英语天堂-第102部分

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ter　tears；　and　tried　to　pray。　The　poor　old　soul　had　such　a　singular；　unacomountable　prejudice　in　favor　of　liberty；　that　it　was　a　hard　wrench　for　him；　and　the　more　he　said；　“Thy　will　be　done；”　the　worse　he　felt。
He　sought　Miss　Ophelia；　who；　ever　since　Eva’s　death；　had　treated　him　with　marked　and　respectful　kindness。
“Miss　Feely；”　he　said；　“Mas’r　St。　Clare　promised　me　my　freedom。　He　told　me　that　he　had　begun　to　take　it　out　for　me；　and　now；　perhaps；　if　Miss　Feely　would　be　good　enough　to　speak　bout　it　to　Missis；　she　would　feel　like　goin’　on　with　it；　was　it　as　Mas’r　St。　Clare’s　wish。”
“I’ll　speak　for　you；　Tom；　and　do　my　best；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“but；　if　it　depends　on　Mrs。　St。　Clare；　I　can’t　hope　much　for　you；—nevertheless；　I　will　try。”
This　incident　ocomurred　a　few　days　after　that　of　Rosa；　while　Miss　Ophelia　was　busied　in　preparations　to　return　north。
Seriously　reflecting　within　herself；　she　considered　that　perhaps　she　had　shown　too　hasty　a　warmth　of　language　in　her　former　interview　with　Marie；　and　she　resolved　that　she　would　now　endeavor　to　moderate　her　zeal；　and　to　be　as　conciliatory　as　possible。　So　the　good　soul　gathered　herself　up；　and；　taking　her　knitting；　resolved　to　go　into　Marie’s　room；　be　as　agreeable　as　possible；　and　negotiate　Tom’s　case　with　all　the　diplomatic　skill　of　which　she　was　mistress。
She　found　Marie　reclining　at　length　upon　a　lounge；　supporting　herself　on　one　elbow　by　pillows；　while　Jane；　who　had　been　out　shopping；　was　displaying　before　her　certain　samples　of　thin　black　stuffs。
“That　will　do；”　said　Marie；　selecting　one；　“only　I’m　not　sure　about　its　being　properly　mourning。”
“Laws；　Missis；”　said　Jane；　volubly；　“Mrs。　General　Derbennon　wore　just　this　very　thing；　after　the　General　died；　last　summer；　it　makes　up　lovely！”
“What　do　you　think？”　said　Marie　to　Miss　Ophelia。
“It’s　a　matter　of　custom；　I　suppose；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。　“You　can　judge　about　it　better　than　I。”
“The　fact　is；”　said　Marie；　“that　I　haven’t　a　dress　in　the　world　that　I　can　wear；　and；　as　I　am　going　to　break　up　the　establishment；　and　go　off；　next　week；　I　must　decide　upon　something。”
“Are　you　going　so　soon？”
“Yes。　St。　Clare’s　brother　has　written；　and　he　and　the　lawyer　think　that　the　servants　and　furniture　had　better　be　put　up　at　auction；　and　the　place　left　with　our　lawyer。”
“There’s　one　thing　I　wanted　to　speak　with　you　about；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。　“Augustine　promised　Tom　his　liberty；　and　began　the　legal　forms　necessary　to　it。　I　hope　you　will　use　your　influence　to　have　it　perfected。”
“Indeed；　I　shall　do　no　such　thing！”　said　Marie；　sharply。　“Tom　is　one　of　the　most　valuable　servants　on　the　place；—it　couldn’t　be　afforded；　any　way。　Besides；　what　does　he　want　of　liberty？　He’s　a　great　deal　better　off　as　he　is。”
“But　he　does　desire　it；　very　earnestly；　and　his　master　promised　it；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“I　dare　say　he　does　want　it；”　said　Marie；　“they　all　want　it；　just　because　they　are　a　discontented　set；—always　wanting　what　they　haven’t　got。　Now；　I’m　principled　against　emancipating；　in　any　case。　Keep　a　negro　under　the　care　of　a　master；　and　he　does　well　enough；　and　is　respectable；　but　set　them　free；　and　they　get　lazy；　and　won’t　work；　and　take　to　drinking；　and　go　all　down　to　be　mean；　worthless　fellows；　I’ve　seen　it　tried；　hundreds　of　times。　It’s　no　favor　to　set　them　free。”
