"The serpent of the field, by art
And spells, is won from harming,
But that which coils around the heart,
Oh! who hath power of charming?"
Hebrew Melodies.
It was not easy to make Mr. Hardinge a sharer in my impatience. He had
taken a fancy to Marble, and was as much rejoiced at this accidental
discovery of the mate's parentage, as if he had been one of the family
himself. With such feelings, therefore, I had a good deal of difficulty in
getting him away. I asked Marble to go off with me, it being understood
that he was to be landed again, in order to pass the first night of his
recognition under his mother's roof. To this scheme, however, he raised an
objection, as soon as told it was my intention to go down the river as far
as New York, in quest of further medical advice, insisting on accompanying
me, in order to obtain the thousand dollars with which to face 'Squire Van
Tassel, or, at least, his mortgage sale. Accordingly, there were
leave-takings, and about eight we were all on board the sloop.
I did not see, nor did I ask to see, my sister again, that night. I had
not seen her, indeed, since the moment Rupert was discovered in company
with the Mertons; and, to own the truth, I felt afraid to see her,
knowing, as I did, how much her frame was apt to be affected by her mind.
It appeared to me there remained but the single duty to perform, that of
getting below as fast as possible, in order to obtain the needed medical
aid. It is true, we possessed Post's written instructions, and knew his
opinion that the chief thing was to divert Grace's thoughts from dwelling
on the great cause of her malady; but, now he had left us, it seemed as if
I should neglect a most sacred duty, did I delay obtaining some other
competent physician.
The tide turned at nine, and we got immediately under way, with a light
south-west wind. As for Marble, ignorant as Mr. Hardinge himself of the
true condition of my sister, he determined to celebrate his recent
discoveries by a supper. I was about to object to the project, on account
of Grace, but Lucy begged me to let him have his way; such _convives_ as
my late guardian and my own mate were not likely to be very boisterous;
and she fancied that the conversation, or such parts of it as should be
heard through the bulk-head, might serve to divert the invalid's mind from
dwelling too intently on the accidental rencontre of the morning. The
scheme was consequently carried out; and, in the course of an hour, the
cabins of the Wallingford presented a singular spectacle. In her berth was
Grace, patiently and sweetly lending herself to her friend's wish to seem
to listen to her own account of the reason of the mate's _festa_, and to
be amused by his sallies; Lucy, all care and attention for her patient, as
I could discover through the open door of the after-cabin, while she
endeavoured to appear to enter into the business that was going on at the
table, actually taking wine with the mate, and drinking to the happiness
of his newly-found relatives; Mr. Hardinge, over-flowing with
philanthropy, and so much engrossed with his companion's good fortune as
not to think of aught else at the moment; Marble, himself, becoming
gradually more under the influence of his new situation, as his feelings
had time to gather force and take their natural direction; while I was
compelled to wear the semblance of joining in his festivities, at an
instant when my whole soul was engrossed with anxiety on behalf of Grace.
"This milk is just the richest and best that ever came on board a vessel!"
exclaimed the mate, as he was about to wind up his own share of the repast
with a cup of coffee--"and as for butter, I can say I never tasted the
article before. Little Kitty brought both down to the boat with her own
hands, and that makes them so much the sweeter, too, for, if anything can
add to the excellence of eatables, it is to have them pass through the
hands of one's own relations. I dare say, Mr. Hardinge, now, you have
verified this, time and again, in your own experience?"
"In feeling, my friend; in feeling, often, though little in practice, in
the sense that you mean. My family has been my congregation, unless,
indeed, Miles here, and his beloved sister, can be added to my own
children in fact, as they certainly are in affection. But, I can
understand how butter made by the hands of one's own mother, or by those
of such a pretty niece as your Kitty, would taste all the sweeter."
"It's such a providential thing, as you call it, to find _such_ a mother
in the bargain! Now I might have discovered a slattern, or a scold, or a
woman of bad character; or one that never went to church; or even one that
swore and drank; for, begging your pardon, Miss Lucy, just such creatur's
are to be met with; whereas, instead of any of these disagreeable
recommendations, I've fallen in with an A. No. 1. mother; ay, and such an
old lady as the king of England, himself, need not be ashamed to own.[A] I
felt a strong desire, Mr. Hardinge, to get down on my knees, and to ask
the dear, good old soul, just to say, 'God bless you, my dear son, Moses,
Van Duzer, or Oloff, whatever your name may be.'"[2]
[Footnote 2: In that day, all allusions to royalty were confined to the
Majesty of Great Britain; it being no uncommon thing, at the
commencement of this century, to hear "_The_ King" toasted at many of
the best tables of the country.]
