"They got me out of jail," Sethe once told Baby Suggs.

　　"They also put you in it," she answered.

　　"They drove you 'cross the river.""On my son's back.""They gave you this house.""Nobody gave me nothing.""I got a job from them.""He got a cook from them, girl.""Oh, some of them do all right by us.""And every time it's a surprise, ain't it?""You didn't used to talk this way.""Don't box with me. There's more of us they drowned than there is all of them ever lived from thestart of time. Lay down your sword. This ain't a battle; it's a rout."Remembering those conversations and her grandmother's last and final words, Denver stood on theporch in the sun and couldn't leave it. Her throat itched; her heart kicked — and then Baby Suggslaughed, clear as anything. "You mean I never told you nothing about Carolina? About yourdaddy? You don't remember nothing about how come I walk the way I do and about your mother'sfeet, not to speak of her back? I never told you all that? Is that why you can't walk down the steps?

　　My Jesus my."But you said there was no defense.

　　"There ain't."Then what do I do?

　　"Know it, and go on out the yard. Go on."* * *It came back. A dozen years had passed and the way came back. Four houses on the right, sittingclose together in a line like wrens. The first house had two steps and a rocking chair on the porch;the second had three steps, a broom propped on the porch beam, two broken chairs and a clump offorsyt............