第 8 节
作者:人生几何      更新:2021-02-19 17:02      字数:9321
  clothes; hat; boots; and even his watch; were nowhere to be found。 Here
  was a pretty dilemma for a doctor to be in。              It was some time before the
  physician could fit himself out so as to make the visit。 At last; however; he
  started with one   of the  farm…horses;  for Sam  had   taken the doctor's best
  saddle…horse。 The doctor felt sure that the negro had robbed him; and was
  on his way to Canada; but in this he was mistaken。                 Sam had gone to the
  city to attend a ball; and had decked himself out in his master's best suit。
  The physician returned before morning; and again retired to bed but with
  little hope of sleep; for his thoughts were with his servant and horse。                   At
  six o'clock; in walked Sam with his master's clothes; and the boots neatly
  blacked。 The watch was placed on the shelf; and the hat in its place。 Sam
  had   not   met   any   of   the   servants;   and   was   therefore   entirely   ignorant   of
  what had occurred during his absence。
  〃What have you been about; sir; and where was you last night when I
  was called?〃 asked the doctor。
  〃I don't know; sir。      I 'spose I was asleep;〃 replied Sam。
  But the doctor was not to be so easily satisfied; after having been put
  to   so   much   trouble   in   hunting   up   another   suit   without   the   aid   of   Sam。
  After breakfast; Sam was taken into the barn; tied up; and severely flogged
  with the cat; which brought from him the truth concerning his absence the
  previous night。 This forever put an end to his fine appearance at the negro
  parties。 Had not the doctor been one of the most indulgent of masters; he
  would not have escaped with merely a severe whipping。
  As    a  matter   of  course;    Sam   had    to  relate  to  his   companions      that
  evening   in   Mr。   Wilson's   kitchen   all   his   adventures   as   a   physician   while
  with his old master。
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  CLOTELLE
  CHAPTER IX
  THE MAN OF HONOR
  AUGUSTINE   CARDINAY;   the   purchaser   of   Marion;   was   from   the
  Green     Mountains     of  Vermont;     and   his  feelings   were   opposed    to  the
  holding of slaves; but his young wife persuaded him into the idea that it
  was   no   worse   to   own   a   slave   than   to   hire   one   and   pay   the   money   to
  another。 Hence it was that he had been induced to purchase Marion。
  Adolphus   Morton;   a   young   physician   from  the   same   State;   and   who
  had just   commenced   the practice   of   his profession in   New   Orleans;   was
  boarding   with   Cardinay   when   Marion   was   brought   home。         The   young
  physician had been in New Orleans but a very few weeks; and had seen
  but little of slavery。 In his own mountain…home; he had been taught that
  the slaves of the Southern States were negroes; and if not from the coast of
  Africa;    the   descendants     of  those   who    had   been    imported。    He   was
  unprepared to behold with composure a beautiful white girl of sixteen in
  the degraded position of a chattel slave。
  The blood chilled in his young heart as he heard Cardinay tell how; by
  bantering with the trader; he had bought her two hundred dollars less than
  he    first  asked。    His    very   looks   showed     that  she   had    the  deepest
  sympathies of his heart。
  Marion had been brought up by her mother to look after the domestic
  concerns   of   her   cottage   in   Virginia;   and   well   knew   how   to   perform   the
  duties imposed upon her。 Mrs。 Cardinay was much pleased with her new
  servant;   and   often   mentioned   her   good   qualities   in   the   presence   of   Mr。
  Morton。
  After   eight   months   acquaintance   with   Marion;   Morton's   sympathies
  ripened into love; which was most cordially reciprocated by the friendless
  and injured child of sorrow。        There was but one course which the young
  man could honorably pursue; and that was to purchase Marion and make
  her his lawful wife; and this he did immediately; for he found Mr。 and Mrs。
  Cardinay willing to second his liberal intentions。
  The young man; after purchasing Marion from Cardinay; and marrying
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  her; took lodgings in another part of the city。 A private teacher was called
  in;   and   the   young   wife   was   taught   some   of   those   accomplishments   so
  necessary for one taking a high position in good society。
  Dr。    Morton     soon    obtained    a   large   and   influential    practice    in  his
  profession; and with it increased in wealth; but with all his wealth he never
  owned   a   slave。     Probably  the   fact   that he   had   raised his   wife   from  that
  condition   kept   the   hydra…headed   system   continually   before   him。   To   the
  credit of Marion be it said; she used every means to obtain the freedom of
  her mother; who had been sold to Parson Wilson; at Natchez。 Her efforts;
  however;   had   come   too   late;   for   Agnes   had   died   of   a   fever   before   the
  arrival of Dr。 Morton's agent。
  Marion   found   in Adolphus   Morton   a   kind   and   affectionate   husband;
  and his   wish   to   purchase   her mother;  although unsuccessful;  had   doubly
  endeared   him   to   her。     Ere   a   year   had   elapsed   from   the   time   of   their
  marriage; Mrs。 Morton presented her husband with a lovely daughter; who
  seemed to knit their hearts still closer together。 This child they named Jane;
  and   before     the   expiration    of  the   second    year;  they   were    blessed    with
  another daughter; whom they named Adrika。                    These children grew up to
  the ages of ten and eleven; and were then sent to the North to finish their
  education; and receive that refinement which young ladies cannot obtain
  in the Slave States。
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  CLOTELLE
  CHAPTER X
  THE QUADROON'S HOME
  A  FEW   miles   out   of   Richmond   is   a   pleasant   place;   with   here   and
  there   a   beautiful   cottage   surrounded   by   trees   so   as   scarcely   to   be   seen。
  Among these was one far retired from the public roads; and almost hidden
  among the trees。       This was the spot that Henry Linwood had selected for
  Isabella;   the   eldest   daughter   of Agnes。  The   young   man   hired   the   house;
  furnished it; and placed his mistress there; and for many months no one in
  his father's family knew where he spent his leisure hours。
  When   Henry  was   not   with   her;   Isabella   employed   herself   in   looking
  after her little garden and the flowers that grew in front of her cottage。 The
  passion…flower; peony; dahlia; laburnum; and other plants; so abundant in
  warm climates; under the tasteful hand of Isabella;  lavished their   beauty
  upon this retired spot; and miniature paradise。
  Although Isabella had been assured by Henry that she should be free
  and that he   would   always   consider   her as his  wife; she nevertheless felt
  that she ought to be married and acknowledged by him。 But this was an
  impossibility under the State laws; even had the young man been disposed
  to do what was right in the matter。 Related as he was; however; to one of
  the first families in Virginia; he would not have dared to marry a woman
  of so low an origin; even had the laws been favorable。
  Here; in this secluded grove; unvisited by any other except her lover;
  Isabella lived for years。      She had become the mother of a lovely daughter;
  which   its   father   named   Clotelle。   The   complexion   of   the   child   was   still
  fairer than that of its mother。      Indeed; she was not darker than other white
  children; and as she grew older she more and more resembled her father。
  As time passed away; Henry became negligent of Isabella and his child;
  so much so; that days and even weeks passed without their seeing him; or
  knowing where he was。           Becoming more acquainted with the world; and
  moving continually in the society of young women of his own station; the
  young   man   felt   that   Isabella   was   a   burden   to   him;   and   having   as   some
  would     say;   〃outgrown     his   love;〃   he   longed    to  free  himself    of   the
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  responsibility; yet every time he saw the child; he felt that he owed it his
  fatherly care。
  Henry had now entered