英语天堂-第112章

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But　Eva　bent　to　the　other　side　of　the　horse；　where　Dodo　was　standing；　and　said；　as　he　relinquished　the　reins；—“That’s　a　good　boy；　Dodo；—thank　you！”
Dodo　looked　up　in　amazement　into　the　sweet　young　face；　the　blood　rushed　to　his　cheeks；　and　the　tears　to　his　eyes。
“Here；　Dodo；”　said　his　master；　imperiously。
Dodo　sprang　and　held　the　horse；　while　his　master　mounted。
“There’s　a　picayune　for　you　to　buy　candy　with；　Dodo；”　said　Henrique；　“go　get　some。”
And　Henrique　cantered　down　the　walk　after　Eva。　Dodo　stood　looking　after　the　two　children。　One　had　given　him　money；　and　one　had　given　him　what　he　wanted　far　more；—a　kind　word；　kindly　spoken。　Dodo　had　been　only　a　few　months　away　from　his　mother。　His　master　had　bought　him　at　a　slave　warehouse；　for　his　handsome　face；　to　be　a　match　to　the　handsome　pony；　and　he　was　now　getting　his　breaking　in；　at　the　hands　of　his　young　master。
The　scene　of　the　beating　had　been　witnessed　by　the　two　brothers　St。　Clare；　from　another　part　of　the　garden。
Augustine’s　cheek　flushed；　but　he　only　observed；　with　his　usual　sarcastic　carelessness。
“I　suppose　that’s　what　we　may　call　republican　education；　Alfred？”
“Henrique　is　a　devil　of　a　fellow；　when　his　blood’s　up；”　said　Alfred；　carelessly。
“I　suppose　you　consider　this　an　instructive　practice　for　him；”　said　Augustine；　drily。
“I　couldn’t　help　it；　if　I　didn’t。　Henrique　is　a　regular　little　tempest；—his　mother　and　I　have　given　him　up；　long　ago。　But；　then；　that　Dodo　is　a　perfect　sprite；—no　amount　of　whipping　can　hurt　him。”
“And　this　by　way　of　teaching　Henrique　the　first　verse　of　a　republican’s　catechism；　‘All　men　are　born　free　and　equal！’”
“Poh！”　said　Alfred；　“one　of　Tom　Jefferson’s　pieces　of　French　sentiment　and　humbug。　It’s　perfectly　ridiculous　to　have　that　going　the　rounds　among　us；　to　this　day。”
“I　think　it　is；”　said　St。　Clare；　significantly。
“Because；”　said　Alfred；　“we　can　see　plainly　enough　that　all　men　are　not　born　free；　nor　born　equal；　they　are　born　anything　else。　For　my　part；　I　think　half　this　republican　talk　sheer　humbug。　It　is　the　educated；　the　intelligent；　the　wealthy；　the　refined；　who　ought　to　have　equal　rights　and　not　the　canaille。”
“If　you　can　keep　the　canaille　of　that　opinion；”　said　Augustine。　“They　took　their　turn　once；　in　France。”
“Of　course；　they　must　be　kept　down；　consistently；　steadily；　as　I　should；”　said　Alfred；　setting　his　foot　hard　down　as　if　he　were　standing　on　somebody。
“It　makes　a　terrible　slip　when　they　get　up；”　said　Augustine；—“in　St。　Domingo；　for　instance。”
“Poh！”　said　Alfred；　“we’ll　take　care　of　that；　in　this　country。　We　must　set　our　face　against　all　this　educating；　elevating　talk；　that　is　getting　about　now；　the　lower　class　must　not　be　educated。”
“That　is　past　praying　for；”　said　Augustine；　“educated　they　will　be；　and　we　have　only　to　say　how。　Our　system　is　educating　them　in　barbarism　and　brutality。　We　are　breaking　all　humanizing　ties；　and　making　them　brute　beasts；　and；　if　they　get　the　upper　hand；　such　we　shall　find　them。”
“They　shall　never　get　the　upper　hand！”　said　Alfred。
“That’s　right；”　said　St。　Clare；　“put　on　the　steam；　fasten　down　the　escape…valve；　and　sit　on　it；　and　see　where　you’ll　land。”
“Well；”　said　Alfred；　“we　will　see。　I’m　not　afraid　to　sit　on　the　escape…valve；　as　long　as　the　boilers　are　strong；　and　the　machinery　works　well。”
“The　nobles　in　Louis　XVI。’s　time　thought　just　so；　and　Austria　and　Pius　IX。　think　so　now；　and；　some　pleasant　morning；　you　may　all　be　caught　up　to　meet　each　other　in　the　air；　when　the　boilers　burst。”
“Dies　declarabit；”　said　Alfred；　laughing。
“I　tell　you；”　said　Augustine；　“if　there　is　anything　that　is　revealed　with　the　strength　of　a　divine　law　in　our　times；　it　is　that　the　masses　are　to　rise；　and　the　under　class　become　the　upper　one。”
“That’s　one　of　your　red　republican　humbugs；　Augustine！　Why　didn’t　you　ever　take　to　the　stump；—you’d　make　a　famous　stump　orator！　Well；　I　hope　I　shall　be　dead　before　this　millennium　of　your　greasy　masses　comes　on。”
