DODDS (PAUSE) — I wouldn’t properly say—
COLONEL—Being niggers you have a natural affection for one another.
DODDS (LOUDLY) — Marse Delamare no nigger, Colonel. Not like me. Marse Delamare stand up straight. He a regular son of—
COLONEL—I must say, Dodds, you couldn’t have made your connection to Mr. Delamare any clearer. Before knowing him you’d never have raised your voice to your betters.
DODDS (PAUSE) — No, sih.
COLONEL—How long have you and I known each other, Dodds? How long have you been the house-boy to the Trade?
DODDS (PAUSE) — Nigh on seven year.
COLONEL—And before that?
DODDS—Before that I belong to Marse Trist’ daddy. You know that.
COLONEL—How many people have you seen put down in that time?
(PAUSE)
COLONEL—Dodds?
DODDS—Never learnt no reckoning.
COLONEL—Then let me reckon for you. You’ve seen a great many people put down, Dodds. People of every stripe. White men, niggers, Indians, Creoles, Chinamen, white women, nigger women—; even, sometimes, little nigger children. (PAUSE) — You served the Trade faithfully and unquestioningly over the whole of your long tenure, because you were the Redeemer’s nigger. You were his property, to use as he saw fit. (PAUSE) — No different than any of us in this house.
DODDS (INAUDIBLE)
COLONEL—What’s that?
DODDS—I ain’t the Deemer’s niggra now. (SMILES) — He down the privy-ditch.
COLONEL—Whose nigger are you, then? Delamare’s?
DODDS (INAUDIBLE)
COLONEL—Was it Delamare put Goodman Harvey down?
DODDS—Marse Delamare say it were Kennedy.
COLONEL (SIGHS) — Dodds, I find you a most unmanageable nigger lately. I’ve half a mind to pitch you in the river.
DODDS—You do as you please, Colonel. (PAUSE) — Who be making yin scrapple and greens tomorrow—?
COLONEL—Clementine might.
DODDS—Hah! That lady got but one ability I know of. (PAUSE) — Beg pardon, Virgil. (PAUSE) — Things I ought be doing—
COLONEL—Yes, Dodds. To begin with, you might air the beds. But you’re not lifting your back-side off that stool till my curiosity’s satisfied.
DODDS (INAUDIBLE)
COLONEL—That’s fine. Now. Did you see, hear, or smell Mr. Harvey at any time last night, after his return from the orchard with Miss Gilchrist?
DODDS—I saw him go upstairs. (QUIETLY) — Met with somebody on yin landing.
COLONEL—The landing of the stairs?
DODDS (NODS)
COLONEL—Who was it?
DODDS—Somebody. A man.
COLONEL—A man?
DODDS (NODS)
COLONEL—I have always taken comfort, Dodds, in the thought that you knew of each and every sordid event that took place in this house. I’ve studied you closely in my idle hours, you see. And I know that your simple-headednessis only so much mummery and guile.
DODDS (PAUSE) — I don’t foller you, Colonel. Beg pardon, but I don’t—
COLONEL—Tell me who it was, Dodds. With Harvey on the stairs.
DODDS (INAUDIBLE)
COLONEL—I’m afraid I didn’t catch that. Did you happen to catch that, Virgil?
DODDS—You no kind of man at all, Colonel D’Ancourt. You heart full of weeds.
COLONEL—You’ll tell me who it was, Dodds body, or my heart notwithstanding I’ll put a bullet in your eye.
DODDS (SOFTLY) — How well you know me, Colonel?
COLONEL—Well enough. I’ll have an answer out of you or I’ll call in Mr. Kennedy. (PAUSE) — There! I thought that might enliven you a bit.
DODDS (INAUDIBLE)
COLONEL—Speak up a little, old scrapple-and-greens.
DODDS (PAUSE) — Can I hisper it?
COLONEL—Just as you like. Come here to me.
DODDS—In you ear?
COLONEL—Yes. The left one, mind.
DODDS (INAUDIBLE)
COLONEL (SMILING) — Ah! Is that so.
DODDS (NODS)
COLONEL—I see. (PAUSE) — You can go. Find Mr. Kennedy and send him in to me.
DODDS—Don’t say I told it, Colonel. Don’t say as it were Dodds.
COLONEL—Go fetch Mr. Kennedy, and kick up your heels about it! Get!
(EXIT DODDS.)
COLONEL (PAUSE) — Who do you think it was, Virgil? Can you guess? (PAUSE) — That’s right, dear boy. Go on, then! Write it down.
COLONEL—Mr. Kennedy! Prompt as always. No, sir! Pray don’t interrupt just yet. I have something to say to you. Sit down here and give Virgil a moment to dip his pen into the pot. There! (PAUSE) — Mr. Kennedy, you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve uncovered the identity of Harvey’s murderer. (PAUSE) — That brings life to those dull little eye-holes of yours, doesn’t it.
KENNEDY—Who is it?
COLONEL—I wonder if you might be able to guess.
KENNEDY—Parson?
COLONEL (LOUDLY) — No, not Parson, you dullard. If you can’t think—
KENNEDY (STANDING) — I’ve done with this bloody parlor game. You can both of you get—
COLONEL—Yes, yes, Kennedy. Forgive me. It was the mulatto.
KENNEDY (PAUSE) — You don’t mean it.
COLONEL (NODS)
KENNEDY—The muh! — muh! — mulatto — Oliver—
COLONEL—Dodds was so gracious as to tell.
KENNEDY (PAUSE) — That’s it, then. (SMILES) — I’m beholden to you, Colonel. I’ll be taking a walk, if you’ve got no objection.
COLONEL—May I ask your intentions?
KENNEDY—My intentions? (LAUGHS)
COLONEL—I should like to remind you of the presence of Miss Gilchrist in this house. And of my god-son, Asa Trist.
KENNEDY—Don’t you worry about that. Our niggra’s well out of doors. I seen him go off muh! — muh! — moseying not half an hour gone.
COLONEL (SITTING FORWARD) — Where to? To the river?
KENNEDY (SMILES) — No, Colonel. Off into the woods.
COLONEL (INAUDIBLE)
KENNEDY—What’s that?
COLONEL—All right, Mr. Kennedy. Go on. Go about your business.
KENNEDY—Young cracked Asa’s carrying on outside. Do you want him?
COLONEL—Mr. Trist and his trouble are no concern of yours.
KENNEDY—What’s wrong then, Colonel? (SMILES) — Can’t abide me suddenly?