英语天堂-第115章

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Susan　remembered　the　man’s　looks　and　words。　With　a　deadly　sickness　at　her　heart；　she　remembered　how　he　had　looked　at　Emmeline’s　hands；　and　lifted　up　her　curly　hair；　and　pronounced　her　a　first…rate　article。　Susan　had　been　trained　as　a　Christian；　brought　up　in　the　daily　reading　of　the　Bible；　and　had　the　same　horror　of　her　child’s　being　sold　to　a　life　of　shame　that　any　other　Christian　mother　might　have；　but　she　had　no　hope；—no　protection。
“Mother；　I　think　we　might　do　first　rate；　if　you　could　get　a　place　as　cook；　and　I　as　chambermaid　or　seamstress；　in　some　family。　I　dare　say　we　shall。　Let’s　both　look　as　bright　and　lively　as　we　can；　and　tell　all　we　can　do；　and　perhaps　we　shall；”　said　Emmeline。
“I　want　you　to　brush　your　hair　all　back　straight；　tomorrow；”　said　Susan。
“What　for；　mother？　I　don’t　look　near　so　well；　that　way。”
“Yes；　but　you’ll　sell　better　so。”
“I　don’t　see　why！”　said　the　child。
“Respectable　families　would　be　more　apt　to　buy　you；　if　they　saw　you　looked　plain　and　decent；　as　if　you　wasn’t　trying　to　look　handsome。　I　know　their　ways　better　’n　you　do；”　said　Susan。
“Well；　mother；　then　I　will。”
“And；　Emmeline；　if　we　shouldn’t　ever　see　each　other　again；　after　tomorrow；—if　I’m　sold　way　up　on　a　plantation　somewhere；　and　you　somewhere　else；—always　remember　how　you’ve　been　brought　up；　and　all　Missis　has　told　you；　take　your　Bible　with　you；　and　your　hymn…book；　and　if　you’re　faithful　to　the　Lord；　he’ll　be　faithful　to　you。”
So　speaks　the　poor　soul；　in　sore　discouragement；　for　she　knows　that　tomorrow　any　man；　however　vile　and　brutal；　however　godless　and　merciless；　if　he　only　has　money　to　pay　for　her；　may　become　owner　of　her　daughter；　body　and　soul；　and　then；　how　is　the　child　to　be　faithful？　She　thinks　of　all　this；　as　she　holds　her　daughter　in　her　arms；　and　wishes　that　she　were　not　handsome　and　attractive。　It　seems　almost　an　aggravation　to　her　to　remember　how　purely　and　piously；　how　much　above　the　ordinary　lot；　she　has　been　brought　up。　But　she　has　no　resort　but　to　pray；　and　many　such　prayers　to　God　have　gone　up　from　those　same　trim；　neatly…arranged；　respectable　slave…prisons；—prayers　which　God　has　not　forgotten；　as　a　coming　day　shall　show；　for　it　is　written；　“Who　causeth　one　of　these　little　ones　to　offend；　it　were　better　for　him　that　a　millstone　were　hanged　about　his　neck；　and　that　he　were　drowned　in　the　depths　of　the　sea。”
The　soft；　earnest；　quiet　moonbeam　looks　in　fixedly；　marking　the　bars　of　the　grated　windows　on　the　prostrate；　sleeping　forms。　The　mother　and　daughter　are　singing　together　a　wild　and　melancholy　dirge；　common　as　a　funeral　hymn　among　the　slaves：
“O；　where　is　weeping　Mary？
O；　where　is　weeping　Mary？
　　　　’Rived　in　the　goodly　land。
She　is　dead　and　gone　to　Heaven；
She　is　dead　and　gone　to　Heaven；
　　　　’Rived　in　the　goodly　land。”
These　words；　sung　by　voices　of　a　peculiar　and　melancholy　sweetness；　in　an　air　which　seemed　like　the　sighing　of　earthy　despair　after　heavenly　hope；　floated　through　the　dark　prison　rooms　with　a　pathetic　cadence；　as　verse　after　verse　was　breathed　out：
