英语天堂-第54章

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ng　his　throat　and　wiping　his　spectacle…glasses；　ocomasionally　blowing　his　nose　in　a　manner　that　was　calculated　to　excite　suspicion；　had　any　one　been　in　a　state　to　observe　critically。
“How　came　you　to　tell　me　you　had　a　kind　master？”　he　suddenly　exclaimed；　gulping　down　very　resolutely　some　kind　of　rising　in　his　throat；　and　turning　suddenly　round　upon　the　woman。
“Because　he　was　a　kind　master；　I’ll　say　that　of　him；　any　way；—and　my　mistress　was　kind；　but　they　couldn’t　help　themselves。　They　were　owing　money；　and　there　was　some　way；　I　can’t　tell　how；　that　a　man　had　a　hold　on　them；　and　they　were　obliged　to　give　him　his　will。　I　listened；　and　heard　him　telling　mistress　that；　and　she　begging　and　pleading　for　me；—and　he　told　her　he　couldn’t　help　himself；　and　that　the　papers　were　all　drawn；—and　then　it　was　I　took　him　and　left　my　home；　and　came　away。　I　knew　’t　was　no　use　of　my　trying　to　live；　if　they　did　it；　for　’t　’pears　like　this　child　is　all　I　have。”
“Have　you　no　husband？”
“Yes；　but　he　belongs　to　another　man。　His　master　is　real　hard　to　him；　and　won’t　let　him　come　to　see　me；　hardly　ever；　and　he’s　grown　harder　and　harder　upon　us；　and　he　threatens　to　sell　him　down　south；—it’s　like　I’ll　never　see　him　again！”
The　quiet　tone　in　which　the　woman　pronounced　these　words　might　have　led　a　superficial　observer　to　think　that　she　was　entirely　apathetic；　but　there　was　a　calm；　settled　depth　of　anguish　in　her　large；　dark　eye；　that　spoke　of　something　far　otherwise。
“And　where　do　you　mean　to　go；　my　poor　woman？”　said　Mrs。　Bird。
“To　Canada；　if　I　only　knew　where　that　was。　Is　it　very　far　off；　is　Canada？”　said　she；　looking　up；　with　a　simple；　confiding　air；　to　Mrs。　Bird’s　face。
“Poor　thing！”　said　Mrs。　Bird；　involuntarily。
“Is　’t　a　very　great　way　off；　think？”　said　the　woman；　earnestly。
“Much　further　than　you　think；　poor　child！”　said　Mrs。　Bird；　“but　we　will　try　to　think　what　can　be　done　for　you。　Here；　Dinah；　make　her　up　a　bed　in　your　own　room；　close　by　the　kitchen；　and　I’ll　think　what　to　do　for　her　in　the　morning。　Meanwhile；　never　fear；　poor　woman；　put　your　trust　in　God；　he　will　protect　you。”
Mrs。　Bird　and　her　husband　reentered　the　parlor。　She　sat　down　in　her　little　rocking…chair　before　the　fire；　swaying　thoughtfully　to　and　fro。　Mr。　Bird　strode　up　and　down　the　room；　grumbling　to　himself；　“Pish！　pshaw！　confounded　awkward　business！”　At　length；　striding　up　to　his　wife；　he　said；
“I　say；　wife；　she’ll　have　to　get　away　from　here；　this　very　night。　That　fellow　will　be　down　on　the　scent　bright　and　early　tomorrow　morning：　if　’t　was　only　the　woman；　she　could　lie　quiet　till　it　was　over；　but　that　little　chap　can’t　be　kept　still　by　a　troop　of　horse　and　foot；　I’ll　warrant　me；　he’ll　bring　it　all　out；　popping　his　head　out　of　some　window　or　door。　A　pretty　kettle　of　fish　it　would　be　for　me；　too；　to　be　caught　with　them　both　here；　just　now！　No；　they’ll　have　to　be　got　off　tonight。”
“Tonight！　How　is　it　possible？—where　to？”
