An Odor of Verbena: Chapters 1-4 Summary

This section finds Bayard attending college in Oxford, Mississippi, now twenty-four and studying law.His home outside of Jefferson has long since been rebuilt, and the marriage between John and Drusilla has occurred. John's sister, Aunt Jenny, is also residing at the family home and has a beautiful garden, full of sweet and strong-smelling verbena. Drusilla has taken to wearing sprigs of it in her hair, claiming that it is the only scent that can drown out the smell of "horses and courage." Bayard is now in his final year of law school, and is looking forward to taking a position of leadership and responsibility once finished.

John Sartoris has had a busy several years. He has organized a group of "night riders," to keep carpet-baggers from organizing the Negroes into insurrection and...