英语天堂-第127章

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Tom　did　not　move。
“Down；　you　dog！”　said　Legree；　striking　him　with　his　riding…whip。
“Mas’r　Legree；”　said　Tom；　“I　can’t　do　it。　I　did　only　what　I　thought　was　right。　I　shall　do　just　so　again；　if　ever　the　time　comes。　I　never　will　do　a　cruel　thing；　come　what　may。”
“Yes；　but　ye　don’t　know　what　may　come；　Master　Tom。　Ye　think　what　you’ve　got　is　something。　I　tell　you　’tan’t　anything；—nothing　’t　all。　How　would　ye　like　to　be　tied　to　a　tree；　and　have　a　slow　fire　lit　up　around　ye；—wouldn’t　that　be　pleasant；—eh；　Tom？”
“Mas’r；”　said　Tom；　“I　know　ye　can　do　dreadful　things；　but；”—he　stretched　himself　upward　and　clasped　his　hands；—“but；　after　ye’ve　killed　the　body；　there　an’t　no　more　ye　can　do。　And　O；　there’s　all　ETERNITY　to　come；　after　that！”
ETERNITY；—the　word　thrilled　through　the　black　man’s　soul　with　light　and　power；　as　he　spoke；　it　thrilled　through　the　sinner’s　soul；　too；　like　the　bite　of　a　scorpion。　Legree　gnashed　on　him　with　his　teeth；　but　rage　kept　him　silent；　and　Tom；　like　a　man　disenthralled；　spoke；　in　a　clear　and　cheerful　voice；
“Mas’r　Legree；　as　ye　bought　me；　I’ll　be　a　true　and　faithful　servant　to　ye。　I’ll　give　ye　all　the　work　of　my　hands；　all　my　time；　all　my　strength；　but　my　soul　I　won’t　give　up　to　mortal　man。　I　will　hold　on　to　the　Lord；　and　put　his　commands　before　all；—die　or　live；　you　may　be　sure　on　’t。　Mas’r　Legree；　I　ain’t　a　grain　afeard　to　die。　I’d　as　soon　die　as　not。　Ye　may　whip　me；　starve　me；　burn　me；—it’ll　only　send　me　sooner　where　I　want　to　go。”
“I’ll　make　ye　give　out；　though；　’fore　I’ve　done！”　said　Legree；　in　a　rage。
“I　shall　have　help；”　said　Tom；　“you’ll　never　do　it。”
“Who　the　devil’s　going　to　help　you？”　said　Legree；　scornfully。
“The　Lord　Almighty；”　said　Tom。
“D—n　you！”　said　Legree；　as　with　one　blow　of　his　fist　he　felled　Tom　to　the　earth。
A　cold　soft　hand　fell　on　Legree’s　at　this　moment。　He　turned；—it　was　Cassy’s；　but　the　cold　soft　touch　recalled　his　dream　of　the　night　before；　and；　flashing　through　the　chambers　of　his　brain；　came　all　the　fearful　images　of　the　night…watches；　with　a　portion　of　the　horror　that　acomompanied　them。
“Will　you　be　a　fool？”　said　Cassy；　in　French。　“Let　him　go！　Let　me　alone　to　get　him　fit　to　be　in　the　field　again。　Isn’t　it　just　as　I　told　you？”
They　say　the　alligator；　the　rhinoceros；　though　enclosed　in　bullet…proof　mail；　have　each　a　spot　where　they　are　vulnerable；　and　fierce；　reckless；　unbelieving　reprobates；　have　commonly　this　point　in　superstitious　dread。
Legree　turned　away；　determined　to　let　the　point　go　for　the　time。
“Well；　have　it　your　own　way；”　he　said；　doggedly；　to　Cassy。
“Hark；　ye！”　he　said　to　Tom；　“I　won’t　deal　with　ye　now；　because　the　business　is　pressing；　and　I　want　all　my　hands；　but　I　never　forget。　I’ll　score　it　against　ye；　and　sometime　I’ll　have　my　pay　out　o’　yer　old　black　hide；—mind　ye！”
Legree　turned；　and　went　out。
“There　you　go；”　said　Cassy；　looking　darkly　after　him；　“your　reckoning’s　to　come；　yet！—My　poor　fellow；　how　are　you？”
“The　Lord　God　hath　sent　his　angel；　and　shut　the　lion’s　mouth；　for　this　time；”　said　Tom。
