英语天堂-第76章

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ble；　with　its　snowy　cloth；　heard　the　dreamy　murmur　of　the　singing　tea…kettle；　saw　Ruth　tripping　backward　and　forward；　with　plates　of　cake　and　saucers　of　preserves；　and　ever　and　anon　stopping　to　put　a　cake　into　Harry’s　hand；　or　pat　his　head；　or　twine　his　long　curls　round　her　snowy　fingers。　She　saw　the　ample；　motherly　form　of　Rachel；　as　she　ever　and　anon　came　to　the　bedside；　and　smoothed　and　arranged　something　about　the　bedclothes；　and　gave　a　tuck　here　and　there；　by　way　of　expressing　her　good…will；　and　was　conscious　of　a　kind　of　sunshine　beaming　down　upon　her　from　her　large；　clear；　brown　eyes。　She　saw　Ruth’s　husband　come　in；—saw　her　fly　up　to　him；　and　commence　whispering　very　earnestly；　ever　and　anon；　with　impressive　gesture；　pointing　her　little　finger　toward　the　room。　She　saw　her；　with　the　baby　in　her　arms；　sitting　down　to　tea；　she　saw　them　all　at　table；　and　little　Harry　in　a　high　chair；　under　the　shadow　of　Rachel’s　ample　wing；　there　were　low　murmurs　of　talk；　gentle　tinkling　of　tea…spoons；　and　musical　clatter　of　cups　and　saucers；　and　all　mingled　in　a　delightful　dream　of　rest；　and　Eliza　slept；　as　she　had　not　slept　before；　since　the　fearful　midnight　hour　when　she　had　taken　her　child　and　fled　through　the　frosty　starlight。
She　dreamed　of　a　beautiful　country；—a　land；　it　seemed　to　her；　of　rest；—green　shores；　pleasant　islands；　and　beautifully　glittering　water；　and　there；　in　a　house　which　kind　voices　told　her　was　a　home；　she　saw　her　boy　playing；　free　and　happy　child。　She　heard　her　husband’s　footsteps；　she　felt　him　coming　nearer；　his　arms　were　around　her；　his　tears　falling　on　her　face；　and　she　awoke！　It　was　no　dream。　The　daylight　had　long　faded；　her　child　lay　calmly　sleeping　by　her　side；　a　candle　was　burning　dimly　on　the　stand；　and　her　husband　was　sobbing　by　her　pillow。
The　next　morning　was　a　cheerful　one　at　the　Quaker　house。　“Mother”　was　up　betimes；　and　surrounded　by　busy　girls　and　boys；　whom　we　had　scarce　time　to　introduce　to　our　readers　yesterday；　and　who　all　moved　obediently　to　Rachel’s　gentle　“Thee　had　better；”　or　more　gentle　“Hadn’t　thee　better？”　in　the　work　of　getting　breakfast；　for　a　breakfast　in　the　luxurious　valleys　of　Indiana　is　a　thing　complicated　and　multiform；　and；　like　picking　up　the　rose…leaves　and　trimming　the　bushes　in　Paradise；　asking　other　hands　than　those　of　the　original　mother。　While；　therefore；　John　ran　to　the　spring　for　fresh　water；　and　Simeon　the　second　sifted　meal　for　corn…cakes；　and　Mary　ground　coffee；　Rachel　moved　gently；　and　quietly　about；　making　biscuits；　cutting　up　chicken；　and　diffusing　a　sort　of　sunny　radiance　over　the　whole　proceeding　generally。　If　there　was　any　danger　of　friction　or　collision　from　the　ill…regulated　zeal　of　so　many　young　operators；　her　gentle　“Come！　come！”　or　“I　wouldn’t；　now；”　was　quite　sufficient　to　allay　the　difficulty。　Bards　have　written　of　the　cestus　of　Venus；　that　turned　the　heads　of　all　the　world　in　sucomessive　generations。　We　had　rather；　for　our　part；　have　the　cestus　of　Rachel　Halliday；　that　kept　heads　from　being　turned；　and　made　everything　go　on　harmoniously。　We　think　it　is　more　suited　to　our　modern　days；　decidedly。
While　all　other　preparations　were　going　on；　Simeon　the　elder　stood　in　his　shirt…sleeves　before　a　little　looking…glass　in　the　corner；　engaged　in　the　anti…patriarchal　operation　of　shaving。　Everything　went　on　so　sociably；　so　quietly；　so　harmoniously；　in　the　great　kitchen；—it　seemed　so　pleasant　to　every　one　to　do　just　what　they　were　doing；　there　was　such　an　atmosphere　of　mutual　confidence　and　good　fellowship　everywhere；—even　the　knives　and　forks　had　a　social　clatter　as　they　went　on　to　the　table；　and　the　chicken　and　ham　had　a　cheerful　and　joyous　fizzle　in　the　pan；　as　if　they　rather　enjoyed　being　cooked　than　otherwise；—and　when　George　and　Eliza　and　little　Harry　came　out；　they　met　such　a　hearty；　rejoicing　welcome；　no　wonder　it　seemed　to　them　like　a　dream。
At　last；　they　were　all　seated　at　breakfast；　while　Mary　stood　at　the　stove；　baking　griddle…cakes；　which；　as　they　gained　the　true　exact　golden…brown　tint　of　perfection；　were　transferred　quite　handily　to　the　table。
