英语天堂-第135章

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degrading　stripes；　nor　blood；　nor　insults；　can　make　the　Christian’s　last　struggle　less　than　glorious。
Was　he　alone；　that　long　night；　whose　brave；　loving　spirit　was　bearing　up；　in　that　old　shed；　against　buffeting　and　brutal　stripes？
Nay！　There　stood　by　him　One；—seen　by　him　alone；—“like　unto　the　Son　of　God。”
The　tempter　stood　by　him；　too；—blinded　by　furious；　despotic　will；—every　moment　pressing　him　to　shun　that　agony　by　the　betrayal　of　the　innocent。　But　the　brave；　true　heart　was　firm　on　the　Eternal　Rock。　Like　his　Master；　he　knew　that；　if　he　saved　others；　himself　he　could　not　save；　nor　could　utmost　extremity　wring　from　him　words；　save　of　prayers　and　holy　trust。
“He’s　most　gone；　Mas’r；”　said　Sambo；　touched；　in　spite　of　himself；　by　the　patience　of　his　victim。
“Pay　away；　till　he　gives　up！　Give　it　to　him！—give　it　to　him！”　shouted　Legree。　I’ll　take　every　drop　of　blood　he　has；　unless　he　confesses！”
Tom　opened　his　eyes；　and　looked　upon　his　master。　“Ye　poor　miserable　critter！”　he　said；　“there　ain’t　no　more　ye　can　do！　I　forgive　ye；　with　all　my　soul！”　and　he　fainted　entirely　away。
“I　b’lieve；　my　soul；　he’s　done　for；　finally；”　said　Legree；　stepping　forward；　to　look　at　him。　“Yes；　he　is！　Well；　his　mouth’s　shut　up；　at　last；—that’s　one　comfort！”
Yes；　Legree；　but　who　shall　shut　up　that　voice　in　thy　soul？　that　soul；　past　repentance；　past　prayer；　past　hope；　in　whom　the　fire　that　never　shall　be　quenched　is　already　burning！
Yet　Tom　was　not　quite　gone。　His　wondrous　words　and　pious　prayers　had　struck　upon　the　hearts　of　the　imbruted　blacks；　who　had　been　the　instruments　of　cruelty　upon　him；　and；　the　instant　Legree　withdrew；　they　took　him　down；　and；　in　their　ignorance；　sought　to　call　him　back　to　life；—as　if　that　were　any　favor　to　him。
“Sartin；　we　’s　been　doin’　a　drefful　wicked　thing！”　said　Sambo；　“hopes　Mas’r’ll　have　to　’count　for　it；　and　not　we。”
They　washed　his　wounds；—they　provided　a　rude　bed；　of　some　refuse　cotton；　for　him　to　lie　down　on；　and　one　of　them；　stealing　up　to　the　house；　begged　a　drink　of　brandy　of　Legree；　pretending　that　he　was　tired；　and　wanted　it　for　himself。　He　brought　it　back；　and　poured　it　down　Tom’s　throat。
“O；　Tom！”　said　Quimbo；　“we’s　been　awful　wicked　to　ye！”
“I　forgive　ye；　with　all　my　heart！”　said　Tom；　faintly。
“O；　Tom！　do　tell　us　who　is　Jesus；　anyhow？”　said　Sambo；—“Jesus；　that’s　been　a　standin’　by　you　so；　all　this　night！—Who　is　he？”
The　word　roused　the　failing；　fainting　spirit。　He　poured　forth　a　few　energetic　sentences　of　that　wondrous　One；—his　life；　his　death；　his　everlasting　presence；　and　power　to　save。
They　wept；—both　the　two　savage　men。
“Why　didn’t　I　never　hear　this　before？”　said　Sambo；　“but　I　do　believe！—I　can’t　help　it！　Lord　Jesus；　have　mercy　on　us！”
“Poor　critters！”　said　Tom；　“I’d　be　willing　to　bar’　all　I　have；　if　it’ll　only　bring　ye　to　Christ！　O；　Lord！　give　me　these　two　more　souls；　I　pray！”
That　prayer　was　answered！
1　This　poem　does　not　appear　in　the　collected　works　of　William　Cullen　Bryant；　nor　in　the　collected　poems　of　his　brother；　John　Howard　Bryant。　It　was　probably　copied　from　a　newspaper　or　magazine。
