For some remarkable1 reason, ghostly legends were uncommonly2 rife3, about this time, among the servants on Legree's place.
It was whisperingly asserted that footsteps, in the dead of night, had been heard descending4 the garret stairs, and patrolling the house. In vain the doors of the upper entry had been locked; the ghost either carried a duplicate key in its pocket, or availed itself of a ghost's immemorial privilege of coming through the keyhole, and promenaded5 as before, with a freedom that was alarming.
Authorities were somewhat divided, as to the outward form of the spirit, owing to a custom quite prevalent among negroes,--and, for aught we know, among whites, too,--of invariably shutting the eyes, and covering up heads under blankets, petticoats, or whatever else might come in use for a shelter, on these occasions. Of course, as everybody knows, when the bodily eyes are thus out of the lists, the spiritual eyes are uncommonly vivacious6 and perspicuous; and, therefore, there were abundance of full-length portraits of the ghost, abundantly sworn and testified to, which, as if often the case with portraits, agreed with each other in no particular, except the common family peculiarity7 of the ghost tribe,--the wearing of a _white sheet_. The poor souls were not versed8 in ancient history, and did not know that Shakspeare had authenticated9 this costume, by telling how
"The sheeted dead Did squeak10 and gibber in the streets of Rome."[1]
[1] _Hamlet_, Act I, scene 1, lines 115-116
And, therefore, their all hitting upon this is a striking fact in pneumatology, which we recommend to the attention of spiritual media generally.
Be it as it may, we have private reasons for knowing that a tall figure in a white sheet did walk, at the most approved ghostly hours, around the Legree premises,--pass out the doors, glide11 about the house,--disappear at intervals12, and, reappearing, pass up the silent stairway, into that fatal garret; and that, in the morning, the entry doors were all found shut and locked as firm as ever.
Legree could not help overhearing this whispering; and it was all the more exciting to him, from the pains that were taken to conceal13 it from him. He drank more brandy than usual; held up his head briskly, and swore louder than ever in the daytime; but he had bad dreams, and the visions of his head on his bed were anything but agreeable. The night after Tom's body had been carried away, he rode to the next town for a carouse14, and had a high one. Got home late and tired; locked his door, took out the key, and went to bed.
After all, let a man take what pains he may to hush15 it down, a human soul is an awful ghostly, unquiet possession, for a bad man to have. Who knows the metes16 and bounds of it? Who knows all its awful perhapses,--those shudderings and tremblings, which it can no more live down than it can outlive its own eternity17! What a fool is he who locks his door to keep out spirits, who has in his own bosom18 a spirit he dares not meet alone,--whose voice, smothered19 far down, and piled over with mountains of earthliness, is yet like the forewarning trumpet20 of doom21!
But Legree locked his door and set a chair against it; he set a night-lamp at the head of his bed; and put his pistols there. He examined the catches and fastenings of the windows, and then swore he "didn't care for the devil and all his angels," and went to sleep.
Well, he slept, for he was tired,--slept soundly. But, finally, there came over his sleep a shadow, a horror, an apprehension22 of something dreadful hanging over him. It was his mother's shroud23, he thought; but Cassy had it, holding it up, and showing it to him. He heard a confused noise of screams and groanings; and, with it all, he knew he was asleep, and he struggled to wake himself. He was half awake. He was sure something was coming into his room. He knew the door was opening, but he could not stir hand or foot. At last he turned, with a start; the door _was_ open, and he saw a hand putting out his light.
It was a cloudy, misty24 moonlight, and there he saw it!--something white, gliding25 in! He heard the still rustle26 of its ghostly garments. It stood still by his bed;--a cold hand touched his; a voice said, three times, in a low, fearful whisper, "Come! come! come!" And, while he lay sweating with terror, he knew not when or how, the thing was gone. He sprang out of bed, and pulled at the door. It was shut and locked, and the man fell down in a swoon.
After this, Legree became a harder drinker than ever before. He no longer drank cautiously, prudently27, but imprudently and recklessly.
There were reports around the country, soon after that he was sick and dying. Excess had brought on that frightful28 disease that seems to throw the lurid29 shadows of a coming retribution back into the present life. None could bear the horrors of that sick room, when he raved30 and screamed, and spoke31 of sights which almost stopped the blood of those who heard him; and, at his dying bed, stood a stern, white, inexorable figure, saying, "Come! come! come!"
