Rena wondered who the lady might be. She had a benevolent3 aspect, however, and came forward to the desk with a smile, not at all embarrassed by the wide-eyed inspection4 of the entire school.
"How do you do?" she said, extending her hand to the teacher. "I live in the neighborhood and am interested in the colored people—a good many of them once belonged to me. I heard something of your school, and thought I should like to make your acquaintance."
"It is very kind of you, indeed," murmured Rena respectfully.
"Yes," continued the lady, "I am not one of those who sit back and blame their former slaves because they were freed. They are free now,—it is all decided5 and settled,—and they ought to be taught enough to enable them to make good use of their freedom. But really, my dear,—you mustn't feel offended if I make a mistake,—I am going to ask you something very personal." She looked suggestively at the gaping6 pupils.
"The school may take the morning recess7 now," announced the teacher. The pupils filed out in an orderly manner, most of them stationing themselves about the grounds in such places as would keep the teacher and the white lady in view. Very few white persons approved of the colored schools; no other white person had ever visited this one.
A year and a half earlier, Rena would have met the question by some display of self-consciousness. Now, she replied simply and directly.
"Yes, ma'am, I am colored."
The lady, who had been studying her as closely as good manners would permit, sighed regretfully.
"Well, it's a shame. No one would ever think it. If you chose to conceal9 it, no one would ever be the wiser. What is your name, child, and where were you brought up? You must have a romantic history."
Rena gave her name and a few facts in regard to her past. The lady was so much interested, and put so many and such searching questions, that Rena really found it more difficult to suppress the fact that she had been white, than she had formerly10 had in hiding her African origin. There was about the girl an air of real refinement11 that pleased the lady,—the refinement not merely of a fine nature, but of contact with cultured people; a certain reserve of speech and manner quite inconsistent with Mrs. Tryon's experience of colored women. The lady was interested and slightly mystified. A generous, impulsive12 spirit,—her son's own mother,—she made minute inquiries13 about the school and the pupils, several of whom she knew by name. Rena stated that the two months' term was nearing its end, and that she was training the children in various declamations and dialogues for the exhibition at the close.
"I shall attend it," declared the lady positively14. "I'm sure you are doing a good work, and it's very noble of you to undertake it when you might have a very different future. If I can serve you at any time, don't hesitate to call upon me. I live in the big white house just before you turn out of the Clinton road to come this way. I'm only a widow, but my son George lives with me and has some influence in the neighborhood. He drove by here yesterday with the lady he is going to marry. It was she who told me about you."
Was it the name, or some subtle resemblance in speech or feature, that recalled Tryon's image to Rena's mind? It was not so far away—the image of the loving Tryon—that any powerful witchcraft15 was required to call it up. His mother was a widow; Rena had thought, in happier days, that she might be such a kind lady as this. But the cruel Tryon who had left her—his mother would be some hard, cold, proud woman, who would regard a negro as but little better than a dog, and who would not soil her lips by addressing a colored person upon any other terms than as a servant. She knew, too, that Tryon did not live in Sampson County, though the exact location of his home was not clear to her.
"And where are you staying, my dear?" asked the good lady.
"I'm boarding at Mrs. Wain's," answered Rena.
"Mrs. Wain's?"
"Yes, they live in the old Campbell place."
"Oh, yes—Aunt Nancy. She's a good enough woman, but we don't think much of her son Jeff. He married my Amanda after the war—she used to belong to me, and ought to have known better. He abused her most shamefully16, and had to be threatened with the law. She left him a year or so ago and went away; I haven't seen her lately. Well, good-by, child; I'm coming to your exhibition. If you ever pass my house, come in and see me."
The good lady had talked for half an hour, and had brought a ray of sunshine into the teacher's monotonous17 life, heretofore lighted only by the uncertain lamp of high resolve. She had satisfied a pardonable curiosity, and had gone away without mentioning her name.
"Who was the lady, Plato?" asked the teacher when the visitor had driven away.
"Dat 'uz my ole mist'iss, ma'm," returned Plato proudly,—"ole Mis' 'Liza."
"Mis' 'Liza who?" asked Rena.
"Mis' 'Liza Tryon. I use' ter b'long ter her. Dat 'uz her son, my young Mars Geo'ge, w'at driv pas' hyuh yistiddy wid 'is sweetheart."
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收听单词发音
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1
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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3
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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7
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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8
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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10
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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12
impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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13
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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14
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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15
witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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16
shamefully
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| 可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地 | |
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17
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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untying
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| untie的现在分词 | |
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