英语天堂-第94章

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Miss　Ophelia　began　with　Topsy　by　taking　her　into　her　chamber；　the　first　morning；　and　solemnly　commencing　a　course　of　instruction　in　the　art　and　mystery　of　bed…making。
Behold；　then；　Topsy；　washed　and　shorn　of　all　the　little　braided　tails　wherein　her　heart　had　delighted；　arrayed　in　a　clean　gown；　with　well…starched　apron；　standing　reverently　before　Miss　Ophelia；　with　an　expression　of　solemnity　well　befitting　a　funeral。
“Now；　Topsy；　I’m　going　to　show　you　just　how　my　bed　is　to　be　made。　I　am　very　particular　about　my　bed。　You　must　learn　exactly　how　to　do　it。”
“Yes；　ma’am；”　says　Topsy；　with　a　deep　sigh；　and　a　face　of　woful　earnestness。
“Now；　Topsy；　look　here；—this　is　the　hem　of　the　sheet；—this　is　the　right　side　of　the　sheet；　and　this　is　the　wrong；—will　you　remember？”
“Yes；　ma’am；”　says　Topsy；　with　another　sigh。
“Well；　now；　the　under　sheet　you　must　bring　over　the　bolster；—so—and　tuck　it　clear　down　under　the　mattress　nice　and　smooth；—so；—do　you　see？”
“Yes；　ma’am；”　said　Topsy；　with　profound　attention。
“But　the　upper　sheet；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“must　be　brought　down　in　this　way；　and　tucked　under　firm　and　smooth　at　the　foot；—so；—the　narrow　hem　at　the　foot。”
“Yes；　ma’am；”　said　Topsy；　as　before；—but　we　will　add；　what　Miss　Ophelia　did　not　see；　that；　during　the　time　when　the　good　lady’s　back　was　turned　in　the　zeal　of　her　manipulations；　the　young　disciple　had　contrived　to　snatch　a　pair　of　gloves　and　a　ribbon；　which　she　had　adroitly　slipped　into　her　sleeves；　and　stood　with　her　hands　dutifully　folded；　as　before。
“Now；　Topsy；　let’s　see　you　do　this；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　pulling　off　the　clothes；　and　seating　herself。
Topsy；　with　great　gravity　and　adroitness；　went　through　the　exercise　completely　to　Miss　Ophelia’s　satisfaction；　smoothing　the　sheets；　patting　out　every　wrinkle；　and　exhibiting；　through　the　whole　process；　a　gravity　and　seriousness　with　which　her　instructress　was　greatly　edified。　By　an　unlucky　slip；　however；　a　fluttering　fragment　of　the　ribbon　hung　out　of　one　of　her　sleeves；　just　as　she　was　finishing；　and　caught　Miss　Ophelia’s　attention。　Instantly；　she　pounced　upon　it。　“What’s　this？　You　naughty；　wicked　child；—you’ve　been　stealing　this！”
The　ribbon　was　pulled　out　of　Topsy’s　own　sleeve；　yet　was　she　not　in　the　least　disconcerted；　she　only　looked　at　it　with　an　air　of　the　most　surprised　and　unconscious　innocence。
“Laws！　why；　that　ar’s　Miss　Feely’s　ribbon；　an’t　it？　How　could　it　a　got　caught　in　my　sleeve？
“Topsy；　you　naughty　girl；　don’t　you　tell　me　a　lie；—you　stole　that　ribbon！”
“Missis；　I　declar　for　’t；　I　didn’t；—never　seed　it　till　dis　yer　blessed　minnit。”
“Topsy；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“don’t　you　now　it’s　wicked　to　tell　lies？”
“I　never　tell　no　lies；　Miss　Feely；”　said　Topsy；　with　virtuous　gravity；　“it’s　jist　the　truth　I’ve　been　a　tellin　now；　and　an’t　nothin　else。”
“Topsy；　I　shall　have　to　whip　you；　if　you　tell　lies　so。”
