Another Phase Of The Picture
WHILE the ceremony we have described in the foregoing chapter was proceeding1, Clotilda, yielding to the earnest request of Franconia, dresses herself in garments she has provided, and awaits the commencement of the scene. A little schooner2 from one of the Bahama Islands lies moored3 in the harbour awaiting a fair wind to return.
We need scarcely tell the reader that a plan of escape had been previously4 arranged between Franconia and Maxwell; but why she took so earnest a part in carrying it out, we must reserve for another chapter.
Maxwell had sought the captain of this schooner, found him of a generous disposition5, ready to act in behalf of freedom. Having soon gained his confidence, and enlisted6 his good services, it took no great amount of persuasion7 to do this, his feelings having already been aroused against slavery, the giant arms of which, stretched out between fear and injustice8, had interfered9 with his rights. He had seen it grasp the bones and sinews of those who were born in freedom-he had seen men laugh at his appeals for justice-he had seen one of his free-born British seamen10 manacled and dragged to prison at noonday, merely because his skin was slightly coloured; he had been compelled to pay tribute to keep alive the oppressor's power, to compensate12 the villainy rogues13 practise upon honest men.
"Yes!" says the captain, a sturdy son of the sea, in answer to Maxwell; "bring her on board; and with a heart's best wishes, if I don't land her free and safe in Old Bahama I'll never cross the gulf14 stream again." And the mode of getting the boats ready was at once arranged.
The night was still and dark; picturesque15 illuminations in and around the mansion16 glittered in contrast with the starry17 arch of heaven; the soft south breeze fans to life the dark foliage18 that clusters around-nature has clothed the scene with her beauties. Clotilda-she has eagerly awaited the coming time-descends to the balustrade in the rear of the mansion. Here she meets a band of musicians; they have assembled to serenade, and wait the benediction19, a signal for which will be made from one of the balconies. She fears they may recognise her, hesitates at the entrance, paces backward and forward in the colonnade20, and professes21 to be awaiting some message from her mistress. Again scanning the scene, she watches intently, keeping her eyes fixed22 in the direction Franconia has suggested. "I was to meet Maxwell there!" works upon her mind until she becomes nervous and agitated23. "I was, and must meet him there;" and she walks slowly back to the entrance, turns and returns, watches until her soul has nearly sickened, at length espies24 the joyous25 signal. Franconia did not deceive her. Oh, no! he stands there in the glare of a lamp that hangs from a willow-tree. She vaults26 over the path, grasps his hand with a sister's affection, and simultaneously27 the soft swelling28 music of "Still so gently o'er me stealing!" floats in the air, as dulcet29 and soul-stirring as ever touched the fancy, or clothed with holy inspiration the still repose30 of a southern landscape at midnight. But she is with Maxwell; they have passed the serenaders,--liberty is the haven31 of her joy, it gives her new hopes of the future. Those hopes dispel32 the regrets that hover33 over her mind as she thinks of her child.
For several minutes they stand together, listening to the music, and watching the familiar faces of old friends as they come upon the balcony in the second story. Southern life had its pleasant associations-none would attempt to deny them; but the evil brooded in the uncertainty34 that hung over the fate of millions, now yielding indulgence to make life pleasant, then sinking them for ever in the cruelties of a tyrant's power. It is the crushing out of the mind's force,--the subduing35 the mental and physical man to make the chattel36 complete,--the shutting out of all the succinct37 virtues38 that nurture39 freedom, that incite40 us to improve the endowments of nature, that proves the rankling41 poison. And this poison spreads its baneful42 influence in and around good men's better desires.
After watching in silence for a few moments, Clotilda gives vent43 to her feelings. "I should like to see old Daddy Bob once more, I should! And my poor Annette; she is celled to be sold, I'm afraid; but I must yield to the kindness of Franconia. I have seen some good times among the old folks on the plantation44. And there's Aunt Rachel,--a good creature after all,--and Harry45. Well; I mustn't think of these things; freedom is sweetest," she says. Maxwell suggests that they move onward46. The music dies away in the stillness, as they turn from the scene to flee beyond the grasp of men who traffic in human things called property,--not by a great constitution, but under a constitution's freedom giving power. Would that a great and glorious nation had not sold its freedom to the damning stain of avarice47! would that it had not perverted48 that holy word, for the blessings49 of which generations have struggled in vain! would that it had not substituted a freedom that mystifies a jurisprudence,--that brings forth50 the strangest fruit of human passions,--that makes prison walls and dreary51 cells death-beds of the innocent;-that permits human beings to be born for the market, and judged by the ripest wisdom! "Has God ordained52 such freedom lasting53?" will force itself upon us.-We must return to our humble54 adventurers.
The fugitives55 reached the back gate, leading into a narrow lane, from whence they cross into the main street. Clotilda has none of the African about her; the most observing guardsman would not stop her for a slave. They pass along unmolested; the guardsmen, some mounted and some walking at a slow pace, bow politely. No one demands a pass. They arrive in safety at a point about two miles from the city, where the captain and his boat await them. No time is lost in embarking56: the little bark rides at anchor in the stream; the boat quietly glides57 to her; they are safely on board. A few minutes more, and the little craft moves seaward under the pressure of a gentle breeze. There is no tragic58 pursuit of slave-hunters, no tramp of horses to terrify the bleeding victim, no howlings of ravenous59 bloodhounds,--nothing that would seem to make the issue freedom or death. No! all is as still as a midsummer night in the same clime. The woman--this daughter of slavery's vices--cherishes a love for freedom; the hope of gaining it, and improving those endowments nature has bestowed60 upon her, freshens her spirits and gives her life to look forward without desponding. Maxwell is her friend; he has witnessed the blighting61 power of slavery-not alone in its workings upon the black man, but upon the lineal offspring of freemen-and has resolved to work against its mighty62 arm. With him it is the spontaneous action of a generous heart sympathising for the wrongs inflicted63 upon the weak, and loving to see right respected.
