英语天堂-第62章

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honorable　heart　would　not　allow　you　to　render；　were　you　in　our　place？
Be　that　as　it　may；　if　our　good　senator　was　a　political　sinner；　he　was　in　a　fair　way　to　expiate　it　by　his　night’s　penance。　There　had　been　a　long　continuous　period　of　rainy　weather；　and　the　soft；　rich　earth　of　Ohio；　as　every　one　knows；　is　admirably　suited　to　the　manufacture　of　mud—and　the　road　was　an　Ohio　railroad　of　the　good　old　times。
“And　pray；　what　sort　of　a　road　may　that　be？”　says　some　eastern　traveller；　who　has　been　acomustomed　to　connect　no　ideas　with　a　railroad；　but　those　of　smoothness　or　speed。
Know；　then；　innocent　eastern　friend；　that　in　benighted　regions　of　the　west；　where　the　mud　is　of　unfathomable　and　sublime　depth；　roads　are　made　of　round　rough　logs；　arranged　transversely　side　by　side；　and　coated　over　in　their　pristine　freshness　with　earth；　turf；　and　whatsoever　may　come　to　hand；　and　then　the　rejoicing　native　calleth　it　a　road；　and　straightway　essayeth　to　ride　thereupon。　In　process　of　time；　the　rains　wash　off　all　the　turf　and　grass　aforesaid；　move　the　logs　hither　and　thither；　in　picturesque　positions；　up；　down　and　crosswise；　with　divers　chasms　and　ruts　of　black　mud　intervening。
Over　such　a　road　as　this　our　senator　went　stumbling　along；　making　moral　reflections　as　continuously　as　under　the　circumstances　could　be　expected；—the　carriage　proceeding　along　much　as　follows；—bump！　bump！　bump！　slush！　down　in　the　mud！—the　senator；　woman　and　child；　reversing　their　positions　so　suddenly　as　to　come；　without　any　very　acomurate　adjustment；　against　the　windows　of　the　down…hill　side。　Carriage　sticks　fast；　while　Cudjoe　on　the　outside　is　heard　making　a　great　muster　among　the　horses。　After　various　ineffectual　pullings　and　twitchings；　just　as　the　senator　is　losing　all　patience；　the　carriage　suddenly　rights　itself　with　a　bounce；—two　front　wheels　go　down　into　another　abyss；　and　senator；　woman；　and　child；　all　tumble　promiscuously　on　to　the　front　seat；—senator’s　hat　is　jammed　over　his　eyes　and　nose　quite　unceremoniously；　and　he　considers　himself　fairly　extinguished；—child　cries；　and　Cudjoe　on　the　outside　delivers　animated　addresses　to　the　horses；　who　are　kicking；　and　floundering；　and　straining　under　repeated　cracks　of　the　whip。　Carriage　springs　up；　with　another　bounce；—down　go　the　hind　wheels；—senator；　woman；　and　child；　fly　over　on　to　the　back　seat；　his　elbows　encountering　her　bonnet；　and　both　her　feet　being　jammed　into　his　hat；　which　flies　off　in　the　concussion。　After　a　few　moments　the　“slough”　is　passed；　and　the　horses　stop；　panting；—the　senator　finds　his　hat；　the　woman　straightens　her　bonnet　and　hushes　her　child；　and　they　brace　themselves　for　what　is　yet　to　come。
For　a　while　only　the　continuous　bump！　bump！　intermingled；　just　by　way　of　variety；　with　divers　side　plunges　and　compound　shakes；　and　they　begin　to　flatter　themselves　that　they　are　not　so　badly　off；　after　all。　At　last；　with　a　square　plunge；　which　puts　all　on　to　their　feet　and　then　down　into　their　seats　with　incredible　quickness；　the　carriage　stops；—and；　after　much　outside　commotion；　Cudjoe　appears　at　the　door。
“Please；　sir；　it’s　powerful　bad　spot；　this’　yer。　I　don’t　know　how　we’s　to　get　clar　out。　I’m　a　thinkin’　we’ll　have　to　be　a　gettin’　rails。”
The　senator　despairingly　steps　out；　picking　gingerly　for　some　firm　foothold；　down　goes　one　foot　an　immeasurable　depth；—he　tries　to　pull　it　up；　loses　his　balance；　and　tumbles　over　into　the　mud；　and　is　fished　out；　in　a　very　despairing　condition；　by　Cudjoe。
But　we　forbear；　out　of　sympathy　to　our　readers’　bones。　Western　travellers；　who　have　beguiled　the　midnight　hour　in　the　interesting　process　of　pulling　down　rail　fences；　to　pry　their　carriages　out　of　mud　holes；　will　have　a　respectful　and　mournful　sympathy　with　our　unfortunate　hero。　We　beg　them　to　drop　a　silent　tear；　and　pass　on。
It　was　full　late　in　the　night　when　the　carriage　emerged；　dripping　and　bespattered；　out　of　the　creek；　and　stood　at　the　door　of　a　large　farmhouse。
