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Legree, having refitted Tom?s handcuffs,...
6:51 PM, Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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Legree, having refitted Tom?s handcuffs, proceeded deliberately to investigate the contents of his pocketsHe drew out a silk handkerchief, and put it into his own pocketSeveral little trifles, which Tom had treasured, chiefly because they had amused Eva, he looked upon with a contemptuous grunt, and tossed them over his shoulder into the river
Tom?s Methodist hymn-book, which, in his hurry, he had forgotten, he now held up and turned over
Humph! pious, to be sureSo, what?s yer name,?you belong to the church, eh??
?Yes, Mas?r,? said Tom, firmly
?Well, I?ll soon have that out of youI have none o? yer bawling, praying, singing niggers on my place; so rememberNow, mind yourself,? he said, with a stamp and a fierce glance of his gray eye, directed at Tom, ?I?m your church now! You understand,?you?ve got to be as I say
Something within the silent black man answered No! and, as if repeated by an invisible voice, came the words of an old prophetic scroll, as Eva had often read them to him,??Fear not! for I have redeemed theeI have called thee by nameThou art Mine!?
But Simon Legree heard no voiceThat voice is one he never shall hearHe only glared for a moment on the downcast face of Tom, and walked offHe took Tom?s trunk, which contained a very neat and abundant wardrobe, to the forecastle, where it was soon surrounded by various hands of the boatWith much laughing, at the expense of niggers who tried to be gentlemen, the articles very readily were sold to one and another, and the empty trunk finally put up at auctionIt was a good joke, they all thought, especially to see how Tom looked after his things, as they were going this way and that; and then the auction of the trunk, that was funnier than all, and occasioned abundant witticisms
This little affair being over, Simon sauntered up again to his property
?Now, Tom, I?ve relieved you of any extra baggage, you seeTake mighty good care of them clothesIt?ll be long enough ?fore you get moreI go in for making niggers careful; one suit has to do for one year, on my place
Simon next walked up to the place where Emmeline was sitting, chained to another woman
?Well, my dear,? he said, chucking her under the chin, ?keep up your spirits
The involuntary look of horror, fright and aversion, with which the girl regarded him, did not escape his eye
?None o? your shines, gal! you?s got to keep a pleasant face, when I speak to ye,?d?ye hear? And you, you old yellow poco moonshine!? he said, giving a shove to the mulatto woman to whom Emmeline was chained, ?don?t you carry that sort of face! You?s got to look chipper, I tell ye!?
?I say, all on ye,? he said retreating a pace or two back, ?look at me,?look at me,?look me right in the eye,?straight, now!? said he, stamping his foot at every pause
As by a fascination, every eye was now directed to the glaring greenish-gray eye of Simon
?Now,? said he, doubling his great, heavy fist into something resembling a blacksmith?s hammer, ?d?ye see this fist? Heft it!? he said, bringing it down on Tom?s hand?Look at these yer bones! Well, I tell ye this yer fist has got as hard as iron knocking down niggersI never see the nigger, yet, I couldn?t bring down with one crack,? said he, bringing his fist down so near to the face of Tom that he winked and drew back?I don?t keep none o? yer cussed overseers; I does my own overseeing; and I tell you things is seen toYou?s every one on ye got to toe the mark, I tell ye; quick,?straight,?the moment I speakThat?s the way to keep in with meYe won?t find no soft spot in me, nowhereSo, now, mind yerselves; for I don?t show no mercy!?
The women involuntarily drew in their breath, and the whole gang sat with downcast, dejected facesMeanwhile, Simon turned on his heel, and marched up to the bar of the boat for a dram
?That?s the way I begin with my niggers,? he said, to a gentlemanly man, who had stood by him during his speech?It?s my system to begin strong,?just let ?em know what to expect
?Indeed!? said the stranger, looking upon him with the curiosity of a naturalist studying some out-of-the-way specimenI?m none o? yer gentlemen planters, with lily fingers, to slop round and be cheated by some old cuss of an overseer! Just feel of my knuckles, now; look at my shop fist
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