英语天堂-第65章

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and　’climating；　he’ll　have　a　berth　good　as　any　nigger　ought　ter　ask　for。”
“He　leaves　his　wife　and　chil’en　up　here；　s’pose？”
“Yes；　but　he’ll　get　another　thar。　Lord；　thar’s　women　enough　everywhar；”　said　Haley。
Tom　was　sitting　very　mournfully　on　the　outside　of　the　shop　while　this　conversation　was　going　on。　Suddenly　he　heard　the　quick；　short　click　of　a　horse’s　hoof　behind　him；　and；　before　he　could　fairly　awake　from　his　surprise；　young　Master　George　sprang　into　the　wagon；　threw　his　arms　tumultuously　round　his　neck；　and　was　sobbing　and　scolding　with　energy。
“I　declare；　it’s　real　mean！　I　don’t　care　what　they　say；　any　of　’em！　It’s　a　nasty；　mean　shame！　If　I　was　a　man；　they　shouldn’t　do　it；—they　should　not；　so！”　said　George；　with　a　kind　of　subdued　howl。
“O！　Mas’r　George！　this　does　me　good！”　said　Tom。　“I　couldn’t　bar　to　go　off　without　seein’　ye！　It　does　me　real　good；　ye　can’t　tell！”　Here　Tom　made　some　movement　of　his　feet；　and　George’s　eye　fell　on　the　fetters。
“What　a　shame！”　he　exclaimed；　lifting　his　hands。　“I’ll　knock　that　old　fellow　down—I　will！”
“No　you　won’t；　Mas’r　George；　and　you　must　not　talk　so　loud。　It　won’t　help　me　any；　to　anger　him。”
“Well；　I　won’t；　then；　for　your　sake；　but　only　to　think　of　it—isn’t　it　a　shame？　They　never　sent　for　me；　nor　sent　me　any　word；　and；　if　it　hadn’t　been　for　Tom　Lincon；　I　shouldn’t　have　heard　it。　I　tell　you；　I　blew　’em　up　well；　all　of　’em；　at　home！”
“That　ar　wasn’t　right；　I’m　’feard；　Mas’r　George。”
“Can’t　help　it！　I　say　it’s　a　shame！　Look　here；　Uncle　Tom；”　said　he；　turning　his　back　to　the　shop；　and　speaking　in　a　mysterious　tone；　“I’ve　brought　you　my　dollar！”
“O！　I　couldn’t　think　o’　takin’　on　’t；　Mas’r　George；　no　ways　in　the　world！”　said　Tom；　quite　moved。
“But　you　shall　take　it！”　said　George；　“look　here—I　told　Aunt　Chloe　I’d　do　it；　and　she　advised　me　just　to　make　a　hole　in　it；　and　put　a　string　through；　so　you　could　hang　it　round　your　neck；　and　keep　it　out　of　sight；　else　this　mean　scamp　would　take　it　away。　I　tell　ye；　Tom；　I　want　to　blow　him　up！　it　would　do　me　good！”
“No；　don’t　Mas’r　George；　for　it　won’t　do　me　any　good。”
“Well；　I　won’t；　for　your　sake；”　said　George；　busily　tying　his　dollar　round　Tom’s　neck；　“but　there；　now；　button　your　coat　tight　over　it；　and　keep　it；　and　remember；　every　time　you　see　it；　that　I’ll　come　down　after　you；　and　bring　you　back。　Aunt　Chloe　and　I　have　been　talking　about　it。　I　told　her　not　to　fear；　I’ll　see　to　it；　and　I’ll　tease　father’s　life　out；　if　he　don’t　do　it。”
“O！　Mas’r　George；　ye　mustn’t　talk　so　’bout　yer　father！”
“Lor；　Uncle　Tom；　I　don’t　mean　anything　bad。”
“And　now；　Mas’r　George；”　said　Tom；　“ye　must　be　a　good　boy；　’member　how　many　hearts　is　sot　on　ye。　Al’ays　keep　close　to　yer　mother。　Don’t　be　gettin’　into　any　of　them　foolish　ways　boys　has　of　gettin’　too　big　to　mind　their　mothers。　Tell　ye　what；　Mas’r　George；　the　Lord　gives　good　many　things　twice　over；　but　he　don’t　give　ye　a　mother　but　once。　Ye’ll　never　see　sich　another　woman；　Mas’r　George；　if　ye　live　to　be　a　hundred　years　old。　So；　now；　you　hold　on　to　her；　and　grow　up；　and　be　a　comfort　to　her；　thar’s　my　own　good　boy；—you　will　now；　won’t　ye？”
“Yes；　I　will；　Uncle　Tom；”　said　George　seriously。
“And　be　careful　of　yer　speaking；　Mas’r　George。　Young　boys；　when　they　comes　to　your　age；　is　wilful；　sometimes—it　is　natur　they　should　be。　But　real　gentlemen；　such　as　I　hopes　you’ll　be；　never　lets　fall　on　words　that　isn’t　’spectful　to　thar　parents。　Ye　an’t　’fended；　Mas’r　George？”
“No；　indeed；　Uncle　Tom；　you　always　did　give　me　good　advice。”
“I’s　older；　ye　know；”　said　Tom；　stroking　the　boy’s　fine；　curly　head　with　his　large；　strong　hand；　but　speaking　in　a　voice　as　tender　as　a　woman’s；　“and　I　sees　all　that’s　bound　up　in　you。　O；　Mas’r　George；　you　has　everything；—l’arnin’；　privileges；　readin’；　writin’；—and　you’ll　grow　up　to　be　a　great；　learned；　good　man　and　all　the　people　on　the　place　and　your　mother　and　father’ll　be　so　proud　on　ye！　Be　a　good　Mas’r；　like　yer　father；　and　be　a　Christian；　like　yer　mother。　’Member　yer　Creator　in　the　days　o’　yer　youth；　Mas’r　George。”
