The Detroit tribune., 1942-07-11
I,ooY INSTALLMENT vi
VA / I'VE
Bv RICHARD WRIGHT

Mary. Quickly, he recast -
the story in his mind.
Iyessum. They went up -.
k0h. he was with herr"
RYessum.
lAnything wrong, MANI"
|0h. on LII No; there's II
ling wrong.
he he stood in the doorway and he -
fsd At her light-grey blind eyes,
almost as white as her face and
| and dress. He knew that she
really worried and wanted to
| ~ mnre questions But he knew she
No, want to hear him tell how drunk
f.nsh,er had been After ALL he was
/ snd she was white He was poor
H. va rich She would be ashamed
him think that something was so wrong In her
4 H., shc had To ask him, a black servant about
Ee felt confident.
Inn there be anything right now, nam?
n IN fact. you may take the rest OF the day
| you Ike Mr. Dalton is not feeling we'll and
mol gong oui.
fhank you. man.
4. ,urned away and he shut the door; he stood
Iur 10 the soft whisper OF her shoes die away
,he hall then on the stairs. He pictured her
hg her way her hands touching the walls, then
hus know this house, like book, he thought.
Esmbed with excitement. She was white and
|s black. she was rich and he wac poor; she
bid and be was young: she was the boss and
las the worker He was safe; yes. When be
the kitchen door open and shut he went to the
and listened again. But there were no sounds.
|ell he would 20 out. To go out now would be
|nswer 10 the feeling of strain that had come
~ nalton WOuld
n see BESSIE That was IT. He got his cap AMI
land went 10 the basement. The suction OF air
|rh the furnace moaned and the fire was white
here was enough coal to last until he came
went 10 Forty-seventh Street and stood on the
|r 10 wait for car. Yes Bessie was the one he
hi to see now Funny, he had not thought OF
huch during The last day and night Too many
|ng things had been happening. He had had
bed to think OF her. But now he had to forget
|eax and he wanted TO see her. She was always
on sunday afternoons. He wanted to see her
badly he felt that he would be stronger to go
lgh tomorrow II he saw her.
be street car came and he got on. thinking of
FAings had gone that day. No; he did not think
would suspect him of anything. He was black.
he felt tho roll OF crisp bills in his pocket: if
s went wrong he could always run away. he
ered how much money was In the roll: he had
lyen counted il. lie would see when he got to
ks No. he need not be afraid. He felt the gun
Ing close 10 his skin. That gun could always
folks stand away and think twice before both
him.
Ut Of the whole business there was one angle
Ooihefcl him; he should have gotten more
y out q. ii he should have planned IT, He had
TOO hastily and accidentally. Next time things
q be much different; he would plan and ar
so that he would have money enough 10 keep
a ong time. He looks out OF the Car window
lnen und at the white faces near him. lie
"a SUDDENLY to stand up and shout, telling them
he mad Killed rich white girl, whose family
known 10 all Of them. Yes: II he did what look
iIlled no ror would come over their faces. But,
ne Would not do that, even though the satisfac-
would be keen. lie was so greatly outnumber-
a' ne would be arrested. tried and executed.
aaied he keen thrill OF startling them, but felt
'ne cost WAS too great. He wished that he hal
over 10 say what he had done without fear OF
~ferled he wished that he could be an idea
sl minds that his black face and the image oil
mo'hering Mary and cutting of her head and
ug hef could hover before their eyes as ter
picture OF reality which they could see and feel
'et MOI destroy. He was not satisfied with the
alngs stood now: he was a man who had come
guy guy oil goal then had won II, and In winning II
ven lusi within his grasp another goal, higher.
VI ho had learned TO shout and shouted and
y nad heard him; he had just learned TO walk
'% waking but could not see the ground be-
. ns ieet ne had long been yearning for weap-
. nod IN his hands and suddenly found that
a"us held weapons that were invisible.
= car stopped a block from Bessie's home aud
I. VI Nhen he reached the building, In whicn
\, .su ne looked up to the second floor and saw
y ~, N her window. The street lamps came on
H hghting up the snow-covered sidewalks
se'ow sheen. II had gotten dark early. The
were round hazy balls OF light frozen into mo-
,sness' anchored in space and kept from blow
c% T.. IN the icy wind by black steel posts. He
~, ~ ana rang the bell and in answer to a buzzer:
|. .'s tne stairs and found Bessie smiling at him
ello strangerl"
j, Bessie"
y stood face to face with her, then reached fo-
anus. ,s' She SHE'D away.
mats the matter7p
su ~ know what's the matter"
ia, -. you reaching for me forf'
~. ~sst 70 kiss you. honey"
nv nv -" Son want to kiss me-"
YS pusnt to be asking you that"
'"ats the matter7"
saw y you with your white friends last night"
n, NJ 'ney wasn't my friends"
no was they?"
work for emu
no you eat with EN-"
", Bessie
AZ aIa,s cdn't even speak to me-"
w 'ust growied and waved your hand
- "aoy. I was working, then. You under
Vusnt ~ssu maybe you was shsmed Of me. sitting
. 'n tnat white gal all dressed IN silk and
y, y. nell Bessie. Come on. Don't act that way"
u,. sally want 10 kiss ms?"
- "hat yOu fhlnk 7 rar>o here for 80