This building was therefore selected as the Black Stallion's stable, and it was made ready. A trough was fitted up and the edges trimmed with hoop6 iron to prevent the horse from gnawing7 it to pieces. The floor was taken away and a new door[203] made, a thick, heavy affair. To guard against all accidents a hole, which could be opened or closed from the outside, was cut through the logs over the trough, so that when the Black Stallion was in one of his tantrums he could be fed and watered without risk to life or limb.
When everything was ready, the question arose, how was the horse to be removed to his new quarters? Mr. Abercrombie considered the matter an entire afternoon, and then decided8 to postpone9 it until the next day. He said something about it at supper, and this caused Mrs. Abercrombie to remark that she hoped he would get rid of such a savage10 creature. She said she should never feel safe while the horse remained on the place. But Mr. Abercrombie laughed at this excess of fear, and so did Little Crotchet, who made bold to say that if his father would permit him, he would have Timoleon put in his stable that very night, and it would be done so quietly that nobody on the place would know how or when it happened.
Mr. Abercrombie regarded his son with tender and smiling eyes.
"And what wonderful person will do this for you, my boy?"
[204]
"A friend of mine," replied Little Crotchet seriously.
"Well, you have so many friends that I'll never guess the name," remarked his father.
"Oh, but this is one of the most particular, particularest of my friends," the lad explained.
"I suppose you know he is getting up a great reputation among the servants," said Mrs. Abercrombie to her husband, half in jest and half in earnest.
"I know they are all very fond of him, my dear."
"Of course they are—how can they help themselves?" the lad's mother cried. "But this is 'a most particular, particularest' reputation." She quizzically quoted Little Crotchet's phrase, and he laughed when he heard it fall from her lips. "It is something quite wonderful. Since the time that he issued orders for no one to bother him after nine o'clock at night, the servants say that he talks with 'ha'nts.' They say he has become so familiar with bogies and such things that he can be heard talking with them at all hours of the night."
"Your mother has been counting the candles[205] on you, my boy" remarked Mr. Abercrombie jokingly.
"Why, father! how can you put such an idea in the child's mind?" protested Mrs. Abercrombie.
"He's only teasing you, mama," said Little Crotchet.
"I heard him talking to a bogie the other night," remarked Mr. Hudspeth, the Teacher.
"Oh, I don't think you're a bogie," cried Little Crotchet. "You would have been one, though, if you had kept me in those awful books."
The Teacher had mischievously11 thrown out this hint about Aaron to see what effect it would have. He was amazed at the lad's self-possession, and at the deft12 manner in which he had turned the hint aside.
"Oh, have you been admitted to the sanctum?" inquired the lad's mother, laughing.
"I paused at the door to say good-night and remained until I learned a lesson I never shall forget," said Mr. Hudspeth.
"Ah, you're finding our boy out, eh?" exclaimed Mr. Abercrombie with a show of pride.
"He possesses already the highest culture the mind of man is capable of," Mr. Hudspeth declared.[206] His tone was so solemn and his manner so earnest that Little Crotchet blushed. "He is cultured in the humanities. That is apart from scholarship," the Teacher explained, "but without it all knowledge is cold and dark and unfruitful."
"I know he is very humane," suggested Mr. Abercrombie.
"Oh, it is more than that," said Mr. Hudspeth; "far more than that. All sensitive people are tender-hearted. One may read a book and yet not catch the message it conveys. But this lad"—He paused and suddenly changed the subject. "He said he could have Timoleon carried to the new stable, and you are inclined to be doubtful. But he can do more than that: he can have the horse removed without bridle13 or halter."
"Then you know our boy better than we do!" Mrs. Abercrombie's tone was almost reproachful.
"I found him out quite by accident," replied Mr. Hudspeth.
Little Crotchet in his quaint14 way called attention to the fact that he was blushing again. "You've made me blush twice," he said, "and I can't stay after that."
