英语天堂-第125章

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。　He　sat　doggedly　down　in　his　chair；　and　began　sullenly　sipping　his　tumbler　of　punch。
Cassy　prepared　herself　for　going　out；　unobserved　by　him；　and　slipped　away　to　minister　to　poor　Tom；　as　we　have　already　related。
And　what　was　the　matter　with　Legree？　and　what　was　there　in　a　simple　curl　of　fair　hair　to　appall　that　brutal　man；　familiar　with　every　form　of　cruelty？　To　answer　this；　we　must　carry　the　reader　backward　in　his　history。　Hard　and　reprobate　as　the　godless　man　seemed　now；　there　had　been　a　time　when　he　had　been　rocked　on　the　bosom　of　a　mother；—cradled　with　prayers　and　pious　hymns；—his　now　seared　brow　bedewed　with　the　waters　of　holy　baptism。　In　early　childhood；　a　fair…haired　woman　had　led　him；　at　the　sound　of　Sabbath　bell；　to　worship　and　to　pray。　Far　in　New　England　that　mother　had　trained　her　only　son；　with　long；　unwearied　love；　and　patient　prayers。　Born　of　a　hard…tempered　sire；　on　whom　that　gentle　woman　had　wasted　a　world　of　unvalued　love；　Legree　had　followed　in　the　steps　of　his　father。　Boisterous；　unruly；　and　tyrannical；　he　despised　all　her　counsel；　and　would　none　of　her　reproof；　and；　at　an　early　age；　broke　from　her；　to　seek　his　fortunes　at　sea。　He　never　came　home　but　once；　after；　and　then；　his　mother；　with　the　yearning　of　a　heart　that　must　love　something；　and　has　nothing　else　to　love；　clung　to　him；　and　sought；　with　passionate　prayers　and　entreaties；　to　win　him　from　a　life　of　sin；　to　his　soul’s　eternal　good。
That　was　Legree’s　day　of　grace；　then　good　angels　called　him；　then　he　was　almost　persuaded；　and　mercy　held　him　by　the　hand。　His　heart　inly　relented；—there　was　a　conflict；—but　sin　got　the　victory；　and　he　set　all　the　force　of　his　rough　nature　against　the　conviction　of　his　conscience。　He　drank　and　swore；—was　wilder　and　more　brutal　than　ever。　And；　one　night；　when　his　mother；　in　the　last　agony　of　her　despair；　knelt　at　his　feet；　he　spurned　her　from　him；—threw　her　senseless　on　the　floor；　and；　with　brutal　curses；　fled　to　his　ship。　The　next　Legree　heard　of　his　mother　was；　when；　one　night；　as　he　was　carousing　among　drunken　companions；　a　letter　was　put　into　his　hand。　He　opened　it；　and　a　lock　of　long；　curling　hair　fell　from　it；　and　twined　about　his　fingers。　The　letter　told　him　his　mother　was　dead；　and　that；　dying；　she　blest　and　forgave　him。
There　is　a　dread；　unhallowed　necromancy　of　evil；　that　turns　things　sweetest　and　holiest　to　phantoms　of　horror　and　affright。　That　pale；　loving　mother；—her　dying　prayers；　her　forgiving　love；—wrought　in　that　demoniac　heart　of　sin　only　as　a　damning　sentence；　bringing　with　it　a　fearful　looking　for　of　judgment　and　fiery　indignation。　Legree　burned　the　hair；　and　burned　the　letter；　and　when　he　saw　them　hissing　and　crackling　in　the　flame；　inly　shuddered　as　he　thought　of　everlasting　fires。　He　tried　to　drink；　and　revel；　and　swear　away　the　memory；　but　often；　in　the　deep　night；　whose　solemn　stillness　arraigns　the　bad　soul　in　forced　communion　with　herself；　he　had　seen　that　pale　mother　rising　by　his　bedside；　and　felt　the　soft　twining　of　that　hair　around　his　fingers；　till　the　cold　sweat　would　roll　down　his　face；　and　he　would　spring　from　his　bed　in　horror。　Ye　who　have　wondered　to　hear；　in　the　same　evangel；　that　God　is　love；　and　that　God　is　a　consuming　fire；　see　ye　not　how；　to　the　soul　resolved　in　evil；　perfect　love　is　the　most　fearful　torture；　the　seal　and　sentence　of　the　direst　despair？
