登陆注册
5253000000134

第134章

The Unprotected We hear often of the distress of the negro servants, on the loss of a kind master; and with good reason, for no creature on God's earth is left more utterly unprotected and desolate than the slave in these circumstances.

The child who has lost a father has still the protection of friends, and of the law; he is something, and can do something,--has acknowledged rights and position; the slave has none. The law regards him, in every respect, as devoid of rights as a bale of merchandise. The only possible ackowledgment of any of the longings and wants of a human and immortal creature, which are given to him, comes to him through the sovereign and irresponsible will of his master; and when that master is stricken down, nothing remains.

The number of those men who know how to use wholly irresponsible power humanely and generously is small. Everybody knows this, and the slave knows it best of all; so that he feels that there are ten chances of his finding an abusive and tyrannical master, to one of his finding a considerate and kind one. Therefore is it that the wail over a kind master is loud and long, as well it may be.

When St. Clare breathed his last, terror and consternation took hold of all his household. He had been stricken down so in a moment, in the flower and strength of his youth! Every room and gallery of the house resounded with sobs and shrieks of despair.

Marie, whose nervous system had been enervated by a constant course of self-indulgence, had nothing to support the terror of the shock, and, at the time her husband breathed his last, was passing from one fainting fit to another; and he to whom she had been joined in the mysterious tie of marriage passed from her forever, without the possibility of even a parting word.

Miss Ophelia, with characteristic strength and self-control, had remained with her kinsman to the last,--all eye, all ear, all attention; doing everything of the little that could be done, and joining with her whole soul in the tender and impassioned prayers which the poor slave had poured forth for the soul of his dying master.

When they were arranging him for his last rest, they found upon his bosom a small, plain miniature case, opening with a spring.

It was the miniature of a noble and beautiful female face; and on the reverse, under a crystal, a lock of dark hair. They laid them back on the lifeless breast,--dust to dust,--poor mournful relics of early dreams, which once made that cold heart beat so warmly!

Tom's whole soul was filled with thoughts of eternity; and while he ministered around the lifeless clay, he did not once think that the sudden stroke had left him in hopeless slavery. He felt at peace about his master; for in that hour, when he had poured forth his prayer into the bosom of his Father, he had found an answer of quietness and assurance springing up within himself.

In the depths of his own affectionate nature, he felt able to perceive something of the fulness of Divine love; for an old oracle hath thus written,--"He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." Tom hoped and trusted, and was at peace.

But the funeral passed, with all its pageant of black crape, and prayers, and solemn faces; and back rolled the cool, muddy waves of every-day life; and up came the everlasting hard inquiry of "What is to be done next?"

It rose to the mind of Marie, as, dressed in loose morning-robes, and surrounded by anxious servants, she sat up in a great easy-chair, and inspected samples of crape and bombazine.

It rose to Miss Ophelia, who began to turn her thoughts towards her northern home. It rose, in silent terrors, to the minds of the servants, who well knew the unfeeling, tyrannical character of the mistress in whose hands they were left. All knew, very well, that the indulgences which had been accorded to them were not from their mistress, but from their master; and that, now he was gone, there would be no screen between them and every tyrannous infliction which a temper soured by affliction might devise.

It was about a fortnight after the funeral, that Miss Ophelia, busied one day in her apartment, heard a gentle tap at the door.

She opened it, and there stood Rosa, the pretty young quadroon, whom we have before often noticed, her hair in disorder, and her eyes swelled with crying.

"O, Miss Feeley," she said, falling on her knees, and catching the skirt of her dress, "_do, do go_ to Miss Marie for me! do plead for me! She's goin' to send me out to be whipped--look there!"

And she handed to Miss Ophelia a paper.

It was an order, written in Marie's delicate Italian hand, to the master of a whipping-establishment to give the bearer fifteen lashes.

"What have you been doing?" said Miss Ophelia.

"You know, Miss Feely, I've got such a bad temper; it's very bad of me. I was trying on Miss Marie's dress, and she slapped my face; and I spoke out before I thought, and was saucy; and she said that she'd bring me down, and have me know, once for all, that I wasn't going to be so topping as I had been; and she wrote this, and says I shall carry it. I'd rather she'd kill me, right out."

