ferently　cocked　eye；　and　to　the　er　of　his　mouth；　which　had　been　disfigured　into　the　knowing　leer　of　a　gambler　or　perhaps　a　whoremaster。　One　cheek　was　smooth　and　pretty；　the　other　was　bunched　up　like　the　stump　of　a　tree。　I　guessed　there　had　been　a　hole　in　it；　but　that；　at　least；　had　healed。

〃He　has　the　one　eye；〃　Hammersmith　said；　caressing　the　boy's　bunched　cheek　with　a　lover's　kind　fingers。　〃I　suppose　he's　lucky　not　to　be　blind。　We　get　down　on　our　knees　and　thank　God　for　that　much；　at　least。　Eh；　Caleb？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　boy　said　shyly　…　the　boy　who　would　be　beaten　mercilessly　on　the　play…yard　by　laughing；　jeering　bullies　for　all　his　miserable　years　of　education；　the　boy　who　would　never　be　asked　to　play　Spin　the　Bottle　or　Post　Office　and　would　probably　never　sleep　with　a　woman　not　bought　and　paid　for　once　he　was　grown　to　manhood's　times　and　needs；　the　boy　who　would　always　stand　outside　the　warm　and　lighted　circle　of　his　peers；　the　boy　who　would　look　at　himself　in　his　mirror　for　the　next　fifty　or　sixty　or　seventy　years　of　his　life　and　think　ugly；　ugly；　ugly。

〃Go　on　in　and　get　your　cookies；〃　his　father　said；　and　kissed　his　son's　sneering　mouth。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Caleb；　said；　and　dashed　inside。

Hammersmith　took　a　handkerchief　from　his　back　pocket　and　wiped　at　his　eyes　with　it　…　they　were　dry；　but　I　suppose　he'd　gotten　used　to　them　being　wet。

〃The　dog　was　here　when　they　were　born；〃　he　said。　〃I　brought　him　in　the　house　to　smell　them　when　Cynthia　brought　them　home　from　the　hospital；　and　Sir　Galahad　licked　their　hands。　Their　little　hands。〃　He　nodded；　as　if　confirming　this　to　himself。　〃He　played　with　them；　used　to　lick　Arden's　face　until　she　giggled。　Caleb　used　to　pull　his　ears；　and　when　he　was　first　learning　to　walk；　he'd　sometimes　go　around　t