登陆注册
5253000000041

第41章

The simple morning meal now smoked on the table, for Mrs. Shelby had excused Aunt Chloe's attendance at the great house that morning. The poor soul had expended all her little energies on this farewell feast,--had killed and dressed her choicest chicken, and prepared her corn-cake with scrupulous exactness, just to her husband's taste, and brought out certain mysterious jars on the mantel-piece, some preserves that were never produced except on extreme occasions.

"Lor, Pete," said Mose, triumphantly, "han't we got a buster of a breakfast!" at the same time catching at a fragment of the chicken.

Aunt Chloe gave him a sudden box on the ear. "Thar now! crowing over the last breakfast yer poor daddy's gwine to have to home!"

"O, Chloe!" said Tom, gently.

"Wal, I can't help it," said Aunt Chloe, hiding her face in her apron; "I 's so tossed about it, it makes me act ugly."

The boys stood quite still, looking first at their father and then at their mother, while the baby, climbing up her clothes, began an imperious, commanding cry.

"Thar!" said Aunt Chloe, wiping her eyes and taking up the baby;

"now I's done, I hope,--now do eat something. This yer's my nicest chicken. Thar, boys, ye shall have some, poor critturs!

Yer mammy's been cross to yer."

The boys needed no second invitation, and went in with great zeal for the eatables; and it was well they did so, as otherwise there would have been very little performed to any purpose by the party.

"Now," said Aunt Chloe, bustling about after breakfast, "I must put up yer clothes. Jest like as not, he'll take 'em all away.

I know thar ways--mean as dirt, they is! Wal, now, yer flannels for rhumatis is in this corner; so be careful, 'cause there won't nobody make ye no more. Then here's yer old shirts, and these yer is new ones. I toed off these yer stockings last night, and put de ball in 'em to mend with. But Lor! who'll ever mend for ye?" and Aunt Chloe, again overcome, laid her head on the box side, and sobbed. "To think on 't! no crittur to do for ye, sick or well! I don't railly think I ought ter be good now!"

The boys, having eaten everything there was on the breakfast-table, began now to take some thought of the case; and, seeing their mother crying, and their father looking very sad, began to whimper and put their hands to their eyes. Uncle Tom had the baby on his knee, and was letting her enjoy herself to the utmost extent, scratching his face and pulling his hair, and occasionally breaking out into clamorous explosions of delight, evidently arising out of her own internal reflections.

"Ay, crow away, poor crittur!" said Aunt Chloe; ye'll have to come to it, too! ye'll live to see yer husband sold, or mebbe be sold yerself; and these yer boys, they's to be sold, I s'pose, too, jest like as not, when dey gets good for somethin'; an't no use in niggers havin' nothin'!"

Here one of the boys called out, "Thar's Missis a-comin' in!"

"She can't do no good; what's she coming for?" said Aunt Chloe.

Mrs. Shelby entered. Aunt Chloe set a chair for her in a manner decidedly gruff and crusty. She did not seem to notice either the action or the manner. She looked pale and anxious.

"Tom," she said, "I come to--" and stopping suddenly, and regarding the silent group, she sat down in the chair, and, covering her face with her handkerchief, began to sob.

"Lor, now, Missis, don't--don't!" said Aunt Chloe, bursting out in her turn; and for a few moments they all wept in company.

And in those tears they all shed together, the high and the lowly, melted away all the heart-burnings and anger of the oppressed. O, ye who visit the distressed, do ye know that everything your money can buy, given with a cold, averted face, is not worth one honest tear shed in real sympathy?

"My good fellow," said Mrs. Shelby, "I can't give you anything to do you any good. If I give you money, it will only be taken from you. But I tell you solemnly, and before God, that I will keep trace of you, and bring you back as soon as I can command the money;--and, till then, trust in God!"

Here the boys called out that Mas'r Haley was coming, and then an unceremonious kick pushed open the door. Haley stood there in very ill humor, having ridden hard the night before, and being not at all pacified by his ill success in recapturing his prey.

"Come," said he, "ye nigger, ye'r ready? Servant, ma'am!" said he, taking off his hat, as he saw Mrs. Shelby.

Aunt Chloe shut and corded the box, and, getting up, looked gruffly on the trader, her tears seeming suddenly turned to sparks of fire.

Tom rose up meekly, to follow his new master, and raised up his heavy box on his shoulder. His wife took the baby in her arms to go with him to the wagon, and the children, still crying, trailed on behind.

Mrs. Shelby, walking up to the trader, detained him for a few moments, talking with him in an earnest manner; and while she was thus talking, the whole family party proceeded to a wagon, that stood ready harnessed at the door. A crowd of all the old and young hands on the place stood gathered around it, to bid farewell to their old associate. Tom had been looked up to, both as a head servant and a Christian teacher, by all the place, and there was much honest sympathy and grief about him, particularly among the women.

"Why, Chloe, you bar it better 'n we do!" said one of the women, who had been weeping freely, noticing the gloomy calmness with which Aunt Chloe stood by the wagon.

"I's done _my_ tears!" she said, looking grimly at the trader, who was coming up. "I does not feel to cry 'fore dat ar old limb, no how!"

"Get in!" said Haley to Tom, as he strode through the crowd of servants, who looked at him with lowering brows.

Tom got in, and Haley, drawing out from under the wagon seat a heavy pair of shackles, made them fast around each ankle.

A smothered groan of indignation ran through the whole circle, and Mrs. Shelby spoke from the verandah,--"Mr. Haley, I assure you that precaution is entirely unnecessary."

"Don' know, ma'am; I've lost one five hundred dollars from this yer place, and I can't afford to run no more risks."

