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Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Summary

Call walks the river at night out of old Ranger habit, watching a Comanche crossing that no Comanche will use again. The long war with them is over, and he knows it; what he cannot shake is the feeling of being hemmed in by the small needs of others, still captaining a troop that no longer exists. Back at the house, Augustus, Bolivar, Pea Eye and Newt pass the evening on the porch, trading insults while Bolivar whets his knife. Newt reveals his secret: he is in love with Lorena Wood, the young woman who works above the Dry Bean saloon, and has never dared speak to her. Augustus tells Pea Eye that Call goes to the river not to hunt Indians but to escape their talk and out-suffer everyone. When Call returns he refuses Newt permission to join the next Mexico raid, and warns Augustus not to marry Lorena.

Analysis

A diptych: Call alone at the crossing, Augustus holding court on the porch. Each man's solitude is defined against the other's. Newt's unspoken love for Lorena is planted here, as is Call's warning against marrying a whore — an irony that will land on Jake, not Gus.

Plates

Call walks the river alone for an hour after supper, west of town, out of an old Ranger habit he no longer needs.
00 Call walks the river alone for an hour after supper, west of town, out of an old Ranger habit he no longer needs.
Call sits on the little bluff above the old Comanche crossing near the salt lick, watching a ford no Comanche will ever use again.
01 Call sits on the little bluff above the old Comanche crossing near the salt lick, watching a ford no Comanche will ever use again.
After supper, Augustus, Pea Eye, Newt, Bolivar and the pigs repair to the porch for the evening.
02 After supper, Augustus, Pea Eye, Newt, Bolivar and the pigs repair to the porch for the evening.
Bolivar whets the bone-handled knife as he does every night, spitting on the stone to damp it — "It's like a wife. Every night you better stroke it."
03 Bolivar whets the bone-handled knife as he does every night, spitting on the stone to damp it — "It's like a wife. Every night you better stroke it."
"Only nine" — Bolivar throws the knife into the side of the nearest wagon without getting up, and Augustus reaches around for his Colt to twirl the chamber.
04 "Only nine" — Bolivar throws the knife into the side of the nearest wagon without getting up, and Augustus reaches around for his Colt to twirl the chamber.
The Sunday the deacons ran the piano off its rail and broke two legs off it — Mrs Pink Higgins banging the hymns out in the street while Lorena Wood listens from the saloon's backstairs.
05 The Sunday the deacons ran the piano off its rail and broke two legs off it — Mrs Pink Higgins banging the hymns out in the street while Lorena Wood listens from the saloon's backstairs.
Newt on the lower step, hearing the piano down at the Dry Bean, working out what he will say to Lorena when he finally speaks to her.
06 Newt on the lower step, hearing the piano down at the Dry Bean, working out what he will say to Lorena when he finally speaks to her.
Augustus tells Pea Eye why Call really goes to the river — "Call's got to be the one to out-suffer everybody" — while Pea Eye slides back into his doze against the railing.
07 Augustus tells Pea Eye why Call really goes to the river — "Call's got to be the one to out-suffer everybody" — while Pea Eye slides back into his doze against the railing.
Call comes in out of the dark with his rifle, leans it against the porch rail and lights a smoke, and puts Newt off again — "You'll get old quick if you keep sitting up all night."
08 Call comes in out of the dark with his rifle, leans it against the porch rail and lights a smoke, and puts Newt off again — "You'll get old quick if you keep sitting up all night."
Augustus has gone down to the Dry Bean to find a card game, and Call sits on the steps a little while longer, listening to the blue pigs snore.
09 Augustus has gone down to the Dry Bean to find a card game, and Call sits on the steps a little while longer, listening to the blue pigs snore.