The doctor, more exasperated than ever, again tried to revenge himself
on my relatives. He arrested uncle Phillip on the charge of having
aided my flight. He was carried before a court, and swore truly that
he knew nothing of my intention to escape, and that he had not seen me
since I left my master’s plantation. The doctor then demanded that he
should give bail for five hundred dollars that he would have nothing to
do with me. Several gentlemen offered to be security for him; but Mr.
Sands told him he had better go back to jail, and he would see that he
came out without giving bail.
The news of his arrest was carried to my grandmother, who conveyed it
to Betty. In the kindness of her heart, she again stowed me away under
the floor; and as she walked back and forth, in the performance of
her culinary duties, she talked apparently to herself, but with the
intention that I should hear what was going on. I hoped that my uncle’s
imprisonment would last but few days; still I was anxious. I thought it
likely Dr. Flint would do his utmost to taunt and insult him, and I was
afraid my uncle might lose control of himself, and retort in some way
that would be construed into a punishable offence; and I was well aware
that in court his word would not be taken against any white man’s. The
search for me was renewed. Something had excited suspicions that I
was in the vicinity. They searched the house I was in. I heard their
steps and their voices. At night, when all were asleep, Betty came to
release me from my place of confinement. The fright I had undergone,
the constrained posture, and the dampness of the ground, made me ill
for several days. My uncle was soon after taken out of prison; but
the movements of all my relatives, and of all our friends, were very
closely watched.
We all saw that I could not remain where I was much longer. I had
already staid longer than was intended, and I knew my presence must
be a source of perpetual anxiety to my kind benefactress. During this
time, my friends had laid many plans for my escape, but the extreme
vigilance of my persecutors made it impossible to carry them into
effect.
One morning I was much startled by hearing somebody trying to get
into my room. Several keys were tried, but none fitted. I instantly
conjectured it was one of the housemaids; and I concluded she must
either have heard some noise in the room, or have noticed the entrance
of Betty. When my friend came, at her usual time, I told her what had
happened. “I knows who it was,” said she. “’Pend upon it, ’twas dat
Jenny. Dat nigger allers got de debble in her.” I suggested that she
might have seen or heard something that excited her curiosity.
“Tut! tut! chile!” exclaimed Betty, “she ain’t seen notin’, nor hearn
notin’. She only ’spects someting. Dat’s all. She wants to fine out who
hab cut and make my gownd. But she won’t nebber know. Dat’s sartin.
I’ll git missis to fix her.”