Chapter　41
The　Young　Master
Two　days　after；　a　young　man　drove　a　light　wagon　up　through　the　avenue　of　China　trees；　and；　throwing　the　reins　hastily　on　the　horse’s　neck；　sprang　out　and　inquired　for　the　owner　of　the　place。
It　was　George　Shelby；　and；　to　show　how　he　came　to　be　there；　we　must　go　back　in　our　story。
The　letter　of　Miss　Ophelia　to　Mrs。　Shelby　had；　by　some　unfortunate　acomident；　been　detained；　for　a　month　or　two；　at　some　remote　post…office；　before　it　reached　its　destination；　and；　of　course；　before　it　was　received；　Tom　was　already　lost　to　view　among　the　distant　swamps　of　the　Red　river。
Mrs。　Shelby　read　the　intelligence　with　the　deepest　concern；　but　any　immediate　action　upon　it　was　an　impossibility。　She　was　then　in　attendance　on　the　sick…bed　of　her　husband；　who　lay　delirious　in　the　crisis　of　a　fever。　Master　George　Shelby；　who；　in　the　interval；　had　changed　from　a　boy　to　a　tall　young　man；　was　her　constant　and　faithful　assistant；　and　her　only　reliance　in　superintending　his　father’s　affairs。　Miss　Ophelia　had　taken　the　precaution　to　send　them　the　name　of　the　lawyer　who　did　business　for　the　St。　Clares；　and　the　most　that；　in　the　emergency；　could　be　done；　was　to　address　a　letter　of　inquiry　to　him。　The　sudden　death　of　Mr。　Shelby；　a　few　days　after；　brought；　of　course；　an　absorbing　pressure　of　other　interests；　for　a　season。
Mr。　Shelby　showed　his　confidence　in　his　wife’s　ability；　by　appointing　her　sole　executrix　upon　his　estates；　and　thus　immediately　a　large　and　complicated　amount　of　business　was　brought　upon　her　hands。
Mrs。　Shelby；　with　characteristic　energy；　applied　herself　to　the　work　of　straightening　the　entangled　web　of　affairs；　and　she　and　George　were　for　some　time　ocomupied　with　collecting　and　examining　acomounts；　selling　property　and　settling　debts；　for　Mrs。　Shelby　was　determined　that　everything　should　be　brought　into　tangible　and　recognizable　shape；　let　the　consequences　to　her　prove　what　they　might。　In　the　mean　time；　they　received　a　letter　from　the　lawyer　to　whom　Miss　Ophelia　had　referred　them；　saying　that　he　knew　nothing　of　the　matter；　that　the　man　was　sold　at　a　public　auction；　and　that；　beyond　receiving　the　money；　he　knew　nothing　of　the　affair。
Neither　George　nor　Mrs。　Shelby　could　be　easy　at　this　result；　and；　acomordingly；　some　six　months　after；　the　latter；　having　business　for　his　mother；　down　the　river；　resolved　to　visit　New　Orleans；　in　person；　and　push　his　inquiries；　in　hopes　of　discovering　Tom’s　whereabouts；　and　restoring　him。
After　some　months　of　unsucomessful　search；　by　the　merest　acomident；　George　fell　in　with　a　man；　in　New　Orleans；　who　happened　to　be　possessed　of　the　desired　information；　and　with　his　money　in　his　pocket；　our　hero　took　steamboat　for　Red　river；　resolving　to　find　out　and　re…purchase　his　old　friend。
He　was　soon　introduced　into　the　house；　where　he　found　Legree　in　the　sitting…room。
Legree　received　the　stranger　with　a　kind　of　surly　hospitality；
“I　understand；”　said　the　young　man；　“that　you　bought；　in　New　Orleans；　a　boy；　named　Tom。　He　used　to　be　on　my　father’s　place；　and　I　came　to　see　if　I　couldn’t　buy　him　back。”
