2022_영미문학읽기

5 Chapter 9 10 15 fist clench wear out announce deny common runnin’ a still 1) a schoolmate of Scout 2) a racial insult used against black people, especially African Americans “You can just take that back, boy!” This order, given by me to Cecil Jacobs 1) , was the beginning of a rather thin time for Jem and me. My fists were clenched and I was ready to let fly. Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting any more; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be. I soon forgot. Cecil Jacobs made me forget. He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers 2) . I denied it, but told Jem. “What’d he mean sayin’ that?” I asked. “Nothing,” Jem said. “Ask Atticus, he’ll tell you.” “Do you defend niggers, Atticus?” I asked him that evening. “Of course I do. Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common.” “It’s what everybody at school says.” “From now on it’ll be everybody less one―” “Do all lawyers defend n-Negroes, Atticus?” “Of course they do, Scout.” “Then why did Cecil say you defended niggers? He made it sound like you were runnin’ a still.” 73