“Blast　it！”　said　Legree　to　himself；　as　he　sipped　his　liquor；　“where　did　he　get　that？　If　it　didn’t　look　just　like—whoo！　I　thought　I’d　forgot　that。　Curse　me；　if　I　think　there’s　any　such　thing　as　forgetting　anything；　any　how；—hang　it！　I’m　lonesome！　I　mean　to　call　Em。　She　hates　me—the　monkey！　I　don’t　care；—I’ll　make　her　come！”
Legree　stepped　out　into　a　large　entry；　which　went　up　stairs；　by　what　had　formerly　been　a　superb　winding　staircase；　but　the　passage…way　was　dirty　and　dreary；　encumbered　with　boxes　and　unsightly　litter。　The　stairs；　uncarpeted；　seemed　winding　up；　in　the　gloom；　to　nobody　knew　where！　The　pale　moonlight　streamed　through　a　shattered　fanlight　over　the　door；　the　air　was　unwholesome　and　chilly；　like　that　of　a　vault。
Legree　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　and　heard　a　voice　singing。　It　seemed　strange　and　ghostlike　in　that　dreary　old　house；　perhaps　because　of　the　already　tremulous　state　of　his　nerves。　Hark！　what　is　it？
A　wild；　pathetic　voice；　chants　a　hymn　common　among　the　slaves：
“O　there’ll　be　mourning；　mourning；　mourning；
O　there’ll　be　mourning；　at　the　judgment…seat　of　Christ！”
“Blast　the　girl！”　said　Legree。　“I’ll　choke　her。—Em！　Em！”　he　called；　harshly；　but　only　a　mocking　echo　from　the　walls　answered　him。　The　sweet　voice　still　sung　on：
“Parents　and　children　there　shall　part！
Parents　and　children　there　shall　part！
　　　　Shall　part　to　meet　no　more！”
And　clear　and　loud　swelled　through　the　empty　halls　the　refrain；
“O　there’ll　be　mourning；　mourning；　mourning；
O　there’ll　be　mourning；　at　the　judgment…seat　of　Christ！”
Legree　stopped。　He　would　have　been　ashamed　to　tell　of　it；　but　large　drops　of　sweat　stood　on　his　forehead；　his　heart　beat　heavy　and　thick　with　fear；　he　even　thought　he　saw　something　white　rising　and　glimmering　in　the　gloom　before　him；　and　shuddered　to　think　what　if　the　form　of　his　dead　mother　should　suddenly　appear　to　him。
“I　know　one　thing；”　he　said　to　himself；　as　he　stumbled　back　in　the　sitting…room；　and　sat　down；　“I’ll　let　that　fellow　alone；　after　this！　What　did　I　want　of　his　cussed　paper？　I　b’lieve　I　am　bewitched；　sure　enough！　I’ve　been　shivering　and　sweating；　ever　since！　Where　did　he　get　that　hair？　It　couldn’t　have　been　that！　I　burnt　that　up；　I　know　I　did！　It　would　be　a　joke；　if　hair　could　rise　from　the　dead！”
Ah；　Legree！　that　golden　tress　was　charmed；　each　hair　had　in　it　a　spell　of　terror　and　remorse　for　thee；　and　was　used　by　a　mightier　power　to　bind　thy　cruel　hands　from　inflicting　uttermost　evil　on　the　helpless！
“I　say；”　said　Legree；　stamping　and　whistling　to　the　dogs；　“wake　up；　some　of　you；　and　keep　me　company！”　but　the　dogs　only　opened　one　eye　at　him；　sleepily；　and　closed　it　again。
