The Mansion, 329 (Event)

Discussing with Chick and Ratliff, Uncle Gavin provides an interpretation of why Clarence and his gang "beat up Negroes" (329), and how the rationale changes after Clarence becomes a constable. As with the "(Ratliff said)" in the previous event, the references in this one to "Charles Uncle Gavin said" and "(and his Uncle Gavin said)" suggest that somehow the account of Clarence's life is a paraphrase of what was told, by Gavin Stevens now instead of V.K. Ratliff (329) - but there's no indication of when or to whom either one might be talking; the "his" in the second Gavin reference refers to Charles Mallison, who has been away at the Second World War - this might mean both Ratliff and Gavin are talking to him (see page 337), but if that is what Faulkner intends, it's not presented with any clarity or consistency. In fact, on page 339 it is "Charles" himself who is "telling it." The ambiguity here affects much of Chapter 13, from page 325 to 348. At that point, however, we have the account of how Clarence is driven from public life, and that is explicitly, unambiguously told by Ratliff, to Gavin and Charles.