George Shelby had written to his mother merely a line, stating the day that she might expect him home. Of the death scene of his old friend he had not the heart to write. He had tried several times, and only succeeded in half choking himself; and invariably finished by tearing up the paper, wiping his eyes, and rushing somewhere to get quiet.
There was a pleased bustle1 all though the Shelby mansion2, that day, in expectation of the arrival of young Mas'r George.
Mrs. Shelby was seated in her comfortable parlor3, where a cheerful hickory fire was dispelling4 the chill of the late autumn evening. A supper-table, glittering with plate and cut glass, was set out, on whose arrangements our former friend, old Chloe, was presiding.
Arrayed in a new calico dress, with clean, white apron5, and high, well-starched turban, her black polished face glowing with satisfaction, she lingered, with needless punctiliousness6, around the arrangements of the table, merely as an excuse for talking a little to her mistress.
"Laws, now! won't it look natural to him?" she said. "Thar,--I set his plate just whar he likes it,round by the fire. Mas'r George allers wants de warm seat. O, go way!--why didn't Sally get out de _best_ tea-pot,--de little new one, Mas'r George got for Missis, Christmas? I'll have it out! And Missis has heard from Mas'r George?" she said, inquiringly.
"Yes, Chloe; but only a line, just to say he would be home tonight, if he could,--that's all."
"Didn't say nothin' 'bout7 my old man, s'pose?" said Chloe, still fidgeting with the tea-cups.
"No, he didn't. He did not speak of anything, Chloe. He said he would tell all, when he got home."
"Jes like Mas'r George,--he's allers so ferce for tellin' everything hisself. I allers minded dat ar in Mas'r George. Don't see, for my part, how white people gen'lly can bar to hev to write things much as they do, writin' 's such slow, oneasy kind o' work."
Mrs. Shelby smiled.
"I'm a thinkin' my old man won't know de boys and de baby. Lor'! she's de biggest gal8, now,--good she is, too, and peart, Polly is. She's out to the house, now, watchin' de hoe-cake. I 's got jist de very pattern my old man liked so much, a bakin'. Jist sich as I gin him the mornin' he was took off. Lord bless us! how I felt, dat ar morning!"
Mrs. Shelby sighed, and felt a heavy weight on her heart, at this allusion9. She had felt uneasy, ever since she received her son's letter, lest something should prove to be hidden behind the veil of silence which he had drawn10.
"Missis has got dem bills?" said Chloe, anxiously.
"Yes, Chloe."
"'Cause I wants to show my old man dem very bills de _perfectioner_ gave me. `And,' say he, `Chloe, I wish you'd stay longer.' `Thank you, Mas'r,' says I, `I would, only my old man's coming home, and Missis,--she can't do without me no longer.' There's jist what I telled him. Berry nice man, dat Mas'r Jones was."
Chloe had pertinaciously11 insisted that the very bills in which her wages had been paid should be preserved, to show her husband, in memorial of her capability12. And Mrs. Shelby had readily consented to humor her in the request.
"He won't know Polly,--my old man won't. Laws, it's five year since they tuck him! She was a baby den,--couldn't but jist stand. Remember how tickled13 he used to be, cause she would keep a fallin' over, when she sot out to walk. Laws a me!"
The rattling14 of wheels now was heard.
"Mas'r George!" said Aunt Chloe, starting to the window.
Mrs. Shelby ran to the entry door, and was folded in the arms of her son. Aunt Chloe stood anxiously straining her eyes out into the darkness.
"O, _poor_ Aunt Chloe!" said George, stopping compassionately15, and taking her hard, black hand between both his; "I'd have given all my fortune to have brought him with me, but he's gone to a better country."
There was a passionate16 exclamation17 from Mrs. Shelby, but Aunt Chloe said nothing.
The party entered the supper-room. The money, of which Chloe was so proud, was still lying on the table.
"Thar," said she, gathering18 it up, and holding it, with a trembling hand, to her mistress, "don't never want to see nor hear on 't again. Jist as I knew 't would be,--sold, and murdered on dem ar' old plantations19!"
Chloe turned, and was walking proudly out of the room. Mrs. Shelby followed her softly, and took one of her hands, drew her down into a chair, and sat down by her.
"My poor, good Chloe!" said she.
Chloe leaned her head on her mistress' shoulder, and sobbed21 out, "O Missis! 'scuse me, my heart's broke,--dat's all!"
"I know it is," said Mrs. Shelby, as her tears fell fast; "and _I_ cannot heal it, but Jesus can. He healeth the broken hearted, and bindeth up their wounds."
There was a silence for some time, and all wept together. At last, George, sitting down beside the mourner, took her hand, and, with simple pathos22, repeated the triumphant23 scene of her husband's death, and his last messages of love.
About a month after this, one morning, all the servants of the Shelby estate were convened24 together in the great hall that ran through the house, to hear a few words from their young master.
To the surprise of all, he appeared among them with a bundle of papers in his hand, containing a certificate of freedom to every one on the place, which he read successively, and presented, amid the sobs25 and tears and shouts of all present.
Many, however, pressed around him, earnestly begging him not to send them away; and, with anxious faces, tendering back their free papers.
"We don't want to be no freer than we are. We's allers had all we wanted. We don't want to leave de ole place, and Mas'r and Missis, and de rest!"
"My good friends," said George, as soon as he could get a silence, "there'll be no need for you to leave me. The place wants as many hands to work it as it did before. We need the same about the house that we did before. But, you are now free men and free women. I shall pay you wages for your work, such as we shall agree on. The advantage is, that in case of my getting in debt, or dying,--things that might happen,--you cannot now be taken up and sold. I expect to carry on the estate, and to teach you what, perhaps, it will take you some time to learn,--how to use the rights I give you as free men and women. I expect you to be good, and willing to learn; and I trust in God that I shall be faithful, and willing to teach. And now, my friends, look up, and thank God for the blessing26 of freedom."
An aged27, partriarchal negro, who had grown gray and blind on the estate, now rose, and, lifting his trembling hand said, "Let us give thanks unto the Lord!" As all kneeled by one consent, a more touching28 and hearty29 Te Deum never ascended30 to heaven, though borne on the peal31 of organ, bell and cannon32, than came from that honest old heart.
On rising, another struck up a Methodist hymn33, of which the burden was,
"The year of Jubilee34 is come,-Return, ye ransomed35 sinners, home."
"One thing more," said George, as he stopped the congratulations of the throng36; "you all remember our good old Uncle Tom?"
George here gave a short narration37 of the scene of his death, and of his loving farewell to all on the place, and added,
"It was on his grave, my friends, that I resolved, before God, that I would never own another slave, while it was possible to free him; that nobody, through me, should ever run the risk of being parted from home and friends, and dying on a lonely plantation20, as he died. So, when you rejoice in your freedom, think that you owe it to that good old soul, and pay it back in kindness to his wife and children. Think of your freedom, every time you see UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; and let it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow in his steps, and be honest and faithful and Christian38 as he was."
收听单词发音 |
1
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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dispelling
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的现在分词 ) | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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punctiliousness
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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pertinaciously
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| adv.坚持地；固执地；坚决地；执拗地 | |
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capability
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| n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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compassionately
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| adv.表示怜悯地，有同情心地 | |
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16
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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18
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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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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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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convened
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| 召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合 | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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32
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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34
jubilee
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| n.周年纪念；欢乐 | |
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35
ransomed
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| 付赎金救人，赎金( ransom的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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