X. Strange Proceedings.

Day after day Rose Stuyvesant continued her ministry¹ of love to Daph and the little ones. The hour of her morning visit was watched for, and hailed with joy, and well it might be, for she brought with her the sweet influence of a loving heart and an earnest devoted² spirit.

The children were, as usual, eagerly looking out for her one morning, about a week after her first appearance in their humble³ home. Daph, who was once more on her feet, was moving[Pg 147] about with a step a little more languid than usual, trying, as she said, “to make the place look a bit more fitsome for the sweet young lady to sit down in.” Charlie, who was perched on a chair beside his sister, and had had his nose pressed from time to time flat against the window, and had drawn⁴ all sorts of strange characters, with his fat fingers, in the dampness left by his breath on the pane⁵, at length had his attention suddenly arrested. “O, Lou!” he shouted, “look this way, on the steps! there’s that ugly, old, bad doctor, that cut dear Daffy’s arm, and two big men with him.”

“Good doctor, Charlie!” said Daph, “he wanted to make Daffy well, but[Pg 148] he didn’t jus know how. It took Miss Rose wid her sweet holy words to do Daph good.”

“He’s an old, bad doctor, I say, and shan’t come in!” said Charlie, springing towards the door, as the voice of the doctor sounded in the hall, and his hand touched the latch⁶. The sturdy little figure of the boy, resolutely⁷ backed up against the door was but a small obstacle, in the way of the strong hands that forced it instantly open.

“For shame, Mass’ Charlie! Let the young gemman in!” said Daph, as she came forward, dropping a curtsy. “Ise quite well sir to day,” she continued, “and Ise mighty⁸ tankful for[Pg 149] you being so uncommon⁹ willing to do somewhat for to cure Daph, for by her arm do be a little stiff for de cuttin you gib it de oder day.”

“He’s an old, bad man to hurt Daffy, and I aint glad to see him a bit,” said Charlie, with an angry look.

“Do your work! This is the woman!” said the slender young doctor, turning to the stout¹⁰ men he had brought with him.

A strong hand was laid on each shoulder of the astonished Daph, and a rough voice said, “Come with us, old woman!”

“I isn’t goin to do no such thing,” said she, with an indignant glance. “What for is I goin to waste my time[Pg 150] goin with them as I has no business wid? Perhaps you doesn’t know what manners is, to be layin hands on a poor nigger dis way. Take your big hands off! Ise my misses’ childen to look after, and we’s would be glad to hab dis bit of a room to ourselves!”

Daph had not spoken very rapidly, but even as the indignant words forced themselves out of her mouth, she was hurried towards the door.

“You’d better do your talking now,” said one of the men coarsely, “for before half an hour’s over you’ll be locked up where nobody’ll hear you if you holler till you are hoarse¹¹.”

Daph began to struggle violently, and the sinewy¹² men who held her[Pg 151] were well nigh compelled to relinquish¹³ their grasp.

“Is you a gemman, doctor?” she said desperately¹⁴, at last, “Is you a gemman, and stand still to see a poor woman treated dis way?”

“You are only getting your deserts,” said little Dr. Bates, drawing himself up, and trying to look dignified¹⁵. “You are to be tried for stealing, and for the other awful crimes which your own conscience can best count over to you, and be sure the severest punishment of the law awaits you!”

“Is that all?” said Daph, her spirit rising, “Carry me to any real gemman, and it would take more liars¹⁶ than ever grew to prove any such like[Pg 152] things against poor Daph. Ise not a bit afeared to go wid you, for sartain Ise be back soon ’nough.”

The children, who had been at first struck with silent astonishment¹⁷, now began to realize that Daph was actually going from them. Louise burst into a violent fit of weeping, and clung to the unfortunate negro, while Charlie, with an uplifted wash-basin, made a sudden attack upon the slender legs of Dr. Bates, which broke up his dignified composure, and made him give a skip that would have done honor to a bear dancing on a hot iron plate.

“Now, Mass’ Charley, Ise do be shamed,” said Daph, subduing¹⁸ the grin that had suddenly overspread her[Pg 153] face. “De young gemman don’t know no better! ’Tain’t likely he ever had body to teach him! You jus let him be, Mass’ Charlie, and tend to your own sister, Miss Lou, here. Don’t cry, pretty dear, Daph will be back soon! De Lord won’t let em hurt Daph! You be jus good childen, and dat sweet Miss Rose will comfort you till Daph comes home.”

The last words were hardly uttered, when the negro was forced into a long covered wagon¹⁹ and rapidly borne away from the door.

At this moment Mary Ray ran breathlessly up the steps, exclaiming, “Where have they taken Daph, mother? Mother, what is the matter?”

[Pg 154]“Matter enough!” said Mrs. Ray, vehemently²⁰; “who could have told it would have ended that way! I am sure I never meant any such thing. Daph’s gone to prison; and just as likely I shall never hear the end of it, and have the children upon my hands, into the bargain. Well, well; I wish I’d never set eyes on that little spinky, Dr. Bates!”

The bitter reproaches that rose to Mary’s lips, were hushed at the mention of the children; and she hastened to comfort them, as well as she could, while Mrs. Ray went back to her kitchen, in no very enviable frame of mind.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

3 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

4 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

5 pane   

n.窗格玻璃，长方块

参考例句：

• He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。
• Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

6 latch   

n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁

参考例句：

• She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。
• The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。

7 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

8 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

9 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

11 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

12 sinewy   

adj.多腱的，强壮有力的

参考例句：

• When muscles are exercised often and properly,they keep the arms firm and sinewy.如果能经常正确地锻炼肌肉的话，双臂就会一直结实而强健。
• His hard hands and sinewy sunburned limbs told of labor and endurance.他粗糙的双手，被太阳哂得发黑的健壮四肢,均表明他十分辛勤，非常耐劳。

13 relinquish   

v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手

参考例句：

• He was forced to relinquish control of the company.他被迫放弃公司的掌控权。
• They will never voluntarily relinquish their independence.他们绝对不会自动放弃独立。

14 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

15 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

16 liars   

说谎者( liar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest liars talk most of themselves. 最爱自吹自擂的人是最大的说谎者。
• Honest boys despise lies and liars. 诚实的孩子鄙视谎言和说谎者。

17 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

18 subduing   

征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗

参考例句：

• They are the probation subduing the heart to human joys. 它们不过是抑制情欲的一种考验。
• Some believe that: is spiritual, mysterious and a very subduing colour. 有的认为：是精神，神秘色彩十分慑。

19 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

20 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。