英语天堂-第37章

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n。　I　begged　him　again；　and　then　he　turned　on　me；　and　began　striking　me。　I　held　his　hand；　and　then　he　screamed　and　kicked　and　ran　to　his　father；　and　told　him　that　I　was　fighting　him。　He　came　in　a　rage；　and　said　he’d　teach　me　who　was　my　master；　and　he　tied　me　to　a　tree；　and　cut　switches　for　young　master；　and　told　him　that　he　might　whip　me　till　he　was　tired；—and　he　did　do　it！　If　I　don’t　make　him　remember　it；　some　time！”　and　the　brow　of　the　young　man　grew　dark；　and　his　eyes　burned　with　an　expression　that　made　his　young　wife　tremble。　“Who　made　this　man　my　master？　That’s　what　I　want　to　know！”　he　said。
“Well；”　said　Eliza；　mournfully；　“I　always　thought　that　I　must　obey　my　master　and　mistress；　or　I　couldn’t　be　a　Christian。”
“There　is　some　sense　in　it；　in　your　case；　they　have　brought　you　up　like　a　child；　fed　you；　clothed　you；　indulged　you；　and　taught　you；　so　that　you　have　a　good　education；　that　is　some　reason　why　they　should　claim　you。　But　I　have　been　kicked　and　cuffed　and　sworn　at；　and　at　the　best　only　let　alone；　and　what　do　I　owe？　I’ve　paid　for　all　my　keeping　a　hundred　times　over。　I　won’t　bear　it。　No；　I　won’t！”　he　said；　clenching　his　hand　with　a　fierce　frown。
Eliza　trembled；　and　was　silent。　She　had　never　seen　her　husband　in　this　mood　before；　and　her　gentle　system　of　ethics　seemed　to　bend　like　a　reed　in　the　surges　of　such　passions。
“You　know　poor　little　Carlo；　that　you　gave　me；”　added　George；　“the　creature　has　been　about　all　the　comfort　that　I’ve　had。　He　has　slept　with　me　nights；　and　followed　me　around　days；　and　kind　o’　looked　at　me　as　if　he　understood　how　I　felt。　Well；　the　other　day　I　was　just　feeding　him　with　a　few　old　scraps　I　picked　up　by　the　kitchen　door；　and　Mas’r　came　along；　and　said　I　was　feeding　him　up　at　his　expense；　and　that　he　couldn’t　afford　to　have　every　nigger　keeping　his　dog；　and　ordered　me　to　tie　a　stone　to　his　neck　and　throw　him　in　the　pond。”
“O；　George；　you　didn’t　do　it！”
“Do　it？　not　I！—but　he　did。　Mas’r　and　Tom　pelted　the　poor　drowning　creature　with　stones。　Poor　thing！　he　looked　at　me　so　mournful；　as　if　he　wondered　why　I　didn’t　save　him。　I　had　to　take　a　flogging　because　I　wouldn’t　do　it　myself。　I　don’t　care。　Mas’r　will　find　out　that　I’m　one　that　whipping　won’t　tame。　My　day　will　come　yet；　if　he　don’t　look　out。”
“What　are　you　going　to　do？　O；　George；　don’t　do　anything　wicked；　if　you　only　trust　in　God；　and　try　to　do　right；　he’ll　deliver　you。”
“I　an’t　a　Christian　like　you；　Eliza；　my　heart’s　full　of　bitterness；　I　can’t　trust　in　God。　Why　does　he　let　things　be　so？”
“O；　George；　we　must　have　faith。　Mistress　says　that　when　all　things　go　wrong　to　us；　we　must　believe　that　God　is　doing　the　very　best。”
“That’s　easy　to　say　for　people　that　are　sitting　on　their　sofas　and　riding　in　their　carriages；　but　let　’em　be　where　I　am；　I　guess　it　would　come　some　harder。　I　wish　I　could　be　good；　but　my　heart　burns；　and　can’t　be　reconciled；　anyhow。　You　couldn’t　in　my　place；—you　can’t　now；　if　I　tell　you　all　I’ve　got　to　say。　You　don’t　know　the　whole　yet。”