“For　this　time；　to　be　sure；”　said　Cassy；　“but　now　you’ve　got　his　ill　will　upon　you；　to　follow　you　day　in；　day　out；　hanging　like　a　dog　on　your　throat；—sucking　your　blood；　bleeding　away　your　life；　drop　by　drop。　I　know　the　man。”
Chapter　37
Liberty
“No　matter　with　what　solemnities　he　may　have　been　devoted　upon　the　altar　of　slavery；　the　moment　he　touches　the　sacred　soil　of　Britain；　the　altar　and　the　God　sink　together　in　the　dust；　and　he　stands　redeemed；　regenerated；　and　disenthralled；　by　the　irresistible　genius　of　universal　emancipation。”　Curran。1
A　while　we　must　leave　Tom　in　the　hands　of　his　persecutors；　while　we　turn　to　pursue　the　fortunes　of　George　and　his　wife；　whom　we　left　in　friendly　hands；　in　a　farmhouse　on　the　road…side。
Tom　Loker　we　left　groaning　and　touzling　in　a　most　immaculately　clean　Quaker　bed；　under　the　motherly　supervision　of　Aunt　Dorcas；　who　found　him　to　the　full　as　tractable　a　patient　as　a　sick　bison。
Imagine　a　tall；　dignified；　spiritual　woman；　whose　clear　muslin　cap　shades　waves　of　silvery　hair；　parted　on　a　broad；　clear　forehead；　which　overarches　thoughtful　gray　eyes。　A　snowy　handkerchief　of　lisse　crape　is　folded　neatly　across　her　bosom；　her　glossy　brown　silk　dress　rustles　peacefully；　as　she　glides　up　and　down　the　chamber。
“The　devil！”　says　Tom　Loker；　giving　a　great　throw　to　the　bedclothes。
“I　must　request　thee；　Thomas；　not　to　use　such　language；”　says　Aunt　Dorcas；　as　she　quietly　rearranged　the　bed。
“Well；　I　won’t；　granny；　if　I　can　help　it；”　says　Tom；　“but　it　is　enough　to　make　a　fellow　swear；—so　cursedly　hot！”
Dorcas　removed　a　comforter　from　the　bed；　straightened　the　clothes　again；　and　tucked　them　in　till　Tom　looked　something　like　a　chrysalis；　remarking；　as　she　did　so；
“I　wish；　friend；　thee　would　leave　off　cursing　and　swearing；　and　think　upon　thy　ways。”
“What　the　devil；”　said　Tom；　“should　I　think　of　them　for？　　thing　ever　I　want　to　think　of—hang　it　all！”　And　Tom　flounced　over；　untucking　and　disarranging　everything；　in　a　manner　frightful　to　behold。
“That　fellow　and　gal　are　here；　I　’spose；”　said　he；　sullenly；　after　a　pause。
“They　are　so；”　said　Dorcas。
“They’d　better　be　off　up　to　the　lake；”　said　Tom；　“the　quicker　the　better。”
“Probably　they　will　do　so；”　said　Aunt　Dorcas；　knitting　peacefully。
“And　hark　ye；”　said　Tom；　“we’ve　got　correspondents　in　Sandusky；　that　watch　the　boats　for　us。　I　don’t　care　if　I　tell；　now。　I　hope　they　will　get　away；　just　to　spite　Marks；—the　cursed　puppy！—d—n　him！”
“Thomas！”　said　Dorcas。
“I　tell　you；　granny；　if　you　bottle　a　fellow　up　too　tight；　I　shall　split；”　said　Tom。　“But　about　the　gal；—tell　’em　to　dress　her　up　some　way；　so’s　to　alter　her。　Her　description’s　out　in　Sandusky。”
“We　will　attend　to　that　matter；”　said　Dorcas；　with　characteristic　composure。