“O；　where　are　Paul　and　Silas？
O；　where　are　Paul　and　Silas？
　　　　Gone　to　the　goodly　land。
They　are　dead　and　gone　to　Heaven；
They　are　dead　and　gone　to　Heaven；
　　　　’Rived　in　the　goodly　land。”
Sing　on　poor　souls！　The　night　is　short；　and　the　morning　will　part　you　forever！
But　now　it　is　morning；　and　everybody　is　astir；　and　the　worthy　Mr。　Skeggs　is　busy　and　bright；　for　a　lot　of　goods　is　to　be　fitted　out　for　auction。　There　is　a　brisk　lookout　on　the　toilet；　injunctions　passed　around　to　every　one　to　put　on　their　best　face　and　be　spry；　and　now　all　are　arranged　in　a　circle　for　a　last　review；　before　they　are　marched　up　to　the　Bourse。
Mr。　Skeggs；　with　his　palmetto　on　and　his　cigar　in　his　mouth；　walks　around　to　put　farewell　touches　on　his　wares。
“How’s　this？”　he　said；　stepping　in　front　of　Susan　and　Emmeline。　“Where’s　your　curls；　gal？”
The　girl　looked　timidly　at　her　mother；　who；　with　the　smooth　adroitness　common　among　her　class；　answers；
“I　was　telling　her；　last　night；　to　put　up　her　hair　smooth　and　neat；　and　not　havin’　it　flying　about　in　curls；　looks　more　respectable　so。”
“Bother！”　said　the　man；　peremptorily；　turning　to　the　girl；　“you　go　right　along；　and　curl　yourself　real　smart！”　He　added；　giving　a　crack　to　a　rattan　he　held　in　his　hand；　“And　be　back　in　quick　time；　too！”
“You　go　and　help　her；”　he　added；　to　the　mother。　“Them　curls　may　make　a　hundred　dollars　difference　in　the　sale　of　her。”
Beneath　a　splendid　dome　were　men　of　all　nations；　moving　to　and　fro；　over　the　marble　pave。　On　every　side　of　the　circular　area　were　little　tribunes；　or　stations；　for　the　use　of　speakers　and　auctioneers。　Two　of　these；　on　opposite　sides　of　the　area；　were　now　ocomupied　by　brilliant　and　talented　gentlemen；　enthusiastically　forcing　up；　in　English　and　French　commingled；　the　bids　of　connoisseurs　in　their　various　wares。　A　third　one；　on　the　other　side；　still　unocomupied；　was　surrounded　by　a　group；　waiting　the　moment　of　sale　to　begin。　And　here　we　may　recognize　the　St。　Clare　servants；—Tom；　Adolph；　and　others；　and　there；　too；　Susan　and　Emmeline；　awaiting　their　turn　with　anxious　and　dejected　faces。　Various　spectators；　intending　to　purchase；　or　not　intending；　examining；　and　commenting　on　their　various　points　and　faces　with　the　same　freedom　that　a　set　of　jockeys　discuss　the　merits　of　a　horse。
“Hulloa；　Alf！　what　brings　you　here？”　said　a　young　exquisite；　slapping　the　shoulder　of　a　sprucely…dressed　young　man；　who　was　examining　Adolph　through　an　eye…glass。
“Well！　I　was　wanting　a　valet；　and　I　heard　that　St。　Clare’s　lot　was　going。　I　thought　I’d　just　look　at　his—”
“Catch　me　ever　buying　any　of　St。　Clare’s　people！　Spoilt　niggers；　every　one。　Impudent　as　the　devil！”　said　the　other。
“Never　fear　that！”　said　the　first。　“If　I　get　’em；　I’ll　soon　have　their　airs　out　of　them；　they’ll　soon　find　that　they’ve　another　kind　of　master　to　deal　with　than　Monsieur　St。　Clare。　’Pon　my　word；　I’ll　buy　that　fellow。　I　like　the　shape　of　him。”
“You’ll　find　it’ll　take　all　you’ve　got　to　keep　him。　He’s　deucedly　extravagant！”