It　took　no　inconsiderable　perseverance　to　arouse　the　inmates；　but　at　last　the　respectable　proprietor　appeared；　and　undid　the　door。　He　was　a　great；　tall；　bristling　Orson　of　a　fellow；　full　six　feet　and　some　inches　in　his　stockings；　and　arrayed　in　a　red　flannel　hunting…shirt。　A　very　heavy　mat　of　sandy　hair；　in　a　decidedly　tousled　condition；　and　a　beard　of　some　days’　growth；　gave　the　worthy　man　an　appearance；　to　say　the　least；　not　particularly　prepossessing。　He　stood　for　a　few　minutes　holding　the　candle　aloft；　and　blinking　on　our　travellers　with　a　dismal　and　mystified　expression　that　was　truly　ludicrous。　It　cost　some　effort　of　our　senator　to　induce　him　to　comprehend　the　case　fully；　and　while　he　is　doing　his　best　at　that；　we　shall　give　him　a　little　introduction　to　our　readers。
Honest　old　John　Van　Trompe　was　once　quite　a　considerable　land…owner　and　slave…owner　in　the　State　of　Kentucky。　Having　“nothing　of　the　bear　about　him　but　the　skin；”　and　being　gifted　by　nature　with　a　great；　honest；　just　heart；　quite　equal　to　his　gigantic　frame；　he　had　been　for　some　years　witnessing　with　repressed　uneasiness　the　workings　of　a　system　equally　bad　for　oppressor　and　oppressed。　At　last；　one　day；　John’s　great　heart　had　swelled　altogether　too　big　to　wear　his　bonds　any　longer；　so　he　just　took　his　pocket…book　out　of　his　desk；　and　went　over　into　Ohio；　and　bought　a　quarter　of　a　township　of　good；　rich　land；　made　out　free　papers　for　all　his　people；—men；　women；　and　children；—packed　them　up　in　wagons；　and　sent　them　off　to　settle　down；　and　then　honest　John　turned　his　face　up　the　creek；　and　sat　quietly　down　on　a　snug；　retired　farm；　to　enjoy　his　conscience　and　his　reflections。
“Are　you　the　man　that　will　shelter　a　poor　woman　and　child　from　slave…catchers？”　said　the　senator；　explicitly。
“I　rather　think　I　am；”　said　honest　John；　with　some　considerable　emphasis。
“I　thought　so；”’　said　the　senator。
“If　there’s　anybody　comes；”　said　the　good　man；　stretching　his　tall；　muscular　form　upward；　“why　here　I’m　ready　for　him：　and　I’ve　got　seven　sons；　each　six　foot　high；　and　they’ll　be　ready　for　’em。　Give　our　respects　to　’em；”　said　John；　“tell　’em　it’s　no　matter　how　soon　they　call；—make　no　kinder　difference　to　us；”　said　John；　running　his　fingers　through　the　shock　of　hair　that　thatched　his　head；　and　bursting　out　into　a　great　laugh。
Weary；　jaded；　and　spiritless；　Eliza　dragged　herself　up　to　the　door；　with　her　child　lying　in　a　heavy　sleep　on　her　arm。　The　rough　man　held　the　candle　to　her　face；　and　uttering　a　kind　of　compassionate　grunt；　opened　the　door　of　a　small　bed…room　adjoining　to　the　large　kitchen　where　they　were　standing；　and　motioned　her　to　go　in。　He　took　down　a　candle；　and　lighting　it；　set　it　upon　the　table；　and　then　addressed　himself　to　Eliza。
“Now；　I　say；　gal；　you　needn’t　be　a　bit　afeard；　let　who　will　come　here。　I’m　up　to　all　that　sort　o’　thing；”　said　he；　pointing　to　two　or　three　goodly　rifles　over　the　mantel…piece；　“and　most　people　that　know　me　know　that　’t　wouldn’t　be　healthy　to　try　to　get　anybody　out　o’　my　house　when　I’m　agin　it。　So　now　you　jist　go　to　sleep　now；　as　quiet　as　if　yer　mother　was　a　rockin’　ye；”　said　he；　as　he　shut　the　door。
“Why；　this　is　an　uncommon　handsome　un；”　he　said　to　the　senator。　“Ah；　well；　handsome　uns　has　the　greatest　cause　to　run；　sometimes；　if　they　has　any　kind　o’　feelin；　such　as　decent　women　should。　I　know　all　about　that。”
The　senator；　in　a　few　words；　briefly　explained　Eliza’s　history。
“O！　ou！　aw！　now；　I　want　to　know？”　said　the　good　man；　pitifully；　“sho！　now　sho！　That’s　natur　now；　poor　crittur！　hunted　down　now　like　a　deer；—hunted　down；　jest　for　havin’　natural　feelin’s；　and　doin’　what　no　kind　o’　mother　could　help　a　doin’！　I　tell　ye　what；　these　yer　things　make　me　come　the　nighest　to　swearin’；　now；　o’　most　anything；”　said　honest　John；　as　he　wiped　his　eyes　with　the　back　of　a　great；　freckled；　yellow　hand。　“I　tell　yer　what；　stranger；　it　was　years　and　years　before　I’d　jine　the　church；　’cause　the　ministers　round　in　our　parts　used　to　preach　that　the　Bible　went　in　for　these　ere　cuttings　up；—and　I　couldn’t　be　up　to　’em　with　their　Greek　and　Hebrew；　and　so　I　took　up　agin　’em；　Bible　and　all。　I　never　jined　the　church　till　I　found　a　minister　that　was　up　to　’em　all　in　Greek　and　all　that；　and