The fair Franconia, who has just been forced to accept the hand of a mere11 charlatan64, disclosed the secrets of her mind to him; it was she who incited65 him to an act which might have sacrificed his freedom, perhaps his life. But mankind is possessed66 of an innate67 feeling to do good; and there is a charm added when the object to be served is a fair creature about to be dragged into the miseries68 of slavery. Even the rougher of our kind cannot resist it; and at times-we except the servile opinion which slavery inflicts69 upon a people through its profitable issues-prompts the ruffian to generous acts.
The little bark, bound for the haven of freedom, sailed onward over the blue waters, and when daylight dawned had crossed the bar separating the harbour from the ocean. Clotilda ascends70 to the deck, sits on the companion-seat, and in a pensive71 mood watches the fading hills where slavery stains the fair name of freedom,--where oppression rears its dark monuments to for ever torture and disgrace a harmless race. She looks intently upon them, as one by one they fade in the obscure horizon, seeming to recall the many associations, pleasant and painful, through which she has passed. She turns from the contemplation to the deep blue sea, and the unclouded arch of heaven, as they spread out before her: they are God's own, man cannot pollute them; they are like a picture of glory inspiring her with emotions she cannot suppress. As the last dim sight of land is lost in the distance, she waves a handkerchief, as if to bid it adieu for ever; then looking at Maxwell, who sits by her side, she says, with a sigh, "I am beyond it! Free,--yes, free! But, have I not left a sufferer behind? There is my poor Annette, my child; I will clasp her to my bosom,--I will love her more when I meet her again. Good-bye, Franconia-dear Franconia! She will be a mother to my little one; she will keep her word." Thus saying, she casts a look upward, invokes72 heaven to be merciful to her persecutors,--to protect her child,--to guard Franconia through life. Tears stream down her cheeks as she waves her hand and retires to the cabin.
1 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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2 schooner | |
n.纵帆船 | |
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3 moored | |
adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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4 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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5 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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6 enlisted | |
adj.应募入伍的v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 );获得(帮助或支持) | |
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7 persuasion | |
n.劝说;说服;持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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8 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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9 interfered | |
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉 | |
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10 seamen | |
n.海员 | |
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11 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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12 compensate | |
vt.补偿,赔偿;酬报 vi.弥补;补偿;抵消 | |
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13 rogues | |
n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 );无赖;调皮捣蛋的人;离群的野兽 | |
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14 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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15 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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16 mansion | |
n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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17 starry | |
adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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18 foliage | |
n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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19 benediction | |
n.祝福;恩赐 | |
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20 colonnade | |
n.柱廊 | |
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21 professes | |
声称( profess的第三人称单数 ); 宣称; 公开表明; 信奉 | |
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22 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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23 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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24 espies | |
v.看到( espy的第三人称单数 ) | |
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25 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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26 vaults | |
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴 | |
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27 simultaneously | |
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地 | |
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28 swelling | |
n.肿胀 | |
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29 dulcet | |
adj.悦耳的 | |
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30 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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31 haven | |
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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32 dispel | |
vt.驱走,驱散,消除 | |
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33 hover | |
vi.翱翔,盘旋;徘徊;彷徨,犹豫 | |
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34 uncertainty | |
n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物 | |
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35 subduing | |
征服( subdue的现在分词 ); 克制; 制服; 色变暗 | |
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36 chattel | |
n.动产;奴隶 | |
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37 succinct | |
adj.简明的,简洁的 | |
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38 virtues | |
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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39 nurture | |
n.养育,照顾,教育;滋养,营养品;vt.养育,给与营养物,教养,扶持 | |
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40 incite | |
v.引起,激动,煽动 | |
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41 rankling | |
v.(使)痛苦不已,(使)怨恨不已( rankle的现在分词 ) | |
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42 baneful | |
adj.有害的 | |
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43 vent | |
n.通风口,排放口;开衩;vt.表达,发泄 | |
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44 plantation | |
n.种植园,大农场 | |
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45 harry | |
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼 | |
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46 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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47 avarice | |
n.贪婪;贪心 | |
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48 perverted | |
adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 );腐蚀;败坏;使堕落 | |
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49 blessings | |
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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50 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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51 dreary | |
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的 | |
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52 ordained | |
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定 | |
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53 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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54 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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55 fugitives | |
n.亡命者,逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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56 embarking | |
乘船( embark的现在分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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57 glides | |
n.滑行( glide的名词复数 );滑音;音渡;过渡音v.滑动( glide的第三人称单数 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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58 tragic | |
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
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59 ravenous | |
adj.极饿的,贪婪的 | |
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60 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 blighting | |
使凋萎( blight的现在分词 ); 使颓丧; 损害; 妨害 | |
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62 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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63 inflicted | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64 charlatan | |
n.骗子;江湖医生;假内行 | |
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65 incited | |
刺激,激励,煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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67 innate | |
adj.天生的,固有的,天赋的 | |
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68 miseries | |
n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 );痛苦的事;穷困;常发牢骚的人 | |
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69 inflicts | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 ) | |
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70 ascends | |
v.上升,攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
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71 pensive | |
a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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72 invokes | |
v.援引( invoke的第三人称单数 );行使(权利等);祈求救助;恳求 | |
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