“Greasy　or　not　greasy；　they　will　govern　you；　when　their　time　comes；”　said　Augustine；　“and　they　will　be　just　such　rulers　as　you　make　them。　The　French　noblesse　chose　to　have　the　people　‘sans　culottes；’　and　they　had　‘sans　culotte’　governors　to　their　hearts’　content。　The　people　of　Hayti—”
“O；　come；　Augustine！　as　if　we　hadn’t　had　enough　of　that　abominable；　contemptible　Hayti！1　The　Haytiens　were　not　Anglo　Saxons；　if　they　had　been　there　would　have　been　another　story。　The　Anglo　Saxon　is　the　dominant　race　of　the　world；　and　is　to　be　so。”
“Well；　there　is　a　pretty　fair　infusion　of　Anglo　Saxon　blood　among　our　slaves；　now；”　said　Augustine。　“There　are　plenty　among　them　who　have　only　enough　of　the　African　to　give　a　sort　of　tropical　warmth　and　fervor　to　our　calculating　firmness　and　foresight。　If　ever　the　San　Domingo　hour　comes；　Anglo　Saxon　blood　will　lead　on　the　day。　Sons　of　white　fathers；　with　all　our　haughty　feelings　burning　in　their　veins；　will　not　always　be　bought　and　sold　and　traded。　They　will　rise；　and　raise　with　them　their　mother’s　race。”
“Stuff！—nonsense！”
“Well；”　said　Augustine；　“there　goes　an　old　saying　to　this　effect；　‘As　it　was　in　the　days　of　Noah　so　shall　it　be；—they　ate；　they　drank；　they　planted；　they　builded；　and　knew　not　till　the　flood　came　and　took　them。’”
“On　the　whole；　Augustine；　I　think　your　talents　might　do　for　a　circuit　rider；”　said　Alfred；　laughing。　“Never　you　fear　for　us；　possession　is　our　nine　points。　We’ve　got　the　power。　This　subject　race；”　said　he；　stamping　firmly；　“is　down　and　shall　stay　down！　We　have　energy　enough　to　manage　our　own　powder。”
“Sons　trained　like　your　Henrique　will　be　grand　guardians　of　your　powder…magazines；”　said　Augustine；—“so　cool　and　self…possessed！　The　proverb　says；　“‘They　that　cannot　govern　themselves　cannot　govern　others。’”
“There　is　a　trouble　there”　said　Alfred；　thoughtfully；　“there’s　no　doubt　that　our　system　is　a　difficult　one　to　train　children　under。　It　gives　too　free　scope　to　the　passions；　altogether；　which；　in　our　climate；　are　hot　enough。　I　find　trouble　with　Henrique。　The　boy　is　generous　and　warm…hearted；　but　a　perfect　fire…cracker　when　excited。　I　believe　I　shall　send　him　North　for　his　education；　where　obedience　is　more　fashionable；　and　where　he　will　associate　more　with　equals；　and　less　with　dependents。”
“Since　training　children　is　the　staple　work　of　the　human　race；”　said　Augustine；　“I　should　think　it　something　of　a　consideration　that　our　system　does　not　work　well　there。”
“It　does　not　for　some　things；”　said　Alfred；　“for　others；　again；　it　does。　It　makes　boys　manly　and　courageous；　and　the　very　vices　of　an　abject　race　tend　to　strengthen　in　them　the　opposite　virtues。　I　think　Henrique；　now；　has　a　keener　sense　of　the　beauty　of　truth；　from　seeing　lying　and　deception　the　universal　badge　of　slavery。”
“A　Christian…like　view　of　the　subject；　certainly！”　said　Augustine。
“It’s　true；　Christian…like　or　not；　and　is　about　as　Christian…like　as　most　other　things　in　the　world；”　said　Alfred。
“That　may　be；”　said　St。　Clare。
“Well；　there’s　no　use　in　talking；　Augustine。　I　believe　we’ve　been　round　and　round　this　old　track　five　hundred　times；　more　or　less。　What　do　you　say　to　a　game　of　backgammon？”
The　two　brothers　ran　up　the　verandah　steps；　and　were　soon　seated　at　a　light　bamboo　stand；　with　the　backgammon…board　between　them。　As　they　were　setting　their　men；　Alfred　said；
“I　tell　you；　Augustine；　if　I　thought　as　you　do；　I　should　do　something。”
“I　dare　say　you　would；—you　are　one　of　the　doing　sort；—but　what？”
“Why；　elevate　your　own　servants；　for　a　specimen；”　said　Alfred；　with　a　half…scornful　smile。
“You　might　as　well　set　Mount　？tna　on　them　flat；　and　tell　them　to　stand　up　under　it；　as　tell　me　to　elevate　my　servants　under　all　the　superincumbent　mass　of　society　upon　them。　One　man　can　do　nothing；　against　the　whole　action　of　a　community。　Education；　to　do　anything；　must　be　a　state　education；　or　there　must　be　enough　agreed　in　it　to　make　a　current。”
“You　take　the　first　throw；”　said　Alfred；　and　the　brothers　were　soon　lost　in　the　game；　and　heard　no　more　till　the　scraping　of　horses’　feet　was　heard　under　the　verandah。
“There　come　the　children；”　said　Augustine；　rising。　“Look　h