“But　Tom　is　so　steady；　industrious；　and　pious。”
“O；　you　needn’t　tell　me！　I’ve　see　a　hundred　like　him。　He’ll　do　very　well；　as　long　as　he’s　taken　care　of；—that’s　all。”
“But；　then；　consider；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“when　you　set　him　up　for　sale；　the　chances　of　his　getting　a　bad　master。”
“O；　that’s　all　humbug！”　said　Marie；　“it　isn’t　one　time　in　a　hundred　that　a　good　fellow　gets　a　bad　master；　most　masters　are　good；　for　all　the　talk　that　is　made。　I’ve　lived　and　grown　up　here；　in　the　South；　and　I　never　yet　was　acquainted　with　a　master　that　didn’t　treat　his　servants　well；—quite　as　well　as　is　worth　while。　I　don’t　feel　any　fears　on　that　head。”
“Well；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　energetically；　“I　know　it　was　one　of　the　last　wishes　of　your　husband　that　Tom　should　have　his　liberty；　it　was　one　of　the　promises　that　he　made　to　dear　little　Eva　on　her　death…bed；　and　I　should　not　think　you　would　feel　at　liberty　to　disregard　it。”
Marie　had　her　face　covered　with　her　handkerchief　at　this　appeal；　and　began　sobbing　and　using　her　smelting…bottle；　with　great　vehemence。
“Everybody　goes　against　me！”　she　said。　“Everybody　is　so　inconsiderate！　I　shouldn’t　have　expected　that　you　would　bring　up　all　these　remembrances　of　my　troubles　to　me；—it’s　so　inconsiderate！　But　nobody　ever　does　consider；—my　trials　are　so　peculiar！　It’s　so　hard；　that　when　I　had　only　one　daughter；　she　should　have　been　taken！—and　when　I　had　a　husband　that　just　exactly　suited　me；—and　I’m　so　hard　to　be　suited！—he　should　be　taken！　And　you　seem　to　have　so　little　feeling　for　me；　and　keep　bringing　it　up　to　me　so　carelessly；—when　you　know　how　it　overcomes　me！　I　suppose　you　mean　well；　but　it　is　very　inconsiderate；—very！”　And　Marie　sobbed；　and　gasped　for　breath；　and　called　Mammy　to　open　the　window；　and　to　bring　her　the　camphor…bottle；　and　to　bathe　her　head；　and　unhook　her　dress。　And；　in　the　general　confusion　that　ensued；　Miss　Ophelia　made　her　escape　to　her　apartment。
She　saw；　at　once；　that　it　would　do　no　good　to　say　anything　more；　for　Marie　had　an　indefinite　capacity　for　hysteric　fits；　and；　after　this；　whenever　her　husband’s　or　Eva’s　wishes　with　regard　to　the　servants　were　alluded　to；　she　always　found　it　convenient　to　set　one　in　operation。　Miss　Ophelia；　therefore；　did　the　next　best　thing　she　could　for　Tom；—she　wrote　a　letter　to　Mrs。　Shelby　for　him；　stating　his　troubles；　and　urging　them　to　send　to　his　relief。
The　next　day；　Tom　and　Adolph；　and　some　half　a　dozen　other　servants；　were　marched　down　to　a　slave…warehouse；　to　await　the　convenience　of　the　trader；　who　was　going　to　make　up　a　lot　for　auction。
Chapter　30
The　Slave　Warehouse
A　slave　warehouse！　Perhaps　some　of　my　readers　conjure　up　horrible　visions　of　such　a　place。　They　fancy　some　foul；　obscure　den；　some　horrible　Tartarus　“informis；　ingens；　cui　lumen　ademptum。”　But　no；　innocent　friend；　in　these　days　men　have　learned　the　art　of　sinning　expertly　and　genteelly；　so　as　not　to　shock　the　eyes　and　senses　of　respectable　society。　Human　property　is　high　in　the　market；　and　is；　therefore；　well　fed；　well　cleaned；　tended；　and　looked　after；　that　it　may　come　to　sale　sleek；　and　strong；　and　shining。　A　slave…warehouse　in　New　Orleans　is　a　house　externally　not　much　unlike　many　others；　kept　with　neatness；　and　where　every　day　you　may　see　arranged；　under　a　sort　of　shed　along　the　outside；　rows　of　men　and　women；　who　stand　there　as　a　sign　of　the　property　sold　within。