Miss Ophelia stood considering, with the paper in her hand.

"You see, Miss Feely," said Rosa, "I don't mind the whipping so much, if Miss Marie or you was to do it; but, to be sent to a _man!_ and such a horrid man,--the shame of it, Miss Feely!"

Miss Ophelia well knew that it was the universal custom to send women and young girls to whipping-houses, to the hands of the lowest of men,--men vile enough to make this their profession,--there to be subjected to brutal exposure and shameful correction. She had _known_ it before; but hitherto she had never realized it, till she saw the slender form of Rosa almost convulsed with distress.

同类推荐
  • 大唐新翻密严经

    大唐新翻密严经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医学指归

    医学指归

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 三宜盂禅师语录

    三宜盂禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 王氏医案绎注

    王氏医案绎注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 松峰说疫

    松峰说疫

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 谋后千韵

    谋后千韵

    一国无名皇后,原是准备褪去一身血腥。却在一点点地走进四国之争,皇权独霸,储君之争。终究走上原本不属于她自己的路。是那个暗中推手,将她推上一个个……路上是暗鬼狰狞,步步红莲。群雄逐鹿,计定时局。
  • 妈咪,你要爱爹地!

    妈咪,你要爱爹地!

    与慕少言离婚的第三十六天,许若妍很郁闷的被医生告知——她有宝宝了。仰头呈四十五度凝望天空,无语凝噎。她千方百计与他离婚,结束这段利益联姻,唯独漏算了这个意外宝宝的到来。******商场霸主,百花丛中的翩翩公子慕少言终于栽在一名充满神秘气息的女人裙下。为了她,不惜砸下百万名车豪宅,只为博得美人一笑。甚至不顾家人劝阻,一意孤横与家中未曾谋面的妻子离婚,只为与佳人双宿双飞。无奈阴沟里翻船,眨眼间百万名车豪宅已易主,美人芳踪无影。*****五岁大的两个宝宝睁着无辜的大眼,无视于眼前男人寒霜似的脸庞,朝着另一个气质高贵的美男欢呼,“爸爸!”慕少言瞪着两个豆丁大的小家伙,那张可爱无比的小脸完全是自己的缩小版,再瞧瞧那美男身边站着浅笑吟吟的女人。不禁恨恨的磨牙,很好!当年不但把他耍得团团转后跑了,还是带球跑了。再次相见,许若妍挽着好友的哥哥,笑眯眯地开口,“前夫,你好!”瞬间,某男表情千变万化。
  • 快穿系统:隐藏boss,请接招

    快穿系统:隐藏boss,请接招

    『1v1』系统:宿主,这个世界乱了!舜华:没有乱我就不会来。系统:宿主,求不要添加隐藏剧情!求不要自己成为boss!(能不能不要把三颗星的难度生生加到五颗星!)舜华:这不是我能决定的。(面含浅笑)#我的宿主太强大怎么办#终于……舜华:这个究竟人是谁,为什么我总能遇见他?系统:……佛曰,不可说。(其实它也不知道)……三千小世界不太平,总有奇怪的事发生,命定气运之子出现差错、世界失衡,舜华的任务便是维护世界的天道。其实这就是一篇快穿文,女主会穿越成女主,女配,炮灰等等,还有本来不存在的人。
  • 希拉里、密和、我

    希拉里、密和、我

    一个行踪诡异的西方女人,一个身世神秘的东方女人,一个因妻“离”子散而濒临崩溃的中国男人,在天寒地冻的皇家山上的奇遇,将一段梦幻般的“三角关系”带进了阅读的视野,三个生命的“真相”与中国最沉重的历史和现实纠结,三种激情的碰撞与人类最古老的喜悦和悲伤交织,这是一个冬天的童话,这更是一个时代的神话……
  • 锅包小鲜肉

