Uncle Tom’s Cabin

cabin.Her husband's suffering and dangers, and the danger of her child, all blended in her mind, with a confused and stunning sense of the ri

of her head, and went on with every operation in an unusually leisurely and circumstantial manner.For some singular reason, an impression seemed to reign among the servants generally that Missis would not be particularly disobliged by delay; and it was wonderful what a number of counter accidents occurred constantly, to retard the course of things. One luckless wight contrived to upset the gravy; and then gravy had to be got up _de novo_, with due care and formality, Aunt Chloe watching and stirring with dogged precision, answering shortly, to all suggestions of haste, that she "warn't a going to have raw gravy on the table, to help nobody's catchings." One tumbled down with the water, and had to go to the spring for more; and another precipitated the butter into the path of events; and there was from time to time giggling news brought into the kitchen that "Mas'r Haley was mighty oneasy, and that he couldn't sit in his cheer no ways, but was a walkin' and stalkin' to the winders and through the porch.""Sarves him right!" said Aunt Chloe, indignantly. He'll get wus nor oneasy, one of these days, if he don't mend his ways. _His_ master'll be sending for him, and then see how he'll look!""He'll go to torment, and no mistake," said little Jake."He desarves it!" said Aunt Chloe, grimly; "he's broke a many, many, many hearts,--I tell ye all!" she said, stopping, with a fork uplifted in her hands; "it's like what Mas'r George reads in Ravelations,--souls a callin' under the altar! and a callin' on the Lord for vengeance on sich!--and by and by the Lord he'll hear 'em--so he will!"Aunt Chloe, who was much revered in the kitchen, was listened to with open mouth; and, the dinner being now fairly sent in, the whole kitchen was at leisure to gossip with her, and to listen to her remarks."Sich'll be burnt up forever, and no mistake; won't ther?" said Andy."I'd be glad to see it, I'll be boun'," said little Jake."Chil'en!" said a voice, that made them all start. It was Uncle Tom, who had come in, and stood listening to the conversation at the door."Chil'en!" he said, "I'm afeard you don't know what ye're sayin'. Forever is a _dre'ful_ word, chil'en; it's awful to think on 't. You oughtenter wish that ar to any human crittur.""We wouldn't to anybody but the soul-drivers," said Andy; "nobody can help wishing it to them, they 's so awful wicked.""Don't natur herself kinder cry out on 'em?" said Aunt Chloe. "Don't dey tear der suckin' baby right off his mother's breast, and sell him, and der little children as is crying and holding on by her clothes,--don't dey pull 'em off and sells 'em? Don't dey tear wife and husband apart?" said Aunt Chloe, beginning to cry, "when it's jest takin' the very life on 'em?--and all the while does they feel one bit, don't dey drink and smoke, and take it oncommon easy? Lor, if the devil don't get them, what's he good for?" And Aunt Chloe covered her face with her checked apron, and began to sob in good earnest.""ray for them that 'spitefully use you, the good book says," says Tom."Pray for 'em!" said Aunt Chloe; "Lor, it's too tough! I can't pray for 'em.""It's natur, Chloe, and natur 's strong," said Tom, "but the Lord's grace is stronger; besides, you oughter think what an awful state a poor crittur's soul 's in that'll do them ar things,--you oughter thank God that you an't _like_ him, Chloe. I'm sure I'd rather be sold, ten thousand times over, than to have all that ar poor crittur's got to answer for.""So 'd I, a heap," said Jake. "Lor, _shouldn't_ we cotch it, Andy?"Andy shrugged his shoulders, and gave an acquiescent whistle."I'm glad Mas'r didn't go off this morning, as he looked to," said Tom; "that ar hurt me more than sellin', it did. Mebbe it might have been natural for him, but 't would have come desp't hard on me, as has known him from a baby; but I've seen Mas'r, and I begin ter feel sort o' reconciled to the Lord's will now. Mas'r couldn't help hisself; he did right, but I'm feared things will be kinder goin' to rack, when I'm gone Mas'r can't be spected to be a pryin' round everywhar, as I've done, a keepin' up all the ends. The boys all means well, but they 's powerful car'less. That ar troubles me."The bell here rang, and Tom was summoned to the parlor."Tom," said his master, kindly, "I want you to notice that I give this gentleman bonds to forfeit a thousand dollars if you are not on the spot when he wants you; he's going today to look after his other business, and you can have the day to yourself. Go anywhere you like, boy.""Thank you, Mas'r," said Tom."And mind yourself," said the trader, "and don't come it over your master with any o' yer nigger