"And if you had, Mr. Marble, you would not have been any the worse for it.
Such feelings do you honour, and no man need be ashamed of desiring to
receive a parent's blessing."
"I suppose now, my dear sir," added Marble, innocently, "that is what is
called having a religious turn? I've often foreseen, that religion would
fetch me up, in the long run; and now that I am altogether relieved from
bitterness of heart on the subject of belonging to none, and no one's
belonging to me, my sentiments have undergone a great alteration, and I
feel a wish to be at peace with the whole human family--no, not with the
_whole_; I except that rascally old Van Tassel."
"You must except no one--we are told to 'love those that hate us, to bless
those that curse us, and to pray for those that despitefully use us.'"
Marble stared at Mr. Hardinge; for, to own the truth, it would have been
difficult, in a Christian land, to meet with one of his years who had less
religious instruction than himself. It is quite probable that these
familiar mandates had never been heard by him before; but I could see that
he was a little struck with the profound morality that pervaded them; a
morality to which no human heart appears to be so insensible as not in
secret to acknowledge its sublimity. Still he doubted.
"Where are we told to do this, my dear sir?" demanded Marble, after
looking intently at the rector for a moment.
"Where? why, where we get all our divine precept and inspired morality,
the bible. You must come to wish this Mr. Van Tassel good, instead of
evil; try to love, instead of hating him."
"Is that religion?" demanded the mate, in his most dogmatical and
determined manner.
"It is Christianity--its spirit, its very essence; without which the heart
cannot be right, let the tongue proclaim what delusion it may."
Marble had imbibed a sincere respect for my late guardian, equally from
what he had heard me say in his favour and what he had seen himself, of
his benevolent feelings kind-hearted morality, and excellent sense.
Nevertheless, it was not an easy matter to teach a being like Marble the
lesson that he was to do good to those who used him despitefully; and just
at that moment he was in a frame of mind to do almost anything else,
sooner than pardon Van Tassel. All this I could see, understanding the man
so well and, in order to prevent a useless discussion that might disturb
my sister, I managed to change the discourse before it was too late; I say
too late, because it is not easy to shake off two moralists who sustain
their doctrines as strongly as Mr. Hardinge and my mate.
"I am glad the name of this Mr. Van Tassel has been mentioned," I
observed, "as it may be well to have your advice, sir, concerning our best
mode of proceeding in his affair."
I then related to Mr. Hardinge the history of the mortgage, and the
necessity there was for promptitude, inasmuch as the sale was advertised
for the ensuing week. My late guardian was better acquainted with the
country, up the river, than I was myself; and it was fortunate the subject
was broached, as he soon convinced me the only course to be pursued was to
put Marble ashore at Hudson, where, if too late for the regular stage, he
might obtain some other conveyance, and proceed to town by land. This
would barely leave him time to transact all the necessary business, and to
be back in season to prevent the title to the Willow Cove from passing
into the usurer's grasp. As was usual with Mr. Hardinge, he entered into
this, as into every good work, heart and hand, and immediately set about
writing directions for Marble's government when he got ashore. This put in
end to the banquet, and glad was I to see the table removed, and the other
signs of a tranquil night reappear.
It was twelve before the sloop was as low as Hudson, and I saw by our rate
of sailing, that, indeed, there was little prospect of her reaching New
York in time for Marble's necessities. He was landed, therefore, and Mr.
Hardinge and myself accompanied him to the stage-house, where we
ascertained that the next morning after breakfast he would be enabled to
get into the stage, which would reach town in the evening of the
succeeding day. But this was altogether too slow for Marble's impatience.
He insisted on procuring a private conveyance, and we saw him drive out of
the long street that then composed most of the city of Hudson, at a
slapping pace, about one o'clock in the morning. This important duty
discharged, Mr. Hardinge and I returned to the sloop in which Neb had been
standing off and on, in waiting for us, and again made sail down the
river. When I turned in, the Wallingford was getting along at the rate of
about five miles the hour; the wind having freshened, and come out at the
westward, a quarter that just enabled her to lay her course.