“What　can　be　coming　now？”
“Well；　lately　Mas’r　has　been　saying　that　he　was　a　fool　to　let　me　marry　off　the　place；　that　he　hates　Mr。　Shelby　and　all　his　tribe；　because　they　are　proud；　and　hold　their　heads　up　above　him；　and　that　I’ve　got　proud　notions　from　you；　and　he　says　he　won’t　let　me　come　here　any　more；　and　that　I　shall　take　a　wife　and　settle　down　on　his　place。　At　first　he　only　scolded　and　grumbled　these　things；　but　yesterday　he　told　me　that　I　should　take　Mina　for　a　wife；　and　settle　down　in　a　cabin　with　her；　or　he　would　sell　me　down　river。”
“Why—but　you　were　married　to　me；　by　the　minister；　as　much　as　if　you’d　been　a　white　man！”　said　Eliza；　simply。
“Don’t　you　know　a　slave　can’t　be　married？　There　is　no　law　in　this　country　for　that；　I　can’t　hold　you　for　my　wife；　if　he　chooses　to　part　us。　That’s　why　I　wish　I’d　never　seen　you；—why　I　wish　I’d　never　been　born；　it　would　have　been　better　for　us　both；—it　would　have　been　better　for　this　poor　child　if　he　had　never　been　born。　All　this　may　happen　to　him　yet！”
“O；　but　master　is　so　kind！”
“Yes；　but　who　knows？—he　may　die—and　then　he　may　be　sold　to　nobody　knows　who。　What　pleasure　is　it　that　he　is　handsome；　and　smart；　and　bright？　I　tell　you；　Eliza；　that　a　sword　will　pierce　through　your　soul　for　every　good　and　pleasant　thing　your　child　is　or　has；　it　will　make　him　worth　too　much　for　you　to　keep。”
The　words　smote　heavily　on　Eliza’s　heart；　the　vision　of　the　trader　came　before　her　eyes；　and；　as　if　some　one　had　struck　her　a　deadly　blow；　she　turned　pale　and　gasped　for　breath。　She　looked　nervously　out　on　the　verandah；　where　the　boy；　tired　of　the　grave　conversation；　had　retired；　and　where　he　was　riding　triumphantly　up　and　down　on　Mr。　Shelby’s　walking…stick。　She　would　have　spoken　to　tell　her　husband　her　fears；　but　checked　herself。
“No；　no；—he　has　enough　to　bear；　poor　fellow！”　she　thought。　“No；　I　won’t　tell　him；　besides；　it　an’t　true；　Missis　never　deceives　us。”
“So；　Eliza；　my　girl；”　said　the　husband；　mournfully；　“bear　up；　now；　and　good…by；　for　I’m　going。”
“Going；　George！　Going　where？”
“To　Canada；”　said　he；　straightening　himself　up；　and　when　I’m　there；　I’ll　buy　you；　that’s　all　the　hope　that’s　left　us。　You　have　a　kind　master；　that　won’t　refuse　to　sell　you。　I’ll　buy　you　and　the　boy；—God　helping　me；　I　will！”
“O；　dreadful！　if　you　should　be　taken？”
“I　won’t　be　taken；　Eliza；　I’ll　die　first！　I’ll　be　free；　or　I’ll　die！”
“You　won’t　kill　yourself！”
“No　need　of　that。　They　will　kill　me；　fast　enough；　they　never　will　get　me　down　the　river　alive！”
“O；　George；　for　my　sake；　do　be　careful！　Don’t　do　anything　wicked；　don’t　lay　hands　on　yourself；　or　anybody　else！　You　are　tempted　too　much—too　much；　but　don’t—go　you　must—but　go　carefully；　prudently；　pray　God　to　help　you。”
“Well；　then；　Eliza；　hear　my　plan。　Mas’r　took　it　into　his　head　to　send　me　right　by　here；　with　a　note　to　Mr。　Symmes；　that　lives　a　mile　past。　I　believe　he　expected　I　should　come　here　to　tell　you　what　I　have。　It　would　please　him；　if　he　thought　it　would　aggravate　‘Shelby’s　folks；’　as　he　calls　’em。　I’m　going　home　quite　resigned；　you　understand；　as　if　all　was　over。　I’ve　got　some　preparations　made；—and　there　are　those　that　will　help　me；　and；　in　the　course　of　a　week　or　so；　I　shall　be　among　the　missing；　some　day。　Pray　for　me；　Eliza；　perhaps　the　good　Lord　will　hear　you。”
