doors which indicates that Gowan is approaching. Temple
lowers her voice again, rapidly)
Put it this way then. I dont know what you want, because I dont care.
Because whatever it is, you wont get it from me.
(the sound is near now-footsteps, clink of glass)
Now he'll offer you a drink, and then he'll ask you too what you want,
why you followed us home. I've already answered you. No. If what you
came for is
210 WILLIAM FAULKNER
to see me weep, I doubt if you'll even get that. But you certainly
wont get anything else. Not from me. Do you understand that?
STEVENS
I hear you.
TEMPLE
Meaning, you don't believe it. All right, toucW then. (quicker, tenser)
I refused to answer your question; now I'll ask you one: How much do
you-
(as Gowan enters, she changes what she was saying so
smoothly in mid-sentence that anyone entering would not
even realise that the pitch of her voice had altered)
-are her lawyer, she must have talked to you; even a dope-fiend that
murders a little baby must have what she calls some excuse for it,
even a nigger dopefiend and a white baby-or maybe even more, a nigger
dope-fiend and a white baby-
GOWAN
I said, stop it, Boots.
He carries a tray containing a pitcher of water, a bowl of ice, three
empty tUmblers and three whiskey glasses already filled. The bottle itself
protrudes from his topcoat pocket. He approaches Temple and offers the
tray.
That's right. I'm going to have one myself. For a change. After eight
years. Why not?
TEMPLE
Why not? (looks at the tray) Not highballs?
GOWAN
Not this one.
She takes one of the filled glasses. He offers the tray to Stevens, who
takes the second one. Then he sets the tray on the table and takes up the
third glass.
Nary a drink in eight years; count 'em. So maybe this will be a good
time to start again. At least, it wont be too soon.
(to Stevens)
Drink up. A little water behind it?
REQUIEM FOR A NUN 211
As though not aware that he had done so, he sets his untasted glass back on
the tray, splashes water from the pitcher into a tumbler and hands the
tumbler to Stevens as Stevens empties his glass and lowers it, taking the
tumbler. Temple has not touched hers either.
Now maybe Defense Attorney Stevens will tell us what he wants here.
STEVENS
Your wife has already told you. To say good-bye.
GOWAN
Then say it. One more for the road, and where's your
hat, huh?
He takes the tumbler from Stevens and turns back to the
table.
TEMPLE
(sets her untasted glass back on the tray)
And put ice in it this time, and maybe even a little water. But first,
take Uncle Gavin's coat.
GOWAN
(takes bottle from his pocket and makes a highball for
Stevens in the tumbler)
That wont be necessary. If he could raise his arm in a white courtroom
to defend a murdering nigger, he can certainly bend it in nothing but a
wool overcoat -at least to take a drink with the victim's mother.
(quickly: to Temple)
Sorry. Maybe you were right all the time, and I was wrong. Maybe we've
both got to keep on saying things like that until we can get rid of them,
some of them, a little of them-
TEMPLE
All right, why not? Here goes then.
(she is watching, not Gowan but Stevens, who watches her in
return, grave and soberly)
Dont forget the father too, dear.
GOWAN
(mixing the drink)
Why should 1, dear? How could 1, dear? Except that the child's father is
unfortunately just a man. In the eyes of the law, men are not supposed
to suffer: they
212 WILLIAM FAULKNER
are merely appellants or appellees. The law is tender only of women
and children-particularly of women, PaFtICLII.,Irly particular of
nigger dope-fiend whores who murder white children.
(hands the highball to Stevens, who takes it) So why should we expect
Defense Attorney Stevens to be tendcr of a man or a woman who just
happen to be the parents of the child that got murdered?
TEMPLE
(harshly)
Will you for God's sake please get through? Then will you for God's
sake please hush?
GOWAN
(quickly: turns) Sorry.
(he turns toward her, sees her hand empty, then sees her full glass
beside his own on the tray) No drink?
TEMPLE
I don't want it. I want some milk.
GOWAN
Right. Hot, of course.
TEMPLE
Please.
GOWAN
(turning)
Right. I thought of that too. I put a pan on to beat while I was
getting the drinks.
(crossing toward dining-room exit) Dont let Uncle Gavin get away until
I get back. Lock the door, if you have to. Or maybe just telephone
that nigger freedom agent-what's his name?-
He exits. They dont move until the sIap of the pantry door sounds.
TEMPLE
(rapid and hard) How much do you know?
(rapidly)
Dont lie to me; dont you see there's not time?
REQUIEM FOR A NUN 213
STEVENS
Not time for what? Before your plane leaves tonight? She has a little time
yet-four months, until March, the thirteenth of March-
TiMPLE
You know what I mean-her lawyer-seeing her every day-just a nigger, and
you a white maneven if you needed anything to frighten her withyou could
just buy it from her with a dose of cocaine or a pint of . . .
(she stops, stares at him, in a sort of amazement, despair; her
voice is almost quiet)
Oh, God, oh, God, she hasn't told you anything. It's me; I'm the one
that's-Dont you see? It's that I cannot believe-will not
believe-impossible-
STEVENS
Impossible to believe that all human beings really dont-as you put
it-stink? Even-as you put itdope-fiend nigger whores? No, she told me
nothing more.
TEMPLE (prompts) Even if there was anything more.
STEVENS
Even if there was.
TEMPLE
Then what is it you think you know? Never mind where you got it; just tell
me what you think it is.
STEVENS
There was a man there that night.
TEMPLE
(quick, glib, almost before he has finished)
Gowan.
STEVENS
That night? When Gowan had left with Bucky at six that morning to drive
to New Orleans in a car?
TEMPLE
(quick, harsh)
So I was right. Did you frighten her, or just buy it? (interrupts herself)