英语天堂-第35章

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“O！　certainly；　by　all　means；　mum！　of　course。　But　I’ll　tell　you。　I’m　in　a　devil　of　a　hurry；　and　shall　want　to　know；　as　soon　as　possible；　what　I　may　depend　on；”　said　he；　rising　and　putting　on　his　overcoat。
“Well；　call　up　this　evening；　between　six　and　seven；　and　you　shall　have　my　answer；”　said　Mr。　Shelby；　and　the　trader　bowed　himself　out　of　the　apartment。
“I’d　like　to　have　been　able　to　kick　the　fellow　down　the　steps；”　said　he　to　himself；　as　he　saw　the　door　fairly　closed；　“with　his　impudent　assurance；　but　he　knows　how　much　he　has　me　at　advantage。　If　anybody　had　ever　said　to　me　that　I　should　sell　Tom　down　south　to　one　of　those　rascally　traders；　I　should　have　said；　‘Is　thy　servant　a　dog；　that　he　should　do　this　thing？’　And　now　it　must　come；　for　aught　I　see。　And　Eliza’s　child；　too！　I　know　that　I　shall　have　some　fuss　with　wife　about　that；　and；　for　that　matter；　about　Tom；　too。　So　much　for　being　in　debt；—heigho！　The　fellow　sees　his　advantage；　and　means　to　push　it。”
Perhaps　the　mildest　form　of　the　system　of　slavery　is　to　be　seen　in　the　State　of　Kentucky。　The　general　prevalence　of　agricultural　pursuits　of　a　quiet　and　gradual　nature；　not　requiring　those　periodic　seasons　of　hurry　and　pressure　that　are　called　for　in　the　business　of　more　southern　districts；　makes　the　task　of　the　negro　a　more　healthful　and　reasonable　one；　while　the　master；　content　with　a　more　gradual　style　of　acquisition；　has　not　those　temptations　to　hardheartedness　which　always　overcome　frail　human　nature　when　the　prospect　of　sudden　and　rapid　gain　is　weighed　in　the　balance；　with　no　heavier　counterpoise　than　the　interests　of　the　helpless　and　unprotected。
Whoever　visits　some　estates　there；　and　witnesses　the　good…humored　indulgence　of　some　masters　and　mistresses；　and　the　affectionate　loyalty　of　some　slaves；　might　be　tempted　to　dream　the　oft…fabled　poetic　legend　of　a　patriarchal　institution；　and　all　that；　but　over　and　above　the　scene　there　broods　a　portentous　shadow—the　shadow　of　law。　So　long　as　the　law　considers　all　these　human　beings；　with　beating　hearts　and　living　affections；　only　as　so　many　things　belonging　to　a　master；—so　long　as　the　failure；　or　misfortune；　or　imprudence；　or　death　of　the　kindest　owner；　may　cause　them　any　day　to　exchange　a　life　of　kind　protection　and　indulgence　for　one　of　hopeless　misery　and　toil；—so　long　it　is　impossible　to　make　anything　beautiful　or　desirable　in　the　best　regulated　administration　of　slavery。
Mr。　Shelby　was　a　fair　average　kind　of　man；　good…natured　and　kindly；　and　disposed　to　easy　indulgence　of　those　around　him；　and　there　had　never　been　a　lack　of　anything　which　might　contribute　to　the　physical　comfort　of　the　negroes　on　his　estate。　He　had；　however；　speculated　largely　and　quite　loosely；　had　involved　himself　deeply；　and　his　notes　to　a　large　amount　had　come　into　the　hands　of　Haley；　and　this　small　piece　of　information　is　the　key　to　the　preceding　conversation。
Now；　it　had　so　happened　that；　in　approaching　the　door；　Eliza　had　caught　enough　of　the　conversation　to　know　that　a　trader　was　making　offers　to　her　master　for　somebody。
She　would　gladly　have　stopped　at　the　door　to　listen；　as　she　came　out；　but　her　mistress　just　then　calling；　she　was　obliged　to　hasten　away。
Still　she　thought　she　heard　the　trader　make　an　offer　for　her　boy；—could　she　be　mistaken？　Her　heart　swelled　and　throbbed；　and　she　involuntarily　strained　him　so　tight　that　the　little　fellow　looked　up　into　her　face　in　astonishment。
“Eliza；　girl；　what　ails　you　today？”　said　her　mistress；　when　Eliza　had　upset　the　wash…pitcher；　knocked　down　the　workstand；　and　finally　was　abstractedly　offering　her　mistress　a　long　nightgown　in　place　of　the　silk　dress　she　had　ordered　her　to　bring　from　the　wardrobe。
Eliza　started。　“O；　missis！”　she　said；　raising　her　eyes；　then；　bursting　into　tears；　she　sat　down　in　a　chair；　and　began　sobbing。
“Why；　Eliza　child；　what　ails　you？”　said　her　mistress。
“O！　missis；　missis；”　said　Eliza；　“there’s　been　a　trader　talking　with　master　in　the　parlor！　I　heard　him。”
“Well；　silly　child；　suppose　there　has。”
“O；　missis；　do　you　suppose　mas’r　would　sell　my　Harry？”　And　the　poor　creature　threw　herself　into　a　chair；　and　sobbed　convulsively。
“Sell　him！　No；　you　foolish　girl！　You　know　your　master　never　deals　with　those　southern　traders；　and　never　means　to　sell　any　of　his　servants；　as　long　as　they　behave　well。　Why；　you　silly　child；　who　do　you　think　would　want　to　buy　your　Harry？　Do　you　think　all　the　world　are　set　on　him　as　you　are；　you　goosie？　Come；　cheer　up；　and　hook　my　dress。　There　now；　put　my　back　hair　up　in　that　pretty　braid　you　learnt　the　other　day；　and　don’t　go　listening　at　doors　any　more。”
