按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
“Yes； but my lord will find that he can’t be extravagant with me。 Just let him be sent to the calaboose a few times； and thoroughly dressed down！ I’ll tell you if it don’t bring him to a sense of his ways！ O； I’ll reform him； up hill and down；—you’ll see。 I buy him； that’s flat！”
Tom had been standing wistfully examining the multitude of faces thronging around him； for one whom he would wish to call master。 And if you should ever be under the necessity； sir； of selecting； out of two hundred men； one who was to become your absolute owner and disposer； you would； perhaps； realize； just as Tom did； how few there were that you would feel at all comfortable in being made over to。 Tom saw abundance of men；—great； burly； gruff men； little； chirping； dried men； long…favored； lank； hard men； and every variety of stubbed…looking； commonplace men； who pick up their fellow…men as one picks up chips； putting them into the fire or a basket with equal unconcern； acomording to their convenience； but he saw no St。 Clare。
A little before the sale commenced； a short； broad； muscular man； in a checked shirt considerably open at the bosom； and pantaloons much the worse for dirt and wear； elbowed his way through the crowd； like one who is going actively into a business； and； coming up to the group； began to examine them systematically。 From the moment that Tom saw him approaching； he felt an immediate and revolting horror at him； that increased as he came near。 He was evidently； though short； of gigantic strength。 His round； bullet head； large； light…gray eyes； with their shaggy； sandy eyebrows； and stiff； wiry； sun…burned hair； were rather unprepossessing items； it is to be confessed； his large； coarse mouth was distended with tobacomo； the juice of which； from time to time； he ejected from him with great decision and explosive force； his hands were immensely large； hairy； sun…burned； freckled； and very dirty； and garnished with long nails； in a very foul condition。 This man proceeded to a very free personal examination of the lot。 He seized Tom by the jaw； and pulled open his mouth to inspect his teeth； made him strip up his sleeve； to show his muscle； turned him round； made him jump and spring； to show his paces。
“Where was you raised？” he added； briefly； to these investigations。
“In Kintuck； Mas’r；” said Tom； looking about； as if for deliverance。
“What have you done？”
“Had care of Mas’r’s farm；” said Tom。
“Likely story！” said the other； shortly； as he passed on。 He paused a moment before Dolph； then spitting a discharge of tobacomo…juice on his well…blacked boots； and giving a contemptuous umph； he walked on。 Again he stopped before Susan and Emmeline。 He put out his heavy； dirty hand； and drew the girl towards him； passed it over her neck and bust； felt her arms； looked at her teeth； and then pushed her back against her mother； whose patient face showed the suffering she had been going through at every motion of the hideous stranger。
The girl was frightened； and began to cry。
“Stop that； you minx！” said the salesman； “no whimpering here；—the sale is going to begin。” And acomordingly the sale begun。
Adolph was knocked off； at a good sum； to the young gentlemen who had previously stated his intention of buying him； and the other servants of the St。 Clare lot went to various bidders。
“Now； up with you； boy！ d’ye hear？” said the auctioneer to Tom。
Tom stepped upon the block； gave a few anxious looks round； all seemed mingled in a common； indistinct noise；—the clatter of the salesman crying off his qualifications in French and English； the quick fire of French and English bids； and almost in a moment came the final thump of the hammer； and the clear ring on the last syllable of the word “dollars；” as the auctioneer announced his price； and Tom was made over。—He had a master！
He was pushed from the block；—the short； bullet…headed man seizing him roughly by the shoulder； pushed him to one side； saying； in a harsh voice； “Stand there； you！”
Tom hardly realized anything； but still the bidding went on；—ratting； clattering； now French； now English。 Down goes the hammer again；—Susan is sold！ She goes down from the block； stops； looks wistfully back；—her daughter stretches her hands towards her。 She looks with agony in the face of the man who has bought her；—a respectable middle…aged man； of benevolent countenance。
“O； Mas’r； please do buy my daughter！”
“I’d like to； but I’m afraid I can’t afford it！” said the gentleman； looking； with painful interest； as the young girl mounted the block； and looked around her with a frightened and timid glance。
The blood flushes painfully in her otherwise colorless cheek； her eye has a feverish fire； and her mother groans to see that she looks more beautiful than she ever saw her before。 The auctioneer sees his advantage； and expatiates volubly in mingled French and English； and bids rise in rapid sucomession。
“I’ll do anything in reason；” said the benevolent…looking gentleman； pressing in and joining with the bids。 In a few moments they have run beyond his purse。 He is silent； the auctioneer grows warmer； but bids gradually drop off。 It lies now between an aristocratic old citizen and our bullet…headed acquaintance。 The citizen bids for a few turns； contemptuously measuring his opponent； but the bullet…head has the advantage over him； both in obstinacy and concealed length of purse； and the controversy lasts but a moment； the hammer falls；—he has got the girl； body and soul； unless God help her！
Her master is Mr。 Legree； who owns a cotton plantation on the Red river。 She is pushed along into the same lot with Tom and two other men； and goes off； weeping as she goes。
The benevolent gentleman is sorry； but； then； the thing happens every day！ One sees girls and mothers crying； at these sales； always！ it can’t be helped； &c。； and he walks off； with his acquisition； in another direction。
Two days after； the lawyer of the Christian firm of B。 & Co。； New York； send on their money to them。 On the reverse of that draft； so obtained； let them write these words of the great Paymaster； to whom they shall make up their acomount in a future day： “When he maketh inquisition for blood； he forgetteth not the cry of the humble！”
Chapter 31
The Middle Passage
“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil； and canst not look upon iniquity： wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously； and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he？”—Hab。 1： 13。
On the lower part of a small； mean boat； on the Red river； Tom sat；—chains on his wrists； chains on his feet； and a weight heavier than chains lay on his heart。 All had faded from his sky；—moon and star； all had passed by him； as the trees and banks were now passing； to return no more。 Kentucky home； with wife and children； and indulgent owners； St。 Clare home； with all its refinements and splendors； the golden head of Eva； with its saint…like eyes； the proud； gay； handsome； seemingly careless； yet ever…kind St。 Clare； hours of ease and indulgent leisure；—all gone！ and in place thereof； what remains？
It is one of the bitterest apportionments of a lot of slavery； that the negro； sympathetic and assimilative； after acquiring； in a refined family； the tastes and feelings which form the atmosphere of such a place； is not the less liable to become the bond…slave of the coarsest and most brutal；—just as a chair or table； which once decorated the superb saloon； comes； at last； battered and defaced； to the barroom of some filthy tavern； or some low haunt of vulgar debauchery。 The great difference is； that the table and chair cannot feel； and the man can； for even a legal enactment that he shall be “taken； reputed； adjudged in law； to be a chattel personal；” cannot blot out his soul； with its own private little world of memories； hopes； loves； fears； and desires。
Mr。 Simon Legree； Tom’s master； had purchased slaves at one place and another； in New Orleans； to the number of eight； and driven them； handcuffed； in couples of two and two； down to the good steamer Pirate； which lay at the levee； ready for a trip up the Red river。
Having got them fairly on board； and the boat bei