At a sign, Jemimy, the house girl, who was[207] waiting on the table—the same Jemimy who afterward15 had a daughter named Drusilla—turned the lad's chair about. He balanced himself on his crutches16, and without touching17 his feet to the floor walked across the room to the hall, and so up the stairway. On the landing he paused.
"Shall I have Timoleon put in the new stable to-night?" he asked.
"By all means, my boy—if you can," answered Mr. Abercrombie. "If you succeed I'll give you a handsome present."
Little Crotchet always paused on the stair landing to say something, but never to say good-night. After a while his mother would go up and sit with him a few minutes, by way of kissing him good-night, and, later, his father would make the same little journey for the same purpose.
On this particular night, those whom Little Crotchet had left at the table remained conversing18 longer than usual. Mr. Hudspeth had something more to say about humanity-culture; and although he employed "the Concord19 dialect," as Mr. Abercrombie called it, his discourse20 was both interesting and stimulating21. In the midst of it Jemimy[208] dropped a plate and broke it. The crash of the piece of china put a temporary end to the conversation, and the silence that ensued had its humorous side. Jemimy's eyes, big as saucers and as white, were turned toward a door that led to the sitting-room22. The door softly opened, and a portly negro woman, with a bunch of keys hanging at her waist, came into the dining-room. This was Mammy Lucy, the housekeeper23. She never once glanced toward her master and mistress.
"White er blue?" she inquired in a low voice.
"Blue," replied Jemimy.
"Dat counts fer two," Mammy Lucy remarked. "You've done broke five. One mo', en you'll go whar you b'long. I done say mo' dan once you ain't got no business in dis house. De fiel' 's whar you b'long at."
Jemimy couldn't help that. She couldn't help anything. She knew how the Little Master would have the Black Stallion moved from one stable to the other. She knew, and she never would tell. They might send her to the field, they might drown her or strangle her, they might cut off her ears or gouge24 her eyes out, they might[209] send her to town to the calaboose, they might do anything they pleased, but she never would tell. Not while her name was Jemimy, and she'd be named that until after she was put under the ground and covered up; and even then she wouldn't tell.
Later when Mr. Abercrombie went upstairs to say good-night to Little Crotchet, the lad asked if he might have Timoleon trained. He had heard his father talking of getting a trainer from Mobile, and so he made the suggestion that, instead of going to that expense, it might be well to have the horse trained by his "friend," as he called Aaron.
Mr. Abercrombie guessed who Little Crotchet's friend was, but, to please the lad, feigned25 ignorance. He told his son that the training of such a horse as Timoleon was a very delicate piece of business, and should be undertaken by no one but an expert. Now, if Little Crotchet's "friend" was an expert, which was not likely, well and good; if not, he might ruin a good horse. Still, if Little Crotchet was sure that everything would be all right, why, there would be no objection. At any rate, the horse was now old enough to[210] be broken to the saddle, and Little Crotchet's "friend" could do that if no more.
So it was settled, and the lad was very happy. He made his signal for Aaron early and often, but, somehow, the Son of Ben Ali was long in coming that night. The reason was plain enough when he did come, but Little Crotchet was very impatient. The moon was shining, and as George Gossett and his companions had refused to raise the siege a single night since Mr. Fullalove had seen the runaway26 at the stillhouse, Aaron found it difficult to respond promptly27 when the Little Master signaled him to come. It is not an easy matter to pass a picket28 line of patrollers when the moon is shining as it shines in Georgia at the beginning of autumn, and as it shone on the Abercrombie place the night that Little Crotchet was so anxious to see Aaron.
Rambler was very busy that night trying to find a place where Aaron might pass the patrollers without attracting attention, but he had to give it up for a time. At last, however, three of them, George Gossett among the number, concluded to pay another visit to Mr. Fullalove, and this left the way clear. Aaron was prompt to[211] take advantage of it. Going half bent29, he kept in the shadow of the fence, slipped through the small jungle of black-jacks, ran swiftly across an open space to the negro cabins, flitted to the garden fence, and in the shadow of that fled to the front yard, and so up the friendly oak.