“I’ll　be　real　good；　Uncle　Tom；　I　tell　you；”　said　George。　“I’m　going　to　be　a　first…rater；　and　don’t　you　be　discouraged。　I’ll　have　you　back　to　the　place；　yet。　As　I　told　Aunt　Chloe　this　morning；　I’ll　build　our　house　all　over；　and　you　shall　have　a　room　for　a　parlor　with　a　carpet　on　it；　when　I’m　a　man。　O；　you’ll　have　good　times　yet！”
Haley　now　came　to　the　door；　with　the　handcuffs　in　his　hands。
“Look　here；　now；　Mister；”　said　George；　with　an　air　of　great　superiority；　as　he　got　out；　“I　shall　let　father　and　mother　know　how　you　treat　Uncle　Tom！”
“You’re　welcome；”　said　the　trader。
“I　should　think　you’d　be　ashamed　to　spend　all　your　life　buying　men　and　women；　and　chaining　them；　like　cattle！　I　should　think　you’d　feel　mean！”　said　George。
“So　long　as　your　grand　folks　wants　to　buy　men　and　women；　I’m　as　good　as　they　is；”　said　Haley；　“’tan’t　any　meaner　sellin’　on　’em；　that　’t　is　buyin’！”
“I’ll　never　do　either；　when　I’m　a　man；”　said　George；　“I’m　ashamed；　this　day；　that　I’m　a　Kentuckian。　I　always　was　proud　of　it　before；”　and　George　sat　very　straight　on　his　horse；　and　looked　round　with　an　air；　as　if　he　expected　the　state　would　be　impressed　with　his　opinion。
“Well；　good…by；　Uncle　Tom；　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip；”　said　George。
“Good…by；　Mas’r　George；”　said　Tom；　looking　fondly　and　admiringly　at　him。　“God　Almighty　bless　you！　Ah！　Kentucky　han’t　got　many　like　you！”　he　said；　in　the　fulness　of　his　heart；　as　the　frank；　boyish　face　was　lost　to　his　view。　Away　he　went；　and　Tom　looked；　till　the　clatter　of　his　horse’s　heels　died　away；　the　last　sound　or　sight　of　his　home。　But　over　his　heart　there　seemed　to　be　a　warm　spot；　where　those　young　hands　had　placed　that　precious　dollar。　Tom　put　up　his　hand；　and　held　it　close　to　his　heart。
“Now；　I　tell　ye　what；　Tom；”　said　Haley；　as　he　came　up　to　the　wagon；　and　threw　in　the　handcuffs；　“I　mean　to　start　fa’r　with　ye；　as　I　gen’ally　do　with　my　niggers；　and　I’ll　tell　ye　now；　to　begin　with；　you　treat　me　fa’r；　and　I’ll　treat　you　fa’r；　I　an’t　never　hard　on　my　niggers。　Calculates　to　do　the　best　for　’em　I　can。　Now；　ye　see；　you’d　better　jest　settle　down　comfortable；　and　not　be　tryin’　no　tricks；　because　nigger’s　tricks　of　all　sorts　I’m　up　to；　and　it’s　no　use。　If　niggers　is　quiet；　and　don’t　try　to　get　off；　they　has　good　times　with　me；　and　if　they　don’t；　why；　it’s　thar　fault；　and　not　mine。”
Tom　assured　Haley　that　he　had　no　present　intentions　of　running　off。　In　fact；　the　exhortation　seemed　rather　a　superfluous　one　to　a　man　with　a　great　pair　of　iron　fetters　on　his　feet。　But　Mr。　Haley　had　got　in　the　habit　of　commencing　his　relations　with　his　stock　with　little　exhortations　of　this　nature；　calculated；　as　he　deemed；　to　inspire　cheerfulness　and　confidence；　and　prevent　the　necessity　of　any　unpleasant　scenes。
And　here；　for　the　present；　we　take　our　leave　of　Tom；　to　pursue　the　fortunes　of　other　characters　in　our　story。
1　A　slightly　inacomurate　ation　from　Hamlet；　Act　III；　scene　I；　lines　369…370。
Chapter　11
In　Which　Property　Gets　into　an　Improper　State　of　Mind
It　was　late　in　a　drizzly　afternoon　that　a　traveler　alighted　at　the　door　of　a　small　country　hotel；　in　the　village　of　N——；　in　Kentucky。　In　the　barroom　he　found　assembled　quite　a　miscellaneous　company；　whom　stress　of　weather　had　driven　to　harbor；　and　the　place　presented　the　usual　scenery　of　such　reunions。　Great；　tall；　raw…boned　Kentuckians；　attired　in　hunting…shirts；　and　trailing　their　loose　joints　over　a　vast　extent　of　territory；　with　the　easy　lounge　peculiar　to　the　race；—rifles　stacked　away　in　the　corner；　shot…pouches；　game…bags；　hunting…dogs；　and　little　negroes；　all　rolled　together　in　the　corners；—were　the　characteristic　features　in　the　picture。　At　each　end　of　the　fireplace　sat　a　long…legged　gentleman；　with　his　chair　tipped　back；　his　hat　on　his　head；　and　the　heels　of　his　muddy　boots　reposing　sublimely　on　the　mantel…piece；—a　position；　we　will　inform　our　readers；　decidedly　favorable　to　the　turn　of　reflection　incident　to　western　taverns；　where　travellers　exhibit　a　decided　preference　for　this　particular　mode　of　ele