“Well；　I　know　pretty　well　where　to；”　said　the　senator；　beginning　to　put　on　his　boots；　with　a　reflective　air；　and；　stopping　when　his　leg　was　half　in；　he　embraced　his　knee　with　both　hands；　and　seemed　to　go　off　in　deep　meditation。
“It’s　a　confounded　awkward；　ugly　business；”　said　he；　at　last；　beginning　to　tug　at　his　boot…straps　again；　“and　that’s　a　fact！”　After　one　boot　was　fairly　on；　the　senator　sat　with　the　other　in　his　hand；　profoundly　studying　the　figure　of　the　carpet。　“It　will　have　to　be　done；　though；　for　aught　I　see；—hang　it　all！”　and　he　drew　the　other　boot　anxiously　on；　and　looked　out　of　the　window。
Now；　little　Mrs。　Bird　was　a　discreet　woman；—a　woman　who　never　in　her　life　said；　“I　told　you　so！”　and；　on　the　present　ocomasion；　though　pretty　well　aware　of　the　shape　her　husband’s　meditations　were　taking；　she　very　prudently　forbore　to　meddle　with　them；　only　sat　very　quietly　in　her　chair；　and　looked　quite　ready　to　hear　her　liege　lord’s　intentions；　when　he　should　think　proper　to　utter　them。
“You　see；”　he　said；　“there’s　my　old　client；　Van　Trompe；　has　come　over　from　Kentucky；　and　set　all　his　slaves　free；　and　he　has　bought　a　place　seven　miles　up　the　creek；　here；　back　in　the　woods；　where　nobody　goes；　unless　they　go　on　purpose；　and　it’s　a　place　that　isn’t　found　in　a　hurry。　There　she’d　be　safe　enough；　but　the　plague　of　the　thing　is；　nobody　could　drive　a　carriage　there　tonight；　but　me。”
“Why　not？　Cudjoe　is　an　excellent　driver。”
“Ay；　ay；　but　here　it　is。　The　creek　has　to　be　crossed　twice；　and　the　second　crossing　is　quite　dangerous；　unless　one　knows　it　as　I　do。　I　have　crossed　it　a　hundred　times　on　horseback；　and　know　exactly　the　turns　to　take。　And　so；　you　see；　there’s　no　help　for　it。　Cudjoe　must　put　in　the　horses；　as　quietly　as　may　be；　about　twelve　o’clock；　and　I’ll　take　her　over；　and　then；　to　give　color　to　the　matter；　he　must　carry　me　on　to　the　next　tavern　to　take　the　stage　for　Columbus；　that　comes　by　about　three　or　four；　and　so　it　will　look　as　if　I　had　had　the　carriage　only　for　that。　I　shall　get　into　business　bright　and　early　in　the　morning。　But　I’m　thinking　I　shall　feel　rather　cheap　there；　after　all　that’s　been　said　and　done；　but；　hang　it；　I　can’t　help　it！”
“Your　heart　is　better　than　your　head；　in　this　case；　John；”　said　the　wife；　laying　her　little　white　hand　on　his。　“Could　I　ever　have　loved　you；　had　I　not　known　you　better　than　you　know　yourself？”　And　the　little　woman　looked　so　handsome；　with　the　tears　sparkling　in　her　eyes；　that　the　senator　thought　he　must　be　a　decidedly　clever　fellow；　to　get　such　a　pretty　creature　into　such　a　passionate　admiration　of　him；　and　so；　what　could　he　do　but　walk　off　soberly；　to　see　about　the　carriage。　At　the　door；　however；　he　stopped　a　moment；　and　then　coming　back；　he　said；　with　some　hesitation。
“Mary；　I　don’t　know　how　you’d　feel　about　it；　but　there’s　that　drawer　full　of　things—of—of—poor　little　Henry’s。”　So　saying；　he　turned　quickly　on　his　heel；　and　shut　the　door　after　him。