The reader will easily imagine I did not oversleep myself the following
morning. My uneasiness was so great, indeed, that I dreamed of the
dreadful accident which had produced my father's death, and then fancied
that I saw him, my mother, and Grace, all interred at the same time, and
in the same grave. Fortunately, the wind stood at the west, and the sloop
was already within twenty miles of the creek at Clawbonny, when I got on
deck. All was quiet in the after-cabin; and, Mr. Hardinge still continuing
in his berth, I went out to breathe the fresh morning air, without
speaking to any below. There was no one on the quarter-deck but the pilot,
who was at the helm; though I saw a pair of legs beneath the boom, close
in with the mast, that I knew to be Neb's, and a neat, dark petticoat that
I felt certain must belong to Chloe. I approached the spot, in tending to
question the former on the subject of the weather during his watch; but,
just as about to hail him, I heard the young lady say, in a more animated
tone than was discreet for the character of the conversation--
"No, _nebber_, sah--_nebber_, widout de apperbation of my modder and de
whole famerly. Mattermony a berry differ t'ing, Neb, from what you
surposes. Now, many a young nigger gentleman imagine dat he has only to
coax his gal to say 'yes,' and den dey goes to de clergy and stands up for
de blessin', and imagines all right for de futur', and for de present
time, all which is just a derlusion and a derception. No, sah; mattermony
a berry differ t'ing from _dat,_ as any old lady can tell you. De fuss
t'ing in mattermony, is to hab a _consent_."
"Well, Chloe, and hab'n't I had dis berry consent from you, now for most
two year?"
"Ay, dat not de consent I surposes. You wouldn't t'ink, Neb, ongrateful
feller, to get marry, widout first askin' do consent of Masser Mile, I
_do_ surpose! You, who has been his own waiter so long, and has gone to
sea wid him so often; and has saved his life; and has helped kill so many
hateful saverges; and has been on a desert conternent wid him."
"I nebber told you dat, Chloe--I said on an island."
"Well, what's the differ? You cannot tell me anyt'ing of edercation, Neb;
for I hab hear Miss Grace and Miss Lucy say deir lesson so often, dat I
sometime surposes I can say 'em all, one by one, almost as well as my
young lady, 'emselves. No, Neb; on _dat_ subjeck better be silent. You
been much too busy, ebber to be edercated; and, if I _do_ marry you,
remember I now tell you, I shall not enter into mattermony wid you on
account of any edercation you hab."
"All Clawbonny say dat we can make as good a couple, Chloe, as ebber stood
up togedder."
"All Clawbonny don't know much of mattermony, Neb. People talks
inderskrimernaterly, and doesn't know what dey says, too often. In de fuss
place my modder, my own born modder, upposes our uner, and dat is a great
differculty to begin wid. When a born modder upposes, a darter ought to
t'ink sebberal time."
"Let me speak to Masser Mile; he'll fetch up her objeckshun wid a round
turn."
"What dat, Neb?"
"It mean Masser will _order_ her to consent."
"Dat nebber saterfy my conscience, Neb. We be nigger dat true; but no
Clawbonny master ebber tell a Clawbonny slabe to get marry, or not to get
marry, as he choose. Dat would be intollabull, and not to be supported!
No; mattermony is religion; and religion free. No colour' young lady hab
vergin affeckshun, to t'row 'em away on just whom her masser say. But,
Neb, dere one odder differculty to our uner dat I don't know--sometime, I
feel awful about it!"
As Chloe now spoke naturally, for the first time. Neb was evidently
startled; and I had sufficient amusement, and sufficient curiosity, to
remain stationary in order to hear what this new obstacle might be. The
voice of the negress was music itself; almost as sweet as Lucy's; and I
was struck with a slight tremor that pervaded it, as she so suddenly put
an end to all her own affectation of sentiment, and nipped her airs and
graces, as it might be, in the bud.
"Nebber talk to me of mattermony, Neb," Chloe continued, almost sobbing as
she spoke, "while Miss Grace be in dis berry bad way! It hard enough to
see her look so pale and melercholy, widout t'inking of becomin' a wife."
"Miss Grace will grow better, now Masser Mile carry her on de water. If he
only take her to sea, she get so fat and hearty, no libbin' wid her!"
Chloe did not acquiesce in this opinion; she rather insisted that "Miss
Grace" was altogether too delicate and refined a person to live in a ship.
But the circumstance that struck me with the greatest force, in this
characteristic dialogue, was the fact that Chloe betrayed to me the
consciousness of the cause of my sister's indisposition; while true to her
sex's instincts, and faithful to her duty, the girl completely concealed
it from her lover. I was also oppressively struck with the melancholy
forebodings that appeared in Chloe's manner, rather than in her words, and
which made it apparent that she doubted of her young mistress's recovery.
