with lee in virginia-第10章

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can；　and　lie　very　quiet　to…morrow　until　it　is　time　to　start。　　It　would

be　terrible　if　you　were　to　be　caught　now；　just　as　we　have　arranged

for　you　to　get　away。〃



On　the　following　afternoon　Vincent　told　his　mother　that　he　was

going　over　that　evening　to　his　friend　Furniss；　as　an　early　start　was

to　be　made　next　morning；　they　intended　to　go　down　the　river　as　far

as　Yorktown；　if　not　further；　that　be　certainly　should　not　be　back

for　two　days；　and　probably　might　be　even　longer。



〃This　new　beating　freak　of　yours；　Vincent；　seems　to　occupy　all

your　thoughts。　　I　wonder　how　long　it　will　last。〃



〃I　don't　suppose　it　will　last　much　longer；　mother；〃　Vincent　said

with　a　laugh。　　〃Anyhow；　it　will　make　a　jolly　change　for　a　week。　

One　had　got　so　sick　of　hearing　nothing　talked　about　but　secession

that　a　week　without　hearing　the　word　mentioned　will　do　one　lots

of　good；　and　I　am　sure　I　felt　that　if　one　had　much　more　of　it；　one

would　be　almost　driven　to　take　up　the　Northern　side　just　for　the

sake　of　a　change。〃



〃We　should　all　disown　you；　Vin；〃　Annie　said；　laughing；　〃we　should

have　nothing　to　say　to　you；　and　you　would　be　cut　by　all　your

friends。〃



〃Well；　you　see；　a　week's　sailing　and　fishing　will　save　me　from　all

that；　Annie；　and　I　be　all　be　able　to　begin　again　with　a　fresh　stock　of

patience。〃



〃I　believe　you　are　only　half　in　earnest　in　the　cause；　Vincent；〃　his

mother　said　gravely。



〃I　am　not　indeed；　mother。　　I　quite　agree　with　what　you　and　every

one　say　as　to　the　rights　of　the　State　of　Virginia；　and　if　the　North

should　really　try　to　force　us　and　the　other　Southern　States　to

remain　with　them；　I　shall　be　just'　as　ready　to　do　everything　I　can　as

any　one　else；　but　I　can't　see　the　good　of　always　talking　about　it；

and　I　think　it's　very　wrong　to　ill…treat　and　abuse　those　who　think

the　other　way。　　In　England　in　the　Civil　War　the　people　of　the　towns

almost　all　thought　one　way；　and　almost　all　those　of　the　counties

the　other；　and　even　now　opinions　differ　almost　as　widely　as　to

which　was　right。　　I　hate　to　hear　people　always　laying　down　the　law

as　if　there　could　not　possibly　be　two　sides　of　the　case；　and　as　if

every　one　who　differed　from　them　must　be　a　rascal　and　a　traitor。　

Almost　all　the　fellows　I　know　say　that　if　it　comes　to　fighting　they

shall　go　into　the　State　army；　and　I　should　be　quite　willing；　if　they

would　really　take　fellows　of　my　age　for　soldiers；　to　enlist　too；　but

that　is　no　reason　why　one　should　not　get　sick　of　hearing　nothing

but　one　subject　talked　of　for　weeks。〃



It　was　nearly　dark　when　Vincent　started　for　his　walk　of　ten　miles；

for　he　had　decided　not　to　take　his　horse　with　him；　as　he　had　no

means　of　sending　it　back；　and　its　stay　for　three　days　in　his　friend's

stables　would　attract　attention　to　the　fact　of　his　long　absence。



After　about　three　hours'　walking　he　reached　the　boat。　house；

having　seen　no　one　as　he　passed　through　the　plantation。　　He　took

the　oars　and　sails　from　the　boathouse　and　placed　them　in　the　boat；

and　then　sat　down　in　the　stern　to　await　the　coming　of　the　negroes。　

In　'an　hour　they　arrived；　Tony　carrying　a　bundle　of　clothes　that

Dan　had　by　Vincent's　orders　bought　for　him　in　Richmond；　while

Dan　carried　a　large　basket　of　provisions。　　Vincent　gave　an

exclamation　of　thankfullness　as　he　saw　the　two　figures　appear；　for

the　day　having　been　Sunday　he　knew　that　a　good　many　men　would

be　likely　to　join　the　search　parties　in　hopes　of　having　a　share　in　the

reward　offered　for　Tony's　capture；　and　he　had　felt　very　anxious　all

day。



〃You　sit　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　Tony；　and　do　you　steer；　Dan。　

