Whitfield

Upon hearing of Addie’s failing health, Whitfield feels conflicted. He wrestles with Satan and struggles to determine how to assuage his guilt. After extended prayer, he says that God has instructed him to go to the Bundrens’ home, confess his sin, and ask Anse for his forgiveness. 

As he traverses the overflowing river, muddying himself in the process, he feels thankful for the difficult journey, as it makes him feel as if he is suffering for his sins and ensuring that he will be forgiven. 

When he reaches the Tulls’ house, however, they inform him that Addie has already passed. With the news of Addie’s passing in mind, Whitfield decides not to say anything to Anse about his transgressions with Addie and arrives under the guise of a religious authority who has come to administer funeral rites.

Darl

Jewel rides to Armstid’s farm and returns with a team of mules to draw the wagon. The Bundrens place the injured Cash on top of Addie’s coffin on the wagon, and they drive to Armstid’s house, where Mrs. Armstid has prepared a bed for Cash. The rest of the family sleep in the shed, though Armstid tells them that they would be welcome to stay in the house. He also invites them to eat supper inside; Anse initially refuses but soon relents, later remarking that he feels better after a drink. Jewel quickly leaves the rest of the family and goes out to the barn to take care of his horse.

Armstid

Armstid suggests that Anse might obtain mules from Snopes, a farmer who lives nearby. Anse says that a Christian will always help another man in trouble, and Armstid offers the loan of one of his mules, but Anse declines, saying that Addie would not want to travel with borrowed mules. Jewel goes out to find Dr. Peabody, but he is away, so he seeks out other medical professionals and returns with a veterinarian—the next best option—called Uncle Billy. Uncle Billy notes that Cash has broken the same leg he broke the year before, then sets it, giving Cash whisky as he does so. 

The next day, Anse goes out, and returns saying that he has bought a team of mules. Armstid asks what he had to pay for them, and Anse replies that he gave Snopes a chattel mortgage on his cultivator and seeder. After further questioning, he is forced to admit that he also gave the farmer some of Cash’s money, the money he had been saving for his new teeth, and Jewel’s horse. When he hears this, Jewel rides off, but the next morning, a man brings the mules over from Snopes’s farm and tells Armstid that the horse remains on the farm. There is no sign of Jewel. 

Vardaman

Vardaman counts seven buzzards circling in the sky and observes that yesterday there were only four. He says that he will not allow them to alight upon the wagon, either on Addie or on Cash. Darl worries about how Cash is feeling, asking him if he wants the rope holding him onto the wagon to be looser or if he wants Anse to drive more slowly. Cash says that he does not mind. Darl sarcastically tells Dewey Dell that the cakes she has brought will be in fine shape by the time they arrive in Jefferson and suggests trying to sell them in Mottson instead. Vardaman repeats to himself that his mother is a fish and Jewel’s mother is a horse, then continues to count the number of buzzards, of which there are now ten. 

Moseley

Moseley is a pharmacist in Mottson, who sees Dewey Dell peering through his shop window. Eventually, she comes in, and Moseley asks what she needs and whether she has come to buy medicine. Dewey Dell asks to go to the back of the store, and Moseley realizes that she is pregnant and unmarried. She offers him ten dollars for an abortion, but he sternly tells her that one-thousand dollars would not be enough, advising her to marry or tell her family what has happened. 

Dissatisfied with Moseley’s advice, Dewey Dell leaves the pharmacy, and Moseley discusses the Bundren family with a man named Albert, who adds his own gossip to the conversation. According to Albert, a local marshal has already cautioned Anse, warning him about the obscene stench emanating from the wagon and telling him that he must take Cash to a real doctor and not attempt to set his leg using cement, as he had planned. The next day, Moseley meets the marshal, and they agree that the Bundrens must leave for Jefferson soon or they will be jailed. 

Darl

After embarking once more to Jefferson, Dewey Dell borrows a bucket from a house along the road and fills it with water. Darl uses the water to mix a batch of cement, to which Vardaman adds some sand. They pour the cement over Cash’s broken leg, and Cash exclaims that he feels fine and is prepared to continue along to Jefferson. As the wagon trundles further along, the Bundrens see Jewel walking behind them, far in the distance. 

Vardaman

As Anse drives the wagon uphill, Darl, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman walk behind, and Jewel—only recently returned—walks with them. Vardaman sees just five buzzards circling above and ponders where they live, asking Darl where the buzzards sleep at night. To himself, he hopes that he will see where the buzzards stay when the family stops for their evening rest. 

Darl

Tensions are high as the journey continues. Darl reprises his commentary about Jewel’s parentage, reiterating that his mother was a horse. However, Darl pushes the envelope further by enquiring after the identity of his father and alluding to Jewel’s illegitimate parentage. In response, Jewel calls Darl a “goddamn lying son of a bitch.” 

After supper, Cash complains of his broken leg feeling hot. The rest of the family pours water over it to cool it down, but Darl observes that his leg and foot below the cement look as if they have been boiled. Unwilling to disrupt the journey, Cash rescinds his complaints, saying that his leg feels fine now and reiterating his obligation to his family. Once again, Darl asks Jewel who his father was.