...of denial

Joel plugged his ears; what Zoo said was ugly, he was sick-sorry she'd ever come back, she ought to be punished. "Stop that, Zoo," he said, "I won't listen, I won't..." but Zoo's lips quivered, her eyes blindly twisted towards the inner vision, and in the roar of silence she was a pantomime: the joy of Jesus demented her face and glittered like sweat, like a preacher her finger shook the air, agonies of joy jerked at her breast, her lips bared for a low-down shout, in sucked her guts, wide swung her arms embracing the eternal: she was a cross, she was crucified. He saw without hearing and it was more terrible for that, and after she'd gone, docilely taking the broth bowl with her, he kept his fingers in his ears till the ringing grew so loud it deafened even the memory of sound.

[Other Voices, Other Rooms, Capote, T.]