You　make　such　a　splashing　with　your　oar　that　we　should　be　heard

a　mile　away。　　Keep　us　close　in　shore　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　the

less　we　are　noticed　the　better　at　this　time　of　night。〃



Taking　the　sculls；　Vincent　rowed　quietly　away。　　He　had　often　been

out　on　boating　excursions　with　his　friends；　and　had　learned　to　row

fairly。　　During　the　last　two　days　he　had　diligently　instructed　Dan；

and　after　two　long　days'　work　the　young　negro　had　got　over　the

first　difficulties；　but　he　was　still　clumsy　and　awkward。　　Vincent

did　not　exert　himself。　He　knew　he　had　a　long　night's　row　before

him；　and　he　paddled　quietly　along　with　the　stream。　　The　boat　was　a

good…sized　one；　and　when　not　under　sail　was　generally　rowed　by

two　strong　negroes　accustomed　to　the　work。



Sometimes　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time　Vincent　ceased　rowing；　and

let　the　boat　drift　along　quietly。　　There　was　no　hurry；　for　he　had　a

day　and　two　nights　to　get　down　to　the　month　of　the　river；　a

distance　of　some　seventy　miles；　and　out　to　sea　far　enough　to

intercept　the　vessel。　　At　four　o'clock　they　arrived　at　Cumberland；

where　the　Pamunky　and　Mattapony　Rivers　unite　and　form　the

York　River。　Here　they　were　in　tidal　waters；　and　as　the　tide；　though

not　strong；　was　flowing　up；　Vincent　tied　the　boat　to　the　branch　of　a

tree；　and　lay　down　in　the　bottom　for　an　hour's　sleep；　telling　Dan　to

wake　him　when　the　tide　turned；　or　if　he　heard　any　noise。　　Day　had

broken　when　the　boat　drifted　round；　and　Dan　aroused　him。



The　boat　was　rowed　off　to　the　middle　of　the　river；　as　there　could

be　no　longer　any　attempt　at　concealment。　Dan　now　took　the　bow

oar；　and　they　rowed　until　a　light



The　Jacksons　were　newcomers　in　Virginia。　　Six　years　before；　the

estate；　of　which　the　Cedars；　as　their　place　was　called；　formed　a

part；　was　put　up　for　sale。　　It　was　a　very　large　one；　and　having　been

divided　into　several　portions　to　suit　buyers；　the　Cedars　had　been

purchased　by　Jackson；　who；　having　been　very　successful　as　a

storekeeper　at　Charleston；　had　decided　upon　giving　up　the　business

and　leaving　South　Carolina；　and　settling　down　as　a　land…owner　in

some　other　State。　His　antecedents；　however；　were　soon　known　at

Richmond；　and　the　old　Virginian　families　turned　a　cold　shoulder　to

the　newcomer。



Had　he　been　a　man　of　pleasant　manners；　he　would　gradually　have

made　his　way；　but　he　was　evidently　not　a　gentleman。　　The　habits　of

trade　stuck　to　him；　and　in　a　very　short　time　there　were　rumors　that

the　slaves；　whom　he　had　bought　with　the　property；　found　him　a

harsh　and　cruel　master。　　This　in　itself　would　have　been　sufficient

to　bring　him　disrepute　in　Virginia；　where　as　a　rule　the　slaves　were

treated　with　great　kindness；　and　indeed　considered　their　position　to

be　infinitely　superior　to　that　of　the　poorer　class　of　whites。　　Andrew

Jackson　had　been　for　a　few　months　at　school　with　Vincent；　he　was

unpopular　there；　and　from　the　rumors　current　as　to　the　treatment　of

I　he　slaves　on　the　estate；　was　known　by　the　nickname　of　he

〃slave…driver。〃



Had　Vincent　been　the　son　of　a　white　trader；　r　a　small　cultivator；　he

knew　well　enough　that　his　position　would　be　a　very　serious　one；

and　that　he　would　have　had　to　ride　to　the　border　of　the　State　with

all　speed。　　He　would　have　been　denounced　at　once　as　an

Abolitionist；　and　would　have　been　accused　of　stirring　up　the　slaves

to　rebellion。　against　their　masters；　a　crime　of　the　most　serious

kind'；　in　the　Southern　States。　　But　placed　as　he　was；　as　the　heir　of　a

great　estate　worked　by　slaves；　such　a　cry　could　hardly　be　raised

against　him。　　He　might　doubtless　be　fined　and　admonished　1'or

interfering　between　a　master　and　his　slave；　but　the　sympathy　of　the

