To Kill a Mockingbird - Chapter 14 Harper Lee

Part Two Chapter 14

To Kill a Mockingbird



Although we heard no more about the Finch family from Aunt

Alexandra, we heard plenty from the town. On Saturdays, armed with our

nickels, when Jem permitted me to accompany him (he was now positively

allergic to my presence when in public), we would squirm our way

through sweating sidewalk crowds and sometimes hear, "There's his

chillun," or, "Yonder's some Finches." Turning to face our accusers,

we would see only a couple of farmers studying the enema bags in the

Mayco Drugstore window. Or two dumpy countrywomen in straw hats

sitting in a Hoover cart.

"They c'n go loose and rape up the countryside for all of 'em who
run this county care," was one obscure observation we met head on from

a skinny gentleman when he passed us. Which reminded me that I had a

question to ask Atticus.

"What's rape?" I asked him that night.

Atticus looked around from behind his paper. He was in his chair

by the window. As we grew older, Jem and I thought it generous to

allow Atticus thirty minutes to himself after supper.

He sighed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force

and without consent.



"Well if that's all it is why did Calpurnia dry me up when I asked

her what it was?"

Atticus looked pensive. "What's that again?"