“Yes；　but　my　lord　will　find　that　he　can’t　be　extravagant　with　me。　Just　let　him　be　sent　to　the　calaboose　a　few　times；　and　thoroughly　dressed　down！　I’ll　tell　you　if　it　don’t　bring　him　to　a　sense　of　his　ways！　O；　I’ll　reform　him；　up　hill　and　down；—you’ll　see。　I　buy　him；　that’s　flat！”
Tom　had　been　standing　wistfully　examining　the　multitude　of　faces　thronging　around　him；　for　one　whom　he　would　wish　to　call　master。　And　if　you　should　ever　be　under　the　necessity；　sir；　of　selecting；　out　of　two　hundred　men；　one　who　was　to　become　your　absolute　owner　and　disposer；　you　would；　perhaps；　realize；　just　as　Tom　did；　how　few　there　were　that　you　would　feel　at　all　comfortable　in　being　made　over　to。　Tom　saw　abundance　of　men；—great；　burly；　gruff　men；　little；　chirping；　dried　men；　long…favored；　lank；　hard　men；　and　every　variety　of　stubbed…looking；　commonplace　men；　who　pick　up　their　fellow…men　as　one　picks　up　chips；　putting　them　into　the　fire　or　a　basket　with　equal　unconcern；　acomording　to　their　convenience；　but　he　saw　no　St。　Clare。
A　little　before　the　sale　commenced；　a　short；　broad；　muscular　man；　in　a　checked　shirt　considerably　open　at　the　bosom；　and　pantaloons　much　the　worse　for　dirt　and　wear；　elbowed　his　way　through　the　crowd；　like　one　who　is　going　actively　into　a　business；　and；　coming　up　to　the　group；　began　to　examine　them　systematically。　From　the　moment　that　Tom　saw　him　approaching；　he　felt　an　immediate　and　revolting　horror　at　him；　that　increased　as　he　came　near。　He　was　evidently；　though　short；　of　gigantic　strength。　His　round；　bullet　head；　large；　light…gray　eyes；　with　their　shaggy；　sandy　eyebrows；　and　stiff；　wiry；　sun…burned　hair；　were　rather　unprepossessing　items；　it　is　to　be　confessed；　his　large；　coarse　mouth　was　distended　with　tobacomo；　the　juice　of　which；　from　time　to　time；　he　ejected　from　him　with　great　decision　and　explosive　force；　his　hands　were　immensely　large；　hairy；　sun…burned；　freckled；　and　very　dirty；　and　garnished　with　long　nails；　in　a　very　foul　condition。　This　man　proceeded　to　a　very　free　personal　examination　of　the　lot。　He　seized　Tom　by　the　jaw；　and　pulled　open　his　mouth　to　inspect　his　teeth；　made　him　strip　up　his　sleeve；　to　show　his　muscle；　turned　him　round；　made　him　jump　and　spring；　to　show　his　paces。
“Where　was　you　raised？”　he　added；　briefly；　to　these　investigations。
“In　Kintuck；　Mas’r；”　said　Tom；　looking　about；　as　if　for　deliverance。
“What　have　you　done？”
“Had　care　of　Mas’r’s　farm；”　said　Tom。
“Likely　story！”　said　the　other；　shortly；　as　he　passed　on。　He　paused　a　moment　before　Dolph；　then　spitting　a　discharge　of　tobacomo…juice　on　his　well…blacked　boots；　and　giving　a　contemptuous　umph；　he　walked　on。　Again　he　stopped　before　Susan　and　Emmeline。　He　put　out　his　heavy；　dirty　hand；　and　drew　the　girl　towards　him；　passed　it　over　her　neck　and　bust；　felt　her　arms；　looked　at　her　teeth；　and　then　pushed　her　back　against　her　mother；　whose　patient　face　showed　the　suffering　she　had　been　going　through　at　every　motion　of　the　hideous　stranger。
The　girl　was　frightened；　and　began　to　cry。
“Stop　that；　you　minx！”　said　the　salesman；　“no　whimpering　here；—the　sale　is　going　to　begin。”　And　acomordingly　the　sale　begu