英语天堂-第87章

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“Pray；　Miss　Benoir；　may　I　be　allowed　to　ask　if　those　drops　are　for　the　ball；　tomorrow　night？　They　are　certainly　bewitching！”
“I　wonder；　now；　Mr。　St。　Clare；　what　the　impudence　of　you　men　will　come　to！”　said　Jane；　tossing　her　pretty　head　til　the　ear…drops　twinkled　again。　“I　shan’t　dance　with　you　for　a　whole　evening；　if　you　go　to　asking　me　any　more　questions。”
“O；　you　couldn’t　be　so　cruel；　now！　I　was　just　dying　to　know　whether　you　would　appear　in　your　pink　tarletane；”　said　Adolph。
“What　is　it？”　said　Rosa；　a　bright；　piquant　little　quadroon　who　came　skipping　down　stairs　at　this　moment。
“Why；　Mr。　St。　Clare’s　so　impudent！”
“On　my　honor；”　said　Adolph；　“I’ll　leave　it　to　Miss　Rosa　now。”
“I　know　he’s　always　a　saucy　creature；”　said　Rosa；　poising　herself　on　one　of　her　little　feet；　and　looking　maliciously　at　Adolph。　“He’s　always　getting　me　so　angry　with　him。”
“O！　ladies；　ladies；　you　will　certainly　break　my　heart；　between　you；”　said　Adolph。　“I　shall　be　found　dead　in　my　bed；　some　morning；　and　you’ll　have　it　to　answer　for。”
“Do　hear　the　horrid　creature　talk！”　said　both　ladies；　laughing　immoderately。
“Come；—clar　out；　you！　I　can’t　have　you　cluttering　up　the　kitchen；”　said　Dinah；　“in　my　way；　foolin’　round　here。”
“Aunt　Dinah’s　glum；　because　she　can’t　go　to　the　ball；”　said　Rosa。
“Don’t　want　none　o’　your　light…colored　balls；”　said　Dinah；　“cuttin’　round；　makin’　b’lieve　you’s　white　folks。　Arter　all；　you’s　niggers；　much　as　I　am。”
“Aunt　Dinah　greases　her　wool　stiff；　every　day；　to　make　it　lie　straight；”　said　Jane。
“And　it　will　be　wool；　after　all；”　said　Rosa；　maliciously　shaking　down　her　long；　silky　curls。
“Well；　in　the　Lord’s　sight；　an’t　wool　as　good　as　bar；　any　time？”　said　Dinah。　“I’d　like　to　have　Missis　say　which　is　worth　the　most；—a　couple　such　as　you；　or　one　like　me。　Get　out　wid　ye；　ye　trumpery；—I　won’t　have　ye　round！”
Here　the　conversation　was　interrupted　in　a　two…fold　manner。　St。　Clare’s　voice　was　heard　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　asking　Adolph　if　he　meant　to　stay　all　night　with　his　shaving…water；　and　Miss　Ophelia；　coming　out　of　the　dining…room；　said；
“Jane　and　Rosa；　what　are　you　wasting　your　time　for；　here？　Go　in　and　attend　to　your　muslins。”
Our　friend　Tom；　who　had　been　in　the　kitchen　during　the　conversation　with　the　old　rusk…woman；　had　followed　her　out　into　the　street。　He　saw　her　go　on；　giving　every　once　in　a　while　a　suppressed　groan。　At　last　she　set　her　basket　down　on　a　doorstep；　and　began　arranging　the　old；　faded　shawl　which　covered　her　shoulders。
“I’ll　carry　your　basket　a　piece；”　said　Tom；　compassionately。
“Why　should　ye？”　said　the　woman。　“I　don’t　want　no　help。”
“You　seem　to　be　sick；　or　in　trouble；　or　somethin’；”　said　Tom。
“I　an’t　sick；”　said　the　woman；　shortly。
“I　wish；”　said　Tom；　looking　at　her　earnestly；—“I　wish　I　could　persuade　you　to　leave　off　drinking。　Don’t　you　know　it　will　be　the　ruin　of　ye；　body　and　soul？”
“I　knows　I’m　gwine　to　torment；”　said　the　woman；　sullenly。　“Ye　don’t　need　to　tell　me　that　ar。　I　’s　ugly；　I　’s　wicked；—I　’s　gwine　straight　to　torment。　O；　Lord！　I　wish　I　’s　thar！”
