"Kaze Mars' Lupus done say he gwine kill de fustest man what 'sturb him,
suh," continued the black man, in a listless monotone. "An' I spec' he
gwine do it."
"Is Sir Lupus abed at this hour?" I asked.
"Yaas, suh."
There was no emotion in the old man's voice. Something made me think
that he had given the same message to visitors many times.
I was very angry at the discourtesy, for he must have known when to
expect me from my servant, who had accompanied me by water with my boxes
from St. Augustine to Philadelphia, where I lingered while he went
forward, bearing my letter with him. Yet, angry and disgusted as I was,
there was nothing for me to do except to swallow the humiliation, walk
in, and twiddle my thumbs until the boorish lord of the manor waked to
greet his invited guest.
"I suppose I may enter," I said, sarcastically.
"Yaas, suh; Miss Dorry done say: 'Cato,' she say, 'ef de young gem'man
come when Mars' Lupus am drunk, jess take care n' him, Cato; put him
mos' anywhere 'cep in mah bed, Cato, an' jess call me ef I ain' busy
'bout mah business--'"
Still rambling on, he opened the door, and I entered a wide hallway,
dirty and disordered. As I stood hesitating, a terrific crash sounded
from the floor above.
"Spec' Miss Dorry busy," observed the old man, raising his solemn,
wrinkled face to listen.
"Uncle," I said, "is it true that you are all mad in this house?"
"We sho' is, suh," he replied, without interest.
"Are you too crazy to care for my horse?"
"Oh no, suh."
"Then go and rub her down, and feed her, and let me sit here in the
hallway. I want to think."
Another crash shook the ceiling of solid oak; very far away I heard a
young girl's laughter, then a stifled chorus of voices from the
floor above.
"Das Miss Dorry an' de chilluns," observed the old man.
"Who are the others?"
"Waal, dey is Miss Celia, an' Mars' Harry, an' Mars' Ruyven, an' Mars'
Sam'l, an' de babby, li'l Mars' Benny."
"All mad?"
"Yaas, suh."
"I'll be, too, if I remain here," I said. "Is there an inn near by?"
"De Turkle-dove an' Olives."
"Where?"
"'Bout five mile long de pike, suh."
"Feed my horse," I said, sullenly, and sat down on a settle, rifle
cradled between my knees, and in my heart wrath immeasurable against my
kin the Varicks.