Then　you　shall　be　courteously　entreated　to　call　and　examine；　and　shall　find　an　abundance　of　husbands；　wives；　brothers；　sisters；　fathers；　mothers；　and　young　children；　to　be　“sold　separately；　or　in　lots　to　suit　the　convenience　of　the　purchaser；”　and　that　soul　immortal；　once　bought　with　blood　and　anguish　by　the　Son　of　God；　when　the　earth　shook；　and　the　rocks　rent；　and　the　graves　were　opened；　can　be　sold；　leased；　mortgaged；　exchanged　for　groceries　or　dry　goods；　to　suit　the　phases　of　trade；　or　the　fancy　of　the　purchaser。
It　was　a　day　or　two　after　the　conversation　between　Marie　and　Miss　Ophelia；　that　Tom；　Adolph；　and　about　half　a　dozen　others　of　the　St。　Clare　estate；　were　turned　over　to　the　loving　kindness　of　Mr。　Skeggs；　the　keeper　of　a　depot　on——street；　to　await　the　auction；　next　day。
Tom　had　with　him　quite　a　sizable　trunk　full　of　clothing；　as　had　most　others　of　them。　They　were　ushered；　for　the　night；　into　a　long　room；　where　many　other　men；　of　all　ages；　sizes；　and　shades　of　complexion；　were　assembled；　and　from　which　roars　of　laughter　and　unthinking　merriment　were　proceeding。
“Ah；　ha！　that’s　right。　Go　it；　boys；—go　it！”　said　Mr。　Skeggs；　the　keeper。　“My　people　are　always　so　merry！　Sambo；　I　see！”　he　said；　speaking　approvingly　to　a　burly　negro　who　was　performing　tricks　of　low　buffoonery；　which　ocomasioned　the　shouts　which　Tom　had　heard。
As　might　be　imagined；　Tom　was　in　no　humor　to　join　these　proceedings；　and；　therefore；　setting　his　trunk　as　far　as　possible　from　the　noisy　group；　he　sat　down　on　it；　and　leaned　his　face　against　the　wall。
The　dealers　in　the　human　article　make　scrupulous　and　systematic　efforts　to　promote　noisy　mirth　among　them；　as　a　means　of　drowning　reflection；　and　rendering　them　insensible　to　their　condition。　The　whole　object　of　the　training　to　which　the　negro　is　put；　from　the　time　he　is　sold　in　the　northern　market　till　he　arrives　south；　is　systematically　directed　towards　making　him　callous；　unthinking；　and　brutal。　The　slave…dealer　collects　his　gang　in　Virginia　or　Kentucky；　and　drives　them　to　some　convenient；　healthy　place；—often　a　watering　place；—to　be　fattened。　Here　they　are　fed　full　daily；　and；　because　some　incline　to　pine；　a　fiddle　is　kept　commonly　going　among　them；　and　they　are　made　to　dance　daily；　and　he　who　refuses　to　be　merry—in　whose　soul　thoughts　of　wife；　or　child；　or　home；　are　too　strong　for　him　to　be　gay—is　marked　as　sullen　and　dangerous；　and　subjected　to　all　the　evils　which　the　ill　will　of　an　utterly　irresponsible　and　hardened　man　can　inflict　upon　him。　Briskness；　alertness；　and　cheerfulness　of　appearance；　especially　before　observers；　are　constantly　enforced　upon　them；　both　by　the　hope　of　thereby　getting　a　good　master；　and　the　fear　of　all　that　the　driver　may　bring　upon　them　if　they　prove　unsalable。
“What　dat　ar　nigger　doin　here？”　said　Sambo；　coming　up　to　Tom；　after　Mr。　Skeggs　had　left　the　room。　Sambo　was　a　full　black；　of　great　size；　very　lively；　voluble；　and　full　of　trick　and　grimace。
“What　you　doin　here？”　said　Sambo；　coming　up　to　Tom；　and　poking　him　facetiously　in　the　side。　“Meditatin’；　eh？”
“I　am　to　be　sold　at　the　auction；　tomorrow！”　said　Tom；　quietly。
“Sold　at　auction；—haw！　haw！　boys；　an’t　this　yer　fun？　I　wish’t　I　was　gwine　that　ar　way！—tell　ye；　wouldn’t　I　make　em　laugh？　But　how　is　it；—dis　yer　whole　lot　gwine　tomorrow？”　said　Sambo；　laying　his　hand　freely　on　Adolph’s　shoulder。
“Please　to　let　me　alone！”　said　Adolph；　fiercely；　straightening　himself　up；　with　extreme　disgust。
“Law；　now；　boys！　dis　yer’s　one　o’　ye