CHAPTER VII UNCLE TOM MEETS EVA

 Haley stayed in Washington several days. He went to market each day and bought more slaves. He put heavy chains on their hands and feet, and sent them to prison along with Tom.

 

When he had bought all the slaves he wanted, and was ready to go, he drove them before him, like a herd¹ of cattle, on to a boat which was going south.

 

It was a beautiful boat. The deck² was gay³ with lovely ladies and fine gentlemen walking about enjoying the bright spring sunshine.

 

Down on the lower deck, in the dark, among the luggage, were crowded Tom and the other poor slaves.

 

Some of the ladies and gentlemen on board were very sorry for the poor niggers, and pitied them. Others never thought about them at all, or if they did, thought it was quite just and proper that they should be treated badly. 'They are only slaves,' they said.

 

Among the passengers was a pretty little girl, about six years old. She had beautiful golden hair, and big blue eyes. She ran about here, there, and everywhere, dancing and laughing like a little fairy. There were other children on board, but not one so pretty or so merry as she. She was always dressed in white, and Tom thought she looked like a little angel, as she danced and ran about.

 

Often and often she would come and walk sadly around the place where the poor slaves sat in their chains. She would look pityingly at them, and then go slowly away. Once or twice she came with her dress full of sweets, nuts, and oranges, and gave them all some.

 

Tom watched the little lady, and tried to make friends with her. His pockets were full of all kinds of things, with which he used to amuse his old master's children.

 

He could make whistles of every sort and size, cut baskets out of cherry-stones, faces out of nut-shells, jumping figures out of bits of wood. He brought these out one by one, and though the little girl was shy at first, they soon grew to be great friends.

 

'What is missy's name?' said Tom one day.

 

'Evangeline St. Clare,' said the little girl; 'though papa and everybody else call me Eva. Now, what's your name?'

 

'My name's Tom. The little chil'en at my old home used to call me Uncle Tom.'

 

'Then I mean to call you Uncle Tom, because, you see, I like you,' said Eva. 'So, Uncle Tom, where are you going?'

 

'I don't know, Miss Eva.'

 

'Don't know?' said Eva.

 

'No. I'm going to be sold to somebody. I don't know who.'

 

'My papa can buy you, said Eva quickly. 'If he buys you you will have good times. I mean to ask him to, this very day.'

 

'Thank you, my little lady,' said Tom.

 

Just at this moment, the boat stopped at a small landing-place to take in some wood. Eva heard her father's voice, and ran away to speak to him.

 

Tom too rose and walked to the side. He was allowed to go about now without chains. He was so good and gentle, that even a man like Haley could not help seeing that it could do no harm to let him go free.

 

Tom helped the sailors to carry the wood on the boat. He was so big and strong that they were very glad to have his help.

 

Eva and her father were standing⁴ by the railings as the boat once more began to move. It had hardly left the landing-stage when, some how or other, Eva lost her balance. She fell right over the side of the boat into the water.

 

Tom was standing just under her, on the lower deck, as she fell. In one moment he sprang after her. The next he had caught her his arms, and was swimming with her to the boat-side, where eager hands were held out to take her.

 

The whole boat was in confusion⁵. Every one ran to help Eva, while the poor slave went back to his place, unnoticed and uncared for.

 

But Mr. St. Clare did not forget.

 

The next day Tom sat on the lower deck, with folded arms, anxiously watching him as he talked to Haley.

 

Eva's father was a very handsome man. He was like Eva, with the same beautiful blue eyes and golden-brown hair. He was very fond of fun and laughter, and though he had quite made up his mind to buy Tom, he was now teasing⁶ Haley, and pretending to think that he was asking too much money for him.

 

'Papa do buy him, it's no matter what you pay', whispered Eva softly⁷, putting her arms around her father's neck. 'You have money enough, I know. I want him.'

 

'What for, pussy⁸? Are you going to use him for a rattle-box, or a rocking-horse, or what?'