Oh, but Little Crotchet was impatient! He was almost ready to frown when Aaron made his appearance; but when the runaway told him of the big moon and the patrollers, he grew uneasy; and after telling Aaron about the Black Stallion, how the horse must be removed to the new stable, and how he must be broken to saddle and bridle, Little Crotchet declared that he was sorry he had signaled to Aaron.
"They'll catch you to-night, sure," he said.
But Aaron shook his head. "No, Little Master, not to-night. Not while I'm with the grandson of Abdallah."
"Oh, I see!" laughed Little Crotchet; "you'll stay in his stable. Good! I'll bring you your breakfast in the morning."
Aaron smiled, shaking his head and looking at the basket of victuals30 that Little Crotchet always had ready for him when he came.
[212]
"No, Little Master! This will do. I'll not take the basket to-night. I'll put the victuals in my wallet." This was a bag suspended from his shoulder by a strap31, being made after the manner of the satchels32 in which the children used to carry their books to school.
Aaron had another idea in his head, but he gave no hint of it to little Crotchet, for he didn't know how it would succeed. So he sat by the lad's bedside and drove away the red goblin, Pain, and waited until George Gossett and his companions had time to make another visit to the stillhouse. Then he took the big key of the new stable from the mantel, slipped it on his belt,—a leathern thong33 that he always wore around his body,—placed in his wallet the substantial lunch that the Little Master had saved for him, and prepared to take his leave. This time he did not snuff out the light, but placed the candlestick on the hearth34.
When Aaron went out at the window, Little Crotchet was sound asleep, and seemed to be smiling. The Son of Ben Ali was smiling too, and continued to smile even as he descended35 the oak.
Rambler was waiting for him, and, instead of being asleep, was wide awake and very much disturbed. One of the patrollers, no less a person than George Gossett,—young Grizzly36, as Rambler named him,—had been to the spring for water. This was what disturbed the dog, and it was somewhat disturbing to Aaron; for the high wines or low wines, or whatever it was that was dealt out to them at the stillhouse, might make young Gossett and his companions bold enough to search the premises37, even though Mr. Abercrombie had warned them that he could take care of his own place and wanted none of their interference in any way, shape, or form.
If Aaron could get to the stable, where the Black Stallion had his temporary quarters, all would be well. He could then proceed to carry out the idea he had in his mind, which was a very bold one, so bold that it might be said to depend on accident for its success.
The moon was shining brightly, even brilliantly, as Aaron stood at the corner of the great house and looked toward the horse lot. He could easily reach the negro quarters, he could even reach the black-jack thicket38 beyond, but he would[214] be farther from the lot than ever, and still have an acre of moonlight to wade39 through. What he did was both bold and simple, and its very boldness made it successful.
He stepped back to the garden gate, threw it wide open, and slammed it to again. The noise was loud enough to be heard all over the place. George Gossett heard it and was sure the noise was made by Mr. Abercrombie. Aaron walked from the house straight toward the horse lot, whistling loudly and melodiously40 some catchy41 air he had heard the negroes sing. Rambler was whistling too, but the sound came through his nose, and it was not a tune42, but a complaint and a warning.
Aaron paid no heed43 to the warning and cared nothing for the complaint. He went through the moonlight, whistling, and there was a swagger about his gait such as the negroes assume when they are feeling particularly happy. Behind a tree, not twenty-five yards away, George Gossett stood. Rambler caught his scent44 in the air and announced the fact by a low growl45. But this announcement only made Aaron whistle the louder.
[215]
There was no need for him to whistle, if he had but known it; for when young Gossett heard the garden gate slammed to and saw what seemed to be a negro come away from the house whistling, he at once decided that some one of the hands had been receiving his orders from Mr. Abercrombie. Thus deciding, George Gossett paid no further attention to Aaron, but kept himself more closely concealed46 behind the tree that sheltered him. He looked at Aaron, and that more than once; but though the moonlight was brilliant, it was only moonlight after all.
