Shelby Foote Quote

The trial was two months off. The public was primed. Hardly a day went by that the Stevenson boy didnt run something in the paper. They ate it up. They were anxious to see the show—it’s their only chance to see ‘live’ actors. Generally speaking, they wanted to see Eustis get the chair. There is nothing unusual about that: they are bloodthirsty enough by nature. Besides, it meant another show, at least an epilog, though it’s true the audience would be limited and tickets hard to get. Mainly, though—bloodthirstiness aside—their reaction was based on envy. Eustis had done things they had always wanted to do, beyond the pale, but didnt dare.

Shelby Foote

The trial was two months off. The public was primed. Hardly a day went by that the Stevenson boy didnt run something in the paper. They ate it up. They were anxious to see the show—it’s their only chance to see ‘live’ actors. Generally speaking, they wanted to see Eustis get the chair. There is nothing unusual about that: they are bloodthirsty enough by nature. Besides, it meant another show, at least an epilog, though it’s true the audience would be limited and tickets hard to get. Mainly, though—bloodthirstiness aside—their reaction was based on envy. Eustis had done things they had always wanted to do, beyond the pale, but didnt dare.

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