Requiem for a Nun

332 WILLIAM FAULKNER

ing, he looks around and sees more mules than he can count at one time

even, let alone find work for, and all he knows is that they are his,

because at least dont nobody else want to claim them, and that the

pasture fence was still holding them last night where they cant harm

themselves nor nobody else the least possible. And that when Monday

morning comes, he can walk in there and hem some of them up and even

catch them if he's careful about not never turning his back on the ones

he aint hemmed up. And that, once the gear is on them, they will do his

work and do it good, only he's still got to be careful about getting too

close to them, or forgetting that another one of them is behind him, even

when he is feeding them. Even when it's Saturday noon again, and he is

turning them back into the pasture, where even a mule can know it's got

until Monday morning anyway to run free in mule sin and mule pleasure.

STEVENS You have got to sin, too?

NANCY

You aint got to. You cant help it. And He knows that. But you can suffer.

And He knows that too. He dont tell you not to sin, He just asks you not

to. And He dont tell you to suffer. But He gives you the chance. He gives

you the best He can think of, that you are capable of doing. And He will

save you.

STEVENS You too? A murderess? In heaven?

NANCY I can work.

STEVENS

"ne harp, the raiment, the singing, may not be for Nancy Mannigoe-not

now. But there's still the work to be done-the washing and sweeping,

maybe even the children to be tended and fed and kept from hurt and harm

and out from under the grown folks' feet? (he pauses a moment. Nancy says

nothing, immobile, looking at no one)

Maybe even that baby?

(Nancy doesn't move, stir, not looking at anything

apparently, her face still, bemused, expressionless)