“O；　pray　yourself；　George；　and　go　trusting　in　him；　then　you　won’t　do　anything　wicked。”
“Well；　now；　good…by；”　said　George；　holding　Eliza’s　hands；　and　gazing　into　her　eyes；　without　moving。　They　stood　silent；　then　there　were　last　words；　and　sobs；　and　bitter　weeping；—such　parting　as　those　may　make　whose　hope　to　meet　again　is　as　the　spider’s　web；—and　the　husband　and　wife　were　parted。
Chapter　4
An　Evening　in　Uncle　Tom’s　Cabin
The　cabin　of　Uncle　Tom　was　a　small　log　building；　close　adjoining　to　“the　house；”　as　the　negro　par　excellence　designates　his　master’s　dwelling。　In　front　it　had　a　neat　garden…patch；　where；　every　summer；　strawberries；　raspberries；　and　a　variety　of　fruits　and　vegetables；　flourished　under　careful　tending。　The　whole　front　of　it　was　covered　by　a　large　scarlet　bignonia　and　a　native　multiflora　rose；　which；　entwisting　and　interlacing；　left　scarce　a　vestige　of　the　rough　logs　to　be　seen。　Here；　also；　in　summer；　various　brilliant　annuals；　such　as　marigolds；　petunias；　four…o’clocks；　found　an　indulgent　corner　in　which　to　unfold　their　splendors；　and　were　the　delight　and　pride　of　Aunt　Chloe’s　heart。
Let　us　enter　the　dwelling。　The　evening　meal　at　the　house　is　over；　and　Aunt　Chloe；　who　presided　over　its　preparation　as　head　cook；　has　left　to　inferior　officers　in　the　kitchen　the　business　of　clearing　away　and　washing　dishes；　and　come　out　into　her　own　snug　territories；　to　“get　her　ole　man’s　supper”；　therefore；　doubt　not　that　it　is　her　you　see　by　the　fire；　presiding　with　anxious　interest　over　certain　frizzling　items　in　a　stew…pan；　and　anon　with　grave　consideration　lifting　the　cover　of　a　bake…kettle；　from　whence　steam　forth　indubitable　intimations　of　“something　good。”　A　round；　black；　shining　face　is　hers；　so　glossy　as　to　suggest　the　idea　that　she　might　have　been　washed　over　with　white　of　eggs；　like　one　of　her　own　tea　rusks。　Her　whole　plump　countenance　beams　with　satisfaction　and　contentment　from　under　her　well…starched　checked　turban；　bearing　on　it；　however；　if　we　must　confess　it；　a　little　of　that　tinge　of　self…consciousness　which　becomes　the　first　cook　of　the　neighborhood；　as　Aunt　Chloe　was　universally　held　and　acknowledged　to　be。
A　cook　she　certainly　was；　in　the　very　bone　and　centre　of　her　soul。　Not　a　chicken　or　turkey　or　duck　in　the　barn…yard　but　looked　grave　when　they　saw　her　approaching；　and　seemed　evidently　to　be　reflecting　on　their　latter　end；　and　certain　it　was　that　she　was　always　meditating　on　trussing；　stuffing　and　roasting；　to　a　degree　that　was　calculated　to　inspire　terror　in　any　reflecting　fowl　living。　Her　corn…cake；　in　all　its　varieties　of　hoe…cake；　dodgers；　muffins；　and　other　species　too　numerous　to　mention；　was　a　sublime　mystery　to　all　less　practised　compounders；　and　she　would　shake　her　fat　sides　with　honest　pride　and　merriment；　as　she　would　narrate　the　fruitless　efforts　that　one　and　another