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Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Summary

July comes back from Ogallala so sunk he forgets the mail. Helping Clara turn and wash Bob, he stumbles into a door with a splitting head; she bathes his temples with a cool rag and then says the blunt thing she has been holding: that Elmira wants neither him nor the baby, that plenty of wives don't want the husbands they took, and that she will raise Martin herself if nobody else will — but she will not keep him a year and then give him up. She offers July a job, since Cholo cannot do two men's work forever. The next day July rides in again anyway and finds the doctor's room empty: Elmira has gone east with Zwey, into Sioux country. He races back, wears the borrowed horse half down, and ends up weeping behind the saddle shed. Clara, coming from the garden, asks only whether Elmira left, then tells him to come shuck corn.

Analysis

Clara says the thing the novel has been circling: not every wife wants the husband she took. She also converts July's plot from pursuit into settlement by offering him work and claiming the baby. The chase formally ends here, though July needs one more ride to accept it.

Plates

July rides back to Clara's ranch from Ogallala at dusk, so sunk by the visit with Elmira that he has forgotten the errands and the mail.
00 July rides back to Clara's ranch from Ogallala at dusk, so sunk by the visit with Elmira that he has forgotten the errands and the mail.
At the supper table July sits silent and scarcely touching his food while Clara holds the baby and Sally tells her mother she is mean.
01 At the supper table July sits silent and scarcely touching his food while Clara holds the baby and Sally tells her mother she is mean.
July sits alone on the porch steps in the dark, glad it is a dark night, feeling he will cry and not knowing what to do.
02 July sits alone on the porch steps in the dark, glad it is a dark night, feeling he will cry and not knowing what to do.
By lantern light July lifts Bob's wasted body while Clara strips the bedding, and Sally brings the bucket to the door.
03 By lantern light July lifts Bob's wasted body while Clara strips the bedding, and Sally brings the bucket to the door.
His head splitting, July walks crookedly down the stairs and bumps into the door at the foot of them while the baby squalls above.
04 His head splitting, July walks crookedly down the stairs and bumps into the door at the foot of them while the baby squalls above.
On the porch steps Clara bathes July's forehead and temples with a cool rag while, out in the dark, Cholo splashes up out of the river and trots to the corrals.
05 On the porch steps Clara bathes July's forehead and temples with a cool rag while, out in the dark, Cholo splashes up out of the river and trots to the corrals.
The next morning, the girls sent out to gather eggs, Clara tells July across the breakfast table that she has lost three boys and will not keep Martin a year and then give him up.
06 The next morning, the girls sent out to gather eggs, Clara tells July across the breakfast table that she has lost three boys and will not keep Martin a year and then give him up.
July rides to Ogallala anyway and finds the room at the doctor's empty — Elmira gone, the big man with her, no note left.
07 July rides to Ogallala anyway and finds the room at the doctor's empty — Elmira gone, the big man with her, no note left.
July finds Patrick Arandel delivering a baby in one of the whorehouses, and is told Elmira has gone east with the big man and left no note, while five idle young women listen.
08 July finds Patrick Arandel delivering a baby in one of the whorehouses, and is told Elmira has gone east with the big man and left no note, while five idle young women listen.
Behind the saddle shed July stands up from weeping and sees Clara, back from the garden with her basket, who asks only whether Elmira left and then tells him to come shuck corn.
09 Behind the saddle shed July stands up from weeping and sees Clara, back from the garden with her basket, who asks only whether Elmira left and then tells him to come shuck corn.