“Laws；　Missis；　if　you’s　to　whip　all　day；　couldn’t　say　no　other　way；”　said　Topsy；　beginning　to　blubber。　“I　never　seed　dat　ar；—it　must　a　got　caught　in　my　sleeve。　Miss　Feeley　must　have　left　it　on　the　bed；　and　it　got　caught　in　the　clothes；　and　so　got　in　my　sleeve。”
Miss　Ophelia　was　so　indignant　at　the　barefaced　lie；　that　she　caught　the　child　and　shook　her。
“Don’t　you　tell　me　that　again！”
The　shake　brought　the　glove　on　to　the　floor；　from　the　other　sleeve。
“There；　you！”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“will　you　tell　me　now；　you　didn’t　steal　the　ribbon？”
Topsy　now　confessed　to　the　gloves；　but　still　persisted　in　denying　the　ribbon。
“Now；　Topsy；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“if　you’ll　confess　all　about　it；　I　won’t　whip　you　this　time。”　Thus　adjured；　Topsy　confessed　to　the　ribbon　and　gloves；　with　woful　protestations　of　penitence。
“Well；　now；　tell　me。　I　know　you　must　have　taken　other　things　since　you　have　been　in　the　house；　for　I　let　you　run　about　all　day　yesterday。　Now；　tell　me　if　you　took　anything；　and　I　shan’t　whip　you。”
“Laws；　Missis！　I　took　Miss　Eva’s　red　thing　she　wars　on　her　neck。”
“You　did；　you　naughty　child！—Well；　what　else？”
“I　took　Rosa’s　yer…rings；—them　red　ones。”
“Go　bring　them　to　me　this　minute；　both　of　’em。”
“Laws；　Missis！　I　can’t；—they　’s　burnt　up！”
“Burnt　up！—what　a　story！　Go　get　’em；　or　I’ll　whip　you。”
Topsy；　with　loud　protestations；　and　tears；　and　groans；　declared　that　she　could　not。　“They　’s　burnt　up；—they　was。”
“What　did　you　burn　’em　for？”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“Cause　I　’s　wicked；—I　is。　I　’s　mighty　wicked；　any　how。　I　can’t　help　it。”
Just　at　this　moment；　Eva　came　innocently　into　the　room；　with　the　identical　coral　necklace　on　her　neck。
“Why；　Eva；　where　did　you　get　your　necklace？”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“Get　it？　Why；　I’ve　had　it　on　all　day；”　said　Eva。
“Did　you　have　it　on　yesterday？”
“Yes；　and　what　is　funny；　Aunty；　I　had　it　on　all　night。　I　forgot　to　take　it　off　when　I　went　to　bed。”
Miss　Ophelia　looked　perfectly　bewildered；　the　more　so；　as　Rosa；　at　that　instant；　came　into　the　room；　with　a　basket　of　newly…ironed　linen　poised　on　her　head；　and　the　coral　ear…drops　shaking　in　her　ears！
“I’m　sure　I　can’t　tell　anything　what　to　do　with　such　a　child！”　she　said；　in　despair。　“What　in　the　world　did　you　tell　me　you　took　those　things　for；　Topsy？”
“Why；　Missis　said　I　must　’fess；　and　I　couldn’t　think　of　nothin’　else　to　’fess；”　said　Topsy；　rubbing　her　eyes。
“But；　of　course；　I　didn’t　want　you　to　confess　things　you　didn’t　do；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“that’s　telling　a　lie；　just　as　much　as　the　other。”
“Laws；　now；　is　it？”　said　Topsy；　with　an　air　of　innocent　wonder。
“La；　there　an’t　any　such　thing　as　truth　in　that　limb；”　said　Rosa；　looking　indignantly　at　Topsy。　“If　I　was　Mas’r　St。　Clare；　I’d　whip　her　till　the　blood　run。　I　would；—I’d　let　her　catch　it！”
“No；　no　Rosa；”　said　Eva；　with　an　air　of　command；　which　the　child　could　assume　at　times；　“you　mustn’t　talk　so；　Rosa。　I　can’t　bear　to　hear　it。”
“La　sakes！　Miss　Eva；　you　’s　so　good；　you　don’t　know　nothing　how　to　get　along　with　niggers。　There’s　no　way　but　to　cut　’em　well　up；　I　tell　ye。”
