Requiem for a Nun

254 WILLIAM FAULKNER

they had the chance. And they were right about the evil, and so of course

she was right too, though even then it was not easy: she even had to

drive the car for a while after we began to realize that the young man

was wrong, had graduated too soon in the drinking part of his Virginia

training-

STEVENS

It was Gowan who knew the moonshiner and insisted on going there.

TEMPLE

-and even then-

STEVENS

He was driving when you wrecked.

TEMPLE

(to Stevens: quick and harsh)

And married me for it. Does he have to pay for it twice? It wasn't really

worth paying for once, was it?

(to Governor)

And even then-

GOVERNOR

How much was it worth?

TEMPLE

Was what worth?

GOVERNOR

His marrying you.

TEMPLE

You mean to him, of course. Less than he paid for it.

GOVERNOR

Is that what he thinks too?

(they stare at one another, Temple alert, quite watchful, though rather

impatient than anything else) You're going to tell me something that he

doesn't know, else you would have brought him with you. Is that right?

TEMPLE Yes.

GOVERNOR Would you tell it if he were here?

(Temple is staring at the Gover-