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fond clasp could save her； and his heart rose up with wild determination to keep her； never to let her go。
The child’s whole heart and soul seemed absorbed in works of love and kindness。 Impulsively generous she had always been； but there was a touching and womanly thoughtfulness about her now； that every one noticed。 She still loved to play with Topsy； and the various colored children； but she now seemed rather a spectator than an actor of their plays； and she would sit for half an hour at a time； laughing at the odd tricks of Topsy；—and then a shadow would seem to pass across her face； her eyes grew misty； and her thoughts were afar。
“Mamma；” she said； suddenly； to her mother； one day； “why don’t we teach our servants to read？”
“What a question child！ People never do。”
“Why don’t they？” said Eva。
“Because it is no use for them to read。 It don’t help them to work any better； and they are not made for anything else。”
“But they ought to read the Bible； mamma； to learn God’s will。”
“O！ they can get that read to them all they need。”
“It seems to me； mamma； the Bible is for every one to read themselves。 They need it a great many times when there is nobody to read it。”
“Eva； you are an odd child；” said her mother。
“Miss Ophelia has taught Topsy to read；” continued Eva。
“Yes； and you see how much good it does。 Topsy is the worst creature I ever saw！”
“Here’s poor Mammy！” said Eva。 “She does love the Bible so much； and wishes so she could read！ And what will she do when I can’t read to her？”
Marie was busy； turning over the contents of a drawer； as she answered；
“Well； of course； by and by； Eva； you will have other things to think of besides reading the Bible round to servants。 Not but that is very proper； I’ve done it myself； when I had health。 But when you come to be dressing and going into company； you won’t have time。 See here！” she added； “these jewels I’m going to give you when you come out。 I wore them to my first ball。 I can tell you； Eva； I made a sensation。”
Eva took the jewel…case； and lifted from it a diamond necklace。 Her large； thoughtful eyes rested on them； but it was plain her thoughts were elsewhere。
“How sober you look child！” said Marie。
“Are these worth a great deal of money； mamma？”
“To be sure； they are。 Father sent to France for them。 They are worth a small fortune。”
“I wish I had them；” said Eva； “to do what I pleased with！”
“What would you do with them？”
“I’d sell them； and buy a place in the free states； and take all our people there； and hire teachers； to teach them to read and write。”
Eva was cut short by her mother’s laughing。
“Set up a boarding…school！ Wouldn’t you teach them to play on the piano； and paint on velvet？”
“I’d teach them to read their own Bible； and write their own letters； and read letters that are written to them；” said Eva； steadily。 “I know； mamma； it does come very hard on them that they can’t do these things。 Tom feels it—Mammy does；—a great many of them do。 I think it’s wrong。”
“Come； come； Eva； you are only a child！ You don’t know anything about these things；” said Marie； “besides； your talking makes my head ache。”
Marie always had a headache on hand for any conversation that did not exactly suit her。
Eva stole away； but after that； she assiduously gave Mammy reading lessons。
Chapter 23
Henrique
About this time； St。 Clare’s brother Alfred； with his eldest son； a boy of twelve； spent a day or two with the family at the lake。
No sight could be more singular and beautiful than that of these twin brothers。 Nature； instead of instituting resemblances between them； had made them opposites on every point； yet a mysterious tie seemed to unite them in a closer friendship than ordinary。
They used to saunter； arm in arm； up and down the alleys and walks of the garden。 Augustine； with his blue eyes and golden hair； his ethereally flexible form and vivacious features； and Alfred； dark…eyed； with haughty Roman profile； firmly…knit limbs； and decided bearing。 They were always abusing each other’s opinions and practices； and yet never a whit the less absorbed in each other’s society； in fact； the very contrariety seemed to unite them； like the attraction between opposite poles of the magnet。
Henrique； the eldest son of Alfred； was a noble； dark…eyed； princely boy； full of vivacity and spirit； and； from the first moment of introduction； seemed to be perfectly fascinated by the spirituelle graces of his cousin Evangeline。
Eva had a little pet pony； of a snowy whiteness。 It was easy as a cradle； and as gentle as its little mistress； and this pony was now brought up to the back verandah by Tom； while a little mulatto boy of about thirteen led along a small black Arabian； which had just been imported； at a great expense； for Henrique。
Henrique had a boy’s pride in his new possession； and； as he advanced and took the reins out of the hands of his little groom； he looked carefully over him； and his brow darkened。
“What’s this； Dodo； you little lazy dog！ you haven’t rubbed my horse down； this morning。”
“Yes； Mas’r；” said Dodo； submissively； “he got that dust on his own self。”
“You rascal； shut your mouth！” said Henrique； violently raising his riding…whip。 “How dare you speak？”
The boy was a handsome； bright…eyed mulatto； of just Henrique’s size； and his curling hair hung round a high； bold forehead。 He had white blood in his veins； as could be seen by the quick flush in his cheek； and the sparkle of his eye； as he eagerly tried to speak。
“Mas’r Henrique！—” he began。
Henrique struck him across the face with his riding…whip； and； seizing one of his arms； forced him on to his knees； and beat him till he was out of breath。
“There； you impudent dog！ Now will you learn not to answer back when I speak to you？ Take the horse back； and clean him properly。 I’ll teach you your place！”
“Young Mas’r；” said Tom； “I specs what he was gwine to say was； that the horse would roll when he was bringing him up from the stable； he’s so full of spirits；—that’s the way he got that dirt on him； I looked to his cleaning。”
“You hold your tongue till you’re asked to speak！” said Henrique； turning on his heel； and walking up the steps to speak to Eva； who stood in her riding…dress。
“Dear Cousin； I’m sorry this stupid fellow has kept you waiting；” he said。 “Let’s sit down here； on this seat till they come。 What’s the matter； Cousin？—you look sober。”
“How could you be so cruel and wicked to poor Dodo？” asked Eva。
“Cruel；—wicked！” said the boy； with unaffected surprise。 “What do you mean； dear Eva？”
“I don’t want you to call me dear Eva； when you do so；” said Eva。
“Dear Cousin； you don’t know Dodo； it’s the only way to manage him； he’s so full of lies and excuses。 The only way is to put him down at once；—not let him open his mouth； that’s the way papa manages。”
“But Uncle Tom said it was an acomident； and he never tells what isn’t true。”
“He’s an uncommon old nigger； then！” said Henrique。 “Dodo will lie as fast as he can speak。”
“You frighten him into deceiving； if you treat him so。”
“Why； Eva； you’ve really taken such a fancy to Dodo； that I shall be jealous。”
“But you beat him；—and he didn’t deserve it。”
“O； well； it may go for some time when he does； and don’t get it。 A few cuts never come amiss with Dodo；—he’s a regular spirit； I can tell you； but I won’t beat him again before you； if it troubles you。”
Eva was not satisfied； but found it in vain to try to make her handsome cousin understand her feelings。
Dodo soon appeared； with the horses。
“Well； Dodo； you’ve done pretty well； this time；” said his young master； with a more gracious air。 “Come； now； and hold Miss Eva’s horse while I put her on to the saddle。”
Dodo came and stood by Eva’s pony。 His face was troubled； his eyes looked as if he had been crying。
Henrique； who valued himself on his gentlemanly adroitness in all matters of gallantry； soon had his fair cousin in the saddle； and； gathering the reins； placed them in her hands。
But Eva bent to the other side of the horse； where Dodo was standing； and said； as he relinquished the reins；—“That’s a good boy； Dodo