better　classes　in　Virginia　would　be　entirely　with　him。　　Vincent；

therefore；　was　but　little　concerned　for　himself；　but　he　doubted

greatly　whether　his　interference　had　not　done　much　more　harm

than　good　to　the　slave　and　his　wife；　for　upon　them　Andrew

Jackson　would　vent　his　fury。　　He　rode　direct　to　the　stables　instead

of　alighting　as　usual　at　the　door。　　Dan；　who　had　been　sitting　in　the

veranda　waiting　for　him；　ran　down　to　the　stables　as　he　saw　him

coming。



〃Give　the　horse　to　one　of　the　others；　Dan；　I　want　to　speak　to　you。　

Dan；〃　he　went　on　when　he　had　walked　with　him　a　short　distance

from　the　staNes；　〃I　suppose　you　know　some　of　the　hands　on

Jackson's　plantation。〃



Dan　grinned；　for　although　there　was　not　supposed　to　he　any

communication　between　the　slaves　on　the　different　estates；　it　was

notorious　that　at　night　they　were　in　the　habit　of　slipping　out　of

their　huts　and　visiting　each　other。



〃I　know　some　oh　dem；　Massa　Vincent。　　What　you　want　ob　dem？　

Berry　had　master；　Massa　Jackson。　　Wust　master　hereabouts。〃



Vincent　related　what　had　happened；　to　Dan's　intense　delight。



〃Now；　Dan；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　am　afraid　that　after　my　interference

they　will　treat　that　poor　fellow　and　his　wife　worse　than　before。　　I

want　you　to　find　out　for　me　what　is　going　on　at　Jackson's。　　I　do　not

know　that　I　can　do　anything；　however　badly　they　treat　them；　but　I

have　been　thinking　that　if　they　ill…treat　them　very　grossly；　I　will　get

together　a　party　of　fifteen　or　twenty　of　my　friends　and　we　will　go

in　a　body　to　Jackson's；　and　warn　him　that　if　he　behaves　with

cruelty　to　his　slaves；　we　will　make　it　so　hot　for　him　that　he　will

have　to　leave　the　state。　　I　don't　say　that　we　could　do　anything；　but

as　we　should　represent　most　of　the　large　estates　round　here；　I　don't

think　old　Jackson　and　his　son　would　like　being　sent　to　Coventry。

The　feeling　is　very　strong　at　present　against　ill…treatment　of　the

slaves。　　If　these　troubles　lead　to　war　almost　all　of　us　will　go　into

the　army；　and　we　do　not　like　the　thought　of　the　possibility　of

troubles　among　the　hands　when　the　whites　are　all　away。〃



〃I　will　find　out　all　about　it　for　you　to…night；　sah。　　I　don't　suspect　dat

dey　will　do　nuffin　to…day。　　Andrew　Jackson　too　sick　after　dat

knock　against　de　tump。　　He　keep　quiet　a　day　or　two。〃



〃Well；　Dan；　you　go　over　to…night　and　find　out　all　about　it。　　I　expect

I　had　better　have　left　things　alone；　but　now　I　have　interfered　I　shall

go　on　with　it。〃



Mrs。　Wingfield　was　much　displeased　when　Vincent　told　her　at

dinner　of　his　incident　at　Jackson's　plantation　and　even　his　sisters

were　shocked　at　this　interference　between　a　master　and　his　slave。



〃You　will　get　yourself　into　serious　trouble　with　these　fanciful

notions　of　yours；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said　angrily。　〃You　know　as　well

as　I　do　how　easy　it　is　to　get　up　a　cry　against　any　one　as　an

Abolitionist　and　how　difficult　to　disprove　the　accusation；　and　just

at　present；　when　the　passions　of　every　man　in　the　South　are

inflamed　to　the　utmost；　such　an　accusation　will　be　most　serious。　

In　the　present　instance　there　does　not　seem　that　there　is　a　shadow

of　excuse　for　your　conduct。　　You　simply　heard　cries　of　a　slave

being　flogged。　　You　deliberately　leave　the　road　and　enter　these

people's　plantation　and　interfere　without；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　the

least　reason　for　doing　so。　　You　did　not　inquire　what　the　man's

offense　was；　and　he　may　for　aught　you　know　have　half　murdered

his　master。　　You　simply　see　a　slave　being　flogged　and　you　assault

his　owner。　　lf　the　Jacksons　lay　complaints　against　you　it　is　quite

probable　that　you　may　have　to　leave　the　state。　　What　on　earth　can

have　influe