Tom　shuddered　at　these　frightful　words；　spoken　with　a　sullen；　impassioned　earnestness。
“O；　Lord　have　mercy　on　ye！　poor　crittur。　Han’t　ye　never　heard　of　Jesus　Christ？”
“Jesus　Christ；—who’s　he？”
“Why；　he’s　the　Lord；”　said　Tom。
“I　think　I’ve　hearn　tell　o’　the　Lord；　and　the　judgment　and　torment。　I’ve　heard　o’　that。”
“But　didn’t　anybody　ever　tell　you　of　the　Lord　Jesus；　that　loved　us　poor　sinners；　and　died　for　us？”
“Don’t　know　nothin’　’bout　that；”　said　the　woman；　“nobody　han’t　never　loved　me；　since　my　old　man　died。”
“Where　was　you　raised？”　said　Tom。
“Up　in　Kentuck。　A　man　kept　me　to　breed　chil’en　for　market；　and　sold　’em　as　fast　as　they　got　big　enough；　last　of　all；　he　sold　me　to　a　speculator；　and　my　Mas’r　got　me　o’　him。”
“What　set　you　into　this　bad　way　of　drinkin’？”
“To　get　shet　o’　my　misery。　I　had　one　child　after　I　come　here；　and　I　thought　then　I’d　have　one　to　raise；　cause　Mas’r　wasn’t　a　speculator。　It　was　de　peartest　little　thing！　and　Missis　she　seemed　to　think　a　heap　on　’t；　at　first；　it　never　cried；—it　was　likely　and　fat。　But　Missis　tuck　sick；　and　I　tended　her；　and　I　tuck　the　fever；　and　my　milk　all　left　me；　and　the　child　it　pined　to　skin　and　bone；　and　Missis　wouldn’t　buy　milk　for　it。　She　wouldn’t　hear　to　me；　when　I　telled　her　I　hadn’t　milk。　She　said　she　knowed　I　could　feed　it　on　what　other　folks　eat；　and　the　child　kinder　pined；　and　cried；　and　cried；　and　cried；　day　and　night；　and　got　all　gone　to　skin　and　bones；　and　Missis　got　sot　agin　it　and　she　said　’t　wan’t　nothin’　but　crossness。　She　wished　it　was　dead；　she　said；　and　she　wouldn’t　let　me　have　it　o’　nights；　cause；　she　said；　it　kept　me　awake；　and　made　me　good　for　nothing。　She　made　me　sleep　in　her　room；　and　I　had　to　put　it　away　off　in　a　little　kind　o’　garret；　and　thar　it　cried　itself　to　death；　one　night。　It　did；　and　I　tuck　to　drinkin’；　to　keep　its　crying　out　of　my　ears！　I　did；—and　I　will　drink！　I　will；　if　I　do　go　to　torment　for　it！　Mas’r　says　I　shall　go　to　torment；　and　I　tell　him　I’ve　got　thar　now！”
“O；　ye　poor　crittur！”　said　Tom；　“han’t　nobody　never　telled　ye　how　the　Lord　Jesus　loved　ye；　and　died　for　ye？　Han’t　they　telled　ye　that　he’ll　help　ye；　and　ye　can　go　to　heaven；　and　have　rest；　at　last？”
“I　looks　like　gwine　to　heaven；”　said　the　woman；　“an’t　thar　where　white　folks　is　gwine？　S’pose　they’d　have　me　thar？　I’d　rather　go　to　torment；　and　get　away　from　Mas’r　and　Missis。　I　had　so；”　she　said；　as　with　her　usual　groan；　she　got　her　basket　on　her　head；　and　walked　sullenly　away。
Tom　turned；　and　walked　sorrowfully　back　to　the　house。　In　the　court　he　met　little　Eva；—a　crown　of　tuberoses　on　her　head；　and　her　eyes　radiant　with　delight。
“O；　Tom！　here　you　are。　I’m　glad　I’ve　found　you。　Papa　says　you　may　get　out　the　ponies；　and　take　me　in　my　little　new　carriage；”　she　said；　catching　his　hand。　“But　what’s　the　matter　Tom？—you　look　sober。”
“I　feel　bad；　Miss　Eva；”　said　Tom；　sorrowfully。　“But　I’ll　get　the　horses　for　you。”
“But　do　tell　me；　Tom；　what　is　the　matter。　I　saw　you　talking　to　cross　old　Prue。”
