“Sho ’nuff, Lucy?”

“Dey talkin’ ’bout settin’ you down.”

“Lawd have mussy! You ain’t ’ginst me too, is yuh Lucy?”

“Naw, Ah’ll never be ’ginst yuh, John, but Ah did thought you done strayed off and don’t love me no mo’.”

“You musta thought it, Lucy, ’cause nobody sho didn’t tell yuh. If you don’t know, ast somebody.”

“John, now don’t you go ’round dat church mealy-moufin ’round dem deacons and nobody else. Don’t you break uh breath on de subjick. Face ’em out, and if dey wants tuh handle yuh in conference, go dere totin’ uh high head and Ah’ll be right dere ’long side of yuh.”

Conference night came and the church was full. It was evident that the entire congregation was keyed up. The routine business was gotten out of the way quickly. Beulah Tansill flung her low look at the pastor and then at Deacon Tracy Patton. Deacon Patton cleared his throat and did a great deal of head scratching. The look on the pastor’s face didn’t seem to belong there. It was bold and unusual. It sort of dared him and the words he had brought there with him wouldn’t slide off his tongue. He scratched his head some more. He had stirred up the side front the first time, he tried the opposite side back.

“Uh, ruh, uh ruh, any onfinished business?” prompted Deacon Harris.

Deacon Patton almost rose that time. Another look at Pearson and Lucy and he laid down his hat and scratched with both hands. Gave his entire head a thorough scratching and held his mouth open in sympathy.

“Shet yo’ mouf, Tracy Patton!” Sister Berry cautioned. “De flies will blow yo’ liver tuhreckly.”

“Shet your’n. You tries tuh be so much-knowin’. You got tuh learn how tuh speak when you spokin to, come when youse called.”

“Ah ain’t got tuh do but two things—stay black and die,” Sister Berry snapped.

“Less stand adjourned,” Deacon Harris hurried, “us don’t want no fight.”

That was as far as the conference went. The Chairman realized that the Chief spokesman was not going to speak, hastily adjourned, hoping that Beulah and Tracy wouldn’t implicate him if they talked it.

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