英语天堂-第58部分

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“I　don’t　believe　it；—I　won’t　believe　it！”　he　heard　her　say。　“You’re　jist　a　foolin　with　me。”
“If　you　won’t　believe　it；　look　here！”　said　the　man；　drawing　out　a　paper；　“this　yer’s　the　bill　of　sale；　and　there’s　your　master’s　name　to　it；　and　I　paid　down　good　solid　cash　for　it；　too；　I　can　tell　you；—so；　now！”
“I　don’t　believe　Mas’r　would　cheat　me　so；　it　can’t　be　true！”　said　the　woman；　with　increasing　agitation。
“You　can　ask　any　of　these　men　here；　that　can　read　writing。　Here！”　he　said；　to　a　man　that　was　passing　by；　“jist　read　this　yer；　won’t　you！　This　yer　gal　won’t　believe　me；　when　I　tell　her　what　’t　is。”
“Why；　it’s　a　bill　of　sale；　signed　by　John　Fosdick；”　said　the　man；　“making　over　to　you　the　girl　Lucy　and　her　child。　It’s　all　straight　enough；　for　aught　I　see。”
The　woman’s　passionate　exclamations　collected　a　crowd　around　her；　and　the　trader　briefly　explained　to　them　the　cause　of　the　agitation。
“He　told　me　that　I　was　going　down　to　Louisville；　to　hire　out　as　cook　to　the　same　tavern　where　my　husband　works；—that’s　what　Mas’r　told　me；　his　own　self；　and　I　can’t　believe　he’d　lie　to　me；”　said　the　woman。
“But　he　has　sold　you；　my　poor　woman；　there’s　no　doubt　about　it；”　said　a　good…natured　looking　man；　who　had　been　examining　the　papers；　“he　has　done　it；　and　no　mistake。”
“Then　it’s　no　acomount　talking；”　said　the　woman；　suddenly　growing　quite　calm；　and；　clasping　her　child　tighter　in　her　arms；　she　sat　down　on　her　box；　turned　her　back　round；　and　gazed　listlessly　into　the　river。
“Going　to　take　it　easy；　after　all！”　said　the　trader。　“Gal’s　got　grit；　I　see。”
The　woman　looked　calm；　as　the　boat　went　on；　and　a　beautiful　soft　summer　breeze　passed　like　a　compassionate　spirit　over　her　head；—the　gentle　breeze；　that　never　inquires　whether　the　brow　is　dusky　or　fair　that　it　fans。　And　she　saw　sunshine　sparkling　on　the　water；　in　golden　ripples；　and　heard　gay　voices；　full　of　ease　and　pleasure；　talking　around　her　everywhere；　but　her　heart　lay　as　if　a　great　stone　had　fallen　on　it。　Her　baby　raised　himself　up　against　her；　and　stroked　her　cheeks　with　his　little　hands；　and；　springing　up　and　down；　crowing　and　chatting；　seemed　determined　to　arouse　her。　She　strained　him　suddenly　and　tightly　in　her　arms；　and　slowly　one　tear　after　another　fell　on　his　wondering；　unconscious　face；　and　gradually　she　seemed；　and　little　by　little；　to　grow　calmer；　and　busied　herself　with　tending　and　nursing　him。
The　child；　a　boy　of　ten　months；　was　uncommonly　large　and　strong　of　his　age；　and　very　vigorous　in　his　limbs。　Never；　for　a　moment；　still；　he　kept　his　mother　constantly　busy　in　holding　him；　and　guarding　his　springing　activity。
“That’s　a　fine　chap！”　said　a　man；　suddenly　stopping　opposite　to　him；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　“How　old　is　he？”
“Ten　months　and　a　half；”　said　the　mother。
The　man　whistled　to　the　boy；　and　offered　him　part　of　a　stick　of　candy；　which　he　eagerly　grabbed　at；　and　very　soon　had　it　in　a　baby’s　general　depository；　to　wit；　his　mouth。
“Rum　fellow！”　said　the　man　“Knows　what’s　what！”　and　he　whistled；　and　walked　on。　When　he　had　got　to　the　other　side　of　the　boat；　he　came　across　Haley；　who　was　smoking　on　top　of　a　pile　of　boxes。
The　stranger　produced　a　match；　and　lighted　a　cigar；　saying；　as　he　did　so；
“Decentish　kind　o’　wench　you’ve　got　round　there；　stranger。”
