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Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Summary

The herd crosses the Platte east of Ogallala and six hands race for town in fresh shirts. Lorena refuses to come, so Augustus rides in alone, keeps a dry-goods merchant open past closing and buys her petticoats, dresses, a hat, a winter coat, combs and a mirror, plus a black frock coat and string tie for himself. The town disappoints him: a smoky restaurant, a saloon full of shouting mule skinners. A young whore named Nellie comes to his table and is cuffed by a gambler called Shaw, who turns out to be her madam's husband; Augustus knocks him across a table and gives Nellie twenty dollars, then watches her go straight over and make peace with the man. He rides back depressed, and finds Lorena sitting outside the tent in the dark with her cheeks wet, certain the other woman will take him. He does not argue; he talks about the moon and about singing, and she will not answer.

Analysis

Augustus buys Lorena an entire wardrobe for a life she won't live with him, then finds the town squalid and a whore beaten by her madam's husband. His twenty dollars change nothing. The chapter measures the gap between his generosity and its effects — and Lorena weeps outside the tent.

Plates

The herd crosses the Platte east of Ogallala and turns northwest, the town's shacks and frame buildings showing on the slopes beyond.
00 The herd crosses the Platte east of Ogallala and turns northwest, the town's shacks and frame buildings showing on the slopes beyond.
Six hands in fresh shirts — Dish, Soupy, Bert, Jasper, Needle and the Irishman — race away for town, whooping and waving their hats.
01 Six hands in fresh shirts — Dish, Soupy, Bert, Jasper, Needle and the Irishman — race away for town, whooping and waving their hats.
Augustus and Lorena peg the tent while the riders go; her hands shake at the thought of the other woman, and she says she will stay behind.
02 Augustus and Lorena peg the tent while the riders go; her hands shake at the thought of the other woman, and she says she will stay behind.
At the chuck wagon Augustus asks Call to ride to town and talk philosophy; Call, restless and staying with the herd, says he doesn't know a philosophy.
03 At the chuck wagon Augustus asks Call to ride to town and talk philosophy; Call, restless and staying with the herd, says he doesn't know a philosophy.
Augustus lopes the five or six miles to Ogallala alone, struck by how much he misses Jake Spoon and by Clara being near.
04 Augustus lopes the five or six miles to Ogallala alone, struck by how much he misses Jake Spoon and by Clara being near.
Augustus keeps the dry-goods merchant open past closing and buys Lorena petticoats, dresses, a hat, a winter coat, combs and a mirror, and a black frock coat and string tie for himself.
05 Augustus keeps the dry-goods merchant open past closing and buys Lorena petticoats, dresses, a hat, a winter coat, combs and a mirror, and a black frock coat and string tie for himself.
The hotel restaurant turns out to be a smoky little room with no charm and one diner, a somber man with mutton-chop whiskers.
06 The hotel restaurant turns out to be a smoky little room with no charm and one diner, a somber man with mutton-chop whiskers.
In the saloon under the elk horns Shaw cuffs Nellie, and Augustus stands up and pulls out a chair for her.
07 In the saloon under the elk horns Shaw cuffs Nellie, and Augustus stands up and pulls out a chair for her.
Knocked across a table and given twenty dollars, Nellie has the bartender change it and goes straight over to make her peace with Shaw while Augustus watches from his table.
08 Knocked across a table and given twenty dollars, Nellie has the bartender change it and goes straight over to make her peace with Shaw while Augustus watches from his table.
He rides back under a full moon and finds Lorena sitting outside the tent in the dark with her cheek wet; he talks about the moon and about singing, and she will not answer.
09 He rides back under a full moon and finds Lorena sitting outside the tent in the dark with her cheek wet; he talks about the moon and about singing, and she will not answer.