Rachel　never　looked　so　truly　and　benignly　happy　as　at　the　head　of　her　table。　There　was　so　much　motherliness　and　full…heartedness　even　in　the　way　she　passed　a　plate　of　cakes　or　poured　a　cup　of　coffee；　that　it　seemed　to　put　a　spirit　into　the　food　and　drink　she　offered。
It　was　the　first　time　that　ever　George　had　sat　down　on　equal　terms　at　any　white　man’s　table；　and　he　sat　down；　at　first；　with　some　constraint　and　awkwardness；　but　they　all　exhaled　and　went　off　like　fog；　in　the　genial　morning　rays　of　this　simple；　overflowing　kindness。
This；　indeed；　was　a　home；—home；—a　word　that　George　had　never　yet　known　a　meaning　for；　and　a　belief　in　God；　and　trust　in　his　providence；　began　to　encircle　his　heart；　as；　with　a　golden　cloud　of　protection　and　confidence；　dark；　misanthropic；　pining　atheistic　doubts；　and　fierce　despair；　melted　away　before　the　light　of　a　living　Gospel；　breathed　in　living　faces；　preached　by　a　thousand　unconscious　acts　of　love　and　good　will；　which；　like　the　cup　of　cold　water　given　in　the　name　of　a　disciple；　shall　never　lose　their　reward。
“Father；　what　if　thee　should　get　found　out　again？”　said　Simeon　second；　as　he　buttered　his　cake。
“I　should　pay　my　fine；”　said　Simeon；　quietly。
“But　what　if　they　put　thee　in　prison？”
“Couldn’t　thee　and　mother　manage　the　farm？”　said　Simeon；　smiling。
“Mother　can　do　almost　everything；”　said　the　boy。　“But　isn’t　it　a　shame　to　make　such　laws？”
“Thee　mustn’t　speak　evil　of　thy　rulers；　Simeon；”　said　his　father；　gravely。　“The　Lord　only　gives　us　our　worldly　goods　that　we　may　do　justice　and　mercy；　if　our　rulers　require　a　price　of　us　for　it；　we　must　deliver　it　up。
“Well；　I　hate　those　old　slaveholders！”　said　the　boy；　who　felt　as　unchristian　as　became　any　modern　reformer。
“I　am　surprised　at　thee；　son；”　said　Simeon；　“thy　mother　never　taught　thee　so。　I　would　do　even　the　same　for　the　slaveholder　as　for　the　slave；　if　the　Lord　brought　him　to　my　door　in　affliction。”
Simeon　second　blushed　scarlet；　but　his　mother　only　smiled；　and　said；　“Simeon　is　my　good　boy；　he　will　grow　older；　by　and　by；　and　then　he　will　be　like　his　father。”
“I　hope；　my　good　sir；　that　you　are　not　exposed　to　any　difficulty　on　our　acomount；”　said　George；　anxiously。
“Fear　nothing；　George；　for　therefore　are　we　sent　into　the　world。　If　we　would　not　meet　trouble　for　a　good　cause；　we　were　not　worthy　of　our　name。”
“But；　for　me；”　said　George；　“I　could　not　bear　it。”
“Fear　not；　then；　friend　George；　it　is　not　for　thee；　but　for　God　and　man；　we　do　it；”　said　Simeon。　“And　now　thou　must　lie　by　quietly　this　day；　and　tonight；　at　ten　o’clock；　Phineas　Fletcher　will　carry　thee　onward　to　the　next　stand；—thee　and　the　rest　of　they　company。　The　pursuers　are　hard　after　thee；　we　must　not　delay。”
“If　that　is　the　case；　why　wait　till　evening？”　said　George。
“Thou　art　safe　here　by　daylight；　for　every　one　in　the　settlement　is　a　Friend；　and　all　are　watching。　It　has　been　found　safer　to　travel　by　night。”
Chapter　14
Evangeline
“A　young　star！　which　shone
O’er　life—too　sweet　an　image；　for　such　glass！
A　lovely　being；　scarcely　formed　or　moulded；
A　rose　with　all　its　sweetest　leaves　yet　folded。”
The　Mississippi！　How；　as　by　an　enchanted　wand；　have　its　scenes　been　changed；　since　Chateaubriand　wrote　his　prose…poetic　description　of　it；1　as　a　river　of　mighty；　unbroken　solitudes；　rolling　amid　undreamed　wonders　of　vegetable　and　animal　existence。
But　as　in　an　hour；　this　river　of　dreams　and　wild　romance　has　emerged　to　a　reality　scarcely　less　visionary　and　splendid。　What　other　river　of　the　world　bears　on　its　bosom　to　the　ocean　the　wealth　and　enterprise　of　such　another　country？—a　country　whose　products　embrace　all　between　the　tropics　and　the　poles！　Those　turbid　waters；　hurrying；　foaming；　tearing　along；　an　apt　resemblance　of　that　headlong　tide　of　business　which　is　poured　along　its　wave　by　a　race　more　vehement　and　energetic　than　any　the　old　world　ever　saw。　Ah！　would　that　they　did　not　also　bear　along　a　more　fearful　freight；—the　tears　of　the　oppressed；　the　sighs　of　the　helpless；　the　bitter　prayers　of　poor；　ignorant　hearts　to　an　unknown　God—unknown；　unseen　and　silent；　but　who　will　yet　“come　out　of