英语天堂-第132章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ot　of　his　brutality。　But；　as　time；　and　debasing　influences；　and　despair；　hardened　womanhood　within　her；　and　waked　the　fires　of　fiercer　passions；　she　had　become　in　a　measure　his　mistress；　and　he　alternately　tyrannized　over　and　dreaded　her。
This　influence　had　become　more　harassing　and　decided；　since　partial　insanity　had　given　a　strange；　weird；　unsettled　cast　to　all　her　words　and　language。
A　night　or　two　after　this；　Legree　was　sitting　in　the　old　sitting…room；　by　the　side　of　a　flickering　wood　fire；　that　threw　uncertain　glances　round　the　room。　It　was　a　stormy；　windy　night；　such　as　raises　whole　squadrons　of　nondescript　noises　in　rickety　old　houses。　Windows　were　rattling；　shutters　flapping；　and　wind　carousing；　rumbling；　and　tumbling　down　the　chimney；　and；　every　once　in　a　while；　puffing　out　smoke　and　ashes；　as　if　a　legion　of　spirits　were　coming　after　them。　Legree　had　been　casting　up　acomounts　and　reading　newspapers　for　some　hours；　while　Cassy　sat　in　the　corner；　sullenly　looking　into　the　fire。　Legree　laid　down　his　paper；　and　seeing　an　old　book　lying　on　the　table；　which　he　had　noticed　Cassy　reading；　the　first　part　of　the　evening；　took　it　up；　and　began　to　turn　it　over。　It　was　one　of　those　collections　of　stories　of　bloody　murders；　ghostly　legends；　and　supernatural　visitations；　which；　coarsely　got　up　and　illustrated；　have　a　strange　fascination　for　one　who　once　begins　to　read　them。
Legree　poohed　and　pished；　but　read；　turning　page　after　page；　till；　finally；　after　reading　some　way；　he　threw　down　the　book；　with　an　oath。
“You　don’t　believe　in　ghosts；　do　you；　Cass？”　said　he；　taking　the　tongs　and　settling　the　fire。　“I　thought　you’d　more　sense　than　to　let　noises　scare　you。”
“No　matter　what　I　believe；”　said　Cassy；　sullenly。
“Fellows　used　to　try　to　frighten　me　with　their　yarns　at　sea；”　said　Legree。　“Never　come　it　round　me　that　way。　I’m　too　tough　for　any　such　trash；　tell　ye。”
Cassy　sat　looking　intensely　at　him　in　the　shadow　of　the　corner。　There　was　that　strange　light　in　her　eyes　that　always　impressed　Legree　with　uneasiness。
“Them　noises　was　nothing　but　rats　and　the　wind；”　said　Legree。　“Rats　will　make　a　devil　of　a　noise。　I　used　to　hear　’em　sometimes　down　in　the　hold　of　the　ship；　and　wind；—Lord’s　sake！　ye　can　make　anything　out　o’　wind。”
Cassy　knew　Legree　was　uneasy　under　her　eyes；　and；　therefore；　she　made　no　answer；　but　sat　fixing　them　on　him；　with　that　strange；　unearthly　expression；　as　before。
“Come；　speak　out；　woman；—don’t　you　think　so？”　said　Legree。
“Can　rats　walk　down　stairs；　and　come　walking　through　the　entry；　and　open　a　door　when　you’ve　locked　it　and　set　a　chair　against　it？”　said　Cassy；　“and　come　walk；　walk；　walking　right　up　to　your　bed；　and　put　out　their　hand；　so？”
Cassy　kept　her　glittering　eyes　fixed　on　Legree；　as　she　spoke；　and　he　stared　at　her　like　a　man　in　the　nightmare；　till；　when　she　finished　by　laying　her　hand；　icy　cold；　on　his；　he　sprung　back；　with　an　oath。
“Woman！　what　do　you　mean？　Nobody　did？”
“O；　no；—of　course　not；—did　I　say　they　did？”　said　Cassy；　with　a　smile　of　chilling　derision。