“I’ll　have　Sambo　and　Quimbo　up　here；　to　sing　and　dance　one　of　their　hell　dances；　and　keep　off　these　horrid　notions；”　said　Legree；　and；　putting　on　his　hat；　he　went　on　to　the　verandah；　and　blew　a　horn；　with　which　he　commonly　summoned　his　two　sable　drivers。
Legree　was　often　wont；　when　in　a　gracious　humor；　to　get　these　two　worthies　into　his　sitting…room；　and；　after　warming　them　up　with　whiskey；　amuse　himself　by　setting　them　to　singing；　dancing　or　fighting；　as　the　humor　took　him。
It　was　between　one　and　two　o’clock　at　night；　as　Cassy　was　returning　from　her　ministrations　to　poor　Tom；　that　she　heard　the　sound　of　wild　shrieking；　whooping；　halloing；　and　singing；　from　the　sitting…room；　mingled　with　the　barking　of　dogs；　and　other　symptoms　of　general　uproar。
She　came　up　on　the　verandah　steps；　and　looked　in。　Legree　and　both　the　drivers；　in　a　state　of　furious　intoxication；　were　singing；　whooping；　upsetting　chairs；　and　making　all　manner　of　ludicrous　and　horrid　grimaces　at　each　other。
She　rested　her　small；　slender　hand　on　the　window…blind；　and　looked　fixedly　at　them；—there　was　a　world　of　anguish；　scorn；　and　fierce　bitterness；　in　her　black　eyes；　as　she　did　so。　“Would　it　be　a　sin　to　rid　the　world　of　such　a　wretch？”　she　said　to　herself。
She　turned　hurriedly　away；　and；　passing　round　to　a　back　door；　glided　up　stairs；　and　tapped　at　Emmeline’s　door。
Chapter　36
Emmeline　and　Cassy
Cassy　entered　the　room；　and　found　Emmeline　sitting；　pale　with　fear；　in　the　furthest　corner　of　it。　As　she　came　in；　the　girl　started　up　nervously；　but；　on　seeing　who　it　was；　rushed　forward；　and　catching　her　arm；　said；　“O　Cassy；　is　it　you？　I’m　so　glad　you’ve　come！　I　was　afraid　it　was—。　O；　you　don’t　know　what　a　horrid　noise　there　has　been；　down　stairs；　all　this　evening！”
“I　ought　to　know；”　said　Cassy；　dryly。　“I’ve　heard　it　often　enough。”
“O　Cassy！　do　tell　me；—couldn’t　we　get　away　from　this　place？　I　don’t　care　where；—into　the　swamp　among　the　snakes；—anywhere！　Couldn’t　we　get　somewhere　away　from　here？”
“Nowhere；　but　into　our　graves；”　said　Cassy。
“Did　you　ever　try？”
“I’ve　seen　enough　of　trying　and　what　comes　of　it；”　said　Cassy。
“I’d　be　willing　to　live　in　the　swamps；　and　gnaw　the　bark　from　trees。　I　an’t　afraid　of　snakes！　I’d　rather　have　one　near　me　than　him；”　said　Emmeline；　eagerly。
“There　have　been　a　good　many　here　of　your　opinion；”　said　Cassy；　“but　you　couldn’t　stay　in　the　swamps；—you’d　be　tracked　by　the　dogs；　and　brought　back；　and　then—then—”
“What　would　he　do？”　said　the　girl；　looking；　with　breathless　interest；　into　her　face。
“What　wouldn’t　he　do；　you’d　better　ask；”　said　Cassy。　“He’s　learned　his　trade　well；　among　the　pirates　in　the　West　Indies。　You　wouldn’t　sleep　much；　if　I　should　tell　you　things　I’ve　seen；—things　that　he　tells　of；　sometimes；　for　good　jokes。　I’ve　heard　screams　here　that　I　haven’t　been　able　to　get　out　of　my　head　for　weeks　and　weeks。　There’s　a　place　way　out　down　by　the　quarters；　where　you　can　see　a　black；　blasted　tree；　and　the　ground　all　covered　with　black　ashes。　Ask　anyone　what　was　done　there；　and　see　if　they　will　dare　to　tell　you。”
“O！　what　do　you　mean？”
“I　won’t　tell　you。　I　hate　to　think　of　it。　And　I　tell　you；　the　Lord　on