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Then Joe Starks realized all the meanings and his
vanity bled like a flood. Janie had robbed him of his illusion of irresistible
maleness that all men cherish, which was terrible. The thing that Saul’s
daughter had done to David. But Janie had done worse, she had cast
down his empty armor before men and they had laughed, would keep on laughing.
When he paraded his possessions hereafter, they would not consider the two
together. They’d look with envy at the things and pity the man that
owned them. When he sat in judgment it would be the same. Good-for-nothing’s
like Dave and Lum and Jim wouldn’t change place with him. For what
can excuse a man in the eyes of other men for lack of strength? Raggedy-behind
squirts of sixteen and seventeen would be giving him their merciless pity
out of their eyes while their mouths said something humble. There was
nothing to do in life anymore. Ambition was useless. And the
cruel deceit of Janie! Making all that show of humbleness and scorning
him all the time! Laughing at him, and now putting the town up to do
the same. Joe Starks didn’t know the words for all this, but he knew
the feeling. So he struck Janie with all his might and drove her from
the store. |