Mr. and Mrs. Shelby had retired1 to their apartment for the night. He was lounging in a large easy-chair, looking over some letters that had come in the afternoon mail, and she was standing2 before her mirror, brushing out the complicated braids and curls in which Eliza had arranged her hair; for, noticing her pale cheeks and haggard eyes, she had excused her attendance that night, and ordered her to bed. The employment, naturally enough, suggested her conversation with the girl in the morning; and turning to her husband, she said, carelessly,
"By the by, Arthur, who was that low-bred fellow that you lugged3 in to our dinner-table today?"
"Haley is his name," said Shelby, turning himself rather uneasily in his chair, and continuing with his eyes fixed4 on a letter.
"Haley! Who is he, and what may be his business here, pray?"
"Well, he's a man that I transacted5 some business with, last time I was at Natchez," said Mr. Shelby.
"And he presumed on it to make himself quite at home, and call and dine here, ay?"
"Why, I invited him; I had some accounts with him," said Shelby.
"Is he a negro-trader?" said Mrs. Shelby, noticing a certain embarrassment6 in her husband's manner.
"Why, my dear, what put that into your head?" said Shelby, looking up.
"Nothing,--only Eliza came in here, after dinner, in a great worry, crying and taking on, and said you were talking with a trader, and that she heard him make an offer for her boy--the ridiculous little goose!"
"She did, hey?" said Mr. Shelby, returning to his paper, which he seemed for a few moments quite intent upon, not perceiving that he was holding it bottom upwards7.
"It will have to come out," said he, mentally; "as well now as ever."
"I told Eliza," said Mrs. Shelby, as she continued brushing her hair, "that she was a little fool for her pains, and that you never had anything to do with that sort of persons. Of course, I knew you never meant to sell any of our people,--least of all, to such a fellow."
"Well, Emily," said her husband, "so I have always felt and said; but the fact is that my business lies so that I cannot get on without. I shall have to sell some of my hands."
"To that creature? Impossible! Mr. Shelby, you cannot be serious."
"I'm sorry to say that I am," said Mr. Shelby. "I've agreed to sell Tom."
"What! our Tom?--that good, faithful creature!--been your faithful servant from a boy! O, Mr. Shelby!--and you have promised him his freedom, too,--you and I have spoken to him a hundred times of it. Well, I can believe anything now,--I can believe _now_ that you could sell little Harry9, poor Eliza's only child!" said Mrs. Shelby, in a tone between grief and indignation.
"Well, since you must know all, it is so. I have agreed to sell Tom and Harry both; and I don't know why I am to be rated, as if I were a monster, for doing what every one does every day."
"But why, of all others, choose these?" said Mrs. Shelby. "Why sell them, of all on the place, if you must sell at all?"
"Because they will bring the highest sum of any,--that's why. I could choose another, if you say so. The fellow made me a high bid on Eliza, if that would suit you any better," said Mr. Shelby.
"The wretch10!" said Mrs. Shelby, vehemently11.
"Well, I didn't listen to it, a moment,--out of regard to your feelings, I wouldn't;--so give me some credit."
"My dear," said Mrs. Shelby, recollecting12 herself, "forgive me. I have been hasty. I was surprised, and entirely13 unprepared for this;--but surely you will allow me to intercede14 for these poor creatures. Tom is a noble-hearted, faithful fellow, if he is black. I do believe, Mr. Shelby, that if he were put to it, he would lay down his life for you."
"I know it,--I dare say;--but what's the use of all this?--I can't help myself."
"Why not make a pecuniary15 sacrifice? I'm willing to bear my part of the inconvenience. O, Mr. Shelby, I have tried--tried most faithfully, as a Christian16 woman should--to do my duty to these poor, simple, dependent creatures. I have cared for them, instructed them, watched over them, and know all their little cares and joys, for years; and how can I ever hold up my head again among them, if, for the sake of a little paltry17 gain, we sell such a faithful, excellent, confiding18 creature as poor Tom, and tear from him in a moment all we have taught him to love and value? I have taught them the duties of the family, of parent and child, and husband and wife; and how can I bear to have this open acknowledgment that we care for no tie, no duty, no relation, however sacred, compared with money? I have talked with Eliza about her boy--her duty to him as a Christian mother, to watch over him, pray for him, and bring him up in a Christian way; and now what can I say, if you tear him away, and sell him, soul and body, to a profane19, unprincipled man, just to save a little money? I have told her that one soul is worth more than all the money in the world; and how will she believe me when she sees us turn round and sell her child?--sell him, perhaps, to certain ruin of body and soul!"