    锅包小鲜肉

    【东北高中校园日常】乌拉一中的小伙伴,你们好,欢迎收听今天中午的广播,我是今天的主播,高一五班,郭嘉嘉。今天的广播内容为:隔壁女厕的灵异事件;校草八卦史;小鲜肉的一百种烹饪方法。……某高一女生:“郭嘉嘉,今天不是你值班呀,快还我话筒!”@#¥¥……@&&%#¥##¥虽然我的脸肿了,但是还是希望大家能欣赏今天的歌曲《考试什么的都去“死”吧》祝大家,午安
  • 开封奇缘之展悦为昭

    开封奇缘之展悦为昭

    文案:今夕何夕,青草离离,妾行千里,何时归期。今夕念夕,白鹭戚戚,君心如一,等卿归期。展昭(腹黑展小猫):我本一世伴清风,赤影青天度余生,不问朝堂身后名,奈何凝眸醉酩伶,温润也罢痴也罢,终是浊酒难饮下,难得痴狂英雄泪,只因骰子红豆碎,嶙峋瘦醉眼迷眸,愿白头与卿同守。白凝(单纯小白兔):我本一生伴无邪,白衣青裳隐山月,无心天下善恶话,奈何红衫于桑麻,天真也罢痴也罢,仍是刻骨难放下,情深缘浅难思量,缕缕痴念寸断肠,长相思欲说还休,愿与君执手千秋。—————原创文案,禁止盗用。展昭vs白凝,甜虐适中,有糖就有玻璃渣,玻璃心慎入。
  • 科幻世界大穿越

    科幻世界大穿越

    本人新书《群星轨迹》马上就要上架了,首发起点,科幻是本人的梦想。这本书《科幻世界大穿越》下部取名《星际探索》,其大纲思路是,罗恩,一个有幸能够登上火星,却又不幸被忘记在火星的人,无意中发现了火星上的生物,从此开启了他那不平凡的生活。异形、恐龙、终结者、银河猎人、银翼杀手、人猿星球、星河战队、机甲怪兽、远古生物、虚拟现实、鬼怪幽灵、自然灾害、僵尸吸血鬼,他要保护地球、保护太阳系,保护银河,甚至还要和美漫世界中的人物打交道。总之,这是一个男人做他该做的事情,保护他该保护的女人。每当有事发生的时候,罗恩都会悠闲的说:别着急,先让我搂着美人再睡一会。
  • 重生之铁血山河

    重生之铁血山河

    一个八零后的目光亲身看八年抗战解放战争以及朝鲜战场,误入山匪、被俘、与部队失散、独自与鬼子周旋、创立特种小分队、袭扰敌人后方……
  • 第五级病毒

    第五级病毒

    为了探明小行星RT偏离轨道向地球撞来的原因,天文学家欧柏只身前往中美洲的热带雨林观测星空。他在途中遇到野生动物学家艾薇和大猩猩雷朋,他们在无意中发现了一座玛雅古城。欧柏的前妻、病毒学家戴蕾在与欧柏前上司贺利斯的婚礼上失踪,负责调查此案的警探雷蒙将怀疑的目光投在欧柏身上。艾薇感染了埃博拉病毒,欧柏和奈维尔医生为了追查病毒的感染源来到中美洲的热带雨林,竟然在玛雅古城中遇到戴蕾。疑团重重,谁在酝酿阴谋?欧柏最后能找出真相吗?
  • 重生之公主归来

    重生之公主归来

    皇后嫡出、当朝公主、皇帝唯一的子嗣,当之无愧的天之骄女。本该过着万千宠爱于一生的郝连嬛却因所爱非人,生生将一手绝世好牌打烂——结发十年的男人因一个卑贱到她连名字都不曾记住过的宫女亲手喂毒置她于死地,生生将她推入了地狱。当凤凰涅火重生归来,她发誓改变命运,不再动情,骄纵肆意、任性妄为、睥睨天下,才是她应该过的日子!前世渣男?渣男心中那朵白莲花?呵呵!同坠地狱吧!?“为什么?”为什么?为什么要如此处心积虑的置我于死地?“你记得死在挽秀宫的那个宫女棋染吗?我爱她。”他的话像把刀,狠狠的刺在我的心尖上,让我的心在瞬间鲜血淋漓。他爱她,那么我呢?