tricks; for I'll take every cent out of him, if you an't thar. If he'd hear to me, he wouldn't trust any on ye--slippery as eels!""Mas'r," said Tom,--and he stood very straight,--"I was jist eight years old when ole Missis put you into my arms, and you wasn't a year old. `Thar,' says she, `Tom, that's to be _your_ young Mas'r; take good care on him,' says she. And now I jist ask you, Mas'r, have I ever broke word to you, or gone contrary to you, 'specially since I was a Christian?"Mr. Shelby was fairly overcome, and the tears rose to his eyes."My good boy," said he, "the Lord knows you say but the truth; and if I was able to help it, all the world shouldn't buy you.""And sure as I am a Christian woman," said Mrs. Shelby, "you shall be redeemed as soon as I can any bring together means. Sir," she said to Haley, "take good account of who you sell him to, and let me know.""Lor, yes, for that matter," said the trader, "I may bring him up in a year, not much the wuss for wear, and trade him back.""I'll trade with you then, and make it for your advantage," said Mrs. Shelby."Of course," said the trader, "all 's equal with me; li'ves trade 'em up as down, so I does a good business. All I want is a livin', you know, ma'am; that's all any on us wants, I, s'pose."Mr. and Mrs. Shelby both felt annoyed and degraded by the familiar impudence of the trader, and yet both saw the absolute necessity of putting a constraint on their feelings. The more hopelessly sordid and insensible he appeared, the greater became Mrs. Shelby's dread of his succeeding in recapturing Eliza and her child, and of course the greater her motive for detaining him by every female artifice. She therefore graciously smiled, assented, chatted familiarly, and did all she could to make time pass imperceptibly.At two o'clock Sam and Andy brought the horses up to the posts, apparently greatly refreshed and invigorated by the scamper of the morning.Sam was there new oiled from dinner, with an abundance of zealous and ready officiousness. As Haley approached, he was boasting, in flourishing style, to Andy, of the evident and eminent success of the operation, now that he had "farly come to it.""Your master, I s'pose, don't keep no dogs," said Haley, thoughtfully, as he prepared to mount."Heaps on 'em," said Sam, triumphantly; "thar's Bruno--he's a roarer! and, besides that, 'bout every nigger of us keeps a pup of some natur or uther.""Poh!" said Haley,--and he said something else, too, with regard to the said dogs, at which Sam muttered,"I don't see no use cussin' on 'em, no way.""But your master don't keep no dogs (I pretty much know he don't) for trackin' out niggers."Sam knew exactly what he meant, but he kept on a look of earnest and desperate simplicity."Our dogs all smells round considable sharp. I spect they's the kind, though they han't never had no practice. They 's _far_ dogs, though, at most anything, if you'd get 'em started. Here, Bruno," he called, whistling to the lumbering Newfoundland, who came pitching tumultuously toward them."You go hang!" said Haley, getting up. "Come, tumble up now."Sam tumbled up accordingly, dexterously contriving to tickle Andy as he did so, which occasioned Andy to split out into a laugh, greatly to Haley's indignation, who made a cut at him with his riding-whip."I 's 'stonished at yer, Andy," said Sam, with awful gravity. "This yer's a seris bisness, Andy. Yer mustn't be a makin' game. This yer an't no way to help Mas'r.""I shall take the straight road to the river," said Haley, decidedly, after they had come to the boundaries of the estate. "I know the way of all of 'em,--they makes tracks for the underground.""Sartin," said Sam, "dat's de idee. Mas'r Haley hits de thing right in de middle. Now, der's two roads to de river,--de dirt road and der pike,--which Mas'r mean to take?"Andy looked up innocently at Sam, surprised at hearing this new geographical fact, but instantly confirmed what he said, by a vehement reiteration."Cause," said Sam, "I'd rather be 'clined to 'magine that Lizy 'd take de dirt road, bein' it's the least travelled."Haley, notwithstanding that he was a very old bird, and naturally inclined to be suspicious of chaff, was rather brought up by this view of the case."If yer warn't both on yer such cussed liars, now!" he said, contemplatively as he pondered a moment.The pensive, reflective tone in which this was spoken appeared to amuse Andy prodigiously, and he drew a little behind, and shook so as apparently to run a great risk of failing off his horse, while Sam's face was immovably composed into the most doleful gravity."Course," said Sam, "Mas'r can do as he'd ruther, go de straight road, if Mas'r thinks best,--it's all one to us. Now, when I study 'pon it, I think de straight road de best, _deridedly_.""She would naturally go a