She concluded the conversation by saying--
"No, no, Neb--don't talk to me of mattermony while Miss Grace so ill; and
if any t'ing _should_ happen, you need nebber talk to me of it, at _all_.
I could nebber t'ink of any uner (union) should anyt'ing happen to Miss
Grace. Lub (love) will die forebber in de family, when Miss Grace die!"
I turned away, at this speech, the tears starting to my eyes, and saw Lucy
standing in the companion-way. She was waiting to speak to me, and no
sooner caught my eye, than beckoning me to her side, she let me know that
my sister desired to see me. Erasing every sign of emotion as soon as
possible, I descended with Lucy, and was soon at the side of my
sister's berth.
Grace received me with an angelic smile; but, I almost gasped for breath
as I noticed the prodigious change that had come over her in so brief a
space. She now looked more like a being of another world than ever; and
this, too, immediately after coming from the refreshment of a night's
rest. I kissed her forehead, which had an unnatural chill on it, I
thought; and I felt the feeble pressure of an arm that was thrown
affectionately round my neck. I then sat down on the transom, still
holding my sister's hand. Grace looked anxiously at me for half a minute,
ere she spoke, as if to ascertain how far I was conscious of her
situation.
"Lucy tells me, brother," she at length said, "that you think of carrying
me down the river, as far as town, in order to get further advice. I hope
this is a mistake of our dear Lucy's, however?"
"It is not, Grace. If the wind stand here at the westward, I hope to have
you in Lucy's own house in Wall street, by to-morrow evening. I know she
will receive you hospitably, and have ventured to form the plan without
consulting you on the subject."
"Better that I should be at Clawbonny--if anything can now do me good,
brother, it will be native air, and pure country air. Hearken to my
request, and stop at the creek."
"Your serious request, Grace, will be a law to me, if made on due
reflection. This growing feebleness, however, alarms me; and I cannot
justify it to myself not to send for advice."
"Remember, Miles, it is not yet twenty-four hours since one of the ablest
men of the country saw me. We have his written instructions; and, all that
man can do for me, they will do for me. No, brother; listen to my
entreaties, and go into the creek. I pine, I pine to be again at dear
Clawbonny, where alone I can enjoy anything like peace of body or mind.
This vessel is unsuited to me; I cannot think of a future, or pray in it.
Brother, _dearest_ brother, carry me home, if you love me!"
There was no resisting such an appeal. I went on deck with a heavy heart,
and gave the necessary orders to the pilot; and, in about eight-and-forty
hours after we emerged into the Hudson, we left that noble stream again,
to shoot beneath the shaded, leafy banks of our own inlet. Grace was so
feeble as to be carried to the chaise, in which she was supported by Lucy,
during the short drive to the house. When I reached my own dwelling, I
found Mr. Hardinge pacing the little portico, or piazza, waiting for my
arrival, with an uneasiness of manner that at once proclaimed his anxiety
to see me. He had driven the horse of the chaise, and had imbibed a first
impression of Grace's danger.
"Miles, my dear boy--my second son"--the simple-hearted, excellent old
man commenced; "Miles, my dear boy, the hand of God has been laid heavily
on us--your beloved sister, my own precious Grace, is far more ill than I
had any idea of, before this morning."
"She is in the hands of her merciful Creator," I said, struggling to
command myself, "who, I greatly fear, is about to call her from a world
that is not good enough for one so innocent and pure, to take her to
himself. I have foreseen this from the hour I first met her, after my
return; though a single ray of hope dawned on me, when Post advised the
change of scene. So far from producing good, this excursion has produced
evil; and she is much worse than when we left home."
"Such short-sighted mortals are we!--But what can we do, my boy?--I
confess my judgment, my faculties themselves, are nearly annihilated by
the suddenness of this shock. I had supposed her illness some trifling
complaint that youth and care would certainly remove; and here we stand,
as it might be, at the call of the trumpet's blast, almost around
her grave!"
"I am most anxious to lean on your wisdom and experience, my dear sir, at
this critical moment; if you will advise, I shall be happy to follow your
instructions."