 

'I want to make him happy.'

 

Mr. St. Clare laughed; but after making a few more jokes about it, he gave Haley the money he asked for, and Tom had a new master.

 

'Come, Eva,' said Mr. St. Clare, and, taking her hand, went across the boat to Tom.

 

'Look up, Tom,' he said to him, 'and see how you like your new master.'

 

Tom looked up. Mr. St. Clare had such a gay, young, handsome face, that Tom could not help feeling glad. Grateful tears rushed to his eyes as he said, 'God bless you, mas'r.'

 

'Can you drive horses, Tom?'

 

'I've been allays⁹ used to horses,' said Tom.

 

'Well, I think I'll make you a coachman. But you must not get drunk¹⁰.'

 

Tom looked surprised and a little hurt.

 

'I never drink', mas'r,' he said.

 

'Never mind, my boy,' said Mr. St. Clare, seeing him look so grave¹¹; 'I don't doubt you mean to do well.'

 

'I certainly do, mas'r,' said Tom.

 

'And you shall have good times,' said Eva. 'Papa is very good to everybody, only he always will laugh at them.'

 

'Papa is much obliged¹² to you,' said Mr. St. Clare laughing, as he walked away.

1 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

2 deck   

n.甲板；公共汽车一层的车厢；纸牌；vt.装饰

参考例句：

• Let's have a walk round the deck.我们去甲板上散步吧。
• The sea wind swept over the deck.海风席卷过甲板。

3 gay   

adj.同性恋的；色彩鲜艳的；n.(男)同性恋者

参考例句：

• I don't know he was a gay person.我不知道他是同性恋者。
• Spring comes round to the earth again and everything looks fresh and gay.春回大地，万象更新。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 confusion   

n.困惑，迷乱，混淆，混乱，骚乱

参考例句：

• His answers to my questions have only added to my confusion.他对我的问题的回答只是使我更加困惑不解。
• His unexpected arrival threw us into total confusion.他的突然来访使我们完全不知所措。

6 teasing   

adj.戏弄的，逗趣的v.取笑，戏弄( tease的现在分词 )；梳理（羊毛等）

参考例句：

• Don't get upset—I was only teasing. 别不高兴，我只是在逗你玩。
• I didn't think you meant that seriously;I thought you were teasing. 我未想到你是当真的，我原以为你是开玩笑的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 softly   

adv.柔和地，静静地，温柔地

参考例句：

• He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻，她听不见。
• She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。

8 pussy   

n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪

参考例句：

• Why can't they leave my pussy alone?为什么他们就不能离我小猫咪远一点？
• The baby was playing with his pussy.孩子正和他的猫嬉戏。

9 allays   

v.减轻，缓和( allay的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• This leads to better leak integrity and allays contamination concerns. 这导致了更好的泄露完整性，减少了对污染的担心。 来自互联网
• And from a security standpoint the act raises as many fears as allays. 而从安全角度来说，该法案消除恐惧的同时也增加了担忧。 来自互联网

10 drunk   

adj.醉酒的；(喻)陶醉的；n.酗酒者，醉汉

参考例句：

• People who drives when they are drunk should be heavily penalised.醉酒驾车的人应受重罚。
• She found him drunk when she came home at night.她晚上回家时，经常发现他醉醺醺的。

11 grave   

n.墓穴，坟墓，雕刻工，抑音；adj.庄重的，严肃的，重大的，低沉的；vt.雕刻

参考例句：

• Marriage is the grave of love.婚姻是爱情的坟墓。
• This is a very grave matter indeed.这问题的确非常严重。

12 obliged   

adj.感激，感谢v.迫使做( oblige的过去式和过去分词 )；使负义务；满足请求；施惠

参考例句：

• We were obliged, faute de mieux, to drink the local beverage. 因为没有更好的饮料，我们只好将就着喝当地的。
• Parents are obliged by law to send their children to school. 法律规定父母必须送子女入学。