英语天堂-第83章

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As　the　carriage　drove　in；　Eva　seemed　like　a　bird　ready　to　burst　from　a　cage；　with　the　wild　eagerness　of　her　delight。
“O；　isn’t　it　beautiful；　lovely！　my　own　dear；　darling　home！”　she　said　to　Miss　Ophelia。　“Isn’t　it　beautiful？”
“’T　is　a　pretty　place；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　as　she　alighted；　“though　it　looks　rather　old　and　heathenish　to　me。”
Tom　got　down　from　the　carriage；　and　looked　about　with　an　air　of　calm；　still　enjoyment。　The　negro；　it　must　be　remembered；　is　an　exotic　of　the　most　gorgeous　and　superb　countries　of　the　world；　and　he　has；　deep　in　his　heart；　a　passion　for　all　that　is　splendid；　rich；　and　fanciful；　a　passion　which；　rudely　indulged　by　an　untrained　taste；　draws　on　them　the　ridicule　of　the　colder　and　more　correct　white　race。
St。　Clare；　who　was　in　heart　a　poetical　voluptuary；　smiled　as　Miss　Ophelia　made　her　remark　on　his　premises；　and；　turning　to　Tom；　who　was　standing　looking　round；　his　beaming　black　face　perfectly　radiant　with　admiration；　he　said；
“Tom；　my　boy；　this　seems　to　suit　you。”
“Yes；　Mas’r；　it　looks　about　the　right　thing；”　said　Tom。
All　this　passed　in　a　moment；　while　trunks　were　being　hustled　off；　hackman　paid；　and　while　a　crowd；　of　all　ages　and　sizes；—men；　women；　and　children；—came　running　through　the　galleries；　both　above　and　below　to　see　Mas’r　come　in。　Foremost　among　them　was　a　highly…dressed　young　mulatto　man；　evidently　a　very　distingue　personage；　attired　in　the　ultra　extreme　of　the　mode；　and　gracefully　waving　a　scented　cambric　handkerchief　in　his　hand。
This　personage　had　been　exerting　himself；　with　great　alacrity；　in　driving　all　the　flock　of　domestics　to　the　other　end　of　the　verandah。
“Back！　all　of　you。　I　am　ashamed　of　you；”　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　authority。　“Would　you　intrude　on　Master’s　domestic　relations；　in　the　first　hour　of　his　return？”
All　looked　abashed　at　this　elegant　speech；　delivered　with　quite　an　air；　and　stood　huddled　together　at　a　respectful　distance；　except　two　stout　porters；　who　came　up　and　began　conveying　away　the　baggage。
Owing　to　Mr。　Adolph’s　systematic　arrangements；　when　St。　Clare　turned　round　from　paying　the　hackman；　there　was　nobody　in　view　but　Mr。　Adolph　himself；　conspicuous　in　satin　vest；　gold　guard…chain；　and　white　pants；　and　bowing　with　inexpressible　grace　and　suavity。
“Ah；　Adolph；　is　it　you？”　said　his　master；　offering　his　hand　to　him；　“how　are　you；　boy？”　while　Adolph　poured　forth；　with　great　fluency；　an　extemporary　speech；　which　he　had　been　preparing；　with　great　care；　for　a　fortnight　before。
“Well；　well；”　said　St。　Clare；　passing　on；　with　his　usual　air　of　negligent　drollery；　“that’s　very　well　got　up；　Adolph。　See　that　the　baggage　is　well　bestowed。　I’ll　come　to　the　people　in　a　minute；”　and；　so　saying；　he　led　Miss　Ophelia　to　a　large　parlor　that　opened　on　the　verandah。
While　this　had　been　passing；　Eva　had　flown　like　a　bird；　through　the　porch　and　parlor；　to　a　little　boudoir　opening　likewise　on　the　verandah。
A　tall；　dark…eyed；　sallow　woman；　half　rose　from　a　couch　on　which　she　was　reclining。
“Mamma！”　said　Eva；　in　a　sort　of　a　rapture；　throwing　herself　on　her　neck；　and　embracing　her　over　and　over　again。
“That’ll　do；—take　care；　child；—don’t；　you　make　my　head　ache；”　said　the　mother；　after　she　had　languidly　kissed　her。
St。　Clare　came　in；　embraced　his　wife　in　true；　orthodox；　husbandly　fashion；　and　then　presented　to　her　his　cousin。　Marie　lifted　her　large　eyes　on　her　cousin　with　an　air　of　some　curiosity；　and　received　her　with　languid　politeness。　A　crowd　of　servants　now　pressed　to　the　entry　door；　and　among　them　a　middle…aged　mulatto　woman；　of　very　respectable　appearance；　stood　foremost；　in　a　tremor　of　expectation　and　joy；　at　the　door。
“O；　there’s　Mammy！”　said　Eva；　as　she　flew　across　the　room；　and；　throwing　herself　into　her　arms；　she　kissed　her　repeatedly。
This　woman　did　not　tell　her　that　she　made　her　head　ache；　but；　on　the　contrary；　she　hugged　her；　and　laughed；　and　cried；　till　her　sanity　was　a　thing　to　be　doubted　of；　and　when　released　from　her；　Eva　flew　from　one　to　another；　shaking　hands　and　kissing；　in　a　way　that　Miss　Ophelia　afterwards　declared　fairly　turned　her　stomach。