"I'm sorry you feel so about it,--indeed I am," said Mr. Shelby; "and I respect your feelings, too, though I don't pretend to share them to their full extent; but I tell you now, solemnly, it's of no use--I can't help myself. I didn't mean to tell you this Emily; but, in plain words, there is no choice between selling these two and selling everything. Either they must go, or _all_ must. Haley has come into possession of a mortgage, which, if I don't clear off with him directly, will take everything before it. I've raked, and scraped, and borrowed, and all but begged,--and the price of these two was needed to make up the balance, and I had to give them up. Haley fancied the child; he agreed to settle the matter that way, and no other. I was in his power, and _had_ to do it. If you feel so to have them sold, would it be any better to have _all_ sold?"
Mrs. Shelby stood like one stricken. Finally, turning to her toilet, she rested her face in her hands, and gave a sort of groan20.
"This is God's curse on slavery!--a bitter, bitter, most accursed thing!--a curse to the master and a curse to the slave! I was a fool to think I could make anything good out of such a deadly evil. It is a sin to hold a slave under laws like ours,--I always felt it was,--I always thought so when I was a girl,--I thought so still more after I joined the church; but I thought I could gild21 it over,--I thought, by kindness, and care, and instruction, I could make the condition of mine better than freedom--fool that I was!"
"Why, wife, you are getting to be an abolitionist, quite."
"Abolitionist! if they knew all I know about slavery, they _might_ talk! We don't need them to tell us; you know I never thought that slavery was right--never felt willing to own slaves."
"Well, therein you differ from many wise and pious22 men," said Mr. Shelby. "You remember Mr. B.'s sermon, the other Sunday?"
"I don't want to hear such sermons; I never wish to hear Mr. B. in our church again. Ministers can't help the evil, perhaps,--can't cure it, any more than we can,--but defend it!--it always went against my common sense. And I think you didn't think much of that sermon, either."
"Well," said Shelby, "I must say these ministers sometimes carry matters further than we poor sinners would exactly dare to do. We men of the world must wink23 pretty hard at various things, and get used to a deal that isn't the exact thing. But we don't quite fancy, when women and ministers come out broad and square, and go beyond us in matters of either modesty24 or morals, that's a fact. But now, my dear, I trust you see the necessity of the thing, and you see that I have done the very best that circumstances would allow."
"O yes, yes!" said Mrs. Shelby, hurriedly and abstractedly fingering her gold watch,--"I haven't any jewelry25 of any amount," she added, thoughtfully; "but would not this watch do something?--it was an expensive one, when it was bought. If I could only at least save Eliza's child, I would sacrifice anything I have."
"I'm sorry, very sorry, Emily," said Mr. Shelby, "I'm sorry this takes hold of you so; but it will do no good. The fact is, Emily, the thing's done; the bills of sale are already signed, and in Haley's hands; and you must be thankful it is no worse. That man has had it in his power to ruin us all,--and now he is fairly off. If you knew the man as I do, you'd think that we had had a narrow escape."
"Is he so hard, then?"
"Why, not a cruel man, exactly, but a man of leather,--a man alive to nothing but trade and profit,--cool, and unhesitating, and unrelenting, as death and the grave. He'd sell his own mother at a good per centage--not wishing the old woman any harm, either."
"And this wretch owns that good, faithful Tom, and Eliza's child!"
"Well, my dear, the fact is that this goes rather hard with me; it's a thing I hate to think of. Haley wants to drive matters, and take possession tomorrow. I'm going to get out my horse bright and early, and be off. I can't see Tom, that's a fact; and you had better arrange a drive somewhere, and carry Eliza off. Let the thing be done when she is out of sight."
"No, no," said Mrs. Shelby; "I'll be in no sense accomplice26 or help in this cruel business. I'll go and see poor old Tom, God help him, in his distress27! They shall see, at any rate, that their mistress can feel for and with them. As to Eliza, I dare not think about it. The Lord forgive us! What have we done, that this cruel necessity should come on us?"
There was one listener to this conversation whom Mr. and Mrs. Shelby little suspected.
