英语天堂-第50章

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t　danger　that　a　horse　could　be　caught；　there　he　would　bear　down　full　tilt；　shouting；　“Now　for　it！　cotch　him！　cotch　him！”　in　a　way　that　would　set　everything　to　indiscriminate　rout　in　a　moment。
Haley　ran　up　and　down；　and　cursed　and　swore　and　stamped　miscellaneously。　Mr。　Shelby　in　vain　tried　to　shout　directions　from　the　balcony；　and　Mrs。　Shelby　from　her　chamber　window　alternately　laughed　and　wondered；—not　without　some　inkling　of　what　lay　at　the　bottom　of　all　this　confusion。
At　last；　about　twelve　o’clock；　Sam　appeared　triumphant；　mounted　on　Jerry；　with　Haley’s　horse　by　his　side；　reeking　with　sweat；　but　with　flashing　eyes　and　dilated　nostrils；　showing　that　the　spirit　of　freedom　had　not　yet　entirely　subsided。
“He’s　cotched！”　he　exclaimed；　triumphantly。　“If　’t　hadn’t　been　for　me；　they　might　a　bust　themselves；　all　on　’em；　but　I　cotched　him！”
“You！”　growled　Haley；　in　no　amiable　mood。　“If　it　hadn’t　been　for　you；　this　never　would　have　happened。”
“Lord　bless　us；　Mas’r；”　said　Sam；　in　a　tone　of　the　deepest　concern；　“and　me　that　has　been　racin’　and　chasin’　till　the　sweat　jest　pours　off　me！”
“Well；　well！”　said　Haley；　“you’ve　lost　me　near　three　hours；　with　your　cursed　nonsense。　Now　let’s　be　off；　and　have　no　more　fooling。”
“Why；　Mas’r；”　said　Sam；　in　a　deprecating　tone；　“I　believe　you　mean　to　kill　us　all　clar；　horses　and　all。　Here　we　are　all　just　ready　to　drop　down；　and　the　critters　all　in　a　reek　of　sweat。　Why；　Mas’r　won’t　think　of　startin’　on　now　till　arter　dinner。　Mas’rs’　hoss　wants　rubben　down；　see　how　he　splashed　hisself；　and　Jerry　limps　too；　don’t　think　Missis　would　be　willin’　to　have　us　start　dis　yer　way；　no　how。　Lord　bless　you；　Mas’r；　we　can　ketch　up；　if　we　do　stop。　Lizy　never　was　no　great　of　a　walker。”
Mrs。　Shelby；　who；　greatly　to　her　amusement；　had　overheard　this　conversation　from　the　verandah；　now　resolved　to　do　her　part。　She　came　forward；　and；　courteously　expressing　her　concern　for　Haley’s　acomident；　pressed　him　to　stay　to　dinner；　saying　that　the　cook　should　bring　it　on　the　table　immediately。
Thus；　all　things　considered；　Haley；　with　rather　an　equivocal　grace；　proceeded　to　the　parlor；　while　Sam；　rolling　his　eyes　after　him　with　unutterable　meaning；　proceeded　gravely　with　the　horses　to　the　stable…yard。
“Did　yer　see　him；　Andy？　did　yer　see　him？　and　Sam；　when　he　had　got　fairly　beyond　the　shelter　of　the　barn；　and　fastened　the　horse　to　a　post。　“O；　Lor；　if　it　warn’t　as　good　as　a　meetin’；　now；　to　see　him　a　dancin’　and　kickin’　and　swarin’　at　us。　Didn’t　I　hear　him？　Swar　away；　ole　fellow　（says　I　to　myself　）；　will　yer　have　yer　hoss　now；　or　wait　till　you　cotch　him？　（says　I）。　Lor；　Andy；　I　think　I　can　see　him　now。”　And　Sam　and　Andy　leaned　up　against　the　barn　and　laughed　to　their　hearts’　content。
“Yer　oughter　seen　how　mad　he　looked；　when　I　brought　the　hoss　up。　Lord；　he’d　a　killed　me；　if　he　durs’　to；　and　there　I　was　a　standin’　as　innercent　and　as　humble。”
“Lor；　I　seed　you；”　said　Andy；　“an’t　you　an　old　hoss；　Sam？”
“Rather　specks　I　am；”　said　Sam；　“did　yer　see　Missis　up　stars　at　the　winder？　I　seed　her　laughin’。”
“I’m　sure；　I　was　racin’　so；　I　didn’t　see　nothing；”　said　Andy。
“Well；　yer　see；”　said　Sam；　proceeding　gravely　to　wash　down　Haley’s　pony；　“I　’se　’quired　what　yer　may　call　a　habit　o’　bobservation；　Andy。　It’s　a　very　’portant　habit；　Andy；　and　I　’commend　yer　to　be　cultivatin’　it；　now　yer　young。　Hist　up　that　hind　foot；　Andy。　Yer　see；　Andy；　it’s　bobservation　makes　all　de　difference　in　niggers。　Didn’t　I　see　which　way　the　wind　blew　dis　yer　mornin’？　Didn’t　I　see　what　Missis　wanted；　though　she　never　let　on？　Dat　ar’s　bobservation；　Andy。　I　’spects　it’s　what　you　may　call　a　faculty。　Faculties　is　different　in　different　peoples；　but　cultivation　of　’em　goes　a　great　way。”
“I　guess　if　I　hadn’t　helped　your　bobservation　dis　mornin’；　yer　wouldn’t　have　seen　your　way　so　smart；”　said　Andy。
“Andy；”　said　Sam；　“you’s　a　promisin’　child；　der　an’t　no　manner　o’　doubt。　I　thinks　lots　of　yer；　Andy；　and　I　don’t　feel　no　ways　ashamed　to　take　idees　from　you。　We　oughtenter　overlook　nobody；　Andy；　cause　the　smartest　on　us　gets　tripped　up　sometimes。　And　so；　Andy；　let’s　go　up　to　the　house　now。　I’ll　be　boun’　Missis’ll　give　us　an　uncommon　good　bite；　dis　yer　time。”