His　wife　opened　the　little　bed…room　door　adjoining　her　room　and；　taking　the　candle；　set　it　down　on　the　top　of　a　bureau　there；　then　from　a　small　recess　she　took　a　key；　and　put　it　thoughtfully　in　the　lock　of　a　drawer；　and　made　a　sudden　pause；　while　two　boys；　who；　boy　like；　had　followed　close　on　her　heels；　stood　looking；　with　silent；　significant　glances；　at　their　mother。　And　oh！　mother　that　reads　this；　has　there　never　been　in　your　house　a　drawer；　or　a　closet；　the　opening　of　which　has　been　to　you　like　the　opening　again　of　a　little　grave？　Ah！　happy　mother　that　you　are；　if　it　has　not　been　so。
Mrs。　Bird　slowly　opened　the　drawer。　There　were　little　coats　of　many　a　form　and　pattern；　piles　of　aprons；　and　rows　of　small　stockings；　and　even　a　pair　of　little　shoes；　worn　and　rubbed　at　the　toes；　were　peeping　from　the　folds　of　a　paper。　There　was　a　toy　horse　and　wagon；　a　top；　a　ball；—memorials　gathered　with　many　a　tear　and　many　a　heart…break！　She　sat　down　by　the　drawer；　and；　leaning　her　head　on　her　hands　over　it；　wept　till　the　tears　fell　through　her　fingers　into　the　drawer；　then　suddenly　raising　her　head；　she　began；　with　nervous　haste；　selecting　the　plainest　and　most　substantial　articles；　and　gathering　them　into　a　bundle。
“Mamma；”　said　one　of　the　boys；　gently　touching　her　arm；　“you　going　to　give　away　those　things？”
“My　dear　boys；”　she　said；　softly　and　earnestly；　“if　our　dear；　loving　little　Henry　looks　down　from　heaven；　he　would　be　glad　to　have　us　do　this。　I　could　not　find　it　in　my　heart　to　give　them　away　to　any　common　person—to　anybody　that　was　happy；　but　I　give　them　to　a　mother　more　heart…broken　and　sorrowful　than　I　am；　and　I　hope　God　will　send　his　blessings　with　them！”
There　are　in　this　world　blessed　souls；　whose　sorrows　all　spring　up　into　joys　for　others；　whose　earthly　hopes；　laid　in　the　grave　with　many　tears；　are　the　seed　from　which　spring　healing　flowers　and　balm　for　the　desolate　and　the　distressed。　Among　such　was　the　delicate　woman　who　sits　there　by　the　lamp；　dropping　slow　tears；　while　she　prepares　the　memorials　of　her　own　lost　one　for　the　outcast　wanderer。
After　a　while；　Mrs。　Bird　opened　a　wardrobe；　and；　taking　from　thence　a　plain；　serviceable　dress　or　two；　she　sat　down　busily　to　her　work…table；　and；　with　needle；　scissors；　and　thimble；　at　hand；　quietly　commenced　the　“letting　down”　process　which　her　husband　had　recommended；　and　continued　busily　at　it　till　the　old　clock　in　the　corner　struck　twelve；　and　she　heard　the　low　rattling　of　wheels　at　the　door。
“Mary；”　said　her　husband；　coming　in；　with　his　overcoat　in　his　hand；　“you　must　wake　her　up　now；　we　must　be　off。”
Mrs。　Bird　hastily　deposited　the　various　articles　she　had　collected　in　a　small　plain　trunk；　and　locking　it；　desired　her　husband　to　see　it　in　the　carriage；　and　then　proceeded　to　call　the　woman。　Soon；　arrayed　in　a　cloak；　bonnet；　and　shawl；　that　had　belonged　to　her　benefactress；　she　appeared　at　the　door　with　her　child　in　her　arms。　Mr。　Bird　hurried　her　into　the　carriage；　and　Mrs。　Bird　pressed　on　after　her　to　the　carriage　steps。　Eliza　leaned　out　of　the　carriage；　and　put　out　her　hand；—a　hand　as　soft　and　beautiful　as　was　given　in　return。　She　fixed　her　large；　dark　eyes；　full　of　earnest　meaning；　on　Mrs。　Bird’s　face；　and　seemed　going　to　speak。　Her　lips　moved；—she　tried　once　or　twice；　but　there　was　no　sound；—and　pointi