"We must lean on God, Miles," answered my worthy guardian, still pacing
the piazza, the tears running down his cheeks in streams, and speaking so
huskily as barely to be intelligible; "yes, we will have the prayers of
the congregation next Sunday morning; and most devout and heartfelt
prayers they will be; for her own sainted mother was not more deservedly
loved! To be called away so young--to die in the first bloom of youth and
loveliness, as it were--but, it is to go to her God! We must endeavour to
think of her gain--to rejoice over, rather than mourn her loss."
"I grieve to perceive that you regard my sister's case as so entirely
hopeless, sir."
"Hopeless!--It is full of the brightest promise; and when I come to look
calmly at it, my reason tells me I ought not to grieve. Still, Miles, the
loss of Lucy, herself, would scarce be a more severe blow to me. I have
loved her from childhood, cared for her as for one of my own, and feel
the same love for her that I should feel for a second daughter. Your
parents were dear to me, and their children have always appeared to me to
belong to my own blood. Had I not been your guardian, boy, and you and
Grace been comparatively so rich, while I and mine were so poor, it would
have been the first wish of my heart to have seen Rupert and Grace, you
and Lucy, united, which would have made you all my beloved children alike.
I often thought of this, until I found it necessary to repress the hope,
lest I should prove unfaithful to my trust. Now, indeed, Mrs. Bradfort's
bequest might have smoothed over every difficulty; but it came too late!
It was not to be; Providence had ordered otherwise."
"You had an ardent supporter of your scheme in one of your children, at
least, sir."
"So you have given me to understand, Miles, and I regret that I was
informed of the fact so late, or I might have contrived to keep off other
young men while you were at sea, or until an opportunity offered to enable
you to secure my daughter's affections. That done, neither time nor
distance could have displaced you; the needle not being more true than
Lucy, or the laws of nature more certain."
"The knowledge of these sterling qualities, sir, only makes me regret my
having come too late, so much the more."
"It was not to be;--at one time, I _did_ think Rupert and Grace had a
preference for each other; but I must have been deceived. God had ordered
it otherwise, and wisely no doubt; as his omniscience foresaw the early
drooping of this lovely flower. I suppose their having been educated
together, so much like brother and sister, has been the reason there was
so much indifference to each other's merits. You have been an exception on
account of your long absences, Miles, and you must look to those absences
for the consolation and relief you will doubtless require. Alas! alas!
that I could not now fold Grace to my heart, as a daughter and a bride,
instead of standing over her grave! Nothing but Rupert's diffidence of his
own claims, during our days of poverty, could have prevented him from
submitting himself to so much loveliness and virtue. I acquit the ad of
insensibility; for nothing but the sense of poverty and the pride of a
poor gentleman, added perhaps to the brotherly regard he has always felt
for Grace, could have kept him from seeking her hand. Grace, properly
enough, would have requited his affection."
Such is a specimen of the delusion under which we live, daily. Here was my
sister dying of blighted affections, under my own roof; and the upright,
conscientious father of the wretch who had produced this withering evil,
utterly unconscious of the wrong that had been done; still regarding his
son with the partiality and indulgence of a fond parent. To me, it seemed
incredible at the time, that unsuspecting integrity could carry its
simplicity so far; but I have since lived long enough to know that
mistakes like these are constantly occurring around us; effects being
hourly attributed to causes with which they have no connection; and causes
being followed down to effects, that are as imaginary as human sagacity is
faulty. As for myself, I can safely say, that in scarce a circumstance of
my life, that has brought me the least under the cognizance of the public,
have I ever been judged justly. In various instances have I been praised
for acts that were either totally without any merit, or, at least, the
particular merit imputed to them; while I have been even persecuted for
deeds that deserved praise. An instance or two of the latter of these
cases of the false judgment of the world will be laid before the reader as
I proceed.