Tom；　in　simple；　earnest　phrase；　told　Eva　the　woman’s　history。　She　did　not　exclaim　or　wonder；　or　weep；　as　other　children　do。　Her　cheeks　grew　pale；　and　a　deep；　earnest　shadow　passed　over　her　eyes。　She　laid　both　hands　on　her　bosom；　and　sighed　heavily。
1　Edward　Bouverie　Pusey　（1800…1882）；　champion　of　the　orthodoxy　of　revealed　religion；　defender　of　the　Oxford　movement；　and　Regius　professor　of　Hebrew　and　Canon　of　Christ　Church；　Oxford。
Chapter　19
Miss　Ophelia’s　Experiences　and　Opinions　Continued
“Tom；　you　needn’t　get　me　the　horses。　I　don’t　want　to　go；”　she　said。
“Why　not；　Miss　Eva？”
“These　things　sink　into　my　heart；　Tom；”　said　Eva；—“they　sink　into　my　heart；”　she　repeated；　earnestly。　“I　don’t　want　to　go；”　and　she　turned　from　Tom；　and　went　into　the　house。
A　few　days　after；　another　woman　came；　in　old　Prue’s　place；　to　bring　the　rusks；　Miss　Ophelia　was　in　the　kitchen。
“Lor！”　said　Dinah；　“what’s　got　Prue？”
“Prue　isn’t　coming　any　more；”　said　the　woman；　mysteriously。
“Why　not？”　said　Dinah。　“she　an’t　dead；　is　she？”
“We　doesn’t　exactly　know。　She’s　down　cellar；”　said　the　woman；　glancing　at　Miss　Ophelia。
After　Miss　Ophelia　had　taken　the　rusks；　Dinah　followed　the　woman　to　the　door。
“What　has　got　Prue；　any　how？”　she　said。
The　woman　seemed　desirous；　yet　reluctant；　to　speak；　and　answered；　in　low；　mysterious　tone。
“Well；　you　mustn’t　tell　nobody；　Prue；　she　got　drunk　agin；—and　they　had　her　down　cellar；—and　thar　they　left　her　all　day；—and　I　hearn　’em　saying　that　the　flies　had　got　to　her；—and　she’s　dead！”
Dinah　held　up　her　hands；　and；　turning；　saw　close　by　her　side　the　spirit…like　form　of　Evangeline；　her　large；　mystic　eyes　dilated　with　horror；　and　every　drop　of　blood　driven　from　her　lips　and　cheeks。
“Lor　bless　us！　Miss　Eva’s　gwine　to　faint　away！　What　go　us　all；　to　let　her　har　such　talk？　Her　pa’ll　be　rail　mad。”
“I　shan’t　faint；　Dinah；”　said　the　child；　firmly；　“and　why　shouldn’t　I　hear　it？　It　an’t　so　much　for　me　to　hear　it；　as　for　poor　Prue　to　suffer　it。”
“Lor　sakes！　it　isn’t　for　sweet；　delicate　young　ladies；　like　you；—these　yer　stories　isn’t；　it’s　enough　to　kill　’em！”
Eva　sighed　again；　and　walked　up　stairs　with　a　slow　and　melancholy　step。
Miss　Ophelia　anxiously　inquired　the　woman’s　story。　Dinah　gave　a　very　garrulous　version　of　it；　to　which　Tom　added　the　particulars　which　he　had　drawn　from　her　that　morning。
“An　abominable　business；—perfectly　horrible！”　she　exclaimed；　as　she　entered　the　room　where　St。　Clare　lay　reading　his　paper。
“Pray；　what　iniquity　has　turned　up　now？”　said　he。
“What　now？　why；　those　folks　have　whipped　Prue　to　death！”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　going　on；　with　great　strength　of　detail；　into　the　story；　and　enlarging　on　its　most　shocking　particulars。
“I　thought　it　would　come　to　that；　some　time；”　said　St。　Clare；　going　on　with　his　paper。
“Thought　so！—an’t　you　going　to　do　anything　about　it？”　said　Miss　Ophelia。　“Haven’t　you　got　any　selectmen；　or　anybody；　to　interfere　and　look　after　such　matters？”
“It’s　commonly　supposed　that　the　property　interest