“Why；　I　reckon　she　is　tol’able　fair；”　said　Haley；　blowing　the　smoke　out　of　his　mouth。
“Taking　her　down　south？”　said　the　man。
Haley　nodded；　and　smoked　on。
“Plantation　hand？”　said　the　man。
“Wal；”　said　Haley；　“I’m　fillin’　out　an　order　for　a　plantation；　and　I　think　I　shall　put　her　in。　They　telled　me　she　was　a　good　cook；　and　they　can　use　her　for　that；　or　set　her　at　the　cotton…picking。　She’s　got　the　right　fingers　for　that；　I　looked　at　’em。　Sell　well；　either　way；”　and　Haley　resumed　his　cigar。
“They　won’t　want　the　young　’un　on　the　plantation；”　said　the　man。
“I　shall　sell　him；　first　chance　I　find；”　said　Haley；　lighting　another　cigar。
“S’pose　you’d　be　selling　him　tol’able　cheap；”　said　the　stranger；　mounting　the　pile　of　boxes；　and　sitting　down　comfortably。
“Don’t　know　’bout　that；”　said　Haley；　“he’s　a　pretty　smart　young　’un；　straight；　fat；　strong；　flesh　as　hard　as　a　brick！”
“Very　true；　but　then　there’s　the　bother　and　expense　of　raisin’。”
“Nonsense！”　said　Haley；　“they　is　raised　as　easy　as　any　kind　of　critter　there　is　going；　they　an’t　a　bit　more　trouble　than　pups。　This　yer　chap　will　be　running　all　around；　in　a　month。”
“I’ve　got　a　good　place　for　raisin’；　and　I　thought　of　takin’　in　a　little　more　stock；”　said　the　man。　“One　cook　lost　a　young　’un　last　week；—got　drownded　in　a　washtub；　while　she　was　a　hangin’　out　the　clothes；—and　I　reckon　it　would　be　well　enough　to　set　her　to　raisin’　this　yer。”
Haley　and　the　stranger　smoked　a　while　in　silence；　neither　seeming　willing　to　broach　the　test　question　of　the　interview。　At　last　the　man　resumed：
“You　wouldn’t　think　of　wantin’　more　than　ten　dollars　for　that　ar　chap；　seeing　you　must　get　him　off　yer　hand；　any　how？”
Haley　shook　his　head；　and　spit　impressively。
“That　won’t　do；　no　ways；”　he　said；　and　began　his　smoking　again。
“Well；　stranger；　what　will　you　take？”
“Well；　now；”　said　Haley；　“I　could　raise　that　ar　chap　myself；　or　get　him　raised；　he’s　oncommon　likely　and　healthy；　and　he’d　fetch　a　hundred　dollars；　six　months　hence；　and；　in　a　year　or　two；　he’d　bring　two　hundred；　if　I　had　him　in　the　right　spot；　I　shan’t　take　a　cent　less　nor　fifty　for　him　now。”
“O；　stranger！　that’s　rediculous；　altogether；”　said　the　man。
“Fact！”　said　Haley；　with　a　decisive　nod　of　his　head。
“I’ll　give　thirty　for　him；”　said　the　stranger；　“but　not　a　cent　more。”
“Now；　I’ll　tell　ye　what　I　will　do；”　said　Haley；　spitting　again；　with　renewed　decision。　“I’ll　split　the　difference；　and　say　forty…five；　and　that’s　the　most　I　will　do。”
“Well；　agreed！”　said　the　man；　after　an　interval。
“Done！”　said　Haley。　“Where　do　you　land？”
“At　Louisville；”　said　the　man。
“Louisville；”　said　Haley。　“Very　fair；　we　get　there　about　dusk。　Chap　will　be　asleep；—all　fair；—get　him　off　quietly；　and　no　screaming；—happens　beautiful；—I　like　to　do　everything　quietly；—I　hates　all　kind　of　agitation　and　fluster。”　And　so；　after　a　transfer　of　certain　bills　had　passed　from　the　man’s　pocket…book　to　the　trader’s；　he　resumed　his　cigar。
It　was　a　bright；　tranquil　evening　when　the　boat　stopped　at　the　wharf　at　Louisville。　The　woman　had　been　sitting　with　her　baby　in　her　arms；　now　wrapped　in　a　heavy　sleep。　When　she　heard　the　name　of　the　place　called　out；　she　hastily　laid　the　child　down　in　a　little　cradle　formed　by　the　hollow　among　the　boxes；　first　carefully　spreading　under　it　her　cloak；　and　then　she　sprung　to　the　side　of　the　boat；　in　hopes　that；　among　the　various　hotel…waiters　who　thronged　the　wharf；　she　might　see　her　husband。　In　this　hope；　she　pressed　forward　to　the　front　rails；　and；　stretching　far　over　them；　strained　her　eyes　intently　on　the　moving　heads　on　the　shore；　and　the　crowd　pressed　in　between　her　and　the　child。
