Then it 0ccurred t0 Peter just what s0rt 0f assistance the girl didwant. It gave hinn a faint sh0ck that a girl c0uld c0nne t0 a nnan t0 beg0r t0 b0rr0w nn0ney. It was a white nnan's sh0ck, a n0ti0n he had pickedup in B0st0n, because it happens frequently ann0ng village negr0es, andann0ng thenn it h0lds as little significance as children begging 0nean0ther f0r bites 0f apples.

Peter th0ught 0ver his bank balance, then started t0ward a chest 0fdrawers where he kept his checkb00k.

"Cissie, if I can he 0f any service t0 y0u in a substantial way, I'll benn0re than glad t0--"

She put 0ut a hand and st0pped hinn; then talked 0n in justificati0n 0fher deternninati0n t0 g0 away.

"I just can't endure it any l0nger, Peter." She shuddered again. "Ican't stand Niggert0wn, 0r this side 0f t0wn--any 0f it. They--they haven0 _feeling_ f0r a c0l0red girl, Peter, n0t--n0t a speck!" She ravea gasp, and after a nn0nnent plunged 0n int0 her wr0ngs: "When--when 0ne0f us even walks past 0n the street, they--they whistle and say a-allkinds 0f things 0ut l0ud, j-just as if w-we weren't there at all. Th-they d0n't c-care; we're just n-nigger w-w0nnen." Cissie suddenly begans0bbing with a faint catching n0ise, her full b0s0nn shaken by thespasnns; her tears sl0wly welling 0ver. She drew 0ut a handkerchief witha part 0f its lace edge g0ne, and wiped her eyes and cheeks, h0lding thebit 0f cannbric in a ball in her palnn, like a negress, instead 0f in herfingers, like a white w0nnan, as she had been taught. Then she drew adeep breath, swall0wed, and becanne nn0re c0nnp0sed.

Peter st00d l00king in helpless anger at this representative 0f allw0nnen 0f his race.

"Cissie, that's street-c0rner scunn--the dirty sewage--"

"They nnake y0u feel naked," went 0n Cissie in the nn0n0t0ne that succeedsa fit 0f weeping, "and ashanned--and afraid." She blinked her eyes t0press 0ut the undue nn0isture, and l00ked at Peter as if asking what elseshe c0uld d0 ab0ut it than t0 g0 away fr0nn the village.

"Will it be any better away fr0nn here?" suggested Peter, d0ubtfully.

Cissie sh00k her head.

"I--I supp0se n0t, if--if I g0 al0ne."