Chapter　7
The　Mother’s　Struggle
It　is　impossible　to　conceive　of　a　human　creature　more　wholly　desolate　and　forlorn　than　Eliza；　when　she　turned　her　footsteps　from　Uncle　Tom’s　cabin。
Her　husband’s　suffering　and　dangers；　and　the　danger　of　her　child；　all　blended　in　her　mind；　with　a　confused　and　stunning　sense　of　the　risk　she　was　running；　in　leaving　the　only　home　she　had　ever　known；　and　cutting　loose　from　the　protection　of　a　friend　whom　she　loved　and　revered。　Then　there　was　the　parting　from　every　familiar　object；—the　place　where　she　had　grown　up；　the　trees　under　which　she　had　played；　the　groves　where　she　had　walked　many　an　evening　in　happier　days；　by　the　side　of　her　young　husband；—everything；　as　it　lay　in　the　clear；　frosty　starlight；　seemed　to　speak　reproachfully　to　her；　and　ask　her　whither　could　she　go　from　a　home　like　that？
But　stronger　than　all　was　maternal　love；　wrought　into　a　paroxysm　of　frenzy　by　the　near　approach　of　a　fearful　danger。　Her　boy　was　old　enough　to　have　walked　by　her　side；　and；　in　an　indifferent　case；　she　would　only　have　led　him　by　the　hand；　but　now　the　bare　thought　of　putting　him　out　of　her　arms　made　her　shudder；　and　she　strained　him　to　her　bosom　with　a　convulsive　grasp；　as　she　went　rapidly　forward。
The　frosty　ground　creaked　beneath　her　feet；　and　she　trembled　at　the　sound；　every　quaking　leaf　and　fluttering　shadow　sent　the　blood　backward　to　her　heart；　and　quickened　her　footsteps。　She　wondered　within　herself　at　the　strength　that　seemed　to　be　come　upon　her；　for　she　felt　the　weight　of　her　boy　as　if　it　had　been　a　feather；　and　every　flutter　of　fear　seemed　to　increase　the　supernatural　power　that　bore　her　on；　while　from　her　pale　lips　burst　forth；　in　frequent　ejaculations；　the　prayer　to　a　Friend　above—“Lord；　help！　Lord；　save　me！”
If　it　were　your　Harry；　mother；　or　your　Willie；　that　were　going　to　be　torn　from　you　by　a　brutal　trader；　tomorrow　morning；—if　you　had　seen　the　man；　and　heard　that　the　papers　were　signed　and　delivered；　and　you　had　only　from　twelve　o’clock　till　morning　to　make　good　your　escape；—how　fast　could　you　walk？　How　many　miles　could　you　make　in　those　few　brief　hours；　with　the　darling　at　your　bosom；—the　little　sleepy　head　on　your　shoulder；—the　small；　soft　arms　trustingly　holding　on　to　your　neck？
For　the　child　slept。　At　first；　the　novelty　and　alarm　kept　him　waking；　but　his　mother　so　hurriedly　repressed　every　breath　or　sound；　and　so　assured　him　that　if　he　were　only　still　she　would　certainly　save　him；　that　he　clung　quietly　round　her　neck；　only　asking；　as　he　found　himself　sinking　to　sleep；
“Mother；　I　don’t　need　to　keep　awake；　do　I？”
“No；　my　darling；　sleep；　if　you　want　to。”
“But；　mother；　if　I　do　get　asleep；　you　won’t　let　him　get　me？”
“No！　so　may　God　help　me！”　said　his　mother；　with　a　paler　cheek；　and　a　brighter　light　in　her　large　dark　eyes。
“You’re　sure；　an’t　you；　mother？”
“Yes；　sure！”　said　the　mother；　in　a　voice　that　startled　herself；　for　it　seemed　to　her　to　come　from　a　spirit　within；　that　was　no　part　of　her；　and　the　boy　dropped　his　litle　weary　head　on　her　shoulder；　and　was　soon　asleep。　How　the　touch　of　those　warm　arms；　the　gentle　breathings　that　came　in　her　neck；　seemed　to　add　fire　and　spirit　to　her　movements！　It　seemed　to　her　as　if　strength　poured　into　her　in　electric　streams；　from　every　gentle　touch　and　movement　of　the　sleeping；　confiding　child。　Sublime　is　the　dominion　of　the　mind　over　the　body；　that；　for　a　time；　can　make　flesh　and　nerve　impregnable；　and　string　the　sinews　like　steel；　so　that　the　weak　become　so　mighty。
The　boundaries　of　the　farm；　the　grove；　the　wood…lot；　passed　by　her　dizzily；　as　she　walked　on；　and　still　she　went；　leaving　one　familiar　object　after　another；　slacking　not；　pausing　not；　till　reddening　daylight　found　her　many　a　long　mile　from　all　traces　of　any　familiar　objects　upon　the　open　highway。
She　had　often　been；　with　her　mistress；　to　visit　some　connections；　in　the　little　village　of　T——；　not　far　from　the　Ohio　river；　and　knew　the　road　well。　T