CHAPTER VIII ELIZA AMONG THE QUAKERS

 

 

While Uncle Tom was sailing¹ South, down the wide river, to his new master's home, Eliza with her boy was travelling north to Canada.

 

Kind people helped her all the way. She passed from friend to friend, till she arrived safely at a village where the people were Quakers.

 

The Quakers were gentle, quiet people. They all dressed alike² in plain grey clothes, and the women wore big, white muslin caps. Because they thought it was wicked³ to have slaves⁴, they helped those who ran away from their cruel masters. Often they were punished for doing this, but still they went on helping⁶ the poor slaves. For though the laws said it was wrong, they felt quite sure that it was really right to do so.

 

The kind Quaker women grew to be very fond of Eliza, and would have been glad if she would have stayed with them.

 

But Eliza said, 'No, I must go on; I dare⁷ not stop. I can't sleep at night: I can't rest. Last night I dreamed I saw that man come into the yard.'

 

'Poor child,' said Rachel, the kind Quaker woman to whom she was speaking, 'poor child, thee mustn't feel so. No slave⁵ that has run away has ever been stolen from our village. It is safe here.'

 

While they were talking, Simeon, Rachel's husband, came to the door and called, 'Wife, I want to speak to thee a minute.'

 

Rachel went out to him. 'Eliza's husband is here,' he said.

 

'Art thee sure?' asked Rachel, her face bright with joy.

 

'Yes, quite certain; he will be here soon. Will thee tell her?'

 

Rachel went back into the kitchen, where Eliza was sewing, and, opening the door of a small bedroom, said gently, 'Come in here with me, my daughter; I have news to tell thee.'

 

Eliza rose trembling⁸, she was so afraid it was bad news.

 

'No, no! never fear thee. It's good news, Eliza,' said Simeon,

 

Rachel shut the door, and drew Eliza towards her. 'The Lord⁹ has been very good to thee,' she said gently. 'Thy husband hath escaped, and will be here to-night.'

 

'To-night!' repeated Eliza, 'to-night!'

 

Then it seemed as if the room and everything in it swam round her, and she fell into Rachel's arms.

 

Very gently Rachel laid her down on the bed. Eliza slept as she had not slept since the dreadful¹⁰ night when she had taken her boy and run away through the cold, dark night.

 

She dreamed of a beautiful country—a land, it seemed to her, of rest—green shores, pleasant islands, and lovely glittering¹¹ water. There in a house, which kind voices told her was her home, she saw Harry¹² playing happily. She heard her husband's footstep¹³. She felt him coming nearer. His arms were around her, his tears falling upon her face, and she awoke.

 

It was no dream. The sun had set, the candles were lit. Harry was sleeping by her side, and George, her husband, was holding her in his arms.

1 sailing   

n.航行，航海术，启航

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• The operation was plain sailing.手术进行得顺利。

2 alike   

adj.同样的，相像的；adv.一样地；同程度地　

参考例句：

• The twins are so alike that I can't tell which is which.这对双胞胎一模一样，我分辨不出谁是谁。
• All stories seemed dreadfully alike,no matter who told them.看来，不管谁讲，故事都是千篇一律的。

3 wicked   

adj.邪恶的，恶劣的，缺德的；淘气的

参考例句：

• Let everyone know all the wicked things she has done.把她干的坏事给大家抖搂抖搂。
• The wicked must be wiped out.恶人必须除掉。

4 slaves   

n.奴隶( slave的名词复数 )；苦工；完全受（某事物）控制的人；完全依赖（某事物）的人v.奴隶般地工作，做苦工( slave的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Slaves were not emancipated until 1863 in the United States. 美国奴隶直到1863年才获得自由。
• fashionistas who are slaves to the latest trends 被潮流牵着鼻子走的赶时髦者

5 slave   

n.奴隶，附件，卑鄙的人；vi.拼命工作

参考例句：

• Don't be a slave to custom.不要做风俗习惯的奴隶。
• Why should I slave away all my life!我为什么要辛辛苦苦地干一辈子呀！

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 dare   

n.敢，挑战；aux.敢；vi.敢；vt.敢于，勇于面对

参考例句：

• He didn't dare to look at her in the face.他不敢正眼看她。
• How dare you?Take your hand off me at once.放肆！马上把你的手挪开。

8 trembling   

n.发抖adj.发抖的v.发抖( tremble的现在分词 )；焦虑；颤动；轻轻摇晃

参考例句：

• My legs were trembling with fear. 我吓得双腿直发抖。
• Daddy was trembling with anxiety as to how the talks would go. 爸爸为那些商谈的进展而焦虑不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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！

10 dreadful   

adj.糟透了的，极端的，可怕的，令人畏惧的

参考例句：

• I cannot imagine what to do in this dreadful situation.我不能想像在这么糟的情况下该怎么办。
• I must apologize for the dreadful mistake I made.我为我所犯的严重错误深表歉意。

11 glittering   

a.闪闪发亮

参考例句：

• He has a glittering career ahead of him. 他前程似锦。
• He strove for the glittering prizes of politics. 他力争在政界取得辉煌的成绩。

12 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

13 footstep   

n.脚步；脚步声；足迹

参考例句：

• I listened for a footstep.我留心听着脚步声。
• I knew he had retumn,when I heard his footstep.听脚步声就知道他回来了。