Invisible man - Ralph Ellison [110]
"Take your hands off that woman!" someone called from the crowd.
Then at the top of the stairs they were pushing against the man and I saw the old woman fall backwards, and the crowd exploded.
"Get that paddie sonofabitch!"
"He struck her!" a West Indian woman screamed into my ear. "The filthy brute, he struck her!"
"Stand back or I'll shoot," the man called, his eyes wild as he drew a gun and backed into the doorway where the two trusties stood bewildered, their arms full of articles. "I swear I'll shoot! You don't know what you're doing, but I'll shoot!"
They hesitated. "Ain't but six bullets in that thing," a little fellow called. "Then what you going to do?"
"Yeah, you damn sho caint hide."
"I advise you to stay out of this," the marshal called.
"Think you can come up here and hit one of our women, you a fool."
"To hell with all this talk, let's rush that bastard!"
"You better think twice," the white man called.
I saw them start up the steps and felt suddenly as though my head would split. I knew that they were about to attack the man and I was both afraid and angry, repelled and fascinated. I both wanted it and feared the consequences, was outraged and angered at what I saw and yet surged with fear; not for the man or of the consequences of an attack, but of what the sight of violence might release in me. And beneath it all there boiled up all the shock-absorbing phrases that I had learned all my life. I seemed to totter on the edge of a great dark hole.
"No, no," I heard myself yelling. "Black men! Brothers! Black Brothers! That's not the way. We're law-abiding. We're a law-abiding people and a slow-to-anger people."
Forcing my way quickly through the crowd, I stood on the steps facing those in front, talking rapidly without thought but out of my clashing emotions. "We're a law-abiding people and a slow-to-anger people . . ." They stopped, listening. Even the white man was startled.
"Yeah, but we mad now," a voice called out.
"Yes, you're right," I called back. "We're angry, but let us be wise. Let us, I mean let us not . . . Let us learn from that great leader whose wise action was reported in the newspaper the other day . . ."
"What, mahn? Who?" a West Indian voice shouted.
"Come on! To hell with this guy, let's get that paddie before they send him some help . . ."
"No, wait," I yelled. "Let's follow a leader, let's organize. Organize. We need someone like that wise leader, you read about him, down in Alabama. He was strong enough to choose to do the wise thing in spite of what he felt himself . . ."
"Who, mahn? Who?"
This was it, I thought, they're listening, eager to listen.
Nobody laughed. If they laugh, I'll die! I tensed my diaphragm.
"That wise man," I said, "you read about him, who when that fugitive escaped from the mob and ran to his school for protection, that wise man who was strong enough to do the legal thing, the law-abiding thing, to turn him over to the forces of law and order . . ."
"Yeah," a voice rang out, "yeah, so they could lynch his ass."
Oh, God, this wasn't it at all. Poor technique and not at all what I intended.
"He was a wise leader," I yelled. "He was within the law. Now wasn't that the wise thing to do?"
"Yeah, he was wise all right," the man laughed angrily. "Now get out of the way so we can jump this paddie."
The crowd yelled and I laughed in response as though hypnotized.
"But wasn't that the human thing to do? After all, he had to protect himself because --"
"He was a handkerchief-headed rat!" a woman screamed, her voice boiling with contempt.
"Yes, you're right. He was wise and cowardly, but what about us? What are we to do?" I yelled, suddenly thrilled by the response. "Look at him," I cried.
"Yes, just look at him!" an old fellow in a derby called out as though answering a preacher in church.
"And look at that old couple . . ."
"Yeah, what about Sister and Brother Provo?" he said. "It's an ungodly shame!"
"And look at their possessions all strewn there on the