As　we　at　this　place　take　leave　of　Tom　Loker；　we　may　as　well　say；　that；　having　lain　three　weeks　at　the　Quaker　dwelling；　sick　with　a　rheumatic　fever；　which　set　in；　in　company　with　his　other　afflictions；　Tom　arose　from　his　bed　a　somewhat　sadder　and　wiser　man；　and；　in　place　of　slave…catching；　betook　himself　to　life　in　one　of　the　new　settlements；　where　his　talents　developed　themselves　more　happily　in　trapping　bears；　wolves；　and　other　inhabitants　of　the　forest；　in　which　he　made　himself　quite　a　name　in　the　land。　Tom　always　spoke　reverently　of　the　Quakers。　“Nice　people；”　he　would　say；　“wanted　to　convert　me；　but　couldn’t　come　it；　exactly。　But；　tell　ye　what；　stranger；　they　do　fix　up　a　sick　fellow　first　rate；—no　mistake。　Make　jist　the　tallest　kind　o’　broth　and　knicknacks。”
As　Tom　had　informed　them　that　their　party　would　be　looked　for　in　Sandusky；　it　was　thought　prudent　to　divide　them。　Jim；　with　his　old　mother；　was　forwarded　separately；　and　a　night　or　two　after；　George　and　Eliza；　with　their　child；　were　driven　privately　into　Sandusky；　and　lodged　beneath　a　hospital　roof；　preparatory　to　taking　their　last　passage　on　the　lake。
Their　night　was　now　far　spent；　and　the　morning　star　of　liberty　rose　fair　before　them！—electric　word！　What　is　it？　Is　there　anything　more　in　it　than　a　name—a　rhetorical　flourish？　Why；　men　and　women　of　America；　does　your　heart’s　blood　thrill　at　that　word；　for　which　your　fathers　bled；　and　your　braver　mothers　were　willing　that　their　noblest　and　best　should　die？
Is　there　anything　in　it　glorious　and　dear　for　a　nation；　that　is　not　also　glorious　and　dear　for　a　man？　What　is　freedom　to　a　nation；　but　freedom　to　the　individuals　in　it？　What　is　freedom　to　that　young　man；　who　sits　there；　with　his　arms　folded　over　his　broad　chest；　the　tint　of　African　blood　in　his　cheek；　its　dark　fires　in　his　eyes；—what　is　freedom　to　George　Harris？　To　your　fathers；　freedom　was　the　right　of　a　nation　to　be　a　nation。　To　him；　it　is　the　right　of　a　man　to　be　a　man；　and　not　a　brute；　the　right　to　call　the　wife　of　his　bosom　is　wife；　and　to　protect　her　from　lawless　violence；　the　right　to　protect　and　educate　his　child；　the　right　to　have　a　home　of　his　own；　a　religion　of　his　own；　a　character　of　his　own；　unsubject　to　the　will　of　another。　All　these　thoughts　were　rolling　and　seething　in　George’s　breast；　as　he　was　pensively　leaning　his　head　on　his　hand；　watching　his　wife；　as　she　was　adapting　to　her　slender　and　pretty　form　the　articles　of　man’s　attire；　in　which　it　was　deemed　safest　she　should　make　her　escape。
“Now　for　it；”　said　she；　as　she　stood　before　the　glass；　and　shook　down　her　silky　abundance　of　black　curly　hair。　“I　say；　George；　it’s　almost　a　pity；　isn’t　it；”　she　said；　as　she　held　up　some　of　it；　playfully；—“pity　it’s　all　got　to　come　off？”
George　smiled　sadly；　and　made　no　answer。
Eliza　turned　to　the　glass；　and　the　scissors　glittered　as　one　long　lock　after　another　was　detached　from　her　head。
“There；　now；　that’ll　do；”　she　said；　taking　up　a　hair…brush；　“now　for　a　few　fancy　touches。”
“There；　an’t　I　a　pretty　young　fellow？”　she　said；　turning　around　to　her　husband；　laughing　and　blushing　at　the　same　time。
“You　always　will　be　pretty；　do　what　you　will；”　said　George。
“What　does　make　you　so　sober？”　said　Eliza；　kneeling　on　one　knee；　and　laying　her　hand　on　his。　“We　are　only　within　twenty…four　hours　of　Canada；　they　say。　Only　a　day