Communicating with their apartment was a large closet, opening by a door into the outer passage. When Mrs. Shelby had dismissed Eliza for the night, her feverish28 and excited mind had suggested the idea of this closet; and she had hidden herself there, and, with her ear pressed close against the crack of the door, had lost not a word of the conversation.
When the voices died into silence, she rose and crept stealthily away. Pale, shivering, with rigid29 features and compressed lips, she looked an entirely altered being from the soft and timid creature she had been hitherto. She moved cautiously along the entry, paused one moment at her mistress' door, and raised her hands in mute appeal to Heaven, and then turned and glided30 into her own room. It was a quiet, neat apartment, on the same floor with her mistress. There was a pleasant sunny window, where she had often sat singing at her sewing; there a little case of books, and various little fancy articles, ranged by them, the gifts of Christmas holidays; there was her simple wardrobe in the closet and in the drawers:--here was, in short, her home; and, on the whole, a happy one it had been to her. But there, on the bed, lay her slumbering31 boy, his long curls falling negligently32 around his unconscious face, his rosy33 mouth half open, his little fat hands thrown out over the bedclothes, and a smile spread like a sunbeam over his whole face.
"Poor boy! poor fellow!" said Eliza; "they have sold you! but your mother will save you yet!"
No tear dropped over that pillow; in such straits as these, the heart has no tears to give,--it drops only blood, bleeding itself away in silence. She took a piece of paper and a pencil, and wrote, hastily,
"O, Missis! dear Missis! don't think me ungrateful,--don't think hard of me, any way,--I heard all you and master said tonight. I am going to try to save my boy--you will not blame me! God bless and reward you for all your kindness!"
Hastily folding and directing this, she went to a drawer and made up a little package of clothing for her boy, which she tied with a handkerchief firmly round her waist; and, so fond is a mother's remembrance, that, even in the terrors of that hour, she did not forget to put in the little package one or two of his favorite toys, reserving a gayly painted parrot to amuse him, when she should be called on to awaken34 him. It was some trouble to arouse the little sleeper35; but, after some effort, he sat up, and was playing with his bird, while his mother was putting on her bonnet36 and shawl.
"Where are you going, mother?" said he, as she drew near the bed, with his little coat and cap.
His mother drew near, and looked so earnestly into his eyes, that he at once divined that something unusual was the matter.
"Hush37, Harry," she said; "mustn't speak loud, or they will hear us. A wicked man was coming to take little Harry away from his mother, and carry him 'way off in the dark; but mother won't let him--she's going to put on her little boy's cap and coat, and run off with him, so the ugly man can't catch him."
Saying these words, she had tied and buttoned on the child's simple outfit38, and, taking him in her arms, she whispered to him to be very still; and, opening a door in her room which led into the outer verandah, she glided noiselessly out.
It was a sparkling, frosty, starlight night, and the mother wrapped the shawl close round her child, as, perfectly39 quiet with vague terror, he clung round her neck.
Old Bruno, a great Newfoundland, who slept at the end of the porch, rose, with a low growl40, as she came near. She gently spoke8 his name, and the animal, an old pet and playmate of hers, instantly, wagging his tail, prepared to follow her, though apparently41 revolving42 much, in this simple dog's head, what such an indiscreet midnight promenade43 might mean. Some dim ideas of imprudence or impropriety in the measure seemed to embarrass him considerably44; for he often stopped, as Eliza glided forward, and looked wistfully, first at her and then at the house, and then, as if reassured45 by reflection, he pattered along after her again. A few minutes brought them to the window of Uncle Tom's cottage, and Eliza stopping, tapped lightly on the window-pane.
The prayer-meeting at Uncle Tom's had, in the order of hymn-singing, been protracted46 to a very late hour; and, as Uncle Tom had indulged himself in a few lengthy47 solos afterwards, the consequence was, that, although it was now between twelve and one o'clock, he and his worthy48 helpmeet were not yet asleep.
"Good Lord! what's that?" said Aunt Chloe, starting up and hastily drawing the curtain. "My sakes alive, if it an't Lizy! Get on your clothes, old man, quick!--there's old Bruno, too, a pawin round; what on airth! I'm gwine to open the door."
And suiting the action to the word, the door flew open, and the light of the tallow candle, which Tom had hastily lighted, fell on the haggard face and dark, wild eyes of the fugitive49.