“Well！”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“you　southern　children　can　do　something　that　I　couldn’t。”
“What；　now；　pray？”　said　St。　Clare。
“Well；　I　want　to　be　kind　to　everybody；　and　I　wouldn’t　have　anything　hurt；　but　as　to　kissing—”
“Niggers；”　said　St。　Clare；　“that　you’re　not　up　to；—hey？”
“Yes；　that’s　it。　How　can　she？”
St。　Clare　laughed；　as　he　went　into　the　passage。　“Halloa；　here；　what’s　to　pay　out　here？　Here；　you　all—Mammy；　Jimmy；　Polly；　Sukey—glad　to　see　Mas’r？”　he　said；　as　he　went　shaking　hands　from　one　to　another。　“Look　out　for　the　babies！”　he　added；　as　he　stumbled　over　a　sooty　little　urchin；　who　was　crawling　upon　all　fours。　“If　I　step　upon　anybody；　let　’em　mention　it。”
There　was　an　abundance　of　laughing　and　blessing　Mas’r；　as　St。　Clare　distributed　small　pieces　of　change　among　them。
“Come；　now；　take　yourselves　off；　like　good　boys　and　girls；”　he　said；　and　the　whole　assemblage；　dark　and　light；　disappeared　through　a　door　into　a　large　verandah；　followed　by　Eva；　who　carried　a　large　satchel；　which　she　had　been　filling　with　apples；　nuts；　candy；　ribbons；　laces；　and　toys　of　every　description；　during　her　whole　homeward　journey。
As　St。　Clare　turned　to　go　back　his　eye　fell　upon　Tom；　who　was　standing　uneasily；　shifting　from　one　foot　to　the　other；　while　Adolph　stood　negligently　leaning　against　the　banisters；　examining　Tom　through　an　opera…glass；　with　an　air　that　would　have　done　credit　to　any　dandy　living。
“Puh！　you　puppy；”　said　his　master；　striking　down　the　opera　glass；　“is　that　the　way　you　treat　your　company？　Seems　to　me；　Dolph；”　he　added；　laying　his　finger　on　the　elegant　figured　satin　vest　that　Adolph　was　sporting；　“seems　to　me　that’s　my　vest。”
“O！　Master；　this　vest　all　stained　with　wine；　of　course；　a　gentleman　in　Master’s　standing　never　wears　a　vest　like　this。　I　understood　I　was　to　take　it。　It　does　for　a　poor　nigger…fellow；　like　me。”
And　Adolph　tossed　his　head；　and　passed　his　fingers　through　his　scented　hair；　with　a　grace。
“So；　that’s　it；　is　it？”　said　St。　Clare；　carelessly。　“Well；　here；　I’m　going　to　show　this　Tom　to　his　mistress；　and　then　you　take　him　to　the　kitchen；　and　mind　you　don’t　put　on　any　of　your　airs　to　him。　He’s　worth　two　such　puppies　as　you。”
“Master　always　will　have　his　joke；”　said　Adolph；　laughing。　“I’m　delighted　to　see　Master　in　such　spirits。”
“Here；　Tom；”　said　St。　Clare；　beckoning。
Tom　entered　the　room。　He　looked　wistfully　on　the　velvet　carpets；　and　the　before　unimagined　splendors　of　mirrors；　pictures；　statues；　and　curtains；　and；　like　the　Queen　of　Sheba　before　Solomon；　there　was　no　more　spirit　in　him。　He　looked　afraid　even　to　set　his　feet　down。
“See　here；　Marie；”　said　St。　Clare　to　his　wife；　“I’ve　bought　you　a　coachman；　at　last；　to　order。　I　tell　you；　he’s　a　regular　hearse　for　blackness　and　sobriety；　and　will　drive　you　like　a　funeral；　if　you　want。　Open　your　eyes；　now；　and　look　at　him。　Now；　don’t　say　I　never　think　about　you　when　I’m　gone。”
Marie　opened　her　eyes；　and　fixed　them　on　Tom；　without　rising。
“I　know　he’ll　get　drunk；”　she　said。
“No；　he’s　warranted　a　pious　and　sober　article。”
“Well；　I　hope　he　may　turn　out　well；”　said　the　lady；　“it’s　more　than　I　expect；　though。”
“Dolph；”　said　St。　Clare；　“show　Tom　down　stairs；　and；　mind　yourself；”　he　added；　“remember　what　I　told　you。”
Adolph　tripped　gracefully　forward；　and　Tom；　with　lumbering　tread；　went　after。
“He’s　a　perfect　behemoth！”　said　Marie。
“Come；　now；　Marie；”　said　St。　Clare；　seating　himself　on　a　stool　beside　her　sofa；　“be　gracious；　and　say　something　pretty　to　a　fellow。”
“You’ve　been　gone　a　fortnight　beyond　the　time；”　said　the　lady；　pouting。
“Well；　you　know　I　wrote　you　the　reason。”
“Such　a　short；　cold　letter！”　said　the　lady。
“Dear　me！　the　mail　was　just　going；　and　it　had　to　be　that　or　nothing。”
“That’s　just　the　way；　always；”　said　the　lady；　“always　something　to　make　your　journeys　long；　and　letters　short。”
“See　here；　now；”　he　added；　drawing　an　elegant　velvet　case　out　of　his　pocket；　and　opening　it；　“here’s　a　present　I　got　for　you　in　New　York。”
It　was　a　daguerreotype；　clear　and　soft　as　an　engraving；　represent