By a singular coincidence, on the very night that this vision appeared to Legree, the house-door was found open in the morning, and some of the negroes had seen two white figures gliding down the avenue towards the high-road.
It was near sunrise when Cassy and Emmeline paused, for a moment, in a little knot of trees near the town.
Cassy was dressed after the manner of the Creole Spanish ladies,--wholly in black. A small black bonnet32 on her head, covered by a veil thick with embroidery34, concealed35 her face. It had been agreed that, in their escape, she was to personate the character of a Creole lady, and Emmeline that of her servant.
Brought up, from early life, in connection with the highest society, the language, movements and air of Cassy, were all in agreement with this idea; and she had still enough remaining with her, of a once splendid wardrobe, and sets of jewels, to enable her to personate the thing to advantage.
She stopped in the outskirts36 of the town, where she had noticed trunks for sale, and purchased a handsome one. This she requested the man to send along with her. And, accordingly, thus escorted by a boy wheeling her trunk, and Emmeline behind her, carrying her carpet-bag and sundry37 bundles, she made her appearance at the small tavern38, like a lady of consideration.
The first person that struck her, after her arrival, was George Shelby, who was staying there, awaiting the next boat.
Cassy had remarked the young man from her loophole in the garret, and seen him bear away the body of Tom, and observed with secret exultation39, his rencontre with Legree. Subsequently she had gathered, from the conversations she had overheard among the negroes, as she glided40 about in her ghostly disguise, after nightfall, who he was, and in what relation he stood to Tom. She, therefore, felt an immediate41 accession of confidence, when she found that he was, like herself, awaiting the next boat.
Cassy's air and manner, address, and evident command of money, prevented any rising disposition42 to suspicion in the hotel. People never inquire too closely into those who are fair on the main point, of paying well,--a thing which Cassy had foreseen when she provided herself with money.
In the edge of the evening, a boat was heard coming along, and George Shelby handed Cassy aboard, with the politeness which comes naturally to every Kentuckian, and exerted himself to provide her with a good state-room.
Cassy kept her room and bed, on pretext43 of illness, during the whole time they were on Red river; and was waited on, with obsequious44 devotion, by her attendant.
When they arrived at the Mississippi river, George, having learned that the course of the strange lady was upward, like his own, proposed to take a state-room for her on the same boat with himself,--good-naturedly compassionating45 her feeble health, and desirous to do what he could to assist her.
Behold46, therefore, the whole party safely transferred to the good steamer Cincinnati, and sweeping47 up the river under a powerful head of steam.
Cassy's health was much better. She sat upon the guards, came to the table, and was remarked upon in the boat as a lady that must have been very handsome.
From the moment that George got the first glimpse of her face, he was troubled with one of those fleeting48 and indefinite likenesses, which almost every body can remember, and has been, at times, perplexed49 with. He could not keep himself from looking at her, and watchin her perpetually. At table, or sitting at her state-room door, still she would encounter the young man's eyes fixed50 on her, and politely withdrawn51, when she showed, by her countenance52, that she was sensible to the observation.
Cassy became uneasy. She began to think that he suspected something; and finally resolved to throw herself entirely53 on his generosity54, and intrusted him with her whole history.
George was heartily55 disposed to sympathize with any one who had escaped from Legree's plantation,--a place that he could not remember or speak of with patience,--and, with the courageous56 disregard of consequences which is characteristic of his age and state, he assured her that he would do all in his power to protect and bring them through.
The next state-room to Cassy's was occupied by a French lady, named De Thoux, who was accompanied by a fine little daughter, a child of some twelve summers.
This lady, having gathered, from George's conversation, that he was from Kentucky, seemed evidently disposed to cultivate his acquaintance; in which design she was seconded by the graces of her little girl, who was about as pretty a plaything as ever diverted the weariness of a fortnight's trip on a steamboat.
George's chair was often placed at her state-room door; and Cassy, as she sat upon the guards, could hear their conversation.
Madame de Thoux was very minute in her inquiries57 as to Kentucky, where she said she had resided in a former period of her life. George discovered, to his surprise, that her former residence must have been in his own vicinity; and her inquiries showed a knowledge of people and things in his vicinity, that was perfectly58 surprising to him.