Mr. Hardinge continued for some time to expatiate on the loveliness of
Grace's character, and to betray the weight of the blow he had received,
in gaining this sudden knowledge of her danger. He seemed to pass all at
once from a state of inconsiderate security to one of total hopelessness,
and found the shock so much harder to endure. At length he sent for Lucy,
with whom he continued closeted for near an hour. I ascertained,
afterwards, that he questioned the dear girl closely on the subject of my
sister's malady; even desiring to know if her affections were any way
connected with this extraordinary sinking of the vital powers; but not in
the slightest degree inclining to the distrust of Rupert's being in any
manner implicated in the affair. Lucy, truthful and frank as she was, felt
the uselessness, nay, the danger, of enlightening her father, and managed
to evade all his more delicate inquiries, without involving herself in
falsehoods. She well knew, if he were apprised of the real state of the
case, that Rupert would have been sent for; and every reparation it was in
his power to make would have been insisted on, as an act of justice; a
hopeless and distressing attempt to restore the confidence of unbounded
love, and the esteem which, once lost, is gone forever. Perhaps the
keenest of all Grace's sufferings proceeded from the consciousness of the
total want of merit in the man she had so effectually enshrined in her
heart, that he could only be ejected by breaking in pieces and utterly
destroying the tenement that had so long contained him. With ordinary
notions, this change of opinion might have sufficed for the purposes of an
effectual cure; but my poor sister was differently constituted. She had
ever been different from most of her sex, in intensity of feeling; and had
come near dying, while still a child, on the occasion of the direful
catastrophe of my father's loss; and the decease of even our mother,
though long expected, had come near to extinguish the flame of life in the
daughter. As I have already said more than once, a being so sensitive and
so pure, ever seemed better fitted for the regions of bliss, than for the
collisions and sorrows of the world.
Now we were at Clawbonny again, I scarce knew how to employ myself. Grace
I could not see; Lucy, who took the entire management of the invalid,
requiring for her rest and quiet. In this she did but follow the
directions of reason, as well as those left by Post; and I was fain to
yield, knowing that my sister could not possibly have a more judicious or
a more tender nurse.
The different persons belonging to the mill and the farm came to me for
directions, which I was compelled to give with thoughts engrossed with the
state of my sister. More than once I endeavoured to arouse myself; and,
for a few minutes, _seemed_ to enter, if I did not truly enter, with
interest into the affairs presented to my consideration; but these little
rallies were merely so many attempts at self-delusion, and I finally
referred everything to the respective persons entrusted with the different
branches of the duty bidding them act as they had been accustomed to do
in my absence.
"Why, yes, Masser Mile," answered the old negro who was the head man in
the field, "dis berry well, if he can do it. Remember I alway hab Masser
Hardinge to talk to me about 'e crop, and sich t'ing, and dat a won'erful
help to a poor nigger when he in a nonplush."
"Surely, Hiram, you are a better husbandman than Mr. Hardinge and myself
put together, and cannot want the advice of either to tell you how to
raise corn, or to get in hay!"
"Dat berry true, sah--so true, I wont deny him. But, you know how it be,
Masser Mile; a nigger _do_ lub to talk, and it help along work
won'erfully, to get a good dispute, afore he begin."
As respects the blacks, this was strictly true. Though as respectful as
slavery and habit could make them, they were so opinionated and
dogmatical, each in his or her sphere, that nothing short of a downright
assertion of authority could produce submission to any notions but their
own. They loved to argue the different points connected with their several
duties, but they did not like to be convinced. Mr. Hardinge would discuss
with them, from a sense of duty, and he would invariably yield, unless in
cases that involved moral principles. On all such points, and they were
not of unfrequent occurrence in a family of so many blacks, he was as
inflexible as the laws of the Medes and Persians; but, as respected the
wheat, the potatoes, the orchards, the mill, or the sloop, he usually
submitted to the experience of those more familiar with the business,
after having discussed the matters in council. This rendered him
exceedingly popular at Clawbonny, the persuaded usually having the same
sort of success in the world as a good listener. As for the rector
himself, after so many long discussions, he began to think he had actually
influenced the different steps adopted; the cause of one of the illusions
I have already pourtrayed.
Old Hiram did not quit me when he came for instructions alias a "dispute,"
without a word of inquiry touching Grace I could see that the alarm had
passed among the slaves, and it was quite touching to note the effect it
produced on their simple minds. It would have been sufficient for them to
love her, that Grace was their young mistress; but such a mistress as she
had ever been, and one so winning in manner and person, they might be said
almost to worship her.
"I berry sorry to hear Miss Grace be onwell, sah," said old Hiram, looking
at me sorrowfully. "It go hard wid us all, if anyt'ing happen _dere_! I
alway s'pose, Masser Mile, dat Miss Grace and Masser Rupert come togeder,
some time; as we all expects you and Miss Lucy will. Dem are happy days,
sah, at Clawbonny, for den we all know our new masser and new missus from
de cradle. No, no--we can nebber spare Miss Grace, sah; even I should miss
her in 'e field!"
The very blacks had observed the state of things which had deluded my poor
sister; and the slave had penetrated his master's secret. I turned away
abruptly from the negro, lest he should also detect the evidence of the
weakness extorted by his speech, from the eyes of manhood.