英语天堂-第85部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　never　saw　such　a　child　as　this。”
“Such　children　are　very　common　among　us；　and　such　men　and　women；　too。　How　are　they　to　be　governed？”　said　St。　Clare。
“I’m　sure　it’s　more　than　I　can　say；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“Or　I　either；”　said　St。　Clare。　“The　horrid　cruelties　and　outrages　that　once　and　a　while　find　their　way　into　the　papers；—such　cases　as　Prue’s；　for　example；—what　do　they　come　from？　In　many　cases；　it　is　a　gradual　hardening　process　on　both　sides；—the　owner　growing　more　and　more　cruel；　as　the　servant　more　and　more　callous。　Whipping　and　abuse　are　like　laudanum；　you　have　to　double　the　dose　as　the　sensibilities　decline。　I　saw　this　very　early　when　I　became　an　owner；　and　I　resolved　never　to　begin；　because　I　did　not　know　when　I　should　stop；—and　I　resolved；　at　least；　to　protect　my　own　moral　nature。　The　consequence　is；　that　my　servants　act　like　spoiled　children；　but　I　think　that　better　than　for　us　both　to　be　brutalized　together。　You　have　talked　a　great　deal　about　our　responsibilities　in　educating；　Cousin。　I　really　wanted　you　to　try　with　one　child；　who　is　a　specimen　of　thousands　among　us。”
“It　is　your　system　makes　such　children；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“I　know　it；　but　they　are　made；—they　exist；—and　what　is　to　be　done　with　them？”
“Well；　I　can’t　say　I　thank　you　for　the　experiment。　But；　then；　as　it　appears　to　be　a　duty；　I　shall　persevere　and　try；　and　do　the　best　I　can；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　and　Miss　Ophelia；　after　this；　did　labor；　with　a　commendable　degree　of　zeal　and　energy；　on　her　new　subject。　She　instituted　regular　hours　and　employments　for　her；　and　undertook　to　teach　her　to　read　and　sew。
In　the　former　art；　the　child　was　quick　enough。　She　learned　her　letters　as　if　by　magic；　and　was　very　soon　able　to　read　plain　reading；　but　the　sewing　was　a　more　difficult　matter。　The　creature　was　as　lithe　as　a　cat；　and　as　active　as　a　monkey；　and　the　confinement　of　sewing　was　her　abomination；　so　she　broke　her　needles；　threw　them　slyly　out　of　the　window；　or　down　in　chinks　of　the　walls；　she　tangled；　broke；　and　dirtied　her　thread；　or；　with　a　sly　movement；　would　throw　a　spool　away　altogether。　Her　motions　were　almost　as　quick　as　those　of　a　practised　conjurer；　and　her　command　of　her　face　quite　as　great；　and　though　Miss　Ophelia　could　not　help　feeling　that　so　many　acomidents　could　not　possibly　happen　in　sucomession；　yet　she　could　not；　without　a　watchfulness　which　would　leave　her　no　time　for　anything　else；　detect　her。
Topsy　was　soon　a　noted　character　in　the　establishment。　Her　talent　for　every　species　of　drollery；　grimace；　and　mimicry；—for　dancing；　tumbling；　climbing；　singing；　whistling；　imitating　every　sound　that　hit　her　fancy；—seemed　inexhaustible。　In　her　play…hours；　she　invariably　had　every　child　in　the　establishment　at　her　heels；　open…mouthed　with　admiration　and　wonder；—not　excepting　Miss　Eva；　who　appeared　to　be　fascinated　by　her　wild　diablerie；　as　a　dove　is　sometimes　charmed　by　a　glittering　serpent。　Miss　Ophelia　was　uneasy　that　Eva　should　fancy　Topsy’s　society　so　much；　and　implored　St。　Clare　to　forbid　it。
“Poh！　let　the　child　alone；”　said　St。　Clare。　“Topsy　will　do　her　good。”
“But　so　depraved　a　child；—are　you　not　afraid　she　will　teach　her　some　mischief？”
“She　can’t　teach　her　mischief；　she　might　teach　it　to　some　children；　but　evil　rolls　off　Eva’s　mind　like　dew　off　a　cabbage…leaf；—not　a　drop　sinks　in。”
“Don’t　be　too　sure；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。　“I　know　I’d　never　let　a　child　of　mine　play　with　Topsy。”
“Well；　your　children　needn’t；”　said　St。　Clare；　“but　mine　may；　if　Eva　could　have　been　spoiled；　it　would　have　been　done　years　ago。”
Topsy　was　at　first　despised　and　contemned　by　the　upper　servants。　They　soon　found　reason　to　alter　their　opinion。　It　was　very　soon　discovered　that　whoever　cast　an　indignity　on　Topsy　was　sure　to　meet　with　some　inconvenient　acomident　shortly　after；—either　a　pair　of　ear…rings　or　some　cherished　trinket　would　be　missing；　or　an　article　of　dress　would　be　suddenly　found　utterly　ruined；　or　the　person　would　stumble　acomidently　into　a　pail　of　hot　water；　or　a　libation　of　dirty　slop　would　unacomountably　deluge　them　from　above　when　in　full　gala　dress；…and　on　all　t