and　without　warning。　They　had　been　at　the　supper　table。

The　cane　had　been　standing　by　his　chair。　It　was　a　Sunday　night；　the　end　of　a

three…day　weekend　for　Daddy；　a　weekend　which　he　had　boozed　away　in　his　usual

inimitable　style。　Roast　chicken。　Peas。　Mashed　potatoes。　Daddy　at　the　head　of　the

table；　his　plate　heaped　high；　snoozing　or　nearly　snoozing。　His　mother　passing

plates。　And　suddenly　Daddy　had　been　wide　awake；　his　eyes　set　deeply　into　their

fat　eyesockets；　glittering　with　a　kind　of　stupid；　evil　petulance。　They　flickered

from　one　member　of　the　family　to　the　next；　and　the　vein　in　the　center　of　his

forehead　was　standing　out　prominently；　always　a　bad　sign。　One　of　his　large

freckled　hands　had　dropped　to　the　gold　knob　of　his　cane；　caressing　it。　He　said

something　about　coffee　ˉ　to　this　day　Jack　was　sure　it　had　been　〃coffee〃　that　his

father　said。　Momma　had　opened　her　mouth　to　answer　and　then　the　cane　was

whickering　through　the　air；　smashing　against　her　face。　Blood　spurted　from　her

nose。　Becky　screamed。　Momma's　spectacles　dropped　into　her　gravy。　The　cane　had

been　drawn　back；　had　e　down　again；　this　time　on　top　of　her　head；　splitting

the　scalp。　Momma　had　dropped　to　the　floor。　He　had　been　out　of　his　chair　and

around　to　where　she　lay　dazed　on　the　carpet；　brandishing　the　cane；　moving　with　a

fat　man's　grotesque　speed　and　agility；　little　eyes　flashing；　jowls　quivering　as

he　spoke　to　her　just　as　he　had　always　spoken　to　his　children　during　such

outbursts。　〃Now。　Now　by　Christ。　I　guess　you'll　take　your　medicine　now。　Goddam

puppy。　Whelp。　e　on　and　take　your　medicine。〃　The　cane　had　gone　up　and　down　on

her　seven　more　times　before　Brett　and　Mike