同类推荐
  • 咏袜

    咏袜

    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。
  • 坐禅三昧法门经

    坐禅三昧法门经

    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。
  • Natural Value

    Natural Value

    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。
  • 玉堂嘉话

    玉堂嘉话

    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。
  • 仁斋直指方论

    仁斋直指方论

    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
  • 同意报销

    同意报销

    《同意报销》以文联的工作为线索,反映了广阔的社会生活面,《报废》写换车,《报销》写还债,《报道》写修路,这三件事情在其他地方、其他部门和单位、甚至在其他个人,或许都不可能存在,或者说是“小菜一碟”,解决起来是轻而易举的事情,而在文联这样经费极其拮据的“前列腺”部门和龙骨村那样偏僻穷困的山村,则事关重大,关系到生计存亡,关系到民意民心,而解决起来则比登天还难……《同意报销》收录了红日曾在《小说月报·原创版》上发表的三个中篇小说,《报废》《报销》《报道》。内容轻松幽默又充满积极豁达的态度,将制度、人性、处事智慧融于一炉,讲述知识分子令人啼笑皆非的文联生活。
  • 旁依茶卡

    旁依茶卡

    这是央吉拉的声音,柔和而悲凉。那种感觉就像,就像风吹着古墓发出的呜呜声响,就像旁依茶卡轻轻涌动的波浪,就像深秋树林里画眉鸟的歌唱。从此后,央吉拉再未出现在我的梦魇。可我却患上了严重的失眠症,夜深人静时,听着窗外的老杨树沙沙地响,还有野猫们不分四季的嘶哑叫声,便如同回到了旁依茶卡。静静地听,又是一个古老的故事。
  • 郁达夫谈旅行

    郁达夫谈旅行

    《郁达夫谈旅行》是中国现代著名作家郁达夫的游记散文集。郁达夫在创作了诸多在文学史上极其重要的小说、散文作品之外,还留下了大量的游记性文字,他的足迹几乎走遍了祖国南北的山水、城市,乃至东南亚地区,在本书中也能看到相应的文字。这些游记作品中许多也早已成为了名作,比如《感伤的行旅》《钓台的春昼》《北平的四季》等,也都收录在《郁达夫谈旅行》一书中。郁达夫式的优雅与感伤,在这些游记作品中也表现得淋漓尽致。
  • 执剑情长

    执剑情长

    一段架空的江湖背景,以主角的所见所闻为主线,江湖上不同人物的经历为支线,抒写了种种江湖恩怨、儿女情长......本书每日不定时更新,日更至少一章五千字起,不定期爆发二更三更四更五......
  • 2009年中国悬疑文学精选

    2009年中国悬疑文学精选

    本书是“2009年选系列丛书”的悬疑文学作品选,精选了2009年度最优秀的悬疑文学作品,尽显年度悬疑文学写作之盛景与实绩,入选作者广泛,作品主题内容丰富,风格与手法多样,全书包括了生死翡翠湖、方圆、迟到的复仇、多重加密、聊斋会、我这样的人、一线危机、香芙街的蛋糕店等16篇。
  • 武极仙启

    武极仙启

    武道极致,仙路始点;仙路巅峰,长生可期;长生之后,可有永生。这是一个追求长生不老梦与天地奥妙的热血修行故事。
  • 都市巨灵神

    都市巨灵神

    你是赌神?很牛么?我有世界上最强大的千术—超级记忆力,在我面前你就是个渣。你是象人族第一高手?力量强大到无人能比?我笑了,你居然和巨人比力量。你还会捡漏?用得着这么麻烦么?我就算是地上随便捡块石头,都能卖上十万八万的,咱靠的不是眼力,咱靠的是面子,我说它是价值连城的玉石,谁敢说不?失恋男陈大胜意外获得上古巨灵族的传承,成为地球上唯一一个巨灵族后裔,展开了华丽的逆袭。
  • 女君天下

    女君天下

    从被遗弃,到女扮男装入朝为官,朝堂上佞臣诸侯裨天,硬要与她做对,好不容易驻扎边关,远离朝堂,却抢亲,抢了陆国皇子公子卿,而天南朝大将无谷歌,却又对她纠缠不休。权利、地位、财富的漩涡,融入了情爱的纠葛,她又将何去何从……——情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 练习心平静

    练习心平静

    优雅的人生,是用平静的心,平和的心态,平淡的活法,滋养出来的从容和恬淡。人可以跑在时间的前面,但不要跑在宁谧的心前面。环境可以乱,心不能乱;做事可以赶,心不能急。不张扬,不喧哗;不浮躁,不妄动是平静的力量。要做一个有力量的人,就要放弃表面的浮华,用更多的时间和阅历充盈自己的内心。本书教读者如何面对喧嚣世界、虚荣贪婪、选择得失、疲惫迷茫,只有心灵宁静了,不被外界所扰,才能聆听内心深处最真实的声音。一本值得我们每个人静下心来阅读思考的书。
  • 逆天邪君:盛宠狂傲医妃

    逆天邪君:盛宠狂傲医妃

    前世,活得逍遥自在一身医术让鬼都发愁。睁眼醒来,被世人唾弃糟蹋。玄离霜冷眼相看,手中一针一剑红衣妖娆,她只求逆天改命,,让今日陷她于不仁不义之人万劫不复!他是冷夜君王战场杀神,冷绝对上霸道,风云变换,星象紊乱,她要的很简单,来去自如的世界,俯首称臣的众生,恩爱无双的男人。“女人,乖乖贴在我身边,包你一世无忧。”“男人,想泡我,先看看你的本事”“我的本事好的很,不信你来床上我给你证明!”某女微微一笑饿狼扑食。狂妄医妃对上逆天邪王,是凤鸣九天还是飞龙在天。