“Well；　but；　missis；　you　never　would　give　your　consent—to—to—”
“Nonsense；　child！　to　be　sure；　I　shouldn’t。　What　do　you　talk　so　for？　I　would　as　soon　have　one　of　my　own　children　sold。　But　really；　Eliza；　you　are　getting　altogether　too　proud　of　that　little　fellow。　A　man　can’t　put　his　nose　into　the　door；　but　you　think　he　must　be　coming　to　buy　him。”
Reassured　by　her　mistress’　confident　tone；　Eliza　proceeded　nimbly　and　adroitly　with　her　toilet；　laughing　at　her　own　fears；　as　she　proceeded。
Mrs。　Shelby　was　a　woman　of　high　class；　both　intellectually　and　morally。　To　that　natural　magnanimity　and　generosity　of　mind　which　one　often　marks　as　characteristic　of　the　women　of　Kentucky；　she　added　high　moral　and　religious　sensibility　and　principle；　carried　out　with　great　energy　and　ability　into　practical　results。　Her　husband；　who　made　no　professions　to　any　particular　religious　character；　nevertheless　reverenced　and　respected　the　consistency　of　hers；　and　stood；　perhaps；　a　little　in　awe　of　her　opinion。　Certain　it　was　that　he　gave　her　unlimited　scope　in　all　her　benevolent　efforts　for　the　comfort；　instruction；　and　improvement　of　her　servants；　though　he　never　took　any　decided　part　in　them　himself。　In　fact；　if　not　exactly　a　believer　in　the　doctrine　of　the　efficiency　of　the　extra　good　works　of　saints；　he　really　seemed　somehow　or　other　to　fancy　that　his　wife　had　piety　and　benevolence　enough　for　two—to　indulge　a　shadowy　expectation　of　getting　into　heaven　through　her　superabundance　of　qualities　to　which　he　made　no　particular　pretension。
The　heaviest　load　on　his　mind；　after　his　conversation　with　the　trader；　lay　in　the　foreseen　necessity　of　breaking　to　his　wife　the　arrangement　contemplated；—meeting　the　importunities　and　opposition　which　he　knew　he　should　have　reason　to　encounter。
Mrs。　Shelby；　being　entirely　ignorant　of　her　husband’s　embarrassments；　and　knowing　only　the　general　kindliness　of　his　temper；　had　been　quite　sincere　in　the　entire　incredulity　with　which　she　had　met　Eliza’s　suspicions。　In　fact；　she　dismissed　the　matter　from　her　mind；　without　a　second　thought；　and　being　ocomupied　in　preparations　for　an　evening　visit；　it　passed　out　of　her　thoughts　entirely。
1　English　Grammar　（1795）；　by　Lindley　Murray　（1745…1826）；　the　most　authoritative　American　grammarian　of　his　day。
Chapter　2
The　Mother
Eliza　had　been　brought　up　by　her　mistress；　from　girlhood；　as　a　petted　and　indulged　favorite。
The　traveller　in　the　south　must　often　have　remarked　that　peculiar　air　of　refinement；　that　softness　of　voice　and　manner；　which　seems　in　many　cases　to　be　a　particular　gift　to　the　quadroon　and　mulatto　women。　These　natural　graces　in　the　quadroon　are　often　united　with　beauty　of　the　most　dazzling　kind；　and　in　almost　every　case　with　a　personal　appearance　prepossessing　and　agreeable。　Eliza；　such　as　we　have　described　her；　is　not　a　fancy　sketch；　but　taken　from　remembrance；　as　we　saw　her；　years　ago；　in　Kentucky。　Safe　under　the　protecting　care　of　her　mistress；　Eliza　had　reached　maturity　without　those　temptations　which　make　beauty　so　fatal　an　inheritance　to　a　slave。　She　had　been　married　to　a　bright　and　talented　young　mulatto　man；　who　was　a　slave　on　a　neighboring　estate；　and　bore　the　name　of　George　Harris。
This　young　man　had　been　hired　out　by　his　master　to　work　in　a　bagging　factory；　where　his　adroitness　and　ingenuity　caused　him　to　be　considered　the　first　hand　in　the　place。　He　had　invented　a　machine　for　the　cleaning　of　the　hemp；　which；　considering　the　education　and　circumstances　of　the　inventor；　displayed　quite　as　much　mechanical　genius　as　Whitney’s　cotton…gin。1
He　was　possessed　of　a　handsome　person　and　pleasing　manners；　and　was　a　general　favorite　in　the　factory。　Nevertheless；　as　this　young　man　was　in　the　eye　of　the　law　not　a　man；　but　a　thing；　all　these　superior　qualifications　were　subject　to　the　control　of　a　vulgar；　narrow…minded；　tyrannical　master。　This　same　gentleman；　having　heard　of　the　fame　of　George’s　invention；　took　a　ride　over　to　the　factory；　to　see　what　this　intelligent　chattel　had　been　about。　He　was　received　with　great　enthusiasm　by　the　employer；　who　congratulated　him　on　possessing　so　valuable　a　slave。
He　was　waited　upon　over　the　factory；　shown　the　machinery　by　George；　who；　in　high　spirits；　talked　so　fluently；　held　himself　so　erect；　looked　so　handsome　and　manly；　that　his　master　began　to　feel　an　uneasy　consciousness　of　inferiority。　What　business　had　his　slave　to　be　marching　round　the　country；　inventing　machines；　and　holding　up　his　head　among　gentlemen？　He’d　soon　put　a　stop　to　it。　He’d　take　him　back；　and　put　him　to　hoeing　and　digging；　and　“see　if　he’d　step　about　so　smart。”　Acomordingly；　the　manufactu