Baby Suggs talked as little as she could get away with because what was there to say that the rootsof her tongue could manage? So the whitewoman, finding her new slave excellent if silent help,hummed to herself while she worked.

　　When Mr. Garner agreed to the arrangements with Halle, and when Halle looked like it meantmore to him that she go free than anything in the world, she let herself be taken 'cross the river. Ofthe two hard thingsstanding on her feet till she dropped or leaving her last and probably only livingchild — she chose the hard thing that made him happy, and never put to him the question she putto herself: What for? What does a sixty-odd-year-old slavewoman who walks like a three-leggeddog need freedom for? And when she stepped foot on free ground she could not believe that Halleknew what she didn't; that Halle, who had never drawn one free breath, knew that there wasnothing like it in this world. It scared her.

　　Something's the matter. What's the matter? What's the matter?

　　she asked herself. She didn't know what she looked like and was not curious. But suddenly she sawher hands and thought with a clarity as simple as it was dazzling, "These hands belong to me.

　　These my hands." Next she felt a knocking in her chest and discovered something else new: herown heartbeat. Had it been there all along? This pounding thing? She felt like a fool and began tolaugh out loud. Mr. Garner looked over his shoulder at her with wide brown eyes and smiledhimself. "What's funny, Jenny?"She couldn't stop laughing. "My heart's beating," she said.

　　And it was true.

　　Mr. Garner laughed. "Nothing to be scared of, Jenny. Just keep your same ways, you'll be all right."She covered her mouth to keep from laughing too loud.

　　"These people I'm taking you to will give you what help you need. Name of Bodwin. A brotherand a sister. Scots. I been knowing them for twenty years or more."Baby Suggs thought it was a good time to ask him something she had long wanted to know.

　　"Mr. Garner," she said, "why you all call me Jenny?"'"Cause that what's on your sales ticket, gal. Ain't that your name? What you call yourself?""Nothings" she said. "I don't call myself nothing."Mr. Garner went red with laughter. "When I took you out of Carolina, Whitlow called you Jennyand Jenny Whitlow is what his bill said. Didn't he call you Jenny?""No, sir. If he did I didn't hear it.""What did you answer to?""Anything, but Suggs is what my husband name.""You got married, Jenny? I didn't know it.""Manner of speaking.""You know where he is, this husband?""No, sir.""Is that Halle's daddy?""No, sir.""why you call him Suggs, then? His bill of sale says Whitlow too, just like yours.""Suggs is my name, sir. From my husband. He didn't call me Jenny.""What he call you?""Baby.""Well," said Mr. Garner, going pink again, "if I was you I'd stick to Jenny Whitlow. Mrs. BabySuggs ain't no name for a freed Negro."Maybe not, she thought, but Baby Suggs was all she had left of the "husband" she claimed. Aserious, melancho............