“But—did—have　you　really　seen？—Come；　Cass；　what　is　it；　now；—speak　out！”
“You　may　sleep　there；　yourself；”　said　Cassy；　“if　you　want　to　know。”
“Did　it　come　from　the　garret；　Cassy？”
“It；—what？”　said　Cassy。
“Why；　what　you　told　of—”
“I　didn’t　tell　you　anything；”　said　Cassy；　with　dogged　sullenness。
Legree　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　uneasily。
“I’ll　have　this　yer　thing　examined。　I’ll　look　into　it；　this　very　night。　I’ll　take　my　pistols—”
“Do；”　said　Cassy；　“sleep　in　that　room。　I’d　like　to　see　you　doing　it。　Fire　your　pistols；—do！”
Legree　stamped　his　foot；　and　swore　violently。
“Don’t　swear；”　said　Cassy；　“nobody　knows　who　may　be　hearing　you。　Hark！　What　was　that？”
“What？”　said　Legree；　starting。
A　heavy　old　Dutch　clock；　that　stood　in　the　corner　of　the　room；　began；　and　slowly　struck　twelve。
For　some　reason　or　other；　Legree　neither　spoke　nor　moved；　a　vague　horror　fell　on　him；　while　Cassy；　with　a　keen；　sneering　glitter　in　her　eyes；　stood　looking　at　him；　counting　the　strokes。
“Twelve　o’clock；　well　now　we’ll　see；”　said　she；　turning；　and　opening　the　door　into　the　passage…way；　and　standing　as　if　listening。
“Hark！　What’s　that？”　said　she；　raising　her　finger。
“It’s　only　the　wind；”　said　Legree。　“Don’t　you　hear　how　cursedly　it　blows？”
“Simon；　come　here；”　said　Cassy；　in　a　whisper；　laying　her　hand　on　his；　and　leading　him　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs：　“do　you　know　what　that　is？　Hark！”
A　wild　shriek　came　pealing　down　the　stairway。　It　came　from　the　garret。　Legree’s　knees　knocked　together；　his　face　grew　white　with　fear。
“Hadn’t　you　better　get　your　pistols？”　said　Cassy；　with　a　sneer　that　froze　Legree’s　blood。　“It’s　time　this　thing　was　looked　into；　you　know。　I’d　like　to　have　you　go　up　now；　they’re　at　it。”
“I　won’t　go！”　said　Legree；　with　an　oath。
“Why　not？　There　an’t　any　such　thing　as　ghosts；　you　know！　Come！”　and　Cassy　flitted　up　the　winding　stairway；　laughing；　and　looking　back　after　him。　“Come　on。”
“I　believe　you　are　the　devil！”　said　Legree。　“Come　back　you　hag；—come　back；　Cass！　You　shan’t　go！”
But　Cassy　laughed　wildly；　and　fled　on。　He　heard　her　open　the　entry　doors　that　led　to　the　garret。　A　wild　gust　of　wind　swept　down；　extinguishing　the　candle　he　held　in　his　hand；　and　with　it　the　fearful；　unearthly　screams；　they　seemed　to　be　shrieked　in　his　very　ear。
Legree　fled　frantically　into　the　parlor；　whither；　in　a　few　moments；　he　was　followed　by　Cassy；　pale；　calm；　cold　as　an　avenging　spirit；　and　with　that　same　fearful　light　in　her　eye。
“I　hope　you　are　satisfied；”　said　she。
“Blast　you；　Cass！”　said　Legree。
“What　for？”　said　Cassy。　“I　only　went　up　and　shut　the　doors。　What’s　the　matter　with　that　garret；　Simon；　do　you　suppose？”　said　she。
“None　of　your　business！”　said　Legree。
“O；　it　an’t？　Well；”　said　Cassy；　“at　any　rate；　I’m　glad　I　don’t　sleep　under　it。”
Anticipating　the　rising　of　the　wind；　that　very　evening；　Cassy　had　been　up　and　opened　the　garret　window。　Of　course；　the　moment　the　doors　were　opened；　the　wind　had　drafted　down；　and　extinguished　the　light。