"Lord bless you!--I'm skeered to look at ye, Lizy! Are ye tuck sick, or what's come over ye?"
"I'm running away--Uncle Tom and Aunt Chloe--carrying off my child--Master sold him!"
"Sold him?" echoed both, lifting up their hands in dismay.
"Yes, sold him!" said Eliza, firmly; "I crept into the closet by Mistress' door tonight, and I heard Master tell Missis that he had sold my Harry, and you, Uncle Tom, both, to a trader; and that he was going off this morning on his horse, and that the man was to take possession today."
Tom had stood, during this speech, with his hands raised, and his eyes dilated50, like a man in a dream. Slowly and gradually, as its meaning came over him, he collapsed51, rather than seated himself, on his old chair, and sunk his head down upon his knees.
"The good Lord have pity on us!" said Aunt Chloe. "O! it don't seem as if it was true! What has he done, that Mas'r should sell _him_?"
"He hasn't done anything,--it isn't for that. Master don't want to sell, and Missis she's always good. I heard her plead and beg for us; but he told her 't was no use; that he was in this man's debt, and that this man had got the power over him; and that if he didn't pay him off clear, it would end in his having to sell the place and all the people, and move off. Yes, I heard him say there was no choice between selling these two and selling all, the man was driving him so hard. Master said he was sorry; but oh, Missis--you ought to have heard her talk! If she an't a Christian and an angel, there never was one. I'm a wicked girl to leave her so; but, then, I can't help it. She said, herself, one soul was worth more than the world; and this boy has a soul, and if I let him be carried off, who knows what'll become of it? It must be right: but, if it an't right, the Lord forgive me, for I can't help doing it!"
"Well, old man!" said Aunt Chloe, "why don't you go, too? Will you wait to be toted down river, where they kill niggers with hard work and starving? I'd a heap rather die than go there, any day! There's time for ye,--be off with Lizy,--you've got a pass to come and go any time. Come, bustle52 up, and I'll get your things together."
Tom slowly raised his head, and looked sorrowfully but quietly around, and said,
"No, no--I an't going. Let Eliza go--it's her right! I wouldn't be the one to say no--'tan't in _natur_ for her to stay; but you heard what she said! If I must be sold, or all the people on the place, and everything go to rack, why, let me be sold. I s'pose I can b'ar it as well as any on 'em," he added, while something like a sob53 and a sigh shook his broad, rough chest convulsively. "Mas'r always found me on the spot--he always will. I never have broke trust, nor used my pass no ways contrary to my word, and I never will. It's better for me alone to go, than to break up the place and sell all. Mas'r an't to blame, Chloe, and he'll take care of you and the poor--"
Here he turned to the rough trundle bed full of little woolly heads, and broke fairly down. He leaned over the back of the chair, and covered his face with his large hands. Sobs54, heavy, hoarse55 and loud, shook the chair, and great tears fell through his fingers on the floor; just such tears, sir, as you dropped into the coffin56 where lay your first-born son; such tears, woman, as you shed when you heard the cries of your dying babe. For, sir, he was a man,--and you are but another man. And, woman, though dressed in silk and jewels, you are but a woman, and, in life's great straits and mighty57 griefs, ye feel but one sorrow!
"And now," said Eliza, as she stood in the door, "I saw my husband only this afternoon, and I little knew then what was to come. They have pushed him to the very last standing place, and he told me, today, that he was going to run away. Do try, if you can, to get word to him. Tell him how I went, and why I went; and tell him I'm going to try and find Canada. You must give my love to him, and tell him, if I never see him again," she turned away, and stood with her back to them for a moment, and then added, in a husky voice, "tell him to be as good as he can, and try and meet me in the kingdom of heaven."
"Call Bruno in there," she added. "Shut the door on him, poor beast! He mustn't go with me!"
A few last words and tears, a few simple adieus and blessings58, and clasping her wondering and affrighted child in her arms, she glided noiselessly away.
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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lugged
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| vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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transacted
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| v.办理（业务等）( transact的过去式和过去分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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intercede
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| vi.仲裁，说情 | |
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pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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gild
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| vt.给…镀金，把…漆成金色，使呈金色 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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jewelry
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| n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝 | |
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accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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negligently
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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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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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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45
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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52
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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53
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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54
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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55
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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56
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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58
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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