“Rosa！”　said　Eva；　“hush！　Don’t　you　say　another　word　of　that　sort！”　and　the　eye　of　the　child　flashed；　and　her　cheek　deepened　its　color。
Rosa　was　cowed　in　a　moment。
“Miss　Eva　has　got　the　St。　Clare　blood　in　her；　that’s　plain。　She　can　speak；　for　all　the　world；　just　like　her　papa；”　she　said；　as　she　passed　out　of　the　room。
Eva　stood　looking　at　Topsy。
There　stood　the　two　children　representatives　of　the　two　extremes　of　society。　The　fair；　high…bred　child；　with　her　golden　head；　her　deep　eyes；　her　spiritual；　noble　brow；　and　prince…like　movements；　and　her　black；　keen；　subtle；　cringing；　yet　acute　neighbor。　They　stood　the　representatives　of　their　races。　The　Saxon；　born　of　ages　of　cultivation；　command；　education；　physical　and　moral　eminence；　the　Afric；　born　of　ages　of　oppression；　submission；　ignorance；　toil　and　vice！
Something；　perhaps；　of　such　thoughts　struggled　through　Eva’s　mind。　But　a　child’s　thoughts　are　rather　dim；　undefined　instincts；　and　in　Eva’s　noble　nature　many　such　were　yearning　and　working；　for　which　she　had　no　power　of　utterance。　When　Miss　Ophelia　expatiated　on　Topsy’s　naughty；　wicked　conduct；　the　child　looked　perplexed　and　sorrowful；　but　said；　sweetly。
“Poor　Topsy；　why　need　you　steal？　You’re　going　to　be　taken　good　care　of　now。　I’m　sure　I’d　rather　give　you　anything　of　mine；　than　have　you　steal　it。”
It　was　the　first　word　of　kindness　the　child　had　ever　heard　in　her　life；　and　the　sweet　tone　and　manner　struck　strangely　on　the　wild；　rude　heart；　and　a　sparkle　of　something　like　a　tear　shone　in　the　keen；　round；　glittering　eye；　but　it　was　followed　by　the　short　laugh　and　habitual　grin。　No！　the　ear　that　has　never　heard　anything　but　abuse　is　strangely　incredulous　of　anything　so　heavenly　as　kindness；　and　Topsy　only　thought　Eva’s　speech　something　funny　and　inexplicable；—she　did　not　believe　it。
But　what　was　to　be　done　with　Topsy？　Miss　Ophelia　found　the　case　a　puzzler；　her　rules　for　bringing　up　didn’t　seem　to　apply。　She　thought　she　would　take　time　to　think　of　it；　and；　by　the　way　of　gaining　time；　and　in　hopes　of　some　indefinite　moral　virtues　supposed　to　be　inherent　in　dark　closets；　Miss　Ophelia　shut　Topsy　up　in　one　till　she　had　arranged　her　ideas　further　on　the　subject。
“I　don’t　see；”　said　Miss　Ophelia　to　St。　Clare；　“how　I’m　going　to　manage　that　child；　without　whipping　her。”
“Well；　whip　her；　then；　to　your　heart’s　content；　I’ll　give　you　full　power　to　do　what　you　like。”
“Children　always　have　to　be　whipped；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“I　never　heard　of　bringing　them　up　without。”
“O；　well；　certainly；”　said　St。　Clare；　“do　as　you　think　best。　Only　I’ll　make　one　suggestion：　I’ve　seen　this　child　whipped　with　a　poker；　knocked　down　with　the　shovel　or　tongs；　whichever　came　handiest；　&c。；　and；　seeing　that　she　is　used　to　that　style　of　operation；　I　think　your　whippings　will　have　to　be　pretty　energetic；　to　make　much　impression。”
“What　is　to　be　done　with　her；　then？”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“You　have　started　a　serious　question；”　said　St。　Clare；　“I　wish　you’d　answer　it。　What　is　to　be　done　with　a　human　being　that　can　be　governed　only　by　the　lash；—that　fails；—it’s　a　very　common　state　of　things　down　here！”
“I’m　sure　I　don’t　know；　I