This　may　serve　as　a　specimen　of　the　game　that　Cassy　played　with　Legree；　until　he　would　sooner　have　put　his　head　into　a　lion’s　mouth　than　to　have　explored　that　garret。　Meanwhile；　in　the　night；　when　everybody　else　was　asleep；　Cassy　slowly　and　carefully　acomumulated　there　a　stock　of　provisions　sufficient　to　afford　subsistence　for　some　time；　she　transferred；　article　by　article；　a　greater　part　of　her　own　and　Emmeline’s　wardrobe。　All　things　being　arranged；　they　only　waited　a　fitting　opportunity　to　put　their　plan　in　execution。
By　cajoling　Legree；　and　taking　advantage　of　a　good…natured　interval；　Cassy　had　got　him　to　take　her　with　him　to　the　neighboring　town；　which　was　situated　directly　on　the　Red　river。　With　a　memory　sharpened　to　almost　preternatural　clearness；　she　remarked　every　turn　in　the　road；　and　formed　a　mental　estimate　of　the　time　to　be　ocomupied　in　traversing　it。
At　the　time　when　all　was　matured　for　action；　our　readers　may；　perhaps；　like　to　look　behind　the　scenes；　and　see　the　final　coup　d’etat。
It　was　now　near　evening；　Legree　had　been　absent；　on　a　ride　to　a　neighboring　farm。　For　many　days　Cassy　had　been　unusually　gracious　and　acomommodating　in　her　humors；　and　Legree　and　she　had　been；　apparently；　on　the　best　of　terms。　At　present；　we　may　behold　her　and　Emmeline　in　the　room　of　the　latter；　busy　in　sorting　and　arranging　two　small　bundles。
“There；　these　will　be　large　enough；”　said　Cassy。　Now　put　on　your　bonnet；　and　let’s　start；　it’s　just　about　the　right　time。”
“Why；　they　can　see　us　yet；”　said　Emmeline。
“I　mean　they　shall；”　said　Cassy；　coolly。　“Don’t　you　know　that　they　must　have　their　chase　after　us；　at　any　rate？　The　way　of　the　thing　is　to　be　just　this：—We　will　steal　out　of　the　back　door；　and　run　down　by　the　quarters。　Sambo　or　Quimbo　will　be　sure　to　see　us。　They　will　give　chase；　and　we　will　get　into　the　swamp；　then；　they　can’t　follow　us　any　further　till　they　go　up　and　give　the　alarm；　and　turn　out　the　dogs；　and　so　on；　and；　while　they　are　blundering　round；　and　tumbling　over　each　other；　as　they　always　do；　you　and　I　will　slip　along　to　the　creek；　that　runs　back　of　the　house；　and　wade　along　in　it；　till　we　get　opposite　the　back　door。　That　will　put　the　dogs　all　at　fault；　for　scent　won’t　lie　in　the　water。　Every　one　will　run　out　of　the　house　to　look　after　us；　and　then　we’ll　whip　in　at　the　back　door；　and　up　into　the　garret；　where　I’ve　got　a　nice　bed　made　up　in　one　of　the　great　boxes。　We　must　stay　in　that　garret　a　good　while；　for；　I　tell　you；　he　will　raise　heaven　and　earth　after　us。　He’ll　muster　some　of　those　old　overseers　on　the　other　plantations；　and　have　a　great　hunt；　and　they’ll　go　over　every　inch　of　ground　in　that　swamp。　He　makes　it　his　boast　that　nobody　ever　got　away　from　him。　So　let　him　hunt　at　his　leisure。”
“Cassy；　how　well　you　have　planned　it！”　said　Emmeline。　“Who　ever　would　have　thought　of　it；　but　you？”
There　was　neither　pleasure　nor　exultation　in　Cassy’s　eyes；—only　a　despairing　firmness。
“Come；”　she　said；　reaching　her　hand　to　Emmeline。
The　two　fugitives　glided　noiselessly　from　the　house；　and　flitted；　through　the　gathering　shadows　of　evening；　along　by　the　quarter