Legree’s　brow　grew　dark；　and　he　broke　out；　passionately：　“Yes；　I　did　buy　such　a　fellow；—and　a　h—l　of　a　bargain　I　had　of　it；　too！　The　most　rebellious；　saucy；　impudent　dog！　Set　up　my　niggers　to　run　away；　got　off　two　gals；　worth　eight　hundred　or　a　thousand　apiece。　He　owned　to　that；　and；　when　I　bid　him　tell　me　where　they　was；　he　up　and　said　he　knew；　but　he　wouldn’t　tell；　and　stood　to　it；　though　I　gave　him　the　cussedest　flogging　I　ever　gave　nigger　yet。　I　b’lieve　he’s　trying　to　die；　but　I　don’t　know　as　he’ll　make　it　out。”
“Where　is　he？”　said　George；　impetuously。　“Let　me　see　him。”　The　cheeks　of　the　young　man　were　crimson；　and　his　eyes　flashed　fire；　but　he　prudently　said　nothing；　as　yet。
“He’s　in　dat　ar　shed；”　said　a　little　fellow；　who　stood　holding　George’s　horse。
Legree　kicked　the　boy；　and　swore　at　him；　but　George；　without　saying　another　word；　turned　and　strode　to　the　spot。
Tom　had　been　lying　two　days　since　the　fatal　night；　not　suffering；　for　every　nerve　of　suffering　was　blunted　and　destroyed。　He　lay；　for　the　most　part；　in　a　quiet　stupor；　for　the　laws　of　a　powerful　and　well…knit　frame　would　not　at　once　release　the　imprisoned　spirit。　By　stealth；　there　had　been　there；　in　the　darkness　of　the　night；　poor　desolated　creatures；　who　stole　from　their　scanty　hours’　rest；　that　they　might　repay　to　him　some　of　those　ministrations　of　love　in　which　he　had　always　been　so　abundant。　Truly；　those　poor　disciples　had　little　to　give；—only　the　cup　of　cold　water；　but　it　was　given　with　full　hearts。
Tears　had　fallen　on　that　honest；　insensible　face；—tears　of　late　repentance　in　the　poor；　ignorant　heathen；　whom　his　dying　love　and　patience　had　awakened　to　repentance；　and　bitter　prayers；　breathed　over　him　to　a　late…found　Saviour；　of　whom　they　scarce　knew　more　than　the　name；　but　whom　the　yearning　ignorant　heart　of　man　never　implores　in　vain。
Cassy；　who　had　glided　out　of　her　place　of　concealment；　and；　by　overhearing；　learned　the　sacrifice　that　had　been　made　for　her　and　Emmeline；　had　been　there；　the　night　before；　defying　the　danger　of　detection；　and；　moved　by　the　last　few　words　which　the　affectionate　soul　had　yet　strength　to　breathe；　the　long　winter　of　despair；　the　ice　of　years；　had　given　way；　and　the　dark；　despairing　woman　had　wept　and　prayed。
When　George　entered　the　shed；　he　felt　his　head　giddy　and　his　heart　sick。
“Is　it　possible；；—is　it　possible？”　said　he；　kneeling　down　by　him。　“Uncle　Tom；　my　poor；　poor　old　friend！”
Something　in　the　voice　penetrated　to　the　ear　of　the　dying。　He　moved　his　head　gently；　smiled；　and　said；
“Jesus　can　make　a　dying…bed
　　　　Feel　soft　as　down　pillows　are。”
Tears　which　did　honor　to　his　manly　heart　fell　from　the　young　man’s　eyes；　as　he　bent　over　his　poor　friend。
“O；　dear　Uncle　Tom！　do　wake；—do　speak　once　more！　Look　up！　Here’s　Mas’r　George；—your　own　little　Mas’r　George。　Don’t　you　know　me？”
“Mas’r　George！”　said　Tom；　opening　his　eyes；　and　speaking　in　a　feeble　voice；　“Mas’r　George！”　He　looked　bewildered。
Slowly　the　idea　seemed　to　fill　his　soul；　and　the