"Do you know," said Madame de Thoux to him, one day, "of any man, in your neighborhood, of the name of Harris?"
"There is an old fellow, of that name, lives not far from my father's place," said George. "We never have had much intercourse59 with him, though."
"He is a large slave-owner, I believe," said Madame de Thoux, with a manner which seemed to betray more interest than she was exactly willing to show.
"He is," said George, looking rather surprised at her manner.
"Did you ever know of his having--perhaps, you may have heard of his having a mulatto boy, named George?"
"O, certainly,--George Harris,--I know him well; he married a servant of my mother's, but has escaped, now, to Canada."
"He has?" said Madame de Thoux, quickly. "Thank God!"
George looked a surprised inquiry60, but said nothing.
Madame de Thoux leaned her head on her hand, and burst into tears.
"He is my brother," she said.
"Madame!" said George, with a strong accent of surprise.
"Yes," said Madame de Thoux, lifting her head, proudly, and wiping her tears, "Mr. Shelby, George Harris is my brother!"
"I am perfectly astonished," said George, pushing back his chair a pace or two, and looking at Madame de Thoux.
"I was sold to the South when he was a boy," said she. "I was bought by a good and generous man. He took me with him to the West Indies, set me free, and married me. It is but lately that he died; and I was going up to Kentucky, to see if I could find and redeem61 my brother."
"I heard him speak of a sister Emily, that was sold South," said George.
"Yes, indeed! I am the one," said Madame de Thoux;--"tell me what sort of a--"
"A very fine young man," said George, "notwithstanding the curse of slavery that lay on him. He sustained a first rate character, both for intelligence and principle. I know, you see," he said; "because he married in our family."
"What sort of a girl?" said Madame de Thoux, eagerly.
"A treasure," said George; "a beautiful, intelligent, amiable62 girl. Very pious63. My mother had brought her up, and trained her as carefully, almost, as a daughter. She could read and write, embroider33 and sew, beautifully; and was a beautiful singer."
"Was she born in your house?" said Madame de Thoux.
"No. Father bought her once, in one of his trips to New Orleans, and brought her up as a present to mother. She was about eight or nine years old, then. Father would never tell mother what he gave for her; but, the other day, in looking over his old papers, we came across the bill of sale. He paid an extravagant64 sum for her, to be sure. I suppose, on account of her extraordinary beauty."
George sat with his back to Cassy, and did not see the absorbed expression of her countenance, as he was giving these details.
At this point in the story, she touched his arm, and, with a face perfectly white with interest, said, "Do you know the names of the people he bought her of?"
"A man of the name of Simmons, I think, was the principal in the transaction. At least, I think that was the name on the bill of sale."
"O, my God!" said Cassy, and fell insensible on the floor of the cabin.
George was wide awake now, and so was Madame de Thoux. Though neither of them could conjecture65 what was the cause of Cassy's fainting, still they made all the tumult66 which is proper in such cases;--George upsetting a wash-pitcher, and breaking two tumblers, in the warmth of his humanity; and various ladies in the cabin, hearing that somebody had fainted, crowded the state-room door, and kept out all the air they possibly could, so that, on the whole, everything was done that could be expected.
Poor Cassy! when she recovered, turned her face to the wall, and wept and sobbed67 like a child,--perhaps, mother, you can tell what she was thinking of! Perhaps you cannot,--but she felt as sure, in that hour, that God had had mercy on her, and that she should see her daughter,--as she did, months afterwards,--when--but we anticipate.
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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rife
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| adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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promenaded
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| v.兜风( promenade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vivacious
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| adj.活泼的，快活的 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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authenticated
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| v.证明是真实的、可靠的或有效的( authenticate的过去式和过去分词 )；鉴定，使生效 | |
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10
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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carouse
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| v.狂欢；痛饮；n.狂饮的宴会 | |
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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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metes
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| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的第三人称单数 ) | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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shroud
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| n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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raved
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| v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说 | |
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31
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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32
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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embroider
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| v.刺绣于(布)上；给…添枝加叶，润饰 | |
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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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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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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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obsequious
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| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
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compassionating
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| v.同情（compassionate的现在分词形式） | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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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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51
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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52
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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53
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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54
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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55
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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56
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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57
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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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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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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61
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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66
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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