Where are you two going at this time of day? she shouted. Playing hooky, I suppose. Ill just call up the principal and tell him! She put her hands on the wheels of her chair and executed a perfect right face.

Aw, its Saturday, Mrs. Dubose, said Jem.

Makes no difference if its Saturday, she said obscurely. I wonder if your father knows where you are?

Mrs. Dubose, weve been goin to town by ourselves since we were this high. Jem placed his hand palm down about two feet above the sidewalk.

Dont you lie to me! she yelled. Jeremy Finch, Maudie Atkinson told me you broke down her scuppernong arbor this morning. Shes going to tell your father and then youll wish you never saw the light of day! If you arent sent to the reform school before next week, my names not Dubose!

Jem, who hadnt been near Miss Maudies scuppernong arbor since last summer, and who knew Miss Maudie wouldnt tell Atticus if he had, issued a general denial.

Dont you contradict me! Mrs. Dubose bawled. And you she pointed an arthritic finger at mewhat are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! Youll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesnt change your waysa Finch waiting on tables at the O.K. Cafhah!

I was terrified. The O.K. Caf was a dim organization on the north side of the square. I grabbed Jems hand but he shook me loose.

Come on, Scout, he whispered. Dont pay any attention to her, just hold your head high and be a gentleman.

But Mrs. Dubose held us: Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!

Jem stiffened. Mrs. Duboses shot had gone home and she knew it:

Yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? Ill tell you! She put her hand to her mouth. When she drew it away, it trailed a long silver thread of saliva. Your fathers no better than the niggers and trash he works for!

Jem was scarlet. I pulled at his sleeve, and we were followed up the sidewalk by a philippic on our familys moral degeneration, the major premise of which was that half the Finches were in the asylum anyway, but if our mother were living we would not have come to such a state.

I wasnt sure what Jem resented most, but I took umbrage at Mrs. Duboses assessment of the familys mental hygiene. I had become almost accustomed to hearing insults aimed at Atticus. But this was the first one coming from an adult. Except for her remarks about Atticus, Mrs. Duboses attack was only routine. There was a hint of summer in the airin the shadows it was cool, but the sun was warm, which meant good times coming: no school and Dill.

Jem bought his steam engine and we went by Elmores for my baton. Jem took no pleasure in his acquisition; he jammed it in his pocket and walked silently beside me toward home. On the way home I nearly hit Mr. Link Deas, who said, Look out now, Scout! when I missed a toss, and when we approached Mrs. Duboses house my baton was grimy from having picked it up out of the dirt so many times.

She was not on the porch.

In later years, I sometimes wondered exactly what made Jem do it, what made him break the bonds of You just be a gentleman, son, and the phase of self-conscious rectitude he had recently entered. Jem had probably stood as much guff about Atticus lawing for niggers as had I, and I took it for granted that he kept his temperhe had a naturally tranquil disposition and a slow fuse. At the time, however, I thought the only explanation for what he did was that for a few minutes he simply went mad.

What Jem did was something Id do as a matter of course had I not been under Atticuss interdict, which I assumed included not fighting horrible old ladies. We had just come to her gate when Jem snatched my baton and ran flailing wildly up the steps into Mrs. Duboses front yard, forgetting everything Atticus had said, forgetting that she packed a pistol under her shawls, forgetting that if Mrs. Dubose missed, her girl Jessie probably wouldnt.

He did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned, until the ground was littered with green buds and leaves. He bent my baton against his knee, snapped it in two and threw it down.

By that time I was shrieking. Jem yanked my hair, said he didnt care, hed do it again if he got a chance, and if I didnt shut up hed pull every hair out of my head. I didnt shut up and he kicked me. I lost my balance and fell on my face. Jem picked me up roughly but looked like he was sorry. There was nothing to say.