CHAPTER VI UNCLE TOM SAYS GOOD-BYE

 The day after the hunt for Eliza was a very sad one in Uncle Tom's cabin¹. It was the day on which Haley was going to take Uncle Tom away.

 

Aunt Chloe had been up very early. She had washed and ironed all Tom's clothes, and packed his trunk neatly². Now she was cooking the breakfast,—the last breakfast she would ever cook for her dear husband. Her eyes were quite red and swollen³ with crying, and the tears kept running down her cheeks all the time.

 

'It's the last time,' said Tom sadly.

 

Aunt Chloe could not answer. She sat down, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed⁴ aloud.

 

'S'pose we must be resigned. But, O Lord⁵, how can I? If I knew anything where you was goin', or how they'd treat you! Missis says she'll try and buy you back again in a year or two. But, Lor', nobody never comes back that goes down there.'

 

'There'll be the same God there, Chloe, that there is here.'

 

'Well,' said Aunt Chloe, 's'pose dere will. But the Lord lets drefful things happen sometimes. I don't seem to get no comfort dat way.'

 

'Let's think on our mercies,' said Tom, in a shaking voice.

 

'Mercies!' said Aunt Chloe, 'don't see any mercies in 't. It isn't right! it isn't right it should be so! Mas'r never ought to have left it so that ye could be took for his debts. Mebbe he can't help himself now, but I feel it's wrong. Nothing can beat that out of me. Such a faithful⁶ crittur as ye've been, reckonin' on him more than your own wife and chil'en.'

 

'Chloe! now, if ye love me, you won't talk so, when it is perhaps jest the last time we'll ever have together,' said Tom.

 

'Wall, anyway, there's wrong about it somewhere,' said Aunt Chloe, 'I can't jest make out where 'tis. But there is wrong somewhere, I'm sure of that.'

 

Neither Tom nor Chloe could eat any breakfast; their hearts were too full of sorrow. But the little children, who hardly understood what was happening, enjoyed theirs. It was not often that they had such a fine one as Chloe had cooked for Tom's last morning at home.

 

Breakfast was just finished, when Mrs. Shelby came. Chloe was not very pleased to see her. She was angry, and blamed her for letting Tom be sold.

 

But Mrs. Shelby did not seem to see Aunt Chloe's angry looks. 'Tom,' she said, turning to him, 'I come to—' she could say no more, she was crying so bitterly.

 

Then all Aunt Chloe's anger faded away.

 

'Lor', now missis, don't-don't,' she said. She too burst out crying again, and for a few minutes they all sobbed together.

 

'Tom,' said Mrs. Shelby at last, 'I can't do anything for you now. But I promise you, most solemnly⁷, to save as much, money as I can. As soon as I have enough, I will buy you back again.'

 

Just then Haley arrived. Tom said a last sad good-bye to his wife and children, and got into the cart, which Haley had brought with him.

 

As soon as Tom was seated in the cart, Haley took a heavy chain, and fastened it round his ankles. Poor Tom had done nothing wrong, yet he was treated worse than a thief, just because he was a slave.

 

'You don't need to do that,' said Mrs. Shelby, 'Tom won't run away.'

 

'Don't know so much about that, ma'am; I've lost one already. I can't afford to run any more risks,' replied Haley.

 

'Please give my love to Mas'r George,' said Tom, looking round sadly. 'Tell him how sorry I am he is not at home to say good-bye.'

 

Master George was Mr. and Mrs. Shelby's son. He was very fond of Tom, and was teaching⁸ him to write. He often used to come and have tea in Uncle Tom's little cottage. Aunt Chloe used to make her very nicest cakes when Mas'r George came to tea. But he was not at home now, and did not know that Tom had been sold.

 

Haley whipped⁹ up the horse, and, with a last sad look at the old place, Tom was whirled¹⁰ away to a town called Washington.

 

1 cabin   

n.(结构简单的)小木屋；船舱，机舱

参考例句：

• They threw up a new cabin in a couple of hours.在几小时之内他们就建起了一座新的小屋。
• It's very hot in the cabin;let's go on deck.舱室内很热，我们到甲板上去吧。

2 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

3 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

4 sobbed   

哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说

参考例句：

• She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
• She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。

5 lord   

n.上帝，主；主人，长官；君主，贵族

参考例句：

• I know the Lord will look after him.我知道上帝会眷顾他的。
• How good of the Lord not to level it beyond repair!上帝多么仁慈啊，竟没有让这所房子损毁得不可收拾！

6 faithful   

adj.守信的，忠实的，如实的，可靠的

参考例句：

• They promised to be faithful to their ideal for ever.他们保证永远忠于自己的理想。
• We must be honest and faithful to the people.我们对人民必须忠诚老实。

7 solemnly   

ad.严肃地, 庄严地

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played. 奏国歌时全场肃立。

8 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

9 whipped   

adj. 受到鞭打的 动词whip的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• a dollop of whipped cream 一团搅打的奶油
• a non-dairy whipped topping 打好的非奶制糕点配料

10 whirled   

v.（使）飞快移动，使旋转( whirl的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Leaves whirled in the wind. 落叶在风中旋转。
• A tornado whirled into the town last week. 龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》