Aaron disappeared in the deep shadows that fell about the horse lot, and George Gossett forgot in a few minutes that any one had waded47 through the pond of moonlight that lay shimmering48 between the garden gate and the lot where Timoleon held sway. Indeed, there was nothing about the incident to attract attention. As he stood leaning against the tree, young Gossett could see the negroes constantly passing to and fro about their cabins. There was no lack of movement. Some of the negroes carried torches of "fat" pine in spite of the fact that the moon was shining, and so made themselves more conspicuous49.[216] But this peculiarity50 was so familiar to the young man's experience that it never occurred to him to remark it.
He could even hear parts of their conversation, for they made not the slightest effort to suppress their voices or subdue51 their laughter, which was loud and long and frequent. It was especially vociferous52 when Turin came to the door of one of the cabins and cried to Uncle Fountain, who had just gone out:—
"Nigger man! You better not try to slip off to Spivey's dis night."
"How come, I like ter know?" said Uncle Fountain.
"Patterollers on de hill yander," replied Turin.
"How you know?" Uncle Fountain asked.
"I done seed um."
"What dey doin' out dar?"
From every cabin came a roar of laughter, and the whole plantation55 seemed to enjoy the joke. The calves56 in the ginhouse lot bleated57, the dogs barked, the geese cackled, and the guinea hens shrieked58 "Potrack! run here! go back!" as loud as they could, and a peafowl, roosting on the pinnacle59 of the roof of the great house, joined in with a wailing60 cry that could be heard for miles.
The lack of respect shown by the Abercrombie negroes for the patrollers irritated George Gossett, but it was a relief to him to know that if the negroes on his "pap's" place were to make any reference to the patrollers they would bow their heads and speak in subdued61 whispers.
From one of the cabins came the sound of "patting" and dancing, and the noise made by the feet of the dancer was so responsive to that made by the hands of the man who was patting that only an expert ear could distinguish the difference. The dance was followed by a friendly tussle62, and a negro suddenly ran out at the door, pursued by another. The pursuer halted, however, and cried out:—
"Ef you fool wid me, nigger, I'll make Marster sen' you in de lot dar an' move dat ar' wil' hoss to his new stable."
"Marster was made 'fo' you wuz de maker," answered the pursued, who had now stopped running.
"Ding 'em!" said young Gossett in a low tone[218] to himself, "they're always and eternally frolicking on this place. No wonder they ain't able to do no more work in the daytime!"
Fretting63 inwardly, the young man changed his position, and continued to watch for the runaway. How long he stood there young Gossett could not say. Whether the spirits he had swallowed at the stillhouse benumbed his faculties64 so that he fell into a doze65, he did not know. He could only remember that he was aroused from apparent unconsciousness by a tremendous clamor that seemed to come from the hill where he had left the most of his companions. It was a noise of rushing and running, squealing66 horses, and the exclamations67 of frightened men.
Young Gossett did not pause to interpret the clamor that came to his ears, but ran back toward the hill as hard as he could go.
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1
capers
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| n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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5
lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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6
hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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8
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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9
postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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10
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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13
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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14
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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15
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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16
crutches
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| n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑 | |
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17
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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18
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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19
concord
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| n.和谐；协调 | |
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20
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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21
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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22
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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23
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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24
gouge
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| v.凿；挖出；n.半圆凿；凿孔；欺诈 | |
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25
feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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29
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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30
victuals
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| n.食物；食品 | |
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31
strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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32
satchels
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| n.书包( satchel的名词复数 ) | |
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33
thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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34
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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35
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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36
grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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38
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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39
wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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melodiously
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41
catchy
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| adj.易记住的，诡诈的，易使人上当的 | |
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42
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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43
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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44
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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45
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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46
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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47
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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49
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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50
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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51
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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52
vociferous
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| adj.喧哗的，大叫大嚷的 | |
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53
grasshoppers
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| n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 )；蝗虫；蚂蚱；（孩子）矮小的 | |
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54
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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55
plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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56
calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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57
bleated
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的过去式和过去分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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58
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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60
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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61
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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62
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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63
fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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64
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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65
doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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66
squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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67
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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