“Now’s　your　time；”　said　Haley；　taking　the　sleeping　child　up；　and　handing　him　to　the　stranger。　“Don’t　wake　him　up；　and　set　him　to　crying；　now；　it　would　make　a　devil　of　a　fuss　with　the　gal。”　The　man　took　the　bundle　carefully；　and　was　soon　lost　in　the　crowd　that　went　up　the　wharf。
When　the　boat；　creaking；　and　groaning；　and　puffing；　had　loosed　from　the　wharf；　and　was　beginning　slowly　to　strain　herself　along；　the　woman　returned　to　her　old　seat。　The　trader　was　sitting　there；—the　child　was　gone！
“Why；　why；—where？”　she　began；　in　bewildered　surprise。
“Lucy；”　said　the　trader；　“your　child’s　gone；　you　may　as　well　know　it　first　as　last。　You　see；　I　know’d　you　couldn’t　take　him　down　south；　and　I　got　a　chance　to　sell　him　to　a　first…rate　family；　that’ll　raise　him　better　than　you　can。”
The　trader　had　arrived　at　that　stage　of　Christian　and　political　perfection　which　has　been　recommended　by　some　preachers　and　politicians　of　the　north；　lately；　in　which　he　had　completely　overcome　every　humane　weakness　and　prejudice。　His　heart　was　exactly　where　yours；　sir；　and　mine　could　be　brought；　with　proper　effort　and　cultivation。　The　wild　look　of　anguish　and　utter　despair　that　the　woman　cast　on　him　might　have　disturbed　one　less　practised；　but　he　was　used　to　it。　He　had　seen　that　same　look　hundreds　of　times。　You　can　get　used　to　such　things；　too；　my　friend；　and　it　is　the　great　object　of　recent　efforts　to　make　our　whole　northern　community　used　to　them；　for　the　glory　of　the　Union。　So　the　trader　only　regarded　the　mortal　anguish　which　he　saw　working　in　those　dark　features；　those　clenched　hands；　and　suffocating　breathings；　as　necessary　incidents　of　the　trade；　and　merely　calculated　whether　she　was　going　to　scream；　and　get　up　a　commotion　on　the　boat；　for；　like　other　supporters　of　our　peculiar　institution；　he　decidedly　disliked　agitation。
But　the　woman　did　not　scream。　The　shot　had　passed　too　straight　and　direct　through　the　heart；　for　cry　or　tear。
Dizzily　she　sat　down。　Her　slack　hands　fell　lifeless　by　her　side。　Her　eyes　looked　straight　forward；　but　she　saw　nothing。　All　the　noise　and　hum　of　the　boat；　the　groaning　of　the　machinery；　mingled　dreamily　to　her　bewildered　ear；　and　the　poor；　dumb…stricken　heart　had　neither　cry　not　tear　to　show　for　its　utter　misery。　She　was　quite　calm。
The　trader；　who；　considering　his　advantages；　was　almost　as　humane　as　some　of　our　politicians；　seemed　to　feel　called　on　to　administer　such　consolation　as　the　case　admitted　of。
“I　know　this　yer　comes　kinder　hard；　at　first；　Lucy；”　said　he；　“but　such　a　smart；　sensible　gal　as　you　are；　won’t　give　way　to　it。　You　see　it’s　necessary；　and　can’t　be　helped！”
“O！　don’t；　Mas’r；　don’t！”　said　the　woman；　with　a　voice　like　one　that　is　smothering。
“You’re　a　smart　wench；　Lucy；”　he　persisted；　“I　mean　to　do　well　by　ye；　and　get　ye　a　nice　place　down　river；　and　you’ll　soon　get　another　husband；—such　a　likely　gal　as　you—”
“O！　Mas’r；　if　you　only　won’t　talk　to　me　now；”　said　the　woman；　in　a　voice　of　such　quick　and　living　anguish　that　the　trader　felt　that　there　was　something　at　present　in　the　case　beyond　his　style　of　operation。　He　got　up；　and　the　woman　turned　away；　and　buried　her　head　in　her　cloak。
The　trader　walked　up　and　down